From Saint To Sinner.......

And so to Clarence Park in St Albans for a crucial National League South clash between St Albans City FC and Weymouth FC.

St Albans FC was established in 1881 and played in the Southern League for two seasons between 1897 and 1899. Formerly playing at Bernards Heath, Holywell Meadows and Gombards, the Saints moved to Clarence Park in 1894 before disbanding in 1904.

St Albans City FC was founded in 1908, becoming members of the Spartan League and the Herts County League. Champions of both leagues in 1910, Saints joined the Athenian League in 1920 and City was crowned as Athenian champions in 1921 and 1922 😊

The club's most famous match materialised in November 1922 - a fourth round FA Cup qualifier against Dulwich Hamlet. Having been held 1-1 at Clarence Park, the replay saw the Saints mysteriously without their usual keeper and fielding a half back in goal. He conceded eight times and City could only manage seven in reply - all scored by Wilf Minter; a record tally from a losing side unlikely to ever be beaten....

The Saints joined the Isthmian League in 1923 and won it in their inaugural season. More championships followed in 1927 and 1928 but thereafter City only finished as runners-up in 1955.

Relegated to Division Two in 1974 alongside Corinthian Casuals - the first clubs ever to go down in the Isthmian - further demotion to the new Division Two came about in 1983, but City went straight back up the following season finishing as second. The Saints regained their Premier League status in 1986. They were denied promotion at the end of the 1992/93 season due to a low ground grading because of a diseased oak tree on one of the terraces.....

In 2004, after a league restructuring and despite finishing 19th that season, St Albans competed in the play offs for the new Conference South - beating Heybridge Swifts 4-3 and Bedford Town 5-4 to claim their place in the newly formed division. Better was to follow in 2006 as City beat Histon 2-0 in the play offs to gain promotion to the Conference National.

Sadly it only lasted one season as they were relegated in bottom place. Thereafter it was a struggle as owner John Gibson's building firm, William Verry, went into administration in 2009. Subsequently in 2011 the club was fined £7,500 and deducted 10 points for financial irregularities - allegedly illegal payments to players - and inevitably that season saw relegation to the Southern Premier. But new owners brought about a brighter future and City reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup in 2013; however The Saints were shellacked 8-1 at home to Mansfield Town.

Promotion back to the Conference South followed in 2014, via a 3-1 win over Chesham United in the play offs. There was play off disappointment in 2023, 4-0 at the hands of Oxford City, and the Saints finished 11th last season. This time a terrible start has seen the sacking of manager David Noble, with Ian Culverhouse taking over - and he has steadied the ship with the Saints 21st, but only a point from escaping the relegation zone, with a game in hand and superior goal difference compared to their rivals. 

Weymouth Football Club was founded on 26 August 1890 and played their first fixture on 24 September against a Mr Popes XI at Lodmoor, winning 2-0. In 1896 the Terras (nicknamed after their original terracotta strip) became a founding member of the Dorset League. In the following 1897-98 season, they took a lease at the Recreation Ground, their home for 89 years, and won their first Dorset League title. They continued as a member of the Dorset League over the next 20 years, winning a further league title in the 1913-14 season.

Weymouth was elected to join the Western League from the 1921-22 season, where they competed as well as continuing in the Dorset League. Following a Dorset League win that season, they followed it up in the 1922/23 season with a Western League title. The following year the club turned professional, and was elected to the Southern League for the first time - but debts, a recurrent theme, saw the club revert back to amateur status in 1928, moving back to the Western League where they won championships in 1937 and 1938 before folding for five years.

Football resumed after the Second World War in 1947 and the club soon achieved promotion back to the Southern League, and were champions in 1965 and 1966. The Terras moved to the Wessex Stadium in 1987 - now renamed the Bob Lucas Stadium in July 2010, in honour of the club president at the time.... and who died a month afterwards...

Weymouth was a founding member of the Alliance Premier League in 1979, finishing runners up to Altrincham in its inaugural season. Relegation in 1989 to the Southern was followed by further demotion in 1991; a one season return to the Premier preceded 6 more seasons at the lower level, before promotion and then joining the newly formed Conference South in 2004 in the halcyon days of Ian Ridley's chairmanship and with Steve Claridge managing the team.

Promoted as champions in 2006 despite having 4 points deducted, the Terras were relegated in 2009 amidst financial turmoil, John Hollins and Bobby Gould having little effect in the dugout, and sank into the Southern Premier the following season. Notice of appointing administrators in October 2009 prefaced a Company Voluntary Arrangement in March 2010 with debts standing at £822,000. 

The club was taken over by lifelong fan Nigel Biddlecombe in February 2012, after George Rolls' controversial reign, epitomised by fielding their youth team in a 9-0 home defeat by Rushden with first team players unpaid - Biddlecombe currently still retains a minority shareholding. The Terras were promoted in 2019 and again in 2020 back to the National League Premier, but were relegated in 2022 and miraculously avoided back to back demotions to the Southern League on the final day of the following season on goal difference, after winning their last three games - Dulwich Hamlet going down on goal difference 😒

Last time, after a slow start, the Terras achieved mid table mediocrity and safety, but surprisingly parted company, with safety not assured at that point, with the previous season's saviour Bobby Wilkinson. Mark Molesley retook the reins but was sacked in November as Weymouth plummeted to bottom spot - Warren Feeney was appointed as Weymouth's new manager, but to little effect as the Terras sit next to bottom with a record of 4 wins, 12 draws and 20 defeats and 9 points adrift of safety.

Setting out and spotting new 25 car registration plates, it's past the King's Ransom, Watch House Cruising Club, UA92 and the Taylor Swift mannequin into Manchester. Then the Blue Whale supermarket and Victory Over Blindness statue at Piccadilly Station where I board the Bournemouth train in glorious sunshine. Numberplates en route are UPL1T (UP Lighting), NET 1N and A11 DUN, along with BJS furniture vans advertising 'Silver Service in Sheffield', 'Ready & Willing in Wednesbury' and 'Lighting Up Blackpool'.

Through Stockport with its iconic pyramid and hat museum, and MyHo and Inspired Co-working at Cheadle Hulme. Then Arighi Bianchi at Macclesfield, rusty waters at Kidsgrove and a china factory just outside Longton.

To The Hand of Chronos at Stoke on Trent and Wellbeing Park at Yarnfield, home of Stoke City Women's first team. After Stafford it's the Chubb Buildings and Molineux at Wolverhampton, then Soho depot, New Street and the Bullring in Birmingham.

Beyond lies St Andrews and the airport and this year's Crufts at Birmingham International. Here I change for a Euston service, bypassing Hampton-in-Arden, Berkswell and the industrial Tile Hill, featuring Britannia Cues.

Thereafter Fishing Republic in Canley, the cathedral at Coventry and onwards to Rugby - their football team known as The Valley. We get to Long Buckby and there the problems begin with a 45 minute delay due to a track circuit failure.

Detrained at Northampton - which seems to have more freight than passenger services - we eventually get going again through the countryside. Weyron at Wolverton, a soulless Milton Keynes featuring Planet Ice, then Bletchley (Park  - Home of the Codebreakers) and finally Leighton Buzzard and Watford Junction.

The Abbey Line takes in Watford North, Garston, Bricket Wood, How Wood and Park Street before I end up at St Albans Abbey. St Albans is home to Raindrops on Roses, Anthropologie, Shake & Cow, Magnopus and TinkleTorium. It also features Wetherspoons Waterend Barn, with a pint of Oakham Harmonia, and Mad Squirrel St Albans Tap - thirds of Afterglow and Roadkill there. The Saint & Sinner appears popular too - and appropriate given Saturday's course of events...

Sightseeing takes place the following day: the Rose Garden, the Clock Tower, the Cathedral and Abbey brings me to the Roman Wall and St Albans Pudding Stone. A flooded River Ver means large parts of Verulamium Park are shut off but the walls, London Gate, St Germain's Block, the ramparts, Heron Lake and the hypocaust are still accessible - as are the Verulamium Museum, Grebe House Wildlife Farm and Roman Theatre.

Clarence Park is a Victorian public park, municipal sports ground and pleasure area, donated by Sir John Maple, owner of the former Maples furniture store in Tottenham Court Road, which went into administration and was bought out by Allders. It accommodates cricket, hockey, bowls and croquet as well as the football club. There is also a band stand and water fountain.

Inside there are the 1908, The Satellites and Parkside pitchside bars featuring Mad Squirrel ales. Add in ASM Construction Gin & Fizz bar, Academy Tea Bar plus Chicken George, Riot Burgers, The Pie Guys, Italian Indulgence and Nomad Coffee & Crepes means there's something for everyone 😋 

The ground has three covered terraces - York Road Stand West, Youth Talk Stand North, Lawsons Stand East and the Main Stand and clubhouse South. There are also 48 uncovered seats in the North Stand, where we sit in gorgeous sunshine 🌞 

Entry is £16.50 (£18 on the day) and the crowd is 1,801  with only a handful from Weymouth. Saints are in yellow and blue sponsored by local rock band Enter Shikari aka Jonny and the Snipers - bassist Chris Batten famously played one match for the club against Dagenham & Redbridge in 2022 to raise funds for Ukraine, whilst the Terras are in change pink and grey.

What follows is a tense, messy and scrappy affair, typified by the referee injuring himself in the warm up. City start better and Aidan Dausch shoots wildly over when he should have done far better, then Shaun Jeffers has a piledriver deflected for a corner.

Weymouth's best effort is from Malachi Linton, his shot badly fumbled by home keeper Mike Johnson and ultimately cleared off the line by Brandon Mason. Linton then has a goal correctly disallowed for offside and we reach the break scoreless.

The Terras start the second with intent but without creating chances. Jeffers heads over for the Saints on the hour.

Eventually with 13 minutes to go St Albans take the lead. A corner finds its way to Ken Charles who shoots and the ball is diverted in by David Longe-King. 

And that would appear to be that; but in the fourth and final minute of injury time Longe-King goes from saint to sinner. From a hopeful cross he makes contact with Weymouth substitute Kelson Pollard, barely on the pitch two minutes, and a penalty is awarded by the referee.

Jake McCarthy's 90+6 Panenka effort draws the scores level at 1-1. A point apiece is not useful to either team: The Saints now two points from safety with ten to play and the Terras ten points off, with one less match.

Seventh Hell For The (In)Famous Whites - Then Hebburn Is A Place on Earth.. !!

And so to Cardinal Newman Catholic High School on Bridgewater Avenue in Latchford, Warrington for a Cheshire League Division Two game between Warrington Rylands 1906 Development and Wigan Town FC.

Rylands FC was formed in 1906 as a local wire manufacturer works team. In its early days the club played in the Liverpool County Combination, before joining the Warrington & District League, where they won successive Premier Division Championships from 1955 to 1959.

Steady progress prompted the club to look to higher levels and Rylands moved to the Mid Cheshire (now Cheshire) League in 1969. Championships followed in 1981 and 1984, but thereafter the club suffered barren times.

In 2008 the club amalgamated with Crosfields to form a new club, Crosfields/ Rylands FC. Prior to the start of the 2012/13 season the club reverted back to Rylands FC, with the backing of a new sponsor, Triple S Sports & Entertainment Group – led by former Rylands player Paul Stretford.

Stretford, Wayne Rooney’s agent, now owns the club. It was his investment in ground improvements that saw the club promoted in 2018 to the North West Counties Division One South, notwithstanding an 11^th place finish, out of 15, in the Cheshire League. However the club adapted well and won the league, despite having three points deducted, scoring 111 goals with 28 victories from 38 games to move up to the North West Counties Premier.

The club changed name to Warrington Rylands 1906 FC in 2020 to publicise their location and attract additional support. FA Vase winners in 2021, beating Binfield 3-2 at Wembley, The Blues joined the Northern Premier League for the 2021/22 season and won the Division One West title that term.

Tenth in their inaugural campaign in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, Rylands mounted a sustained promotion the season after. However the loss of star forward Adama Sidibeh to St Johnstone in the January transfer window and the defection of manager Michael Clegg to promotion rivals Macclesfield, shortly after penning a new two year deal at Rylands, saw the club's form stutter and eventually finish fourth, losing to Marine in the play offs.

This season has been more of a struggle, spent largely in the relegation zone. New manager Neil Reynolds has steered them to 15th following a recent good run of form.

The second string joined the Mid Cheshire League Division Two in 1975, for one season, and then two seasons between 1981 and 1983. Another one season sojourn in 1987/88 was followed by a lengthier stay from 1989 to 2003, before they moved to the League's Reserve Division.

Rylands Reserves reappeared in the Cheshire League Division Two in 2018 before becoming Warrington Rylands 1906 Reserves in 2020. The Blues' Reserves disappeared in 2021, and resurfaced in 2023/24 in the Manchester League Division Two, finishing 8th of 15.

Amongst many differences this season has seen the side change ground, from Gorsey Lane to Cardinal Newman, name, to Warrington Rylands 1906 Development, and league, rejoining the Cheshire League. But a disastrous campaign thus far leaves them next to bottom with two wins and 8 points from 18 games - the only club below, Moore United, are a point worse off but with 8 games in hand....

The original Wigan Town was founded in July 1905 and joined the Combination in 1905/06, taking over the fixtures of Middlewich FC, playing at Springfield Park. Their first full season brought about a third place finish after a failed application to join the Football League.

The following campaign saw the club having to post a bond of £20 due to the belief the club would fold mid season. However Town completed the season, finishing 19th of 20, and did not seek re-election, subsequently folding.

The present incarnation of Wigan Town FC was established in 2017, playing at Pinfold Street in Ince. The team joined the Cheshire League for 2023/24 and it was a disastrous debut - two wins and 26 defeats leaving The Famous Whites comfortably bottom; improbably the current campaign sees Wigan lie third.

The normal trip via Thelwall sees a Debonhair Dogs van and redundant festive signs selling Chrismas (sic) Trees at the Moss Trooper and advising us to 'Be Naughty - Save Santa The Trip' !! Numberplates today are Y88PPY and D11MMD with BJS removal vans advertising 'Ship Shape & Bristol Fashion' and 'Squeaky Clean in Bath'.

A brief foray into Warrington town centre to take advantage of Wetherspoons' January Sale at The Friar Penketh - American Burger and Exmoor Beast fit the bill 😄 Then onwards to Latchford and the Cardinal Newman, named after John Henry Newman, the controversial Victorian theologian who converted from Anglicism to Catholicism.

The 3G pitch is on the left in front of the school and matters eventually get underway at 2.17 pm due to a late running prior game.

Rylands are in all blue, sponsored by JobFinity, and Wigan Town, 'The Famous Whites', sponsored by PM Sampling are in erm red and black 🤔 . The crowd is roughly 20 in freezing conditions.

A mundane first 20 minutes and we look at each other - both mouthing it's destined to finish goalless ☹️. Except it doesn't as on 24 a superb curling effort from outside the box swerves in and the home side lead.

Half time arrives with the score unchanged. This despite Wigan beginning to dominate and an unbelievable sequence of events from a free kick just before the break - Town striking the woodwork three times, the ball cleared off the line and two phenomenal saves from the Rylands stopper.

No great expectations for the second half but Rylands double their lead three minutes in. It's trebled on 59, and a super free kick seven minutes later makes it 4-0 as the form book is turned on its head.

5-0 arrives on 76, and then 6 with a sublime finish six minutes later. The Famous Whites do eventually score with five minutes left - an unfortunate own goal - but Rylands respond within 60 seconds to leave the final scoreline a scarcely believable 7-1.

Then a mooch across town to see the last 30 minutes of Rylands first team against the Hornets of Hebburn Town, which finishes 2-2 in front of a crowd of 337.

Five Star Hoops OutKlahsa Sporting !!!

And so to what was the RAW Charging Stadium, rebranded this week as The MGroup Stadium at Marsh Lane in Marston and Oxford City FC; City at home for an FA Trophy Second Round tie against Sporting Khalsa.

City played their first recorded match on 15 March 1884, having been founded in 1882. Fixtures were irregular over the next decade, but the club was reorganised and reconstituted in 1897 and won the FA Amateur Cup in 1906, beating Bishop Auckland 3-0, before joining the Isthmian League the following year.

In the latter half of the 20th century, the club went into decline and soon fell behind Headington United (now Oxford United), who turned professional in 1949. Attempts were made to restore success when it became a limited company in 1979 and they later appointed Bobby Moore as manager, with Harry Redknapp as his assistant.

The Hoops reached their nadir in 1988 when they were evicted from their White House Ground by landlords Brasenose College, who sold the land off for housing. Forced to resign from the Isthmian League, City did not reform and return to senior football until 1990 when, based at Cutteslowe Park, they joined the South Midlands League Division One, winning promotion in their first season. The return to the Isthmian League in 1993 coincided with a move to Marsh Lane. 

The club continued to climb through the divisions during the 1990s and reached the FA Vase Final in 1995, losing 2-1 to Arlesey Town.

Two seasons in the Isthmian League Premier Division prefaced an epic FA Cup run in 1999, culminating in a three-game battle against Wycombe Wanderers in the First Round Proper. City were eventually edged out 1–0 at Oxford United's old home, the Manor Ground. 

The first replay had been abandoned because of a fire alarm just as the penalty shootout was about to start; this remains the only FA Cup tie to go to a second replay since the FA ruled all ties should be settled after a maximum of two games. This rule change meant that City's other FA Cup record – the six games needed before losing to Alvechurch in 1971-1972 in the qualifying rounds – is unlikely to ever be beaten.

In 2005 the club was relegated back to the Spartan South Midlands League, but achieved promotion at the first time of asking, up to the Southern League Division One South and West. Further elevation was achieved in 2008, after a 1-0 win over Uxbridge, as the Hoops reached the Southern Premier Division.

In 2011–12 Oxford City finished as runners-up, narrowly missing out on the title, but they won the play-off final against AFC Totton to ascend to the Conference North for the first time in their history. After a successful first season, finishing in 10th place, the following year proved more of a struggle, with the club initially finishing in the drop zone after a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player, but The Hoops were reprieved from relegation after Vauxhall Motors resigned from the Football Conference.

In 2015-16 City was laterally moved from Conference North to South, which was relabelled National League South; sadly chairman Colin Taylor hung himself at the ground in November 2016, due to worries about the club's finances. Two years on Oxford enjoyed a historic run in the FA Cup, knocking out league opposition for the first time with a 1-0 win at Colchester United, and narrowly being defeated in the Second Round from an injury time goal by Notts County.

2020-21 saw another FA Cup scalp beating EFL Northampton Town 2-1. But 14 May 2023 was the famous date that Oxford City was promoted to the National League Premier - after finishing third, play off semi final victory against Worthing (2-0) and a 4-0 drubbing of St Albans City in the final saw The Hoops rise to the fifth tier for the first time ever. However City struggled, in a one season stay, and eventually finished comfortably bottom with 33 points from their 46 matches.

Manager Ross Jenkins left the club to take over at Boreham Wood, succeeding Luke Garrard. Wood had also been relegated from the National League last season, somewhat unluckily with 52 points. Jenkins only lasted 8 games and 12 points before leaving 'by mutual consent': Garrard was reappointed the day after.

City's relegation hangover has continued this season in the National League North, and they have made a terrible start. So bad in fact that new boss Sam Cox was sacked; bizarrely Jenkins was reappointed Hoops' manager shortly after..... and results have improved with City now in 19th, one defeat in seven after last weekend's 95th minute equaliser by Zac McEachran against Scarborough Athletic.

After a committee reorganisation in 2004 the club rejoined the West Midlands (Regional) League, immediately gaining promotion. In the following year Sporting became the first Asian semi professional club in the country to own its own ground - Abbey Park Stadium, formerly the home of Bloxwich Town FC.

After five years at Abbey Park the Lions purchased the 5 acre freehold grounds of Willenhall Town FC from the Receivers and Aspray Arena was born. Division One was conquered that season and the Premier Division awaited....

As champions of the Premier League in 2014/15 Khalsa was promoted to the Midland League, finishing third in their first two terms. A £1m redevelopment at Noose Lane in 2017, necessitating a groundshare with AFC Wulfrunians, saw Sporting slip from first to fifth. The revamped stadium, with 5G pitch, was opened in July 2018 - and the Lions were lying in second in 2020, with games in hand, before a second season was Covid null and voided.

No matter as Khalsa was elevated to the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands in 2021. Finishing 8th, 4th (play off defeat to Spalding) and 12th in the subsequent campaigns, the Lions are currently fourth after the Walsall Wood resignation adjustment and despite consecutive 1-0 away reverses at the Mikes of Boldmere St Michaels and the Methodists of Quorn, who top the table.

En route numberplates today are SHO3S, URB4N and S1LLA - a black Range Rover. These alongside BJS removal vans showcasing 'As Strong As Worcester Sauce', 'Leaving Early for Lands End' and 'Sent to Coventry' and a cart advertising Oh! Crepe - Savoury Jianbing....

On the way to Manchester I come across Cheese FM advertising hoardings, that Taylor Swift mannequin and The Briton's Protection. Then The Armenian Lounge, Museum of Illusions, Tegtat Turkish Restaurant and Yum Cha Tea before Piccadilly and its Victory Over Blindness statue.

Through Stockport and the Hat Works and a soon to be Pyramid Curry House. The Chiverton Tap at Cheadle Hulme precedes The Old Millstone at Macclesfield.

A combination of sun and enveloping mist appear as I arrive belongside the rusty water at Kidsgrove. Beyond is Hoppecke Mill in Newcastle under Lyme and the Hand of Chronos at Stoke on Trent.

Thence Wellbeing Park at Yarnfield in Stone and rail grinders at Stafford before Molineux at Wolverhampton. That brings me to Birmingham, the Bullring and Leaves of the Tree and One Giant Leap of Humankind.

On the way out it's past St Andrew's and to Birmingham International (Airport). Afterwards the cathedral at Coventry and the Art Deco station at (Royal) Leamington Spa.

We move into the Oxfordshire countryside and reach Banbury, with Prostechnic and the Puritans of Banbury United's Spencer Stadium visible from the train tracks. Finally into Oxford and a hike up to Cowley, passing The Paste Tree, CBD Maniac and Cycloanalysts.

Friday brings sunshine and a walk into the dreaming spires of Oxford. Breakfast is at Wetherspoons' Four Candles, and yes it is named after that iconic Two Ronnies sketch. The other Oxford 'Spoons are The Swan and Castle and The William Morris - a famous Oxonian textile designer.

Avoiding the cyclists, it's a trip to the Botanic Gardens, the Sheldonian Theatre, the Museum of Natural History, the Bodleian Libraries and Radcliffe Camera, Bridge of Sighs, Martyrs' Memorial and the Ashmolean Museum. Then atop the Castle Mound at Oxford Castle & Prison, Folly Bridge, Tom Tower, the Story Museum, Carfax Tower and finally the Covered Market all the while marvelling at the city's historical attractions including the JRR Tolkien Bench. Pubs Cow & Creek, Jude The Obscure and The Old Bookbinders Ale House feature - along with restaurants The White Rabbit, Dirty Bones and The Giggling Squid in Jericho....

Past the Sandwich Shop selling Milksakes (yes really !!) and into Marston beyond Crotch Crescent brings me to Court Place Farm. 

The stadium houses the main stand, opposite which is a covered terrace with windshields and dug outs, bookended by seated areas, one covered and one open.

Marsh Lane itself is dominated by the clubhouse, food hatch and club offices and features the entrance gates to the club's former nostalgic White House ground with flat standing. At the other end is a small covered terrace; the 3G surface was installed in 2018.

City are in blue and white hoops as expected, Khalsa in change scarlet and black. Reduced admission is £8 (£13 early bird normally 👌) - the crowd is 309, with at least 25 Khalsa fans.

Sporting, under the captaincy of Tesfa Robinson, are really up for this and create the first chance from Andre Landell. But the Hoops get into their stride and Josh Parker is denied by a superb save, the first of many, from Khalsa keeper Brandon Ganley.

But the game changes just after the midway point: on 24 minutes Chay Tilt's sumptuous volley for Khalsa is controversially and belatedly ruled out for offside. Four minutes later Zac McEachran's intelligent break and unselfish cut back sees Josh Parker gleefully ram home and City lead 1-0.

Six minutes on Alfie Potter is played through and is thwarted by another outstanding save from Ganley. But the resultant corner is headed in by Phil Croker and Oxford lead 2-0 at the break.

The second period sees the Hoops throttle back and Khalsa grow into the game. Gurjit Singh has their best chance, but wide.

That all changes on 69 minutes, a defensive error and McEachran dinks the ball over his man, sidesteps Ganley and walks the ball home for 3-0. Corie Andrews' beautiful back heel plays in Jayden Carbon to make it four ten

minutes later.

It finishes 5-0 to the Hoops as Tom Scott benefits from another error to sweep home with two minutes left. The referee has seen enough and plays no stoppage time, despite numerous substitutions and injuries.

Grand Finale - Lions Fail To Get Over The Bridge !!

And so to Nethermoor Park in Guiseley, Leeds, for what was to be a Big Cat Derby Northern Premier League Premier Division match between Guiseley AFC, The Lions, and Prescot Cables FC, The Tigers, also affectionately known as the Pesky Bulls 🤪 But due to FA Cup commitments, Guiseley beating Scunthorpe United to reach the 4th Qualifying Round, I'm there a week earlier for an FA Trophy clash with Guiseley facing Bamber Bridge FC.

 Guiseley AFC, The Lions, was established in 1909 at Nethermoor, where they have played since inception. The club started in the Wharfedale League and was crowned as champions in 1912/13. Post World War One Guiseley moved to the Leeds League then the West Riding County Amateur League, winning three consecutive titles between 1933 and 1935, and a further championship in 1939.

After switching back to the Leeds League (now the West Yorkshire League) in 1960 the Lions won the title in their first season and again in 1964/65. Thereafter Guiseley joined the Yorkshire League in 1968 and became a founder member of the Northern Counties East League for the 1982/83 campaign.

As champions of the NCEL in 1990/91 the Lions ascended to the Northern Premier League Division One and that season won the FA Vase 3-1 at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, against Gresley Rovers after a 4-4 draw at Wembley. The following year the Magpies of Wimborne Town defeated Guiseley 5-3 in the Vase Final at Wembley.

After rising to the Premier Division Guiseley AFC was elevated to the Conference North in 2010 and following play off heartbreak in 2012, 2013 and 2014 (the latter a 120th minute extra time winner by Altrincham's Sam Heathcote) the Lions finally went up, at the fourth time of asking, beating Chorley 3-2 in the play off final in 2015. But life in the top tier was relatively short lived with bottom place and relegation to the National North in 2018 and further demotion, again bottom, to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League in 2022. Tenth last time out, Guiseley currently sit fifth this term.

A Bamber Bridge club played in the late 19th century but the modern club was established in 1952. Brig joined the Preston & District League, merging with Walton-le-Dale in 1974 and playing at King George's Field.

In 1983 the club purchased a plot of derelict land at Irongate in the town with the first game played there in August 1987. The ground was renamed The Sir Tom Finney Stadium after Finney's death in 2014, and is now the SFC Stadium. Their record attendance was 2,300 at a pre Euro 96 warm up with eventual runners up Czech Republic - who won the friendly 9-1.

Back to back championships in 1986 and 1987 prefaced a league and cup double in 1990 and promotion to the North West Counties Football League Division Two. Winning the league saw Division One achieved two years later and a second successive promotion, as runners up, followed to the Northern Premier League Division One in 1993.

In 1995 Brig finished as runners up and was elevated to the Premier Division, which they duly won the following season. However Irongate failed ground grading criteria and Bamber were not promoted to the Football Conference, remaining in the Northern Premier League.

Bridge saw relegation in 2002, but achieved promotion back in 2004. Demoted once more the following season, it took until 2018 for Brig to return to the NPL Premier. Yet another play off failure in 2023 and a disappointing last campaign left Bamber 16th of 21 - this time they lie mid table in 12th, but with 3 wins and a draw from their last four outings 🤔. More concerningly Brig, community owned, are in desperate financial straits, and have recently set up a fund raiser for £30,000 to see out the season.

It's an early start as I go past the Old Cheshire Cheese and Sam & Nam Express on a sunny, cool and breezy morning - it turns out to be a gorgeous afternoon 😊 Numberplates today are H15 DTH, POW311S, 45 LP (33 LP would be more appropriate....) and three BJS removal vans displaying 'Saying Cheese in Leicester', 'Grinning Like A Cheshire Cat' and ' Coals To Newcastle' as I pass Stubborn Mule Tap & Shop.

To the train at Navigation Road and beyond Human Appeal at Cheadle, into Stockport with its Hat Museum and the iconic vacant Co-op pyramid. Then the execrable Overdraught at Levenshulme and a chance meeting with Library John at Manchester Piccadilly 😀 

Across the city, bypassing the Victory Over Blindness statute, Scamp & Dude, Mint Velvet and Sixes Social Cricket, brings me to Victoria. The Leeds train takes me initially past Greengate Brewery then Malia and Arrow Mills at Rochdale.

Thence Platform One Gallery at Todmorden, the Lamp Room at Hebden Bridge and the Iron Man at Mytholmroyd - the station building celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. That brings me to Ryburn Valley at Sowerby Bridge and Eureka and Halifax Flour Society 1879.

The Bradford Alhambra, Build A Candle in New Pudsey and Strachan Furniture Makers at Bramley come before the end of rail journey two in Leeds. Versa Leeds Studios and strange street art announcing 'Seagulls Paint With Purpose' greet me there.

The third rail leg is the Ilkley train, past Kirkstall Forge and a congested Guiseley is first stop. Arriving at Guiseley station I come out onto a cobbled terrace street with familiar Yorkstone buildings around, before walking to the ground, just six or seven minutes walk from the station. I reach a real olde style ground on Otley Road after Shed Load of Vinyl, Pipe Dreams, Flippin' 'Eck, The Hoptimist tap and beer shop and The Potting Shed bar.

It is an impressive setup with a five a side pitch, cricket club, bowling club and children's playground all in the same complex, and Nethermoor Park includes cleaned up floodlight pylons, previously corroded and rusted to saturation point. £11 in, reduced from the normal £13, sees a crowd of 460 with a healthy knot of away supporters 😀 

Inside there is a restaurant and bar, behind which is the flight path to Leeds Bradford Airport as several jets land in nearby Yeadon. Opposite is the main stand, split into two covered seated areas, and bookended by the 1909 Suite, club shop, ticket office and Lions' Diner (clever !). The two ends support shallow terraces - the Wetherby Whaler Scoreboard End and the Railway End. Next to the hospitality area are two covered standing areas.

The Lions are in white and blue, sponsored by AGF, Brig in change yellow with black trim, sponsored by Jimibox. 

Bridge have the first chance which is blocked and then Lions' Barnsley loanee Feyi Afuape breaks away but sees his shot well saved by Brig's James Pradic. Will Longbottom hits the bar with a curling effort for Guiseley on 13 minutes; as near as it comes 🤔 

Joe Cracknell, the home keeper, is much the busier, tipping over from Jack Baxter and then clawing away two further Baxter efforts before the break. Afuape shoots wide with the Lions' best opportunity but it remains scoreless at half time.

The second period sees Bridge's central defenders, Alex Kenyon and Adam Dodd, stifle the home attack, as the Lions fail to roar. Dodd featured on BBC North West news in the past few days, having previously suffering cardiac arrest and being resuscitated by his now wife - he is now campaigning for greater CPR education.

For Brig veteran Simon Grand has a shot charged down before the defining moment arrives on 70 minutes. A rather hopeful long distance cross field ball by Liam Brockbank, derided by the two lads behind me, turns out to be the perfect delivery and 40 year old Grand ghosts in at the far post to head across Cracknell and into the net.

Cracknell defies Baxter again with another superb tip over before The Lions have one major chance to level matters on 82 minutes. A defensive error lets in Joe Ackroyd who touches the ball past Preston loanee Pradic, but he recovers to make a splendid last ditch save.

On 94 minutes Guiseley win a corner and Cracknell is sent up to the opposition box. A flashing header wide and that's it - 1-0 to Bamber Bridge and it leaves Guiseley Trophyless 🙄