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Football

61653 HTAFC

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I think it is rather disrespectful to question whether women's football is "worth it" and suggest that the women leave the FA to let the FA concentrate on "important matters" (I assume men's football). The implication being that women's football is not important.

It is important.
Given the English Football Association's historical attitude to the women's game*, I really don't think they have ANY authority to act in a way which protects players, coaches or the sport as a whole.

The best way forward would perhaps be to form a breakaway association to oversee the Women's game, though such a move would provoke sanctions from that great global example of ethical behaviour, FIFA!

*=a long-standing ban on women playing at any FA-affiliated stadium; the lack of recognition for the success of Preston's Dick, Kerr Ladies FC during wartime; the failure to properly vet Mark Sampson for any "skeletons" prior to his appointment; a lack of protection for whistleblowers (Aluko, Sanderson)... the list goes on.
 
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AlterEgo

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Given the English Football Association's historical attitude to the women's game*, I really don't think they have ANY authority to act in a way which protects players, coaches or the sport as a whole.

The best way forward would perhaps be to form a breakaway association to oversee the Women's game, though such a move would provoke sanctions from that great global example of ethical behaviour, FIFA!

*=a long-standing ban on women playing at any FA-affiliated stadium; the lack of recognition for the success of Preston's Dick, Kerr Ladies FC during wartime; the failure to properly vet Mark Sampson for any "skeletons" prior to his appointment; a lack of protection for whistleblowers (Aluko, Sanderson)... the list goes on.

The reason it would provoke sanctions is because that would be treating the women's game less equitably than the men's game because it would inevitably have far less clout.

I don't think it's fair to support the case for a new women's FA by bringing up a ban that expired in 1971 or demanding the FA apologise for not recognising a women's team in the 1940s.

The real problems are around the lack of governance with whistleblowers and through not vetting coaches properly (though this, I expect, isn't limited to the women's game).

Notably, I don't see women campaigning for their own FA; they want to be treated, inside the current FA, on a par with men, and I'm not sure we should be telling them what's best for them.
 

61653 HTAFC

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The reason it would provoke sanctions is because that would be treating the women's game less equitably than the men's game because it would inevitably have far less clout.

I don't think it's fair to support the case for a new women's FA by bringing up a ban that expired in 1971 or demanding the FA apologise for not recognising a women's team in the 1940s.

The real problems are around the lack of governance with whistleblowers and through not vetting coaches properly (though this, I expect, isn't limited to the women's game).

Notably, I don't see women campaigning for their own FA; they want to be treated, inside the current FA, on a par with men, and I'm not sure we should be telling them what's best for them.
The issue is whether the FA in its current form is fit for purpose. The women's game is NOT treated on a level playing field at present under the same governing body anyway, so there's no reason to think it would be any worse under an independent body "by women, of women, for women's football". At present the "equality" is little more than lip-service. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I'm pretty sure it isn't maintaining the status-quo.

NB: There are just as many questions to be asked about the governance of the men's game, but that's by-the-by for this discussion.
 

Old Yard Dog

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I would far rather have the "old farts" at the FA running the mens' game than those greedy so-and-so's who own the top six Premier League clubs.

They have made a number of mistakes such as sacking Allardyce, introducing a fourth division at step 3 (NPL, SPL, IPL) next year and seeding higher-ranked clubs in the FA Trophy and FA Vase, but all in all they do a pretty good job. They make a decent contribution on rules and discipline and have at least saved us from having reserve teams in the football pyramid. Unfortunately they are having to worry too much about political correctness and have become unwitting victims of the metropolitan elite.
 

gnolife

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I would far rather have the "old farts" at the FA running the mens' game than those greedy so-and-so's who own the top six Premier League clubs.

They have made a number of mistakes such as sacking Allardyce, introducing a fourth division at step 3 (NPL, SPL, IPL) next year and seeding higher-ranked clubs in the FA Trophy and FA Vase, but all in all they do a pretty good job. They make a decent contribution on rules and discipline and have at least saved us from having reserve teams in the football pyramid. Unfortunately they are having to worry too much about political correctness and have become unwitting victims of the metropolitan elite.

A fourth division at Step 3 is a mistake!? There's some hideously long trips in the NPL, relative to the budgets of the teams involved (Workington having to trek down to Grantham and Coalville, or Sutton Coldfield having to trudge up to Whitby), so anything that will alleviate those costs is a good thing for the club's involved, especially when you consider that most players at this level are part time.
 

Old Yard Dog

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What will happen is that with three southern leagues and only one northern league feeding National North and South, many more southern teams will be forced to play in National North. Already we seen Lowestoft, Bishops Stortford, Gloucester City, Histon and Oxford City having to ply their trade up north at various times. How would Blyth Spartans fancy trips to these places? The problem will become much worse after the re-organization.

I also think that four down from a 22-team league is too many. If the plan goes ahead then NLN and NLS should be expanded from 22 to 24 teams.
 

AlterEgo

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I would far rather have the "old farts" at the FA running the mens' game ...

Unfortunately they are having to worry too much about political correctness and have become unwitting victims of the metropolitan elite.

Sorry no, it's not about political correctness. You can't go around shagging your players and being, as the FA say, "over social". You can't make remarks about a mixed race player "getting arrested" when that didn't happen. It's not okay to do that. It's nothing to do with the metropolitan elite.

It's like Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool. He alienated a lot of people when he stood by Luis Suarez when he made a racist remark.

I don't think you understand how important the women's game is. Like the men's game, it's not really "just a game". Currently it's got a very clean image and produces far better, more accessible, "real" role models than the men's game produces. It's encouraging girls to feel good about themselves, to get fit without worrying about not being "girly", and to realise that they can be treated equitably.

The men's game is starting from a base of sleaze, scandal and bad behaviour which it has slowly (and I do mean slowly) been able to reduce.

The women's game is not starting from that disadvantage and therefore the onus is on the FA to nip any bad behaviour in the bud.
 

Antman

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Sorry no, it's not about political correctness. You can't go around shagging your players and being, as the FA say, "over social". You can't make remarks about a mixed race player "getting arrested" when that didn't happen. It's not okay to do that. It's nothing to do with the metropolitan elite.

It's like Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool. He alienated a lot of people when he stood by Luis Suarez when he made a racist remark.

I don't think you understand how important the women's game is. Like the men's game, it's not really "just a game". Currently it's got a very clean image and produces far better, more accessible, "real" role models than the men's game produces. It's encouraging girls to feel good about themselves, to get fit without worrying about not being "girly", and to realise that they can be treated equitably.

The men's game is starting from a base of sleaze, scandal and bad behaviour which it has slowly (and I do mean slowly) been able to reduce.

The women's game is not starting from that disadvantage and therefore the onus is on the FA to nip any bad behaviour in the bud.

Quite honestly the treatment of Mark Sampson seems to have made many people see womens football as even more of a joke, as I understand it he made a joke about a player being arrested four times? Without knowing the context in which it was said it's difficult to comment further but inevitably anything with a racial element (perceived or otherwise) seems to be blown out of all proportion nowadays. I must say I'm completely unaware of Kenny Dalglish having alienated anybody.

My daughter has played football but has no real interest in the womens game but watches the male version regularly although I do take your point about sleaze etc.
 

61653 HTAFC

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As far as the Sampson situation is concerned, whether or not he's a racist or whether or not he's too stupid to realise that having an affair with a player will inevitably undermine his position, is not something any of us on a Railway Forum can determine. What I can say (with the caveat that it's just my opinion based on what HAS been made public, and subject to my own worldview) is that Sampson comes across as an arrogant knobhead who isn't professional enough to hold that position.
Whether his comments were intended as racist or not isn't the issue- it's that he should have known better than to make them. What was he hoping to achieve there? Was he trying to inspire those players or to boost team-spirit? I'd love to see his working-out if that's the case!
Bringing "political correctness" to the table is to completely miss the point. It's not about treating everyone with kid-gloves and having to bite your tongue*, it's about being professional.

*=though if you find yourself having to bite your tongue to avoid saying something that will cause problems, you probably need to go and have a stern word with yourself.
 

DarloRich

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Been away on a course for a week so no Darlo updates. Drew at home to Stockport. Lost away at Nuneaton. Should have been 7-0 down by half time. No manager. not good.
 

Antman

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As far as the Sampson situation is concerned, whether or not he's a racist or whether or not he's too stupid to realise that having an affair with a player will inevitably undermine his position, is not something any of us on a Railway Forum can determine. What I can say (with the caveat that it's just my opinion based on what HAS been made public, and subject to my own worldview) is that Sampson comes across as an arrogant knobhead who isn't professional enough to hold that position.
Whether his comments were intended as racist or not isn't the issue- it's that he should have known better than to make them. What was he hoping to achieve there? Was he trying to inspire those players or to boost team-spirit? I'd love to see his working-out if that's the case!
Bringing "political correctness" to the table is to completely miss the point. It's not about treating everyone with kid-gloves and having to bite your tongue*, it's about being professional.

*=though if you find yourself having to bite your tongue to avoid saying something that will cause problems, you probably need to go and have a stern word with yourself.

I have to admit that I'd never heard of Mark Sampson until this saga so I can't make any judgment about him or what context his allegedly racist comments were made in.

I didn't know about him having an affair with a player, doesn't sound very professional but again I don't know the full story.

I know there's the old adage about no such thing as bad publicity but I don't think this has done the image of women's football any good.

Anyway shouldn't the manager be a female?
 

roversfan2001

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Chorley v Fleetwood in the FA Cup first round has been moved to a Monday night (6th Nov), live on BT Sport. If I can get a ticket I'll be there, love me a bit of cup magic.
 

DarloRich

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hot off the press - Darlo have a new management team of former players Tommy Wright and Alan White. :http://darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk/36619-2/

DFC:
Darlington Football Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Tommy Wright as the new first team manager, with Alan White as his assistant.

Tommy, 33, will be starting his third spell at the club, having had two previously as a player. He appeared for the club in the victorious FA Trophy final in 2011 in his second spell, and in total made 76 appearances for Quakers, scoring 21 times.

Tommy’s assistant will be Alan White, who has had three spells as a player with Darlington making over 100 appearances, and was player/coach when Quakers won promotion from the EvoStik First Division North and coach in the EvoStik Premier League championship season. Alan has extensive experience in the Football League, and has been coaching at Spennymoor Town for the last two seasons, helping them into the National League North.

The last game for Tommy Wright as Nuneaton manager was a 2-1 victory over Darlo! Interestingly he has given up a full time role as Nuneaton manager to take a part time role as manager at Darlo
 

Howardh

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Chorley v Fleetwood in the FA Cup first round has been moved to a Monday night (6th Nov), live on BT Sport. If I can get a ticket I'll be there, love me a bit of cup magic.
Have you noticed everyone round here loves Chorley? They are a bit like Accy Stan - no real enemies. Good luck to the Magpies, wish I could be there, hope the highlights are available after the game. May go down the pub to watch.
Hope the cup run gives them enough money to do up their delapidated main stand.
 

roversfan2001

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Have you noticed everyone round here loves Chorley? They are a bit like Accy Stan - no real enemies. Good luck to the Magpies, wish I could be there, hope the highlights are available after the game. May go down the pub to watch.
Hope the cup run gives them enough money to do up their delapidated main stand.
I have noticed, there's Blackburn, Preston and Bolton fans who all have Chorley as their 'non-league' team, when they don't especially like each other when it comes to the professional teams. I went to Chorley's play-off final last year and although they didn't win, the atmosphere in that stand was electric throughout. I was hoping it'd be us playing them at Victory Park, I hope they win and that the draw pits us and them together in Round 2.
 

Howardh

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The thing is, if Bilic goes, who would want to work for Gold, Sullivan and Brady?
Well plenty of managers are willing to work for gold, it seems they get more if they get the sack! Crazy, crazy world.

Meanwhile, how are tickets going for Chorlry/Fleetwood, which seems to have captured the imagination up here?
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Evo Stik First Division North

Hyde United 5...Brighouse Town 1

Back to league action today for Hyde, after their recent F A Cup exploits and they duly saw off the bottom-three side Brighouse as expected, scoring five goals in the process and easily kept their unbeaten league record.
 

familyguy99

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I bet 61653 HTAFC is loving result at John Smith Stadium. :o

Meanwhile at Stadium MK. it was goal feast.

MK Dons 4-4 Oldham

Oldham were leading 1-0, 3-1 & 4-2 in this match but couldn't hold on as MK scored two goals in last 8 mins to ditch Oldham and Wellens they fifth victory in six matches. Shame Latics couldn't hold on but aleast we still unbeaten under Wellens after he was appoint full time basics on Wednesday.
 

J-2739

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Barnsley 0-1 Hull City

Once again, our atrocious defence is letting us down, but then the referee wasn't all good either. Oversaw their team grabbing at our players.

Well done to Huddersfield Town though!
 

61653 HTAFC

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I bet 61653 HTAFC is loving result at John Smith Stadium. :o

Meanwhile at Stadium MK. it was goal feast.

MK Dons 4-4 Oldham

Oldham were leading 1-0, 3-1 & 4-2 in this match but couldn't hold on as MK scored two goals in last 8 mins to ditch Oldham and Wellens they fifth victory in six matches. Shame Latics couldn't hold on but aleast we still unbeaten under Wellens after he was appoint full time basics on Wednesday.

Barnsley 0-1 Hull City

Once again, our atrocious defence is letting us down, but then the referee wasn't all good either. Oversaw their team grabbing at our players.

Well done to Huddersfield Town though!
Well, it turns out that Wagner really is better than Klopp, as he's worked out a way to win without dominating possession as opposed to getting beaten despite dominating possession! I'm looking forward to MOTD tonight, we might even be on first!
Mourinho disappointed me though, by being so magnanimous in defeat... I was hoping for a meltdown! ;)
 

12CSVT

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If anybody hasn't seen that bizarre disallowed penalty

Suffice to say I think the ref was correct.
Having watched this several times, I must admit I couldn't work out what rule was actually broken by the penalty taker, other than the fact that he hesitated for a split second before kicking the ball

Is there any law of the game which forbids a penalty taker from deliberately kicking a weak shot with the intention of allowing the goalkeeper to make an easy save ?
 

flymo

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I believe this would be classed as 'Unsporting Behaviour'. (page 7 of the attached from Fifa.) I suggest that once the ball has been reached it is expected to be hit. If he hesitated on the run up then fair play but not once the ball was reached. Jolly unsporting show there.
 

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Antman

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Having watched this several times, I must admit I couldn't work out what rule was actually broken by the penalty taker, other than the fact that he hesitated for a split second before kicking the ball

Is there any law of the game which forbids a penalty taker from deliberately kicking a weak shot with the intention of allowing the goalkeeper to make an easy save ?

That's it, the hesitation was just ridiculous. I've seen players take a stuttered run up but not stop dead like that, the referee was quite right to disallow it.

I'm not sure about a player deliberately taking a weak shot, if they didn't want to score for some reason they could just put it wide or over the bar.

The existing laws on penalty kicks could be better enforced, far too much encroachment and keepers moving off their line before the ball is kicked.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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MK Dons 4-4 Oldham

Oldham were leading 1-0, 3-1 & 4-2 in this match but couldn't hold on as MK scored two goals in last 8 minutes

Hyde United, undefeated in both F A Cup qualifying matches and their league matches this seson have MK Dons as their opponents in the 1st round proper of the F A Cup and I wonder as to the implications that M K Dons could score four or the fact that they conceded four.
 

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