2017/18 National League North

[DOLF87]

Your not the only 1.
Take the 2,800 of us and what was Harrogates average gate?

1,100 gate this season. 13 quid entry.

 

[Luke Imp]

Not the only National North manager to leave today.

Chris Moyses has left Alfreton after negoations broke down at a crucial stage.

Comes as a shock. Chris pretty much confirmed that he was staying on after the defeat at Chorley on Radio Derby. Saying that he had to cross the Ts and dot the Is but he was expecting to stay on.

Seems he had a meeting last Thursday with the board which unanimously voted for him to stay up but they asked him to come back with a budget that he believed would get the club promoted. The club turned down what he came back with and apparently he said that the club really needed to go full time.
He then expected a counter offer but that never came.

A great shame. Huge thanks to Chris for his efforts. He clearly cared and worked extremely hard to preserve our National League North status. He delivered on his remit and leaves with my very best wishes!

Billy Heath is the early favourite. However it is clear they has been a disagreement over budget. Cant see Billy Heath agreeing to a small budget..

Probably for the best in the long run.

Bit of a daft question about the budget because an Alfreton budget is never going to be at the level of the big hitters in the league.

 

[Lucky Bobble]

Big day...
I'm biased of course but I'd argue that this could be the best opportunity Brackley will have?

With Stockport & Kidderminster being big clubs it can only a matter of time before they are promoted (albeit it's taking a while)?
Harrogate too - full time & their ambitions, means they'll keep having a great chance over the next 2-3 years
For BPA and Chorley is this all a bit of a bonus? - not that that doesn't mean they won't be fighting 100%

I'm not sure Brackley can have such strong seasons on a regular basis - only whilst the manager and this group of players remain?

Not quite now or never - but after 127 years, and being a Step 5 side only 15 years ago, I don't think we'll have a better chance.
Even the crowds have been good - for us (in a totally tin pot sort of way)...

Good luck everyone.... even BPA (sort of)

 

[Prodigal]

Not able to get to Harrogate today due to health issues, but will be rooting for Chorley none the less, cmon boys you can do this, it will be tough, Harrogate will be very strong but you have the belief, all the best to BPA and Brackley, but hoping for BPA win purely for a home final if we beat Harrogate..

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Chorley in a very cruel way go out deep into injury time having played and competed a large chunk of the game with 10 men, so the final will be at Harrogate next week.

Other game 0-0 presently..............who knows which shall meet them

 

[CFC4LIFE]

They deserved it, best team in the league, far better than Salford. Hammered us all game. It's just a shame their players a knobheads. Looking to get one of ours sent off all game, and it worked because the ref was shite. No-one in the ground knew what the pen was for and their second goal was miles offside. Their players also goaded our fans after the goal, just have a bit of fucking humility.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Brackley 1-0........they may give you a bit of revenge cfc as i can see Brackley beating Harrogate.

If BPA don't score in next 4 mins i wonder what summer will bring for them.

 

[CFC4LIFE]

Just to make it worse we will likely face a fine for having 6 or more bookings. About two of which were actually worthy of a yellow

 

[Lucky Bobble]

Brackley 1-0........they may give you a bit of revenge cfc as i can see Brackley beating Harrogate.

If BPA don't score in next 4 mins i wonder what summer will bring for them.

We may be too knackered to do much after playing a County Cup final midweek. Who the flip thought that was a good idea for a fixture schedule. And we don't have enough 'reverses' to man much beyond a 5 a side team.

Very tight game today - we had more possession, perhaps edged it overall, but BPA created a couple of great chances and could easily have won, and our goal looked suspiciously like it was preceded by a handball. I'd be bitter if I were a BPA fan...
Well done to Harrogate - they probably deserve to go up and look set up for the level above, unlike us Micky-Mouse tinpotters... but am still enjoying the ride our little town of 12,000 souls is on, for a little while longer.
Does anyone enjoy watching there team in the playoffs... sheer bloomin' torture.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Congrats to Harrogate and Brackley. Two fitting teams for the play off final. Good luck to both.

 

[Harrier94]

Chorley you know how we feel now after last year

But seriously unlucky it's never a nice way to lose. Hopefully we'll actually beat you next year for once.

Congratulations to Harrogate and Brackley good luck to both of you in the final.

 

[Prodigal]

As stated earlier not able to go due to health reasons, listened on Radio York, sounded like Harrogate were very much on top, mind you the commentator, perhaps unsurprisingly, thought the Officials were good, nobody in the Chorley camp had a good word for them, and we have history with that woman!
Still, can't help but feel it would not be justified to have denied a team that finished so far ahead of us over the season( would have taken it with a grin though).

 

[DarkSithLord]

Probably for the best in the long run.

Bit of a daft question about the budget because an Alfreton budget is never going to be at the level of the big hitters in the league.

I agree. Luke. Not sure Chris could have taken us that much further. He did his job, steadied a rapidly sinking ship and managed to kkep a poor side up. Suspect there may be another reason. Our chairman is keen on Billy Heath apparently.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Sunday 6 May 2018 National League North Play-Offs 17-18 - Semi Final

Att. 923 - Brackley Town 1 Bradford Park Avenue 0
Att. 2,307 - Harrogate Town 2 Chorley 1

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Congratulations to Brackley Town & Harrogate Town. Good luck for those two and may the best team win!
Tough on Chorley & Bradford Park Avenue! Ever so close in reaching that final.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

They deserved it, best team in the league, far better than Salford. Hammered us all game. It's just a shame their players a knobheads. Looking to get one of ours sent off all game, and it worked because the ref was shite. No-one in the ground knew what the pen was for and their second goal was miles offside. Their players also goaded our fans after the goal, just have a bit of fucking humility.

Did ye recognize the referee Rebecca Welch! As the crowd chant she should have been at home doing the ironing

 

[CFC4LIFE]

Did ye recognize the referee Rebecca Welch! As the crowd chant she should have been at home doing the ironing

That's twice she's proved she isn't fit to ref. Both times she has relied heavily on the linesmen. Today she consulted the linesman for the red that she had a perfect view of and she had no idea what happened for the penalty!

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

So trying to work out what the league will look like now we've almost it all sorted.

Have it as follows:

AFC Telford
Alfreton
Altrincham
Ashton United
Blyth Spartans
Bradford Park Avenue
Boston United
Chester
Chorley
Curzon Ashton
Darlington
FC United Manchester
Guisley
Hereford
Kidderminster
Leamington
Nuneaton
Southport
Spennymoor
Stockport
York

20 are a cert its the last 2 is a wee bit more testing. Certainly Harrogate would be here if win, but i think by default of who is left Hereford are a cert for this division now.

Last spot probably one of these 4 depending on who does what, I think probably they will keep it with loser of Brackley/Harrogate.

Harrogate
Brackley
Gloucester
Kings Lynn

 

[DarkSithLord]

So trying to work out what the league will look like now we've almost it all sorted.

Have it as follows:

AFC Telford
Alfreton
Altrincham
Ashton United
Blyth Spartans
Bradford Park Avenue
Boston United
Chester
Chorley
Curzon Ashton
Darlington
FC United Manchester
Guisley
Hereford
Kidderminster
Leamington
Nuneaton
Southport
Spennymoor
Stockport
York

20 are a cert its the last 2 is a wee bit more testing. Certainly Harrogate would be here if win, but i think by default of who is left Hereford are a cert for this division now.

Last spot probably one of these 4 depending on who does what, I think probably they will keep it with loser of Brackley/Harrogate.

Harrogate
Brackley
Gloucester
Kings Lynn

If what scenario would Gloucester be transferred over to the North?

Also Isnt there a rule that if you are laterally transferred from one league to another you must stay there at least 2 seasons before being considered for another transfer?

 

[Quakerz]

Well done to both BPA and Chorley on winning the first games. I expected Chorley to win (type of game stockport seem to always bottle and chorley players have that play-off experience) but the BPA result was certainly a shock. Think from sounds of it BPA were extremely fortunate whereas Chorley deserved to win so personally see more chance if either of these progress again it being Chorley than BPA (cannot keep hoping keeper has a blinder)

Think Stockport myself will push on from this season, one good thing for them was they finally made progress, I think adding some full time into their mix will help them push on.............Unsure on Kidderminster, am always impressed by them, but am unsure what their reaction will be now.

That Stockport failure has just made the Northern premier final enormous for Ashton United............the financial gain/loss for them based on winning is massive..........Altrincham, FCUM, Stockport all very large away crowds for them, an Ashton derby to attract locals and then still Darlo, Chester, Kiddy and York who can bring lots of fans from a distance.

Kiddy have no away fans, they never bring more than 50 to Darlo, never did even when they were in the league.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Last minute winner for Slough seals a 2-1 win in the Southern League Play-off final and denies Kings Lynn.

 

[Raymondo316]

Last minute winner for Slough seals a 2-1 win in the Southern League Play-off final and denies Kings Lynn.

Looks like Hereford will be going North then.

 

[bristolbull]

oh joy..the delights of blyth on a tuesday night.
This is probably going to have a massive impact on our squad for next season given the manager and most of the team live around the bristol/south wales region and a few have already indicated the travelling involved in the north will be too much...perhaps the decision to stay part-time will need to be thought about again.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

If what scenario would Gloucester be transferred over to the North?

Also Isnt there a rule that if you are laterally transferred from one league to another you must stay there at least 2 seasons before being considered for another transfer?

to be fair just shoved them in as a possibility....your right chances of them being in almost none.

Hereford here is a cert, think league sorted now except either Harrogate or Brackley.

Unsure if league looks harder or weaker than last season, at this point last year I thought 'oh dear' as i expected Salford to splash, York to be super strong at this level, Kidderminster and Darlo to be stronger than their play-off failures, BPA to be strong, Stockport to improve and blyth/spenny to be strong......................I expected Curzon to drop as the league just even without the summer looked tough.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Would be very surprised/disappointed if we get shafted north. Typical of our luck that either way it seems we'll miss out on a massive payday v Hereford but to be honest playing it at Evesham would have been embarrassing. If we do stay South, which we "should", I just hope Torquay and WSM away aren't midweek.

 

[Harrier94]

Quite looking forward to Hereford joining us. I'd imagine they'd be our Boxing/New Years game which would be great for both clubs.

 

[DarkSithLord]

We are announcing our new manager this afternoon. Billy Heath still very much frontrunner

 

[Luke Imp]

I agree. Luke. Not sure Chris could have taken us that much further. He did his job, steadied a rapidly sinking ship and managed to kkep a poor side up. Suspect there may be another reason. Our chairman is keen on Billy Heath apparently.

Beevers and Preece stayed on? I'm assuming not, particularly Preece.

 

[MWS]

We are announcing our new manager this afternoon. Billy Heath still very much frontrunner

I'd expect your first signing to be Tom Denton if Heath is hired. Maybe also Liam King from Gainsborough

 

[Minstermen central]

We have signed Russ Penn from Gateshead,exactly the player we have been missing a strong tackling holding midfield player.hope more signings like this excellent player in league for us till McNamara got his hands on him.he would of ruined salah.
Plus proves to me we will have a budget just need to stop in house fighting.