Topics

46

The B-Ark / Spectacular goals

« on: April 30, 2016, 06:27:38 PM »

Kaine Felix last week, Grant Roberts today. Goals, if scored in the Premier League, would be being replayed time after time. But for those of us lucky enough to have seen both, which one did you enjoy most? I'd go for today's by Grant. Sat in the Tom Pendry Stand we had a fantastic view of it. We could have had ten today to be honest, Stalybridge must be wondering what hit them!!

47

The B-Ark / Stalybridge Celtic

« on: April 27, 2016, 10:51:22 PM »

Not sure on their team selection, but Stalybridge lost 3-1 tonight v Mossley in the Manchester County FA Cup Final played at Hyde Utd. One of Mossley's goals was from a penalty after a Celtic player had been sent off for handball.

48

The B-Ark / Snow Alert for AFC Fylde trip

« on: March 04, 2016, 07:59:17 AM »

Just something to factor into your journey for those coming up to AFC Fylde tomorrow.

I'm based between Bolton and Manchester (google says its 32 mins door-to-door from mine to Fylde's ground) and have woken up this morning to a blanket of snow.

Its has snowed all the way into work in central Manchester and is still snowing. The local weather forecast says it will be like this today and tomorrow.

Not withstanding any possible postponement, you might then want to add some extra time to your journey as - even if there's been none in Lincolnshire - I'm sure you'll meet the snow up on the Pennines along the M62. Maybe Ken can advise how it is in Leeds / West Yorkshire?

49

The B-Ark / Different team getting my support on Saturday!!

« on: January 28, 2016, 06:51:44 PM »

With not being able to get down to Cheltenham on Sunday, I'm staying local for my football fix this weekend and going along to see the team where I live (although there are other teams actually closer geographically to home). I'm off to the FA Cup match at the Macron Stadium, Bolton Wanderers v Leeds United. Apart from local loyalty, I'm trying to think of what the other reason is that I want so very much to see a Bolton win!!

50

The B-Ark / Edgeley Park, Stockport

« on: June 24, 2015, 12:41:46 PM »

Although I've added this to another topic I think it may be of sufficient interest to merit its own.
Stockport County's ground is currently owned by the same company that own Sales Sharks Rugby Union Club and, for a while they shared Edgeley Park. The Sharks now share with Salford Red Devils Rugby League Club (at the 'newish' A J Bell Stadium close by the Trafford Centre) - and now Stockport Council are looking at the possibility of buying Edgeley Park to help secure County's future.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/stockport-council-bid-buy-stockport-9506453

51

The B-Ark / Altrincham promoted

« on: May 10, 2014, 05:34:00 PM »

A last minute extra-time goal gives Altrincham a 2-1 win in the play-off final against Guiseley.

52

The B-Ark / Stockport County Trivia

« on: February 02, 2014, 04:12:35 PM »

Following last Tuesday's night match, I was talking to a Stockport County fan at work on Friday - and he was telling me about about a fans forum type of event he'd attended on the Wednesday night. A couple of his mates at the forum, incidentally, reckoned their draw at York Street was one of their three best results of the season to date, given our current home form. 

Anyhow, during the night, they had a quiz where these two bits of trivia came up :-

1. It is quite possible, of course, for a player to be on the subs bench for both the home and then the away game between two teams in any season - but how often does it happen that the same player is on the home subs bench for both games?? It happened this season between Stockport County and BUFC - Lewis King was on Stockport's bench on the opening day of the season and , of course, on BUFC's bench last Tuesday.

2. Four years ago almost to the day of County's visit to York Street, they were also playing an away league match at.......Southampton. Just four years later the clubs are now six levels apart.

Someone might know this - but when we were in the Unibond League were Hull City having their first spell in the Premiership? If so, we'd beat that statistic.

53

The B-Ark / Droylsden & another Football Attraction this Saturday

« on: August 16, 2012, 01:04:16 PM »

Further to my other thread re: National Football Museum, those coming up to Droylsden might also be interested in taking in the 'Barclays Premier League Trophy Tour' which is visiting Albert Square in Manchester City Centre this week (16 -19 August). I'm making a visit with some work colleagues later today.

Check the website for more details:-

barclayspremierleaguetrophytour.com

54

The B-Ark / Droylsden & National Football Museum this Saturday

« on: August 14, 2012, 10:21:01 PM »

On another thread others have talked about the National Football Museum and I’d certainly recommend a visit too. As I work in the centre of Manchester I have already made a few short lunchtime visits, as well as an extended one. As already reported it is free admission, but there is quite a nice little Visitor Guide available at £1 and the Football Plus + ticket which allows you to join in various activities (two examples being the Penalty Shoot-Out and the Match Of The Day Commentary Challenge). I’m really enjoying the museum and, on the extended visit, my wife came along (a Mancunian, but not really a footy fan) and she enjoyed it too. She spotted the Ilkeston v BUFC ticket stub before I did – and brought up Boston United on one of the interactive gadgets which has details of every club that has been a member of the Football League. Our section includes a picture of Bazza as the holder of the record number of appearances.

So if you're coming up to Droylsden on Saturday why not include a visit to the museum? The best way would be to drive to Droylsden, park your car and then take the bus into the city centre. From Droylsden’s ground to the bus stops on the main road is less than a 5 minute walk and buses are every 10 minutes. Look for the No. 216 service as this takes the most direct route and is just a 20 minute ride to Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre. The route passes through sportscity and the Ethihad Stadium. Ask for a DayRider ticket which is the cheapest option for the return journey – it costs £3-90.

On arrival at Piccadilly Gardens head for Market Street – look for and go between Primark and Debenhams and then keep going straight along Market Street passing, amongst others, HMV & Tesco Metro on your left and Aldi and the Man City Store on your right. Just after the Man City Store you’ll reach Marks & Spencer. Turn right here onto Corporation Street towards The Printworks (bars, restaurants & cinema complex) and the oddly shaped Urbis Building (the home of the museum) – you’ll pass the iconic Post Box that survived the 1996 IRA bomb, the Corn Exchange (shopping) and the big screen in Exchange Square on your left and then the Museum is directly infront of you. From leaving the bus to getting to the museum is only a walk of 10 minutes or so.

If you’ve not driven towards Newark recently be aware that there are roadworks which can result in long queues near Newark Golf Club and, if you’re planning to use the M62, also be aware there is a fairly long stretch of 50mph speed limit. I use this route and can normally drive from Kearsley (a few miles further on than Droylsden) to Boston in 2 hours 30 minutes, a week last Saturday though it was 2 hours 50 minutes. But, by leaving Boston around 8-00am, you could feasibly make a 2 hour visit to the museum – with Man City not playing at home on Saturday you can leave it as late as 2-00pm before getting a bus back from Manchester to Droylsden. If you’ve plenty of time on your hands you can grab something to eat and drink in The Printworks or there’s a handful of pubs just the other side of the Exchange Square big screen facing Selfridges. A 2-00pm bus will get you into the ground by around 2-30pm and so, if you’ve not had time to eat elsewhere, you'll have have time for a pie & pint before taking your position to, hopefully, see us reverse recent fortunes in Tameside and open the season with a win. See you there!!

55

The B-Ark / IS THERE A TAMESIDE / GREATER MANCHESTER CURSE?

« on: April 22, 2012, 07:13:36 PM »

It must be something about playing within the boundaries of Tameside Metropolitan Borough - three visits this season and three defeats at Droylsden, Stalybridge and Hyde.
Last season, although winning at Hyde, there were heavy defeats at Droylsden and Stalybridge with the 4-0 defeat at the Butchers Arms Ground bringing an end to that long run of clean sheets. Going back further there was a 3-0 defeat at Ashton United when we were in the Unibond Premier League but, thankfully, we did avoid defeat to a Unibond First Division club when leaving Curzon Ashton with a win in the Unibond League Cup.
Infact, visiting Greater Manchester as a whole hasn't been too productive in recent times, the 6-1 defeat at a wet Altrincham this season or, again back to the Unibond League days, that rather frustrating 0-0 draw with Leigh RMI played at Radcliffe Borough's ground at a time when RMI were getting some real drubbings. Things were only slightly better in the Football League era with visits to Bury producing some mixed results but defeat on most visits to Rochdale and a defeat at Stockport.
Then perhaps it might be me or my choice of transport. I was at all these games and travelled by bus / tram rather than drive the short distances.

56

The B-Ark / Droylsden

« on: March 24, 2012, 07:08:41 PM »

Been back home for about a hour and still can't believe we lost today. A pretty even first half and then we dominated the second until that breakaway goal. Another good game to watch though on a beautiful afternoon.

By the way, did those at the game today spot our nemesis from last season, Warren Peyton? He was the scorer of the 'wonder goal' in the first leg of the play-off semi at Guiseley and then scored the winning penalty in the penalty shoot-out at our place. He came on as sub for Droylsden today and tried his luck with another free kick. Our wall blocked it this time though - with Rossy taking the brunt of another well struck shot.

I see the attendance was shown as 315 - surely that must be their biggest of the season. They've had sub 200 gates for the last three or four home games and I suppose the 50 or so BUFC fans helped make a difference.

57

The B-Ark / 'Things can only get better' ???

« on: October 09, 2011, 12:28:56 PM »

Journeyed home from Alty yesterday on a combination of tram and bus. On the bus someone was listening to music through headphones that was so loud all the other passengers could hear it (very common on public transport up here around Manchester). Anyhow didn't know whether to laugh or cry when coming out of his ipod or whatever was that old song 'Things can only get better'. Let's hope so eh???

Just to agree with remarks on other posts that without Bazza's MOTM performance yesterday we might well have been looking at 10, 11 or even 12-1.

58

The B-Ark / NO DIGNITY

« on: October 04, 2011, 11:42:22 PM »

Well a very small consolation tonight was that I only had a 45 mile trip back home. I had told my wife before leaving home that if BUFC lost tonight it would be the biggest embarrassment since losing at Congleton (ironically just 7 miles up the road from Kidsgrove) in the FA Cup a dozen years or so ago - and so it proved!!
But what was as embarrasing as the result was the behaviour of our joint managers - seemingly having no dignity and acting like spoilt brats. Something learned from Shouty perhaps??
During the match Canners obviously felt the Kidgsrove bench wasn't getting replacement balls onto the pitch quickly enough when the one in play was hoofed out of the stadium (I use the word 'stadium' extremely loosely). So he took it upon himself to run over to the home bench and grab the spare balls and take them back to our bench. This resulted in the linesman going to retrieve them and the referee visiting the Boston bench to tell Canners to calm down.
Then at the end of the match Jason Lee was arguing with a BUFC fan near the corner flag having come all the way over from the halfway line. Voices were raised and, obviously having listened to the fan's point of view, Lee made some gesture, turned round and started walking back to the halfway line. But then he turned round again and came back towards the fan shouting something about meeting him outside after he (Lee) had changed!! All this after a few home fans had been chanting "You're getting sacked in the morning".
Really is this the sort of behaviour we want to see from the management of a club of our stature?
As I left the ground - which really did make our place look like Wembley - I couldn't help but think how low we've sunk!!
So to Altrincham on Saturday (only 16 miles away for me!!) and a game between two teams both knocked out of the Cup by lower league opposition - should be interesting!!

59

The B-Ark / Conference Premier Play-Off Final : AFC Wimbledon v Luton Town

« on: May 16, 2011, 10:24:08 PM »

With this being played down the road from me at the City Of Manchester Stadium on Saturday, I thought I might go along to take a look. Then I saw the ticket prices and thought again - best seats are £41 for what is still a NON-LEAGUE game!! So I'm now going to the Bolton Wanderers v Manchester City PREMIERSHIP game on Sunday instead for £6 less.