Messages

16

The B-Ark / Re: FA Cup 3rd qualifying round - is it still a regionalised draw?

« on: September 19, 2021, 08:38:35 PM »

I always thought that it was regionalised but staggered so that in theory anyone could draw anyone else.
Start with, say, 32 balls of the most northerly clubs, then when you get down to 8, throw in the next 24 and so on.
The order that they come out of the draw always follows the same order in the early stages, starting with Morpeth v Ashington, heading down, and then going east to west along the south coast until you get to Truro City v Bridport.

Guernsey used to be counted as if it was based in Gatwick, so I suppose Jersey will be similar.

17

The B-Ark / Re: Chesterfield

« on: February 11, 2021, 09:28:45 PM »

That was four staff members who are either in category 4 or 6 on the priority list and 3 or 4 players that were handy to use the available vaccine up on as the training ground is beingused for vaccinations.
Thanks to the daily mail, the mirror, and a disgruntled prick of a former club secretary, it got blown up into all proportion. Staff at the surgeries involved who have been doing a great job of vaccinating have received hate mail / threats. There is a statement from one of them available that sets this out far more eloquently than I have here. However, well done daily mail. Just carry on peddling the racial hatred rather than pick on footballers, won't you. I take it that the players involved were mostly white, or no doubt that would have been highlighted......

18

The B-Ark / Re: Boston v Brackley tomorrow - OFF

« on: January 30, 2021, 08:36:44 AM »

During this lockdown the number of daily new cases has been happily reducing by 10,000 per week approximately.

At the start we had 50,000+ new cases every week, the peak being around the 60,000, mark. Then we had a week of 40,000, one of 30,000s, and last week was in the 20,000s.

The reductions will probably not continue quite so uniformly, but it's the case rate that is important for future planning not the other one that is more alarming but lags behind.

We haven't yet reached the rate at the peak before the second lockdown, but should arrive there next week.

It would be a lot safer to start up again in two weeks than it was at the time of cessation.

19

The B-Ark / Re: Home to Chesterfield - F A Trophy

« on: December 24, 2020, 10:48:58 PM »

Promotion, please.
The conference North is a pain in the ass when living practically on the beach on the south coast (now in tier 4).
Pleased with draw as I am sure Chesterfield aren't really interested in this competition and will field a weak side against us. I have always said that ANY step 1-2 (or even 3-4) side that wants to take this competition seriously has a really good chance of making the latter stages of this once great tourney. It is up to our club management to select whatever side they deem appropriate to field in non-National League (North) games but, if we too decide to field fringe players, then our chances of progressing and obtaining more prize money will be diminished!

 not sure whether I would prefer the club to go for a another try to get to Wembley or to win the League! though both would be nice.

20

The B-Ark / Re: Darlington result

« on: November 27, 2020, 07:14:54 PM »

You would assume they have at least monthly board meetings... so maybe within a couple of weeks/months/years, we'll find out.

It will depend on whether the decision is contested. By way of example, when I was doing the club secretary bit a few years back I had a call from the away team secretary to say they couldn't make the game as they only had 9 available players the rest being stuck on a motorway somewhere and couldn't get there. We were told that they would concede the three points. I was pissed off as we had all done a lot of work for the game, but OK, we'd accept that they couldn't turn up on that basis.

Months later, it after the league had launched an enquiry, they put in statements just lying about it. None of their players had actually turned up and we were ready to go. Yet they eventually ended up with the points without our having a chance to even see their statements.

F you shoreham Town.

I was secretary of a Boston Sunday league club in the early 70's.  I contacted the secretary of the another league club, to see if the match was still on due to heavy snow. I was assured it was. After much effort we made it to the village ground.  It was obvious due to virgin snow no one had even been there to prepare the pitch.  We waited 15 minutes then left.  I was surprised to find out, their secretary had contacted the league to say we were non arrivals.  It was our word against theirs.  I demanded to see referees report, but the club would have to pay £3 to appeal. So we decided to forfeit the game and was fined £1 for our troubles.  The village team won the league that year by a lot more points than they would have got off us.

Prices have gone up a bit since!
To be fair to the league, the chairman/Secretary person rang me up as he heard that I was p'd off about it and gave me a chance to explain why.
Nowadays, the players etc would all take photos on their phones to show they were at the ground and the state of it etc.
We had more issues with people wanting the Christmas games cancelled so that they could go out on the lash. Our star midfield player at the time had left West ham after a disagreement of that type. According to the rumours, he'd been told to come in for training on boxing day as a youth pkayer and his response was to say "f off, I'm going out on the p*ss". A real wasted talent that one. Occasionally he'd do things that you'd not see in the Premier league but 5 minutes later he'd turn into nigel ransom.

21

The B-Ark / Re: Gloucester City

« on: November 27, 2020, 07:00:23 PM »

Lost there inform striker, gone to Chesterfield along with their manager.

That's it though. He's not allowed to sign a ny more from them under the terms of his new contract.

22

The B-Ark / Re: Darlington result

« on: November 26, 2020, 09:32:30 PM »

You would assume they have at least monthly board meetings... so maybe within a couple of weeks/months/years, we'll find out.

It will depend on whether the decision is contested. By way of example, when I was doing the club secretary bit a few years back I had a call from the away team secretary to say they couldn't make the game as they only had 9 available players the rest being stuck on a motorway somewhere and couldn't get there. We were told that they would concede the three points. I was pissed off as we had all done a lot of work for the game, but OK, we'd accept that they couldn't turn up on that basis.

Months later, it after the league had launched an enquiry, they put in statements just lying about it. None of their players had actually turned up and we were ready to go. Yet they eventually ended up with the points without our having a chance to even see their statements.

F you shoreham Town.

23

The B-Ark / Re: Gloucester City

« on: November 26, 2020, 09:17:31 PM »

Can anyone explain to me how Gloucester ended up in National League NORTH when they are geographically situated in the SOUTH?

It's historically down to the isthmian league having one of the three promoted sides getting promoted for years yet not being as strong as the southern league or Northern Premier.
If you are old enough to remember, sides used to volunteer to get relegated to the isthmian as it was easiest to win - Yeovil being the obvious example.
Then they had two thirds of the clubs going into conference south when it was invented despite the same relative weakness. It will take years to work that out of the system - just as it will take years and has taken years to get the Northern league (which was step 4standard when it joined the pyramid at step 5) to level off. Look how often there has been a northern league team in the vase final. There ought to be an average of one every 6 or 7 years but in reality it seems two every three years.