2018-19 National League North

[Prodigal]

I think you may be surprised, Dave, Chorley have definitely strengthened their squad, agree Curzon have been a bogey team for us but I believe that will be well and truly laid tomorrow. Have a lot of respect for Curzon who do very well in spite of a low budget. Looking forward to the game.

 

[Quakerz]

The Darlo results don't surprise me that much, they went for a manager when Gray left who built a horrific conf north side which had full time backing, were being funded behind the scenes (now stopped) and had a very good budget......................why on earth in any situation did they assume someone who failed miserably with big backing would somehow do well there???

You appoint crap........you get crap.

Dave your facts are a little out there - Gray never had a full time backing and neither were there any behind the scenes backers, not sure where you get that from?

Here are the facts, Gray was given a 334k playing budget last season, which on one hand is VERY good for a PART time squad (which we were and we still are), however it is not enough to have a squad of full timers, unless they're nearly all kids. By the way 42k of that 334k was funded directly from fan contributions in our "Boost the budget" scheme.

However that 334k playing budget (and the 72k management costs on top) was way above what we could afford and sustain without external investors. One of the reasons that Gray jumped ship was because he realised that he had signed overpaid crap like Caton and Collins, and budget cuts were going to have to be made - yet Gray would actually want more money to reshape the squad.

In retrospect, he left at just the right time and we were able to bring in a manager who understood that we needed to cut the budget.

Luckily we were able to sell Bartlett and Ferguson to Gray for fees, and also Beck to Harrogate for a fee - those fees saved our bacon on the cash flow front. also the fans raised another 40k to bail us out. As those three were very well paid it enabled us to bring in some replacements too and save a few quid on the budget.

As for Tommy Wright, at Nuneaton it was said that they were full time with big backing however this is also untrue. Their "full time" status was in reality players training 3 times a week rather than training twice a week. Their budget, clearly higher than a club with gates of 600 or so could naturally sustain without a backer, was rumoured to be around 250k.

If that rumour was correct then you can see why Wright fancied the Darlo job, because even with us wanting to cut our budget, he'd still be working with an amount which he was used to.

This season we did not want a similar overspend to last season where it ended up with us having to sell players and ask the fans for more money mid season. Because of this we were faced with a 40% budget cut on last season's unaffordable Martin Gray budget which would leave us with a basic playing budget of around 170k. Our magnificent fans then added 86k to that total with the "Boost the Budget" scheme so Tommy has roughly 250k to play with this year which he thinks is a competitive budget.

We also sold Josh Heaton for 75k (which as far as I know hasn't been re-invested into the budget) and won that 20k from Marathon Bet for the Reece Styche goal celebration, and this too is going into the day to day running of the club rather than being thrown at the budget.

At least this season Darlo fans shouldn't have any sleepless nights regarding the sustainability of our club, Gray nearly took us to the brink.

As for Wright, time will tell on him. He looked out of his depth when he joined losing 7 out of his first 8 and many of us thought we'd made a huge mistake already. However the club was in turmoil with having to make budget cuts and sell players, and TW needed to bring some of his own players in. But then from being in the relegation spots in february we went on a run of W9 D5 L3 which is play off form, and finished comfortable mid table - pretty much where we were when TW took over.

In many ways he's good for the club because he's prepared to work within budget and wheel and deal - and also he knows how a cup run or two could bring a lot of extra income in. Gray was never arsed about cups, he didn't care - but we certainly could have done with a cup run or two in previous seasons.

Tommy Wright has both a promotion and a relegation on his CV with Corby. He didn't do much at Nuneaton. So far at Darlo a mixed bag with a losing run and a good run

Off the field, financially he's been good for the club, selling several players for fees and coping with the restructuring of the budget - though we all know that on the field is what defines a manager. I wouldn't go as far as to say he's crap, not yet.

 

[JackCFC]

We just look a little off at the moment.

Obviously, it's been a bizarre start to the season - with the Blyth hammering and the postponements - but I think we'll settle down eventually.

We based our recruitment and our pre-season around a 3 at the back system which Blyth ruthlessly exposed. Livesey and Grand are good defenders, but the wing backs left them far too exposed. We went to a back 4 yesterday and were definitely improved, but still not good enough. We definitely need a striker and I'm gutted that Tuton managed to slip away because he was really impressive. However, this team went to Curzon and won 3-0 and that's no small achievement because they're clearly a very handy side.

I think we're one or two players short, but when all is said and done we have played 4 - W1 D1 L2. It's poor, but we've got a brand new squad and management. If after 10 games, we're still bottom 5 or 6, then it's time to panic.

On yesterday, no major complaints. Telford knew we'd be shaky and came out hell for leather for the first 20. We gifted them two goals and from then on there was nothing in the game, really. They were an organised side with a big man up top, think they'll be top half.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

I bet our team of useless fuckers are worse than yours, lol.

Happy days the future looks bright for our clubs I don't know when like

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Quick turn around on to the Bank Holiday Monday fixtures tomorrow.

Alfreton v Southport
Altrincham v Guiseley
Ashton United v Darlington
Bradford PA v Boston United
Chorley v Curzon
Kidderminster Harriers v Stockport
Leamington v AFC Telford
Nuneaton Borough v Brackley Town
Spennymoor v FC United
York v Blyth


Big game for Tommy Wright at Darlo I feel.

Crunch game tomorrow against most fans pick to finish in the bottom three, absolutely dreading travelling down for tomorrow's trip to Ashton Utd.

Massive game for Tommy Wright the outcome of the result will see where we stand for the rest of the season in my book. Lose this game we are in serious trouble.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Dave your facts are a little out there - Gray never had a full time backing and neither were there any behind the scenes backers, not sure where you get that from?

I meant wright at Nuneaton than Gray at Darlo, what i was meaning is Wright had a good busget and from all accounts a full time set-up (although from what your saying it was just an hybrid part/full time set-up, he was backed by his board (clearly as we know from the summer with funds Nuneaton didn't have) and yet with all this all Wright could ever do was create a p*ss poor side which struggled to survive.

Gray going was right for you, i think the moment he tried to tell your fanbase to accept back the guy who helped kill your club was the moment that relationship died, but just not sure if appointing someone who wasn't doing well in this league at the time was the way to go forward.

He did well at first with Corby a league lower, but since failed with them at conf north level and failed with Nuneaton at conf north level, taking a team which had finished one off the play-offs the previous year to slump them down to bottom 4-5 when he left for your lot (once he left they went from a good bet for relegation to midtable)

I suppose he deserves time, but his recent records at this level just suggested to me he wasn't going to last long.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

I think you may be surprised, Dave, Chorley have definitely strengthened their squad, agree Curzon have been a bogey team for us but I believe that will be well and truly laid tomorrow. Have a lot of respect for Curzon who do very well in spite of a low budget. Looking forward to the game.

well that is what you lot have to now prove, we'll probably do the usual, work hard, try and be hard to beat, keep the ball where we can but very rarely trouble your box, then 2nd half bring on Cummins and try to go for a win.

Usually Chorley have struggled like hell to get the goals to beat us, grab two goals and you should win it.......would be a sign this season maybe is different for your lot and rather than a 7th-5th place side you could be 3rd-1st.

Not going as i do Stalybridge home games and Curzon home games......but will keep an eye on score.

 

[Harrier94]

Crunch game tomorrow against most fans pick to finish in the bottom three, absolutely dreading travelling down for tomorrow's trip to Ashton Utd.

Massive game for Tommy Wright the outcome of the result will see where we stand for the rest of the season in my book. Lose this game we are in serious trouble.

Ainge will dominate those Ashton defenders. Loft some crosses on and you'll score.

 

[Quakerz]

I meant wright at Nuneaton than Gray at Darlo, what i was meaning is Wright had a good busget and from all accounts a full time set-up (although from what your saying it was just an hybrid part/full time set-up, he was backed by his board (clearly as we know from the summer with funds Nuneaton didn't have) and yet with all this all Wright could ever do was create a p*ss poor side which struggled to survive.

Gray going was right for you, i think the moment he tried to tell your fanbase to accept back the guy who helped kill your club was the moment that relationship died, but just not sure if appointing someone who wasn't doing well in this league at the time was the way to go forward.

He did well at first with Corby a league lower, but since failed with them at conf north level and failed with Nuneaton at conf north level, taking a team which had finished one off the play-offs the previous year to slump them down to bottom 4-5 when he left for your lot (once he left they went from a good bet for relegation to midtable)

I suppose he deserves time, but his recent records at this level just suggested to me he wasn't going to last long.

Not going to disagree too much with your comments about Wright because you've made some valid points there. Really at the moment the best thing about TW is is willingness to work within the constraints which we've set up, which does take pressure off the board. On the pitch is a very mixed bag so far.

Regarding Gray though, it wasn't "going right". He'd truly hit his ceiling and had been found out by the point he left Darlo. The Raj Singh fiasco obviously soured things and proved to some of the fan base that Gray was obsessed with getting more money to fuel his ambition and where it came from didn't matter.

Despite this, we cobbled together a very nice budget for him (which later proved unsustainable) and he wasted it by giving nice pay rises to existing players who were at their ceiling, and by signing others on good money who weren't good enough.

Last season when he left we were in a position where we'd lost more than won and some of the football was shocking - his only answer would have been to sign yet more players but the well was dry. So he went to York for the ££££££ and look what happened there.

His record with developing young players was also appalling. Curtis Edwards and Lewis Wing were both brought in, chewed up and spat out when were were in the Evostik - yet Edwards went on to play for Ostersunds in the Europa League, and Wing made an appearance for Middlesbrough the other day!

We never sold anyone on, we never made any money from cup runs in 5 years with Gray - and everyone knows that selling players and cup runs are two important factors for non league clubs. Gray was never concerned with off pitch matters, like balancing the books.

Wright has already brought in Josh Heaton, developed him and sold him on for 75k, and we have a couple other young players who could also be developed and sold for profit later, namely Luke Trotman and Josh Wheatley. To be fair, Gray signed Wheatley (although hardly played him)

 

[Quakerz]

Darlington stretched today with centre backs Terry Galbraith and Dom Collins injured, and 19 year old centre back Jack Vaulks out on loan at Whitby. Leaving us only 1 of the 4 first choice centre backs available

Also missing is influential midfielder Joe Wheatley who serves the 2nd match of a 3 match ban, and winger Alex Henshall who is injured.

Simon Ainge has to drop back into defence today and Dave Syers comes in for his first start of the season, and about time too.

We line up

Maddison

Trotman Burn Ainge O'Hanlon

Thompson Elliott Syers Nicholson

Styche Saunders

Bench is Liam Hughes and a bunch of kids

 

[Quakerz]

Ainge will dominate those Ashton defenders. Loft some crosses on and you'll score.

Ainge is playing in defence for us today due to a defensive crisis + the fact that our defenders are bollocks as well.

 

[Quakerz]

Ashton 1 Darlington 0 after 8 minutes.

Darlington then apparently denied a stonewall penalty when Trotman got blatantly chopped by their centre half

Notwithstanding the fact that we are shite, we've had nothing, NOTHING off the officials this season.

Happy days.

 

[Quakerz]

Ashton 2 Darlington 0

We've had a couple of good chances to score and could have had a couple of penalties but at the other end Ashton seem able to just walk through our defence just like how Altrincham and Kidderminster did.

 

[Quakerz]

Nicholson bundled over in the box now, 3rd penalty shout for Darlo and the ref still not interested.

2-0 Half Time

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Gotta wonder how much longer Stockport fans weird persistent patience with Gannon will last.

Their best chance this season of promotion and totally messing it up

 

[AnimoEtFide]

Gotta wonder how much longer Stockport fans weird persistent patience with Gannon will last.

Their best chance this season of promotion and totally messing it up

Not calling for a manager to be sacked after six games is 'weird persistence'

Anyway, if you look at our messageboard or FB group you'll see most people are far from happy with Gannon (myself included), even if they're not actually calling for his head because, y'know, we're only six games in and have only lost two games.

 

[Quakerz]

Darlington finally get a penalty on 53 minutes at the 4th attempt.

Thompson converts it, 2-1 now

 

[AnimoEtFide]

Oh blimey, 1-1. Mulhern scores about 10 seconds after coming on.

 

[AnimoEtFide]

Oh blimey, 1-1. Mulhern scores about 10 seconds after coming on.

Kiddy 2-1 up. Normal service has been resumed.

 

[Quakerz]

Ashton 2 Darlington 2

Harvey Saunders with the equaliser on 76 minutes

 

[Quakerz]

Darlington shout for yet another penalty for handball - denied once again.

 

[Quakerz]

Full time 2-2, we need to be going to places like Ashton and winning if we want to be in the right half of the table, but at least we showed fight to come back from 2-0 down.

Something to build on hopefully.

 

[AnimoEtFide]

Kiddy 2-1 County.

Sounds like it was an improvement on Saturday, but still not very good. We don't create chances and we can't keep clean sheets. I think we must have had circa 10 shots on target since playing FCUM first game of the season.

Leamington, Boston and Telford coming up. If we don't win any of those convincingly I think Gannon may be on his way, and I wouldn't be too bothered.

 

[Harrier94]

Ben Hinchcliffe is a quality keeper. Would have been a much bigger scoreline if it wasn't for him. On the game, Stockport had one tactic which was hoof it up to their big number 9. We dealt with it for 99% of the game and the one time we didn't they scored off it. Defensively they look awful Chambers, Williams and Richards had a field day running at them and they couldn't handle it. Like I said earlier if it wasn't for Hinchliffe the scoreline would've been even bigger.

Still unbeaten this season, still unbeaten against Stockport in the league since we've come down and finally getting some wins.

Edit adding to that the ref was awful. So many free kicks for challenges that weren't even fouls.

 

[Prodigal]

Well Dave, you were right, Curzon did make themselves hard to beat and never really caused any problems, our keeper didn't have a save to make, the difference this season is that it was always when we were. Going to score rather than if, several missed chances but finished off late on with a fine strike from Carver, after a well taken goal by Almond. On we go now to Saturday and a tough away day at Brackley.

 

[eightiesrobin]

Slightly frustrating day. Guiseley were solid, nothing more. Their goal was yet another "fat man ambles half the track unmolested and scores from distance" job, even more galling that it was a defender (Halls looks a lot heavier than I remember when he was at Macc). Very nice finish though.

 

[KHFC_Shaun]

Worst side i've seen us face so far that Stockport side.
Still unbeaten but still not convinced by us so far this season although I am taking much more of a liking to the new boss than Eustace.

 

[Bluandwite]

Decent day, we've gone up a place.

 

[Swedes]

Decent day, we've gone up a place.

You're welcome!

 

[GuiseleySteve]

Slightly frustrating day. Guiseley were solid, nothing more. Their goal was yet another "fat man ambles half the track unmolested and scores from distance" job, even more galling that it was a defender (Halls looks a lot heavier than I remember when he was at Macc). Very nice finish though.

Not as frustrated as we Guiseley fans with the most homely of homer officials we've ever had the misfortune to stare at in disbelief!
Halls must have spent most of last season in the Chester gymnasium he's bulked up with muscle so much. He's far better at center back than midfield.
Pretty even game I thought two contrasting styles (I thought you passed it about well in spells) but could have been far better entertainment without the dolt in the middle.