National League North 2023-24

[Ninety Per Cent]

Chester finished the season well so I’d have them down to win the league.

Despite all and sundry telling you all is well at Scunny, the most important fixtures will be in the courts. There’s a manager who in the words of the local Peterborough paper “played Football manager in real life” as in he’s always had an open chequebook and doesn’t know any other way.

All the old hoolies have been unbanned so that’s a few fines coming up, can we afford them.

 

[Railway Blue]

Chester finished the season well so I’d have them down to win the league.

Despite all and sundry telling you all is well at Scunny, the most important fixtures will be in the courts. There’s a manager who in the words of the local Peterborough paper “played Football manager in real life” as in he’s always had an open chequebook and doesn’t know any other way.

All the old hoolies have been unbanned so that’s a few fines coming up, can we afford them.

We're waiting on a fine for the play-off trouble v Brackley. There were enough police in situ to have nipped that in the bud, yet the club suffers Draconian punishment.

 

[Bluandwite]

We're waiting on a fine for the play-off trouble v Brackley. There were enough police in situ to have nipped that in the bud, yet the club suffers Draconian punishment.

Man Utd friendly will pay for that. 3,000 tickets sold for a kids match after the season starts essentially is decent work by the board there.

 

[Andy Harrier]

Gloucester have signed Ethan Freemantle on loan from us. Decent signing for the division I think. Has never really nailed down a starting spot for us and isn't the most composed in front of goal but will hassle defenders for 90 minutes and has endless energy. Missed the end of the season with a nasty head injury against Alfreton and consequently also missed the start of pre-season. Imagine if he gets on a scoring run he'll be brought back into our team, but if not, could see him being moved on to a NLN team permanently.

 

[Railway Blue]

Man Utd friendly will pay for that. 3,000 tickets sold for a kids match after the season starts essentially is decent work by the board there.

Yes I think Cal and Bernard Concannon arranged this .

 

[Railway Blue]

Man Utd friendly will pay for that. 3,000 tickets sold for a kids match after the season starts essentially is decent work by the board there.

Are we signing Kelan Swales?

 

[Clem Fandango]

Gloucester have signed Ethan Freemantle on loan from us. Decent signing for the division I think. Has never really nailed down a starting spot for us and isn't the most composed in front of goal but will hassle defenders for 90 minutes and has endless energy. Missed the end of the season with a nasty head injury against Alfreton and consequently also missed the start of pre-season. Imagine if he gets on a scoring run he'll be brought back into our team, but if not, could see him being moved on to a NLN team permanently.

Seems a good option for us to have. We've done some much better business this week with Richards-Everton coming in at the back and hopefully Zach Jeacock coming in on loan from Birmingham. Be surprised if there's a better keeper than him at this level.

The disappointment was Ed Williams, who played in two pre seasons as a trialist and looked way off it. He played for Swindon Supermarine last week on trial. Hope he sorts himself out as when he was on his game he was unplayable.

 

[High Peak Blue]

A strong looking Buxton team were beaten at home in friendly by Macc 3-0 last night.

 

[SpennyfanChris]

Just a reminder of the opening day fixtures on the Saturday 5th August

Banbury United v Spennymoor Town
Bishop's Stortford v Chester FC
Blyth Spartans v Gloucester City
Buxton FC v Boston United
Chorley FC v Brackley Town
Darlington FC v Curzon Ashton
King's Lynn Town v Hereford FC
Peterborough Sports v Scarborough Athletic
Rushall Olympic v Farsley Celtic
South Shields v Alfreton Town
Southport FC v Warrington Town
Tamworth FC v Scunthorpe United

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

If Darlington FINALLY want to try and attempt to get out of this league they need to win that first game, games vs curzon have as such become them type of games Darlo cannot win and hold them back if they want progression they need to win it.

For curzon it’s a case of not too much to lose game we should be expected to struggle in and anything is a plus

 

[Bluandwite]

Are we signing Kelan Swales?

Don't know, he's come out of nowhere but looked good so far. The clips of him in America on youtube make him look a world beater but you've always got to be careful with that sort of stuff. We'll be signing someone this week it looks anyway.

 

[Farsley Arkan]

The title? Like others u can't see past Scunny IF they keep going til May '24. Hope they do.
They have signed Kian Scales off Bradford and others - the former Notts lad off Aberdeen etc. Youngsters there had experience on loan in this div over the last 18 months too, so it wont maybe be SUCH a culture shock for the players. Supporters... they'll get an eye-opener at some away grounds.
Play offs- King lynn & chester (they'll miss willoughby)
bottom end - blythe, banbury, maybe 1-2 of the promoted sides being 'found out'- warringtun?, scarboro' havent strengthened massively and they were in dreadful form for pretty much all of 2023 so far.
As for the celts - ??? Not bothered wi' pre-season games, so havent seen our' new style' with my own eyes yet. Could be anywhere between 6th & bottom. Gonna say 15th as we are virtually a whole new team/managmt. Glocs ditto.

 

[Farsley Arkan]

Darlo & scarbs got £1000 fines for the abuse of the female lino at christmas... and guess what chrimbo fixtures are coming up in 2023?? Asking for more trouble. Bet the lino feels happy/valued following that...??!

 

[JE93]

If Darlington FINALLY want to try and attempt to get out of this league they need to win that first game, games vs curzon have as such become them type of games Darlo cannot win and hold them back if they want progression they need to win it.

For curzon it’s a case of not too much to lose game we should be expected to struggle in and anything is a plus

Think we have to be realistic, whilst our fans do a sensational job raising money for the club (and the £160,000 boost the budget for this year was sensational), that is really just making up for the fact that due to our ground situation we earn nothing on non-match days. Even our match day earnings are hampered by our ground situation. We only get a cut of advertising, parking, wet sales, hospitality etc and pay fairly significant rents.

Looking at our last set of accounts, Curzon had a similar turnover to darlo, despite the disparity in crowds, because of the community assets they operate and generate cash from.

Our budget is probably around 11th / 12th / 13th largest in this league and in reality promotion would be significantly out performing our resources. But that being said there is absolutely no reason why we can’t be competing for that final playoff place and if you get into the playoffs, everyone knows it’s a lottery and anything can happen. Getting promoted would probably give us more problems not less, again due to the ground issues. But if we can do it then I’m sure the staff and fans will look to meet the new challenge.

 

[Bottega Don]

We should be competing for the title as we have built a really good squad for this level.

However, this club simply doesn't know how to win games. There's clubs that won more games last season than we have in the last 4 combined.

Getting over that will be the hardest challenge for us.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Yep curzon raise more cash away from the football to be honest through a lot of smart moves, but Darlo havnt those facilities to do the smart moves.

Was an article a few seasons ago will have to find it saying how they have breakfast business meetings at the ground each week, the Manchester boys academy is ran there using both 3G and main pitch with 3-400 players, all given free tickets for games and while most don’t go the sell food drink etc etc to all the parents when their games are going on.

Then lots of use of bar and office facilities during tje week on evenings and of course use of that 3G pitch which is packed each week.

A grant for a 3G pitch beside the ground and some other facilities may be the route Darlo should look to than using that raised money for the team.

I feel sorry for curzon because the glory hunting in Manchester is on another level, thought it was bad at Carlisle but it’s nothing compared to manchedter, the masses ticketing schemes done over last 3-4 years to entice……….the all just go to the pubs 3pm each Saturday none of them ever interested in live football.

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

Loads of rumours going round today on The Grimsby board, ours and Twitter

Will see if anything happens

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

Carry on where you left off…

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Curzon3-1 up away at Darlo great start for us.

Only positive for Darlo is your bogey game is now out the way for season

 

[Railway Blue]

What an awful way to lose a 21 game undefeated away record. Terrible gaff by Stanway for the first.

 

[Harrier94]

What an awful way to lose a 21 game undefeated away record. Terrible gaff by Stanway for the first.

What's your guys summer been like? You obviously lost Willoughby but haven't seen much in terms of transfers for you.

Losing to Bishop's Stortford definitely was a surprise to see

 

[Railway Blue]

What's your guys summer been like? You obviously lost Willoughby but haven't seen much in terms of transfers for you.

Losing to Bishop's Stortford definitely was a surprise to see

My pal just phoned me up from his car outside the ground. We signed Caton and Whitehouse permanently, who were on loan last season and Taylor, who we sold to Chesterfield about 3 seasons ago. We are miles from where we were last season. Hall is not good enough and we haven't replaced Willoughby. Stanway, the GK, gifted them the first. Williams went off injured as did Burke. We only took 4 points from the first 15 last season and its early days, but he said we had little or no penetration. It is a worry because he also said there's no budget left.

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

Fs that's the Used car salesman in charge for a bit longer.

 

[Kenneth Dodd]

What's your guys summer been like? You obviously lost Willoughby but haven't seen much in terms of transfers for you.

Losing to Bishop's Stortford definitely was a surprise to see

Losing two centre backs in the second half played a big part as both goals came from high balls into the box.

 

[Clem Fandango]

We had our captain/centre back Hamilton and former Hungerford captain McGrory both suspended, Birmingham didn't allow Jeacock to join yet due to injury to their second choice Keeper, Richards still out with concussion, Duffus played despite having an injury and Richards-Everton played his first game in two months so not massively surprised we lost today. Quite surprised we almost nicked a draw to be honest. Harry Williams needs to start the bloke is class, his goal today means including last season at Swindon Supermarine he's scored 40 goals in 42 games. Mental

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Oh boy another miserable and flat atmosphere on a showery afternoon at BM!

What more can I say other than just not acceptable! I thought we had our chances but to no avail.

Just don't seem to learn from previous seasons conceding soft goals.

Hopefully fingers crossed we'll improve on the other hand could be a depressing month?

 

[Prodigal]

Rather predictable 1-1 draw for Chorley at home to Brackley we had much the better of the first half but failed to take any of our chances, Brackley then inevitably went ahead just before half time. Second half quite even, Urwin made 2 very good saves to keep Brackley out and then Mark Ellis headed home a pinpoint cross for the equalizer. Brackley had a nan sent off for a deliberate elbow in added time.

 

[JE93]

Curzon3-1 up away at Darlo great start for us.

Only positive for Darlo is your bogey game is now out the way for season

Death, taxes and Curzon Ashton beating us at home, the only certainties in life. Think that makes it played 7, won 1, drawn 0, lost 6.

Some frustrating selection decisions from us. Given we've played a lot of pre-season 3-5-2 but went for 4-3-3 in this game. Can only assume because Windass the RWB didn't pass a fitness test.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

I think we were probably a badly timed side for you this season, we are one of the handful of sides which on whole kept a large chunk of its side this summer so is more gelled early on to sides which have mixed things up.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

You have to question jist how much longer Southport are going to go on with their manager.

Their form in 2023 has been shocking and that was a dreadful start