CURRENT SEASON'S ARCHIVE page |
27 May to 1 June, 2004
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27 May to 1 June, 2004 |
The Stanley website reported yesterday that "Altrincham midfielder Ian Craney is expected to make the move to the Interlink Express Stadium in the next few weeks. The two clubs have now agreed a deal and the player is keen to make the step up to full-time football with Accrington Stanley".
The Leek Town website says that "Winger Ryan Hutchinson has joined from Conference North side Altrincham. Hutchinson joined the Robins following his release from Stoke City in March 2004. He had figured in the Potters' reserve side after progressing from their youth set up". Ryan made 3 starts and 1 sub. appearance for Altrincham towards the end of last season.
The Robins last met The Poppies in January 2003 when, after a 1-1 away draw and a 3-3 draw at Moss Lane, Altrincham won 5-4 on penalties in the FA Trophy 3rd Round.
In yesterday's NL Paper, there is an article on Alty captain, Ian Craney (right), winner of the UniBond Player of the Year award. It recalls how, "his football began to drift after a spell as a youngster with Everton". Ian says that he would "really like to thank all the Altrincham supporters; they've been really good to me. It wasn't that long ago I was doing little more than playing Sunday football with my mates. I was playing for my dad's team and it was only his inspiration which made me realise that I had the potential to do more". He goes on to explain how he arrived at Moss Lane from Runcorn. Mark Ward's assistant, "Joey Dunn was in charge of the [Runcorn] youth team and when he bcame assistant manager at Alty, I moved with him. Joey pestered the manager to give me a go and I ended up on the bench... Fortunately, I got an early touch and settled down".
The Pink also has a piece on Ian's award. It quotes Graham Heathcote as saying "The fact that he has been named the UniBond Player of the Season speaks volumes for the lad and we can certainly understand his desire to play at a higher level". Of Accrington's attempts to sign Craney, the Alty manager added: "Both offers from Accrington have failed to match our valuation. The ball's now in their court and until we receive an offer that matches our valuation we are more than happy to have the lad remain one of us".
The Pink has a piece on the Alty Youth team's recent presentation night and the award made to former Robins' defender Malcolm Bailey for his role in helping to raise £1,000 for the Youth team through activities at the Stonemason's Arms in Timperley. The article recalls how the Alty Youth team won the double this season and that former players such as Wes Wilkinson and Mario Daniel have "gone on to play for Oldham Athletic and Leigh RMI respectively". After references to player of the year Matt Tooth (right) and to Steve Lunt and Kieran Lugsden, who have both played for the first team, the article ends with a note that the Alty Youth team, "being a self-funding unit, are looking to attract sponsors". Anyone who can help should ring the club on 928-1045.
Confguide confirms that the Conference AGM is on 5 June. This will formally decide who is in the Conference next season.
Worksop Town confirm that "fans' favourite Matty Caudwell has left the club and re-joined former Tigers manager Paul Mitchell at Gainsborough".
The Worksop Forum quotes new manager Ronnie Glavin. "Worksop Town is a big name, that's what caught my eye when the club approached me. I had left Barnsley as coach due to their financial difficulties but in the time I spent back at Oakwell, I learned more about the game... I feel I have the experience and qualities to make Worksop Town a force to be reckoned with in the Conference. The financial side of the club isn't great but I can't do anything about that, I just want to get on with the footballing side of things. I knew several players before I came to the club, including Simeon Bambrook and Mark Haran who were with me at Emley. There are several other quality players here and despite the likely departure of another two or three, I am confident we can do well next season". As yet unconfirmed reports say that Worksop's Matty Caudwell has signed for Gainsbrough Trinity.
The official site at Radcliffe Borough says that "The club annouced today they have signed former Bury, Burnley and Sunderland defender Gordon Armstrong. The experienced defender was in the Conference last season with Accrington Stanley, but could not go full time this coming season due to work commitments". Also, "fans of the club can take up the offer of paying £25.00 for an entrance pass for the 4 [pre-season] games against Shrewsbury Town, Bury, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United thus saving £9.00 on the admission prices stated in the press".
From a press release kindly supplied by the NL Paper:
"Altrincham’s inspirational captain Ian Craney (right) has been awarded the National Game Awards' UniBond Player of the Year [title]. The 21-year-old midfielder has enjoyed another superb season where he was also awarded the club’s fans' player of the season award for the third consecutive year. [Actually it was only the second year in succession, though it was the third year in succession as the Internet Player of the Year awarded by the Alty Fans' Forum]. Craney, rated at £50,000 has been attracting attention from clubs in the Football League and in the higher reaches of the Pyramid. He was on trial at Second Division Tranmere Rovers earlier in the season and is also rumoured to be interesting Conference outfit Accrington Stanley.
It’s not just the players and managers who grab the headlines that are honoured in our National Game awards. Every club up and down the country has an unsung hero or long-serving stalwart. Which is why Frank Hannah, of the Manchester Football Association has been awarded the GLS Football Grass Roots Award...
David Emery Editor said 'We have long felt the Non-League game deserves its own awards to honour the players, officials and fans who help make the national game great. Our readers have voted in their 1000s over the last few weeks, truly making these the fans' awards'.
The full list of winners and an interview with Ian Craney will be published in the Sunday May 30th issue of The Non-League Paper in a special 16 page Awards Pullout".
The NW Evening Mail reported that AFC Barrow captain Mark Salmon was a leading contender for the award won by Ian Craney and adds that the "Altrincham midfielder Ian Craney [was] a summer transfer target for AFC manager Lee Turnbull". The article adds that "Turnbull is in no doubt as to who should win the award, describing Salmon as 'worth his weight in gold'".
Other local award winners include Michael Twiss, who had trials at Altrincham; he has won the Sky Sports' Conference Goal of the Season award and Chester City striker Daryl Clare is the Conference Player of the Year and wins the Golden Boot.
Our FA Trophy Round 5 opponents in 2004, Weymouth have announced that their "Club director and hotelier Martyn Harrison has become the club's majority shareholder after buying between £300,000 and £400,000 worth of shares. The investment clears historic debts at the Wessex Stadium and sees Harrison become the football club's new chief executive... Ian Ridley... remains as chairman... The deal gives Harrison a controlling interest in Weymouth and wipes out the club's estimated £250,000 debt". Harrison said, "I have every faith in Ian Ridley and Steve Claridge's abilities and am in total support of the existing structure at the club". "Londoner Harrison admits 'falling in love' with Weymouth since first coming to the town five years ago".
"Kevin Glendon, manager of Radcliffe Borough, is considering an offer from Conference North side Stalybridge Celtic for left back Tony Whealing. The Bower Fold side are proposing a player swap deal, but Glendon is still mulling over whether to let one of his best defenders and most influential characters leave the club... One man who won't be returning to Boro in the short-term is fans’ favourite Jody Banim. The prolific striker will start pre-season with Shrewsbury Town and his new side's promotion to Division Three has netted Radcliffe another £2,500. Glendon said: "We ended up getting £20,000 for Jody and, in today's market, I think that is an exceptional deal".
Right: Marcus Hallows and Ged Kielty are two of the players whom Graham Heathcote aims to keep at Moss Lane.
According to manager Graham Heathcote, in SAM, Ian Craney "has made it clear it is time to go and I'll be surprised if he is in an Alty shirt at the start of next season...You have to ask yourself what use he will be next season if he has to stay after this summer's activities". Unsatisfactorily, "A delay in receiving non-contract forms from Conference North means Heathcote is unable to sign up any of his current squad for next season, but he is confident most of them will stay". As for new players, he added, "We've spoken to a number of players but have encountered stumbling blocks, be it contracts, money or other terms". But he "confirmed that a striker has verbally agreed to join the club but has yet to put pen to paper".
STAR has started a scheme whereby you can sponsor a seat in the main Carole Nash stand at Moss Lane for £10 for the season or £25 for five seasons. Payment should be made to STAR c/o the club address (at the top of this page) and applications should include the required seat number(s). Sponsors will have their seat labelled and will receive a certificate recognising their contribution. STAR will be issuing a newsletter in mid-June with the raffle tickets for the STAR AGM Grand Prize Raffle.
Alty's last visit to Telford's Buck's Head ground was on 9 October 1999, when a great display by Stuart Coburn, including the above penalty save, produced a 1-0 win thanks to a spot-kick conversion by Brendan Burke.
Up to the end of the 2003-04 season, Telford United and Northwich Vics were the only clubs left in the Conference which had been ever-present in that division since its formation in 1979. Now, by the most bizarre of routes - including, last season, one of the lowest points hauls in the history of the Conference - Northwich can claim to be the last survivor, though others might say that they were relegated for a month from April this year. Another curious feature of the Vics' reinstatement- if that is indeed confirmed- is that they will re-enter the Conference after extending their ground share at Witton when one of the Conference's demoted clubs, Margate, were forced out of the Conference for a prolonged groundshare at Dover.
If Telford are demoted to a lower level than Conference North, it will be interesting to see which team, if any, replaces Northwich in Conference North. Ashton finished 14th in the UniBond Premier last season but Burscough were the beaten play-off finalists. But teams in the Dr Martens or Ryman Premier divisions may feel they have a case for inclusion too.
"Northwich Victoria chairman Dave Stone has admitted that a boardroom reshuffle may be on the cards for the relegated outfit... Stone told the Northwich Guardian: 'To be honest I'm not 100 per cent sure what's going on. We are in talks and have a crucial meeting on Wednesday and it really depends on what the chap we're speaking to wants to do. Whether that's a takeover or just more members coming on to the board we just don't know... We can't do anything to put a new manager in place if new people are going to come in", reports the Nationwide site.
But The Northwich Chronicle says that "Relegated Northwich Vics could be a Conference side again by Friday. Their fate rests on the demise or rescue of Telford United... Vics' chairman Dave Stone said: 'It is difficult to imagine Telford not being saved because of the size of the place and the history of the club, but all we have been told is that they just have a thin strand of hope'... The belief is - and the Chronicle understands it is shared by the parties likely to take over the club in the next few days - that Vics could regroup in a lower standard and come back stronger. Another season in the Conference would mean another struggle, especially as they will spend the first three months at Witton's Wincham Park, where Vics' results have been poor".
"Long-serving Michael Love has agreed a new one-year contract with Nuneaton Borough, much to the delight of manager Roger Ashby. 'He wants to stay here and by agreeing lesser money shows he's more motivated by playing than anything else'", said the boss. "Boro have transfer-listed centre back Dion Scott... The former Walsall trainee is among the highest-paid players at Boro and came to Manor Park last summer with a big reputation, but an Achilles heel injury meant he didn't make his first appearance until early November... [He] played 24 games for Boro but was never a favourite with the fans". Nuneaton are linked with "Avun Jephcott, released by Coventry City last week", says IC Coventry.
"Kevin Wilson, manager of Conference North club Kettering Town, says he will not be held to ransom by the wage demands of potential transfer targets... The Poppies' boss has made just one new signing while ten others have committed themselves to another season at Rockingham Road. Winger Daniel French agreed to join the Poppies from Wilson's former club Bedford Town". Wilson said: "It just seems nowadays that players want absolutely everything they can get their hands on. I have got to try and get a squad of 20 players together. But there is no way we are going to be held to ransom by some of the ridiculous wage demands certain players want... The one thing I don't understand is that there are some players who want to go and play at clubs where there will be 200 or 300 people watching them". Wilson has also "spoken to Bedford goalkeeper Ian Brown, but he denied a deal with Eagles midfielder Neil Lazarus had been done. He is still waiting to hear from Martin Matthews, who has also been offered a testimonial match, and midfielder Wayne Diuk who has also been offered fresh terms. London-based pair Paul Fewings and Richard Graham are also mulling over new deals", reports NL Daily.
"Redditch United boss Rod Brown has already started to bolster his championship winning squad with three new signings. Hinckley United central defender Andy Penny, young Stourport Swifts winger Rob Taylor and former Reds loan star Simon Hollis have already been snapped up by Brown who says he's now just looking for a striker". Of Penny, Brown said, "He's as good a defender as you're going to see". As for the others "Simon Hollis managed 10 goals in 12 games when he came in on loan in December 2002" whilst of 19 year old Rob Taylor. "Brown said, '"He's a very, very technically gifted player'... Brown is also keeping his eye on four Kidderminster Harriers players. Mark Yates, Sean Parrish and Matt Gadsby are already free agents and Brown is also keeping track of John Williams" says This is Worcs.
"Southport... will continue to run two squads in the Nationwide Conference Youth Northern section next season with the younger group named Southport Vulcans - a revival of the club's 1918-1919 title" reports IC Southport.
Former Gainsborough Trinity chairman John Reames "has been appointed Managing Director at Second Division Wrexham", says This is Lincs.
Copyright: ©
Compiled by John Laidlar