Messages

31

The B-Ark / Re: Player Statistics

« on: August 27, 2020, 07:11:12 AM »

Potentially one other case of players of the same name getting amalgamated together... we've had three Paul Wilson's in the relatively recent past (a striker from Frickley, a left back from Aylesbury (I think) and then a central midfielder on loan from Barnet, but I can only see two listed in the dataset. I suspect the left back and midfielder have got bracketed together as they were only a season or so apart.

Check the Richard Dawson entries as well, I think there were two different players there with the same name as well.

Other than that, this looks really good and far better than anything available for most clubs at our level.

32

The B-Ark / Re: Next signing.....

« on: August 25, 2020, 08:53:03 PM »

Glad to see we've signed a right back with plenty of experience. https://www.bostonunited.co.uk/news/tootle-pens-united-contract-2561267.html

Does anyone know what's happening with Dominic Knowles? He doesn't appear on the squad page, and I don't recall seeing anything about him.

Think Knowles is off.

Think I'm right in saying he lives in Blackburn and was our furthest travelling squad member last season. I believe he travelled to training & matches with Alex Whittle, and it'd be a big ask to expect any player to make that journey three or four times a week unless there were others in a far share.

33

The B-Ark / Re: Best non league team.

« on: August 12, 2020, 07:28:53 PM »

Barnet have been top flight of non league football, or higher, since the mid 1970s. They've got to be there or thereabouts.

34

The B-Ark / Re: Alex Whittle?

« on: August 06, 2020, 09:26:59 AM »

the Quadrant next season (got to get used to saying this)

Jakemans Community Stadium will be the name of the new ground.

For commercial purposes only, that'll be the name of the stadium for as long as the sponsorship deal runs. But there'll be a permanent name as well - presumably the Quadrant or Pilgrims Way?

35

The B-Ark / Re: Alex Whittle?

« on: August 06, 2020, 07:27:59 AM »

It appears he's been offered a two year contract at Gloucester. Whilst I'd have happily seen him back at the Quadrant next season (got to get used to saying this), two year contracts are a bit of a gamble for any clubs at our level,, especially when players are travelling a long way and presumably on good money. Liverpool to Gloucester must be nearly as far as Liverpool to Boston. What happens in the second year If Gloucester get moved sideways into Conference South? Would a player still based in Liverpool want to see out the contract when the away games are in London, Kent, South Coast, etc? Are Truro still in Conference South?

Seems Gloucester have sold the club's "ambition" to a number of their new signings. True, they've got a new ground to move into and there's optimism around moving back into their own city, but I'd be disappointed if they come across as more ambitious than ourselves with a, new ground of our own and a near miss in the play offs. Gloucester is one of those places, like Worcester and Northampton, where the local football team has often played second fiddle to the local rugby side; culturally it is one of those places which may always have a high profile rugby side and a football team operating several levels below. To achieve Gloucester's ambitions and justify what they're spending on players they'll probably need to tap into extra support, and that's going to be hard when a large percentage of the local population prefer different shaped balls.

36

The B-Ark / Re: Playoff Live Video Stream

« on: July 17, 2020, 04:46:29 PM »

Perhaps a good idea to spend a little bit more and buy a package of matches - can then use one of the qualifier ties as a dress rehearsal rather than getting frustrated by technology on the day.

37

The B-Ark / Re: National League Statement

« on: July 10, 2020, 03:22:49 PM »

I emailed BT last weekend (email cc-d to the Non League Paper), advising them that I thought the National League North and South play offs deserved coverage in the same way as the National League does. I have had a phone call response from BT today, all he could say was that "BT are working hard" and "it is still being discussed" . But at least it's not yet a lost cause about there being some form of TV coverage. Watch this space...

38

The B-Ark / Re: The Cobra effect

« on: June 30, 2020, 04:14:17 PM »

What impact will the localised lockdowns yet have on the play-offs?

Centre of Leicester is now locked down for at least another two weeks - I believe Andi Thanoj lives in Leicester so this could impact on his ability to get to training / matches. Linked to this, unlikely that Leicester v Crystal Palace will take place in Leicester this weekend and may be moved to a neutral venue.

List of places circulating on line as "at risk" of similar measures because of COVID spikes - this includes part of Yorkshire - Doncaster, York and Wakefield. A lockdown in Doncaster could be damaging for us in terms of our training base, and presumably we will have players living in and around these towns. Could a lockdown in York jeopardise their home advantage in any play-off matches?

39

The B-Ark / Re: Retained List

« on: May 30, 2020, 03:38:19 PM »

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/boston-united/kader/verein/3489/saison_id/2019

If this website is correct then most of our squad are on contract until 30th June, so it might be another month before anything is announced. Not sure why King's Lynn would be different.

Bit of an issue with the deals for loan players ending earlier, and that could be a problem if play offs do take place. Not sure York would necessarily extend Jake Wright's loan, for example, if the two clubs were potentially both heading into the play offs.

40

The B-Ark / Re: National League Statement

« on: May 24, 2020, 10:32:00 AM »

;Any more news yet about the play offs, or not the play offs ?

Just read a tweet stating that Simon Ainge is expected to sign for Farsley Celtic. Not sure how reliable that info is, but presumably he'd be in his rights to do so as he's been released by Darlington. At the same time he's on a season long loan to us and would be expected to be involved in any play off games. It's making a bit of a mockery that squads are evolving and changing and the whole play off picture remains so unclear. If Farsley become his new parent club, would it be on condition that he remains loaned to us until the issue is potentially resolved?

41

The B-Ark / Re: Player of the Season

« on: May 12, 2020, 07:01:55 PM »

It was interesting to read in an interview that Shiels recommended Platt to CE.

Platt signed for Harrogate when John McDermott was their assistant manager. He then signed for Alfreton when McDermott was their manager. Maybe Shiels did recommend him. But I'd have guessed the transfer probably had more to do with our assistant manager.

42

The B-Ark / Re: Jim Rodwell.

« on: April 29, 2020, 06:10:07 PM »

Whatever Jim Rodwell did and didn't do, I will always remember the fact he "went missing" during the days when the club was thrown into turmoil. Straight after Wrexham and the CVA it was always a case of local radio and newspaper reporters trying to get hold of Rodwell but him not making himself available for interviews or comments. The sports reports kept saying that nobody knew where he was. Fans were desperately worried about whether we still had a club to support and at the one time we needed reassurances and some clarification Rodwell went AWOL. I've never been happy with the way he handled that.

What a contrast we have with the way David Newton engages with media and supporters.

43

The B-Ark / Re: Season Tickets

« on: April 25, 2020, 09:39:17 PM »

It depends.

I don't want a refund if the club has to fund it. End of story.

But there's an unbelievable amount of money floating around at the top level of the game. The Premier League gave its Chief Executive a £5 million golden handshake when he retired, for example. Given what's happened, there has to be a case for redistributing some of the money in football and for a fighting fund to be set up centrally to reimburse season ticket holders of all clubs. This situation applies at all clubs in the Conference and below, you'd hope the FA would be considering something.

44

The B-Ark / Re: Ground Share

« on: April 18, 2020, 08:51:22 AM »

When FC United were "between grounds", they went through a phase of borrowing different stadiums. I'm sure they played home matches at Stalybridge, Hyde, Droylsden, Altrincham and probably a few others. Accepting it'd be better to have one place we could temporarily call home, could there be another option to mix and match where we play depending on which grounds are available on the dates of our home games?

45

The B-Ark / Re: Season over

« on: March 26, 2020, 07:39:11 PM »

Just reading about Vauxhall Motors, have to feel sorry for them. They'd already secured enough points this season to secure promotion, mathematically they were already up. But their season has been declared null and void and they stay in the same league.

That example though is precisely the reason why the points from this campaign have to count for something - either see out the existing campaign late or carry over points into next season.