The Non - League thread

[26-10-06]

Has anyone been to Reading City?

Is there any decent pubs either around the stadium or on the walk from Tilehurst Station to the ground?

[Royal Rother]

Has anyone been to Reading City?

Is there any decent pubs either around the stadium or on the walk from Tilehurst Station to the ground?

Yes and a resounding No.

[NathStPaul]

Decent matchday food on offer at Reading City. You're better off just getting to the ground and having a pint and some grub.

[26-10-06]

Has anyone been to Reading City?

Is there any decent pubs either around the stadium or on the walk from Tilehurst Station to the ground?

Yes and a resounding No.

Thanks guys. Is the double barrel any good?

[Four Of Clubs]

Thanks guys. Is the double barrel any good?

Assuming you mean the venue not the beer itself.....only been in a couple of times to shop ....but seemed decent enough place if you ignore the odd surroundings and the fact it's inside an Industrial Unit....
If u are walking I'd stay on the main road and go in nearer the roundabout, rather than walk down the fairly dreary access road by the rail bridge off Scours.
Theirs is the last Unit on the right down the very end.

Looked as if they did food too -

https://doublebarrelled.co.uk/taproom/

[Royals and Racers]

Subject to FA Council approval, the Inter-Step Play-Offs currently in place at Steps 4 and 5 of the National League System (NLS) are to be replaced after the 2022/23 season.

The change will see the introduction of a traditional four-team Play-Off in each of the sixteen Step 5 divisions – thus guaranteeing a second promotion place from Step 5 to Step 4, subject to Clubs meeting the eligibility criteria which includes an independent ground grading assessment.

At the end of the 2023/24 season, this will mean that an additional 16 Clubs will be guaranteed promotion from Step 5 to Step 4 (32 Clubs in total), with the number of Clubs relegated from each of the eight Step 4 divisions to remain as two in order to increase the divisional size at Step 4 to 22 Clubs per division. The resulting 16 vacancies at Step 5 will be filled by only relegating one Club per Step 5 division, as opposed to two.

From the 2024/25 season, it is intended that the number of Clubs automatically relegated from each of the eight Step 4 divisions to Step 5 will increase from two to four, two Clubs from each of the sixteen Step 5 divisions will continue to be promoted to Step 4 (one automatic and one via the Play-Off) and the number of clubs automatically relegated from each Step 5 division will revert to two.

These changes reflect a long-term aim of The FA to create consistency at each Step level of the NLS pyramid.

[Four Of Clubs]

This w/e's NL fayre ....

NOTE: bit soggy out there plenty of PIs now scheduled locally for late AM some already declared as P-P below

Saturday 18th March

NAT
Eastleigh v Altrincham - 'Spitfires' went down 3-1 at Notts Co on Tue - Wrexham still head the table by 1 pt with a game in hand
Maidenhead United v Maidstone United - 'Magpies' and Sh!ts shared the spoils with a 1-1 draw at York Rd in midweek att 1,143 - both goals in the opening 10'
Scunthorpe United v Wealdstone
Southend United v Aldershot Town
12.30 Woking v Chesterfield
York City v Dorking Wanderers
NATN
Brackley Town v Blyth Spartans - 'Saints' and Kings Lynn draw 1-1 midweek - att 867
Chorley v Banbury United
NATS
Eastbourne Borough v Slough Town
Farnborough v Chippenham Town
Hungerford Town v Braintree Town
Oxford City v Cheshunt

SLP-C
Kings Langley v Basford United
SLP-S
Beaconsfield Town v Yate Town
Bracknell Town v Truro City
Chesham United v Winchester City
Hartley Wintney v Poole Town
Hayes & Yeading United v Dorchester Town
Salisbury v North Leigh
Swindon Supermarine v Tiverton Town
SL1-C
Biggleswade Town v Thame United
Didcot Town v Hadley
Highworth Town v Barton Rovers
Kempston Rovers v Aylesbury United
Waltham Abbey v Kidlington

IL1-SC
Ashford Town (Middx) v Chertsey Town
Basingstoke Town v Uxbridge
Bedfont Sports v Marlow
Guernsey v Chipstead
Hanworth Villa v Southall
Leatherhead v Merstham
South Park v Westfield
Thatcham Town v Northwood
Tooting & Mitcham United v Sutton Common Rovers
Walton & Hersham v Binfield

CCL-PN
Edgware & Kingsbury v Reading City City's proud home record goes midweek - beaten 0-1 by NGU in the 91st minute
Hilltop v Oxhey Jets
Holyport P-P Burnham – ‘Blues’ bt Windsor 1-0 on Wed night att 131
London Lions v Windsor
North Greenford United v Egham Town
Spelthorne Sports v Ascot United
Virginia Water v Flackwell Heath
Wallingford & Crowmarsh v Harefield United
Wembley v Chalfont St. Peter
Wokingham & Emmbrook v Broadfields United
CCL-PS
Badshot Lea P-P Sheerwater
Balham v Alton
Colliers Wood United P-P Banstead United
Fleet Town v Cobham
Frimley Green v Camberley Town
Guildford City v Horley Town
Jersey Bulls v Farnham Town
Raynes Park Vale P-P Abbey Rangers
Redhill P-P AFC Croydon Athletic
Tadley Calleva v Knaphill

CCL-1
Bagshot v Hillingdon Borough
British Airways v Berks County
CB Hounslow United v Bedfont
Cove v FC Deportivo Galicia
Eversley & California v Rising Ballers Kensington
Langley v London Samurai Rovers
Molesey P-P AFC Aldermaston – midweek game at Thatcham abandoned at HT with ‘hosts/lodgers' leading 1-0 vs Rayners La – no further comments/accounst yet from the Atom Men nor visitors.
Penn & Tylers Green P-P Westside
Spartans Youth v Sandhurst Town - ‘Fizzers’ beat improving P&TG 5-0 on Tuesday
Woodley United P-P Brook House - - Utd suprise winners at Berks County on Tue

HELL- P
Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Chipping Sodbury Town
Shrivenham v Corsham Town
Wantage Town v Mangotsfield United
HELL-1
Bourton Rovers P-P Long Crendon
Kidlington Res v Calne Town
Milton United v Shortwood United

SSMP
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Harpenden Town
Dunstable Town v Risborough Rangers
SSM-1
Amersham Town P-P Eaton Socon
Burton Park Wanderers v Holmer Green
Thame United Reserves v Moulton
Winslow United v London Tigers

WESS-P
Hamble Club v Alresford Town
WESS-1
Andover New Street P-P East Cowes Victoria - - waterlogged - BUT another big win MW for ANS 0- 5 at Folland, sees them open a small gap at the top
Andover Town v Verwood Town
Fleet Spurs v Millbrook
Fleetlands v Ash United
Ringwood Town v Whitchurch United
Totton & Eling P-P Petersfield Town

[tmesis]

Has anyone been to Reading City?

Is there any decent pubs either around the stadium or on the walk from Tilehurst Station to the ground?

I've not been since Highmoor IBIS played there, and it was an absolute dump then, mainly due the amount of junk lying around. It was like nobody cared.

I have heard it's been smarted up a bit since then, but not seen for myself.

[Royal Rother]

Has anyone been to Reading City?

Is there any decent pubs either around the stadium or on the walk from Tilehurst Station to the ground?

I've not been since Highmoor IBIS played there, and it was an absolute dump then, mainly due the amount of junk lying around. It was like nobody cared.

I have heard it's been smarted up a bit since then, but not seen for myself.

Horrible place.

1st time I went there a rat ran in front of my car as I drove into the car park.

The barbed wire on the walls sums the place up. Decent clubhouse once you get inside though!

[tmesis]

Has anyone been to Reading City?

Is there any decent pubs either around the stadium or on the walk from Tilehurst Station to the ground?

I've not been since Highmoor IBIS played there, and it was an absolute dump then, mainly due the amount of junk lying around. It was like nobody cared.

I have heard it's been smarted up a bit since then, but not seen for myself.

Horrible place.

1st time I went there a rat ran in front of my car as I drove into the car park.

The barbed wire on the walls sums the place up. Decent clubhouse once you get inside though!

I would hope it's improved in the six years since I went there.
https://stadiumsandcities.wordpress.com ... acknell-6/

[Royal Rother]

I've not been since Highmoor IBIS played there, and it was an absolute dump then, mainly due the amount of junk lying around. It was like nobody cared.

I have heard it's been smarted up a bit since then, but not seen for myself.

Horrible place.

1st time I went there a rat ran in front of my car as I drove into the car park.

The barbed wire on the walls sums the place up. Decent clubhouse once you get inside though!

I would hope it's improved in the six years since I went there.
https://stadiumsandcities.wordpress.com ... acknell-6/

Good report!

Guess it must have been 5 years since my 1st visit, and probably 4 visits since. Not seen the Fairground food “outlet”.

Yes, the plastic chairs etc. strewn around was just so crap. I believe they are supposed to have spent a fair bit on the place since, but the improvement to the inside of the clubhouse is about the only real evidence tbh.

I’ve been to some pretty rubbish grounds following Windsor away over the last dozen years or so but most have at least some degree of charm. Scours Lane remains absolute bottom of the pile for me.

[Four Of Clubs]

I’ve been to some pretty rubbish grounds following Windsor away over the last dozen years or so but most have at least some degree of charm. Scours Lane remains absolute bottom of the pile for me.

....probably didn't get to the Avenue Ground then?
Sat directly off the A40 just before Hanwell - used by London Tigers for a spell and oddly enough 'owned' by Bedfont Green/Sports (forget which) before that - but fairly certain they had the good sense never to let their Firsts play there.
Had previously been the home ground of Viking Sports aka Greenford who had a 20yr stay in the Hellenic & CCL up to the early 2000s.

Was roundly regarded as the most dangerous surface in non-league - scattered with brick and other sundry building material. Kentish Town from the SSM tried and failed to get it uplifted and upped sticks to the Copthall (Barnet) in the end ..... and that wasn't exactly palatial .... before the Rugby took over? (Saracens) and KT rather faded away.

Pitch, club building and surrounds were vandalised beyond use 5 yrs or more ago - allegedly by Travellers but also big noises made at the time it was an insurance scam of some convoluted kind?

The joke about the damage caused thousands of pounds worth of improvements .... was never more truthful!

....and yes Scours has improved markedly over the years but from an exceedingly low bar to begin with.
Oddly enough they spent lots on the lights, around the time Highmoor IBIS gave way to City but they were really poor on my last visit?

[AthleticoSpizz]

…yet still subject to vandalism

Not a lot that RC can do about that.

Decent club house facilities, given the level

[Four Of Clubs]

Results from those matches that went ahead – there were quite a few late call-off down at STEP05 & 06.

Saturday 18th March

NAT
Eastleigh 3-2 Altrincham
Maidenhead United 2-1 Maidstone United att 1,085 – ‘Magpies’ beat the bottom club thanks to a brace from Emile Acquah in the first half
Scunthorpe United 4-1 Wealdstone
Southend United 1-2 Aldershot Town
Woking 0-1 Chesterfield
York City 2-1 Dorking Wanderers
NATN
Brackley Town 1-1 Blyth Spartans - 'Saints' grab a point with a very late penalty – kick was saved but Amantchi knocked in the rebound.
Chorley 1-0 Banbury United
NATS
Eastbourne Borough 2-0 Slough Town
Farnborough 0-1 Chippenham Town
Hungerford Town 2-1 Braintree Town
Oxford City 1-0 Cheshunt

SLP-C
Kings Langley 1-1 Basford United
SLP-S
Beaconsfield Town 3-2 Yate Town
Bracknell Town 0-3 Truro City - att 361 – ‘Robins’ recent charge hit the buffers now 6 pts behind 2nd placed visitors with 3 games in hand – leaders W-s-M held by Met Pol. A further 4 pts ahead.
Chesham United 1-1 Winchester City
Hartley Wintney 1-1 Poole Town
Hayes & Yeading United 4-0 Dorchester Town
Salisbury 4-2 North Leigh
Swindon Supermarine v Tiverton Town
SL1-C
Biggleswade Town 3-2 Thame United
Didcot Town 0-1 Hadley - Diddy beaten by an early goal (2’) – anyone going for 15:00 may have missed it as the ‘Railwaymen’ appeared to KO at 14:30 – they reportedly have been experiencing issues with the lights and had to play midweek home games away from The Loop - and are starting Sat fixtures earlier ??

Highworth Town 3-3 Barton Rovers ‘Worthians’ held by a side below them so unable to pull out of the drop zone – Rovers levelled on 91’ – ‘Ducks’ benefit with their win at Kempston
Kempston Rovers 1-2 Aylesbury United
Waltham Abbey 1-1 Kidlington

IL1-SC
Ashford Town (Middx) 2-2 Chertsey Town
Basingstoke Town 3-2 Uxbridge - att 753 – all three ‘stoke goals from Brody Peart in the first half – Uxbridge pulled the deficit back to 1 by the 88’ – still a 4pts gap back to W&H after their big win over the ‘Moles’.

Bedfont Sports 2-2 Marlow
Guernsey 2-2 Chipstead
South Park 1-1 Westfield
Thatcham Town 2-1 Northwood – 2 late goals from Simeon Weekes – ‘Woods had led from 10’
Tooting & Mitcham United 0-2 Sutton Common Rovers
Walton & Hersham 5-1 Binfield

CCL-PN
Edgware & Kingsbury 2-1 Reading City City beaten again – and another late goal – stay 2nd as Egham’s game was off and Flackwell lost @ VW: Ascot’s lead 7 points and the ’ Yellamen’ – game washed out at ‘Spelly’ today - have played 1 game less.

London Lions 5-4 Windsor - reported on by a 'hopper' on NLM – Windsor led by 3 within 30’ (goals from Justin Davis & 2 from Tyler Robinson), belying their lowly position - but were behind going into the last 20’.
- Got a leveller on 82’ (Luke Appleton) only for the home side to scramble a winner on 85’

Virginia Water 3-2 Flackwell Heath
Wallingford & Crowmarsh 2-1 Harefield United
Wembley 2-1 Chalfont St. Peter
CCL-PS
Fleet Town 0-3 Cobham
Frimley Green 0-8 {EIGHT} Camberley Town
Jersey Bulls 1-2 Farnham Town att 693 – another surprise reverse for ‘Bulls’ on their home soil – their 4th this term – still unbeaten away though. Farnham grab the win in the 98’
Tadley Calleva 3-2 Knaphill

CCL-1
Bagshot 3-4 Hillingdon Borough
British Airways 1-3 Berks County
CB Hounslow United 0-4 Bedfont
Cove 3-3 FC Deportivo Galicia – good point vs the league leaders
Langley 2-1 London Samurai Rovers 2nd bt 3rd – Langley 5 pts behind ‘Depor’ but have 2 games in hand

HELL- P
Royal Wootton Bassett Town 4-1 Chipping Sodbury Town
Shrivenham 0-5 Corsham Town
Wantage Town 0-2 Mangotsfield United
HELL-1
Kidlington Res 2-4 Calne Town
Milton United 4-0 Shortwood United

SSMP
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 2-1 Harpenden Town
SSM-1
Burton Park Wanderers 2-2 Holmer Green
Thame United Reserves 1-2 Moulton
Winslow United 2-1 London Tigers

WESS-P
Hamble Club 1-1 Alresford Town – Town manage to avoid defeat for only the 2nd match this season, now up to 4 points - just the 20 points adrift – all gained away.
WESS-1
Andover Town 2-4 Verwood Town
Fleetlands 5-1 Ash United
Ringwood Town 0-1 Whitchurch United

[AthleticoSpizz]

Meanwhile, yet another couple of goals for Leroy up at Ilkeston, Worksop Town become this seasons first league champions in the N Prem East, and ‘The Beast’ Akinfenwa comes out of retirement for Faversham Town…

[paultheroyal]

Basingstoke and Walton show roll on - 6 games to go, 4 points is the gap. They both have similar run-ins with Southall and Thatcham the banana skins, definitely Thatcham for Basingstoke being a derby etc.

Basingstoke need to get the win on Saturday which sets up the massive game away to Walton the following week. A draw would suffice with goal difference slightly better. These 2 teams are slugging it out. I believe Walton are the better team but the run Basingstoke has been on in response is something else. Great recovery from such a terrible start in the first 2 months of the season.

[NathStPaul]

We are all Walton.

[paultheroyal]

As if that was not obvious.

[Royals and Racers]

Ascot offering free entry to RFC season ticket holders for the home game on Saturday against Wembley.

[NathStPaul]

Ascot offering free entry to RFC season ticket holders for the home game on Saturday against Wembley.

Closest we are going to get to Wembley for about the next 50 years.....