The 2015/16 National League North Thread

[Daveangel]

Very unlikely now. Looked nailed on until we relegated Lowestoft in the last day, and Hungerford won the SL play off at the expense of Leamington. Glad to stay North personally, but it it's going to be tough. There again, we've said that for 7 years now on a tiny budget, and managed, so hopefully we can do it again in our adopted home!

Ah ok. Unfortunately not. Hopefully with the competitive nature of the North next season more fans will join up.

Do you not expect to be moved South?

 

[Solihull Mooron]

Evening.

Who's on here from the old NLF then? Too late for a Wankathon?

I was on that. Why did it go defunct?

 

[Alty Pieman]

Evening.

Who's on here from the old NLF then? Too late for a Wankathon?

Hi Dave, I was Alty4me on there but didnt visit much then it folded anyway. You were always a good laugh, now were back again in CN and can renew our battles. Your still doing well to survive arent you, got that ground sorted yet?

 

[DarkSithLord]

Wouldn't have thought there would be any movements this year following Leamington's loss yesterday. North and South have each lost 5 teams to promotion/relegation. I'd have thought it will be a straight swap with us, Halifax, Alty, Darlington and Salford going into the North and Welling, Poole, Hungerford, East Thurrock and H&R in the South?

Yeah. That sounds fair enough. Id forgotten about Hampton and R. Anyway really enjoyed my visit to Cheltenham last season to play Gloucester so looking forward toa return trip. Just gutted about Lowestoft

 

[appletablepenny]

Evening.

Who's on here from the old NLF then? Too late for a Wankathon?

Hello Dave - eightiesrobin checking in. I recognise a couple of other names from the NLF - Pliny Harris is here, as is BTTF. Unfortunately no sign of The Scunner, or Ivano Bonetti (unless he's here under a different name).

 

[Daveangel]

BTTF!
Looking forward to visiting Alty again.

Hopefully our last season in exile, but it's getting very touch and go if building doesn't commence soon!

 

[Harrier94]

Worcester are starting to tie down players for next season, they've already tied down Tyler Weir and are looking to get Lee Hughes signed up for next season as well If they do get Hughes it's a guaranteed goal against us.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Turns out Piergianni is going to Australia for a year once the playoffs are over - really hope Boston don't win promotion because I'm guessing they will lose Southwell and probably won't be too much of a threat.

 

[Kearsley Pilgrim]

Turns out Piergianni is going to Australia for a year once the playoffs are over - really hope Boston don't win promotion because I'm guessing they will lose Southwell and probably won't be too much of a threat.

Presming your logic is that any or all of Harrogate, AFC Fylde and NFU will be stronger next season than a Boston United without Piergianni and Southwell?

I think you're right about Dayle - we're all expecting him to leave us in the summer and go onto play at a higher level. So if we don't get promotion - and with Pidge also not being available - they're going to be a big miss next season without a doubt.

However, we thought when Ricky Miller left for Luton Town, and Dayle arrived to replace him, that Dayle would struggle to match Miller's goal tally, but with nigh on 60 goals in two seasons he's been superb for us. Pidge too has improved immensely since his arrival from Corby Town and another who quickly filled the boots of Shaun Pearson. Another player we thought it would extremely hard to replace when he left for Grimsby Town. So maybe manager Dennis Greene will find another couple of 'gems-in-the-making' during the summer?

I see that Damien Reeves is not guaranteed to stay at Altrincham. If he became available do you think he's one that Jim Gannon would be interested in taking to Edgeley Park?

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Presming your logic is that any or all of Harrogate, AFC Fylde and NFU will be stronger next season than a Boston United without Piergianni and Southwell?

I think you're right about Dayle - we're all expecting him to leave us in the summer and go onto play at a higher level. So if we don't get promotion - and with Pidge also not being available - they're going to be a big miss next season without a doubt.

However, we thought when Ricky Miller left for Luton Town, and Dayle arrived to replace him, that Dayle would struggle to match Miller's goal tally, but with nigh on 60 goals in two seasons he's been superb for us. Pidge too has improved immensely since his arrival from Corby Town and another who quickly filled the boots of Shaun Pearson. Another player we thought it would extremely hard to replace when he left for Grimsby Town. So maybe manager Dennis Greene will find another couple of 'gems-in-the-making' during the summer?

I see that Damien Reeves is not guaranteed to stay at Altrincham. If he became available do you think he's one that Jim Gannon would be interested in taking to Edgeley Park?

Maybe I could have worded it slightly better and of course it's not guaranteed you wouldn't be a threat, but on paper I would rather a team who only made the playoffs because of points deductions and lost their two best players take their place in the league over moneybags Fylde who I believe are going full-time.

He's not someone we have been linked with and in general Gannon prefers a striker who has more of an all round game and can play up top on his own - never say never I suppose but it's unlikely. The striker we have been rumoured to be after on our message board is Denton, not sure how realistic that is TBH.

 

[Pliny Harris]

Hello Dave - eightiesrobin checking in. I recognise a couple of other names from the NLF - Pliny Harris is here, as is BTTF. Unfortunately no sign of The Scunner, or Ivano Bonetti (unless he's here under a different name).

Ivano Bonetti was on here under the alias GTFC1979 or summat like that. Remember his #meltdowns on the NLF? Well, he had one on here too.

Yeah, sadly no sight of the scunner. I guess it was Ed Miliband mistaking his shirt for an Oxford United one that ultimately lost him the election.

Would be nice to have a NLF–OFF Wankfest, although I don't think the fowk on here are as lairy...

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

I am not sure if conf north will be as strong as it looks on paper.

If you look at the teams it looks a nightmare, but look more to situations and think most of the sides are in transition next season.

Salford are not ready for a promotion push, that ground I went to last week wont be accepted. I think they may go for a season of consolidation and work on ground.

Stockport will need another big re-build which may take 2 seasons, Darlo will have money tied to new ground upgrades, fcum have big behind scene problems, Alty from all accounts have appointed a bad manager, kiddy may cut back.

Then the small bankrolled sides in conf north now may yet stop ploughing if fail this year.

Halifax could do well, someone else may rise

 

[Harrier94]

kiddy may cut back.

We've cleared all our debts and we'll have paid off most ex players and managers by the start of the season so we can put more money into the budget.

 

[JE93]

I wouldn't underestimate Salford. They have the money to just develop as they go and buy a squad good enough for promotion. Remember there are 5 millionaires and a billionaire behind the scenes. Although the did profit highly from a cup run skewing their accounts they will have no problems running that Club at an operating loss.

As for the others I mainly agree with you. We will need a few seasons at this level to avoid unsustainable growth. Stockport are once again clearing out and starting again. The small money teams of the league will be strong again eg Harrogate, Flyde, North Ferriby.

Kidderminster will be an interesting one. A real test of budget remaining full time in this league, and whether low budget full timers is a better model than high budget part timers.

 

[chipmunx]

NFU 2 Boston 0 after 16 mins 2-2 on aggregate
Flid 1 Harrogate 1 after 18 2-1 on agg

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Flyde 1-1 Harrogate

Ferriby 2-0 Boston

So far

 

[Davidimp]

Very iffy pen for the NFU opener according to our local media.

 

[chipmunx]

3-0 NFU

 

[Luke Imp]

FT now.

NFU also had one disallowed and one off the line.

 

[chipmunx]

NFU in final

 

[chipmunx]

against Fylde (boo)

 

[Harrier94]

From a selfish pov for next season I'd like Fylde to go up, don't want to have them in the league.

 

[JE93]

From a personal perspective it's the final I wanted. Harrogate will be a derby game and a great weekend game for our fans next season. Boston are a reminder of our old league 2 days.

 

[Shrimper92]

Fylde v Ferriby

Two fairly small clubs?

 

[Luke Imp]

North Ferriby is a village. They average about 300.

 

[Davidimp]

Combined population around 6-7000

 

[SamScfc]

I am not sure if conf north will be as strong as it looks on paper.

If you look at the teams it looks a nightmare, but look more to situations and think most of the sides are in transition next season.

Salford are not ready for a promotion push, that ground I went to last week wont be accepted. I think they may go for a season of consolidation and work on ground.

Stockport will need another big re-build which may take 2 seasons, Darlo will have money tied to new ground upgrades, fcum have big behind scene problems, Alty from all accounts have appointed a bad manager, kiddy may cut back.

Then the small bankrolled sides in conf north now may yet stop ploughing if fail this year.

Halifax could do well, someone else may rise

We have Jim Gannon.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

*Not sure if this should be in confirmed signings or this thread so I've put it in both for now*

Chorley have signed up defensive duo Adam Blakeman and Matt Challoner from Southport as well as Striker Sefton Gonzales.

We signed Gonzales last summer but he only lasted three months before being released.

Chorley fans reckon the signing of Challoner is to replace ever present right back Mark Ross who has apparently signed for County.

 

[SamScfc]

Didn't know what to make of Gonzales. He seemed to work his balls off but didn't show much evidence of being a good striker like he did at clitheroe, it's a shame he left so soon due to falling out with Young.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Didn't know what to make of Gonzales. He seemed to work his balls off but didn't show much evidence of being a good striker like he did at clitheroe, it's a shame he left so soon due to falling out with Young.

I actually preferred Colley out of our non scoring released strikers from last season - Gonzales also made a hash of his loan spell at Salford - even for a footballer he seemed unbelievably dim.

Looks like Ross could be one of the players already signed, hopefully an upgrade on Morton.