The rain in Anstey stays mainly on the pitch.

After a drive to Woodford in Northamptonshire to see my grandson lose 6 nil in a semi-final, I called in to Anstey, a village just north west of Leicester, to see a game on Non-League day.

Anstey Nomads play on the outskirts of the village and have in recent seasons seen them rise through the football pyramid. Arriving early I was able to park in the small club car park and walk into the village which had some good cafes and a friendly atmosphere.

Walking back to the ground the Sporting Khalsa team coach had arrived and I entered the ground at one of the corners right next to the food kiosk. Behind one goal is a covered seated stand, and there is further covered seating in a one tier stand down a portion of one side with one level of standing behind. The far end has just a single path with a grass area inside the perimeter where children were having their own game. The changing rooms, a large club house, and some administrative buildings take up the other side with one level of standing in front.

The 15 degrees made it a pleasant day, and the high grey clouds did not indicate the threatened rain. The pitch was in good condition for the end of the season, being flat and still with good grass cover. I chose to spend the first half in the stand behind the goal but soon moved to the other end of the stand when a large drum was left 4 seats away.

Football Histories

Anstey Nomads were started in 1946, born out of a merger of church teams, and adopted their current name a year later. They have mainly played in local Leicestershire Leagues moving up to the East Midlands Counties League in 2008 and the United Counties League in 2018 where they gained promotion to the Premier Division that was split into North and South in 2021. They were promoted from the North Division in 2023 as champions and now play in the Northern Premier League, Midland Division.

Sporting Khalsa’s rise has been more dramatic, having been established only 34 years ago, then playing in the Walsall and District Sunday League. This football club, founded by members of the local Sikh community, switched to Saturday football in 1995. It was the first Asian, semi professional football club, with its own ground, in the country, and at around the same time as purchasing the ground they were being successful in the West Midlands Regional League. They moved to a new, wholly owned ground in 2010 and moved up the pyramid in 2015 to the Midland League. In 2021, they were placed in the Northern Premier league after an FA reorganisation.

Anstey Nomads 0 Sporting Khalsa 1

Saturday 22nd March 2025, Northern Premier League, Midland Division, 15.00 pm kick off.

Cropston Road, Anstey, Leicestershire, LE7 7 BP 5th V 6th, The Nomads v Sporting or The Lions

Anstey Nomads; All red kit with a white stripe down the side of the shirts, the goalkeeper in dark blue. Sporting Khalsa, All royal blue kit with the goalkeeper in all grey.

The game started with the local fans chanting at the opposing keeper, Shepshed reject, and it was the home team who were the most lively. Speedy attacks down the left didn’t produce any end result. Although the Nomads had the majority of possession, it was Sporting who came closest to scoring in what could be described as an uneventful first half. An attacker put through with just the keeper to beat hit the ball wide of the goal to the right.

I decided to walk around the ground at half time but had to shelter in the small stand when the rain started. Sporting Khalsa came out renewed and took control of the game. However, the rain took on biblical proportions with the down pour getting worse. I now took shelter in the food hut as I made my way back to the shelter of the main stand. After ten minutes of the second half, the referee stopped the game and allowed the players to change their boots to suit the conditions.

The away team continued their dominance in the wet, and their player made it past the defence on the right, and his pass, slid along the ground, was fired into the goal but cleared off the line. The clearance, though, fell to Andre Landell, who controlled the rebound and blasted it into the roof of the net on 65 minutes.

Anstey Nomads responded, and a shot was parried by the Sporting goalkeeper, only for him to pounce on it after it laid motionless in a pool of water. The referee immediately walked over and consulted with his linesman and the opposing officials, and he ordered the teams off. After 5 minutes, he returned and seeing that the rain was continuing and conditions had not improved abandoned the game.

Anstey would have been the happier of the two sides as a defeat by the away team would have meant that they would have leapfrogged them in the chase for playoff places.

It was a disappointing outcome, but the British weather has no rhyme or reason.

Football Food

There were no chips, so I had a burger, which was tasteless and dry. A few onions may have helped, but none were available.

Disappointing that there was no program, no team sheet available or pinned up, and no raffle. There was even no announcement over the PA system to say that the game was abandoned. On non-league day, perhaps more effort could have been made.

Wakefield AFC progressing off the pitch but not on.

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.

Keswick, what a beautiful day for some.

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.

No chips here or food to discuss.

They call it the blues

I journeyed over the river Trent to visit Gainsborough to see the local team play. Researching the town it turned out to have been both the capital of England and Denmark for just 5 weeks in 1013, things seemed to change quicker then than they do today. Gainsborough Trinity’s ground is north of the centre just past the modern Marshals Yard a modern retail/food experience in the old Marshals factory. Marshals were a past major employer in the town when they manufactured Steam engines and rollers, agricultural equipment and later in their existence, tractors.
The ground is very easy to find and I couldn’t believe my luck when just six spaces from the turnstile there was a gap to park the car. Everything looks better when the sun is out and there were only a few grey clouds scuttling across a bright blue sky and I felt overdressed in such warm clothes that didn’t reflect the temperature of 14 degrees.

This is a well established stadium having been in use since 1850 when it housed a cricket pitch. Like other cricket grounds, football was introduced for winter sport and eventually took over the whole area. The ground is dominated by a high seated stand in the middle of one side, underneath which the players change. Not many people sat in the seats, which was soon evident in that the leg room was severely restricted. The rest of the ground has covered tiered, standing at one end and one side and tiered open standing at one end. There was a food kiosk in one corner as you go through the turnstile and a queue was building up already.
Gainsborough had recently been involved in good cup runs having beaten 4 teams in the F.A. Cup to finally go out away to a league side, Harrogate, by the only goal. One of their wins was the unbelievably exciting 4-5 win at Hednesford that I saw back in November. They had also beaten 4 teams in the F.A. Trophy before coming up against Woking of the National League. These cup game meant that their 13th position in the league could be improved to just off the play off spot if they won their games in hand. Their opponents Mickleover in contrast sat 21st and well entrenched in a relegation battle.

Football Histories

Gainsborough Trinity started life as Trinity Recreationists in 1873, a team set up by a vicar in the Holy Trinity parish. By 1889 they were founder members of the Midland League where they were successful and gained election to the Football league in 1896 where they stayed until they were not re-elected in 1912. Back to the Midland league they often beat league teams in the F.A. Cup but were never able to get re-elected to the Football League. They continued playing in the Midland league which they won on several occasions and regularly appeared in the draw for the round of the F.A. Cup that included League teams.

The Midland League was disbanded in 1960 but re-formed a year later and after winning the league in 1967 were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968. The club maintained its status when a Premier Division of the Northern Premier League was established in 1987 and moved up a level in 2004 with the formation of the Conference League North. They played at that level until suffering their first ever relegation in their history in 2018. They have stayed in the Northern Premier League, Premier Division ever since and this year resumed their historic exploits in the F.A. Cup.

Mickleover Sports F.C. was founded in 1948 as Mickleover Old Boys and played for 44 years in the Derby & District Senior League. In 1982 the Sports Club decided on a more ambitious regime joining the Central Midland League and planning the move to Station Road which they achieved in 1992.They rose through the Central Midlands League, Northern Counties East and eventually to the Northern Premier league for the 2010/11 season. But in 2011/12 they suffered their first ever relegation only to bounce back by 2015. In 2020 they were renamed Mickleover Football Club. Since then they have been transferred to the Southern League, Premier Division Central and were transferred back to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League at the start of this season.

Gainsborough Trinity F.C. 0 Mickleover F.C. 0

Saturday 22nd February 2025 15.00 pm kick off. Northern Premier League, Premier Division.

Gainsborough Trinity Football Club Gainsborough Lincolnshire DN21 2QW

Holy Blues v The Sports, 13th v 21st. Attendance 532

Gainsborough; Kit all Royal Blue, goalkeeper all light Blue. Mickleover; All white kit with salmon pink stripe down the sides of shirts and shorts, goalkeeper in all yellow.

Gainsborough entered the pitch with an all blue dolphin mascot. Did they come as far up the Trent? No, the answer from the clubs launch info was ‘Known for intelligence, teamwork, and playfulness, dolphins perfectly represent the essence of our football programme. Trenton will attend matches …….He’ll remind us that whether we win or lose, the game and supporting each other is truly what matters….August 2024.’

The grass pitch sloped slightly side to side and to one corner was heavily sanded and despite heavy recent rain, and standing water in fields in the drive over, was hard. The surface created an unusual bounce that the players couldn’t get a grip of. These conditions could possibly explain what I would say was an underwhelming first half. A Gainsborough forward was booked for simulation when the home crowd thought he had been fouled in the penalty area and a shot that looked to be going well wide took an unusual bounce and turned in to hit the bottom of the post were the highlights.

The second half wasn’t much better although Gainsborough did manage to be more attack minded but never looked likely to bother a resolute Mickleover defence and goalkeeper.

Whether it was the ‘Holy Blues’ having the blues after their magnificent cup antics of the season or that for them they feel that their season has come to an end early I’m not sure. I certainly felt blue in the fact that a club I had looked forward to visiting perhaps served up the worst football of any level I have seen this season. For Mickleover it was a good away point gained in their relegation struggle.

Football Food

I was excited to see a bucket of real potatoes that had been chipped and ready for frying when I ordered my portion. The excitement didn’t last long, the skin on chips, were dry, warm and with little taste. The portion was large but in the end needed some red sauce to make them edible. Even the large portion was off putting. I scored them a 62 for my Chip League but on recollection this should have been in the 50’s but the fact they used fresh real potatoes rather that frozen chips perhaps influenced me.

Loughborough Students second best to Long Eaton.

After picking my daughter up we crossed the M1 at junction 23 on our way to see Ashby Ivanhoe FC. I luckily stopped at the layby to check if the game was on to find that it had just been called off when the opposition team had just arrived. I had previous with Ashby, having watched them last year at Quorn because their pitch was not available. They like Appleby Frodingham seem to somehow defeat my efforts to visit them, perhaps a visit to both at the end or start of a season will let me achieve my aim.

We decided to head to nearby Loughborough Students, a ground that I like to visit once a year anyway. You have to go to the gate house to get the bar lifted to enter the campus and drive to the far end where there is ample car parking, though you are bizarrely charged £1.

Walking to the ground I have written before that you pass the javelin training area, but now in front of it is a new Beach Volleyball training ground. perhaps some new Olympians are training here.

The ground has an immaculate flat grass pitch and is open on three sides with hard standing. The third side is the large main stand with changing and training rooms underneath. The long bar area is glass fronted and you could watch the game from inside if you wished. A good idea on this drizzly, wet, damp, grey, cool day. Although we sat outside on some damp seats.

Loughborough Students have found life in their new higher league level surroundings tougher than their recent years in the United Counties League. Having stated the season poorly they are now mid table and look as if they will retain their status for next season. The playing of football is not the only university activity going on, there were students with lap tops analysing the match and players as it unfolded. Good research for a sports science degree?

Football Histories

Loughborough students trace their history back to 1919 under the name of Loughborough Technical Institute later to become a Technical College and then a University. They have won many University competitions but it was in 2007 that they moved into the Non-league sphere. The University Stadium was opened in 2012 and they were moved into the United Counties League in 2019, part of a major league re organisation. They were promoted in 2024 after beating Skegness in the Play Off final 7-0 and now play in the Northern Premier Midlands Division.

A team called Long Eaton St Helens played in the Derbyshire Alliance in 1907 and played in local leagues for around 20 years before disbanding. Long Eaton Town were established in July 1949 and spent many years in the Central Alliance, before moving to the Midland League in 1961.

In 1982 they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League, with the merger of two leagues. They stayed there for 7 years before opting to move to the Central Midlands League, but by 2002 they were back in the Northern Counties East League. They moved up to the Premier Division before changing leagues again in 2014 to the newly formed Midland League. Their nomadic days continued when reorganisations moved them to the Premier Division North of the United Counties League in 2021 which they won and were promoted to The Northern Premier League East and latterly moved to the Midland Division.

Loughborough Students 0 Long Eaton 4

Saturday 8th February 2025 15.00 kick off. Northern Premier League, Midland Division. 12th V 6th. The Scholars v The Blues

Attendance 192

Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU

Loughborough; All purple kit with pink band on the front of the shirts with a white V across it. Goalkeeper all green: Long Eaton; Red Shorts with red shirts that had vertical black stripes on the front. Goalkeeper Light grey top black shorts.

Long Eaton started the game, stronger, organised and with an attacking intent, initially spearheaded by some very long throws into the heart of the home goal area. It was no surprise that they took the lead after just 7 minutes when a cross from the left was punched out by the keeper only into the path of Liam Loughlan who flashed it back into the net.

Loughborough made quick breaks but were caught offside by a well drilled away back line and the away team made it two nil with 20 minutes gone when James Shaw, unmarked, had all the time in the world to nod down a cross from the right past the goalkeeper.

Long Eaton left the field at half time in a commanding position. They made it three nil on 62 minutes when James Shaw, again, scored after the ball hit the bar and rebounded to him. He stroked the ball past the keeper who was partially deceived by the bounce. The goal came after intense pressure, Long Eaton having hit the bar only 5 minutes previous.

James Shaw completed his hat trick on 70 minutes adding Long Eatons’s fourth when the ball hit the post and he raced in to beat the defender who was peddling back, to squeeze it in.

Long Eaton won easily and moved up to the play off places, whilst the Students had a match to forget. I enjoyed another visit here and will return again in the future. Hopefully Loughborough will regain some of their recent form and comfortably stay in this league.

Football Food

Unfortunately no chips here only the choice between a hot pie or sausage roll. I seemed to have made the wrong choice as the sausage roll was dry and Luke warm.

You have to deal with disappointments following the Villa, Part 4 !!!!!!!

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.

The best football team in Wales.

I headed west on a miserable, grey, drizzle ridden day with a temperature of just 6 degrees. I was headed for Shrewsbury, where ‘The New Saints’ were playing Panathinaikos in their latest European Conference League game. £16 had secured me a ticket, a lot less than other UK clubs playing in Europe. The game was being played in Shrewsbury due to the fact that their ground in Oswestry did not meet the UEFA standards, Shrewsbury FC is only 21 miles from TNS’s ground.

TNS are the first football team from Wales ever to reach a European Group stage of a European trophy and capped that achievement by winning one of their league games at home to Astana.

Others would argue that Swansea sitting 9th in the English Championship, Cardiff 22nd, Wrexham 2nd in League 1, Newport County 17th in League 2 and Merthyr Town top of the Southern League Premier Division South all play at a higher level. For me, these are just outliers as unless they spend billions of pounds, they are never going to compete in Europe when TNS are doing it now. The Cymru league offers a pathway that playing in the English Leagues never will.

The history of TNS goes back over 150 years when in 1860 Oswestry Town Fc were formed, but it was their merger with Llansantffraid that forged todays club. llansantffraid had been successful in climbing the Welsh Leagues to enter the Premier League and changed their name to Total Network Solutions in 1997 due to a worthwhile sponsorship deal. They first qualified for European football in 2000. The merger with Oswestry was completed in 2003, and the name of The New Saints was adopted in 2006 when the sponsors company was sold. They have stayed near or at the top of their league ever since. Although they have developed a very good ground with other sporting and leisure facilities it is not big enough for their European nights.

Panathinaikos based in Athens, were founded inn 1908 and throughout their history have been considered one of two leading teams in Greece having won numerous national leagues and cups and being European football finalists.

The New Saints 0 Panathinaikos 2

Thursday 12th December 2024, Kick off 20.00 pm. UEFA Conference League

The Crowd Meadow, Oteley Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ST

The Saints v Panathenians TNS 2nd in their League, Panathinaikos 4th in theirs.

TNS; Green and White hooped shirts with white sleeved shirts and green shorts. Goalkeeper in all orange.

Panathinaikos; Royal blue shirts and shorts that had a purple hue under the lights with a green dart on the shorts. Goalkeeper in all pink.

Panathinaikos had brought a good contingent of fans with them who kept singing and chanting all game.

The Shrewsbury stadium is modern with covered seating on all four sides with a flat grass pitch that has hardly been cut up at this point of the season. The drizzle of the day had luckily stopped for the game.

Panathinaikos played a very pleasing controlled game across the back of their defence, then suddenly trying to break the well drilled TNS defence. TNS suffered a blow after only 11 minutes when one of their central defenders had to be subbed for what looked like a leg injury. Four minutes later the TNS keeper Connor Roberts, made a fantastic left handed save but almost immediately he was called to save again, this time with an outstretched leg from point blank range, only for it to rebound to Duricic to knock it into the net. TNS looked like they would comfortably hold out until half time but Connor Roberts was again asked to perform heroics with a save at the near post just before half time. The half time score of one nil to the visitors meant the game was still all to play for.

Panathinaikos started the second half well and had good chances to increase their lead, which they did from the penalty spot on 61 minutes after one of their forwards was upended in the area. It was Ioannidis who coolly despatched the ball into the left hand side of the goal.

TNS showed a few flashes of attacking intent but never really threatened the Panathinaikos team that was sprinkled with a majority of international players.

A thoroughly enjoyable game for the 5716, and still the faintest chance of TNS staying in the competition if they win their last game.

Unfortunately no chips, but a great food offering.

N.B.

Football in Wales looks like growing in strength with the expandeded Cymru Premiership for the 2026/27 season sharpening competition next year. With more teams upgrading their facilities to be able to apply for the Premier League the supporters should get an enhanced experience.

Hallam overcome Wombwell and storm Darragh.

With storm Darragh battering the UK and many games postponed I was surprised that the FA Vase game at Wombwell was still on.

Arriving at the ground with the temperature of 4 degrees, and colder with the strong cold wind which was sending the grey clouds scuttling by, I found a flat grass pitch that looked as if it had soaked up all of the rain and could comfortably deal with more. Wombwell Town have made great strides in recent years both on and off the pitch. Entry to the Northern Counties League Division One in 2023 and now sitting third with games in hand on the two above. The ground has changed too with new club house, changing rooms, hospitality area and function rooms, new perimeter fencing and concrete concourses for spectators. One side also boasts a smart all seater stand and on two sides it is open bounded by the ‘South Yorkshire Karting’ facility who were enjoying their Christmas Weekend event noticeable by the constant buzzing as they whizzed by.

There have been a number of Wombwell Town teams dating back to 1896 with the last renaissance folding in 2000. The current team were formed in 2018 and considering the thwarted Covid seasons they have done brilliantly to have achieved the development of the club both on and off the pitch. They were promoted into the Northern Counties East League Division One in 2023 and have established them selves as a top team in the competition.

There is much to write about Hallam FC’s history but here are a few highlights, they are officially the second oldest football club in the world, playing at the oldest ground and holders of the Youdan Cup presented to the winners of the first ever football competition. Hallam also played in the first ever match on Boxing Day 1860, against Sheffield FC a British football tradition still kept today. They played in local leagues with some interruptions when although not playing, kept up their affiliations to the local Football Association. In 1982 they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League where they still play today, now in the Premier Division.

Wombwellm Town FC 0 Hallam FC 4

Saturday 7th December 2024, Kick off 15.00 pm, FA Vase Third Round.

Wombwell Recreation Ground, Station Road, Wombwell, South Yorkshire, S73 0BJ

The Wellers v The Citizens. Wombwell, third in Division one of the Northern Counties East League Division One, Hallam 7th in the Premier League of the same competition.

Wombwell; Red Shirts, Black Shorts, Goalkeeper in Pink. Hallam; Yellow Shirts, Blue Shorts, Goalkeeper in Purple.

Hallam played with the strong wind behind them in the first half and its influence was immediate as a speculative through ball wasn’t intercepted by the Wombwell defence and they were luck that the shot hit the post. The wind was so strong that the Wombwell keeper couldn’t kick the ball as far as the half way line as it just drifted backwards on the wind. Hallam’s pressure didn’t have any effect as high ball often went through for the keeper to pick up or for a goal kick. With 23 minutes gone, out of the blue, Hallam’s Brodie Lichfield riffled the ball from 30 yards on the right, and it sailed into the left hand corner of the net after clipping the post. Hallam missed a great chance 13 minutes later and the half time talk must have been about their missed chances with the advantage of the wind.

Wombwell were unlucky not to get level after just 9 minutes of the second half when Josh Nodder hit a rocket from further out than Hallam’s opener but the ball hit the crossbar bounced down on the goal line and out for the goalkeeper to collect.

Football is often cruel as after pressure by the home side, Jack Brownell played a ball in from the right which was brought down and laid off to Brandon Bradbury who beat the goalkeeper to give Hallam a two goal cushion. Hallam put the game beyond a Wombwell rally when James Cadman bamboozled the Wellers defence with a great run on the left by line and placed the ball along the ground to a colleague who passed it on to Rio Allen at the back post to tap in.

With 20 minutes left the rain increased its ferocity again but it didn’t stop Hallam’s progress as they continued to press forward having changed from a first half of high balls to keeping the ball on the ground. Leon Howarth drove into the Wombwell penalty box and was fouled to gain a penalty. After a delay, Rio Allen’s penalty hit the crossbar and was cleared away on 75 minutes but 5 minutes later Hallam had their fourth when Brodie Litchfield ran through the midfield and fired the ball through defenders into the bottom left hand corner.

Callum Ward came on for Hallam and within minutes was sin binned for dissent, but despite Wombwell not giving up and continuing to keep trying for a goal Hallam saw out the game to progress to the next round.

Despite the atrocious conditions I was amazed to have witnessed a very competitive and skillful game.

The chips were warm, crispy outside but mushy inside with a taste of burn fat that left a greasy after taste. A low score of only 52.

Another great program.

Clay Cross finally grind down Ashbourne.

Having not been to a match at the weekend, I saw that Clay Cross. Town were playing Ashbourne in the third round of ‘The Derbyshire County F.A. Senior Challenge Cup.

I hadn’t been to Clay Cross since bonfire night in 2019 and I understood that there had been many changes since last there. As I pulled up outside, I noted that it was just 1.5 degrees on a very still night. Fully wrapped up, I entered the ground to immediately see that my expectation was rewarded. A new clubhouse, new café, new seated stand behind one goal, which was still being kitted out, new changing rooms and work on the pitch that had suffered badly in the previous season. The pitch itself had a good grass cover over the undulating surface, which slopes slightly from end to end.

It is suggested that there has been a football team in Clay Cross since 1881 with the current clubs inspiration taken from the team of 1909. It played in local football in different guises until in 2012 when a new ‘Town’ club was reinvigorated. Disappointment in missing out on promotion was finally forgotten when they made it to the Northern Counties East League Division One in 2023 and moved to the United Counties League Division One for this season following a regional reorganisation. They are third in the league with games in hand on the two teams above them.

When thinking about football in Ashbourne thoughts are immediately drawn to what’s known as the ‘Ashbourne Game’. This game that has been played since 1667, on Shrove Tuesday, and may be longer, between large groups of players from two areas of the town, has been promoted as one of the fore-runners of the modern game. The team on show was only formed in 2009 with the merger of Ashbourne United and Ashbourne Town. They have made it to the Premier Division of the Staffordshire County Senior League despite being based in Derbyshire and currently sit in seventh position.

Clay Cross Ton FC 2 Ashbourne 0

Tuesday 3rd December 2024, The Derbyshire County FA Senior Challenge Cup, third round.

Clay Cross Town FC Mill Lane, Tupton, Derbyshire.

The Millers v The Shrovetiders

Clay Cross; Blue and white vertical stripes to front of shirts with white backs and dark dark blue shorts. Ashbourne; Red and white vertical striped shirts and red shorts.

I heard before the game started that the home team had made changes to their line up with an FA Vase game looming on the following Saturday.

Clay Cross playing down hill in the first half had most of the play in the but it was Ashbourne who came closest when against the run of play they grazed the bar with a long range shot. Both teams left the field with it 0.0 at half time with the Millers unhappy with their performance.

Ashbourne’s goal keeper kept making good saves as his outfield players made a defiant rear-guard performance with occasional break aways. This pattern of play continued throughout the second half with the small band of away supporters making the most noise and giving the most encouragement.
But with 85 minutes gone a long ball was latched on to by a player on left who clipped it in and at the second attempt Reece Clegg hit it to the right of the Ashbourne goalkeeper to give Clay Cross the lead.

Ashbourne threw everything forward now and with their previously rigid backline now out of shape, and minutes later Ross Duggan was left on his own to run on to place the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net for 2 nil.

Ashbourne were disappointed, but considering they play at a lower level than Clay Cross they performed brilliantly, for me their number 6, Logan Cuthbert, was the man of the match, he left everything out there on the pitch like all of his colleagues.

The chips were really good, hot, golden, crispy on the outside, tasty, thick and with no greasy aftertaste, a great score of 72.

At half time I decided another hot drink was needed to try to thaw out. I chose a cup of hot Bovril which did the the trick regarding warmth but it was so thick that it seemed more like Bovril soup.

A big shout out to Clay Cross for producing a really magnificent program for a match that was never likely to draw a major crowd. Thank you, others should take note.

Grey day, grey match but Hallam warm their fans.

I made my way up the A57 in Sheffield to Sandygate Lane to watch Hallam FC play. I make sure I do this every year and I am usually lucky to find they have been drawn at home in at least one round of the F.A. Vase. In the last few years I have seen them go out to AFC Bury and Lincoln United.

This ground, as the oldest in the world, just exudes life. The birth of football to the boisterous knowledgeable large crowds of today. You can’t miss that this is a Cricket ground with a football pitch at one end which is how many original teams started well over 150 years ago.

I recently saw the following text about how history is important to football with context to when Aston Villa recently played Bayern Munich.

‘Football clubs are all about history – a club’s history is one of the main reasons why their fans care so much about it. Villa’s history weighs heavier than most. Specifically, for modern Villa players, there is 1982, an achievement that fills their supporters with pride, but sets a mighty yardstick by which their successors are matched.’
Matthew Howarth, BBC Sport journalist. Brilliant comment Mathew and so true with regards to Hallam.

Football has been played in New Mills since 1865 when the local team was an early adopter of the new FA rules. The club officially started in 1903 as New Mills St George after a near by church. Following several moves they ended up at Church Lane in 1922 where they still play today. Financial constraints meant they dropped out of their league in 1982 but two other local teams merged, Birch Vale and Thornsett FC, and continued the New Mills name. Having previously played in local and county football leagues they were in 1982 able to join and be founder members of the North West Counties League, their current home.

There are buildings down one side of the ground including a seated covered stand, changing facilities, club house, terraced standing, and food and drink bars. At one end is a covered standing area which stretches half of the distance and behind the other goal some flat standing and some cricket nets. The final side is completely open to the vast cricket pitch. The whole ground is surrounded by a leafy vista in this affluents side of Sheffield. The sloping pitch was not as muddy as usual and the grass was looking good after our mild, grey, autumn. It was another grey, grey day like so many recently with the temperature only reaching a cool 7.5 degrees.

Despite both teams being in existence for well over 100 years with only the peak district separating them, this was the first time they had ever met at Sandygate Lane. A two minutes silence was observed for ‘Remembrance Day.

Hallam FC 1 New Mills FC 0

Saturday 9th November 2024, FA Vase Second Round, 15.00 pm kick off. Countrymen v Millers

Hallam 6th Northern Counties East League, Premier Division v New Mills 7th North West Counties League, South, Division One.

Hallam: all royal blue kit. New Mills; All grey with small black edging.

Hallam kicked down hill in the first half and although neither side dominated it was Hallam who had the better chances. On 26 minutes New Mills put a shot just wide of the post after a rebound from a defenders clearance and New Mills ended the first half with 3 close shots. Reflecting on the half my only relevant thought was uneventful.

The second half saw Hallam exert a little more pressure and on 55 minutes, Leon Howarth, who had been tricky, switching to either wing, was brough down in the penalty area. Howarth collected the ball and sent it to the right of the keeper who dived to his left.

Hallam were now in charge and didn’t look like conceding until the last 5 minutes, they saw out the game though and went through to the next round.

A disappointing game that never really got going but as usual a big crowd of 701 enjoyed their afternoon at this famous stadium. Everything is well organised here, from the informative program to the handing out of coloured, sponsored, team sheets.

A pleasure that for the second week running I have been served good chips. These were tasty, crispy on the outside, good central texture, hot and not greasy, getting a score of 72.