The Non - League thread

[mx]

I am saddened to learn that Winchester City's main sponsor, Denplan have changed their name, requiring a change in the name of our ground and rendering obsolete one of our few good chants.

Never again will the lines

"We are City,no one likes us, we are city
from the Den

plan
City
Ground"

be sung.

From the "Simplyhealth City Ground" simply doesn't have the same effect.

[Royal Rother]

Feel for you.

[Linden Jones]

Thwarted in my attempt to visit Hartley Wintney for the first time yesterday when their reserve game against Maidenhead United was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.
Assume I'll have better luck on Tuesday getting a first new tick of the season at Slough.

[Four Of Clubs]

.... other games locally on Tuesday 25th .... (not much on other days this midweek)

Andover New Street v Andover Town
19:30 Ardley United v Thame Rangers
Aylesbury v Staines Town
Bracknell Town v Chalfont St Peter
Camberley Town v Alresford Town
Stewards Cup
19:00 Hambleden v Henley Town
Hayes & Yeading United v Harrow Borough
B & B Sen Final
Hungerford Town v Maidenhead United (At Slough Town)
Milton United v Didcot Town
North Leigh v Cheltenham Town
Oxford City v Armed Forces XI
18:45 Staines Lammas v Wokingham & Emmbrook
Windsor v Virginia Water

[mx]

It's early yet I know, but what do we think of our non-league teams' chances?

I'll start.

Last season Winch sacked our manager with 6 games to go, when a play off place was beyond us. The new man had six games, from which we got ONE whole point, and scored no goals.

We have now recruited 6 players from his old club, Fleet Town,and we have lost some of our best players who realised that the new manager was going to pick his new recruits.

Fleet Town finished as badly as we did last season, but in the Southern Central, rather than South West. Despite good noises from friendlies, I see no reason to be optimistic, we will be another mid-table side next year. I hope I'm wrong. YOU CITIZENS!!!!!

Your predictions?

[Royal Rother]

Windsor's pre-season hasn't exactly been exciting so far but apart from a few old heads the squad is so young it's going to be a bit hit and miss.

Barry Hayles will be interesting - although he's bound to score a few at this level I assume, at 45yo, he will be a 30 minute man.

If the bunch of teenagers we have are prepared to listen then they will learn a lot from him and that could mean a better 2nd half of the season.

Talent wise I doubt there will be any stronger squad in the Hellenic but 75% of the starters will be teenagers and as we know, you win nowt with kids.

Slow start, 13th half way, ending up 8th. Keep the squad together and 2018/19 we'll get promoted.

Star players Jack Denton and Paul Coyne.

[Hoop Blah]

Talent wise I doubt there will be any stronger squad in the Hellenic but 75% of the starters will be teenagers and as we know, you win nowt with kids.

That's an interesting and bold statement RR. Why do you think they're that good, and how do you define talented?

There's lots of players with a good pedigree knocking about in the Hellenic Prem.

[Royal Rother]

I am assuming Hellenic is on a par with the CCL - I have seen every CCL team in the last 6 seasons and I have seen a lot of Windsor's youngsters as they have played bits of games in the 1st team last season and the home games in the ACYL last year.

Most of last year's U18s were 15 and 16 years old and that's a decent standard of football. As they got used to the physicality they improved leaps and bounds as the season wore on. They have a number who featured in Windsor Boys School triumph at The Etihad complex in the U16s National Schools Cup Final - that's a very decent standard again.

Apart from being technically skilled, they have decent football brains and some balls.

a number have featured in the County team in age group. 2 separate age groups (this year's U17s and U16s have competed in an international tournament in Sweden in the last 2 years - one lot won, the other came 2nd. In their Sunday Leagues both teams have won leagues and cups at will over the last few years.

Yes it's a step up and some might not "train on" but I think collectively they are a superior bunch to what I've been watching in the CCL in recent years. (Windsor and the oppos.)

We'll see anyway, but as I say, this year is going to be too soon. Bracknell will walk away with the League.

Plus of course, we've got Barry Hayles!

[tmesis]

We'll see anyway, but as I say, this year is going to be too soon. Bracknell will walk away with the League.

Where did Bracknell get their budget (and supporters) from?

They've spent the last 15 years or so living out the dictionary definition of hopeless, with crowds dwindling to levels that made you wonder if anyone watching actually paid to get in.

I know they sold a bit of land, but a huge chunk of that must of gone of rebuilding the ground, surely.

[Royal Rother]

I don't know the details at all except that the development was due to cost £1m.

Thing is though, if that was all,raised from sale of the land and they then started at break even then the money generated by the 3G pitch could be enough to pay for their substantial playing budget.

That said I believe they had significant debts before all this happened.

With cynical head on I'd say it'll probably all come crashing down soon enough.

[BerksRzz]

When does the conference kick off?

Some great matches at Maidenhead this season

[double d]

When does the conference kick off?

Some great matches at Maidenhead this season

Next weekend

[Warfield ED Stand]

I don't know the details at all except that the development was due to cost £1m.

Thing is though, if that was all,raised from sale of the land and they then started at break even then the money generated by the 3G pitch could be enough to pay for their substantial playing budget.

That said I believe they had significant debts before all this happened.

With cynical head on I'd say it'll probably all come crashing down soon enough.

It's a question that many of us are asking!! I believe the land they have created by the side of Larges Lane is essentially paying for it. Don't know any more than that. That said, the improvements in the facilities and the team is just outstanding. I was one of the many few that used to turn up in the dark days ( 2 years ago!!), and it's like a different club. Long may it continue. If they play like they did Saturday ( won 10.0), they will be the team to beat for sure.

[Sutekh]

Just want to highlight that the Hellenic League 2017-2018 season kicks off this week and the opening Premier Division fixtures are :

Tuesday 1st August

• Bracknell Town v Ascot United
  Burnham v Highmoor Ibis
  Flackwell Heath v Woodley United
  Lydney Town v Highworth Town
  Thatcham Town v Abingdon United
  Tuffley Rovers v Fairford Town
  Wantage Town v Binfield

Wednesday 2nd August

• Brackley Town Saints v Royal Wootton Bassett
  Longlevens v Brimscombe & Thrupp

[tmesis]

I don't know the details at all except that the development was due to cost £1m.

Thing is though, if that was all,raised from sale of the land and they then started at break even then the money generated by the 3G pitch could be enough to pay for their substantial playing budget.

That said I believe they had significant debts before all this happened.

With cynical head on I'd say it'll probably all come crashing down soon enough.

It's a question that many of us are asking!! I believe the land they have created by the side of Larges Lane is essentially paying for it. Don't know any more than that. That said, the improvements in the facilities and the team is just outstanding. I was one of the many few that used to turn up in the dark days ( 2 years ago!!), and it's like a different club. Long may it continue. If they play like they did Saturday ( won 10.0), they will be the team to beat for sure.

What are they doing with the land at the side?

They sold the land behind one end for housing, but I don't remember them mentioning anything about the side.

With the footprint of the ground now, pretty much limited to hardstanding on three sides, there doesn't seem much scope for expansion if they do rise up the divisions,

[Four Of Clubs]

...Sutekh has kindly done the Hellenic league's first midweek games above - though there are also a full set of opening fixtures in the Wessex Premier - but with Whitchurch's relegation last term, there is only really Andover Town to concern ourselves with as a' local' side. They host Bemerton on Tuesday evening.
.. though at a pinch I spose I could cover Alresford as well as Petersfield Town; newly relegated from the Southern league who welcome free-scoring new boys to the Premier, Baffins Milton Rovers to Love Lane on Tuesday.

There are also a few 'local' friendlies scheduled for that evening: Windsor, not in league action until the 12th, host Slough Town.
Godalming welcome Guildford for some local Cup Final (Axtell ?) and Ashford Town play Farnborough
Basingstoke travel to Leatherhead on Wed evening

... not sure which of the 5 choice league games I'll plump for - the opener at Larges Lane stands out but parking is a bind should the crowd get into 3 figures. That is almost inevitable the way the Robins have been going pre- season - still no account from Uxbridge FC's social media as to why/how a STEP04 side were blown away so easily by Bracknell last w/e - was 5-0 in 15' and 8-0 at half-time; with both Seb Bowerman and Joe Grant eventually notching 4 apiece!

Might opt for a gentler introduction to 'serious' league action and go for what's on offer at Burnham, Flackwell or Wantage

....by way of an informed alternative to my blather ..... here's what the local media 'pundits' think of the Hellenic season ahead: views of three Sports Writers who cover E.Berks, Oxon and the Western end of the patch.

http://www.footballinbracknell.co.uk/fe ... son-ahead/



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
....looking further ahead to this w/e - here's the 120 or so 'southern' FA Cup Extra Preliminary Ties to consider - there are a few Friday Sunday options too.

66 Biggleswade v Wisbech Town
67 Swaffham Town v Rothwell Corinthians
68 Raunds Town v Yaxley
69 Peterborough Northern Star v Deeping Rangers
70 Cogenhoe United v Godmanchester Rovers
71 Ely City v Holbeach United
72 Huntingdon Town v Newport Pagnell Town
73 Eynesbury Rovers v Thetford Town
74 Northampton Sileby Rangers v Harborough Town
75 Wellingborough Whitworths v Desborough Town
76 Fakenham Town v Wellingborough Town
77 Histon v Northampton On Chenecks
78 (FRI) Potton United v Biggleswade United
79 Hoddesdon Town v Haverhill Rovers
80 Sawbridgeworth Town v West Essex
81 Enfield 1893 v Haverhill Borough
82 Redbridge v Stansted
83 Takeley v Wivenhoe Town
84 Kirkley & Pakefield v Saffron Walden Town
85 Southend Manor v Wroxham
86 Framlingham Town v Wadham Lodge
87 FC Broxbourne Borough v Tower Hamlets
88 Barkingside v Stowmarket Town
89 Ilford v Woodbridge Town
90 FC Clacton v Clapton
91 Hadleigh United v Sporting Bengal United
92 FC Romania v Waltham Forest
93 Hackney Wick v Long Melford
94 Felixstowe & Walton United v Brantham Athletic
95 Stanway Rovers v Gorleston
96 Hullbridge Sports v Ipswich Wanderers
97 (SUN) St Margetsbury v Burnham Ramblers
98 Great Yarmouth Town v Diss Town
99 Newmarket Town v Great Wakering Rovers
100 Walsham Le Willows v Basildon United
101 Welwyn Garden City v North Greenford United
102 Cockfosters v Risborough Rangers
103 Holmer Green v AFC Hayes
104 Lydney Town v Wantage Town
105 Langford v Hadley
106 (SUN) Highworth Town v London Colney
107 Stotfold v Berkhamsted
108 Woodley United v Tuffley Rovers
109 Southall v Harpenden Town
110 (FRI)Flackwell Heath v Burnham
111 (SUN) Highmoor Ibis v Buckingham Town
112 Fairford Town v Longlevens
113 Edgware Town v Leverstock Green
114 Chipping Sodbury Town v Brackley Town Saints
115 Leighton Town v Oxhey Jets
116 Windsor v Wembley
117 Brimscombe & Thrupp v Sun Sports
118 Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Crawley Green
119 Colney Heath v Tring Athletic
120 Ardley United v Baldock Town
121 Corinthian v Deal Town
122 Hassocks v Hollands & Blair
123 Sheppey United v AFC Croydon Athletic
124 (FRI) Crowborough Athletic v Lingfield
125 Sutton Common Rovers v Canterbury City @ Banstead FC
126 Newhaven v Peacehaven & Telscombe
127 Colliers Wood United v AFC Uckfield Town
128 Chessington & Hook United v Lancing
129 East Preston v Saltdean United
130 (SUN) Epsom & Ewell v Banstead Athletic
131 Hailsham Town v Redhill
132 Loxwood v Holmesdale
133 Tunbridge Wells v Beckenham Town
134 Walton & Hersham v Mile Oak
135 Sevenoaks Town v Broadbridge Heath
136 Hanworth Villa v Bedfont & Feltham
137 Glebe v Lordswood
138 Whitstable Town v Croydon
139 Worthing United v Steyning Town
140 Arundel v Pagham
141 Horley Town v Raynes Park Vale
142 Abbey Rangers v Cray Valley (PM)
143 Eastbourne Town v Bearsted
144 Spelthorne Sports v Chertsey Town
145 Rochester United v Erith Town
146 Erith & Belvedere v Wick
147 AC London v Crawley Down Gatwick
148 Chatham Town v Littlehampton Town
149 Little Common v Eastbourne United
150 (SUN) 14:00 Rusthall v CB Hounslow United @ Tunbridge Wells
151 Haywards Heath Town v Bedfont Sports
152 Horsham YMCA v Three Bridges
153 Bracknell Town v Cowes Sports
154 Thatcham Town v Petersfield Town
155 Christchurch v AFC Portchester
156 Farnham Town v Fawley
157 Bashley v Fareham Town
158 Hamworthy United v Bemerton Heath Harlequins
159 Team Solent v Brockenhurst
160 (SUN) Badshot Lea v Verwood Town @ Camberley
161 Amesbury Town v Eversley & California
162 Camberley Town v Blackfield & Langley
163 Whitchurch United v Laverstock & Ford
164 Ringwood Town v Ascot United
165 Binfield v Chichester City
166 Horndean v Melksham Town
167 Knaphill v Bournemouth
168 Newport (IW) v Guildford City
169 Godalming Town v Westfield
170 (Fri) Sholing v Alresford Town
171 Lymington Town v Andover Town
172 Clevedon Town v Bitton
173 Cadbury Heath v Longwell Green Sports
174 Plymouth Parkway v Portland United
175 AFC St Austell v Bridport
176 Wells City v Cribbs
177 Shaftesbury v Exmouth Town
178 Shepton Mallet v Tavistock
179 Buckland Athletic v Bodmin Town
180 Cheddar v Willand Rovers
181 Wellington AFC v Hengrove Athletic
182 Street v Hallen
183 Brislington v Sherborne Town
184 Bridgwater Town v Keynsham Town
185 Bradford Town v Odd Down


... I'm hoping to get to 'a new tick' at the all Western league tie - Cheddar v Willand or, failing that, one of the' new grounds' (for me) where the visiting clubs are CCL: Haywards Heath v Bedfont Sports or Hailsham v Redhill.
Quite drawn to the Sunday action at Highworth - usually big-hitters in the Hellenic - who welcome last season's runaway winners of the South Mids League (London Colney) who turned down promotion to the Southern/Isthmian League - presumably on economic grounds. Runners-up Hertford Town took their place. Then again being essentially bone-idle, I may just opt for Stalag Scours that PM and see how H/I cope with Buck Town .


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
... not forgetting that there are also some other NL leagues starting on Saturday too :

NAT
12:30 Sutton Leyton Orient
Halifax v Aldershot
Hartlepool v Dover
Maidstone v Maidenhead Utd
Woking v Gateshead
NATN
Brackley v FC United of Manchester
NATS
Bognor Regis Town vBath City
Chelmsford v Gloucester City
Chippenham Town v Havant & Waterlooville
Dartford v Hungerford
East Thurrock v Hampton & Richmond
Eastbourne Boro v Braintree
Hemel Hempstead v Whitehawk
Oxford City v St. Albans
Truro City v Welling
Wealdstone v Concord Rangers
Weston Super Mare v Poole Town

WESS1
Andover New Street v Alton
Tadley Calleva v United Services Portsmouth

[double d]

Fc Romania ring a bell. Aren't they meant to be like the next Fleetwood or something but obviously made up of just Romanians

[Four Of Clubs]

Fc Romania ring a bell. Aren't they meant to be like the next Fleetwood or something but obviously made up of just Romanians

...not sure about their likening to Fleetwood - presumably ambitionswise ?

Did see them in a Cup tie; not sure whether 'Cup' or 'Vase' a couple of years back - groundsharing as they were at the time 'home club' London Lions hosted FC Romania at Hemel's Vauxhall Rd - on a Sunday PM.

Was an overload of ethnic 'influences' on show that day - with Lions being primarily Hebrew; FC Romania, from memory were almost exclusively Romanian on the field, with a fair number of swarthy blue/red/yellow-flagged/liveried types following them in a fair-sized crowd & the clubhouse was packed solid with our Irish brethren, simultaneously watching a Hurling Final and Stiliyan Petrov's Testimonial from Parkhead.

EDIT looked it up (habit ) was Sept 8th 2013 FAV 1st Qual Rnd 3-2 to London Lions and official crowd only 30 - was at least three times that amount in the bar!

Sadly I think Hemel (who went on to be Champs of the SLP that season) had hosted a league match the day before and had emptied the ground of food!

Last time I took notice FC Romania were lodging at Cheshunt .

[Warfield ED Stand]

I don't know the details at all except that the development was due to cost £1m.

Thing is though, if that was all,raised from sale of the land and they then started at break even then the money generated by the 3G pitch could be enough to pay for their substantial playing budget.

That said I believe they had significant debts before all this happened.

With cynical head on I'd say it'll probably all come crashing down soon enough.

It's a question that many of us are asking!! I believe the land they have created by the side of Larges Lane is essentially paying for it. Don't know any more than that. That said, the improvements in the facilities and the team is just outstanding. I was one of the many few that used to turn up in the dark days ( 2 years ago!!), and it's like a different club. Long may it continue. If they play like they did Saturday ( won 10.0), they will be the team to beat for sure.

What are they doing with the land at the side?

They sold the land behind one end for housing, but I don't remember them mentioning anything about the side.

With the footprint of the ground now, pretty much limited to hardstanding on three sides, there doesn't seem much scope for expansion if they do rise up the divisions,

I meant at the end, by the entrance. They have cleared a lot of bushes etc on the far side however so I think there may be room for expansion.
Agree however, there is only so high they will be able to go at LL.
Ascot at Home tonight. Big crowd expected. Can't wait.

[Alan Partridge]

Been to all of Diddy's games so far really happy with what i've seen, much improved from last season, the new players all look very good and they've adapted to the system quickly. Got a few question marks about who will play where but loads of options which is never a bad thing. Only question mark is really do we have a 25 goal a season striker, I think we do but none of the 3 have proven to be it so 1 of them has to go and do it.

The league will be a lot more open this year without Hereford in it (thank God), I expect Taunton to probably win the league, they've added some good Truro players and kept the players that got them to the playoffs. Salisbury have lost some key players and I've not been that impressed by the names of the players they've signed but you'd still imagine they would be top 5 with the biggest budget in the league. Evesham too are usually competitive but after that it could be anyone's. There are a couple of new teams who are spending money which will be interesting to see how they go. I expect a few teams who were nowhere last year to surprise a few and I think Diddy could possibly be one of them.