This time of year, I usually advertise the new seasons Non-League Club Directory. Unfortunately this year I have recieved the email below that gives the sad news that the 2024/25 edition was the last one and after 47 publications there will be no more. Thank you for those many seasons of joy when thumbing through the many pages of tables and results of teams I had never heard of and aspired to visit in the future. In the early years it was invaluable for addresses to grounds now so easily found via Google Maps.
I will cherish all 47 editions that sit on my shelves and once again thank you and wish you well in your continued support for the game at this level.
Email from The Non-League Club Directory
Thank You…
You may or may not have heard that unfortunately last year’s edition of the Directory was in fact the last one.
Between myself and James Wright we tried our best to keep it going, for another season at least, but for a number of reasons it has not been possible to continue.
As some of you will know the above was where it all started 47 editions ago. Football has changed for the better, and worse but the one thing that remained the same throughout, the passion of real non-League followers and your support of the Directory, as well as our other publications such as Team Talk magazine.
Whether you bought just one edition or have the complete set (you must have a very strong book case!) thank you so much.
Good luck to you and your club for the season ahead.
2416 fans turned up at Hillsborough to see the final of the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Cup final and no one was disappointed. It was a cold evening, only 11 degrees, yet it was a pleasant walk to the ground from parking the car just outside the ground, something you couldn’t do when ‘Wednesday’ are at home.
Fans of both teams mingled in the bars and food kiosks before taking their seats. I was able to get one of the padded seats, so I sat back waiting for the players of Worksop Town FC and Hallam FC. Both have had successful years coming second in their respective leagues and both gaining promotion by way of the playoffs. Worksop Town will be leaving the Northern Premier League and returning to the National League North after an 18 year absence. Hallam FC will be leaving the Northern Counties East League, Premier Division, next season, and moving up to The Northern Premier League, East Division a level they have never before played at. Despite these moves there will still be two level between the clubs, Worksop at the 6th level of English Football and Hallam at the 8th level.
Both teams entered the arena to some vocal fans and a drum beat by the Hallam contingent. The grass surface looked like it was starting to be prepared for the close season with patches of sand all over the pitch. After the customary introduction to the supporters and each other the teams stood in the centre of the centre circle with everyone standing and observing a minutes silence on this 80th Anniversary of VE Day.
The Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA Senior Cup is the 5th oldest in the world and next year it will be 150 years old, having been first played for in 1876.
Worksop Town 2 Hallam 1
Friday 8th May 2025, 19.30 kick off. Hillsborough Stadium.
Tigers v The Countrymen
Worksop; grey shorts and shirts the front of which had a vertical black panel on one side, the goalkeeper had an orange top and black shorts.
Hallam; All royal blue strip with the goalkeeper in a pink top and black shorts.
Worksop looked in control from the start but Hallam were letting them come to them and counter attacking with some quick breaks down the wings particularly down the right. Hallam were also controlling the tempo of the game with slow goal kicks, throw ins and set pieces, this was something they continued with all match.
It was Worksop who took the lead when with 16 minutes gone, a cross from the left was beaten out by the Hallam keeper but only onto the head of Aleks Starcenco who directed it down and into the bottom right corner of the net. The game now ebbed and flowed and despite the difference in League levels Hallam held their own to only trail by the one goal at half time.
The floodlights were turned on at half time with it coming over gloomy, and Worksop should have made it two with only 4 minutes gone from the re-start when the ball was blasted over the bar from very close range. A few minutes later, Warhurst in the Hallam goal kept them in the game with a reflex point blank save.
The Worksop dominance continued with the Hallam break aways, and one of these lead to an equaliser when a cross in from the left found Rio Allan, unmarked, and he cleverly dinked it over the goalkeeper into the net. Que celebrations by the players just in front of their fans. Rio Allen had played some skilful football all night and deserved the goal.
This set up a nerve wracking 20 minutes for both fans with the pattern of play resuming as before. Both sides made numerous substitutions, and it seemed destined for penalties to decide the tie, when with a minute to go Worksop struck again, when after a higher tempo attack the ball was received by Aleks Starcenco on the right corner of the Hallam goal area and he blasted it into the top right hand corner of the net. Hallam could not come back in the final 4 minutes of added time but all of their team gave their all. Worksop will have known that they had been in a hard won game, just deserving to edge it on the night.
Football Food
Great to have chips again, they were a good portion, tasty, golden, firm to soft inside, and but for the fact that they were only warm they could have been the chips of the year, score 73.
An early start to head south to watch a grandson’s under 6 game in Northampton and then on to Wembley.
A Wembley trip is an occasion as well as a football match, and for me to go with two grandsons made me reflect on my first visit. Then there were twin towers, and England lost 2.3 to Sweden in 1959. This was only England’s second loss to a team other than a Home Nation on the hallowed turf. Just six years after the thrashing by Hungary and only 7 years before England’s World Cup triumph. Bobby Moore’s statue, with reference to the rest of the team, stands proud outside the entrance.
There have been other changes, too, even since a visit to see Aston Villa lose in a Championship Playoff final in 2018. On my first visit, my father showed me the decaying buildings left over from the British Empire Exhibition of 1924/25, and I showed what was left to my son in 1994 when Villa beat Manchester United. None of that now , the area has been transformed into a modern high-rise city of its own with the tiered walkway that was Wembley Way replaced by a flat pathed area to complement the new living style.
The organisation was fantastic, with the turnstiles and security opened, all of the queuing fans were whisked into the stadium. Inside the concourse offers food and drink and toilets to befit a national stadium.
The vastness of the red seats hit you as you walk into your seating area brought smiles to the grandsons. The immaculate pitch gleamed a bright green despite the grey overhead cloud, and there was no wind or breeze in this bowl.
Strangely, the Villa fans, so vociferous at home and away, seemed subdued, but a ripple of applause broke out as Stan Collymore was spotted standing above a ‘Villa Cannock’ flag.
Crystal Palace 3 Aston Villa 0
Saturday 26th April 2025, FA Cup Semi-final, 17.15 kick off.
Eagles v Villians.
There was little intensity to the start of the game, and Villa looked as if they were playing walking football out from the back as Palace didn’t press them but crowded out the mid field and defence. Palace fans were in ascendancy when 31 minutes Pau Torres made a mistake to let Ismail Sarr cross the ball for Ebrechi Eze to hit a fierce shot into the roof of the net past Martinez’s right hand.
Villa tried to get into the game and, with much of the possession, didn’t create a worthwhile chance despite some hard work by John McGinn.
Villa briefly looked a little sharper at the start of the second half but conceded a penalty . Jean-Paul Mateta stepped forward and placed the ball to the diving Martinez’s left, but with it clipping the outside of the post and going wide Villa fans thought this could be a sign of a come back.
However, Villa players looked like they had tired legs and were often picked off by some strong defending in mid field by Daichi Kamada and Adam Wharton. The Londoners doubled their lead on 58 minutes when Sarr dispossessed Tielemans and surged forward to power a drive along the ground into the left hand corner of the net. Villa made changes and could have reduced the lead but for their own player, Torres, blocking a powerful shot that looked destined to score.
With the minutes ticking away and the Villa fans drifting out, Sarr raced clear of the Villa defence and made it 3 nil, game well and truly over.
Although Villa had over 70 per cent of possession, it was Palace who outplayed them again this season, their defensive tack ticks and fast breaks, capitalising on Villa mistakes.
Palace had a game plan to disrupt Villa’s flow, they made the referee and Villa wait at the start as they held a long huddle, they made very long celebrations for each goal, Eze strutted back to the half way line after his goal celebrations at a crawl, Place came out in dribs and drabs to start the second half with a pause to wait for their 11th player and Henderson , who had a great game in goal should have been penalised by the referee for his time wasting. But despite this, you could not take it away from Crystal Palalce, who very much deserved to win and make Villa look second best.
Hopefully, the long season has not proved too much for Aston Villa and they can win the remainder of their games.
Football Food
The food at our magnificent football stadium was less than magnificent.
I was told I couldn’t just have chips to review for my annual chip league unless I had it as a meal deal with a burger. However, the chips were priced separately. Why not sell them separately then. The burger in what I think was supposed to be a Brioche Bun was awful. It was limp tasteless, just warm and made a McDonalds basic burger seem like a gourmet meal.
The chips were the worst I have had all season and sit bottom of my chip league, a score of 40 was generous. They were cold, dry limp, with no taste, and unfortunately, I left most of them under my seat for someone to clear up, sorry. I won’t ever buy anything inside this stadium again.
N.B. The heading to this post has been used before in my blog. However, it doesn’t reflect the enjoyment fun and smiles that Aston Villa have given me.
With the end of season fast approaching, I decided to get a game in before some time away, will stop me from watching some football. I headed south, two junctions down the M1 to Pinxton. Pinxton was a ground I had visited before but to watch a Derby Singh Brothers game when they were homeless and playing games there.
This is an ex mining village. You park in the car park of the Pinxton Miners Welfare and walk up the hill to the ground. Considering the pitch is on the side of a hill, it only has a slight slope from end to end and side to side. The surface is grass but a little bumpy. The facilities are unusual. There is a small covered two stepped seated stand that holds roughly 50 people in the corner of one side and built into the hill at the back is a food hut which you climb up to past a small covered standing area.
After a day that was beautiful , clear blue sky with the temperature rising to 18, the evening was cooling quickly with a cold breeze. 126 fans had turned up to see Pinxton play Staveley Miners Welfare with both teams on the edge of the play-off places with only a few games left.
Football Histories
Pinxton FC were started in 1994 and played in the Mansfield Bitter League for their first years, gaining promotions and moving up to the Midlands Regional Alliance League in 1997. Some solid seasons in this league gave them heart to join the Central Midlands League in 2004. They made their way to the highest division and won it in 2024 to be promoted to the United Counties Division One.
Staveley Miners Welfare F.C‘s. current club was formed in 1962 as a Sunday team, known as the Nags Head playing in Barrow Hill. There had been a football team in Staveley since the early 1880’s. They started playing on Saturdays in 1989. In 1991 they joined the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League and two years later moved to the Central Midlands League. They were constant members of that league until 1997 when their second place finish in the highest league gained them entry to The North East Counties League.
Their time in the NCEL wasn’t without ups and downs, semi-finalists in the FA Vase in 2012 masked their off field problems. In 2020 they secured grant money to install an all weather pitch and have continued their facilities development in tandem with community involvement. In 2022 the club took a voluntary demotion by one Division to reset a 5 year sustainability plan. They were moved to the United Counties Division 1
Pinxton FC 2 v Staveley Miners Welfare FC 2
Tuesday 8th April 2025 19.45 pm kick off
United Counties League, Division One, 8th v 5th, The Miners v The Trojans
Wharf Rd, Pinxton, Nottingham NG16 6LG
Pinxton; All Royal Blue shirts and shorts with some white chequered images on the lower front of the shirt. Goalkeeper in light lime green with some yellow stripes on the front of the shirt.
Staveley Miners Welfare; All fluorescence orange kit. Goalkeeper in all light green.
Pinxton were the more dominant team in the first 15 minutes, hitting the crossbar and being foiled by a point blank save by the Trojans keeper. They took the lead on 17 minutes when a ball cleared by the Staveley defence was controlled by Kane Hempshall who volleyed a rocket of a shot just to the right of the goalkeepers hand.
The home side were only ahead for eight minutes when Staveley equalised. A ball swung in from the right went over all those in the penalty area it was kept in out on the left, crossed back, where Dan Grierson outfought a defender at the right hand post and headed it down and over the goal line.
Pinxton returned the pressure and but for some great goalkeeping by xxx and a strong Staveley defence could have gone in ahead at half time.
Pinxton played downhill in the second half and, for the first 15 minutes, looked the most likely to take the lead. The game then settled down, and as it progressed into the last 15 minutes, it was Staveley who looked the most likely to score. With the final whistle approaching it looked like the away side had stolen the win when a long throw was headed on for Jack Deakin to riffle the ball along the ground, through defenders legs and into the net.
The game drifted into added time, and with three minutes added, Pinxton were awarded a corner from the right, which their goalkeeper went forward for. The over hit ball was chipped back in where Josh Wright headed the ball into the goal for a draw. The referee blowing for time only a minute later.
A good competitive game, with a draw being a fair result that leaves both teams with a chance of reaching the playoffs with two games left, although Pinxton’s is a slim one.
Football Food
I was happy to have some chips, but although being hot were a bit limp and some were overcooked. A good quantity and a good taste but a score of only 59.
With warmer weather promised, I ventured North to Featherstone on a clear night, 2 degrees, made colder by a northerly wind. My destination was Featherstone Rovers Rugby League ground to see Wakefield AFC play. Yes, last season, I saw them play t home at Wakefield Trinity’s ground. The agreement to play there has ended, and they are now a season into a 2 year agreement with Featherstone.
The Programme however brought good news that the club is involved in a project at Brook Farm in Walton just in the southeast of Wakefield. Perhaps I will in the future see these nomads in a permanent home.
Arriving at the ground, there was a large parking area which could certainly do with a little more lighting.
I have watched Wakefield’s rise and saw they were again challenging for promotion. With three games in hand, and 5 points behind, they were closing in on local rivals Horbury Town hoping to gain outright promotion rather than the play offs where they lost in the final last year.
Featherstone Rovers’ ground holds roughly 10000, 271 had braved the elements and were housed in a section of the main stand. The stadium has good covered seating on three sides with open seating on the other. The flat grass pitch looked in very good condition with the grass slightly longer than usual.
Football Histories
The current Wakefield was only formed in 2019 by a group of local businessmen, but a controlling interest was bought out in 2021 by VO2 Capital. They have climbed through the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League and are now pushing for promotion from the Northern Counties East League Division 1.
Ilkley Town was formed in the 1960s but disbanded in the early 90s. Reformed in 1994 as Ilkley AFC they played locally and renamed that Club back to Ilkley Town after previously joining the West Yorkshire League. They were elected in 2021 to the North West Counties League and transferred to the Northern Counties East League for this season.
Wakefield AFC 1 Ilkley Town 2
Tuesday 18th March 2025. 19.45 kick off. 2nd v 4th Falcons v Baht’atters
The Millennium Stadium, Post Office Road, Featherstone, WF7 5EN
Wakefield; White shirts with blue shorts, Goalkeeper Blue top with black shorts.
Ilkley; Pink shirts with purple shoulders, Goalkeeper all light orange.
Ilkley immediately went on the attack, being very successful down the right where Maxim Hague, with number 2 on his back, was quickly making it forward and releasing good crosses that were causing problems. Wakefield weathered the storm and their attacks were provided by long high balls and enormous long throws. The game was very competitive with a good level of skill. Ilkley looked the most promising with their mid-field duo getting the upper hand.
It was a quick run down the left on 21 minutes that provided a cross along the floor for Maxim Hague to pounce at the right post and place the ball high up into the net. Wakefield tried to respond. However, it was the away team who continued to look most likely to extend their lead. Both sides left the field at half time with Ilkley having been on top.
The second half continued in much the same way, and the evening was made worse for Wakefield when on 69 minutes, a misguided back pass was collected by Toby Marriot, who had just come on as a substitute. He had to move away from goal due to the advancing goalkeeper and, from a very difficult angle, squeezed the ball along the ground into the far corner of the net. Wakefield looked well defeated at this point but were back in the game with just over ten minutes left when Kelan Swales ran onto a speculative ball over the top of the Ilkley defence and he lobbed it over the advancing keeper.
Wakefield pushed forward to try and salvage something from the game but were thwarted by their own lack of chances and some deliberate time wasting by their opponents.
Wakefield still have a chance to win the league, although their progress was dented here, and Ilkley will be strong contenders in any play offs.
Football food
Unfortunately, there were no chips again, so a beef pie with gravy was a good substitute. Tasty, but could have been a little hotter.
On a bright sunny afternoon, with the temperature registering 17 degrees, I made my way to one of the most picturesque grounds in the country, Keswick FC. The sky was bright blue with a few white, thin clouds across the sky. Just over 30 others had turned up to watch, often swelled momentarily by passing walkers in the park.
The pitch in Fritz Park has the backdrop of Lake District hills on all four sides. Down one side is the river Derwent that flooded the park and much of the town in 2015, like Cockermouth, their opponents this afternoon. Cockermouth is only 14 miles away, and the game could be called the A66 derby.
The park was devastated, and a new club house has been built that is set up from the pitch and gives a good view from the veranda. The club house and changing room have been built to a good spec, and the facilities are complimented by a large nearby car park that does unfortunately get full very quickly with local park users and tourists.
Keswick FC 1 Cockermouth 5
Saturday 8th March 14.00 pm kick off. Cumberland County League, Premier Division 5th v 1st, The Cumbrians v The Cockers
Keswick; Red shirts with black shorts, goalkeeper in all luminous yellow.
Cockermouth; Yellow shirts with a series of black stripes vertically down the front with grey shorts, goalkeeper in Grey top with black sleeves and grey shorts.
Keswick began the match with only 2 substitutes to Suckermouths 6 and with a first game, 16 year old goalkeeper, between the sticks.
The game started evenly with each side having early chances. Cockermouth playing from right to left took the lead on 12 minutes when a ball was whipped out to the left, and a curling cross from their unmarked player was passed on to Robert Cox, who just had the keeper to beat.
The home side held their own against the league leaders, but disaster struck on 35 minutes when a ball crossed from the right was fumbled by the goalkeeper at left hand postand it was squeezed in from a difficult angle 2 by Luke Graham.
Cockermouth’s 2 nil lead at half time was a bit flattering and after the short interval Keswick were right back in the game. Within 5 minutes, they had reduced the deficit when a free kick from the right was met by Alfie West who stooped to head over the keeper into the centre of the net. The game swung back in favour of the visitors when the referee gave a penalty, which caused consternation with the Keswick players who felt their man had won the ball fairly. The home sides number 7 received two yellows for what appeared to be arguing. The referee then checked with his linesman, and after a long discussion the penalty stood. The keeper dived to his right of Luke Grahams spot kick but the ball went into the left side of the net to restore the away teams two goal advantage.
Now playing with 10 men, things only became harder when on 65 minutes, a corner from the left by Kyren Bertram was knocked into the goal by the keeper. Despite 10 men, being 1.4 down and substitutes refreshing their opponents, Keswick kept battling. A Fifth was added for Cockermouth at the death when a crossed ball from Lewis White deceived the home goalkeeper sailing over his head and into right hand corner of net.
Cockermouth stayed top of the division, and although Keswick let in five, they were not disgraced. The young keeper should not be disheartened by his performance, he will have better days for sure.
I battled through the busy traffic into and through Sheffield on my way to Sandygate Road to ensure I was early enough to get to Hallam FC to get a seat and a program. A large crowd was expected to see Hallam play Sheffield FC for the first time in a few years in what is called the ‘Rules Derby’ a reference to the Sheffield Rules which are the oldest rules in football and still provide much of the basis for the playing of the game today all over the world.
Hallam FC, the second oldest club in the world were playing Sheffield FC the first and oldest club in the world. This at Sandygate Lane, the oldest football ground in the world for a semi-final place in the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup administered by, Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football Association, the first area Association established in England.
I have been to this ground many time before so will not describe it again but point out that the club have recently extended the standing area behind the ‘Shed End’ and that one side is totally open to the cricket pitch. Because of the exceptional 1496 crowd, spectators were allowed to stand on the hallowed cricket pitch side, something I have never seen here before.
These two clubs are experiencing differing stages in their life. Sheffield FC are still at their Derbyshire ground and trying to get permission to move back into the City to have a permanent home and build the type of local community spirit that has been built up by Hallam over the many years in one location. Hallam’s success in generating income through larger than usual crowds at their level of football and the resulting extras, food, drink, shop, club house, etc has also seen success on the field as well. It leaves them currently in a good position to make the playoffs at the end of the season. Sheffield FC despite their status as the oldest club in the world, which generates a world wide fan base needs a local grounding. Sheffield are uncomfortably at the foot of the Northern Premier League East, 6 points adrift of their nearest rivals. A relegation might see them playing in The United Counties Premier North Division next year because of their Derbyshire location. So this season it is Sheffield that are the team from one level higher than Hallam. but next year the tables could well be turned.
Another reason for the trip was that the game was on my 75th birthday having been postponed, due to the snow, the week before. It was also roughly 70 years since I had watched my first football match, when at the age of five I had seen St Albans City play in the Isthmian League.
Hallam FC 2 Sheffield FC 1
Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup – Quarter Final. Tuesday 21st January 2025, 19.45 pm kick off. Hallam FC, Sandygate, Sandygate Road, Sheffield S10 5SE
Hallam; All Royal Blue kit, goalkeeper wearing pink top and black shorts. Sheffield; Red shirts with black quartered fronts and black sleeves and collars, goalkeeper in all green.
Hallam kicked up the hill in the first half on a pitch that is beginning to show some wear after some busy use. It was a cool night at 4 degrees and would have been colder if not for the cloud cover.
The home crowd were immediately behind their team and they took an early lead when Hugo Warhurst, their goalkeeper launched a long kick that was expertly controlled by James Cadman who drilled into the net.
The end to end play now produced a goal for Sheffield when Connor Cutts rifled home an equaliser from distance. Hallam gained the ascendancy again and were denied by good saves by Niall Edge and the post. Niall Edge’s kicking was not helping Sheffield to move the ball up field and Hallam kept up the pressure. At half time it was one a piece but both teams had played their part in a full blooded encounter that had been end to end.
Hallam started the second half like the first and scored with only a few minutes on the clock. A cross was met by Leon Howarth who steadied himself, moved across two defenders and found the bottom left corner of the net after a deflection. Cue Hallam supporters joy and a blue flare held high behind the bottom end net in which they had just scored.
Sheffield huffed and puffed and created one real chance when the advancing home keeper was well beaten only for the shot to be cleared off the line by one of the three defenders who had raced back to cover.
As the game went on it seemed that Hallam were the side putting it all on the line as they continued to chase and challenge everything. This effort despite their sapping away defeat in the FA Vase on Saturday. Hallam held on and deserved the win. With some strong teams left in the cup another fantastic night could be waiting for Hallam.
The Chips unfortunately did not live up to the rest of the evening, they were warm, soggy, OK taste and not greasy but only a score of 55. Not up to the normal standard here but I think a large batch had been cooked and I may have received the end of that.
On the way down the A1 I popped into Knaresborough to see them play Thackley in the Northern Counties East League. Thackley from the northern outkirts of Bradford were on a run of five wins in a row and sat third in the table whilst the home team, Knaresborough Town were eighteenth , only one place above the relegation zone.
The ground is on the edge of town, not far off the A59, and easy to reach. I was dropped off and walked into the ground on what was a cold day, Google saying it was just above freezing, with patchy grey and blue sky, but with no wind. There was a small covered seated stand in the middle of one side, open behind one goal, a small covered standing area offset from the goal at the other end and down the other side the changing rooms, clubhouse, a food kiosk, a small area to stand and a wall from a neighbouring building. The pitch was grass that sloped slightly from end to end with undulating areas and mud showing through the grass after our wet winter. There is less than 20 miles between the two clubs so it was almost a local derby.
Knaresborough have been established since 1898, then known as Trinity, playing local football, before being elevated to the Northern League in 1909 for only 2 years, before going back into local York leagues. After World War Two they reformed in the Harrogate League and returned to it after another spell in the York League. By the end of the 1960’s they joined the West Yorkshire League where they played mainly, except for one excursion back in the Harrogate League again. It was in 2012, that after investment in the ground they were elected to the Northern Counties East League and six years later won promotion to the Premier Division where they play today.
Thackley were not founded until 1930 when members of the Thackley Wesleyan Methodist Church set up a Sunday League Team. They stayed in the West Riding County Amateur League for 25 years from 1939, After a brief stay in the West Yorkshire League they joined the strong Yorkshire League and became founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982 where they still remain.
Knaresborough Town AFC 3 Thackley 2
Saturday 18th January 2025, 15,00 pm kick off, Northern Counties East League, Premier Division.
Knaresborough Town AFC, Manse Lane, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 8LF,
18th v 3rd, Knaresborough have no nick name but Thackley are known as the Denny boys.
Knaresborough; Red shirts with white horizontal line on the backs with the sponsors name, black shorts, goalkeeper in lime green top and black shorts: Thackley; All royal blue kit and goalkeeper in all orange.
The first 15 minutes play was even with Thackley looking the most positive. Thackley forwards put one ball just wide and a header over the bar from a corner but neither side scored and they left the field for half time with little indication of anyone scoring.
The floodlights came on for the second half, which showed how quickly the days have lengthened since December 21st, winter is slowly seeping away!
The light must have sparked the player as with 4 minutes gone Knaresborough’s Ben Parkes curled a ball, from outside the goal area, with his right foot, into the top right hand corner for the lead. Four minutes later Ben Parkes was pushed down in the penalty area and Jack Lazenby stepped forward to make it two nil.
There looked no way back for Thackley but they kept pressing and with 19 minutes gone Slater Barnes reduced the deficit after a fast break that meant the ball was whipped across the goalmouth for him to tap in. Thackley now pressed forward and despite having their Manager sent off equalised in the 86th minute when a corner from the right was headed back at the far post for Muhammet Tektas to steer into the net to equalise. Play became frantic with Harry Parsons for Thackley sent off a minute after their equaliser. Thackley pushed on despite their reduced numbers, hoping to retain their winning streak but despair hit them when with time up a freekick was headed back across goal, which Phil Milson stroked home.
The 186 spectators had been warmed by the pulsating second half, with the home side ecstatic but Thackley annoyed at not taking at least a point. Thackley though didn’t deserve the spoils with very little cutting edge up front.
A coffee and a portion of thin cut chips cost only £3.70, but the chips were disappointing being only warm with little taste although they were not greasy, a score of 56.
Friday saw me take a drive to Villa Park to see their 150th Anniversary Game, which had been deemed to be the Third Rond FA Cup game at home to West Ham. Tickets were reduced to £25 and less for children so another grandson was able to come along and see his first ever game at Aston Villa.
Other celebratory actions were the use of an Anniversary kit of black shirts, to pay homage to the original shirts that also had no sponsorship or player names on them. There were also items for sale in the club shop, which had lengthy queues, for £1.50, as well as a souvenir programme for the same price. Unfortunately only a few had been printed and although we entered the North Stand an hour early, there were none left, although they were for sale on eBay the next day at a very inflated price. Subsequent to this a new batch have been re-printed for sale to fans.
It was a cold clear night with the car temperature registering minus 4 degrees as we parked, and we were soon chilled on the way to the stadium, but inside, where there was a full house, it was warmer. There had been rumblings about Villa making this their anniversary match yet I felt the full house was a vindication considering the weather , a Friday night and the game being on TV. It also gave the chance for younger fans to attend and get their first taste of the Villa bug.
Villa fans were in good voice as too were the 6000 from West Ham who helped to create a good atmosphere.
Aston Villa 2 West Ham 1
Friday 10th February 2025 20.00 pm kick off F.A. Cup 3rd Round
Villa Park, Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham, B6 6HE, Villains v Hammers
Villa; Black shirts, white shorts West Ham; White Shirts, claret shorts.
The noise ramped up as the game started with both sides looking to take control. A mistake trying to head clear a challenge in the centre of the pitch was swept out to the West Ham right and the ball was quickly moved forward to be centred which allowed Luca Paqueta to shoot low to the left of Olsen, in goal for Villa, maybe for the last time, into the corner of the net to take the lead with 9 minutes gone.
Villa looked sluggish at this point and continual sideways passes with no result were greeted with derision by the home fans. The continual probing didn’t lead to anything and their flow was disrupted on 23 minutes when Barkley was substituted for Onana after a leg injury, not long after Fullkrug had been replaced for West Ham by ex villain Danny Ings. The probing pattern of play continued for Villa, with West Ham occasionally making a quick break but neither side looked like adding to the score as the clock wound down to half time. A group of past players were warmly applauded when they walked around the pitch at the break.
The second half started without West Ham’s Summerville who had been influential in the visitors play.
Villa took more control yet still didn’t score even though they forced a series of corners. One corner from the right was swung in to be headed on by Tyrone Mings to Ezri Konsa at the back post who headed it down into the ground where it was spilled by Fabianski, the West Ham keeper, after an intervention by a defender. The ball was pounced on by the imposing Onana who poked it over the line. Should the Hammers goal Hero, Paqueta, not have fallen over next to Konsa, he would have been able to challenge his goalward header.
The goal signalled a resurgent Villa which was also helped by the immediate introduction of three substitutes. Five minutes after the goal, Yuri Tielemans released a long ground pass from deep in his own half to Emi Buendia, who had started with a positive go forward attitude, who swept the ball out to the left where Ollie Watkins raced into the Hammers penalty area and flashed the ball along the ground to Morgan Rogers who with one strike buried it into the net. A typical Villa goal under Unai Emery. The onslaught continued and only the left hand post stopped Jacob Ramsey’s beautiful curling shot from making it three.
Villa relaxed a little and it was their other substitute, Nedeljkovic who raced back at impressive speed to block a goalward bound shot. Villa fans were now in full flow and were relieved and pleased at their teams second half play. For 70 minutes I though that I would need to write ‘ You have to deal with disappointments following the Villa part 4’ but my influence had changed which I put down to wearing my claret and blue scarf, knitted by my mother 30 years ago, to keep me warm.
UP THE VILLA, even though I couldn’t get any chips with the huge queue, because all food and drink was £1.50 and the crowd was 40898.
I decided to get one more game in 2024 and headed for North Lincolnshire to see Appleby Frodingham but first checked their social media and the league site to make sure the match was on. I have previous with Appleby Frodingham with games cancelled through a frozen and waterlogged pitch. Luckily, in the past, I had been able to switch games. The last few days had been miserable foggy and grey, and they were again as I pulled off the drive, but the sun was out as I whizzed along a quiet M18. The mood changed as the fog returned along the M180, and it thickened through Scunthorpe. It was to get worse when Google Maps took me to a local rugby club. Not deterred, the Northern Counties East web site gave me a different post code and 3 minutes later I was there along with a couple of other people in cars looking at a very closed ground. Social media now told me that the match was postponed, but again, not givingup, I knew that Brigg Town were at home and that was 8 miles away and I had 30 minutes to get there. Pulling into the large car park at 14.51 with the game on, my luck had changed. There was a large lined out car park all part of more sports facilities. I stopped and chatted to a man collecting for James Hitchcock, the Barton Rovers goalkeeper who lost his life on a night out, and walked to the turnstile. Now I was confronted by a queue! Evidently, another helper had not turned up so I managed to get in at 15.04, unluckily they were sold out of programs but luckily no one had scored.
Brigg Town can trace a history back to 1864, one of the earlier teams in the country. Playing for a long time in Lincolnshire Leagues, they moved up to the Midland League in 1976, and in 1982, when League mergers created the Northern Counties East League they were founder members. Their highest league status was reached in 2004 when they were promoted to the Northern Premier League, but 11 years later, they were back in the NCEL. 2017 saw a further fall back into the Lincolnshire League, which they bounced back from the following year and have stayed since. Briggs Cup exploits have been amazing winning the FA Vase on two occasions in 1996 and 2003.
Athersley Recreatin FC has a much shorter history, only being formed in 1979 as Athersley North Juniors and took their current name in 1986. They played initially in the local Barnsley Leagues until 1997 when they were promoted to the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League. Promotion to the Northern Counties East League in 2012 they have played in both the Premier Division and Division one. After a few poor seasons, this year has proved more successful.
It was foggy here too but you could see from end to end. The miserable conditions made everything else look sad, with the undulating grass pitch having as much mud as grass. The good news being that at the end of the season the pitch is to be dug up and a new alweather one installed with six changing rooms for multi use and increased income. A reason to return in the future to see how it looks.
It was grey, damp and only 4 degrees giving a miserable feel.
The two ends of the ground are open with low level covered seating dow almost the length of one side. The other side houses the changing rooms, club house, other rooms, with covered standing in front.
Brigg Town FC CIC 1 Athersley Recreation FC 0
Saturday 28th December 2024.
The EC Surfacing Stadium, Wrawby Rd, Brigg DN20 8DT
15.00 pm kick off. Northern Counties East League Division One.
4th v 10th, The Zebras v The Penguins or ‘The Rec’
Although Brigg were more dominant in the first 30 minutes, Athersley made dangerous quick attacks mainly down the left. With just 5 minutes before the break a second yellow card for Prince Hayward of Brigg meant an early bath and some reorganisation at half time for the home side.
The second half started with the fog thickening but on the field despite being one man down the home side kept pressing with Athersley still breaking fast. Athersley despite their attacks only forced the Brigg keeper to make one great save when he managed to launch himself and tip the shot over the bar.
There was plenty of passion and endeavour on and off the field as every tackle, foul or clash of heads was greeted with cries to reduce Athersley to 10 men. The referee kept his nerve and the game moved on to the final few minutes with not only the fog but the cold increasing.
With on my watch, time up and added time being played Brigg fought harder and harder and they were awarded a corner from the left. Harrison Coley curled it in and up rose Josh Jordan unmarked to head the ball with some strength into the back of the net. Fans and players of Brigg went wild, while the Athersley team trudged back to the centre circle knowing that they had missed a golden opportunity to get three points. The crowd of 302 was one of the best at this level for the day.
Considering the weather conditions and the cloying , muddy pitch, heavy legs, both teams had served up a fascinating, hard fought match to remember.
The club house was warm and friendly with many photos of old endeavours. TV screens were showing the World Darts Championship which a few chose to watch rather than the game. The chips although hot were tasty but too greasy for my liking, scoring only 54.
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