Shambles, Shambles and More Shambles - But The Ice Man Cometh......

And so to the Coach and Horses, and a trip entirely funded by Northern Fail's, err failure, to provide a train service, for the alternative Steel City Derby, bizarrely taking place in Dronfield, Derbyshire (!!). The derby is between Sheffield FC and Stocksbridge Park Steels in the Northern Premier League Division One South East.

Sheffield FC's nickname is 'The Club', and they are renowned for being 'The World's First Football Club'. The club was set up by Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest on 24 October 1857 at Parkfield House in the Sheffield suburb of Highgate, although the original headquarters was a greenhouse.....

Initially Sheffield FC games were played amongst club members - 'Married v Singles', or 'Professionals v The Rest'. Creswick and Prest drew up the club's rules of play, 'The Sheffield Rules' - and along with near neighbours Hallam FC, 'The Countrymen', formed in 1860, they take part in 'The Rules derby', the oldest still contested football derby in the world. FA rules were adopted in 1878. 2nd January 1865 saw the first fixture outside Sheffield - the club playing at Nottingham in an 18 a side game under Nottingham rules. The decision was then taken to play only teams from outside Sheffield, and on 31 March 1866 they played London losing by 2 goals and 4 touchdowns to nil.

The Club entered the FA Cup in 1873, but thereafter there was a decline from the top echelon with the advent of professionalism. Sheffield FC retained its amateur status and suggested to the FA the introduction of an FA Amateur Cup, which was inaugurated in 1893 and which Sheffield won in 1904. After one season in each of the Yorkshire and Midland Leagues, the club reverted back to local leagues, before rejoining the Yorkshire League in 1949. They then joined the Northern Counties East League in 1981, before promotion to the NPL Division 1 South in 2007 - their 150th anniversary. Sheffield FC remain in Step 4.

The Club have previously played at Strawberry Hall Lane Park, Newhall Athletic ground, Old Forge, Hunters Bar, Abbeydale Park, Hillsborough Park, Owlerton and the Don Valley Stadium. Current home is the Coach & Horses ground in Dronfield, which was bought in 2001, and formerly the home of Norton Woodseats FC.

In 2004 The Club were awarded the Centennial FIFA Order of Merit for services to football and maintenance of its values - Integrity, Respect and Community; the only other recipient was Real Madrid. And in 2007 The Club was inducted into the English football hall of fame on its 150th anniversary. Sheffield currently sit 10th in the Northern Premier League Division One South East, and crowdfunding plans to return to Olive Grove in Steel City are still ongoing.

The Steels were formed in 1986 from the merger between Stocksbridge Works FC, the works team of the local British Steel plant, and another local club, Oxley Sports FC. The team joined the Northern Counties East League Division 2, and were then placed in Division 1 after a league reorganisation in 1991. The following year Steels were promoted as champions to the Premier Division, but were denied promotion, having won the league, to the Northern Premier League in 1994 because of ground grading issues. Two years later, as runners up, the club gained admission to NPL Division 1.

After finishing in the top half for 5 seasons, relegation was only just avoided the following year and this saw the appointment of Wayne Biggins as manager. He oversaw the record 17-1 win over Oldham Town in the FA Cup Preliminary Round, with Paul Jackson scoring ten - still an FA Cup record. Biggins' departure saw a succession of managers before promotion via the play offs to the NPL Premier in 2009 was achieved - with Jamie Vardy leading the line. Five years of struggle ended with relegation in 2014, with mediocrity thereafter, and Steels currently lying 8th this season.

 

An early departure and limited road action but Navigation Road provides number plates YY0 5EXY (empty and parked - unfortunately) and WH11 NOT, and then the train leaves early but arrives late before I join fellow bleary eyed travellers on the Hope Valley Line - a shouty walking group and multiple piercings being my main recollections. On to Marple where there is a blue plaque in honour of Agatha Christie and Miss Marple, and then New Mills and the Torrs Millennium.

Thereafter Strines, Chinley, glorious Derbyshire countryside, murk at Edale, Hope, Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford, Dore & Totley, The Hardy Pick pub and then Steel City - needless to say the train is late but so is my Northern connection to Dronfield, whose station celebrates its 150th anniversary on 1st February 2020, complete with pit tub on rail track memorial.

Dronfield is home to Fat Sams, Killer Byte, Mucky Pups, Café Tiere, The Forge Boutique Shopping at Dronfield and the William Lea Ladle opposite 'The Home of Football' . Not forgetting the pubs of the Dronfield Arms (home of Hopjacker Brewery), craft beers at The Underdog, The White Swan but sadly The Bridge is a bridge too far....

That takes me to the Coach & Horses, the pub ten minutes from the station, next to the football ground and owned by The Club with Thornbridge ales on tap; I sample pints of Brother Rabbit and Shambles, whilst fellow supporters are entirely dismissive of 'Dry January' and 'Veguanary'..... 

£9 in, a decent crowd of 416, and inside reveals to my left The Barrett Steel Community Stand, an all seater affair behind the goal; that end also supports the clubhouse, club shop, bar, hot food and the changing rooms. On the right is a covered 3 step terrace leading to a massive pile of leaves and another cordoned off area. Opposite is a walkway, plastic sheeting highlighting 'The Home of Football' and behind which is the railway line and the busy A61.

 The teams are piped on, appropriately, by The Human League with a guard of honour for Club legend Matt Roney who recently made his 500th appearance for Sheffield FC. The Club are in red and black, Steels in yellow and blue.

Within 30 seconds Jonathan Hedge is palming over Steels' Scott Ruthven's rasping drive, and less than a minute later the Club win a corner from which an unmarked Rob Darkin heads in for 1-0.

Thereafter it's all Sheffield; Lee Cooksey's header at another corner causes pandemonium, Jacob Carney, in the away goal, just keeps out Marc Newsham's shot, debutant Sheldon Jordan goes close three times and Rieves Boocock wreaks havoc on the wing. At the other end Nenad Smiljanic volleys wide.

The second period sees The Club become a shambles, creating little, coughing up possession and sitting deeper and deeper; Steels' injury ravaged side sense they can get something out of this derby.

'Sir Jonathan' Hedge somehow manages to save from Ruthven, and then produces an extraordinary tip aside - the away supporters already celebrating an equaliser. But it's been coming and with 9 minutes left, a corner breaks for ' Ice Man' Danny Frost six yards out and he draws the sides level.

In the final minute of injury time the Club fashion one final chance but, disappointingly, Newsham's free header from close in drifts wide and it finishes 1-1. Needless to say the Northern experience going home is another shambles....

Take It As Red - Collieries Undermine League Leaders !!

Pontefract Collieries  DWLWWW 4th  v Workington AFC LWWWWW 1st

And so to a first, no second, trip to the Harratts Nissan Stadium in PonteCarlo aka Pontefract. The initial visit to watch Pontefract Collieries against 'The North', Trafford FC, came to a sorry and very wet end - a trip notable for atrocious weather, aggressive undertaking, an absence of rear car lights and numberplates 1VY, OO04 AAH and LO53RSS (!!). Arrival at three minutes to two, and bang on two o'clock, a home official knocks on my car window and informs me the game has just been called off due to standing water in the penalty boxes. When I tell him that I have travelled just under 70 miles to get there, his response is 'Soon be a hundred and forty then'.... Priceless !! Subsequent league matches against Prescot Cables ('The Pesky Bulls'), City of Liverpool ('The Purps') and Clitheroe have all been called off... leaving Colls having played four (yes 4 !!) home league games this season, and nothing since October 5th....

Pontefract is known to have had a football club as far back as the 1890s when a side competed in the West Yorkshire League as Pontefract Garrison. Then there was Pontefract Borough who reached the Yorkshire League in the late 1920s but folded during the 1929/30 season.

By 1935 a club called Tanshelf Gems managed to acquire a ground on Ackworth Road, and became Pontefract United. United ruled the roost in local football, but the appearance of a Pontefract Collieries side saw the latter gain slight bragging rights, with both playing in the West Yorkshire League.

In 1960 the old Collieries club became extinct, only for the name to return a couple of years later when United merged with a local youth side and adopted the 'Colls' name. The club gained in stature and success in the West Yorkshire League, joining the Yorkshire League in 1979.

Colls were founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982 and successive promotions took them into the top flight. Progress on the field was matched by improvements to the ground at Skinner Lane, more commonly referred to now as Beechnut Lane which is the access road near the Prince of Wales pit, with much of the work undertaken during the Miners' Strike.

Relegation in 1995 after a decade in the top tier was the prelude to several off field crises. Fires destroyed seats, parts of the stand and the tea bar, the closure of the adjacent Prince of Wales Colliery and the loss of the electricity supply were matched by a significant downturn in the team's performances.

Ponte only avoided relegation out of the NCEL first by seeking and gaining re-election and then being saved by the constant restructuring of the Pyramid non league system. Eventually a corner was turned, and after 15 seasons absence Colls finished Division 1 runners up in 2015 to return to the Premier League. As champions of the NCEL in 2018, Ponte moved up to the Northern Premier League Division One finishing runners up last term and losing the play off final 3-0 to Brighouse Town. Pontefract are in fourth place but with games in hand.

Football in Workington has a very long history. Close by and adjacent to Borough Park, home of Workington AFC, the folk game of "Uppies and Downies" is still an annual event. There are records about the game from 20 April 1775 in the Cumbrian Pacquet which is one of the earliest reports of a football match ever.

Association football was introduced to Workington in the 1860s and became more popular when a group of 1,500 steel workers migrated to the town from Dronfield. They were workers of the Charles Cammel and Co steel works that arrived in the town in 1884. 'Dronnies', as the people of Workington called the newcomers, formed Workington AFC in 1888.

The original Workington AFC was one of the founder members of the Cumberland  Association League in 1888 and played at Lonsdale Park. In 1894 they moved to the Cumberland Senior League, and in 1901 joined the Lancashire League. However, the league closed two seasons later, and they returned to the Cumberland Senior League. In 1904 the club was admitted to the Lancashire Combination, but in 1910-11 season they decided to economise and join the North Eastern League. However, after only one season, the club folded.

The new Workington AFC was born in 1921 and immediately joined the North Eastern League. During the 1933–34 season, the club managed its best ever FA Cup performance, reaching the 4th round, before losing to Preston North End. Later in the decade, the club moved to its present home, Borough Park. In 1951 the club was voted into the Football League, replacing New Brighton.

The first season in the Football League was a sign of things to come - rock bottom and only improving by one place the season after. But things improved - the club was managed by Bill Shankly, played the Busby Babes in the third round of the FA Cup a month before the Munich disaster, reached the League Cup quarter finals twice and was promoted to the Third Division in 1964.

However relegation in 1967 was the start of a lengthy decline; in 1974 and 1975 the team finished next to bottom, and in 1976 Workington propped up the league. This was replicated the season after, in a campaign with only four wins, and The Reds were voted out of the Football League, replaced by Wimbledon, being the penultimate team to fail to gain re-election (Southport were the last in the year after).

The club dropped into the Northern Premier League with further relegations to Division One in 1988 and the North West Counties in 1998. However the title was won the following season concluding with a final 14 game winning streak and Workington were promoted to the Conference North in 2005.

After two unsuccessful play offs the Reds were relegated back to the Northern Premier League in 2011 and last time out finished 21st out of 21, following North Ferriby's liquidation, and were demoted to Division One North West, but currently lead the division by five points.

Light traffic on New Year's Day, and no more ELCTRICAL. TOILETORIES. as the shop has been taken over by Parcel Post Services. A glorious day too showing off Saddleworh Moor and Scammonden in all their glory, the sun penetrating the shimmering mist.

Two numberplates today V4MPS and O ER1C, before I turn off the M62 into Pontefract, past the racecourse and the Prince of Wales Reclamation Site, the old pit now being transformed into a vast industrial and housing complex. I arrive early so a quick stroll into town reveals Site for Sore Eyes (designer eyewear), the Castle which is free but disappointingly closed - I circumnavigate it anyway - and the historic water pump in the Market Square.

PonteCarlo is also home to Haribo, the Pomfret Gallery, Mr Motivaper. the Liquorice Festival and a huge array of pubs including Beastfair Vaults and the Liquorice Bush.

The main car park comprises sheet mud and deep pit holes atop a training pitch, leading to a small access road also featuring mud and pot holes; I park on the last remaining concrete patch away from the ground, but the car tyres are still filthy afterwards, nonetheless.

Pontefract may not be that large a town but it still supports three train stations - Monkhill, Bagshelf and Tanshelf, the last of which is virtually next to the ground. Sadly none of thom are disgorging vast numbers of away fans, probably because they are already frequenting the pubs.

£8 in, a good crowd of 321 including at least a hundred Reds who have undertaken the near 300 mile round trip. Inside the main stand features undercover seats and alongside open seating, whilst opposite is a 'dangerous area' fenced off, backed by the railway (2 Drax freight trains during the game plus, unusually, a regular Northern Fail service !! ) The near end holds a covered one step terrace whilst afar is a walkway backed by woodland.

Ponte, with their 100% home record (OK only 4 games), and playing their first home league game in 88 days, are in blue and white, and the Reds, without talisman Gari Rowntree who retired on Boxing Day, strangely in change yellow and black - much to the chagrin of the travelling support who have, to a man, donned the red home shirt.

Within two minutes Colls have the lead. A corner is headed on by the impressive Jameel Ible to the unmarked Joe Lumsden who finishes scruffily low at the near post at the second attempt - Reds' keeper Jim Atkinson blocking his first shot.

Thereafter Workington dominate but without threatening the Pontefract goal, aside from a sliced shot from Connor Tinnion which hits the frame of the goal. The Reds' policy of playing out from defence backfires spectacularly, as, after one close escape, Ceiran Casson's ball back to Atkinson is horribly underhit and Cody Cromack intercepts and lays the ball off for Lumsden who accepts the late Christmas present and it's 2-0 at the break.

The second half begins with the sun disappearing, temperatures ticking down to 4C and a red smoke bomb from the away fans' terrace, and matters quickly become heated on the pitch with five bookings and three melees - plenty of (alcohol fuelled) vitriol amongst the crowd too. Four minutes in Reds' player manager Danny Grainger introduces himself to the fray.

It is a half where Workington lay siege to the Pontefract goal; Seb Malkowski saves superbly from Nathan Waterston and then incredibly tips Matty Clarke's piledriver round the post. There then follows a lengthy delay as objects are thrown on to the pitch and Malkowski, allegedly, is the subject of discriminatory abuse.

Finally, with 20 minutes to go, the dam is breached; Malkowski saves bravely from Dave Symington but the rebound is fired unerringly into the top corner by Scott Allison, and it's 2-1.

It seems only a matter of time before Workington draw level - Waterston hits the post, and there are near misses from Liam Brockbank, Allison and Waterston, but heroic defending (and timewasting !!) sees Colls prevail through five minutes of stoppage time. Workington stay top but their advantage is cut to two points, whilst Ponte remain fourth but only five points behind the Reds with four (home) games in hand.

Happy New Year, one and all☺

Pitmen Undermine Coalville - A Murder of Ravens !!

 Hednesford Town WLWDWL 3rd v Coalville Town DWWLWL 4th

And so to the PRG Stadium, otherwise known as Keys Park, and the FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round for an all Southern League Premier Central clash between Hednesford Town FC and Coalville Town FC.

Hednesford Town FC was established in 1880 as a merger of the Red & Whites (who were also known as West Hill) and Hill Top. Based at the Anglesey Hotel, they were sometimes known as Hednesford Anglesey. The club was a founder member of the Birmingham & District League in 1889 but left the league in 1891 and played only friendly matches before joining the Walsall & District Junior League in 1894.

In 1908 the Pitmen joined the Birmingham Combination, which they won in 1909–10. After World War I the club rejoined the Birmingham & District League, before withdrawing from the league during the 1937–38 season and folding. The newly reformed club reverted to the Birmingham & District League for the 1938–39 season.

After World War II Hednesford rejoined the Birmingham Combination. They won the league in 1950–51 and then returned to the Birmingham & District League, which became the West Midlands (Regional) League. In 1972 they joined the Midland League and in 1984 after finishing as runners-up, the club moved up to the Midland Division of the Southern League.

Promotion in the 1991/92 season to the Premier Division and reaching the final of the Welsh Cup (!), losing 1–0 to Cardiff City, followed. They won the Beazer Homes Premier Division in 1994/95, achieving promotion to the GM Vauxhall Football Conference at their new Keys Park home, finishing third in their first season. Notable FA Cup giantkillings of Blackpool, York City, Hull City and Barnet prefaced relegation in 2001 and then FA Trophy success in 2004, winning the competition with a 3–2 victory over Canvey Island at Villa Park. The following season play off success saw a return to the Conference North.

Hednesford finished bottom of the Conference North in 2006, resulting in an immediate relegation to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. Flitting between lateral transfers to and from Northern and Southern Premier Leagues and failed play off campaigns, the Pitmen finally won promotion back to the Conference North in 2013 but were again relegated in 2016 to the Northern Premier League, finishing 13th of 21 last season and then moving last summer back to the Southern League as part of the pyramid restructure.

The visitors, Coalville Town FC, are from the Mander Cruickshank Solicitors Stadium, aka the Owen Street Sports Ground, and were established as Ravenstone Miners Athletic in 1926. The Ravens were originally based in the village of Ravenstone, joining the Coalville & District League and undertaking a record journey of name changes. The club was renamed Ravenstone Swifts in 1947 and then back to Ravenstone Miners Athletic in 1951. They won the Division One title five times before, in 1958, the club was renamed Ravenstone FC. The Ravens then joined the Premier Division of the North Leicestershire League in 1974 going on to win the Premier Division in 1988–89 and 1989–90, and moved up to Division One of the Leicestershire Senior League in 1991.

In 1995 the club moved to nearby Coalville after being unable to upgrade their Ravenslea ground, and was renamed Coalville Football Club. In 1996–97 they finished second in Division One and were promoted to the Premier Division. The club adopted their current name in 1998 and, after winning the Premier Division in 2001–02 and 2002–03, were promoted to the Midland Alliance.  They were league runners-up in 2009–10, and the following season saw them reach the final of the FA Vase, losing 3–2 to Whitley Bay at Wembley, but that disappointment was tempered by winning the Midland Alliance, scoring 153 goals in the process and earning promotion to Division One South of the Northern Premier League.

After two unsuccessful play off campaigns, they defeated the now defunct Shaw Lane Aquaforce 3-1 in the final in 2016 to earn promotion, moving laterally in 2018 to the Premier Division of the Southern League Central, and finishing 6th last time around.

So past Altrincham Library and the Eudaemonium ,'The Living Book', aka Council Vanity Project, then Papa Chino and Barberian, Moonchild Tattoo and Holly's Folly to the M6. Not long before the first registration C T0 5OOT (chimney sweep - brilliant ☺), then a van shouting 'Live Life On The Veg' (greengrocer in case you need to ask !!) and 111 OAP (surely all pensioners get ill at some point !) and 3KED (out ?)....

En route, queues for 'Christmas at Dunham Massey' and its excellent light trail, then Smart Motorway, distracting bridge signs before hitting the A5, Watling Street, then the A460 and Cannock Chase before turning off on Hemlock Way. Keys Park is just beyond the Cross Keys roundabout, opposite a business park and adjacent to the new Cherry Blossom housing development, on Keys Park Road.

I refuse to pay the £2 car park fee (tightwad !!), stopping in another new estate five minutes away (I'm not alone !!), and then it's £11 in to a modernised PRG Stadium built for better things and times... The Main Stand houses the Chase Suite and Strikers Bar, and 710 seats; opposite is the covered Wimblebury Terrace. To my right is the covered Heath Hayes End terrace, with the opposing Hednesford End hosting 301 seats alongside a disabled dugout and the club shop. With an overall capacity of 6,039 today's attendance of 354 plus one dog reveals the true extent of the stadium with huge spaces on the terraces reflecting the sparsity of the crowd - most of whom are huddled in the Main Stand.

A sign as the players enter the field announces 'Grass grows in inches. Feet kill it. Please keep off the pitch.' Hednesford are in white and black, Coalville in change all yellow - the sides are led out by mascot Pitman Pete.

Coalville start the much better, hungrier (more Ravenous ?? !) with Kalern Thomas having a shot pushed away by Andy Wycherley who is injured in the process. Shortly after a one two between Luke Shaw and Tom McGlinchey sets Shaw free but he chooses, greedily, to shoot wide, instead of squaring to Grenadan international Kairo Mitchell who has an open goal to aim at.

Thereafter Mitchell has a shot bravely saved, full on, by Wycherley and McGlinchey fizzes one just over the bar. For the hosts Andre Brown brings a good save from Ravens' keeper Saul Deeney but it's the Ravens who are flying....

Then, a minute before half time, a break from the Pitmen, Brown is fouled, the referee plays a good advantage as he manages to lay off to Danny Glover, whose perfect cross to the far post is headed back across Deeney by unmarked Jack Hallahan into the opposite corner; Hednesford lead 1-0 at the interval.

In the swirling mist and teeming rain, the goal buoys the Pitmen and in truth Coalville hardly get going in the second period so after Deeney saves well from Brown it's no surprise that the home side extend their advantage. On the hour a free kick is played to Ben O'Hanlon and his deep cross is met by home skipper Ben Bailey whose header is again directed back across Deeney, nudging the inside of the far post before nestling in the net for 2-0.

The Pitmen then manage the game well, retaining possession and stymieing the Ravens' now impotent attack. Brown has an overhead kick wide as the game draws to its conclusion.

But then Coalville substitute Tim Berridge scores with three minutes to play, tucking smartly into the bottom right hand corner and, as the small enclave of away supporters (A murder of ravens? An unkindness of ravens? A congress of ravens? Or simply a horde of ravens? You take your pick !! ) begin to believe, it's game on.

A succession of corners, Wycherley flapping at one which is diverted just beyond the post, and then the Ravens' final chance: Berridge's fierce strike is deflected over by a magnificent block by Bailey and Hednesford go through to a first round home tie with Chester.

Lambs Do The Slaughter - Blues Murdered !!

 Tamworth 2nd DWLWLW v Leiston 22nd LLLDWW

So to the FA Trophy and the CR MOT Centre Community Stadium at The Lamb for an all Southern Premier Central clash between Tamworth and Leiston.

The town of Tamworth had been represented at football by Tamworth Castle F.C. until the club folded in 1933. This void was filled following a campaign started by a local businessman in the local newspaper setting in motion the formation of Tamworth FC. The club moved to its current ground, The Lamb, in 1934, starting in the Birmingham Combination before joining the West Midlands League in the 1950s - winning the league in 1963–64 and 1965–66.

1972 saw The Lambs promoted to the Southern League, but a period of falling attendances and financial difficulties followed. The club returned to the West Midlands League, and was taken over by a consortium of local businessmen in 1984. In 1987–88 Tamworth won the League and were promoted back to the Southern League.

Tamworth won the FA Vase in 1989, beating Sudbury Town 3-0 in a replay at London Road, Peterborough after a 1-1 draw at Wembley. Further success followed with the Southern League title in 2002, promotion to the Football Conference the following year but defeat 2-1 by Burscough in the FA Trophy final.

The club completed their highest profile signing of all time on 23 February 2006 of Paul Merson until the end of the season, but the arrangement lasted only two games and Merson retired on 9 March 2006. The Lambs finished in 21st position but relegation was avoided due to Canvey Island's resignation; it only deferred the inevitable and the club dropped to the Conference North at the end of the following season.

Two years later Tamworth secured the Conference North title and promotion back to the Conference Premier. An FA Cup giantkilling of Crewe Alexandra in 2010 was another highlight, but after five seasons in the top tier the Lambs fell into the Conference North in 2014. The club was then further relegated in 2018 to the newly formed Southern League Premier Central where they finished 12th last term.

Leiston FC was established in 1880 and was initially closely linked to the nearby Richard Garrett Engineering Works. In its early years the club was a member of the North Suffolk League and the Ipswich and District League.

 After reforming as Leiston Works Athletic at the end of World War One the club moved to Victory Road. Further periods were spent in both leagues plus the East Anglian League and Essex & Suffolk Border League, before they became something of a yo-yo club in the Ipswich League in the 1990s.

The Blues stepped up to Division One of the Eastern Counties League for the 2000/01 season, and won the Ridgeons Eastern Counties League Premier Division in 2011, earning promotion to Division One North of the Isthmian League. The following season they won Division One North, achieving back-to-back promotions and moving up to the Isthmian League Premier Division. Leiston FC was then laterally transferred to the Premier Central Division of the Southern League at the end of the 2017/18 season as part of the restructuring of the non-League pyramid, and finished 19th out of 22 last time. The Blues currently prop up the table this season after starting with two points from a possible 36, but then securing back to back victories.

So on a dank morning with heavy rain and a temperature of 6C it's past a van advertising Slime & Grime to the M6. A horrendous journey takes in a mudslide with two lanes closed just beyond Sandbach services, an accident, breakdown, Smart Motorway speed restrictions and bedraggled, distracting bridge signs and a dog running loose.

Ignoring billboards shouting 'Are You Pregnant ?' (Newbie and Me)  and taking in today's numberplates of L111STN, LO55 GUY (?) and V111ANY I eventually turn off at junction 12 for Watling Street, aka the A5. Then it's signs for Hednesford Hills Raceway, the Silly Sausage Café in Cannock, Norton Canes, Hammerwich and Brownhills Quarry.

I bypass Shenstone, and its wonderfully named football club Shenstone Pathfinder, and the submerged fields all around - the rain having caused severe travel problems and many postponements. Then it's off at Ventura Retail Park and thanks to the helpful signs for Tamworth FC I arrive at a flooded roundabout, below the viaduct for the West Coast Main Line, at Kettlebrook Road and The Lamb with ten minutes to spare. The trip has taken just over three hours...

The Lamb is named after a long gone pub, The Lamb Inn, and has a huge car park - but at £12 a ticket, and £2 extra to sit in the stand, I forego the £2 parking charge and leave the car in an adjacent side street.

Inside the near end has a raised covered terrace, with seven separate alcoves, and to the right is the tidy all seater main stand, straddling the halfway line. On the left is The Shed, a four step covered terrace, housing 'The Shed Choir' which is slightly muted today given the weather and a below par crowd of 385. Alongside this is the clubhouse, slightly set back, and snack bar. The far Castle End is open terracing and another catering outlet in the corner, with trees beyond; the grandstand is overlooked by the Snow Dome and the other two sides by residential housing.

The Lambs are in red with white and black trim, and the Blues, surprisingly (!) in all blue with a dash of white, with Tamworth attacking the Meadow Street end as the rain continues to pour down. Thankfully the pitch is 3G astroturf, otherwise the tie would surely have been called off.

It's a cagey start but Tyrell Waite, for the home side, has two early shots, one easily saved and the other deflected. Just as the Choir are getting restless on the half hour Waite plays in Rhys Hoenes, who dummies Blues' keeper Charlie Beckwith and scores with ease.

Hoenes has a spooned effort over the top but, with five minutes to the break, Waite surges forward, also dummies Beckwith and scuffs his shot. Covering defender Harry Knights manages to fall over and both he and the ball end up, farcically, in the net; 2-0 to Tamworth at the interval.

Into the second period and Waite and Hoenes waste glorious chances, so it's the 62nd minute before the Lambs make it 3-0 with Dan Creaney heading in Jordan Clement's corner. Waite then hits the bar and Hoenes hits a one on one straight at Beckwith.

For the visitors Mason Sinclair registers their first effort, directly at Tamworth glovesman Jas Singh in the 79th minute, prompting the middle enclave of 8 Blues supporters to start singing ' We only sing when we're ploughing'. Curiously a 9th supporter is stood on his own, in the rain and looking thoroughly disconsolate.

Hoenes hits the post a minute after, whilst sub Ben Stannard fires a free kick low under the wall for the Blues straight at Singh. Bilal Yafai's curling effort then draws a flying save out of Beckwith.

In the final minute substitute Dilano Reid's cross is met with a gorgeous volley from Creaney to ice the cake at 4-0 and the referee decides that's enough - 4-0 at the death, a dominant Lambs performance and a quarter to five finish (remember those days ??!! )  .....

An Afternoon At The Pics - Gold and Diamonds Sparkle !

 Rushall Olympic 4th WWLLLL v AFC Rushden & Diamonds 12th DDWLLL

And so to Dales Lane, Daw End in Walsall, and the Southern League Premier Central for a clash between Rushall Olympic and AFC Rushden & Diamonds.

Although football had been played in the village for at least 20 years previously, the earliest known reference to Rushall Olympic Football Club is in local newspaper reports on matches from the 1893–94 season. The club joined the Cannock & District League in 1895, before moving on to the Walsall & District League, with many players working at the local Aldridge pit. During the inter-war years the club disbanded.

In 1951, a group of local young men decided to reform the club. They approached the proprietor of a local fish and chip shop for permission to use his premises as their headquarters and secured the use of Rowley Place as a home ground. The club joined the Walsall & District Amateur League, and gained promotion to the Staffordshire County League.

After moving to Dales Lane the club was accepted into the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1978, and won the First Division title in 1980. The club enjoyed 14 seasons of moderate success in the Premier Division, with a highest finish of fifth place achieved in 1988–89. In 1994, the 'Pics' became a founder member of the new Midland Football Alliance.

Olympic gained promotion to the Southern League Division One West in 2005, and were then transferred to the Southern League Division One Midlands for the 2006/07 season, where they stayed for two years, qualifying for the play-offs in their last season by finishing fifth.

Due to the restructuring of the Northern Premier League, they were transferred again to the NPL Division One South for the 2008/09 season, when they once more finished fifth and qualified for the play-offs, but finally reached the Premier League in 2011 after a play off victory against Grantham Town. The club was moved laterally to the Southern Premier League Central this summer, where they currently lie fourth after four consecutive defeats.

The original Rushden & Diamonds was formed on 21 April 1992, as a merger of Irthlingborough Diamonds and Rushden Town. The club's early years were marked by success and the backing of Max Griggs, owner of Doc Martens. Within four seasons the club had reached the Conference, and within nine the club had become a member of  the Football League.

 

However, following their promotion to Division Two the Diamonds' fortunes took a turn for the worse. The club was relegated twice in three years, and suffered instability off the field. Seven different managers took charge of the team between March 2004 and May 2011, while the club itself was controlled by four different parties during the same period. Following a period of sustained financial difficulties during the 2010–11 season, the club was expelled from the Conference at the end of the campaign, and entered administration that July.

 

AFC Rushden & Diamonds was created during the summer of 2011 by Diamonds' fans as a phoenix club. After missing the FA league deadline for registering a senior side, AFC R&D formed a youth team to compete in the Northants Senior Youth League for the club's inaugural 2011–12 season, with the intention of fielding a senior side the following year. Initially they played at Kiln Park, home of Raunds Town.

The following season the senior team was registered to play in the United Counties Football League Division One, playing at the Dog and Duck, home of Wellingborough Town, and finished second to secure promotion to the Premier Division.

A third place finish was followed by the championship in 2015 and a move up to the Southern League Division One Central, and a first campaign that saw the Diamonds reach and then lose in the play offs. A lateral move to the Northern Premier League Division One South again ended with play off heartache.

Rushden were then transferred back to the Southern League and moved to groundshare with Rushden & Higham United, before finally gaining promotion to Step 3 in 2018 as runners up, finishing 9th last time and currently sitting in twelfth, and still smarting from an 8-2 home defeat by the Rouslers of Bromsgrove Sporting.

So a brief meander down the tow path, spotting Wing Ding, Still Friskey (sic) and, my favourite, Giggling Haddock, it's over to the M6 via Hair Atelier, The Starving Man (a curious name for a takeaway) and Papa Chino's. On the motorway a lorry parked on the nearest bridge with its skirt advertising 'M6 Jn 19 Pub on Roundabout', two trucks in convoy transporting lorry cabs and, as ever, today's numberplates: F1RER, F4VE X and ELA710N.

The PIES graffiti has been painted over but, in the Smart Motorway roadworks, there are are now distracting signs on the bridges - Hanchurch Interchange, Jacob's Ladder, Knowl Hall Farm et al... Off at Junction 10 through Walsall with its signs for the Leather Museum and Dorothy Pattison Hospital, past the African & Caribbean Community Association, and onto the Lichfield Road at the terrific red floral entrance to the Four Seasons Garden. Right at Daw End Road and Rushall Olympic is hidden opposite the Royal Oak.

£1 to park and my worst fears emanating from mishaps at gridlock at Abbey Hulton and trapped in mud at Eccleshall prove groundless. £10 in 'the cheapest price in this division' (allegedly) and it's in to 'Yam Yam Land' and a 'busy' stadium, in terms of structures, if not fans - today's crowd of 236 includes a healthy number of Diamonds followers.

The pitch is astroturf, with three sides of the ground surrounded by woodland; inside we have a short raised walkway, then a covered disabled viewing area, adjoining covered benches, two small grandstands in the corners, an elevated terraced area behind the goal and, on the opposite side, a media room, video and press tower and sponsors' lounge, behind which is a field of mud littered with football paraphernalia. Finally the near end supports Pics Pantry, the clubhouse, changing rooms and the club shop. There's also a whiteboard showing the teams' line ups outside the clubhouse - a nice touch ! Busy as I say !!

Pics are in traditional gold shirts and black shorts, Diamonds in their third strip of blue with red half diamonds. Their goalkeeper, Ben Heath, is in all pink and wears number 13 - the no 1 having been retired after the tragic suicide of former shotstopper Dale Roberts. The match is refereed by a Mr Pratt.

The sun breaches the overcast cloud cover and it's a bright start to the game too. The first 15 minutes see Rushall conjure up five chances - Eesa Sawyers has two shots off target, Ben Lund has an effort straight at Heath and the Diamonds' custodian makes two routine saves from Shaquille Leachman-Whittingham. Rushden are not without menace too, Jon Flatt tipping Morgan Roberts' cross shot round for a corner.

So it's a surprise we have to wait 19 minutes for the first goal and a further surprise that Diamonds score it. Matthew Slinn's corner is flicked on by Ben Farrell and the away team's burly captain Liam Dolman crashes home. This is the cue for more Pics' pressure. Alex Moore has a piledriver turned aside then shoots wide, Whittingham has two shots saved and one over the bar and the overworked Heath also prevents Sawyers with a tidy stop.

Eventually Rushall do fashion an equaliser, a minute from half time, with Reece Mitchell superbly whipping in a short corner and captain Sam Whittall heads into the bottom corner, and it's 1-1 after a breathless first period.

The second half doesn't quite live up to the first 45 minutes, but Diamonds have the first big opportunity four minutes in. Slinn's free kick is headed goalwards by Roberts and the Rushden fans are already celebrating before Flatt pulls off an astonishing world class save.

Jon Letford then has a goal dubiously ruled out for Olympic by Mr Pratt for kicking the ball out of Heath's hands, before shooting straight at the keeper. Whittall also has a goal chalked off for offside.

But the best chance falls to Diamonds with ten minutes to go. Roberts is left unmarked on the right wing on the half way line and is set free, his pace ensuring it's a one on one with Flatt and finishes by placing the ball wide and then hanging his head in shame. It finishes 1-1 - hardly a true reflection of the game.....

Gauling - Pikes Gutted !!

And so to North Yorkshire and another lengthy trip to watch the Northern Premier League Division One North West match between Pickering Town and Clitheroe.

Pickering Town FC, the hosts from Mill Lane with their slightly, er, ‘unusual’ badge (below), was formed in 1888, the same year the Football League was founded. The Pikes for many years competed in the local Scarborough and York Leagues, before stepping up to the Yorkshire League in 1972.

The club became founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982 when the Yorkshire and Midlands Central Leagues merged. The Pikes' best finish was as runners up in the Premier Division in 1992/93, losing out to Spennymoor United on goal difference.

1998/99 was a terrible season as, following a 1-11 walloping by Bedlington Terriers in the FA Cup, the Pikes were relegated. Promoted back in 2001 Pickering reached the FA Vase quarter finals in the 2005/06 season, losing out to eventual winners, the Dabbers of Nantwich Town.

In 2017/18 the Pikes finished as runners up again (to Pontefract Collieries) and moved up to the North West Counties Division One East, finishing 16th from 20 in their first season at this level, and then being moved to the renamed Division One North West. This season they currently lie bottom with four points from ten games - largely due to seven successive league defeats away from home and a crippling injury list.

And so to the visitors from Shawbridge, Clitheroe FC from the Ribble Valley. 

The Blues were formed in 1877 as Clitheroe Central at the Swan Hotel in Castle Street, initially playing in local leagues, before moving to the Lancashire Combination in 1903 and dropping Central from their name.

They became founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982, and soon after won 3rd, 2nd and 1st divisions in consecutive seasons. FA Vase finalists in the 1995/96 season, they won the 2003/04 championship to reach their current level at Step 4. Last season saw a hugely disappointing 18th position from 20, but this term they stand in 9th place.

Through the M60 and another escort vehicle for two RTH Lubbers lorries carrying massive electrical cable bobbins, numberplates SU5 8ABY, AD10S SU, CAG3E and, surprised this got through, K11LGB, to the M62 Summit shrouded in mist and that 'dilapidated' farm bisecting the motorway. Then the M1 and A1(M) before turning onto the A64 and John Smiths Brewery at Tadcaster, York racecourse, the Four Alls pub and flooded fields.

Then Kushtys Dessert Parlour at Flaxton and a turn onto the A169 by the Eden Camp Prisoner of War Museum, including a replica WWII fighter plane, at Malton before avoiding the villages of Espersykes, Kirby Misperton and Huttons Ambo and then arriving at Pickering Recreation Club on the outskirts of the town.

Past Piggies In The Middle, up Smiddy Gate with the St Peter & St Paul Church lording it over the town, then the Hares and Hedgerows Gallery, the Wonky Pitcher Cellar and onwards to the 13th century castle. After the Kirk Theatre and Primitive Methodist Chapel I reach the North Yorkshire Moors Railway with its fish belly rails and Black Five 5428 Eric Treacy on duty, and all ready for next week's 'Railway in Wartime' celebration - but at £31 return to Whitby I'm going to stick with the football !!

So back to Mill Lane and a three sided ground adjoining the cricket pitch; indeed the cricket scoreboard is actually in the interlocking fenced off football stadium.... £7 in, with a slightly disappointing crowd of 152 including a decent contingent from Clitheroe.

At the top end is the old covered all seater stand, strangely with red seats, and the newer grandstand, The Tony Dunning Stand 2010, is on the popular side by the touchline facing a pronounced dip in the pitch, whilst the near end hosts covered terracing in the corner leading to the clubhouse and changing rooms. Under an overcast sky, with the sun making intermittent appearances, The Pikes are in all blue with white trim, and Clitheroe (or according to the teamsheet Cleethorpes !!) play in a 'wine' strip - think burgundy or claret ☺

Within three minutes Craig Carney has breached a seriously malfunctioning home offside trap but Harrison Foulkes saves well; in response Sam Cable flashes a header wide for the Pikes. Clitheroe look the likelier but it's Pickering who take the lead on 20 minutes, with Jackson Jowett's tenacity, pace and then lay off to Cable who sidefoots hard into the net. Six minutes later Jowett's corner finds Matty Turnbull unmarked at the far post and he heads the ball into the roof of the net for 2-0.

The match is transformed four minutes before the break by a ridiculous decision from match referee Gary Fletcher-Tindall. Conor Gaul, for the Blues, stumbles in the box, and a penalty is given. Denny Ingram, the Pikes' manager, is vociferous in his condemnation of the decision 'Ref, that is f*cking sh*t - embarrassing' - the rest of us are incredulous. Gaul gets up, waits for Foulkes to commit himself, and rolls the ball into the opposite corner; shortly after Oliver Wood misses badly with a header for Clitheroe which would have tied things up at the interval.

Into the second period and Wood misses dreadfully from within the six yard box and shortly after is hooked. For the Pikes Cable tees up Jack Simpson with Connor King palming the ball away.

Then, with the Pikes' defence seemingly panicking every time the ball approaches their goal, Mr Fletcher-Tindall, who has spent much of the second half slavishly deciding where throw ins should be taken, decides to take centre stage again. Thirteen minutes to go, a three way aerial battle and the contentious decision is that Owen Watkinson, who has spent most of the afternoon flinging himself to the ground, has been fouled in the D outside the penalty box. Stupid Boy !! Gaul composes himself and then floats the ball over the wall into the top corner for parity at 2-2. 'Feed The Noodle And He Will Score' is the chant from the Clitheroe supporters....

Nothing contentious about the winner five minutes later. Blues' sub Terry Cummings jinks his way across the Pikes' back line and shoots low into the far corner beyond Foulkes and Clitheroe lead 3-2. That leads to a spiteful final few minutes littered with free kicks, injuries, yellow cards and melees but Clitheroe hang on and move up one place, whilst the Pikes remain bottom of the pool.

Reds Hot - Rams To The Slaughter !

And so a lengthy journey to West Cumbria and a first ever visit to Workington for the Northern Premier League Division One North West clash between Workington AFC and Ramsbottom United.

Football in Workington has a very long history. Close by and adjacent to Borough Park, home of Workington AFC, the folk game of "Uppies and Downies" is still an annual event. There are records about the game from 20 April 1775 in the Cumbrian Pacquet which is one of the earliest reports of a football match ever.

Association football was introduced to Workington in the 1860s and became more popular when a group of 1,500 steel workers migrated to the town from Dronfield. They were workers of the Charles Cammel and Co steel works that arrived in the town in 1884. 'Dronnies', as the people of Workington called the newcomers, formed Workington AFC in 1888.

The original Workington AFC was one of the founder members of the Cumberland  Association League in 1888 and played at Lonsdale Park. In 1894 they moved to the Cumberland Senior League, and in 1901 joined the Lancashire League. However, the league closed two seasons later, and they returned to the Cumberland Senior League. In 1904 the club was admitted to the Lancashire Combination, but in 1910-11 season they decided to economise and join the North Eastern League. However, after only one season, the club folded.

The new Workington AFC was born in 1921 and immediately joined the North Eastern League. During the 1933–34 season, the club managed its best ever FA Cup performance, reaching the 4th round, before losing to Preston North End. Later in the decade, the club moved to its present home, Borough Park. In 1951 the club was voted into the Football League, replacing New Brighton.

The first season in the Football League was a sign of things to come - rock bottom and only improving by one place the season after. But things improved - the club was managed by Bill Shankly, played the Busby Babes in the third round of the FA Cup a month before the Munich disaster, reached the League Cup quarter finals twice and was promoted to the Third Division in 1964.

However relegation in 1967 was the start of a lengthy decline; in 1974 and 1975 the team finished next to bottom, and in 1976 Workington propped up the league. This was replicated the season after, in a campaign with only four wins, and The Reds were voted out of the Football League, replaced by Wimbledon, being the penultimate team to fail to gain re-election (Southport were the last in the year after).

The club dropped into the Northern Premier League with further relegations to Division One in 1988 and the North West Counties in 1998. However the title was won the following season concluding with a final 14 game winning streak and Workington were promoted to the Conference North in 2005.

After two unsuccessful play offs the Reds were relegated back to the Northern Premier League in 2011 and last time out finished 21st out of 21, following North Ferriby's liquidation, and were demoted to Division One North West.

Rammy United were founded in 1966 and in true fairy tale fashion, one of its founders, Harry Williams had a stint as manager and is still now the chairman 53 years on. He has overseen the move from a parks pitch to a stadium named after him in 2010/11 (without his knowledge at the time). The ground adjoins Ramsbottom Cricket Club and the East Lancashire Railway, and has flooded badly several times when the adjacent River Irwell has burst its banks.

The Rams started out in the Bury Amateur League before moving to the Bolton Combination in 1969. They stayed there for 20 years until they transferred to the Manchester League. A successful application to join the North West Counties Football League followed in 1995.

Williams' bold appointment of joint managers, Bernard Morley and Antony Johnson (subsequently of Salford City fame) in 2009/10, at the ages of 26 and 25, raised eyebrows but paid off with promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One North in 2012 and after a dreadful start to the 2013/14 season, the Rams reached the play offs in fifth place on the last day of the season and then won both away games to be promoted to non-league's third tier for the first time.

United were relegated for the first time ever in 2016 but reached the FA Trophy 3rd Round Proper last season, beating Workington en route and holding eventual winners AFC Fylde to a 5-5 draw before losing the replay. The Rams finished fifth last term but lost out in the play offs semi final to Radcliffe who were ultimately promoted.

So on a miserable Saturday morning a brief walk on the tow path of the Bridgewater Canal and more narrowboats at rest - 'By Ecc', 'Pond Skater' and 'Molly Roger'. Then the M56 before joining the M6 and marvelling at some imbecilic driving - heavy rain, dreadful visibility so no lights but put them on when it all clears... Some odd numberplates too - S1T UP, S5 OWNR (yes an Audi and a driver clearly with more money than sense), L11RGY and, incredibly, DOD6Y - say no more....

Before Preston it's just possible to make out in an adjoining field a plastic giraffe stood atop a shipping container advertising South Planks - bizarre !! Then as I approach Lancaster the weather clears and the cathedral comes into view. Shap Summit and signs for Ullswater Steamers and an Alpaca Centre plus some stunning views of the Cumbrian countryside.

I bypass Keswick, travelling alongside the huge Bassenthwaite lake and, reluctantly, miss out on this weekend's Cockermouth Food Festival. Through Threlkeld and Scales, the landscape littered with wind turbines, the A66 takes me into Workington, past the Helena Thompson Museum.

Then the Washington Square shopping centre, Henry Bessemer Picture Theatre (Wetherspoons), the Woolly Mammoth (wool, knitting and baby items - the stress being on Mam), The Pink Banana (tattoos !!) and The Mad Scientist (cocktail bar - what else ?). This brings me to the railway station, a right turn and just round the corner is Borough Park; I park at Tesco across the road.

Borough Park has been well maintained from its League days, although capacity has been reduced to 3,101. £10 at the gate via the Black Path and inside steep banks of terracing, covered in the near corner, before I reach the main covered grandstand, behind which is the River Derwent. Across the way is the bar and a smaller covered stand, behind the dugouts, specifically for directors and sponsors; beyond is the A597, Tesco and Derwent Park, home of Workington Town RLFC.

The teams enter to the background of the Z Cars theme music, Workington, naturally, in all red and Rammy in change white shirts and purple shorts and socks. Glorious sunshine, in stark contrast to the earlier driving rain, and a moderate breeze, a female referee (who does very well) and a healthy crowd of 469 await, in Reds' manager Danny Grainger's words 'a six pointer': Workington are top, the Rams sixth seven points behind but with four games in hand.

It's an inauspicious start for the Rams as keeper Tom Stewart can't make his mind up to catch or punch and ends up fumbling and then handling outside the box. The free kick comes to naught but on 6 minutes Reds' Dave Symington races down the left flank and cuts the ball back to Scott Allison, drawing a decent save from Stewart, but the ball falls to Brad Carroll who can't miss and Workington lead 1-0.

It's one way traffic thereafter as the Reds play some gorgeous football; little surprise then that on 17 minutes Allison controls the ball, back heels and then curls it left footed into the bottom corner magnificently for 2-0. His 100th goal for the club and one to savour.

Chances come and go and there's a penalty shout before a through ball plays in Charlie Bowman and he finishes emphatically to make it 3-0 on 29 minutes. Ten minutes later Symington again sprints down the touchline and this time chooses to go it alone, ending with a drilled shot across Stewart to make it four.

Three minutes later Rammy make their only contribution to the half. Nic Evangelinos picks up a loose clearance and squares to Jamie Rother who gambles on the near post and the net ripples beyond Jim Atkinson to leave it 4-1 at the break.

A triple substitution by the Rams at the break as they change to a back three - their largely anonymous number nine Anointed Chukwu is one of those sacrificed. It matters little as the Reds continue to fashion chances, in particular Allison's wayward shot, and have a clearer penalty shout.

Evangelinos scuffs just wide in a rare Ramsbottom attack and they come even closer on 75 minutes from a corner with a Workington defender diverting the ball onto the goalframe and the follow up cleared off the line.

This seems to galvanise the Reds and three minutes afterwards sub Brad Hubbold somehow comes off best against three Rams, and plays in fellow sub Nathan Waterson who scores his first ever goal with aplomb.

Waterson and Allison contrive to spurn further gilt edged chances to leave it 5-1 as the referee blows her whistle for full time. 'Best I've seen them play in years' is one comment as the Workington faithful depart. Vintage Red(s) indeed......