Blues' Seventh Heaven, Seven Yellows and Cavalier Defending.....

And so to the Rylands Recreation Club on Gorsey Lane in Orford, Warrington for a Manchester League Division Two game between Warrington Rylands 1906 Reserves and Cavaliers FC on Non League Day.

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 have mounted a sustained promotion bid this time round. 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, has seen the club's form stutter - however they still sit second, unbeaten away all season, but twelve points adrift of leaders Radcliffe.

The Reserves 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 have now resurfaced in 2023/24 in the Manchester League Division Two and currently lie 7th of 15.

Cavaliers FC, a new club from the Athletics Track at William Scholes Park in Gatley, had their first season in Division Two of the Manchester League in 2021/22 - and it was a turbulent journey. One win at home against Breightmet United (2-1; I was there !!), one draw against AFC Burnley and 24 defeats and a goal difference of -217 left them bottom. This included a 26-0 defeat at home to Avenue FC, where the club fielded a side lacking a goalkeeper (clearly !!) and only one defender (also obviously !!) which attracted national press coverage and prompted a plea for new players. It also produced sponsorship from SpecSavers and an offer of coaching from Jimmy Bullard...

Season two produced one victory, 3-2 away at Breightmet, which was later expunged with United resigning from the league. Goal difference was -148 and Cavaliers finished 12th of 12. 

This season more of the same - bottom, no points, 16 straight league defeats, a goal difference of -101, including 17-0 and 17-1 annihilations and most recently 14-0 and 15-0 shellackings at Baguley and Leigh Genesis. That said, last Saturday's home match against Macclesfield Reserves saw Cavaliers lead three times but heartbreakingly, and controversially (their goalkeeper, allegedly, virtually unconscious in the six yard area), lose 4-3 to what proved to be the last kick of the game.

Past a brothel masquerading as The Railway public house - licence revoked this week - then Altrincham Town Hall, Built Anno Dom 1900, Extended Anno Dom 1930, the Altrincham Charter paving slabs 1290-1990, the Altrincham Market Trader bust and the water colour artist Helen M.E. Allingham's blue plaque, sees me encounter numberplates HE10 WAG, O ER1C and E10 ELO. Beyond signs for the Lymm May Queen, Watch Hill Castle then the M56, the North Cheshire Motorway, and onwards to Thelwall Viaduct and Juniper Farm into Woolston, Paddington (yes really !!), a Warrington Male Voice Choir billboard and then finally Orford.

The Blues, naturally, are in blue, and Cavaliers are in change maroon, now sponsored by Kwik Fit. Just beyond the French Polishers, Rylands Recreation Club is adjacent to the first team's ground, The Hive Arena, with another football pitch and train lines to one side and a tatty, closed pavilion at the end of Arnold Clark Park, also home to Rylands Sharks ARLFC. A crowd of 19 assembles in a biting wind with spiteful rain and the match is underway at 1.58pm.

The first half sees Rylands miss numerous chances - a drive just past the post, a header over and a hideous one on one miss amongst others. Cavaliers have one opportunity, a free kick tipped over the bar before the Blues 'score' on 42 minutes, incorrectly ruled out for offside and we reach half time scoreless but with four bookings - one after a disgraceful gesture from Cavaliers' manager Ben Gage, brandishing an imaginary card; the referee, who has a poor game, indulges him and yellow cards the Rylands 'assailant'.

The second period is a different affair - the Blues have the wind and Cavaliers defend abjectly. Four minutes in Rylands lead with a low drive from the edge of the penalty box from Joel Eccleston.

That lead is doubled on 52 minutes as Ste Hughes takes advantage of a blocked shot to pot home. 43 seconds later Cavaliers lose possession from the kick off and Adam Lawton scores from distance to make it 3-0. It becomes 4 on 58 minutes as a blocked clearance leads to a break and Ethan Mercer takes advantage.

Cavaliers create two efforts, one a routine stop, the other a decent block after some atrocious home defending. The seventh yellow card of the game is shown soon after for simulation and the Blues go down to 10 from the resultant sin binning for dissent.

No matter as Rylands are awarded a penalty on 67 minutes. It's turned aside and there is an even better save from the follow up, but Mercer tucks away the second rebound, as Cavaliers stand and watch.

Hughes gets his second on 74 minutes with a scuffed finish and in the final moments Kyle Pendlebury makes it 7-0 from a rebound, the initial shot having been stopped.

---

Iron Work Seals A Share Of The Spoils.....

And so to March, Jack Brownsword Way and the Glanford Stadium, formerly The Sands Venue Stadium and now The Attis Arena, for a National League North encounter between Scunthorpe United FC and Chester FC.

Scunthorpe United FC was formed in 1899, and, after merging with local rivals North Lindsey United, becoming Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, turning professional in 1912 joining the Midland League. Crowned Midland League champions in the 1926/27 and 1938/39 seasons, the Iron, a nod to the local steelworks, was elected into the Football League in 1950, ahead of Workington and Wigan Athletic, after numerous failed attempts.

Promotion was secured as champions from Division Three North to the Second Division in 1958. After six seasons United was relegated back to the lowest tier and aside from sporadic one season promotion ventures to the Third Division in 1972, 1983 and 1999, stagnated in the basement division for 34 of 37 campaigns. The club moved from the central Old Show Ground, in the wake of the Bradford City fire - the ground too expensive to upgrade and sold to Safeway, then Sainsburys - to the new purpose built Glanford Park in 1988, and was famous in counting Ray Clemence, Kevin Keegan and Ian Botham as former players.

Brian Laws steered Scunthorpe out of the bottom division in 2004/05 and his successor Nigel Adkins led the club to the Division One title, and the Championship in 2006/07. But it was only for one season; however victory in the 2009 play offs, beating Millwall 3-2 at Wembley, saw the Iron back in the Championship. Relegations in 2011 and 2013 meant Scunny was again playing fourth tier football, and despite immediate promotion in 2013/14 after two unsuccessful play off bids United was relegated to Division Two in 2019.

Worse was to follow with back to back demotions in 2022 and 2023 to the National League, then the National League North. Amidst threats of entering administration, winding up petitions and ground disputes, owner Peter Swann sold up to David Hilton in January 2023. Eight months later Hilton's chequered criminal past and growing fan dissent saw the club sold to local businesswoman Michelle Harness.

Currently the Iron lie second, but 10 points adrift of leaders Tamworth and six points clear of Chester.

Chester FC was founded in 2010 following the liquidation of Chester City and was placed in the Northern Premier League Division One North, after a successful appeal against restarting in the North West Counties. Three successive promotions propelled the Seals to the Conference in 2013, but after a reprieve in their first season due to Hereford United's expulsion, relegation to the Conference North eventually followed in 2018, where they remain after play off defeats to Altrincham (3-2 away in Covid 2020) and Brackley (0-1 at home last season).

The original Chester FC was founded as an amalgamation of Chester Rovers and Old King's Scholars FC in August 1885. Playing at Faulkner Street the Blues moved briefly to The Old Showground and then Whipcord Lane before settling at Sealand Road in 1906 where they stayed until 1991. Then after two seasons at Macclesfield's Moss Rose ground, City returned home to the Deva Stadium on the Sealand Industrial Estate, which partially straddles the Welsh border.

The Seals entered the Combination five years from inception, and, after promotion to the Lancashire Combination in 1910 and three Cheshire League titles, joined the Football League at the start of the 1931/32 season, in place of Nelson FC. The club changed its name to Chester City FC in 1983. 

The Blues were predominantly fourth tier Football League members but occasionally played at the third level (1975-1982, 1986-1993 and 1994-1995), until 2000 when the club was relegated to the Football Conference under the chaotic ownership of American Terry Smith, who installed himself as manager and steered the Seals to four wins in four months.....

Under new owner Stephen Vaughan they returned to the Football League after winning the Conference title in 2004, but following relegation back to the Conference in 2009, the club courted controversy and hit financial difficulties. These financial problems led to the 2009/10 season starting with a 25 point deduction, after the Inland Revenue revoked a proposed CVA.

Amidst increasing disquiet among fans City Fans United was formed in October 2009, and a month later staged an on field protest about Chester City's ownership leading to the abandonment of a home game against Eastbourne Borough, which they were leading 3-2.... Chester City FC was eventually wound up on 10 March 2010, a day after applying to join the Welsh Premier League. Preparations to form a phoenix club had already begun.... leading to Chester FC, sitting 4th, briefly 3rd, this term after a remarkable change in form that has seen 48 points garnered from 26 games starting with the 3-2 win over the Turbines of Peterborough Sports, when they lay 17th.

 

Amidst driving rain I encounter numberplates B16 HOT, PR17ATE and JD O1L. Then a J Davidson Scrap Metals lorry emblazoned with Only Fools and Horses and plate DE18 OYZ, past Wow Chau Yow and a van advertising Tipsy Bar Events. Finally I'm on the tram at US Four, a workman drinking Canti Prosecco at eleven in the morning and next to the Kings Ransom, temporarily closed for refurbishment. Then Emirates Old Trafford, J Parker Bulb & Plant and Pomona Island, into Manchester and Knott Mill Station, Gong Cha and the Manchester Curve.

Via Piccadilly, it's beyond Longsight railway depot, a regenerated Stockport - soon to host Viaduct Park - and into Davenport, Hazel Grove and Chinley. Snow topped hills before a Freightliner between Edale and Hope, and the Hope Valley Line meanders through Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford and Dore & Totley, the latter in a state of disrepair.

Flooded fields greet me prior to The Sheaf Bank, Olive Grove depot and Sheffield, as we edge past the English Pewter Company and Sheffield Forgemasters before reaching Meadowhall. Next is the abandoned old Rotherham station, Millmoor and Swinton, Mexborough and Conisborough.

Frenchgate, snowploughs and GB Freight are on show at Doncaster, leading to Kirk Sandall and Hatfield & Stainforth. Heavy Yorkshire industry gives way to the Lincolnshire Fens and wind turbines as we bypass Crowle and Althorpe and its Wharf, with the South Soak Drain running alongside.

That brings me to Scunthorpe, home of The Honest Lawyer (really !!), the Wetherspoons offering that is the Blue Bell Inn, the North Lincolnshire Museum, Baitus Salaam Mosque and the old Circus Funtasia site. Past Scunthorpe General Hospital and then left at the Berkeley, named after the baronet Sir Berkeley Sheffield, and the Old Farmhouse Wacky Warehouse to the retail park incorporating Glanford Park.

Scunthorpe are in claret and blue, Chester change yellow with black trim - Scunny Bunny briefly in evidence. £15 in, reduced from £20 for Community Day, and the stadium is made up of 4 sponsored stands - the nearest the Britcon (North) terraced stand, flanked on the left by the Mortz Property Services (East) Stand and on the right by the Vertikal (West) Main Stand and opposite the AMS (South) Stand, the latter for away fans.

Kick off is pushed back 15 minutes in glorious sunshine, but with standing water on the touchlines; proceedings eventually get underway at 3.17, with flares emanating from the away end. This a consequence of huge queues outside the ground - Community Day and a concerted effort to break the highest ever Conference North attendance: it is successful with a crowd of 7,511 (1,142 away) which gains national headlines.

It's all Iron to begin with as on 6 minutes Liam McAlinden has a shot smuggled away by City keeper Wyll Stanway. Five minutes later Danny Whitehall directs his effort just beyond the post.

On 20 minutes United's Jacob Butterfield flashes wide, before the Seals start to impose themselves. Ben Tollitt has a free kick that evades everyone, narrowly missing the goal and on the half hour he drives forward, shapes to shoot across Iron keeper Ross Fitzsimons and then alters his body shape, wrongfooting Fitzsimons and scoring at the near post.

Scunthorpe can only manage a Whitehall attempt straight at Stanway. So Chester lead 1-0 at the break and the Iron, after a bright start, have faded and lost their way.

The second period begins in the same fashion as the first with the home side in the ascendancy. Kian Scales sees his shot parried away for a corner and Will Evans tries his luck too from range, but Stanway comfortably saves. Eventually the pressure tells and on the hour McAlinden, with a beautifully deft header from a Dion Sembie-Ferris cross, beyond Stanway, equalises for the Iron.

It lasts only four minutes: George Glendon bursting through for Chester and brought down by Tom Pugh's wild, last ditch tackle. Everyone stops, waiting for the penalty to be given - that is except Glendon who gets up and calmly strokes home to put the Seals 2-1 up.

Matters get worse for Scunny three minutes later. McAlinden is shown a red card for a dangerous challenge on Harrison Burke, and the Iron are down to ten. Then there is an extraordinary incident on 77 minutes. A fracas just outside the Chester box so nearly degenerates into a brawl and ends up with 6 players being booked - 4 Chester, 2 Scunthorpe - including both goalkeepers.....

With seven minutes to go Butterfield produces a sublime piece of skill and a wonderful finish into the bottom corner to draw matters level at 2-2. Cue flares from the home end and a pitch invasion.

Ten minutes of added time and the Iron go for the win. Sub Danny Elliott is close two minutes in, Whitehall has a penalty shout on 95 and then, in the 99th minute, Stanway makes a mess of a cross cum shot from Sembie-Ferris and the ball breaks to fellow sub Alfie Beestin and he thrashes against the bar.

A chaotic, breathless match finishes at 5.17 with honours even, both sides unchanged in league position. As for the trip home best not go there - although I do learn that Scunthorpe have only scored 4 equalisers all season, and 2 of them were today 😊

Bucks Briefly Fizz But Quakers Get Their Oats......

 And so to the 3,281 capacity Blackwell Meadows in Darlington for a Conference North clash between Darlington FC and Buxton FC.

The original Darlington FC was founded in 1883, after an outcry that there was no local football representation. The Quakers, a nod to the religious movement that had a significant influence on the town, played at Feethams and won the Durham Challenge Cup in 1885. The club badge is in the form of a shield, diagonally split to a white right upper showing a Quaker's hat, and a lower left red depicting George Stephenson's Locomotion No.1, the steam locomotive that hauled the first train on the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825.

Darlo was a founder member of the Northern League in 1889, and was admitted to the Third Division North in the Football League in 1921, via the North Eastern League. As champions in 1925 the Quakers were promoted to the Second Division, but it was short lived with relegation back following two years later.

Thereafter Darlington largely resided in the League's lowest tier, placed in Division Four after the League's reorganisation in 1958. Promotion in 1966 lasted a solitary season, and another promotion in 1985 barely fared better - two seasons of Division Three football this time before relegation...

Two years on Darlo was relegated to the Conference, but successive championships, under manager Brian Little, saw the Quakers move up to the third level in 1991. However they were immediately relegated to the redesignated Division Three.

Safe cracker, smuggler and tax cheat George Reynolds took over as chairman in 1999 and built his own vanity project - the £20m 25,000 capacity Reynolds Arena in 2003; Feethams was demolished in 2006 shortly after an arson attack and was eventually redeveloped. Unsuccessful attempts to sign Paul Gascoigne and Faustino Asprilla prefaced the club falling into administration six months later mainly due to the financial costs of running the Arena - Reynolds relinquished control soon after.

After going into administration once more in February 2009 League status was lost again in 2010. Despite winning a dreadful FA Trophy Final at Wembley in 2011 with a 120th minute strike from Chris Senior against Mansfield Town, the Quakers entered administration for the third time during the 2011/12 season. Relegation was confirmed later that term but worse was to follow as a Creditors' Voluntary Arrangement could not be agreed and Darlington FC was bankrupted and expelled from the Football Association, before being formally wound up.

A fan owned phoenix club Darlington 1883 was immediately set up and was placed in the Northern League Division One, playing at Bishop Auckland's Heritage Park for four seasons. Champions in their first season (2012/13) with 122 points and 145 goals, the Quakers saw further promotions in 2015 from the Northern Premier League North to the NPL Premier and then to the Conference North, now the National North, in the following year, 2016. Unable to compete in that season's play offs, having finished 5th, due to ground grading issues (a lack of seats - since upgraded with an additional 294 seats to avoid a recurrence) Darlo still remain in the National North.

In 2017 the FA approved the club's name change back to Darlington FC - the club had moved to share Blackwell Meadows with Darlington RFC in the town, with their first home game back on 26 December 2016 against FC Halifax Town resulting in a 3-2 win. Mid table subsequently, this season has been a struggle, languishing next to bottom, despite last weekend's 4-0 win at near neighbours South Shields, who had two players sent off - all the goals coming in the last 18 minutes. This was followed by a 2-0 away defeat at Boston; the Quakers have only two home league wins all season, and recently appointed their third manager this season in Steve Watson - Alun Armstrong and Josh Gowling having been sacked.

Buxton FC was established in the autumn of 1877 as an offshoot of the local cricket club. They originally played at The Park (still the cricket club ground), later moving to Cote Lane, London Road and Green Lane before settling at the (Tarmac) Silverlands Stadium in 1884. Silverlands was originally a field owned by Frank Drewry, the club's first captain, and remains the highest football ground in England, with main stand seats imported from the old Maine Road. The Bucks joined the Combination in 1891, finishing bottom in 1896 and withdrawing in 1899 when they switched to the Manchester League.

The Manchester League was disbanded in 1912; Buxton rejoined the re-established Manchester League in 1920. After winning the league in 1931/32 the Bucks transferred to the Cheshire County League, finally winning the title in 1972/73 which prompted promotion to the Northern Premier League.

They were demoted to Division One in 1997 and were relegated again the following season to the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League (?). Successive promotions in 2006 and 2007 saw Buxton back in the Northern Premier League, and, as champions, move up to the National League North at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. A creditable 11th last time, but their second season has proved more slightly more problematic - however they currently sit 13th after three successive league victories - 3-0 at the Nash (Curzon Ashton) and at home in the last week 3-1 versus the Puritans of Banbury United and 2-0 against the Tigers of Gloucester City.

Numberplates V15A SR, UR57 EPS (The Stair Shop) and V15 CSS feature en route, then past Chaos Karts, UA92 and Castlefield Viaduct into Manchester. Thereafter the Lower Turks Head, Mamucium and Victoria Tap - Torrside Brewing's I'm Spartacus on hand.

The train is diverted via Brighouse due to engineering works at Huddersfield and we pass Greengate Brewery in Middleton and then Malia and Arrow Mills. Amidst waterlogged fields, through Walsden, splitting from the Calder Valley line at Sowerby Bridge we reach Brighouse, and a hoarding in honour of William Booth's ministry work there - before he founded the Salvation Army.

Fellows Research Centre then Mirfield and Ravensthorpe brings me to Dewsbury and the former Machell & Bros building - Shoddy and Mungo manufacturers. Thereafter Leeds, Widdsigns, Versa Leeds Studios and #LoveOfLeeds. Power stations spewing out fumes follow me to York and the National Railway Museum, with a variety of preserved locomotives outside.

Kilburn White Horse leads up to Northallerton, then it's the Reynolds (now Darlington) Arena on my right - now home to Darlington Mowden Park RC - before I arrive in Darlo. The station has a very impressive, award winning clock tower and a piano on the platform for customers to play - a first !!

A whistle stop tour of Darlo takes in North Road, the home of Head of Steam Railway Museum. The town also hosts the Edwardian theatre The Darlington Hippodrome, the Hullabaloo, the Golden Cock, the Darlington Flyer, the Old English Gentleman, Jamia Mosque & Islamic Society, then Houndgate by the banks of the River Skerne and, next to the ground, The Tin Shed Sports Club, in honour of the North Terrace at Feethams. 

There is also a Joseph Peel statue, the Wandering Duck - which has wandered too far as it's closed - and some lovely architecture including Sloan's Billiard Room and Macy Brown's Cocktail Bar.

The town is also home to two Wetherspoons pubs - The Tanners Hall, once the location of Darlington's Skin Market, and The William Stead, former editor of the Northern Echo (the youngest editor in the country at age 22) and who died on the Titanic. The Northern Echo's and sister publication Darlington & Stockton Times' former site is across the road and opposite is the William Stead Memorial Stone by Darlington Library and Cluedini. Outside the town is David Mach's Brick Train Sculpture:

£15 in, the Quakers in white and black and the Bucks wearing all dark blue and white. Blackwell Meadows is just off the A167 and houses The West End notionally for the away support, very few today in a crowd of 1,224 and so little interest that there is no Away Supporters Coach. Rugby pitches are behind the West and South sides.

Opposite is the East Stand - nicknamed the Tin Shed in honour of its Feethams' forerunner, and strictly home fans only. There is also the North Side with a pavilion and clock and some seating. That leaves a strictly all ticket all seater South Stand across the way.

It's all Darlington as the Quakers start strongly. Cedric Main hits the side netting and Jarrett Rivers heads just wide in the first ten minutes. Then Ben Hedley has two shots straight at Buxton keeper Joe Young. And within 60 seconds of his second effort disaster strikes on 35 minutes....

Buxton have done very little and another aimless long ball is headed back to, and beyond, marooned home custodian Matty Young by Scott Barrow for an own goal. The Bucks briefly pep up and Jake Hull has a shot well saved with his follow up header tipped over the bar - Buxton lead 1-0 at the break 🙄 

The second period sees the Bucks content to play on the counter and protect their advantage. The Quakers, meanwhile, labour to create chances, their only one of note a Hayden Lindley shot blocked on the line by Max Hunt on 51 minutes.

That is until the introduction of home substitute Andrew Nelson midway through the half. Within three minutes he backflicks on a corner and Mitchell Curry equalises from a yard. Then with nine minutes left a clearance reaches Nelson on the edge of the box and he rifles the ball into the bottom corner; Darlo lead 2-1.

Despite the introduction of Buxton talisman Diego de Girolamo, the Quakers are untroubled and take the three points  - but remain next to bottom.

Such A Shayme - Fax Fail To Call The Shots....

And so to the start of February, amidst drizzle then sun and an icy wind, and the Shay Stadium and a National League Premier encounter between FC Halifax Town and Aldershot Town FC.

FC Halifax Town was established in 2008, replacing the old Halifax Town AFC which went into administration in the 2007/08 season, owing over £800,000 to HMRC and reputedly £2m in the red.

The Shaymen were initially placed in the Northern Premier League Division One North, and, after a season of bedding in, achieved back to back promotions to reach the Conference North in 2011, spearheaded by the goals of a young Jamie Vardy. Despite play off heartache the following season, defeated by The Holy Blues of Gainsborough Trinity, Fax went up the following year to the Conference National via the play offs after beating Guiseley in the final.

Halifax won the FA Trophy in 2016, beating Grimsby Town 1-0 at Wembley, but saw relegation back to the Conference North in the process. Immediately promoted back, the Shaymen returned to non league's top tier the season after as champions 🏆. 

Since then there has been a play off flirtation in 2021/22 - beaten by Chesterfield - and another FA Trophy success last term, defeating Gateshead 1-0. This campaign sees the Shaymen sit 10th in the Conference Premier after a disappointing recent run - but knocked out of the Trophy by Altrincham at the first time of asking on penalties 😳

And so to the start of February, amidst drizzle then sun and an icy wind, and the Shay Stadium and a National League Premier encounter between FC Halifax Town and Aldershot Town FC.

FC Halifax Town was established in 2008, replacing the old Halifax Town AFC which went into administration in the 2007/08 season, owing over £800,000 to HMRC and reputedly £2m in the red.

The Shaymen were initially placed in the Northern Premier League Division One North, and, after a season of bedding in, achieved back to back promotions to reach the Conference North in 2011, spearheaded by the goals of a young Jamie Vardy. Despite play off heartache the following season, defeated by The Holy Blues of Gainsborough Trinity, Fax went up the following year to the Conference National via the play offs after beating Guiseley in the final.

Halifax won the FA Trophy in 2016, beating Grimsby Town 1-0 at Wembley, but saw relegation back to the Conference North in the process. Immediately promoted back, the Shaymen returned to non league's top tier the season after as champions 🏆. 

Since then there has been a play off flirtation in 2021/22 - beaten by Chesterfield - and another FA Trophy success last term, defeating Gateshead 1-0. This campaign sees the Shaymen sit 10th in the Conference Premier after a disappointing recent run - but knocked out of the Trophy by Altrincham at the first time of asking on penalties 😳

The original Shaymen, Halifax Town AFC, was formed on 24 May 1911 at the Saddle Hotel, and commenced playing in the Yorkshire Combination and the Midland League. The club was a founder member of the Football League Division Three North in 1921, where they stayed until 1958 when the league was restructured and Town joined the new Third Division.

Relegation to Division 4 in 1963 was followed by promotion back in 1968/69 and then a further demotion in 1976. Their most famous victory was against Manchester City in the FA Cup - a 1-0 win in 1980 on a mudbath, and credit being taken by a barmy hypnotist called Romark - real name Ronald Markham - for his work with the players 😆 However the Shaymen lost their League status in 1993, but won the Conference title in 1997/98; it was a short lived stay as Town went back to the Conference in 2002, having finished bottom of the League.

In 2008 the club was placed into administration but failed to get a Company Voluntary Arrangement and was wound up in May 2008.

Aldershot Town FC is another phoenix club - the Shots, playing at the Recreation Ground ('The Rec'), were established in the spring of 1992, taking over from the debt ridden Fourth Division wound up Aldershot FC.

Initially placed in the Isthmian Third Division, Town won the league in their debut season and then were crowned as Division Two champions the following year. Shots won the First Division in 1997/98 and then the Premier in 2003 to gain a place in the Conference.

There they remained for five seasons before ascending, as champions, to the Football League at the end of the 2007/08 campaign. In perfect symmetry five years in led to Aldershot being relegated back to the Conference and entering administration in May 2013 with debts of £1m.

August 2013 saw the club taken over by a consortium led by former chairman Shahid Azeem. The play offs were reached in 2017 and 2018 but the Shots were 'relegated' in 2019 in 21st position - reprieved as Gateshead were forcibly demoted due to financial shenanigans. The last two seasons have seen Town scrape to survival but this time they look comfortable in 7th after a last gasp 3-3 equaliser on Tuesday at Wealdstone; however they suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat at the hands of Conference North bottom placed Bishop's Stortford in the FA Trophy - this in stark contrast to FA Cup giantkillings at Swindon (7-4) and Stockport County (1-0).

The original Shots, Aldershot FC, was established in 1926 when local sports journalist Jack White persuaded council officials that the garrison town needed a professional football club. Aldershot joined the Southern League and was crowned as champions in 1929/30.

The Shots were elected to the Football League Division Three South in 1932, replacing Thames, and had to seek re-election in 1937. 1958 saw Aldershot become a founder member of the new Fourth Division - and another re-election vote was successful at the end of that season.

Promoted in 1972/73 and relegated in 1976, the Shots became the first ever winners of the Football League play offs, beating Wolves 3-0 on aggregate, for promotion to Division Three in 1987. Their stay lasted only two years however, relegated to the bottom tier again.

Amidst a growing financial crisis the club was wound up in the High Court on 31 July 1990, but this was lifted on 7 August as property developer Spencer Trethewy paid £200,000 to save the club. But it soon emerged that Trethewy had insufficient financial wherewithal to keep the club running, and he was dismissed from the board on 1 November 1990.

Trethewy was subsequently convicted of fraud in 1994, sentenced to a 2 year prison term. He then changed his name by deed poll to Spencer Day and is currently manager of Farnborough FC.

The financial problems continued to beset Aldershot and they became the first club to resign from the Football League in over 30 years on 25 March 1992. Their last game was a 2-0 defeat against Cardiff City at Ninian Park, and the club's results were expunged for that season. Cue the phoenix and Aldershot Town FC...

Numberplates BA66ERS and J1NXX feature as the tram takes me into Manchester past the Taylor Swift mannequin, the Portico Library AD 1806 and the Blue Whale Asian Supermarket. Then Insomnia Cookies, Hanging Ditch and the new Victoria Tap at a station still advertising trips to Scotland, Ireland, Belgium and, er, Goole...

Beyond Newton Heath Traincare Centre, Arrow Mill just outside Rochdale leads to Kindness in the hillside at Todmorden and the Lamp Room and dominoes at Hebden Bridge. Then Halifax, 'Calderdale Culturedale', and Eureka - the National Children's Museum, the Quality Street factory and the Halifax Flour Society 1879.

In the compact town centre are the Square Chapel Arts Centre, Calderdale Industrial Museum, Escaporium, the Piece Hall, a cloth hall since 1779, and the Town Hall where 'Man Prospecteth'. Then Halifax Minster, Inn-Cognito and The Three Pigeons pub with its 1930s Art Deco interior.

To The Shay, the all covered home of FC Halifax Town and Halifax Panthers RLFC, with a capacity of 14,081, 5,830 standing - the ground is bounded by Shay Syke for the Main (East) Stand which houses segregated seating and Hunger Hill with a closed North Terrace - just ten flags on the bare steps today. The Skircoat (West) Stand, missing a few seats is also closed - the A629 Huddersfield Road above it, but the South Terrace is open. £21 in and a crowd of 1,928 - 192 away.

The Shaymen are in predominantly dark blue with light blue and white on their sleeves, and the Shots are in change white and pale blue stripes with black shorts. 

The Shaymen start strongly with Adan George stabbing wide inside the first 120 seconds, but the Shots respond and Lorent Tolaj heads over on 9 minutes when he should have done better. Fax's Jamie Cooke has a shot blocked then Tolaj scuffs wide and has another effort well saved by Sam Johnson.

On 26 minutes the deadlock is broken - an unconvincing punch by Shots' Dutch keeper Jordi Van Stappershoef lands at the feet of Max Wright and his 25 yard sumptuous effort into the top right corner puts Halifax ahead.

There is almost an immediate response - Jack Barham, after a jinking run a minute later, is denied by a smart save from Johnson. George nearly doubles the lead but shoots over the bar after his initial effort is parried. The Shaymen lead 1-0 at the break.

The second half sees an immediate response from Aldershot as Tolaj sweeps home from a Ryan Glover cross three minutes in. Thereafter Cooke has an effort saved, Barham is just wide for the Shots and Halifax's Belize international Angelo Cappello's daring shot narrowly misses.

But on 69 minutes Aldershot substitute Kwame Thomas arrives late at the back post to volley home decisively, and the Shots lead. It's very nearly 3-1 as Barham has a good strike beaten away by Johnson. 

Aside from sub Jack Jenkins' mazy run, with four minutes to go, culminating in a smart save from Van Stappershoef and Luke Summerfield's 95th minute free kick which shaves the post, Aldershot comfortably hang on. Indeed Thomas should have put the game to bed, breaking from his own half, dancing past Johnson, but a heavy touch allows the shotstopper to recover and scramble the ball away.

A Tale of Two Cities - InSpired Minstermen Jump Through Hoops !!

And so to an autumnal and cold November Tuesday evening and the LNER York Community Stadium for a National League encounter between York City and Oxford City.

The Minstermen, originally nicknamed the Robins, were founded with the formation of the York City Association Football and Athletic Club Limited in May 1922, initially playing at Fulfordgate, and subsequently was admitted to the Midland League. York played in the Midland League for seven seasons, achieving a highest finish of sixth before making its first serious attempt, in vain, for election to the Football League in May 1927. 

However, the club was successful two years later, elected to the Football League in June 1929, replacing Ashington in the Third Division North and winning their first League match 2-0 against Wigan Borough. City moved to Bootham Crescent in 1932 where they remained for 88 years, then moving to the much awaited and much delayed Community Stadium in January 2021.

The club was forced to apply for re-election for the first time, successfully, after finishing bottom of the Third Division North in 1949-50. After a 13th place finish in 1957-1958, York became a founder member of the new Fourth Division, with clubs finishing in the top half of the North and South sections forming the new Third Division.

York just missed out on the runners-up spot in 1958-59 on goal average, but they achieved promotion for the first time in third place - with relegation following the season after. Thereafter a series of applications for re-election (1964, 1967, 1968 and 1969) was interrupted by promotion in 1964-65 - for one season only before relegation inevitably followed.

York's record of earning promotion every six years was maintained in 1970-71 with a fourth-place finish in the Fourth Division. After surviving demotion twice on goal average, the Minstermen hit form in 1973-74, ascending to the Second Division - but only for two campaigns. City dropped further still, relegated in 1976-77, and was forced to apply for re-election yet again in 1978 and 1981.

York won the Fourth Division championship with 101 points in 1983-84, becoming the first Football League team to achieve a three-figure points total in a season. 

Then in January 1985, City recorded a 1–0 home victory over First Division Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup, courtesy of an 89th-minute penalty scored by Keith Houchen. The following month City proceeded to draw 1–1 at home with European Cup holders Liverpool, but lost 7–0 in the replay at Anfield.

After relegation in 1988 York ended a five-year spell in the Third Division by gaining promotion to the Second Division via the play offs, beating Crewe Alexandra on penalties at Wembley. The Minstermen reached the Second Division play offs at their first attempt, but lost 1-0 on aggregate to Stockport County. Memorable League Cup victories over Manchester United and Everton followed in the ensuing seasons, but City received more media coverage from the death of player David Longhurst from a cardiac arrest on the pitch on 8 September 1990 against Lincoln City - a stand at Bootham Crescent was later named in his memory.

City suffered relegation in 1999 and during December 2001, long-serving chairman Douglas Craig put the club and its Bootham Crescent ground up for sale for £4.5 million, announcing that the club would resign from the Football League if a buyer was not found. Motor racing driver John Batchelor took over the club in March 2002, allegedly diverted almost all of a £400,000 sponsorship deal from Persimmon to his racing team, and by December York City FC was in administration. 

The newly formed Supporters' Trust bought the club in March 2003 after their initial offer of £100,000 as payment for £160,000 owed in tax was accepted by HMRC. But after failing to win any of their final 20 league fixtures in 2003-04 York finished bottom of the Third Division, and was relegated to the Football Conference after 75 years of Football League membership.

Flirting with the extremes of further relegation and the play offs, City reached the FA Trophy Final in 2009, losing 2-0 to Stevenage Borough at Wembley. But Trophy success followed three years later, beating Newport County 2-0, and, a week after, the Minstermen earned promotion back to the Football League and League Two, beating Luton Town 2-1 in the 2012 Conference Premier play off final, again at Wembley, after an eight-year absence.

They made the League Two play-offs the following season, beaten by Fleetwood Town. However City was relegated to the National League four years after returning to the Football League, with a bottom place finish in League Two in 2015-2016. The Minstermen were further demoted to National League North for the first time ever in 2016-17, but they ended the season with a 3–2 win over Macclesfield Town at Wembley in the 2017 Trophy Final.

The club was promoted back to the National League at the end of the 2021-22 season via the play-offs, with a 2–0 victory over Boston United in the final. The Supporters' Trust purchased JM Packaging's 75% share of the club in July 2022 to regain its 100% shareholding, before transferring 51% of those shares to businessman Glen Henderson, who took over as club chairman. 19th last time, the Minstermen have reached the FA Cup Second Round, facing Wigan Athletic next Friday, and currently sit in the final relegation slot at 21st after Saturday's 'flat' 3-1 home defeat to Hartlepool.

Oxford City FC, the Hoops, based in Marsh Lane, Marston in Oxford played their first recorded match on 15 March 1884. 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 lowest point 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. 

They returned to the Isthmian League in 1993 coinciding 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 1999-2000, 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, this time 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 relegation 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. 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 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 historic date that Oxford City was promoted to the National League - 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. They currently lie one place above the Minstermen with 20 points from 20 games, after Saturday's 4-0 away win at Ebbsfleet - their first away victory this season.

En route numberplates LE60 MAD, YSV 365 - a discount shop - and TII DUN feature along with vans advertising Slates and Ladders and Stagefreight. I reach mist enshrouded skyscrapers aka Manchester city centre, Franco Manca, Fundamentum bar and the Blind Veterans statue at Piccadilly. Onwards to Staly Vegas, the river a torrent at Marsden and then The Head of Steam at Huddersfield.

Thereafter the old Machell Bros building, a Shoddy and Mungo manufacturer in Dewsbury, and Mount Pleasant at Batley. Afterwards LoveofLeeds, Neville Hill train depot, severely flooded fields at Ulleskelf and into York.

I'm up at Monks Cross so the trip back into York takes in Heworth, Herosmans Cottage, Brigadier Gerard and a wall mural stating 'Nightly Bile Beans Keep You Healthy, Bright Eyed and Slim'. Onto Monkgate, Little Green Rascals then the Minster and its Constantine The Great statue, bypassing The Three Legged Mare and The Fat Badger.

York City Walls are in three separate parts - I join at Lendal Tower taking in the Roman fortress gateway, the Star Inn (I also encounter Ye Olde Starre Inn on my travels) and to Bootham Bar Postern Tower and back. Then the War Monument 'Their Name Liveth For Evermore' and the Cholera Burial Ground, Old Baile, Baile Hill, Cliffords Tower and the National Railway Museum - featuring a Deltic, Rocket, George Stephenson bust, Mallard, HST and Shinkansen  - the Japanese Bullet Train.

Then the final part by the Castle, joining at Fishergate Tower through the Gatehouse to the Red Tower. I also take in the Shambles Markets, Jorvik Centre, York Dungeon, Guy Fawkes Inn and The Perky Peacock - plus the controversial anti-terror barriers....

The 8,500 capacity ground, with a mix of coloured seating, forms part of the Monks Cross Shopping Park - the all seater stadium supports York City FC, York City Knights RLFC and a Sports Leisure Complex. The LNER Azuma Main East Stand bestrides the Retail Park, the South Stand sits in front of a cinema, the West Stand is flanked by undeveloped fields, and the North (unused tonight) sees an industrial estate behind including a big Kia outlet.

York are in red and blue, whilst Oxford play in their famous blue and white hoops. It's £22 for the main stand (and everywhere else) with a crowd of 3,678 - 58 away supporters.

After Saturday's chastening defeat York start on the front foot and should have taken the lead on 96 seconds after good work from captain Ryan Fallowfield tees up Scott Burgess in acres of spaces but he shoots wildly over. No matter as on 6 minutes Tyler Cordner strides forward and hits a screamer in off the post from 30 yards - not bad for a centre back ! - and the Minstermen lead. 

The advantage is doubled on 18 minutes; more good work from Fallowfield and Maz Kouhyar on the right sees the ball crossed for Will Davies to prod past Jack Bycroft. Further chances for Burgess, closer this time, and Dipo Akinyemi come to naught, whilst the Hoops only create one opportunity from Zac McEachran approaching half time.

A comfortable second period is only enlivened when the frustrating Akinyemi, who has two clear openings but elects not to shoot, is injured and substituted. His replacement is the dropped Lenell John-Lewis - 'His Name Is A Shop' - and he proceeds to conjure an overhead effort just wide. Then a near post flick is smothered away by Bycroft and a third shot across goal fails to hit the target.

The Hoops have plenty of possession but little imagination or penetration and it is in the 94th, and final, minute that substitute Claudio Ofosu forces a meaningful George Sykes-Kenworthy save. 

So the Minstermen ease to a 2-0 victory, moving to 19th, whilst the Hoops sink into the relegation zone.