Birmingham Mail - Non League

Non League coverage set to resume

2008-07-24T07:34:50Z

Saturday's Non League coverage will kick-off on August 9
Another enthralling season awaits.
The big winners last season were Evesham and Stourbridge, who won promotion to the Southern Premier, although it was Chasetown who captured the headlines for their wonderful FA Cup exploits again.
AFC Telford didn't do too badly either in their first season at Blue Square North level.
Most hard done to side were Halesowen Town for the shameless manner in which they were forced to play their play-off games.
There should be a tremendous scrap for honours in the Southern Midland with Chasetown, Leamington, Sutton Coldfield, Romulus and Bromsgrove Rovers all capable of going well.
And I reckon Rushall and Willenhall will find Unibond One South to their liking.
What do you think?
Let me know your comments - no rude words now!
Any unusual snippets, I'm always interested to hear.
If you've got a tale to tell call me on 0121-234-5462

The Hills are alive ...

2008-06-12T09:37:44Z

PLODDED up Clent Hills the other day with my two badly behaved German Shepherds.
Who should I spot trundling around at a fair rate of knots but a fit-looking Danny McDonnell.
I always reckoned Danny was the best goalkeeper in Non League football and should have played in the Football League.
To my knowledge he won one England Non League cap, but it should have been more.
Danny missed out on last season with Worcester City through injury, but looks in good shape now.
In fact Clent's quite a popular haunt for Non League sides during pre-season - although they're probably not that popular with some of the players.
Stourbridge train just across the road at Old Halesonians, so I would imagine manager Gary Hackett is already mapping out a few arduous running routes for his players.
Clent also used to be a favourite pre-season training location for Graham Allner when he was in charge of Kidderminster Harriers. Some of the tales concerning legendary bad trainer Chris Brindley are hilarious.
In fact Harriers spent most of the sessions looking for him!
I recommend Sunday mornings on Clent during July as ideal for Non League spotting. If you can't manage that, try Tuesday or Thursday evenings (7pm to 9pm approx).
If any managers or coaches are looking to get a bit more out of any players reknown for slacking in training, they are welcome to borrow my Shepherds. That should liven things up a bit!

Summer of discontent...

2008-06-03T14:10:07Z

WHAT is it with this close season that we're hearing doom and gloom from so many of our clubs?
Nuneaton Borough could be going into receivership,
There's a consortium trying to wrestle control from the current chairman at Bromsgrove Rovers.
And I'm hearing nothing but bad vibes coming out of Halesowen Town.
These are major clubs, which is all the more worrying.
There used to be a period up until the end of June when nothing ever really happened - certainly not these days!
Managers always used to tell me they were busier in the close season. I can believe it.
Football never goes away.
If anyone hears any gossip - give us a shout and we'll chase it up!

You couldn't make it up ...

2008-05-21T09:13:43Z

Perhaps it's time for Southern League officials to consult their RAC Road Atlas - if they did, they might well discover that Chasetown is situated further north than both Rushall Olympic and Willenhall Town.
So whatever possessed them to send Willenhall and Rushall to the Unibond League and not Chasetown is beyond me - unless of course Chasetown's Chruch Road ground has miraculously been shunted 10 miles down the M6!
It's the latest in a long line of appalling dictates despatched by the Southern League this season.
There was the debacle over the fixtures.
Then both Halesowen and Chipenham Town were left fuming over their treatment in the Premier Division play-offs.
But this latest relocation really takes the biscuit.
I suggest the clowns running the Southern League should do the honourable thing. Pick up their road maps again and plot the best course - out of office!

Southern Comfort

2008-05-02T12:20:37Z

Good of the Southern League to make Halesowen Town play their Southern Premier play-off final against Team Bath less than 48 hours after beating Chippenham.
Word has it, that the Southern League have organised a corporate day to coincide with the final, which takes place at Bath City's Twerton Park ground.
Obviously it means the tie is heavily slanted in Team Bath's favour.
It becomes clear that nothing would be allowed to prevent the corporate event going ahead.
It makes you wonder who the Southern League is being run for?

Water, water, everywhere...

2008-04-30T09:47:37Z

I KNOW you shouldn't criticise referees - but what was Mr R J Martin of Weston Super Mare thinking of when he started Halesowen Town's BGB Southern Premier play-off clash with Chippenham Town!
Heavy rain had fallen for some considerable time prior to the kick-off and it was plain to see the pitch was totally unplayable by 7-45 pm as large areas of surface water could be seen on the pitch.
This was made more apparant by the floodlights, where you could see the water shimmering in the reflection.
Nevertheless, Mr Martin, in his wisdom started the game and the farce commenced immediately when Halesowen goalkeeper Mark Osborn went down to smother a regulation through ball and promptly slid betyween 10 to 15 yards, taking the ball out of the area.
Technically, isn't that a handling offence!
With the ball splattering to a halt everytime it hit the surface, it was beyond my comprehension that the ref allowed the game to continue for 32 minutes before coming to his senses and calling a halt.
A check with the weather forecast would have told him that rain was predicted to fall until 11pm - so the situation was only going to get worse - not better.
But that wasn't the best of it. Stuart Pierpoint's header was clearly handled by Chippenham's Ross Adams who prevented it from going into the net.
Penalty and red card is the correct proceedure.
However, it became clear after several minutes of faffing around, that referee Martin had lost sight of who the culprit was.
After consultation with his linesman, Mr Martin duly awarded the penalty, but there was no sign of any card, red or yellow for that matter.
So there's your answer. Any defender who commits a similar crime -run and hide and you'll get away with it!

Alliance Nonsense

2008-04-28T13:10:00Z

I IMAGINE Midland Alliance officials are sqirming with embarassment at the moment.
The Alliance completed its campaign last Saturday - yet they don't have a clue who is getting promoted and relegated.
We'll have to wait for an FA meeting on May 14, I believe, to have any chance of finding out.
Unbelievable - the FA had all season to work this one out - yet everyone must bide their time until the FA finally get their act together.
Non wonder football fans believe that FA are only interested in the Premiership these days.
It completely outrageous teams could compete for an entire season not knowing what awaits them at the end.

Play-off possibilities

2008-04-28T13:00:15Z

Hang onto your hats -it's play-off time.
Love them, or loath them, you can't ignore them.
With so many of our local teams involved, it keeps the season going right to the bitter end.
Experience already suggests never to bet on the side finishing second - which doesn't bode well for Leamington in the BGB Southern Midland Division.
Numerous people have been pressing me for predictions - but I'm doing what Trevor Brooking does best, sitting on the fence.
Oh alright! He's my prediction for Tuesday night.
Leamington to beat Rushall Olympic, bayed on by a bumper crowd.
Sutton Coldfield to get the better of Stourbridge - they'll lynch me for that one back home.
I just fancy Sutton's attacking style suits play-off type football - but I could be wrong!
Halesowen Town have a hard task against Chippenham and I'm a bit concerned recent Yeltz form has slipped a bit recently - but they should do it.
As for AFC Telford - well Rob Smith did say the Bucks love a good play-off, so my money's on them, even if they did finish second

Beaten to the punch

2008-04-21T13:13:24Z

Had a rare trip down to Billesley Common to watch Moseley take on Cornish Pirates.
Great game, despite the dreadful weather. I can't remember the last time I was so cold!
One incident stands out in my mind which took place towards the end of exchanges, when one of the Pirates' pack floored his Moseley counterpart with one hell of a haymaker.
Had that been in football, there would have been an uproar.
Instead, the matter was resolved by a chat with the referee, a handshake and 10 minutes for the pair of them in the sin-bin. Situation dealt with.
What a contrast to all the vitriol and vile that was emminent at the second city derby.
I have this vivid image of James McFadden racing through and firing narrowly wide - to be greeted by a wall of Villa spectators offering obscene gestures to the striker.
Can anyone spot the difference.

A case of mistaken identity

2008-04-21T13:03:14Z

I've been going through a bit of an identity crisis this week.
According to the Sunday Mercury, I made a few timely tackles for Kidderminster Harriers against Weymouth.
Clearly it wasn't good enough as Harriers eventually lost 2-1, so I'm quite expecting to be left out of the side to face Burton Albion.
If that's the case, I'll be slapping in a transfer request at the first opportunity.
It's obvious that if Mark Yates had picked me right from the start of the season, we'd be looking at promotion by now!
Between you and me, I think the said reporter was getting me mixed up with Gavin Hurren - even though Trigger's hairstyle is considerably brighter than my greying locks.
Nevertheless, I'll be buckling down to training this week, just in case I get the call.

Fozzie - the fans favourite

2008-04-08T09:30:41Z

Good to see that some things don't change in football.
Former Kidderminster Harriers striker Ian Foster has become established as their physio these days.
Everytime he runs onto the pitch, he's greeted with a louder cheer than the current players.
Whenever Fozzie is called upon to administer - the chant 'Super Ian Foster' echoes around Aggborough.
Now that's what you call a fans favourite!

Charlie still the darling

2008-04-08T09:21:59Z

GOOD to see that football can still throw up one or two nice touches.
Although immersed in their FA Cup semi-final with Barnsley, opponents Cardiff City still found time to send Chasetown a couple of tickets.
The Bluebirds have kept in touch with Chasetown since their epic FA Cup meeting.
Consequently, a pre-season friendly at the Scholars looks on the cards.
Chasetown are just hoping Cardiff arrive equipped with the FA Cup as well

First past the post...

2008-03-27T18:30:03Z

HAS there ever been such local interest in the Southern League play-offs.
Evesham United look as though they are going to lead everyone over the line in the BGB Southern Midland Division.
But look at all the locals clambering to join them in the Premier flight next term.
Leamington, Sutton Coldfield Town, Rushall Olympic, Stourbridge and Chasetown must all fancy their chances.
Then there's Halesowen Town going hell bent to win the Premier title, with a play-off place already assured.
Whoever conjoured up the play-offs landed on a absolute winner and will keep interest going right to the death.

The most hated man in town

2008-03-27T18:27:20Z

EVER wondered what happens to public Enemy No.1
AFC Telford manager Rob Smith experienced a remarkable turnaround when he took charge of the Bucks.
Read all about it in this Saturday's Mail

Three and easy

2008-03-13T08:21:20Z

SCOTT Rickards gets the profile treatment in this Saturday's Argus.
The striker is currently in his third spell at Redditch United - but he's not the only player who keeps going back to the same club.
Alex Cowley is back for another stint at Halesowen Town this week.
I reckon that's the third time he's become a Yeltz man. And I believe he had a loan spell at Halesowen while playing under Rod Brown at Stourport Swifts.
What's the perfect player's pre-match meal?
See Saturday's Argus to find out