The Non - League thread

[John Smith]

I'm quietly confident we can have a good go at it next year and get a playoff place .

Dreamer

[Zammo]

I'm quietly confident we can have a good go at it next year and get a playoff place .

Dreamer

Supertramp

[Royalist]

You only have to spend a few years around non league to learn most big spenders crash to earth with a bump. Very few rise up the leagues and stay there.

[The Enfield Royal71]

who are we looking at winning all the non leagues then M

[StellaPlease]

Hoping one of the many former league clubs will go and seal both promotion spots, however, I fear AFC Fylde will take one of them.

[The Enfield Royal71]

I would love to see 2 new teams there. Afc flid and maidenhead.

[Sutekh]

I would love to see 2 new teams there. Afc flid and maidenhead.

Maidenhead and Woking would the best.

[Four Of Clubs]

Can you Count on Duku to score goals though?

...moving swiftly on from the woeful pun ..... Immanuelson (Manny) Duku - has ploughed quite a goal-scoring furrow of late - notched 39 in Season 17/18 for Hayes & Yeading incl 33 goals in 39 league games.

- certainly had the force with him that year.

.... he moved over from Holland in 2015 and joined H&Y from Banbury via Kings Langley where he spent 2 years. Last season was snapped up by Cheltenham : they loaned him out to Barnet and Halifax before he joined the 'Gulls' for this season.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...and can I declare this season's NL well and truly underway

....here's the opening w/e's fixtures featuring our 'local clubs'. There are actually a couple of league games tomorrow night - Fri 2nd Aug - down in the Wessex League at Fawley and Hamble Club.

Usual Key format :
- 'featured' local sides in Bold - fairly arbitrary but roughly within an hour or so of 'ding & excluding those along or too far inside M25
- League/County Cup games in GREEN
- KO times if not 15:00 in Red and
- games including clubs that are not First teams (e.g. reserves or Development in italics
- any general Non-League/FA/Cup/Vase news etc of some import in this colour.

Can't do much about the standard of occasional mindless blithering in the comments - sorry !

Any requests for other clubs to get a mention considered (but not too far north and certainly not Fort William please?)
Though probably worth mentioning - they have won their first competitive match for 73 matches, stretching back well over 800 days
- and 'Yes' I have seen them play at Claggan Park. Got beaten nil : a lot by Inverurie Locomotives or maybe Clachnacuddin Institute ....

...and I've managed to rack up 10 pre-season games in July - including three Cup matches - but only four new grounds and three pretty low-level one's at that.

Good luck to all our local NL sides (except Aldersh!t of course - they had bundles of that at the end of last season) and at the very least here's hoping they can all make it through to May at worst subsisting and possibly some of them even flourishing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday 3rd August

NAT
Aldershot Town v AFC Fylde
Barnet v Yeovil Town
- Was down watching a Pre-Season friendly in the New Forest last Sat and on the return journey, Radio Solent were making big things out of a 12-1 win for Poole over Yeovil.
– neglected to mention it was a mixed squad brought by the visitors, with the majority of their first team hosting Brizzle City at the Huish that same PM – which the ‘Glovers’ W2-1.

12.30 Stockport County v Maidenhead United – live on BT Sport
Torquay United v Boreham Wood
NATN
Brackley Town v Alfreton Town
NATS
Bath City v Braintree Town
Billericay Town v Eastbourne Borough
Chelmsford City v Hampton & Richmond Borough
Havant & Waterlooville v Welling United
Hemel Hempstead Town v Hungerford Town
Maidstone United v Weymouth
Oxford City v Concord Rangers
Slough Town v Dorking Wanderers
St Albans City v Chippenham Town
Tonbridge Angels v Dulwich Hamlet
Wealdstone v Dartford

Isthmian & Southern League fixtures start w/e 10th Aug for the STEP03 Premier divisions and a week later for STEP04 Div Ones

CCLP
Banstead Athletic v Abbey Rangers
Camberley Town v Balham
Cobham v Ascot United - ‘Yellamen’ transferred across from the Hellenic and I believe now have a 3G surface. Also have Lyne Seniors ‘lodging’ – from the Surrey Elite – usually based near Chertsey.

Colliers Wood United v Egham Town
Frimley Green v CB Hounslow United
Knaphill v Hanworth Villa
Molesey v Redhill
Raynes Park Vale v Spelthorne Sports
Sheerwater v Guildford City - @ Woking FC
Sutton Common Rovers v Badshot Lea
CCL1
Bedfont & Feltham v Bagshot
Cove v AFC Hayes
Dorking Wanderers Res v British Airways
Epsom & Ewell v Fleet Spurs
Farnham Town v Kensington & Ealing Boro
Godalming Town v Chessington & Hook United
Jersey Bulls v Ash United - the 2nd CI club follows the route of Guernsey into the Pyramid – though First Tower United were admitted into the Vase sporadically from 70’s thru to the 90’s
Taken from a CCL missive:
….the Jersey Bulls would be flying into Gatwick and there would be a similar arrangement to that originally evolved with Guernsey FC whereby the visiting club would be flown out and back at Jersey’s expense with a night in a hotel as required. Some matches may be played on a Sunday subject to agreement.

Sandhurst Town v Tooting Bec
Walton & Hersham v Eversley & California
Westside v FC Deportivo Galicia - 'hosts' are another new team in – this time taking a more conventional route in from the Surrey Elite, ground-sharing at AFC Croydon

HELLP
Ardley United v Bishops Cleeve
Brimscombe & Thrupp v Binfield
Burnham v Fairford Town
Easington Sports v Longlevens
Flackwell Heath v Lydney Town
Holmer Green v Royal Wootton Bassett Town
Reading City v Shrivenham
Virginia Water v Tuffley Rovers
Westfields v Windsor – new club to Hellenic; transferred late & laterally in from Midland Premier where they finished 4th in 18-19
- Could be a tough start for the young Windsor lads.
- Originally the Hellenic Premier League gained Chipping Sodbury transferred in from the Western league but presumably, following appeals, this was thought to be a better solution. League still only running with 19 clubs in the top division though
– there are two other ‘new’ clubs in Div One West from Hereford – Pegasus who were Hellenic some years back but have dropped the ‘Juniors’ from their name to become Hereford Pegasus and ‘Hereford Lads Club’ who, I think, ground-share with Westfields
– Windsor's opponents had a long FA Cup run a couple of years back, eventually halted in the First Round Proper by Curzon Ashton after a replay – I'd seen them host and beat a much higher level Leiston, in the previous round.
– ground is tucked away off the main road (A49) in the northern suburbs of Widemarsh in Hereford, very close to the giant Cider Factory and at the top of Edgar St, for those that have ever trekked over to United

HELL1E
Milton United v Didcot Town Development
Risborough Rangers P-P Chinnor - Chinnor w/drawn from Div One this week may continue in some form in Div Two
Thame Rangers v AFC Aldermaston
Hellenic Challenge Cup
Adderbury Park v Thornbury Town
Stokenchurch v Abingdon United

WESSP
Alresford Town v Cowes Sports
Bashley v Fleet Town
Brockenhurst v Tadley Calleva
WESS1
Alton v Pewsey Vale
Andover New Street v United Services Portsmouth
Andover Town v Totton & Eling
Hythe & Dibden v Whitchurch United
Laverstock & Ford v Petersfield Town

[The Enfield Royal71]

Can you Count on Duku to score goals though?

...moving swiftly on from the woeful pun ..... Immanuelson (Manny) Duku - has ploughed quite a goal-scoring furrow of late - notched 39 in Season 17/18 for Hayes & Yeading incl 33 goals in 39 league games.

- certainly had the force with him that year.

.... he moved over from Holland in 2015 and joined H&Y from Banbury via Kings Langley where he spent 2 years. Last season was snapped up by Cheltenham : they loaned him out to Barnet and Halifax before he joined the 'Gulls' for this season.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...and can I declare this season's NL well and truly underway

....here's the opening w/e's fixtures featuring our 'local clubs'. There are actually a couple of league games tomorrow night - Fri 2nd Aug - down in the Wessex League at Fawley and Hamble Club.

Usual Key format :
- 'featured' local sides in Bold - fairly arbitrary but roughly within an hour or so of 'ding & excluding those along or too far inside M25
- League/County Cup games in GREEN
- KO times if not 15:00 in Red and
- games including clubs that are not First teams (e.g. reserves or Development in italics
- any general Non-League/FA/Cup/Vase news etc of some import in this colour.

Can't do much about the standard of occasional mindless blithering in the comments - sorry !

Any requests for other clubs to get a mention considered (but not too far north and certainly not Fort William please?)
Though probably worth mentioning - they have won their first competitive match for 73 matches, stretching back well over 800 days
- and 'Yes' I have seen them play at Claggan Park. Got beaten nil : a lot by Inverurie Locomotives or maybe Clachnacuddin Institute ....

...and I've managed to rack up 10 pre-season games in July - including three Cup matches - but only four new grounds and three pretty low-level one's at that.

Good luck to all our local NL sides (except Aldersh!t of course - they had bundles of that at the end of last season) and at the very least here's hoping they can all make it through to May at worst subsisting and possibly some of them even flourishing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday 3rd August

NAT
Aldershot Town v AFC Fylde
Barnet v Yeovil Town
- Was down watching a Pre-Season friendly in the New Forest last Sat and on the return journey, Radio Solent were making big things out of a 12-1 win for Poole over Yeovil.
– neglected to mention it was a mixed squad brought by the visitors, with the majority of their first team hosting Brizzle City at the Huish that same PM – which the ‘Glovers’ W2-1.

12.30 Stockport County v Maidenhead United – live on BT Sport
Torquay United v Boreham Wood
NATN
Brackley Town v Alfreton Town
NATS
Bath City v Braintree Town
Billericay Town v Eastbourne Borough
Chelmsford City v Hampton & Richmond Borough
Havant & Waterlooville v Welling United
Hemel Hempstead Town v Hungerford Town
Maidstone United v Weymouth
Oxford City v Concord Rangers
Slough Town v Dorking Wanderers
St Albans City v Chippenham Town
Tonbridge Angels v Dulwich Hamlet
Wealdstone v Dartford

Isthmian & Southern League fixtures start w/e 10th Aug for the STEP03 Premier divisions and a week later for STEP04 Div Ones

CCLP
Banstead Athletic v Abbey Rangers
Camberley Town v Balham
Cobham v Ascot United - ‘Yellamen’ transferred across from the Hellenic and I believe now have a 3G surface. Also have Lyne Seniors ‘lodging’ – from the Surrey Elite – usually based near Chertsey.

Colliers Wood United v Egham Town
Frimley Green v CB Hounslow United
Knaphill v Hanworth Villa
Molesey v Redhill
Raynes Park Vale v Spelthorne Sports
Sheerwater v Guildford City - @ Woking FC
Sutton Common Rovers v Badshot Lea
CCL1
Bedfont & Feltham v Bagshot
Cove v AFC Hayes
Dorking Wanderers Res v British Airways
Epsom & Ewell v Fleet Spurs
Farnham Town v Kensington & Ealing Boro
Godalming Town v Chessington & Hook United
Jersey Bulls v Ash United - the 2nd CI club follows the route of Guernsey into the Pyramid – though First Tower United were admitted into the Vase sporadically from 70’s thru to the 90’s
Taken from a CCL missive:
….the Jersey Bulls would be flying into Gatwick and there would be a similar arrangement to that originally evolved with Guernsey FC whereby the visiting club would be flown out and back at Jersey’s expense with a night in a hotel as required. Some matches may be played on a Sunday subject to agreement.

Sandhurst Town v Tooting Bec
Walton & Hersham v Eversley & California
Westside v FC Deportivo Galicia - 'hosts' are another new team in – this time taking a more conventional route in from the Surrey Elite, ground-sharing at AFC Croydon

HELLP
Ardley United v Bishops Cleeve
Brimscombe & Thrupp v Binfield
Burnham v Fairford Town
Easington Sports v Longlevens
Flackwell Heath v Lydney Town
Holmer Green v Royal Wootton Bassett Town
Reading City v Shrivenham
Virginia Water v Tuffley Rovers
Westfields v Windsor – new club to Hellenic; transferred late & laterally in from Midland Premier where they finished 4th in 18-19
- Could be a tough start for the young Windsor lads.
- Originally the Hellenic Premier League gained Chipping Sodbury transferred in from the Western league but presumably, following appeals, this was thought to be a better solution. League still only running with 19 clubs in the top division though
– there are two other ‘new’ clubs in Div One West from Hereford – Pegasus who were Hellenic some years back but have dropped the ‘Juniors’ from their name to become Hereford Pegasus and ‘Hereford Lads Club’ who, I think, ground-share with Westfields
– Windsor's opponents had a long FA Cup run a couple of years back, eventually halted in the First Round Proper by Curzon Ashton after a replay – I'd seen them host and beat a much higher level Leiston, in the previous round.
– ground is tucked away off the main road (A49) in the northern suburbs of Widemarsh in Hereford, very close to the giant Cider Factory and at the top of Edgar St, for those that have ever trekked over to United

HELL1E
Milton United v Didcot Town Development
Risborough Rangers P-P Chinnor - Chinnor w/drawn from Div One this week may continue in some form in Div Two
Thame Rangers v AFC Aldermaston
Hellenic Challenge Cup
Adderbury Park v Thornbury Town
Stokenchurch v Abingdon United

WESSP
Alresford Town v Cowes Sports
Bashley v Fleet Town
Brockenhurst v Tadley Calleva
WESS1
Alton v Pewsey Vale
Andover New Street v United Services Portsmouth
Andover Town v Totton & Eling
Hythe & Dibden v Whitchurch United
Laverstock & Ford v Petersfield Town

My favourite time of the week!

Re jersey bulls..... do they have some sort of rich backing or a load of money pumped in?

Surely must be costing them a bomb to fund that travel and hotels. I assume the fa must give them some sort of grant for it.

[The Enfield Royal71]

Incredible save from Maidenheads keeper on the line to preserve a 1-0 victory.

[Royalist]

And the windsor youth get a drubbing. Another year of 'learning' for kids who lets be honest are only hoping for a decent non league career at best or maybe a US collage will take them on. Good for them etc. But probably not going to entice me to go watch.

[StellaPlease]

Windsor are just a terrible organisation in general. Full of moaning about money and trying to hold the moral high ground.

Looking forward to Maidenhead Vs Chesterfield on Tuesday.

[Royal Rother]

Windsor are just a terrible organisation in general. Full of moaning about money and trying to hold the moral high ground.

Proper drubbing yesterday, but a team of youngsters and virtual strangers with 6 or 7 away on holiday. Plus the manager couldn’t make it as he was ill apparently. I’ve never seen him absent at a game (or home U18 games) in the last 7 years so he must have been rough.

Those who went said men v boys but no criticism as they kept going to the end and it was 2 late goals that took it past respectability. From the little I’ve read about Westfields I suspect they will be favourites for the title.

On to Binfield away tomorrow night. Fingers crossed....

[The Enfield Royal71]

Windsor are just a terrible organisation in general. Full of moaning about money and trying to hold the moral high ground.

Proper drubbing yesterday, but a team of youngsters and virtual strangers with 6 or 7 away on holiday. Plus the manager couldn’t make it as he was ill apparently. I’ve never seen him absent at a game (or home U18 games) in the last 7 years so he must have been rough.

Those who went said men v boys but no criticism as they kept going to the end and it was 2 late goals that took it past respectability. From the little I’ve read about Westfields I suspect they will be favourites for the title.

On to Binfield away tomorrow night. Fingers crossed....

Don't take note of this poster.

Its that thick racist Kes

[Royal Rother]

Not sure about that.

Doesn’t sound like Kes to me. More like John Smith’s alter ego.

Still, I can get wound up by sport but not by trolls posting about sport anymore.

[The Enfield Royal71]

Not sure about that.

Doesn’t sound like Kes to me. More like John Smith’s alter ego.

Still, I can get wound up by sport but not by trolls posting about sport anymore.

Me too.

John Smith is a thickie

[AthleticoSpizz]

Stick with your ‘nice’ persona DD, you aren’t convincing anyone.

FoC where are you???

[The Enfield Royal71]

Stick with your ‘nice’ persona DD, you aren’t convincing anyone.

FoC where are you???

I'm always nice my G.

[Four Of Clubs]

Stick with your ‘nice’ persona DD, you aren’t convincing anyone.

FoC where are you???

ehem! ...... come along ladies ...... not on this thread - erudition, reasoned exchange or verbose gibberish only, please?

NL Review

Saturday 3rd August

NAT
Aldershot Town 1-2 AFC Fylde
Barnet 1-0 Yeovil Town
Dagenham & Redbridge 0-2 Woking - good opening win for promoted 'Cards' - next up the Sh!ts come to Kingfield on Tue evening.
Stockport County 0-1 Maidenhead United - didn't manage to watch much of it, between peering at the Test and getting ready for the MadStad etc
- late winner from Cassidy: debutant keeper Ashby-Hammond, on loan (?) from Fulham, did well too, as Magpies steal the points from newly promoted County in front of over 5000

Torquay United 2-1 Boreham Wood
NATN
Brackley Town 1-0 Alfreton Town
NATS
Bath City 2-0 Braintree Town
Billericay Town 1-0 Eastbourne Borough
Chelmsford City 4-1 Hampton & Richmond Borough
Havant & Waterlooville 1-1 Welling United
Hemel Hempstead Town 4-1 Hungerford Town
Maidstone United 1-2 Weymouth
Oxford City 0-3 Concord Rangers
Slough Town 0-1 Dorking Wanderers - 'Rebels' succumb to the new boys on 95' - reportedly with a bit of help from a dithery assistant ref?
St Albans City 0-0 Chippenham Town
Tonbridge Angels 1-2 Dulwich Hamlet
Wealdstone 4-1 Dartford
... all three of our featured sides suffer opening day defeats. 'Crusaders' (Hungerford) host 'Rebels' (Slough) @ Bulpit La this Tuesday, so one (or both) guaranteed to break their duck early.
- Oxford C. travel to Chipp'num the same evening

CCLP
Banstead Athletic 0-5 Abbey Rangers - minor shock: 'Athletic' went a long way into last season unbeaten but tailed away badly in the last third. Possible long-shots Rangers, who finished 3rd, seemingly undid them big time.

Camberley Town 1-2 Balham
Cobham 0-2 Ascot United - tidy enough start at one of the mid-table finishers from 18/19
- 'Yellamen' now travel to relegated Egham on Tuesday

Colliers Wood United 2-1 Egham Town
Frimley Green 1-3 CB Hounslow United
Knaphill 2-2 Hanworth Villa
Molesey 2-1 Redhill
Raynes Park Vale 0-2 Spelthorne Sports
Sheerwater 2-1 Guildford City
Sutton Common Rovers 1-4 Badshot Lea - surprise big defeat for last season’s runners-up – ‘Baggy Lea’ have an impetus about them that a nice shiny new ground can bring a side. They host Frimley Green at it on Tue night (@ Wrecclesham nr Farnham Rugby Club?)

CCL1
Bedfont & Feltham 3-0 Bagshot
Cove 3-3 AFC Hayes
Dorking Wanderers Res 1-4 British Airways
Epsom & Ewell 3-5 Fleet Spurs
Farnham Town 3-1 Kensington & Ealing Boro
Godalming Town 2-4 Chessington & Hook United
Jersey Bulls 3-0 Ash United att: reportedly 927
Sandhurst Town 1-1 Tooting Bec
Walton & Hersham 3-0 Eversley & California
Westside 6-0 FC Deportivo Galicia - big win for Croydon-based newcomers - be worth keeping an eye on this lot and see if they rival probable favourites Jersey, for the title.
- that's assuming the C.Islanders have similar backing and resources that are likely to speed them up the Steps a la Guernsey before them.
- earned successive promotions out of the CCL - and didn't miss a third one into Isthmian Premier by much - narrowly beaten by Leatherhead in the PO S-F in 12-13?
- The 'Green Donkeys' did occasionally falter away from home - even in the CCL - particularly midweek - when not all of their squad were available/willing to travel. They have a trip scheduled to Bedfont Sports' lodgers (Deportivo) on Wed week (14th Aug)
- expect the those in thrall to the 'Great Anorak', will be out in force that night - might have a sizeable 'ex-pat' following too - Guernsey always seemed to attract a few of those along.
- they have now hit a bit of a 'performance ceiling' at STEP04 and actually been close to relegation for the two of the three previous years. Only really saved by a couple of woeful sides finishing well below them: Godalming and Greenwich - though the latter pushed them close to the brink last April/May. Not sure what their backer would think of a return to STEP05?

HELLP
Ardley United 2-1 Bishops Cleeve
Brimscombe & Thrupp 0-1 Binfield - good result for ‘Moles’ at one of last season’s contenders. I think Roger has picked up a few Bracknell exiles close season.
Burnham 0-3 Fairford Town
Easington Sports 0-3 Longlevens
Flackwell Heath 1-2 Lydney Town - poor opener for Marcus R. and his lads; they welcome very near neighbours Holmer G on Tue night.
Holmer Green 3-3 Royal Wootton Bassett Town
Reading City 3-1 Shrivenham - decent result against one of the surprise packets of 18/19
– 'Shrivy' ended the last 2/3rds of last season like an express train. City now welcome the ‘Blues’ of Burnham to Rivermoor/Scours tomorrow (Mon eve)

Virginia Water 2-2 Tuffley Rovers
Westfields 5-0 Windsor – pretty much as I’d anticipated; a tough place to go up first and I can see the Hereford-based side flourishing in this league. No report posted up on their site yet.
Interesting to see how they fare against some of the literally ‘bigger boys’; particularly a few of the more ‘westerly’ clubs who, by repute, might carry a more robust defensive-line than Windsor. They host Longlevens on Tue, whilst Windsor pop down to Stubbs Lane (Binfield) tomorrow night.

HELLL1E
Milton United 1-3 Didcot Town Development
Risborough Rangers 2-1 Abingdon Utd – United stepped in late to this fixture- following Chinnor’s withdrawal from Div One
Thame Rangers 2-2 AFC Aldermaston
Hell Challenge Cup
Adderbury Park 5-4 Thornbury Town
Stokenchurch P-P Abingdon United - see above – this match was postponed - not sure why - so the D1E league match was hastily re-arranged

WESSP
Alresford Town 2-0 Cowes Sports
Bashley 0-0 Fleet Town att: 202 not too bad for an opener involving two sides recently fallen on hard times on and off the field.
Brockenhurst 4-0 Tadley Calleva
WESS1
Alton 5-1 Pewsey Vale
Andover New Street 1-1 United Services Portsmouth
Andover Town 2-0 Totton & Eling – over a hundred in for Town, who took a doz. matches to get their first points last season. Though yesterday they were hosting the only side who finished below them last term.

Hythe & Dibden 3-2 Whitchurch United
Laverstock & Ford 2-2 Petersfield Town

[The Enfield Royal71]

Thanks

Re jersey bulls..... do they have some sort of rich backing or a load of money pumped in?

Surely must be costing them a bomb to fund that travel and hotels. I assume the fa must give them some sort of grant for it.