Football

[Old Yard Dog]

The trophy game was great. Tom Bradbury last minute equaliser in a 3-4 draw and then win on penners

I remember discussing one of our last NLN derbies, a 1-1 draw, with Adrian Goldberg on Radio 5. I had phoned in as I had just seen a meteor flying over the M56 near Runcorn, as you do, but the conversation soon turned to football.

Good luck to Town in the play-off. I spent many a, mostly miserable, night at the Shay in the 1980's when Bradford was in its 14-year hibernation. Highlight was the 1-0 FA Cup win against Manchester City. Sadly Bradford's 8-2 win at Maine Road was before I was born (agg 9-5). Frank Swift was in goal for City.

 

[75A]

First of my last two football bets could be settled tonight, In July last year I bet a Monkey that Pompey would be Division 1 Champions @ 12-1.
The other I took out about a month ago, is the same amount on Luton staying in the Premier League @ 6-4.

 

[REVUpminster]

Taunton v Torquay tonight. A real six pointer. Southern League for someone. Torquay have never recovered from losing to Hartlepool in the play-off final in 2021.

 

[75A]

What a cracking night, Pompey were 1-0 & 2-1 down before winning 3-2 @ home to Barnsley meaning they get promoted as Champions and I'll have £6.5k put into my bank tomorrow, it doesn't get much better.
The first time I went to Fratton Park was September 1973 and I've seen them in all 4 divisions, 2 F.A.Cup Finals and am well chuffed as they say.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Stockport County, Champions of League Two. An amazing turnaround.

 

[1D54]

The first time I went to Fratton Park was September 1973 and I've seen them in all 4 divisions, 2 F.A.Cup Finals and am well chuffed as they say.

And you surely saw them play Milan in that cracking 2-2 draw at Fratton Park?

 

[43096]

Two fantastic Champions League Quarter Final second legs tonight with both PSG (against Barcelona) and Borussia Dortmund (vs Atletico Madrid) overturning first-leg deficits to go through. Not a good night for the Spanish teams!

 

[75A]

Indeed,2008 as I remember.

 

[REVUpminster]

Taunton v Torquay tonight. A real six pointer. Southern League for someone. Torquay have never recovered from losing to Hartlepool in the play-off final in 2021.

Torquay win 2-1 and survive. Now need a new owner, new manager, and new players.

 

[Haywain]

Torquay win 2-1 and survive.

They survive pending any decisions at the National League AGM, if they are still in administration at that time.

 

[oxfordray1]

Bury 1 Padiham 2

I enjoyed my visit to Broadhurst Park, home of FC United of Manchester, used as Gigg Lane is unplayable.

Bury threw the kitchen sink at Padiham, but lacked composure. I was impressed by how well the Padiham players and managers handled the raucous atmosphere and think they deserved to win.

 

[Class15]

Two fantastic Champions League Quarter Final second legs tonight with both PSG (against Barcelona) and Borussia Dortmund (vs Atletico Madrid) overturning first-leg deficits to go through. Not a good night for the Spanish teams!

Indeed. I thought the ref was fine although clearly Xavi didn’t agree.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Torquay win 2-1 and survive. Now need a new owner, new manager, and new players.

Probably a step too far, too fast for Taunton being at NLS level. Went to quite a few games when I lived down there, back then they were in the eighth tier (Southern League division 1 South & West). Fixture congestion won't have helped either, due to poor drainage at their Wordsworth Drive ground.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Cheshire FA Senior Cup Final

Information from a most helpful website member. The match was played on the neutral ground of Witton Albion FC.

Crewe Alexandra 2 ... Hyde United 2

Hyde won 5-4 on penalties, so at least they have some silverware this season.

 

[THC]

Forest Green Rovers have been relegated back to the National League after seven years in the EFL. Sutton United look likely to join them after three years among the bigger boys. Both made questionable managerial choices this season, and Dale Vince at FGR has been unusually quiet - has he lost interest?

THC

 

[JD2168]

Rotherham United have sacked manager Leam Richardson & have reappointed Steve Evans who has left Stevenage.

 

[High Dyke]

Given the council own the ground, its down to them to fix the problems, but (a) they have no funding, (b) there's no political desire to fix it

We've had a similar situation at Grantham Town. Last year we had problems with chafer grubs in the pitch. The crows started pecking the pitch to get at them and consequently rendered the pitch unplayable. A number of fixtures had to be postponed or rearranged. The pitch forms part of the council owned sports stadium. The football club hires the facilities for matches. However, the majority of repair costs (approx £30,000), were borne by the football club / supporters club. The local council made a pittance contribution and other stadium.users paid nothing.

Earlier in the thread someone commented about ground grading and quality of playing surfaces. This season alone we've had many away fixtures postponed due to poor quality pitches. There's only been one home game postponed (frozen pitch). The league committee (Northern Premier League) show a remarkable lack of consistency in decision making. Some clubs ordered to play at other venues, some on artificial surfaces, but other clubs merely allowed to postpone / rearrange games as they think fit. This has now led to a fixture backlog in the final week.or so the season, with some clubs playing 4 games in 8 days. A ridiculous situation!

 

[Harvester]

Both Arsenal and Manchester City have been knocked out of the Champions League. City on penalties and Arsenal 2-3 on aggregate!

 

[JD2168]

In tonight’s Champions League matches the results are:
Manchester City 1 - Real Madrid 1, on Aggregate 4-4 Real Madrid win 4-3 on aggregate.
Bayern Munich 1 - Arsenal 0, Bayern Munich win 3-2 on aggregate.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

In tonight’s Champions League matches the results are:
Manchester City 1 - Real Madrid 1, on Aggregate 4-4 Real Madrid win 4-3 on penalties aggregate.

Corrected that for you.

 

[75A]

Corrected that for you.

All goes to show that the Premier League is not so fantastic as Sky would have us all believe.
In the semi finals are 2 teams from Germany, and 1 from France & Spain.

 

[Typhoon]

FA Cup replays will be scrapped from the first round onwards in the 2024-25 competition.

All rounds of the Emirates FA Cup will also be played on weekends, including the fifth round which has been played in midweek for the past five seasons.
The changes come as part of a new six-year agreement between the Football Association (FA) and the Premier League.

The Premier League has also removed its mid-season break from the calendar.

Matches will start in mid-August following a consecutive three-week summer break instead of a shorter spell of rest in the winter, with the decision coming from "expert advice from medical and technical departments".

In its current format, the FA Cup has no replays from the fifth round onwards, but the FA says the move to eliminate them from an earlier stage has been made "in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded Uefa competitions".

To me one of the positives of supporting anyone outside of the elite, is the opportunity, just once in a while, to be drawn against a higher league team, possibly beat them but if not, try to get a draw and the opportunity of a day out with a game at swanky stadium, or to 'get them back to our place' with the bonus of the share of two matches gate receipts. The only winners here are the elite.

My feelings are summed up by Chris Wilder:

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder said he would have liked the structure of the FA Cup to remain as it was.

"As always, the game is dictated and dominated by the big boys and the big boys don't want FA Cup replays, do they?" Wilder said.

"I am a traditionalist and I would have liked to have seen it kept the same but the game is moving on and more minutes [are being played] in the game, which people are trying to push back against."

I can't remember the last time I watched the cup final, I don't want the same old. I don't have a clue whose in the FA Cup semi-final (I assume we are at that stage) but I do know who the finalists were in the Kent Senior Cup. The Premier League has left me behind - fortunately, local football hasn't!

Quotes from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68844583

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Currently £105,000 prize money for a team winning in the FA Cup 3rd Round. Small change for the "elite" clubs?!