The Non - League thread

[AthleticoSpizz]

Spelthorne Sports 2-0 Windsor

I know we have a number of injuries but the number of players supposedly in the squad (many of whom have played once or twice) means we should be able to put out a decent team capable of a better performance than this insipid display.

However, I suspect at least half the names on the squad list have just been given to us for a week or 2 by other clubs for whom they are fringe players just to give them a game. But I don’t know that for sure because no news comes out of the club.

The website and social media updates are almost non-existent so we have no idea what’s going on with the team, who is unfit, when they might be back etc. and every team sheet looks very different from the previous one.

Oh yes, we do now have a weekly minute or 2 interview with the manager - flash background production values but full of cliches and not a lot else.

I’ve been saying it for a couple of years but I really don’t think the manager has a clue what he’s doing.

I made a decision this season not to do away games, in part to manage the amount of pain I inflict on myself but had to go yesterday assuming that James Harper would be in the squad.... but of course he wasn’t!

I hope Harper still has a strong work ethic, a lot of patience and a desire to help less talented players (and the manager!) improve and perform to their potential - if he’s not up for that, after one training session he just might decide this Challenge is not for him. I actually suspect, despite the announcement of him signing for us, it’s just a brief emergency loan, nothing more.

As some of the locals told me pre-game, Spelly are nowhere near as good as they have been, have a very young side and are struggling - well that may be the case but they were far too good for our hapless bunch.

Most of the players we have had passed our way by the likes of Beaconsfield, Binfield and Maidenhead have been decent (as you’d expect) but special mention for one from Binfield who started on Saturday - Joel Valentine.... he was comically bad in every respect.

And after 1 game, it's just been announced that he's joined Ascot.

Fcuking pathetic and predictable (as you can see).

did he actually play?

The guy’s a bit of a fruit-loop, he’ll never settle down.

Disappointing

[Stranded]

Maybe he's trying to play for every club in Berkshire?

[Royal Rother]

Spelthorne Sports 2-0 Windsor

I know we have a number of injuries but the number of players supposedly in the squad (many of whom have played once or twice) means we should be able to put out a decent team capable of a better performance than this insipid display.

However, I suspect at least half the names on the squad list have just been given to us for a week or 2 by other clubs for whom they are fringe players just to give them a game. But I don’t know that for sure because no news comes out of the club.

The website and social media updates are almost non-existent so we have no idea what’s going on with the team, who is unfit, when they might be back etc. and every team sheet looks very different from the previous one.

Oh yes, we do now have a weekly minute or 2 interview with the manager - flash background production values but full of cliches and not a lot else.

I’ve been saying it for a couple of years but I really don’t think the manager has a clue what he’s doing.

I made a decision this season not to do away games, in part to manage the amount of pain I inflict on myself but had to go yesterday assuming that James Harper would be in the squad.... but of course he wasn’t!

I hope Harper still has a strong work ethic, a lot of patience and a desire to help less talented players (and the manager!) improve and perform to their potential - if he’s not up for that, after one training session he just might decide this Challenge is not for him. I actually suspect, despite the announcement of him signing for us, it’s just a brief emergency loan, nothing more.

As some of the locals told me pre-game, Spelly are nowhere near as good as they have been, have a very young side and are struggling - well that may be the case but they were far too good for our hapless bunch.

Most of the players we have had passed our way by the likes of Beaconsfield, Binfield and Maidenhead have been decent (as you’d expect) but special mention for one from Binfield who started on Saturday - Joel Valentine.... he was comically bad in every respect.

And after 1 game, it's just been announced that he's joined Ascot.

Fcuking pathetic and predictable (as you can see).

did he actually play?

The guy’s a bit of a fruit-loop, he’ll never settle down.

Disappointing

He played one game, midweek.

Guess who it was against....?

[AthleticoSpizz]

...yeah, get the picture....obviously impressed the opposition a bit too much.

I don’t confess to understand the NL freedoms of too’ing and fro’ing between clubs, but is their no etiquettes, morals or rulings about ‘trumping’ eachother?

[Royal Rother]

...yeah, get the picture....obviously impressed the opposition a bit too much.

I don’t confess to understand the NL freedoms of too’ing and fro’ing between clubs, but is their no etiquettes, morals or rulings about ‘trumping’ eachother?

Thing is, Ascot have a decent budget (so our manager keeps saying anyway) so they are really pushing the boat out. Windsor have no budget. Whilst I find it hard to believe Harper would go for the money (however much that is) as he should be pretty secure financially one would hope, but Ascot are a club with forward momentum, a positive outlook and are well-run by all accounts. Windsor are none of those things - I just can’t believe he even gave us a 2nd look in the first place tbh but I guess a 3rd look was enough.

Bit shit though really.

I don’t fully understand the 7 day approach thing that operates at our level either but basically a club can make a move and there’s very little the current club can do to block a move, especially when it’s a question of £0 v £100++ a game.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Bit of an eye-opener there. Thanks

Can understand why any player (not just Harps) would use the likes of Windsor to put themselves in the local shop window.

No real incentives to uncover hidden gems and available old/new local talents going forward at Stag Meadow.tho’

[Royal Rother]

Well the thing is, I don’t know how long he was there but he was playing at Uxbridge last season so it’s not like he shouldn’t have been on the radar anyway.

The previous manager Mick Woodham was a real gem. He would be at most U18s games at home and some away. He would watch local Sunday league games - he knew everyone in the game locally and picked up loads of good players that way and brought the best of the U18s into the 1st team squad, initially to train with the squad and then gave them game time when ready.

Mark Cooper doesn’t do any of that so there is no community involvement, no unearthed gems, just a never ending conveyor belt of players from other clubs getting game time at Windsor for a brief time before moving back to their home club or to pastures new.

That is no way to progress.

Anyway, I’ve dominated with Windsor comment recently so better give it a rest now!

[AthleticoSpizz]

Come and get me £ ?

[Royal Rother]

Maybe, if that’s what motivates him but having earned £30k+ pw I find that hard to believe really. I suspect he just wants to play at the highest level (both league table and facility-wise) he can and clearly Ascot are streets ahead of Windsor in both regards.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yeah...hopefully it’s just about staying in the game.
However, on his BBC BERKS podcast claimed he was only getting £1.5k a week

A lot of things about him would suggest otherwise obviously.

[Royal Rother]

Wellingborough Whitworth 5-1 Windsor

I didn’t go.

Enough is enough. The fans have had enough anyway.

[Four Of Clubs]

Results w/e :

Sat 25th September

FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round
7 Bedford Town 1-0 St. Neots Town
8 Kempston Rovers 2-2 Newcastle Town 3-4p
9 Hastings United 3-0 A.F.C. Dunstable att 823
10 Welwyn Garden City 3-3 Hythe Town 4-1p
11 Ramsgate 5-0 Sutton Common Rovers att 444
12 (Sun 15:00) Hashtag United v Chipstead
13 Stowmarket Town 1-1 Great Wakering Rovers 3-4p
14 Corinthian 1-1 Grays Athletic 5-4p
15 Canvey Island 4-1 Coggeshall Town
16 Ashford United 1-1 Chalfont St. Peter 5-4p
17 Chichester City 4-0 Whitstable Town
18 Wantage Town 1-2 Willand Rovers
19 Thame United 3-2 Winchester City att 66 – evidently captured the imagination that one!
- t.b.f. crowds in general seemed to be down quite a bit in NL yesterday - with a few exceptional 'hot spots'
- seen it attributed to current infuriating prevalence of M'way gridlock and the perceived fuel crisis/shortage.

FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round
94 Winslow United 2-3 Shefford Town & Campton
95 Northampton Sileby Rangers 3-4 Buckingham Athletic
96 A.F.C. Hayes 0-3 Risborough Rangers
97 Wembley 0-0 Holmer Green 4-5p
98 F.C. Deportivo Galicia 1-4 Tring Athletic
99 Egham Town 3-2 Northampton O.N. Chenecks
100 Hilltop (Sun 3.00) v Broadfields United
101 Hillingdon Borough 1-1 Bugbrooke St. Michaels 5-3p
102 Bedfont & Feltham 0-0 Rayners Lane 6-7p
103 Southall 5-1 C.B. Hounslow United
104 British Airways 3-1 Desborough Town
105 Burnham 3-0 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos
106 Wellingborough Whitworth 5-1 Windsor – in spite of Windsor’s woes this still looks like a bit of a shock here.
- currently Whitworths are down in STEP06 (transferred from UCL One over to S.Mids One whilst 'lower-midway')
- pure conjecture but possibly the re-structure of UCL/SSM may have strengthened them, as their neighbours (literally the grounds are next door to each other) Wellingborough Town have remained in the predominantly more northern focussed UCL at STEP05
- Whitworths might have been able to recruit a few players who preferred to stay south?
– however they do sit 3rd and seem to be big scorers generally at that level - racking up over 3 goals per game.
UPDATE: A report from NLM by a 'hopper' in attendance, seemed to think Windsor were simply bullied out of the game by a big physical outfit- also highlighted that he thought the two visiting CBs were both approx 5' 8" and the keeper had a 'mare??

107 Ardley United 5-0 Rothwell Corinthians
108 Newport Pagnell Town 1-0 Harpenden Town
109 Penn & Tylers Green 1-1 Harefield United 3-4p
110 Easington Sports 0-2 London Colney
111 Frimley Green 3-1 A.F.C. Aldermaston
112 Tadley Calleva 1-4 Ascot United – Tadley sacked their manager midweek after a dismal start, that included a 1-5 reverse to the ‘Yellamen’ in the league
– cringeworthy - but it probably needs a mention, that the visitors brought on their potentially media-noteworthy subs ‘Nortey and Nice’ – the former playing to his name, earning a yellow card with a few questionable challenges.

113 Bitton 3-1 Cheltenham Saracens
114 Abingdon United 1-10 {TEN} Berks County
– something seriously amiss at Northcourt, based upon how decent they were doing in the curtailed season to Dec 20 and were even runners-up in 2019-20.
With ‘Town’ folding too, having lost their ground, I’d wonder if all of the younger members of the respective squads from last season have perhaps gone elsewhere
– There is a new Sports Academy outfit in the local area Procision (Oxford) – who sniffed around the OSL but actually joined Hellenic Two and rather puzzlingly, according to league info, appear to be playing some games out of the IBIS facility next to Rivermoor - doubt there's room to use the main ground with the other sides in residence(?)
– there is also a new purpose built facility up alongside the A34 in the NW corner of Abingdon - where they have also appeared in Cup games.

115 Brislington 1-2 Ashton & Backwell United
116 Tuffley Rovers 3-2 Fleet Spurs
117 Bishop's Cleeve 4-4 Wallingford Town 3-4p – decent scalp for Town
118 Eversley & California 1-2 Oldland Abbotonians
119 Bristol Telephones 1-6 Chipping Sodbury Town
120 Longwell Green Sports 0-2 Cadbury Heath
121 Sheerwater 1-0 Tytherington Rocks
122 Wokingham & Emmbrook 1-1 Hallen 5-4p
123 Keynsham Town 3-1 Long Crendon
124 Cribbs 1-1 Shortwood United 5-4p
125 Milton United 6-0 Woodley United
126 (Sun 15:00) Sandhurst Town v Longlevens @ Sandhurst
127 Portishead Town 1-3 Royal Wootton Bassett Town
128 Raynes Park Vale 4-0 Welling Town
129 A.F.C. Varndeanians 0-5 Kent Football United
130 Tunbridge Wells 4-1 Canterbury City
131 Epsom & Ewell 4-0 Mile Oak
132 Holmesdale 4-0 A.F.C. Croydon Athletic
133 Alfold 2-2 Redhill 3-4p
134 Meridian Valley Park 1-5 Shoreham
136 Rochester United 1-1 Chessington & Hook United 7-6p
137 Snodland Town 4-2 Sutton Athletic
138 Abbey Rangers 4-2 Montpelier Villa
139 (Sun 15:00) Jersey Bulls v Crowborough Athletic
140 Hassocks 1-2 Beckenham Town
141 Lordswood 1-1 Seaford Town 4-2p
142 Croydon 1-4 Horley Town
143 Erith Town 2-3 Sheppey United
144 Saltdean United 1-3 Bridon Ropes
145 Colliers Wood United 1-0 Punjab United
146 Tower Hamlets 1-3 Crawley Down Gatwick
147 Hailsham Town 1-2 Staplehurst Monarchs United
148 Greenways 2-3 Forest Hill Park
149 Athletic Newham 2-2 Bexhill United 7-6p
150 Loxwood 0-5 Erith & Belvedere
151 Worthing United 1-5 Stansfeld
152 Midhurst & Easebourne 0-1 Alresford Town
153 Ringwood Town 1-2 Downton
154 Moneyfields 2-0 A.F.C. Portchester
155 Laverstock & Ford 5-0 Fawley
156 Whitchurch United 2-2 Ash United 3-5p
157 Godalming Town 2-2 Badshot Lea att 124 4-5p
158 Sherborne Town 3-6 Bemerton Heath Harlequins
159 Horndean 1-1 Brockenhurst 1-4p
160 Bournemouth F.C. 5-3 East Cowes Victoria Athletic
161 Alton 2-2 Pagham att 153 3-5p
162 Andover Town 1-4 Andover New Street att 279
163 A.F.C. Stoneham 2-3 Blackfield & Langley
164 Arundel 0-5 Shaftesbury
165 Bradford Town 2-0 Odd Down
166 Corsham Town 1-1 Hamworthy United 2-4p
167 Farnham Town 1-1 Bashley 6-7p
168 Wendron United 2-1 Bishop Sutton
169 St. Blazey 2-2 Dobwalls 5-6p
170 Wadebridge Town 1-4 Newquay
171 Elmore 1-5 Helston Athletic
172 Shepton Mallet 0-1 Mousehole
173 Launceston 1-2 Newton Abbot Spurs
174 Sidmouth Town 1-2 Welton Rovers
175 Bovey Tracey 4-6 Street
177 Bishops Lydeard 2-2 Wellington A.F.C. 2-4p
178 Camelford 3-2 Cheddar
179 Saltash United 2-2 Bodmin Town 5-4p
180 Axminster Town 0-1 Brixham
181 Torpoint Athletic 6-1 Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police
182 Ivybridge Town 1-2 Wells City

NAT
Aldershot Town 0-1 FC Halifax Town
Eastleigh 3-2 Woking – ‘Cards- two up on 15’ (Tahvon Campbell brace) but the game turned around by 2 pens for the 'Spitfires' midway thru 2nd half.
Maidenhead United 1-1 Grimsby Town – Kane Ferdinand salvages a point for ‘Magpies’ on 83’
NATN
AFC Telford United 0-2 Brackley Town – ‘Saints’ stay 2nd on GD from Fylde who also won at home to Kidderminster.
NATS
Bath City 0-3 Maidstone United
Billericay Town 2-3 Hemel Hempstead Town
Chelmsford City 0-2 Dulwich Hamlet
Concord Rangers 0-3 Chippenham Town
Eastbourne Borough 6-0 Braintree Town
Hungerford Town 1-1 Slough Town –att 456 ‘Crusaders’ grab a point on 93’ through George Smith; Tom Derry scoring for the ‘Rebels’ on around 70’
Oxford City 1-1 Hampton & Richmond Borough
St Albans City 1-0 Havant & Waterlooville
Tonbridge Angels 3-1 Dorking Wanderers
Welling United 0-6 Dartford – ‘Darts’ head the table from Maidstone

SLP-C
Banbury United 5-1 St Ives Town – United in 2nd behind Peterborough Sports
SLP-S
Kings Langley 3-0 Poole Town – impressive win from KL who climb off the bottom and go above Wimborne.
Merthyr Town 2-3 Farnborough - ‘boro in 3rd
Metropolitan Police 1-1 Hayes & Yeading United – first points dropped for H&Y
Salisbury 4-2 Swindon Supermarine
Taunton Town 3-0 Walton Casuals
Truro City 4-1 Chesham United
Weston-super-Mare 1-3 Hartley Wintney
Yate Town 4-0 Beaconsfield Town
SL1-C
North Leigh 1-2 Barton Rovers – 2nd home reverse in a week keeps Nor Lye in 2nd – have now played a few more than those around them – Berko stay top.

SL1-S
Highworth Town 2-0 Mangotsfield United – att 143 - Edwards and Barcelos for Worthians – who move up to 6th – they travel to Winchester midweek.
Sholing head the pile – Barnstaple already cut adrift and pointless at the bottom, just behind Mangotsfield
– no improvement this term for these two, who both struggled in the fore-shortened season and were probably saved from the drop by the pandemic in 19/20 when they finished bottom four.

IL1-SC
Bracknell Town 0-1 Marlow att 397 ‘Blues’ maintain 100% - Nwachuku on 38’ – reportedly in a game dominated by the hosts but Marlow defended well to hang on to their lead
Hanwell Town 6-5 Staines Town –att 249 - madcap! - Staines led by four on 20’- but was 4-4 by H/T
Northwood 1-7 Uxbridge – Uxbridge benefit from ‘Robins’ slip up to snatch top spot.
Westfield 2-3 Ashford Town (Middx)
– there were two 6-5 scorelines on a goals–rich day in the Isthmian this PM – close on 90 goals notched up in the 20 league games across the four divisions.

CCL-PN
Hanworth Villa 1-0 Virginia Water
North Greenford United 2-2 Reading City
St Panteleimon 4-1 Holyport
CCL-PS
Balham 3-1 Cobham
Banstead Athletic 0-3 Knaphill
Fleet Town 1-2 Camberley Town
Walton & Hersham 4-0 Molesey – W&H up to 3rd – ‘Moles’ bottom no points from 9 and a GD of -32
CCL-1
Bagshot 0-2 Chalvey Sports
Enfield Borough 2-3 London Samurai Rovers
Langley 2-2 Cove

SSM-P
Flackwell Heath 4-2 Oxhey Jets –att 103 ‘Heathens’ moving up the table gradually, after a poor start – goals from Taylor, Thomas, Weekes and Guy – competitive game which saw home keeper off injured in added time – following the goal Jets scored on 90’

WESS-1
Folland Sports 3-0 Petersfield Town

[AthleticoSpizz]

“Norty and Nice” ?

[Royal Rother]

106 Wellingborough Whitworth 5-1 Windsor – in spite of Windsor’s woes this still looks like a bit of a shock here.
- currently Whitworths are down in STEP06 (transferred from UCL One over to S.Mids One whilst 'lower-midway')
- pure conjecture but possibly the re-structure of UCL/SSM may have strengthened them, as their neighbours (literally the grounds are next door to each other) Wellingborough Town have remained in the predominantly more northern focussed UCL at STEP05
- Whitworths might have been able to recruit a few players who preferred to stay south?
– however they do sit 3rd and seem to be big scorers generally at that level - racking up over 3 goals per game.
UPDATE: A report from NLM by a 'hopper' in attendance, seemed to think Windsor were simply bullied out of the game by a big physical outfit- also highlighted that he thought the two visiting CBs were both approx 5' 8" and the keeper had a 'mare??

We have had no fit CDs for about 6 weeks now - although regularly draft in a replacement for a game or 2 from other clubs that seems to have dried up now and anyway, probably more difficult to get someone for a Vase game.

The keeper has some good attributes but his decision making is definitely suspect. Yes those who attended were unimpressed with his performance yesterday. They also thought the whole team looked like they didn’t give a shit.

[Royal Rother]

News from Frimley Green FC

In the posts on social media, the club said: "It is with great sadness that Frimley Green Football Club confirm the tragic loss of one of our promising young U18 players, in a fatal car accident Saturday night. Several other club players were involved in the incident and remain in hospital, some in intensive care."

Surrey Police continues to appeal for witnesses to the crash.

The force says the teenage driver of a Volkswagen Polo was killed when the car collided head-on with a taxi travelling in the opposite direction.

[paultheroyal]

Basingstoke Town game tonight away to Staines called off - Lack of diesel.

[Four Of Clubs]

Basingstoke Town game tonight away to Staines called off - Lack of diesel.

...several others wiped out too - mostly at STEP03/04 so Isthmian and Southern - in particular the Isthmian has hardly any surviving fixtures ... only 5 out of 27 scheduled to go ahead currently ...

..those announced off - involving 'local' sides - as of about 2 hrs ago ... (I'll check again as I hoped to get somewhere nearby later)

AFC Dunstable v Wantage
Ashford T (Mx) v Binfield
Hanwell v SCR
Harrow v Hayes & Y
Hendon v Chesham
Winch v Highworth
Kings Langley v Walton Casuals
Banbury v Biggleswade T
Langley v Hilltop

& tomorrow eve (Wed 29th)
Bedfont Sp v Thatcham
Kingstonian v Horsham

Farnborough were due to go to Met Police but the Hants County FA comp. took precedence this week, so now they are supposed to be hosting The Sh!ts at Cherrywood in the HSC - the way the visitors are doing in the league, I hope they are being made to walk!

[Royals and Racers]

Went to Milton Utd v Risborough in B & B cup 2-2 after 90mins and Milton won 4-1 on Pens. Risborough the better team i thought but left to rue missed chances. Milton play Flackwell heath in next round at home.

[Four Of Clubs]

... well - there were a few other games that went ahead last night, amidst occasional monsoon conditions and in spite of the fuel panics.

I nipped over to The Racecourse for:

CCL-PN Ascot Utd 5-0 Burnham
...'Yellamen' ahead inside the first minute through Laflin and two up soon after - shortly before big home CB Dan Bailey had a bit of a dust-up with Joe Gritt and was given a straight red.
- didn't effect the home side at all and they rather coasted to a big win over a fairly soggy and insipid looking 'Blues'.
- and yes, a certain Master J.Harper was at no 4 in yellow (mildly surprised he hadn't switched his allegiance to Burnham mid-afternoon?)
- is still the nervous bundle of energy he always was - sidling around the pitch generally with both arms outstretched and constantly looking all about him or pointing at something - regularly passing back or sideways.
- Has slightly more hair these days and in spite of evidently keeping himself fit, carries just a little more middle-aged midriff than in his legendary times with us.




Crowd may have just been three figures - but it was a filthy night and everyone huddled under the clubhouse roof or the small stand.

Elsewhere :

NAT
Woking 3-1 Chesterfield

SLP-S
Hartley W 1-4 Beaconsfield T
SL1-C
Aylesbury Utd 2-0 Colney Heath
Didcot 0-3 Kidlington
Thame 2-2 North Leigh

CCL-PS
Fleet T 0-1 Baggy Lea
Sheerwater 3-1 Molesey

HELL-P
Shrivenham 2-0 Longlevens

SSM-1
Long Crendon 3-1 Amersham Town

WESS-P
Alton 1-0 Blackfield & L

[Royal Rother]

After Windsor's Saturday's debacle a couple of diehard fans got in touch with the Chairman to voice displeasure and offers of help and he said he would call them back. Trouble is, they tend not be overly polite in these exchanges but hell, it's the passion of football I suppose.

Anyway, guess what? Yep, you're right - no such return call has been made.

A good number of the diehards are vowing not to return until changes are made. Whether they see that through of course remains to be seen. I'll be there on Saturday but may be a tad lonely!

A number also made their displeasure known on social media (tagging the club) - the 'keeper came on apologising for the performance and saying they would be working hard this week to ensure improvements are made, which was appreciated.

Not a word from anyone else although the manager has been fairly open in his press interview. I wasn't there so can't entirely share the fans' pain who did go, but although I think it's a reasonable interview in the circs the guys who have made their minds up don't think he went anywhere near far enough. (They did spend £60 to get there so it's gonna hurt, I get that.)