Football

[gnolife]

Altrincham's win at Shaw Lane last night in the Evo-stick Premier leaves them with just one point required from their last three games to gain promotion straight back to the Conference North.

This was the fourth attempt to get this fixture fulfilled and has led to questions being asked as to how to deal with such fixture baglogs in the future.

Onwards to Grantham Town tomorrow and hopefully a championship won in Maggie's back yard.

And wouldn't it just be typical Alty to muck it up at this point.
(Incidentally, it's good to see an Alty presence online other than on the toxic atmosphere of the altyfans forum)

 

[Wivenswold]

I've been a gooner since 1986 so I've seen a few managerial changes. It's a bit like losing a girlfriend in some ways; there's a palpable feeling of relief that it's over after years of decline and excitement over what comes next but also a lot of sadness over some happy memories and certainly today is about thinking back to the good times we've had.

I'm concerned with some of the names being thrown about, Vieira, Henry, Rodgers, Ancelotti, Arteta, Moyes. Dear oh dear. Would be happy to see the club go for Tuchel, Allegri, Low or someone who has tactical pedigree.

It'll be interesting whatever happens and it certainly doesn't mean things will get better.

 

[507021]

Rafa is the name on a few lips!

I think Rafael Benítez would do very well at Arsenal.

 

[DarloRich]

I think so too.

I have a friend who is an Arsenal supporter and he's wanted Wenger to go longer than I've known him, so I've got no doubt he will be pleased.

The gooners I know are over the moon about it, he done well initially to be fair but the club have stagnated for years, Wenger has been in a comfort zone and so have many of the players. Was it his own decision? I suspect not

Rafa is the name on a few lips!

they may regret their celebrations. When a "long term reign" comes to an end the club tends to go downhill

I think Rafael Benítez would do very well at Arsenal.

he might but knowing Mr Ashley it will cost a good sum to buy out his contract and the barcode fans would be distraught to lose him. He is their talisman v Ashley

I go for Big Fat Sam.

 

[fowler9]

they may regret their celebrations. When a "long term reign" comes to an end the club tends to go downhill



he might but knowing Mr Ashley it will cost a good sum to buy out his contract and the barcode fans would be distraught to lose him. He is their talisman v Ashley

I go for Big Fat Sam.

Not sure Everton would be happy to loose Alardyce.... oh hang on. Ha ha.

 

[DarloRich]

Not sure Everton would be happy to loose Alardyce.... oh hang on. Ha ha.

he will be gone in the summer - he is doing a decent job with a middling team ( really odd recruitment) but all that school if science rubbish gets in the way. They are 9th after a shocking start. Same with Newcastle. 10th with a poor team.

 

[Gemz91]

Those of us looking forward to arriving at Kidderminster by steam from Bridgnorth for Bradford's last game of the season on April 28th are in for a huge disappointment. The SVR is running a special event for kids connected with something called PAW patrol. Not only will the trains be packed with the little horrors - all the useful workings have sold out. I am not amused.

Just been looking at this, finish work at 10:30, quick change of clothes and I'll be in Kiddy for 14:10, time for a pint, walk up to the ground and see Bradford secure that last play off place!

 

[Darandio]

And Sunderland are relegated to League One.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

With no game for Huddersfield this weekend, I've been listening to 5Live and enjoying the drama as some of the promotion and relegation issues were decided...

Sunderland are sent to the 3rd division after squandering a lead at home to Burton, who seem to be making a decent fist of doing the impossible again... but the game of the day in the Championship was at Ashton Gate with Bristol City equalizing in the 5th minute of added time, to draw 5-5 with Hull.

In the 3rd, Wigan Athletic secure promotion with a 0-4 win at Fleetwood while Shrewsbury were held 1-1 at home to already relegated Bury.

Luton Town join Accrington in League One after both they (Luton) and Exeter draw their games. Chesterfield now only clinging on to their Football League status mathematically thanks to Crewe's late winner at home to Morecambe.

Macclesfield Town will return to The Football League next season.

Torquay United drop to the 6th tier of the pyramid, for the first time since the 1920s apparently.

 

[familyguy99]

AFC Wimbledon 2-2 Oldham

Oldham draw for fifth league match in row as they came behind twice to draw to Wimbledon. Good news for my point a view is Bradford scored 90th mins equaliser goal against Rochdale which keep Rochdale in bottom 4. Only two points different between Walsall in 18th places and Northampton in 22nd places in League one table. Oldham play they're last two home matches this week and really need to pick up all three points against Southend (24th Apr) and Doncaster (28th Apr) to avoid massive last day match against Northampton.

I bet Paul Sidorczuk is very happy when he see how Hyde got on this afternoon.

 

[Kite159]

And the key holder of the Spuds trophy cabinet breathes a sigh of relief as he gets another year to try and find the missing key, as even with a home advantage Spurs loss 2-1 to Man Utd.

 

[AlterEgo]

And the key holder of the Spuds trophy cabinet breathes a sigh of relief as he gets another year to try and find the missing key, as even with a home advantage Spurs loss 2-1 to Man Utd.

Not sure why they’d need a key, there’s not a lot in it worth stealing anyway. Just some antiques.

 

[Kite159]

Not sure why they’d need a key, there’s not a lot in it worth stealing anyway. Just some antiques.

I believe it has a very fine carpet

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I bet Paul Sidorczuk is very happy when he see how Hyde got on this afternoon.

We only returned home late on Saturday from our week in Eastbourne, so I have not reported this week on the two away fixtures Hyde had to play:-

Thursday, 19th April
Radcliffe Borough 0...Hyde United 2

Saturday, 21st April
Mossley 1...Hyde United 2

Next Saturday sees Hyde's last league home match against Colwyn Bay.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I bet Paul Sidorczuk is very happy when he see how Hyde got on this afternoon.

We only returned home late on Saturday from our week in Eastbourne, so I have not reported this week on the two away fixtures Hyde had to play:-

Thursday, 19th April
Radcliffe Borough 0...Hyde United 2

Saturday, 21st April
Mossley 1...Hyde United 2

Next Saturday sees Hyde's last league home match against Colwyn Bay.

 

[Butts]

And Sunderland are relegated to League One.

Does Chris Coleman wish he had stayed in wales ?

As Managers in these situations often get a bonus for keeping a club up - do they face a penalty (apart from the sack) in letting them go down ?

 

[Antman]

Does Chris Coleman wish he had stayed in wales ?

As Managers in these situations often get a bonus for keeping a club up - do they face a penalty (apart from the sack) in letting them go down ?

I suspect he does although great credit to Burton Albion, six pointer against Bolton Wanderers next!

 

[SteveP29]

they may regret their celebrations. When a "long term reign" comes to an end the club tends to go downhill



he might but knowing Mr Ashley it will cost a good sum to buy out his contract and the barcode fans would be distraught to lose him. He is their talisman v Ashley

I go for Big Fat Sam.

Pardew man, don't you know he's the greatest living English manager? (according to Ian Wright, Patrick Barclay, fatso Martin Samuels and all the other London press)

 

[DarloRich]

Good to see the best manager in the world and cockney London media darling Mauricio Pochettino showed what a superb manager he is by bottling yet again. a big game yet again. Awards won: 4 x Premier League manager of the month. Trophies x 0 What.A.Winner.

Pardew man, don't you know he's the greatest living English manager? (according to Ian Wright, Patrick Barclay, fatso Martin Samuels and all the other London press)

Sorry. I forgot. What a record of success.

 

[Wivenswold]

Pardew for Arsenal? At least we'll go back to the days when you could turn up at the ground and get a ticket. I'd have to go in disguise though, it's a long journey back home with people pointing and laughing at you for being a Gooner.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I believe Arsene has overachieved with the resource available to him.

Except Leicester proved he didn't.

That was the season I finally decided I wanted Wenger to leave gracefully. That title was there for the taking, the other big teams were all in transition, Arsenal should have won it, and yet we stuffed it up. Even the glorious final St Totteringham's Day on the last day of the season doesn't disguise that. We blew it because Wenger didn't improve the team the summer before and because Wenger couldn't change things to get the team over the line. Shambolic. It was then I realised that he was never going to change things and he was never going to get back to the glory days.

Until then I agreed we probably did overachieve. Keeping that team in the Champions League was an achievement.

I've been a gooner since 1986 so I've seen a few managerial changes. It's a bit like losing a girlfriend in some ways; there's a palpable feeling of relief that it's over after years of decline and excitement over what comes next but also a lot of sadness over some happy memories and certainly today is about thinking back to the good times we've had.

Bradford City are my first love but I am a gooner, since 1995. I think it's more like losing a beloved pet dog: the dog's cancer-riddled and incontinent, you know it's time to say goodbye, but when it's actually the day to go to the vet you're blubbling all the way there and all the way back.

I'm concerned with some of the names being thrown about, Vieira, Henry, Rodgers, Ancelotti, Arteta, Moyes. Dear oh dear. Would be happy to see the club go for Tuchel, Allegri, Low or someone who has tactical pedigree.

Ancelotti, yes, I think he'd be a good experienced pair of hands to handle the transition. A bit like how van Gaal stabilised things up at the Temple of Doom.

None of the others are experienced enough, apart from Rodgers, who isn't tactically astute enough. Rodgers' teams can't defend for toffee. If we get another manager who believes in Keystone Cops defending, we may as well have kept Arsene.

Tuchel is going to PSG, unfortunately.

 

[LuSiVe]

Chesterfield all but relegated and the entire management team have walked out. Such fun

The list of National League teams is giving me shivers.....

 

[roversfan2001]

Promotion party in Doncaster tomorrow night, over 3,500 Rovers fans making the trip over the Pennines. A win will definitely see us promoted; if we draw or lose then we rely on Peterborough taking some points off Shrewsbury.

 

[DarloRich]

Darlo 0 v Nuneaton 0 - ends our slim play off chances but we can still finish above York City and our former manager Mr Gray. Who thought that at Christmas? The turn around since beating Leamington at the end of January has been superb. I was wrong about Tommy Wight.

Chesterfield all but relegated and the entire management team have walked out. Such fun

The list of National League teams is giving me shivers.....

been there, done that. Don't expect to bounce straight back. Hartlepooh and their fans did this season. They got a shock. It is a tough hard league and you will get picked off. It is, imo, a tougher league to get out of than it is to stay in league 2.

PS: Try finding yourself in the Northern League and forced to play under a different name in a different town........................

 

[LuSiVe]

been there, done that. Don't expect to bounce straight back. Hartlepooh and their fans did this season. They got a shock. It is a tough hard league and you will get picked off. It is, imo, a tougher league to get out of than it is to stay in league 2.

PS: Try finding yourself in the Northern League and forced to play under a different name in a different town........................

Oh we don't expect to go up again, more likely down if the owners remain (or indeed if they sell to the rumoured Sheffield consortium with Brian Deane installed as manager ... eek). An AFC Chesterfield is definitely not out of the question in the more distant future. I've not been to an away game for 2 years but seriously considering going again due to half the grounds being new to me.

Guess it's not out of the question that the 'minnow' we beat in the FA Cup a couple of years ago (Braintree) could be in the same League as us in the next year or so....

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Oh we don't expect to go up again, more likely down if the owners remain (or indeed if they sell to the rumoured Sheffield consortium with Brian Deane installed as manager ... eek). An AFC Chesterfield is definitely not out of the question in the more distant future. I've not been to an away game for 2 years but seriously considering going again due to half the grounds being new to me.

Guess it's not out of the question that the 'minnow' we beat in the FA Cup a couple of years ago (Braintree) could be in the same League as us in the next year or so....

A shame what's happened to your club, always had a soft spot for Chesterfield as my first ever away game was at Saltergate as a 7-year-old. Also remember you being robbed of a place in the FA Cup final by Middlesbrough.

Though if you can sort the off-the-field problems, it's probably an entertaining league to be in... not that I'd swap places even if being smashed by West Ham is getting a bit tedious now!

 

[DarloRich]

Also remember you being robbed of a place in the FA Cup final by Middlesbrough.

Funny - I remember Middlesbrough beating Chesterfield in the FA Cup without any sort of controversy whatsoever.

 

[LuSiVe]

Funny - I remember Middlesbrough beating Chesterfield in the FA Cup without any sort of controversy whatsoever.

That was the replay :P

 

[Gemz91]

Two end of season friendlies for Leeds announced today playing in Burma. If they gave us enough notice I'd be booking flights, but three weeks isn't enough notice for me. A few lads already booked flights over though/.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In the Highland League this season, Fort William have produced some rather dramatic scorelines, conceding double figures on four occasions so far:-
Fort William 0...Fraserburgh 10........... 9/9/2017
Brora Rangers 16...Fort William 0........ 2/12/2017
Fort William 2...Cove Rangers 12........ 31/3/2018
Formartine United 12...Fort William 0.. 21/4/2018