COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER & MATCH DAY ORGANISER

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER & MATCH DAY ORGANISER Altrincham FC is inviting applications for the posts of Commercial Development Manager and of Match Day Organiser. The job descriptions for both positions are here (in MS Word format).

Applicants are invited to send a CV and covering letter by e-mail, to reach the club by 31 July 2017.

SEASON TICKETS

• Adults: £180
• Full-Time Students & Concessionaries: £125
• Aged 12 to 16 inclusive: £50
• Under 12s: £15

Turnstile prices:

• Adults: £10
• Full-Time Students & Concessionaries: £7
• Aged 12 to 16 inclusive: £4
• Under 12s: £1

BRADFORD VIEW

They had former Park Avenue keeper Tim Deasy in goal, while the home side had former Robins Luca Havern and Nicky Clee in their starting line-up. There was a dream start for Avenue as Wayne Brooksby broke the deadlock inside the first minute... A mistake at the other end let the Robins back into the game, however, as they netted from the penalty spot minutes before the interval...

Deasy made way at half-time... and replacement keeper Tony Thompson presented Avenue with another early goal... The keeper claimed he had been impeded but that was more of a ploy to save face.

With Avenue 2-1 up, Altrincham finally clicked into gear and they turned the game with three goals in an 11-minute spell... The Robins’ fourth was a superb finish, a mid-air volley from substitute Josh Amis after a burst of pace and a great ball into the area from Tomoli Omotola.

Avenue boss Mark Bower couldn’t take any positives from the game, saying, 'I thought we were poor in terms of our play and our decision- making... We made bad decisions in all areas of the pitch. We didn’t even score goals, we were gifted them and still didn’t compete, but it’s better coming this week than next when the league games start... After what I saw in this game we definitely do need to work on certain things.

'I knew Altrincham would give us a good test, the kind of test we will be facing in our league from next Saturday, because they are a good side so it’s a good thing that we took the game'. The result, which was Avenue’s first defeat since returning from the close season, should have given the players a gentle reminder that the real work is yet to begin."

WINSFORD UNITED, ALTY'S NEXT OPPONENTS

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

FINAL FRIENDLY: TRAFFORD

In pre-season, last Friday, Trafford had a goalless home draw against a Macclesfield Town XI. The home line-up was Terry Smith, Ally Brown, Louis Corrigan, Chris Hill, Josh Granite, Paul Linwood, Kingsley Williams, Declan Rydings, James Dean, Rio Ahmadi, Sean Yeldrem. SUBS: Chris Palmer, Jack Dorney, Pauli Loukola, Ashley Woods, Andy Keogh, Scott Sephton, Grant Shenton. Woods and Keogh are both ex-Alty Youth players.

In its report the Club says that "A highly entertaining game played in monsoon conditions ended goal-less... The Shawe View pitch was in magnificent condition due to the sterling work of groundsman Graham Foxall and his assistants... With [ex-Alty loanee] James Dean leading the line with power and poise, and young Sean Yeldrum making some electrifying bursts down the flanks, Trafford finished the first half strongly... Trafford should have forged ahead in the 52nd minute when James Dean powered in a header from a right wing corner but Macc goalkeeper Joris Nzola pushed the ball past the upright...

In the last minute Trafford should have snatched victory when a sweeping move down the right ended with Scott Sephton screwing his shot wide from 15 yards. Trafford now face two mouth-watering clashes in the space of four days with the Class of ’92 outfit Salford City visiting the First Point Shawe View Stadium on Tuesday night, kick off 7-45 p.m., and then on Saturday, Altrincham are the visitors for a 3 p.m. kick off."

Back on 22 July, Trafford won 4-1 away at West Didsbury & Chorlton. Their team for that game comprised Grant Shenton, Steve Mason, Keil O’Brien, Paul Linwood, Pauli Loukola, Scott Sephton, Chris Palmer, Andy Keogh, Ashley Woods, Rio Ahmadi, Drew Lewis. SUBS: Jack Dorney, Terry Smith, Sean Yeldrem, Josh Granite, Ally Brown, Declan Ridings, Chris Hill, Kingsley Williams.

"Trafford produced another impressive display to defeat West Didsbury and Chorlton 4-1... Trafford manager Tom Baker made five changes at half-time... A further three changes on the hour mark appeared to galvanise Trafford and they dominated the remainder of the game with some superb possession football".

And on Tuesday 25th July 2017, Trafford lost 1-2 at home to Curzon Ashton with a starting eleven of Grant Shenton, Pauli Loukola, Louis Corrigan, Chris Palmer, Keil O’Brien, Steve Mason, Jack Dorney, Scott Sephton, Andy Keogh, Ashley Woods, Rio Ahmadi. Their subs were Sean Yeldrem, Kingsley Williams, Paul Linwood, Ally Brown, Zach Cooper, Declan Ridings, Terry Smith, Chris Hill.

PHIL PARKINSON ON BPA MATCH

Q: I thought we played well enough in the first half but really stepped it up in the second half. Was anything said at half-time?

A: I thought first half we were really good. It was just the fact that we conceded a really poor goal in the first minute. It's Tom Hannigan's first game back, and I really felt for him (with the back pass), because he didn't put a foot wrong after that. He was superb the rest of the time. I felt we looked a little bit leggy for the first 10 minutes or so but, once we got to grips with it, I thought Sam Sheridan and Jake Moult ran the show in that midfield and the defence never really looked like they were in trouble at all.

It was just two poor decisions we made that cost us the goals at the start of each half, and I don't think 4-0 would have been a poor reflection of the game, to be honest. We were in complete control. I felt we were very comfortable against a higher level opposition, which is quite reassuring, going into the season.

Q: We had to come from behind twice but, when you consider the nature of their goals, it really should have been 4-0, shouldn't it?

A: Without a doubt. For the second one, Tony (Thompson) has only just come on and you can tell he's cold. He's probably not switched on like he should be, because he doesn't normally make those kind of decisions, and he hasn't punched it when he should have. He has tried catching it and it hasn't come off for him, but, listen, Tony has been superb for us, so when you look at it along those lines, that Tom isn't going to make those mistakes and Tony certainly isn't - and take that out of the equation, it is quite a statement of intent to have scored four times at a place like this and won so well.

Don't forget, they are a week ahead of us as well and start their season next Saturday, rather than the one after, but we have come here and controlled it, so I am thoroughly happy with that. I don't want anyone taking this result for granted. It feels like people are already beginning to think it's the norm to come to a team a division above us and beat them like that, but it's only a couple of weeks ago you were saying to me we've not won three on the spin for a good while, so, for me, people need to be very real about the results.

It was a great performance by Altrincham. We have got players who are not only putting in a good shift on the pitch, they are playing attractive football and they are proud to wear the shirt, and that is what we are trying to breed here.

Q: There were probably several factors that shaped the result, but would one of them be the way Jordan Hulme (right, at Bradford) grew into the game after a quiet start and really showed what he's about?

A: Yes, for sure. The turn that drew the penalty just before half-time was typical Jordan. The lad behind him basically stood still, and Jordan has done some magic with a sort of reverse Cruyff through his legs. Their lad probably didn't even see where the ball was and took him down, but that's what Jordan is all about. He is going to give us that maverick centre-forward play, and you've got the opposite end of the spectrum with Josh Amis, who has pretty much scored every time he has played recently and is an absolute battering ram for us up there.

That is going to be the key for us, to have the two different type of entities in the team. On top of those two, Tomoli Omotola has come on and done ever so well in terms of being very powerful and very direct, and that gave us a different dimension. Unfortunately for him, he has been that far behind the others with fitness, maybe he might run out of time before the start of the season to get where he needs to be. But he is showing a great attitude, and he wants to be here.

Look at the attacking options, and if we get that right, it is going to be quite an exciting season. We have just got to make sure we are not sloppy at the back and that we make the right decisions. I think sometimes, because we are in such control of the game, lads can switch off a little bit, but it is so important they don't do that.

Q: Lewis Short suffered a slight tweak to a thigh muscle at Rhyl, did he feel it again today?

A: Yes, a little bit, but the good thing is that John Disney and Shaun Densmore can both play left-back as well as on the right. You saw John move over today and look like he'd never played anywhere else, and with Dens, everyone knows what he is going to bring to the table. Unfortunately for Dens, he is going away and will miss the start of the season but, when you look at all areas of the team, there is a level of competition for places that makes me think there are only good things ahead.

That level of competition breeds rivalry, naturally enough, but also camaraderie. They will help each other through the tough times that they are all going to face when they are not in the team, and that will help them through tough times on the pitch as well, because there will be a real togetherness among them.

Q: What's the situation with Dens, then, exactly?

A: He has been to a few weddings already, evidently, and I think it's another one, but this one will keep him away for the first couple of games, which I've got to have in my mindset when I'm setting up my teams for the start of the season. I have spoken to Shaun about it, and it is just important to keep him fit, because he will play a vital role for us this season, I'm sure of that. It's no big deal. At this level, lads go away for whatever reason, but it is obviously going to affect him starting the season.

Q: Lewis's thigh problem is nothing to worry about, is it?

A: No, it's only minor, but I'm not going to take any risks pre-season. We are gearing up now, and Neil (Sorvel) and I are talking a lot about where we see the starting XI being. We are not far away, bar one or two positions, unless someone comes in and starts ripping up trees.

You've got to remember we haven't seen Simon Richman yet, but he will be back for the Winsford game on Tuesday. He will play at Winsford, because I need to see him and he needs minutes on the pitch. But you look at Sam and Jake, and Laurence Taylor as well, absolutely playing out of their skins, so it is going to be quite interesting.

Q: Is it right that we are also going to be without James Poole for the opener against Stafford?

A: Yes, unfortunately. He is suspended for one match (carried over from Salford at the end of last season), and that is something I have to be mindful of, so, come the Trafford game, he probably won't be starting, because we need to have the lads who will be starting the season in positions we are going to go with.

Q: Finally, Phil, can you shed some light on what happened with Jerome Wright and Kyle Brownhill?

A: Of course, no problem. Basically, I have spoken to every single player, because I felt they needed the information about where they are going to be at the start of the season, in the starting XI, in the squad, not in the squad. I have given them that information, so they can either say I want to be a part of what you are doing, I want to be at Altrincham fighting for a place, or I want to be playing week-in week-out at a club where I know I'm going to start.

That's the decision these two lads have made. With Kyle, I just think Lewis is slightly ahead of him at this moment, and that is the conversation I've had with him. I did see him getting in the team at some point, but he has made the decision that he wants to be playing week-in week-out, without any kind of competition. He wants to go to a team where he is going to start.

Jerome is at the opposite end of his career but is in the same boat. He doesn't want a situation where he isn't playing but is fighting for a place instead. That's fine, but I'm running a team here that is going for a title, so we need to have competition for every single position. Lads have got to face the fact that at some point they are not going to be in the team.

Q: Having spoken to them all, is it just those two who are leaving, as things stand?

A: As you say, I have spoken to every one of them. You have to have those conversations, because I have been a player, and there is nothing worse than thinking you are in the manager's plans, and then, come the start of the season, finding you are not, and he hasn't told you. I believe that, if I'm like this with the players, I can expect the same level of honesty and commitment from them on the pitch, because there are no secrets, no hiding things, no letting sentiment come into the equation.

It's got to be the best players play, and they need to know that. In answer to your question, the others who have been told they perhaps face a fight for a place have made the conscious decision to stay and do exactly that. Who knows what might happen as the season progresses, but that's what they have told me. They are backing themselves to get in the squad, and you have to give them credit for that".

BRADFORD PA 2 ALTRINCHAM 4

Above: Altrincham join in the minute's applause (in memory of BPA supporter David Helliwell) before kick off at Bradford on Saturday..

Match report here

In the NL Paper quotes BPA manager Mark Bower as saying of his team, after the match, that "the whole performance was woeful from start to finish".

ALTRINCHAM FC JOB OPPORTUNITIES

To apply, please email your CV and cover letter. Alternatively you can post or deliver a paper copy of these to Altrincham FC, J. Davidson Stadium, Moss Lane, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 8AP marked for the attention of Roger Goodwin, Volunteer Coordinator. The closing date for the receipt of applications has now been extended to Sunday, 30th July 2017.

Also...

Altrincham FC is inviting applications for the posts of...

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER & MATCH DAY ORGANISER Altrincham FC is inviting applications for the posts of Commercial Development Manager and of Match Day Organiser. The job descriptions for both positions are here (in MS Word format).

Applicants are invited to send a CV and covering letter by e-mail, to reach the club by 31 July 2017.

PLAYER MOVEMENTS

• Josh Amis from Stockport County
• John Disney from Connah's Quay Nomads (Wales)
• Joshua Hancock from Nantwich Town
• Ben Harrison from Nantwich Town
• Jordan Hulme from Salford City
• John Johnston from Salford City
• Tolani Omotola from Tranmere Rovers
• Thomas Peers from Nantwich Town
• James Poole from Salford City
• Samuel Sheridan from FC United of Manchester
• Lewis Short from Connah's Quay Nomads (Wales)
• Anthony Thompson from AFC Fylde

• Emile Sinclair from Bradford Park Avenue to Scarborough Athletic
• Micah Evans from Altrincham to Witton Albion

FRIENDLY SCORES

• Mossley 2 Stalybridge Celtic 4. Substitute Aaron Burns, an ex-Alty striker, scored a second half hat-trick for Celtic.
• Sandbach 2 Nantwich Town 1. So the Dabbers lost their unbeaten record in pre-season.
• Droylsden 3 Ashton United 3
• Hednesford Town 3 Boston United 0. James Lawrie scored in this game for the Pitmen.

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Oji began his career with Birmingham City before playing in the Football League for Doncaster Rovers, Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient and Hereford United. He later played in the Swedish Superettan for Ljungskile SK, before returning to England to play for Tamworth in the Conference National and most recently Worcester City.

Manager Neil Tooth said, 'Sam has been in with us for a few weeks now but, because of a small niggle, he has not been able to play but he is now fully fit and we are delighted to be able to announce his signing. Sam joins from Worcester City and is a dominant centre-half who has played pro football for the majority of his career, he also brings a wealth of experience to our squad...

The Pitmen have also moved to bring in former Nuneaton Town man Wheatley after he impressed during pre-season. Tooth added, 'Jordan came in on trial and his performances have left me no option but to sign him. His versatility means he can slot in at right-back, centre-back or in centre-mid... I still have a decision to make on two other lads who have come in on trial and done very well. The aim is to have a squad of 19/20 to get us through the first six weeks of the season and that means there are some tough calls to be made over the next two weeks.'

Meanwhile Desean Martin, J’Cee Abrahams, Ryan Nesbitt and Jake Webb have all gone out on loan/dual registration but they are all still very much in the manager’s long term plans".

BRADFORD PARK AVENUE 2 ALTRINCHAM 4

Despite again ringing the chages with the starting eleven and utilizing a squad of 19 players, Altrincham were well deserved winners over a Bradford side which had finished last season with more than double Altrincham's points tally in the Vanarama North division. Since last season, Nicky Clee and Luca Havern (via Telford) had joined the Yorkshiremen and both played today against their former club.

Indeed, but for two absolute defensive howlers by Altrincham, the visitors would have won even more comfortably.

Right: Jake Moult's penalty hits the back of the net.

The afternoon started disastrously for Tom Hannigan, making his first appearance of pre-season after missing much of last season with injury. His underhit back pass to ex-BPA keeper Tim Deasy allowed Brooksby to nip in and score with barely a minute on the clock.

Altrincham deservedly equalised in the 44th minute when Jake Moult hammered home a penalty after Jordan Hulme had turned past a defender and been upended.

But, seven minutes after the interval, another disastrous piece of Alty defending saw sub keeper Tony Thompson come out for a harmless aerial ball, only to collide with left-back Lewis Short, and drop the ball at the feet of a grateful Oli Johnson. He couldn't miss the vacant goal to make it 2-1 to Avenue. However, within a minute, John Johnston, who had a very good game, hammered in a loose ball from close range after good work from Hulme to level the scores again.

And, within five more minutes, Alty had taken a 3-2 lead as Disney netted after a Hulme shot had been blocked. Altrincham made it 4-2 in the 65th minute when sub striker Josh Amis netted his fourth goal of pre-season from a cross from the left by Omotola.

Match report here.

TWO DEPART AS SQUAD TAKES SHAPE

Jerome Wright and Kyle Brownhill (right) have left Altrincham Football Club, with Wright, immediately signing for Ramsbottom United, who play in the EVO-STIK North league.

Whilst the two players are at different stages of their careers, they are both looking for regular first team football, which cannot be guaranteed at The J.Davidson Stadium.

Four further players have received the same message from the former Nantwich Town manager, but have elected to strive to make it into the official squad that starts the league campaign against Stafford Rangers on August 12th.

Everyone at Altrincham Football Club wishes both Jerome and Kyle the very best in their future respective individual football careers.

John Edwards, Press and Media Officer, will be interviewing Phil Parkinson after today’s pre-season fixture at Bradford Park Avenue and full details of these recent developments and Phil Parkinson’s plans in the build up to the campaign opener, will be included in the interview, that will be posted on the club website and social media channels tomorrow".

OLD BOYS

It wasn’t the first time this summer that the left-footed flyer, signed by former boss Rob Smith, has caught the eye of his new supporters. The former Bolton trainee has been a mainstay of Edwards’s pre-season teams and has proved he can be a threat down the flanks.

'I’ve been really impressed by Elliot,' said Edwards of the ex-Barrow and Altrincham man. 'First of all by his attitude and mentality, he’s a really hard-working, down to earth lad. He’s got some real ability as well. He can get the fans off their seats and excited'...

'I don’t like singling players out but he, along with many of the lads, can be real pluses'... Newby is joined by Anthony Dwyer, Luke Shaw and Chekaine Steele as wide options".

Closer to home, NL Pitchero says that "After a great 2-2 draw at home to Warrington Town, Skelmersdale United are delighted to announce a... signing in attack in the form of Andy Owens... Andy joins the club after being released from Altrincham at the end of last season."

Life in Norway reports on ex-Alty man, Shaun Constable,saying that "One Englishman decided to forgo a promising football coaching career in England and try his luck in Norway. Eight years later he’s a key part of the team at Sandefjord, and plans on staying in Norway for good...

Constable, a former player turned coach who works as an assistant manager to Lars Bohinen"

Shaun was asked,'Why did you move to Norway?'

"Work, and to do something different. I did play professionally for a few years for Scunthorpe United and Halifax, but I didn’t have a big name in football. I was working at the Stoke City Academy and had made good progress when I first began to get contacts in Norway. Sometime around 2001, me and Andrea Loberto spent a week working with the Oslo side Ready who were visiting the Leeds Utd Academy, and things went from there.

At the end of 2008, I agreed to come over to Norway... I started working with Sandefjord six years ago in August, initially on a 25% contract. I spent the rest of my time working as a PE teacher back in Horten thanks to my Sports Science degree, even though my Norwegian wasn’t that great...

I like the chilled nature of life... Luckily I’m a social person. If you take the first step, you get a lot of warmth back from them. I also love the concept of socialism in the country, even though it’s not perfect. When I was out of work, I had to go to the NAV office for a period and there were brilliant. I’ve had a couple of operations on my knees and throughout the process the health service has been outstanding. These social aspects are not to be underestimated...

I do miss the pub culture, and by that I don’t mean going out drinking and getting hammered. It’s about popping in and finding your mates there, and maybe watching sport together...

Of course I miss friends and family – I have a daughter who lives in England so that’s tough – and also the silly things like fish and chips and a decent curry!...

I’m still struggling. I’m nearly 50 now and starting to learn a language at this age is tough... I don’t have any plans of going home, as I got married to a lovely Norwegian lady three weeks ago here in Sandefjord!"

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Holidays and ​‘other’​ ​leisure​ ​activities​ ​has​ ​left​ ​them​ ​short​ ​on​ ​numbers​ ​with​ ​David Hewson,​ Gari​ ​Rowntree,​ ​Josh​ ​Calvert,​ ​Jamie​ ​Mellen,​ ​Nathan​ ​Waterston,​ ​Scott Allison,​ ​Dan​ ​Wordsworth and​ ​Sam​ ​Joel​ ​unavailable​... Reds​ ​have​ ​visited​ ​their​ ​south​ ​Cumbrian​ ​neighbours​ ​in​ ​each​ ​of​ ​the​ ​past​ ​five​ ​summers...

However,​ ​the​ ​unbeaten​ ​sequence​ ​will​ ​be​ ​put​ ​to​ ​the​ ​test​ ​for​ ​a​ ​depleted​ ​squad​ ​of eleven​ ​senior players​ ​and​ ​untested​ ​reserves,​ ​albeit​ ​a​ ​welcome​ ​opportunity​ ​for​ ​the latter".

Ambitious Shaw Lane "are very pleased to have confirmed the signing of ex-Barnsley youngster Matthew Templeton. Templeton can play anywhere down the left side...

Templeton began his career with Barnsley progressing through the youth ranks at Oakwell, making his... league debut... on 31 October 2015. He scored his first goal for the club on his third appearance... Templeton joined Gainsborough Trinity on loan on 6 October 2016".

NEXT OPPONENTS: BRADFORD PARK AVENUE

Bradford PA report that "Park Avenue host Altrincham this Saturday in the final pre-season friendly of the summer. Mark Bower’s men are currently unbeaten from five warm-up matches, but will face a stern test from an Altrincham side looking like strong favourites to bounce back to the National League North at the first time of asking this term.

Admission has been reduced for the fixture... Adult entry has been set at just £5 for the match, with concessions £3, students £2 and under-18s just £1. The clubhouse and club shop will be open, so why not come down early, grab a drink, have a chat and maybe have a browse of some of the merchandise on offer in the club shop?...

Unfortunately for this match, the small stand behind the goal will not be open, so supporters are asked not to use this on Saturday. Please be advised that on council instruction, bag searches will now be regularly taking place at the Horsfall Stadium, so where possible attempt to arrive just a few minutes early being wary of potential queues. Avenue’s matchday programme will be on sale, a reduced version is on offer for just £1.50, and is available to purchase from the club shop.

This week’s programme comes along with the new cover design for the 2017-18 season, notes from manager Mark Bower, and the low-down on all the new faces through the door so far ahead of the new campaign".

In a recent friendly against Farsley Celtic, the Bradford Park Avenue side included several ex-Alty names (in bold): Drench (Hall 71), Toulson, Hill (Trialist 71), Nowakowski, Havern (Brooksby 60), Knowles (c), Trialist (Wroe 60), Trialist (Trialist 71), Trialist (Trialist 60), N.Boshell, D.Boshell (Boyes 46). And, of course, Nicky Clee is also at BPA.

In that match, "Bradford Park Avenue failed to win for the first time in pre-season, as they were held to a competitive 0-0 draw at Farsley Celtic". Of course, we meet Farsley in the league later this year and their line-up comprised McKibbin (Lofthouse 82), Harris (Pollard 69), Baldwin, C.Atkinson, Ellis (c), Clayton, B.Atkinson (Smith 74), Watson, Walshaw, Marshall (Parkin 60), Walker (Gomersall 65)

The local Telegraph & Argus reported that "Defences were on top as Farsley Celtic hosted Bradford Park Avenue in a tough contest...

Avenue lost a key forward before kick-off as Oli Johnson took no further part after the warm-up, with boss Mark Bower reveal[ing] afterwards that this was merely a precaution. Without Johnson up front, Avenue were left to rely on the three trialists in the starting line-up...

Bower said, 'Farsley obviously came into this game not to lose and we set up as an away team as an exercise, so it was never going to be a high-scoring game but it was a good work-out and we’ve learned a few things. OJ was going to play but we are managing his condition throughout and decided not to risk him. He’s a special case really and it’s pre-season so we can afford to wrap him in cotton wool'...

His opposite number, new Farsley manager Adam Lakeland, said, 'I was pleased with a clean sheet against a side of their quality and I thought we defended well, especially at the end when they were pushing. They had a lot of the ball but we expected that and they had the better chances. We didn’t really threaten throughout but we played well. Our defence was all over the place in the first couple of friendlies but its coming together now.'"

ALTY YOUNG PLAYERS' SUCCESS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

"Having just returned back from Ireland, We would like to give an overview of the week! The U11s travelled over to Belfast on Friday 14th July to play in the Taggart Memorial Cup tournament which was held at Rathmore school on Saturday.

The U11s won their group and went through to the semi-finals to play St Patrick's and they won through to the final, playing some lovely football, versus Oliver Plunkett. The match witnessed a display of good passing from both teams and the match remained goalless until the 20th minute when Plunkett took the lead. They went two-up with five minutes to go when Altrincham Reds scored but, unfortunately, time ran out and the match ended up with Plunkett as champions.

The same morning the U12/13s and the U16/17s flew in. Both teams played games in Belfast v St Mary's and County Antrim respectively. All three squads went for dinner at a local restaurant, Goodfellas, before the U11s left for the airport and the other squads went to the hotel for a much needed rest.

The lads outside Goodfellas, Belfast.

Above: At the City Hotel in Derry

Sunday morning saw the coach-load of players depart Belfast and was Derry-bound to compete in the Foyle Cup.

The U13s' group opponents comprised Maiden City Academy, Donegal Schools and Cabinteeley FC.

The U16/17s, competing in the U19 group, had Foyle Harps, Newbuildings FC and Institute FC as their opponents. The younger group won the quarter-finals of the Shield but took a defeat in the semis, leaving them to compete in the play-off for 3rd/4th place, with great success, finishing third.

Both groups had a tough draw but Altrincham continued to compete well and play some excellent football at times. The older group reached the final of the Foyle Shield and won it.

There are a few people I would like thank for helping to support and organise the trip, including the training sessions for the six weeks leading up to it. Firstly, I would like to thank Sara Newton for the work she put into the trip to make sure everything was organised for the players and coaches! I also want to thank Neil Tolson, Graham Houghton and Aine Conway for all their hard work throughout the week, as well as Grahame and Karen Rowley, Paul Woolley, Sale Grammar School, Bells Gym for all the fitness sessions, Partington Sports Village, Manchester United, Bangor City Academy, Springhead FC, Southport FC, Altrincham FC Reserves, Altrincham Juniors U14 and 12s, Terry Flannagan and referees, Green Hot Clover, SK Kits, Cartwright Group, PFI signs, Paul Raftery, 3q Sports, Aquinas FC - Noel McKee, Rathmore Grammar School, Dunmurray Rec, Anthony Walsh,Co Antrim, St Mary's, Doyle FC, St Pats FC, ,St Oliver Plunkett FC, Cliftonville FC, Rossglass FC, Rosario FC, Beechlawn's Hotel, Belfast, City Hotel, Derry, Copeland Electrics, Keith Tierney, John McCormick, Dee Fitzpatrick.

LIFE AND DEATH AT ALTY: 1902-05

Fans mourned the football-related death of one of the club's players in 1902 but then enjoyed an unbeaten season at home in 1904-05 which culminated in the Club lifting the championship of the Manchester League which, in turn, prompted a musical parade through Altrincham!

For more on this, click here

Pictured right is a 1910 map of Pollitt's Field where Broadheath played between 1903 and 1910.

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Matlock finished the game with ten men after the 58th minute sending off for midfielder Callum Lloyd with the score at just 1-0 and the Stags' last two goals came in the final three minutes...

'I thought we were unfortunate to be a goal down at half time, we played really well and held our own against a top, top side. We matched them for long periods, they were always going to be fitter than us, and in the end the scoreline was a bit unfair. We’ve got a lot of good players who are showing what they can do and we’re more than happy with the way things are going.'

Last Saturday the Gladiators again did well in a 2-2 home draw with Burton Albion when Craig Hopkins was in sole charge... 'We played really well against a strong team containing several players who have played in the Championship so there ‘s a lot of positives we can take from the game and our performance', said Hopkins...

Matlock added to their squad after Tuesday’s game with their fifth signing of the summer as full-back Ryan Wilson signed on the dotted line. Wilson, the son of former Derby and Chelsea striker and former Ilkeston manager Kevin Wilson was with Alfreton Town last term after joining them from Gateshead...

'Ryan’s played very well and is very versatile being able to play at both right back and left back as well as in midfield, he’s a fit strong lad who is a very good player', said Kirkwood. 'We’re still looking to add a couple more before the season starts.'

The remainder of Matlock’s pre season campaign sees them playing non league sides. A much changed line up won 2-1 at Staveley on Wednesday night, fighting back from a goal down to score twice through a trialist and Shaun Harrad late on. They head to Worksop Town on Saturday and Heanor Town on Tuesday. Their final warm up game is at home to Belper Town next Friday...

Cleveland Taylor, Michael Williams and Rory Coleman are all on holiday and will return against Heanor. On the injury front, Adam Yates will need a check after coming off with a leg injury against Mansfield. Marc Newsham (tight hamstring) and Luis Rose (thigh) should have recovered in time to face Worksop."

The Matlock Mercury adds that "Substitute Shaun Harrad hit an 87th-minute winner for a much-changed Matlock Town side... in a 2-1 pre-season win over Staveley Miners Welfare... Matlock deserved the win but Staveley deserve credit for their sharp first half display and repelling long periods of pressure after the break.

Matlock Town: Pierrpoint, Marsden, Wilson (Wiley 46), Jordan, Hunt, Degirolamo, Cribley (14 Trialist 46), Lloyd (Wood 46), Green (Harrad 46), 10 Trialist, Edgson. Sub not used: Barnes". News & Star says that "Workington Reds enjoyed a winning return to action after nearly a fortnight without a game. Gretna 2008 had taken on the friendly at short notice and, after taking an early lead, went down 3-1. Workington joint-boss Lee Andrews said, 'We hadn’t played for a fortnight. It probably affected the way we started but, once we settled into the game, I thought we controlled the ball well and passed it around nicely. I was very pleased with the way we finished the game too, because it showed our fitness levels were good as well. Three of the lads were unavailable for this one...

'We go to Kendal on Saturday and, unfortunately, there will be some absentees again. But, for the last two games, against Penrith and Clitheroe, we should be at full-strength.' Jamie Mellon, from south Cumbria, made a sound home debut at left-back and looked tidy and comfortable on the ball. 'Jamie has come to us on trial and shows the qualities you would expect from a player who has been with Everton Academy,' said Andrews".

From the Stourbridge News we learn that "Stourbridge boss Gary Hackett called for patience over Jack Duggan's recovery but insisted 'his moment will come'. Fans hailed the return of the Glassboys' man-mountain when he emerged as a 65th-minute substitute in Tuesday's 4-1 pre-season victory over Redditch United.

Duggan, scorer of the winning goal in the FA Cup giant killing of Northampton Town in December, required surgery on a dislocated shoulder having been ruled out with the problem at the back end of last season. 'Jack had quite major surgery over the summer,' said Hackett. 'He is on schedule now but we do have to be a bit patient with him. He is a fantastic club man and that did not change when he got injured. He still came to every away game, travelling up to Whitby, Workington and the like. When the going gets tough, Jack is there for you. He has a big character which makes him a leader in his own right and a very important member of the squad. His comeback is a huge bonus but now he has to bide his time, his moment will come'...

Stuart Pierpoint, Brandon Hague, Josh Green and Ryan Rowe netted in a fluent display... Said Hackett, 'We looked like we had goals in us, scored four and looked like we could have had a couple more. That came on the back of a very scruffy and disappointing performance against Stourport on Saturday. We probably needed that Redditch performance as a bit of a tonic and on Saturday, we have another tough match at Alvechurch.

'We have brought in a few new faces, the squad is very strong and we are looking forward to the season now. I am relatively happy with the squad I have... If we take any injuries then maybe we'll have to look at our options. We did our business early and hopefully, we will reap the rewards'".

Meanwhile, from the Staffordshire News comes news that "Staffordshire has recently been drawing quite a reputation for producing previously unearthed footballing gems, illustrated by Stafford Rangers' newest addition... Kai Davis signed for Boro [Stafford Rangers] after impressing in pre-season as a trialist and highlights the recent success of Cohen Bramall, who signed for Arsenal last season, as a reason to join in the hope he can take his game further like the former Hednesford Town man did.

The full-back said, 'It's opened my eyes up to a lot of opportunities that non-league is going somewhere in terms of the football world. Maybe being in the academies and things such as that, it isn't always the route to the professional game. I've listened to interviews on Cohen and he said that he was a player that was in and out of Hednesford and other clubs, and that he was at the highest level that he'd played at, but that gave him the opportunity to go into Arsenal and do big things. That's what I hope in the future to be honest'...

The 20-year-old, who is studying media production at Coventry University, played for Tamworth last season before linking-up with his old teammate Louis Briscoe, who has also swapped red and white for black and white this summer as one of Neil Kitching's summer recruits. He said... 'I went to England Schoolboys trials and things like that but I'd never played anywhere significant... I made an impression on Kitch at the start'...

Aside from the aforementioned Briscoe, Davis also shares an agent with Joe Thomas, who has re-signed for Boro this summer, giving the Londoner some familiar faces in the dressing room".

In the Lancaster Guardian we learn that "Lancaster City’s assistant boss has been delighted with the Dolly Blues’ attacking play so far this pre-season. The Giant Axe side have scored nine goals in four games as they build-up to the new season, seven coming in Saturday’s win over the Isle of Man. Despite drawing a blank against Morecambe and losing out to Barrow 2-1 on Tuesday night, Dave McCann has been encouraged by what he’s seen...

'One of the big positives this pre-season has been out attacking play,' said the City number two, who has run the side for the last two games with Phil Brown on holiday. 'We’re looking really bright and sharp. We’ve created opportunities in all our games... but we know we still need to improve in certain areas and we’ve got three games to work on that.. Our big strength has been our attacking play.'

One reason behind the positive pre-season could be competition for places. A host of new recruits have bolstered City’s championship-winning side from back to front... There are still players to come into the reckoning as well with Simon Wills, one of the stars of last season’s promotion, yet to get game time in a friendly due to a calf injury...

McCann said, 'Everyone is chomping at the bit... It’s difficult to keep them all happy at times. It’s tough but competition in the squad is high which can only be good. We’ve got strength in all areas'.

Heading to Fulwood will see the Dolly Blues come up against former boss Tony Hesketh. City then host Atherton Colleries on Tuesday night before a trip to Bamber Bridge".

The NL Paper reports on a club which competed last season in the Evo-Stik Premier. "It's take three for Ilkeston after the club was purchased from liquidators by Notts County owner Alan Hardy, ending the air of mystery surrounding the future of football in the town. The Robins closed in May when they were wound-up in the High Court. It was the second time inside seven years that the curtain came down following even greater mismanagement.

The new-look club will be called Ilkeston Town, the name of the club before its first closure in 2010 and it will be piloted by Hardy, a successful Nottinghamshire businessman who is also in control at League Two County. The millionaire has brought them them back to life, paying an undisclosed fee, meaning that creditors are likely to see part, if not all, of the old club’s debts settled by the former Evo-Stik NPL Premier team.

The remake are to be placed in the Midland League Division One, meaning Step 6 football for a club who used to ply their trade in the Conference North... They will be managed by ex-Nottingham Forest defender Steve Chettle, Ilkeston’s former assistant manager, who leaves Nuneaton Town to return to the New Manor Ground.

Hardy said, 'Having grown up in neighbouring Eastwood, I simply couldn’t allow one of the East Midlands’ finest Non-League clubs' existence to cease when I knew there was a viable method for me to take it forward.... I am absolutely committed to making the club not only self-sustainable, but also competitive and ambitious in aiming to claim a place in the second tier of Non-League football in the medium term... There are very few, if any, other clubs I would rescue.

'As I touched on earlier, Ilkeston are a special case for me personally and, as was the case with Notts County, it would have genuinely hurt me to see them die'. Chettle is the new boss and Hardy added, 'Steve is an Ilkeston and Nottingham Forest legend'".

SAM'S DEPARTURE

After his release by the Old Trafford club he joined George Heslop's youth team before graduating, via the reserves, to the Altrincham first team for whom he originally signed Conference forms in March 2015.

Having been converted to a centre-back in the Alty Youth team, he made a remarkable debut for the first team, coming on as an injury-time substitute against eventual Conference champions Cheltenham Town on 5 September 2015. Within some ninety seconds he had scored the winning goal!

With his opportunities in the first team limited, after making 5(+4) appearances in 2016-17, Sam went on loan to Hyde United. On his return he re-established himself as a regular member of the matchday squad.

Latterly, Sam has become a popular coach with the Altrincham FC community venture. In all he made 32(+19) appearances and scored that one memorable goal.

All at the J. Davidson Stadium wish Sam well in his future playing career.

ALTY'S PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

• Saturday 29th July: Bradford Park Avenue (A) 3pm, Horsfall Stadium, Cemetery Road, Bradford BD6 2NG
• Tuesday 1st August: Winsford United (A) 3pm, Barton Stadium, Kingsway, Winsford CW7 3AE
• Saturday 5th August: Trafford (A) 3pm, Shawe View, Pennybridge Ln, Urmston, M41 5DL

WREXHAM BOSS ON ALTY GAME

It was a disappointing end to an otherwise good night for the Dragons, goals from Marcus Kelly and Chris Holroyd, albeit the last touch appearing to come off a defender, seeing Wrexham seal a win but also their first clean sheet in seven pre-season games.

Keates was quick to play down Pearson’s knock, saying, 'It is more of an impact, he is in there and laughing and joking, he is fine. He punched the floor four or five times, but that was more in frustration, so he says, but it is just a knock'...

Tuesday’s win was in stark contrast to the disappointing showing the Dragons had delivered days earlier as they crashed to a 1-0 loss at Nantwich Town...And Keates was delighted with the reaction from his side at Moss Lane.

'We asked for a reaction, it was a lot better performance than it was on Saturday, first half especially. We are pleased with how they performed,' said the manager... 'Two very good goals and we created other opportunities, but I thought we moved the ball a lot quicker and with a lot more purpose... Tonight we had the end product (goals)'... 'We have got the [on-oitch] minutes up there and we will go again this weekend [at Chorley]'... It will be another big test for us, like tonight was'".

OLD BOYS

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Lakeland has made a plethora of new signings to complement the core group that have remained from last season, with Gibraltar international Adam Priestley returning, and new club captain Danny Ellis signing from Harrogate Town.

The Celts have also been busy establishing their new academy in cooperation with Allerton Grange... Farsley have won two and lost one of their pre-season friendlies so far, a 4-1 defeat coming at the hands of York City, before they won a thrilling game at Eccleshill 4-3. Last week Farsley entertained a Harrogate Town side, with the home side emerging with a 3-1 success, whilst also drawing 0-0 with Bradford Park Avenue.

Players In: Kyle Trenerry, Danny Ellis, James Pollard, Kurt Harris, Isaac Baldwin, Ben Atkinson, Luke Parkin, David McDermott, Adam Priestley. Players Out: Aaron Hardy, Chris Howarth, Aiden Savory, Peter Davidson, Alex Davidson, Ross Daly, Ryan Serrant, Lewis Nightingale."

NL Pitchero reports that "Barrow AFC earned a 2-1 win at the Giant Ace [Giant Axe] against Lancaster City. The Bluebirds hit the Dolly Blues with two quick goals around the 20-minute mark from David Fitzpatrick and Harry Panayiotou. Charlie Bailey halved the deficit on the hour-mark."

And NL Pitchero says that at Coalville Town "Three players have departed the club whilst four more have signed first team forms. Two of the players departing were signings early this summer. Dexter Atkinson agreed to join on a non contract basis but was offered a better deal and first-team football with Belper Town and decided to make the move there after playing in the friendly against Leicester Nirvana for Coalville.

The second depature is left-sided player Ryan Wilson. Ryan signed a contract with Coalville on the agreement the club wouldn't stand in his way of moving back up the football pyramid. What the club didnt expect was that before pre-season started Ryan would make a U-turn and prefer a move to an unamed Conference North club so soon. Ryan played in a friendly match on a trial basis but actually wasnt offered a deal at the end of it. Coalville then made the decision that it would be best if Ryan's contract was terminated due the fact that the management side are building a squad of players that are fully commited to the club and didn't feel Ryan fell into that category.

The third depature is forward Edilson Antonio. Eddy made a real impact when he joined last year but has decided to make a move to local side Loughborough Dynamo for first-team action. Coming into the club is strong defender Ruben Desrosiers who joins from Nottinghamshire side Radford. Ruben has done execptionally well in the pre season games so far...

Another player joining is striker Dylan Garnett after his release from the Burton Albion youth system.... Finally midfielder Jordan Pick and forward Malachi Lumsden have also signed first team forms after orignally starting in the Development squad. Jordan started out at Aston Villa but after being released earnt his stripes with Oadby Town last year... Malachi is a tall rangey forward who had been playing down in London for Wingate. He like Jordan impressed in games for the development squad and the first team in early friendlies".

On the pitch, "Boston United netted three goals after half-time to seal a 3-0 win over Coalville Town. Versatile Mason Warren opened the scoring on 55 minutes... Substitutes Karl Hawley and Ashley Hemmings then struck within the final 3 minutes to add gloss to the Pilgrims’ lead.

And, elsewhere, FC United of Manchester edged a seven-goal encounter at neighbours Ashton United... with Yaw Gyimah with two and [ex-Alty loanee] Liam Tomsett on target for the hosts".

ALTRINCHAM 0-2 WREXHAM

Above: Mike Ripley's image shows Wrexham attacking Tim Deasy's goal in the second half.

A strong Wrexham side proved too good for Altrincham who, nevertheless, gave a decent account of themselves...

Match report here

PHIL PLEASED WITH DEFENCE

Q: Maybe the game showed we're not quite ready to take on all-comers yet, but it was another really good work-out, wasn't it?

A: It was a great work-out. They were at full strength. I know they've had a couple of results they weren't too pleased with, against Nantwich and Warrington, but I'm looking at what they've put out tonight and it won't be too far away from what they start the season with. They were very strong, but I would like to think we competed really well.

I would actually have been disappointed if we had played a Wrexham side and had things all our own way. It was meant to be a test, a game where we could assess where we were defensively, and that is exactly how it proved. We faced a team tonight who were pulling us out of position and were very effective in the positions they got into, particularly the two wingers and the frontline, who were unbelievable. So it was nice to see we could cope with that.

They didn't bombard us. I can't remember Tim Deasy or Tony Thompson (left) having a great deal to do. There were a few snapshots, but it wasn't a case of them peppering our goal. They had a lot of possession, but I would like to think we did as well, even though it was largely in our own half. That was because, as soon as it went into their final third, they were very good, very strong and very fit. That was the biggest difference for me. They were very fit and organised, and you could tell they were a full-time outfit.

But the positive thing for me was the way we continued to play under a lot of pressure. I felt we had a couple of good opportunities, though there was nothing to suggest we should have got something out of the game, in terms of the result. I thought they were worthy winners but, equally, I thought anything more than two goals would have been an injustice. It would hardly have been an injustice if we'd got one ourselves, so all in all I was pleased with the way my players applied themselves and competed with full-time players. It was no rout by any means, and I'm sure their manager will be saying it was a good work-out for them, because we had a lot of good possession.

Q: We should have stayed on terms longer, shouldn't we, because John Johnston was clearly fouled near the halfway line in the build-up to their opener?

A: Yes, we should have had a free-kick for that. As I've said before, I can't influence what the referee does on the pitch by shouting and bawling. It was a clear foul, but we still should have done better when the ball reached our final third. To be fair to the lad who scored, he did really well. I think they got him from Forest Green, so basically he has come from a professional Football League club. That is the calibre of opposition you are dealing with, and he executed it ever so well. We are questioning whether we could have got out to him a bit more quickly, but it all happened so fast.

It's fair to say we are not going to be playing that calibre of opposition on a Saturday, so for our lads it was a case of can you cope defensively but also be brave enough to get on the ball and still play our game? I can take a lot of heart from the fact that we competed and we did play. I would have liked to see us score a goal, because that is what we are all about, and I would have liked to see us keep them out a bit longer. But 2-0 is no disgrace against a full-time Wrexham outfit who were at full strength.

Q: John Johnston (right) hobbled off after being clattered for their first goal - how is he?

A: He came off as a precaution. He has got a niggle, a slight strain. It was a bad tackle, but it's a bit early to tell, and we'll have to have a good look at him to see exactly how he is.

Overall, I was particularly pleased with the defenders. They had to compete physically in the air, and that's something people were questioning about my teams, because we play football. But we competed ever so well. We were not dominated once. We were undone by really quick interplay that was really sharp.

You could tell their manager had given them a bit of a kick up the backside. We knew there would be a reaction from them, and they paid us a lot of respect with the team they put out tonight. That showed we are a team people are taking seriously.

Q: Ben Harrison (left) showed he's comfortable on the ball and can bring it out of defence, but he also demonstrated that old-fashioned quality you want from a centre-half, in that he never missed a header all night.

A: Ben is absolute quality. For me, we are very lucky to have him. He shouldn't be playing at this level. He should be playing much higher, in my opinion, but he is someone we have got contracted at the club now, so he is securely tied down, and I am extremely pleased about that. He is everything I am all about. He's a real honest lad, someone who gets on with things and can take criticism in a constructive way. He is such a good player, and he will score goals as a defender, so it is very pleasing to see him pulling on the red and white shirt.

Q: Would one slight disappointment be the second goal, and the way their player was allowed an unchallenged run to meet the corner with a header into the top corner of the net?

A: Yes, maybe. I think it was one of the midfielders who should have been picking him up, but I'm not going to dig anyone out for it in a pre-season game, especially until I've seen the footage. Maybe a little bit of tiredness affected it, and maybe their lad was that bit sharper and that bit fitter to get away from whoever it was. But I have to accept that, and I said to the players they weren't going to get things all their own way. Wrexham would have been fully aware we beat Chester.

I know Chester are saying they put out a youthful team in the second half, but we absolutely dominated the first half against a very good Conference outfit, and Wrexham would have been very aware of that. You have to give Wrexham full credit, they were very good. But I would like to think they were not that much better than us, so I can see gaps being bridged, especially if we go up with some of these players. That is how I am assessing them. It's not just are they good enough for this level, it's are they going to be able to compete in some of the big FA Cup ties we might land at a higher level?

It is quite pleasing to see we can compete with teams a couple of divisions above us. We are not even at full strength yet, when you think the likes of Tom Hannigan hasn't kicked a ball yet, Sean Miller is still out and Simon Richman is still away. Imagine how much stronger that will make us when they are all available.

Q: Tom Hannigan warmed up again before kick-off - how close is he to playing?

A: Hopefully, and it all depends on how it goes on Thursday, and we will make a decision then on whether he plays Saturday or Tuesday, but hopefully it's coming very soon. We just need to see if he can cope with the training session. I know there is a lot of talk about Tom, because he has come with a big reputation and people are probably desperate to see him on the pitch, but when you've had the injury he has, it is such a delicate one. You can come back too soon and be out all season, and that would be a massive, massive loss. But if we can just be patient and get it right, he could be the best defender in the league. It's all ifs and buts at the moment, so we need to see how he goes. I need to check on Simon Richman, but I think he's due back this weekend or Tuesday. Either way, he's with us again shortly.

Q: You look at some of the runs James Poole makes in incredibly tight situations, and he does get a buffeting, doesn't he? But he just bounces straight back up, so does that encourage you to think opponents might struggle to kick him out of games this season?

A: What you have to remember is there are lads at the level we are at who won't get that close to him. The Wrexham boys were very good at what they did. The two holding midfielders who tended to surround him impressed me a lot and didn't give him an inch. I even said to James to reduce his touches in the first half, because I felt now and again he could have released it a bit earlier and he got caught out. But rather than do that, he just got very strong and very sharp, and he did it ever so more effectively. I thought he was superb in the second half. They really struggled to contain him, and a lot of the time he ended up being fouled.

Lads who run with the ball like that and take contact are going to get the rough side of the game, but they are also very pleasing to watch, and I'm sure Altrincham fans will enjoy watching James taking people on and exciting them. But you're right, there's no doubt anyone setting out to kick James out of a game will struggle to pull it off, because he is tough and he will keep bouncing back up. He has been there, seen it, done it. That is why we brought him here, why I went all out to get him and and why he is one of my marquee signings. He is going to be absolutely massive for us. There are going to be a lot of games where we are relying on James to bring home the bacon, so to speak. He knows that, and he likes it. He thrives on that responsibility. He knows what this club is all about and where it should be, and he wants to be part of getting it back there. He is very focused and determined to do that.

A lot of lads could have dropped down and taken advantage of the name they've got, in terms of the negotiations that go on, but he didn't. He was all about wanting to be part of something special, and that was the big selling point for me.

Q: How are things looking for Saturday, with regards to players who were missing tonight?

A: I think Sam Sheridan is still away on Saturday, so will miss just the two games, but Chris Lynch is back tomorrow. As I said, we'll look at Tom Hannigan on Thursday, but he's nearly ready.

Q: And finally, Phil, there have been one or two whispers that Sam Heathcote (left) may have left. What can you tell us?

A: Sam Heathcote is no longer with the club. He had the opportunity to stay but, what I said to him was basically what I will say to the other lads, in other words, an honest assessment of where they are at currently. I know Sam wants to be playing and starting week-in, week-out, so he made the decision himself to leave the club, to make sure he can progress himself and further himself in the game, and full credit to him for that. He wished everyone at the club every success. He is an Altrincham lad and he wants the club to do well, but he wants to play as well. Hand on heart, I can't say Sam is going to play week-in, week-out at this moment in time, so he made the decision based on the facts I gave him.

There will probably be a few of these conversations over the next few weeks or games, where lads will want to know if they are going to make the squad, and I will need to give them an honest assessment of where I think they are up to, because everyone can see the numbers we've got. We are touching 25 players. It will probably be an 18-man squad, so the numbers don't tally at the moment. That means there may well be other lads who have to make decisions about whether they still want to be here but, as for Sam, he has a lot of potential, without a shadow of a doubt.

When I first saw him against Curzon Ashton, he came on and impressed me straightaway with his technical ability. I have nothing negative to say about him, but the top and bottom of it is I feel there are lads ahead of him at the moment. The nostalgic part of me, because he is an Altrincham lad, wants to keep him here, but the realist side of me that has to be a little bit cut-throat and help Altrincham get promoted doesn't think Sam is the right defender to help us at this moment in time. I would stress that is purely subjective and is just my opinion. I would also stress Sam will be a very, very good defender in the future. He just needs to play, but I can't offer him that right now".

DRAGONS' VIEW

In the end, efforts from Marcus Kelly, a good shot after a long run before break, and Chris Holroyd’s flick header in the second half, gave the visitors the result. Probably even more pleasing for the manager, was the response his players gave after Saturday’s dip in standards at Nantwich and the clean sheet that came with tonight’s result.

Still Massanka and Mackreth missing due to injury, but a strong looking starting side against the Alty Robins... On 32 minutes, the opening goal arrived and it was a solo effort by Marcus Kelly, who took the ball from the half way line, ran at the home defence and then fired a low effort from 16-yards between defenders’ legs, before beating Thompson at his near post....

Chris Holroyd was credited with the second Wrexham goal, as he rose at the near post to head home, although from our vantage point, one of the home defenders might well have been able to claim an assist".

RETIRING LADY ROBIN

Anna (pictured front row, far right in the above image) has also said she will be coming over from her home in Foxdale in the Isle of Man to watch and support the girls in some of this seasons games. I have thanked Anna for all her commitment, her desire to want to play for us and her friendship, as I know we will remain friends for life. Good luck for the future Anna, cheers girl!"

OLD BOYS

Donning the boots once more will be 33-year-old defender Danny Hall (right), who announced his retirement last year after being with Stalybridge Celtic. Hall started his career with Oldham Athletic back in 2002... In 2006 he joined Shrewsbury Town for two seasons, going onto make forty-two appearances. In 2008, after a brief stint with Gretna, he returned to England with Chesterfield... A year later saw him on the move again, this time to Crawley Town, where there were fourteen appearances and a loan to Forest Green Rovers for seventeen games.

In 2011, he first joined Stockport County then Hyde United. He finished the season with Hyde, joining Altrincham for the first time in 2012 before being tempted to join the mayfly club Celtic Nation for two games en-route to Guiseley AFC. Although he spent three years at Guiseley, he only made seventeen appearances... In 2016, he re-joined Altrincham via Ashton Curzon, before joining Celtic briefly before retiring."

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BEFORE THE GAME: WREXHAM PT.1

And the Dragons add that they "are looking to get back to winning ways as we travel to Altrincham... The Dragons' 100% preseason win record went out the window as Dean Keates opted to rest a number of first team players. We travelled to Nantwich on Saturday following victories over Lex, Cefn Druids, Louletano, Stafford Rangers and Warrington...

Altrincham have a number of quality experienced players in their first team as they look to return to non-league's second tier. Jerome Wright is familiar with winning promotion having done so with FC United of Manchester. Meanwhile, Jake Moult, who played for the club in the National League and has stuck with the side is the brother of former Dragon and Scottish Premier League star Louis Moult...

The last time we faced off at Moss Lane where the points were shared. Alty took the lead before Simon Heslop's equaliser for the Dragons levelled proceedings. Chris Holroyd, Sam Wedgbury, Jack Mackreth, Chris Dunn and Ntumba Massanka were all rested on Saturday, but some (expect Tums) could feature on Tuesday".

BEFORE THE GAME: WREXHAM PT.2

Dean Keates’s new look Wrexham side lost for the first time in pre-season... Dragons' boss Keates was angry at the manner of his side’s performance against Evo-Stik Premier Division opponents, describing it as 'nowhere near good enough'...

'I think we lost some of the objectives of the game of football really in the first half,' said the right-back. 'I think we indulged in too many touches in our own half and lost track of what we were really playing for, which is to get shots on goal and keep it out of ours, and that didn’t happen. Were harsh words justified? Absolutely yeah.

'But I don’t think it is lack of effort and I don’t think it is lack of ability. One of my favourite sayings is "Know why you are doing what you are doing". So if you are going to pass it short or do a bounce pass, why are you doing that? If you are going to cross it, why are you doing that? If you are going to shoot, why are you doing it? If you are going to defend, why are you doing that? It is very basic, and hopefully we can improve on that.'

The 1-0 loss on Saturday ensured Wrexham have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their six pre-season games, while it was also the first time the Dragons have failed to find the back of the net following 3-1 wins at Lex Glyndwr and Cefn Druids, and 2-1 wins at Louletano in Portugal, Stafford Rangers and Warrington Town.

Hurst added, 'As a defender it (a lack of clean sheets) looks bad on yourself, and if you look at where some of the goals have come from I will take responsibility for some of them... From where we came last season, 13th, we need to improve on that and goals ultimately will do it for us. We (Wrexham) were one of the lowest scorers'...

Wrexham have an early chance to put Saturday’s defeat behind them when they take on Altrincham...

'The serious stuff hasn’t started yet,' said Hurst. 'They are only friendlies and it is only practice, and it is fitness as well'".

IAN WHITE

LADIES' FIXTURES

£500 FOR VICKI'S FUND

It was reported here on the club's website before the game how Alty officials had readily granted a request for a collection in aid of Birchwood-based firefighter Vicki Griffiths, a mum of two and elder sister of summer signing Tom, who has been left unable to move from the waist down after an accident at the gym.

Volunteers duly patrolled the terraces and stands at The J.Davidson Stadium, before and during Alty's 3-2 win, and raised the grand total of £422, a highly-impressive sum that was boosted to £500 by a personal donation of £78 from chairman Grahame Rowley.

Chester director Neil Bellis, who is closely associated with the drive to raise funds for Vicki in his capacity as Communications Officer at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, commented: 'Thanks very much to everyone at Alty who made us feel very welcome and were very generous! It was great to raise so much, and we are very grateful. Best of luck for the season.'

The money is a significant contribution to the amount needed by Vicki, who, as well as coming to terms with her condition, is trying to find the means to finance an extensive programme of home and car adaptations which are essential to accommodate her needs and enable her to look after her two children. Friends, family and her colleagues at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service had already launched a series of fundraising initiatives to try and generate the thousands of pounds needed to make her home accessible, and now kind-hearted Alty fans have chipped in to take her nearer still to her target".

FRIENDLY FOES: TRAFFORD FC

After playing at Shawe View for the last 28 years, the club's ground has been renamed the First Point Shawe View Stadium, for the upcoming 2017-18 season.

The historic move comes after Rob Woolley, the chairman of the club's junior section, stepped in to sponsor the stadium through his company, 24-hour recovery and roadside assistance specialists First Points Commercials.

Trafford boss [and former Alty reserve] Tom Baker is also looking forward to seeing his playing budget topped up after last season's main sponsor Simon Breen renewed his partnership with the club for a second consecutive season through his finance and payroll services and business health checks company.

The deal does involve a change of branding on the club's kit, though, after his company's name changed from Total Outsourcing to SBFD.... Baker and his Trafford side continue their preparations for the big kick off in August on Tuesday night when they host Curzon Ashton at their newly renamed home".

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Looking at the two games, Adam said, 'It’s been a positive week for us with two solid performances against teams from the division above. Harrogate weren’t at full strength during the week; however, I felt we were the better team throughout that game and thoroughly deserved the win.

'BPA put out a stronger side on Saturday and presented an alternative challenge in the style of football they played to Harrogate, so it was a different test for us, but one which I feel we came away from with plenty of optimism. They had three trialists in for the first-half, but second-half they were pretty much full strength so for us to compete with them as we did and restrict them to very few goal-scoring opportunities was pleasing.'

The Farsley manager continued, 'I was particularly happy with the way in which we defended in both games, but most especially against BPA. We looked really organised, held good shape and in the latter stages when a few of our lads were running on empty we kept our discipline. We didn’t get ragged and ultimately kept a clean sheet - hopefully the first of many. Avenue only really had a couple of clear cut chances which were second phase from set-plays, but in open play we were solid throughout'...

The Celts boss said, 'We’ve let two or three lads, who we’ve been looking at in pre-season, go and have currently got a couple more in to look at in the next week, but in general I don’t see us doing too much more with the squad at this stage'".

NEIL SORVEL INTERVIEWED

Q: That looked like another good work-out, and an impressive, deserved victory, Neil. Did you see it that way?

A: Yes, it was good. It can be difficult in such hot conditions but, again, we kept possession of the ball well and controlled the game really well. It was nice to score three goals. I said to the lads that it is going to be a feature of this season, teams defending deep against us and sitting off us. The challenge is to be able to break them down so, from that point of view, it was pleasing to score the three. On the other hand, I was disappointed with the one we conceded. I would liked to have kept a clean sheet, because it's one thing we haven't managed to do in the games so far.

Q: I think the passing style has generally gone down well with Alty supporters, but we can knock it long when need be as well, can't we? That seemed particularly evident today with the number of times Jerome Wright was picked out in space on the left.

Right: Sam Sheridan, who has had an impressive pre-season, is seen in the Rhyl game.

A: Well, Rhyl were set up very narrow, in terms of their shape, so it was difficult sometimes to play through them. You look to get it out wide in that situation, and when you have players of the ability of Sam Sheridan and Jake Moult, you can do that. They have the ability to hit those diagonal balls and switch the play, and they can do it with great accuracy. I thought they hit some great diagonal crossfield balls today, and it was difficult for the opposition to adjust to them.

Q: After the way things have gone these past two seasons, it makes a nice change to be able to reflect on three straight wins, even if it is only pre-season.

A: Sometimes it's difficult with pre-season, and I don't want to read too much into it. I know, looking back at our time at Nantwich, we had fantastic pre-seasons, then started the season not quite so well. Conversely, we've lost a few in the build-up then gone into the season flying, so it is always difficult to judge. But I think the lads are developing a good understanding between each other and a good understanding of how we want them to play, so from that point of view, it's good. If we are beating teams of the calibre of Chester along the way, that is a bonus.

Q: It must be a boost for confidence to be winning games, presumably?

A: I said to them before the game there is nothing better for developing team spirit than winning games. You can do all your nights out or whatever, but winning games just fosters that team spirit among the lads, so you do want these results we are getting at the moment and you do want the sort of form they are showing. It's nice to see.

Q: The theme of recent conversations with Phil has been the selection problems he faces, with so much quality to choose from, and there doesn't seem to be any let-up in the number of players staking a claim for a starting place, does there?

A: There doesn't, no. We are facing some real headaches, good ones to have, and there are going to be a good few conversations between Phil and myself, regarding the best team for the opening day. We have been pretty fair with them up to now, in terms of the minutes they have had. I don't think any of them can have any complaints. We have shared the minutes around but now, with five games gone and four to go, people need to start totting up the minutes and getting up to 70 and then 80. There are going to be some tough decisions over the next couple of weeks, no doubt about that. But it's good to have them, when you've got that much quality at your disposal. We are not scratching around for players. You can see the quality is there.

Q: John Disney did well in the second half, cutting in from the right and firing a left-foot shot that skimmed off the top of a defender's head and beat the keeper. But was it his goal, or an og?

A: I would be claiming it, if I was Dis! We encourage the full-backs to get forward, and he has capitalised on an opportunity by driving inside and getting his shot away. He did it a couple of times in the first half as well. I suppose he got a bit lucky, with it glancing off the defender's head, but he got himself in a good area to make it happen.

Q: On the other flank, Lewis Short (left) certainly likes to get forward, doesn't he?

A: He does. We've known him for a while, and we had him at Nantwich. He's versatile and can play up and down that left side, either as a left-back or left-winger. Unfortunately, he's tweaked his thigh, so that is a bit disappointing, but he is competing with Kyle Brownhill for one position, and they are both doing well.

Q: Does that make Lewis a doubt for the start of the season?

A: No, he'll be fine. There are one or two with blisters. Though that may sound minimal, I know myself how it can really affect you. Josh Hancock is struggling with blisters. We wanted to get him back on, but he couldn't. Overall, everyone is fine, and I just hope we can get through the pre-season with everyone unscathed.

Q: What about the lads who weren't here - are they OK?

A: Yes, there are no problems. Shaun Densmore has been at a wedding today, Ben Harrison and Chris Lynch are both away and Jordan Hulme only returned from holiday today.

Q: I asked Phil on Tuesday about Josh Amis and James Jones, and he said both had signed non-contract forms, but I forgot to check on Tony Thompson. Has he signed as well?

A: Yes, he has signed non-contract forms. You need two keepers, so it was important we got that sorted. Both are pushing each other and competing really well for that number one spot.

Q: Finally, has Phil been on yet, asking what the score was?

A: Not yet. I had a few texts from him this morning, and we'll have a catch-up when he gets back tomorrow (Sunday). Now it's on to Tuesday night, and another really tough fixture against Wrexham at The J.Davidson - we're both really looking forward to that".

WEBSITE CHANGES

As part of the changes, the current multiple "dropdown" menu system on the "desktop" site is being replaced, as are the sidebars and "footer" of the existing pages.

Given the very large number of pages on the site, which have been created over the past 18 years, it will take some time to bring everything to conformity of appearance. However, the currently most-used pages should be viewable in the new format during Monday.

The new-look pages should be self-explanatory and, hopefully, they will prove easier to use than their forerunners.

The currently separate mobile-format site at http://mobi.altrinchamfc.net/ will continue for the foreseeable future but will necessarily remain a "cut-down" version of the "desktop" site.

The website addresses (URLs) will remain unaltered.

LADIES' DEVELOPMENT TEAM'S FIRST GAME

Keith Edleston, manager of Altrincham FC Ladies reports from Sunday's first game for the newly formes Ladies' Development Team, who are pictured above.

Keith writes, "Well done to the development team today in their firsst ever game at senior level, versus Stockport County. In an even game the hosts just edged out a young Robins' team which certainly played its part in an entertaining pre-season opener. A fine goal from Courtney Williams equalised the County opener but a second goal just wouldn't come and the final score ended...

Stockport County Dev. Team 2 Altrincham DLC Dev. Team 1

Well done to all today!

The Gaffer".

JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT ALTRINCHAM FC

Applicants are invited to send a CV and covering letter by e-mail, to reach the club by 31 July 2017.

RHYL VIEW

Niall McGuinness’s side were given another tough test against Altrincham, and there were once again plenty of positives to take from the performance as the Lilywhites look to make an instant return to the Welsh Premier League.

The visitors began the brighter of the two sides and they went ahead on 14 minutes when Josh Amis headed home... with Alex Tichiner and Tom Rowlands narrowly missing the target for the home side. After the break saw the Lilies come out with a renewed sense of purpose and they levelled matters on the hour mark when substitute Jack Hoult steered a superb header over the visiting keeper and into the net.

Alty immediately responded when John Disney got up the right, cut in and saw his goalbound left-footed shot deflect off a defender’s head and loop into the net to make it 2-1 to the visitors... They doubled their advantage on 74 minutes when a defensive lapse resulted in James Poole finding the target, and... [Rhyl] suffered their third friendly defeat in five contests.

The Huws Gray Alliance promotion hopefuls continue their preparations with three fixtures in the space of five days, starting with a trip to Nantwich on Tuesday night... They then host Shrewsbury Town on Thursday at the Corbett Sports Stadium (7.30pm), before travelling to Witton Albion on Saturday."

NEXT OPPONENTS: WREXHAM

Wrexham were unconvincing in their midweek 2-1 win at Warrington Town, a match in which Keates described his side's showing as 'a less than dominant performance', and he was equally as cutting following Saturday’s defeat. 'The run out is part and parcel about getting minutes into their legs, but [I am] massively disappointed', said the manager. 'Glad it has happened, if I am honest. First half (was) nowhere near, absolutely nowhere near. I asked for a reaction going in at half-time and it was a little bit better second half. We had three clear chances and didn’t take them, and they had one shot on goal and scored.

'The mentality I want at the football club is to win football matches. Obviously, we didn’t play great the other night but ground out the win. Today, first half, it was nowhere near good enough. They have set a standard... in training and we have normally been bang at it. Friday we trained really well and we were bright and sharp but, first half, it was nowhere near. We didn’t speak to them about tactics at half time, if I am honest. We had a good chat and got a few points across and it was a bit of reaction, a bit sharper and brighter, but it was not good enough.'

Keates’s side have failed to keep a clean sheet in all six of their pre-season games so far but had managed to score 12 times in their previous five games. Wrexham peppered the home side’s goal at Nantwich, the second half looking something akin to an attack versus defence training drill at times, such was the Dragons' dominance of possession and territory, yet they could not find the all-important breakthrough.

And, while Keates was happy to see his side continue to create chances... he added, 'Every game, the last word we say to them is we want a clean sheet. You start with a clean sheet, it is a bit of a basic... and you want to keep the clean sheet. So long as you keep a clean sheet you always have a chance. The goal the other night (at Warrington) was disappointing and the goal tonight was very disappointing, but as I said first half was nowhere near good enough, ... We didn’t see it [defeat] coming, but I am glad it has come'...

Attention now turns to Tuesday’s penultimate pre-season friendly at Altrincham."

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NORTH

One of our league opponents, Warrington Town, is in action at Trafford FC on Friday night (7.45pm).

For their recent friendly against AFC Liverpool our league rivals, Witton Albion fielded the following line-up... Trialist, Matthew Coughlan, Matthew Devine, Michael Wilson, Nick Ryan, Trialist, Prince Haywood, Trialist, Will Jones, Steven Tames, and James Foley. Subs: Anthony Gardner, Trialist, Trialist, Rob Hopley, Micah Evans, Trialist, Paul Williams and Calvin Hare.

RHYL 1 ALTRINCHAM 3

Above: John Disney (centre) is congratulated on his goal by Jake Moult (right), with Tolani Omotola (7) and Jerome Wright (11) also in attendance. Image courtesy of Mike Ripley.

Altrincham secured their third successive pre-season win in a match they largely dominated but without creating too many clear chances.

Josh Amis scored the opener after 14 minutes, heading home after a short corner routine had allowed Jerome Wright to get to the byline on the right. It was the former Stockport County striker's third goal in three matches.

Despite Altrincham enjoying the lion's share of the ball, it remained only 1-0 at the break. And, just before the hour mark, Rhyl equalised when a Hoult header looped over keeper Thompson from a good 15 yards out. However, Alty immediately responded when John Disney got up the right, cut in and saw his goalbound left-footed shot deflect off a defender's head and loop into the net to make it 2-1 to the visitors.

A poor back pass by Rhyl then allowed Johnston to nip in and, though his effort was blocked, James Poole arrived to shoot firmly into the net in the 74th minute.

Match report here.

Apologies for the lack of matchday updates, which was due to technical reasons.

Right: Centre-back James Jones is seen here at Rhyl. In two consecutive game James has faced another James Jones, one from Chester FC and another from Rhyl!

OLD BOY

NEXT OPPONENTS: WREXHAM

A trio of Wrexham first-teamers were rested after collecting niggles, in Jack Mackreth, Chris Holroyd and [ex-Alty loanee] Sam Wedgbury. While [ex-Alty loanee] James Jennings was back following early exit at Warrington on Tuesday evening, a game Olly Marx also missed due to a knock...

A mistake by the Wrexham defence on 12 minutes, allowed former Prestatyn Town forward Jordan Davies to collect the ball and fire a rising effort into the top left-hand corner of the Wrexham net, from the edge of the box... The rain then started to fall heavily on the excellent Weaver Stadium pitch, making the ball travel even faster across the slick surface. Davies for the Dabbers was looking a constant threat, using his pace well against the Wrexham back line...

At the break, Nantwich introduced three new faces, including centre back [ex-Alty centre-back] Clayton MacDonald, as they changed tactics to a three centre-halves... A triple switch for Wrexham on 55 minutes, as Pearson, Roberts and Carrington were introduced for Manny Smith, Hurst and Kelly... The massed ranks of Nantwich defenders did their job and held Wrexham at bay.

Nantwich Town: Spiess, Bourne, Morgan, Stair, Webster, Hall, Hassall, Mullarkey, Clayton, Davies, Evans. Subs: Jones, Baxendale, Lingard, Trialist A, Trialist B, Burzynski, McDonald.

Wrexham: Dibble, Hurst (Roberts 55), M Smith (Pearson 55), Marx, Jennings, Rutherford, Wright, Kelly (Carrington 55), L Smith (Burrows 86), Boden (Freeman 73), Trialist B. Subs: Kirkham, Tharme, McHarrie".

The Daily Post adds that "Wrexham lost their 100% record in pre-season as they crashed to a 1-0 defeat at Nantwich Town, a lack of a cutting edge up front proving their undoing. Dean Keates’s side dominated proceedings... yet failed to beat Fabian Spiess or his replacement Krystian Burzynski on a frustrating afternoon for the Dragons.

And, for the sixth time in pre-seaso,n the Dragons failed to keep a clean sheet, a 12th minute strike from Wrexham lad Jordan Davies, who played for Prestatyn Town in the Huws Gray Alliance last season, the only one the home side managed on target all afternoon....

The home side went ahead... on 12 minutes, Harry Clayton beating youngster Olly Marx a little too easily to feed the ball into Davies, a former Glyndwr Academy prospect, who rifled home beyond Christian Dibble. Nantwich were more than matching their National League opponents... It was becoming a case of attack versus defence as Nantwich switched to a back-five, relying on former Northern Ireland international Stephen Jones as their main outlet up front".

NEXT AWAY OPPONENTS: BRADFORD PA

From the local Telegraph & Argus we read that "Park Avenue's squad for the imminent season is almost assembled, with manager Mark Bower well ahead in preparation for his first full season with the club. The former Bantams skipper and Guiseley manager took over just a dozen games into last season, soon after getting the push from Nethermoor...

He was given only six games in charge of Guiseley at the start of last term and when he took over at Horsfall Stadium 12 games in, Avenue had no wins on the board, were bottom of the National North table with three points and were out of the FA Cup. [Their first win was agains... Altrincham].

Bower has drafted in some new signings over the summer, including former Guiseley players, has run the rule over several trialists and has given some of the club's academy youngsters first-team experience during friendlies. 'I think we're very close to finalising our squad for the season and there won't be as many trialists from here on,' he said... 'Nicky Wroe and one of the trialists played the full game at Ossett and that was on the back of three or four playing the whole game against Albion. Luca Havern got an hour as he moves up with his fitness but we'll have to monitor everyone.

'We can't risk any niggling injuries because we haven't got the biggest squad and we can't roll on roll off two different sides in all of the friendlies'. One of the last pieces of the jigsaw could be Nicky Boshell. The forward was a key component of Guiseley's promotion-winning side under Bower and a regular for Avenue last term until injury curtailed his season. Boshell returned to Horsfall for the pre-season work but without the guarantee of a deal and has been working his way back to full fitness since.

Bower said, 'Nicky... had been out since February... He's back in the goals, looks sharp and has a good understanding with most of the new signings after playing alongside them at other clubs... We're hoping that Nicky will be part of our squad for the new season but nothing is settled just yet'".

RHYL v ALTRINCHAM: LIVE MATCH COVERAGE

Brian Flynn announces that "Radio Robins is providing full live commentary of Saturday's game. The commentators are Simon Ellis and Alex Sarwar. The match summariser is Dave Stringer. Coverage starts at 2.55pm and you can listen to Radio Robins on the internet at http://www.radiorobins.com/

BEFORE THE GAME: RHYL

The Cheshire side will be looking to bounce back from their second successive relegation... With the appointment of Phil Parkinson as Manager they will seek to achieve an immediate return for one of the most well-known non-league clubs with a very proud history.

So far Altrincham have played 4 pre-season matches claiming wins against Kidsgrove Athletic and Cheshire rivals Chester FC, whilst losing to Stockport County and drawing against Whitchurch Alport.

For Rhyl, this match starts a busy week with following the visit of Altrincham, an away trip on Tuesday to Nantwich Town follows before a home match against Shrewsbury Town on Thursday. The week finishes with a trip to Witton Albion on Saturday 29th July. The last pre-season encounter against Brickfield Rangers saw local player Jamie Whitehouse score in an entertaining 1-1 draw whilst there were positive performances from new signings such as Gerwyn Jones, Sam Downey and Alex Titchiner.

Admission is £5 for adults, £3 for concessions and £2 for under-16s".

Rhyl provide travel directions, as follows. The postcode is LL18 4BY

"If travelling from the A55 leave this road at Junction 27 and follow the signs for Rhyl and Rhuddlan A525. After approximately 2 miles take the second exit at the roundabout signposted Rhyl. After approximately a mile take the first exit marked A525 Rhyl, and then go straight on at the next two roundabouts past the Clwyd Retail Park and at the Crown Bard pub.

After a mile turn right before the Shell petrol station via Pendyffryn Road. At the end of the road turn left into Grange Road and the Corbett Sports Stadium is on the left 100 yards further on.

Car parking is available at the ground. Limited on street parking is available and additional parking is available at the Rhyl Leisure Centre / Rhyl High School site on Grange Road".

The Rhyl Journal reported last week that "Rhyl have pulled off a major transfer coup with the signings of Mark Connolly and Tom Rowlands.

The talented duo have returned to the Corbett Sports Stadium to lead their charge for promotion, with the pair signing from Runcorn Town and Bala Town respectively. Connolly was recently released by the Lakesiders after a seven-year spell... The attacking midfielder, who made 145 top flight appearances for the Lilies before their relegation, has also turned out for Bangor City and can play a variety of positions which will prove invaluable to boss Niall McGuinness.

Rowlands re-joins the Lilywhites following a spell at Runcorn Town where he made 17 appearances... The playmaking central midfielder was part of the Rhyl side that secured the Huws Gray Cup in 2012, before starring in their promotion to the Welsh Premier League the following year".

And "Rhyl produced a pair of impressive performances against Premier League opposition as they continue preparations ahead of the new season. Niall McGuinness’s men hosted both Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion over the last week in-front of bumper crowds at the Corbett Sports Stadium, and the Lilywhites emerged from both contests with enormous credit...

Wednesday’s clash against the Merseyside outfit saw them fall to a late 2-1 defeat, before a Baggie select XI showed their quality with a 4-0 success... Despite the final result in Saturday’s clash, McGuinness’ side matched their opponents for the majority of the contest, before conceding four goals in the final 20 minutes. The Lilywhites continued their pre-season fixtures against Brickfield Rangers on Tuesday night, before they host Altrincham".

OLD BOY

WELSH DOUBLE FOR ALTY

Wrexham report that "We focus on our next pre-season friendly, making the short trip to Nantwich on Saturday (22nd July 2017)...

Wrexham have now played five pre-season matches this summer and have a 100% win record. Our last outing came against Warrington Town where a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Chris Holroyd and Scott Boden was cut short by Ruben Jermoe’s effort. However, the Dragons defended their lead to see out a fifth straight victory. Previously we’ve beaten Stafford Rangers as well as Louletano DC over in Portugal following victories at Cefn Druids and Lex.

Nantwich have also had a very busy pre-season, beginning on July 6th away to Hanley Town where they ran out 1-0 winners. They followed that up with a 5-1 win away at Eccleshall, a 0-0 draw with Market Drayton and 4-0 win at Leek Town. With two unbeaten sides this summer, something might give on Saturday.

Wrexham forward Chris Holroyd got himself off the mark this summer against Warrington Town on Tuesday... Dabbers ‘keeper Fabien Spiess has been in some wonderful form as of late and is one of the only Nantwich players with experience playing against Wrexham...

James Jennings was forced off against Warrington Town but will be fit to play against Nantwich. New signing Kevin Roberts is expected to make his debut for the club. There are no other injury worries for Dean Keates."

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

'Ultimately, we've got to try and gear the whole pre-season towards the start of the league season,' Hardy said. 'There will come a point where we make decisions on trialists, which I imagine will be over the next couple of games'.

Shane Bland is expected to get his first 90 minutes of pre-season, with back-up goalkeeper Daniel Dixon getting married on the day. Hardy could, however, be able to recall Andy Monkhouse, who sat out of the Gateshead fixture with a hamstring issue, and Kieran Weledji, who returns from holiday. Adam Gell could also be in for more minutes, as he steps up his recovery from a knee complaint".

We learn from the Warrington Guardian that "Warrington Town’s players will find themselves featuring for longer stints in their upcoming friendly matches, manager Paul Carden says. Yellows travel to Atherton Collieries in their next pre-season game on Saturday, before welcoming Southport to Cantilever Park on Tuesday... after Wrexham won 2-1 on Tuesday night, inflicting a first pre-season defeat upon Town.

Ruben Jerome scored an excellent, counter-attacking goal for Yellows late on, but they were already 2-0 down at that point thanks to strikes from Chris Holroyd and Scott Boden. That followed a 4-0 success at Runcorn Town on Saturday, with new signing Joe Mwasile among the goalscorers. Jerome, Dylan Vassallo and triallist Steve Irwin were also on target for Yellows.

Carden says he is pleased with how things are coming together but... 'We’ll start to build up the players’ game time now towards a full game,' he said.... 'We’ve been managing their minutes so as not to flog anybody but we need to step it up now... The forwards have all looked like they could complement each other and we’ve looked really threatening out wide so far.

'Jay McCarten and Liam Goulding also look like they’ve played together a million times at the back!...

Carden’s latest signing is goalkeeper Ben Ashcroft, an 18-year-old who has been on the books at Blackburn Rovers and will provide competition for regular custodian Tony McMillan... 'Tony is carrying a bit of a shoulder injury so it was important to get some cover and genuine competition in for him'...

Carden says he is pleased to avoid too many lengthy trips for midweek games. 'The first thing I looked at was long journeys on a Tuesday night and I think we’ve done okay,' he said".

At Marine "The club confirm that midfielder James Foley has been released at his request. James, 23, made his debut in August 2014 and made 135 appearances, scoring 8 goals". The Chester Chronicle reports "A goal in each half from James Akintunde and Rhain Hellawell earned a youthful Chester FC a deserved 2-0 success at Witton Albion.

After a flat performance at Altrincham on Tuesday, Chester were much improved... Jon McCarthy... took the decision to cast his eye over fringe players and trialists at Wincham Park...

[For Witton, ex-Alty man] Micah Evans broke free on the right and crossed for a home trialist who could only head wide... And Evans almost levelled matters himself on 17 minutes when he cut inside the Chester trialist left back and fired an effort past the Blues trialist stopper that cannoned back off the inside of the post and bounced out to safety...

Witton Albion: Hare, Gardner, Trialist, Ryan, Wilson, Haywood, Evans, Trialist, Hopley, Newby, Trialist. Subs: Jones, Lycett, Trialist, Trialist, Sloane, Trialist."

IAN WHITE, R.I.P.

Ian was just 58 and had been apparently fit and healthy before his collapse.

SEASON TICKETS

• Adults: £180
• Full-Time Students & Concessionaries: £125
• Aged 12 to 16 inclusive: £50
• Under 12s: £15

Turnstile prices:

• Adults: £10
• Full-Time Students & Concessionaries: £7
• Aged 12 to 16 inclusive: £4
• Under 12s: £1

Background:

"Altrincham's board have decided to make substantial cuts to admission prices for next season in the hope of encouraging supporters to turn out in numbers for a concerted push for promotion back to the Vanarama National League North.

In the wake of relegation to the Evo-Stik League, the club have announced significant savings for season ticket holders and those who pay at the gate and scrapped their policy of charging extra for a seat in the main stand. A flat rate will now apply, with season tickets costing £180 for adults, a reduction of 28 per cent on the current standing price and 38 per cent on seating, and £125 for students and concessions, a drop of 14 per cent and 19 per cent respectively.

There is a 17 per cent cut to £50 for 12-16 year olds, while the cost for under-12s has been halved at just £15. In keeping with most Evo-Stik top-flight teams, matchday entry for adults has been set at £10, a 28.5 per cent reduction, with concessions and students paying £7 (22 per cent less), 12-16 year olds £4 (20 per cent less) and under-12s £1 (50 per cent less).

Explaining their stance, the club's directors jointly formulated a message, saying 'We felt it was important to give something back to supporters after all they have been through this season, whilst also encouraging them to keep turning out in numbers. Promotion is the aim next season, and a vibrant atmosphere at games can only increase the chances of it happening.

'There have been so many instances down the years of our crowd being like a 12th man out on the pitch, so it was imperative we set a price structure that would be seen as fair and would not deter people from attending. We have made reductions across the board that we hope will be welcomed by all and lead to a level of support conducive to making next season a success.

'Furthermore, at just £1 for under-11s, it is also hoped parents with young children will be encouraged to come along to sample the matchday experience at The J.Davidson Stadium and turn it into a family day out.'"

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Sheffield-born Jordan can play in both the centre of defence or in midfield and was with Shirebrook Town before moving to Lincoln City. Prior to Shirebrook, he had previously played for Worsbrough Bridge Athletic, Staveley Miners’ Welfare and Parkgate. He made 46 appearances for Lincoln, scoring once, and during his time at Sincil Bank also had a three-month loan spell with Stalybridge Celtic and ended the 2014/15 season on loan at Buxton before being released by the Imps.

Jordan joined Alfreton Town in June of the 15/16 season making forty appearances and scoring three goals and then making eighteen appearances last season with the Reds. He has made several appearances for the Gladiators during pre season as a trialist".

PHIL HAPPY AFTER CHESTER GAME

Q: We said on Saturday you faced some tough decisions over team selection for the start of the season - they're not getting any easier, are they?

A: No, they're not, but I'm really pleased about that. Obviously, it's pre-season, and we are trying to get the lads to play a certain way, which I think people can see they are endeavouring to do. I think they are feeling good, because they can see it works. They are all fighting for places, so it is really healthy. I keep picking up on people saying what tough decisions I'm facing, but I'm sure all the supporters and people at the football club want me to have these sort of decisions to make.

All I would say is it's something I'm not concerned about or worried about. I'm relishing the challenge of making tough decisions, and I hope the players make it as tough as it could possibly be for me. It will be down to them either to want to be here and play for Altrincham and fight it out against the others or not. It's not a difficult position to be in, from my perspective. It's a great position to be in, and I'm really looking forward to making those decisions.

Q: We were up against Conference National opposition tonight, but 3-2 by no means flattered us, did it?

A: It didn't flatter us one bit. I thought we completely dominated the first half. I felt our ball retention was outstanding. I gave the opposition a lot of respect, because Jon McCarthy is a top manager. He is someone I have worked with, and I have nothing but respect for him and the way he ensures his team are very well drilled. I can't speak any more highly of Chester or Jon, and that is why I wanted this friendly. But I was so pleased and proud of the way my players conducted themselves.

We scored goals again, but really Tom Peers should have had a hat-trick in the first half. That doesn't mean we peppered their goal, but what it does mean is we created three well-worked opportunities that I think we should have scored from. It was disappointing we didn't, and I have told Tom that, because if he wants to start, he needs to be clinical in front of goal. He has taken one of the chances, and it was probably the most difficult, but he missed the other two, so that is something for him to fine-tune, because he will have Jordan Hulme and Josh Amis breathing down his neck.

Above: Jerome Wright is congratulated by his team-mates after his superb goal on Tuesday night. Left to right, in Gavin Rathbone's image, we see Laurence Taylor, Jerome Wright, Josh Amis, John Johnston (back to camera), and Shaun Densmore.

So I was disappointed with the fact we did not finish them off in the first half, but it was a friendly, and I'm not going to take too much from the fact we beat a Conference National side 3-2. It should have been 3-1, by the way, because once again it should never have been a penalty. Poor James Jones getting penalised for a perfectly good tackle. Chester's goal in the first half came from something we had not done all half, and we addressed that at half-time and spoke about it. That sort of thing could cost us, because we are going to have games like that, where we dominate but might not get what we deserve if someone doesn't do what I ask them to do. The lad in the changing room held his hand up and it wasn't an issue, because he knows what he did and won't do it again. It wasn't a question of he should have cleared his lines. It was about having too many touches in the wrong area. The ball got stuck under his feet, and that didn't help.

Moving forward, I'm not going to tell my lads 'If in doubt, kick it out', because we are not going to do that. They are good players, and they just have to have the awareness to know what is around them. There is a time to clear it, and that is when there are no options, but it's not something I promote. There is a time to clear the ball, but their goal was unfortunately down to a little bit of miscontrol and maybe a little bit of tiredness, because Chester are a Conference team. We may have looked like we dominated, but they made us work hard to dominate.

Q: There was a real quality about some of the goals again, particularly Jerome Wright's, wasn't there?

A: It was a fantastic finish by Jerome. I have been waiting for that from him, because he is a top, top player. He has been captain of FC United of Manchester for 10 years or whatever, and we have been waiting for that little bit of sparkle he showed for that goal. I think he needed it, because he grew into the game and was getting to the bye-line and whipping balls in, and I think we are going to see more and more from Jerome.

Right: John Johnston in action against Chester, as seen by Mike Ripley

Q: Up on the Radio Robins gantry, we were debating who should get man-of-the-match, and John Johnston seemed to get most votes. But how pleasing was it that you could again build a case for several players?

A: We won't win anything as individuals. We are stronger together, and that is how we will play, because we have not signed a bunch of individuals, we have signed lads who can fit into the team ethic. I mentioned at the start of the game that it's no good to me having the best individuals if they don't stick to the game plan. They won't play for me if that happens, because while you need them to do the bits of magic as and when the opportunity arises, like for Jerome's goal, they still need to stick to the team ethic, because that is how we came to dominate possession.

That's why my teams play a certain way. It's a team. It's not the best individuals; it's players who can fit into a system, and these lads are all doing that at the moment.

Q: James Jones and Josh Amis have been on trial the last couple of weeks but played again tonight, any decision on their futures?

A: James is going to sign a form. It's non-contract, as it is with a lot of the other lads, so he will be fighting for his life to get into the team. He wants to be here, and we want him here. Josh Amis has just signed tonight, so that's another who's non-contract, and these players will be giving it everything to try and get in the team.

Q: With the strange, to say the least, decision on Saturday, and now another one tonight, you must be hoping that's all the dodgy penalties out of the way?

A: They weren't even dodgy, were they? I saw the ref after the game tonight, and he said it wasn't a pen. He admitted he'd got it wrong. Maybe, just as we have to blow the cobwebs off in pre-season, so too do the referees. In a competitive game, I think I would have been ripping the door off its hinges!

I have said I'm not a manager who goes screaming and shouting, but that decision tonight could have cost us. Luckily, it was a friendly, and luckily for me, because I'm about winning, it did not affect the result. It's not the be-all-and-end-all in a friendly, but it's nice for these players to get used to winning, and I want them to have that mentality.

Rhyl are next up, and Jordan Hulme is due back from holiday on Saturday. I don't know whether he might be jet-lagged and not in the best condition to play, but I might just make him travel as punishment for being away! I won't be bringing anyone in or letting anyone go now, so it will be up to the players to decide if they want to be here or not.

We will be aiming for about the Wrexham game for being roughly where we want to be for the start of the season. Things are changing every single game. We have seen the performances. The lads who started Saturday were absolutely outstanding, the lads who started tonight were outstanding and the lads who came on were really good as well.

It is very interesting to see the group dynamics happening. Considering they are fighting against each other for positions, they are a very together group. That is something I wanted to happen, and it is nice to see it forming already".

LADIES UPGRADED

Alty's official caterer Richie Bentley is a versatile man. On Tuesday night he provided hot meals, at his own expense, to a roomful of prospective matchday sponsors in the Manchester Glass Sponsors' Lounge, And on Wednesday he and coleagues turned their hands to refurbishing the ladies' toilets at the away end of the J. Davidson Stadium. The toilets are seen on the left in the adjacent photo, provided by Richie. As reported recently, the mobile snack unit was also repainted by Richie and colleagues last week and that can be seen on the right of his photo.

As ever, the Club is very grateful to Richie and his fellow volunteers for their efforts.

NEXT VISITORS v LEAGUE OPPONENTS

A late strike from Ruben Jerome threatened to end Wrexham’s winning streak, but the Reds retained their composure to maintain their winning run.

French trialist Gime Toure was handed a starting place up front, while Akil Wright made an early appearance from the bench after James Jennings was forced off. In a summer of transition at the Racecourse, Keates has completely overhauled his squad with 12 new arrivals, while Town too have been proactive in their summer dealings, with Yellows' boss Paul Carden recruiting seven players, including former Airbus striker Tony Gray.

And the game against Northern Premier League opposition provided another useful workout for the Reds, with manager Dean Keates utilising 15 players across the 90 minutes. Having acclimatised to the weather in their recent mini-tour of Portugal, the Reds were unfazed by the sticky 24 degree conditions early on in East Cheshire as their superior match fitness came to the fore.

A lively start from the visitors saw Paul Rutherford and Toure combine well down the right-hand side. The game’s early exchanges soon took on a low-key feel, not helped by the number of thumping clearances from the hosts, many of which landed outside the ground..

Town struggled for a foothold in the game and lacked any real attacking fluency, with forward Josh Hines firing well over...

Warrington Town (4-3-3): [Ex-Alty keeper] McMillan, Beeley, Trialist, [ex-Alty miidfielder} Williams, McCarten, Goulding, Vasallo (Jerome 72), Trialist (Ashcroft, 25), Gray (Trialist 52) Hines, Hughes. Subs: [Ex-Alty] Mwasile, Carden, Trialist, Ashcroft.

Wrexham (4-4-2): Dunn, Hurst, Jennings (Wright, 6), Manny Smith, Pearson, Rutherford (Smith 70), Carrington, [ex-Alty loanee] Wedgberry [Wedgbury], Kelly, Holroyd (Boden, 60), Toure (Massanka 60). Subs: Dibble, Tharme.

Star Man: Akil Wright – Looked composed throughout and his commanding physical presence in midfield will be a real asset to Keates’ side this season."

NW NEWS

"Exactly forty years ago, Southport Football Club was looking forward to another season in the Fourth Division of the Football League... Ten months later, Southport became the last club to be voted out of the Football League...

The thirty-nine years that have passed since that relegation have seen Southport and what is now called the National League Premier seem to lock into something of an elliptical orbit...

It felt as though Southport sleepwalked their way to relegation at the end of last season.... Since Liam Watson left the position after almost five years at the end of April 2013, Southport have burned their way through nine managers. Last season, the club had three...

It is a fact of life in the non-league game that bad appointments are easier to make than good ones, but when it’s nine in a row that can’t get it right the managers start to feel like more of a symptom than a cause of the club’s issues on the pitch. It is, therefore, unsurprising that attention started to turn towards chairman Charlie Clapham...

Clapham suddenly announced that he was stepping down, with Nigel Allen, who’d become a director of the club the previous September alongside former manager Liam Watson and another businessman, Dave Barron. Barron, Watson and Allen all left the club on the fifth of May, having been prevented from attending a meeting at the club two days earlier. Meanwhile, on the same day, Phil Hodgkinson, the CEO of Pure Legal Group... confirmed that he had made a written offer to the club to which he had yet to receive any acknowledgement of receipt, before going on to reveal that he had agreement in place with a manager and nineteen players to join Southport, along with details of a business plan in order to secure its future..

Four days after the departure of Barron, Watson and Allen, it was confirmed that accountant James Treadwell and financial advisor Adrian Shandley had taken over the club, having invested what was reported as “six figure sum” of money into it... It was starting to feel to many supporters as though Treadwell and Shandley might as easily be acting as proxies for somebody else. That belief seemed to be fully borne out a week later with the release of texts sent and received between a supporter pretending to be Treadwell and the club’s Commercial and Communities Director, Haydn Preece. The texts, which seemed to confirm the ongoing involvement of Charlie Clapham as a director of the club, were decried by some as fake, but this assessment seemed ill at ease with the fact that Preece resigned his position a couple of days later...

The club confirmed the appointment of Alan Lewer as the club’s new manger and Mark Wright as its new “Head of Development.” Lewer and Wright are both connected to one man... Stephen Vaughan. Lewer was a former Head Scout at Chester City and spent last season as the manager of Bangor City... Wright had a spell as the Southport manager at the turn of the century, and also had two spells as the manager of Chester City and spent some time in Malta managing Floriana whilst Vaughan was involved with that club.

Supporters are wary of Vaughan with good reason. His involvement at Barrow in the late 1990s ended with that club bankrupt... His involvement with Chester City ended in that club’s closure and reformation during the 2009/10 season. Elsewhere, he was banned from being a company director in 2009... a ban that doesn’t end until 2020, and in 2011 he was jailed for fifteen months after punching a policeman outside his home.

Last summer, Vaughan became involved at Bangor City, ostensibly as a sponsor of the club through Vaughan Sports Management... whilst his son Stephen Vaughan Junior became its director of football. The Football Association of Wales doesn’t have a specific Owners & Directors Test – Vaughan’s convictions disbar him from acting as a club director in England...

What would the club to say to supporters who might be concerned at Lewer and Wright’s arrival at a club that is clearly going some degree of upheaval in terms of its ownership structure, considering their previous working relationships with Stephen Vaughan? If Southport can answer these questions fully, frankly and honestly, that’s all and well and good".

ALTRINCHAM 3 CHESTER FC 2

Left: Manager Phil Parkinson looks pleased with the performance against Chester. Image courtesy of Gavin Rathbone.

Match report here

FROM THE OTHER SIDE

It was the hosts who looked the brighter in the opening exchanges.... It was the lively Tom Peers [opened] the scoring in the 33rd minute after some neat play from the hosts. Winger Josh Hancock received the ball inside Chester’s penalty area, he cut inside onto his right foot and hit a low drive at goal, which Peers managed to poke past Alex Lynch for the game’s opener.

The lead didn’t last long as Liam Davies claimed his second goal of this pre-season campaign. The ball fell to the winger after good pressing from the visitors, Paul Turnbull laid the ball of the Davies, who curled the ball home with the outside of his left foot from 20-yards. A superb effort to draw Chester level in the 38th minute.

Jon McCarthy made eleven changes to the starting line-up for the second half, as we have seen in all of Chester’s pre-season games so far. Nyal Bell led the line for Chester, while midfielders Lucas Dawson, Wade Joyce and Jordan Chappell were the other senior players that entered the game in a second-half XI made up mostly of trialists and youth-team players...

It was the hosts that took the lead however with another ex-Chester man finding himself on the scoresheet in the 69th minute, Jerome Wright. The winger had time to twist and turn inside the box, before sending the ball into the top left-corner of the Chester goal, well out of reach of the triallist goalkeeper.

The visitors extended their lead in the 76th minute, substitute Amis the scorer for the visitors. Alty hit Chester on the counter-attack, with the impressive Johnson finding Amis wide in the penalty area. He hit a low shot at goal, which Chester’s trialist goalkeeper was only able to parry into the net.

Lucas Dawson gave Chester a way back into the game as he converted a penalty in the 84th minute, after Bell was brought down by Altrincham’s James Jones, though the decision looked harsh".

LADIES START A DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Manager of the Altrincham FC Ladies' team, Keith Edleston, is delighted to report that "Last Thursday saw the launch of our new Development Team for the Ladies section of the club. This has been 18 months in the making, with a lot of hard work and endless meetings. But now, as the junior U17 team has finished its season, we can incorporate them along with some other players into our section with the attraction of adult football.

The Development Team, which will be managed by Steve Mackay, will play in Division 2 of the Cheshire Women's & Youth League. Any players who wish to come down and trial for either team please contact either me, Keith Edleston or Steven Mackay.

You can follow the progress of both teams throughout the coming season either, here, on the club main website or on Twitter @Altrinchamfcl or on Facebook".

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

The Gingerbreads` league rivals Matlock Town had more joy at Midland League Premier Division new boys South Normanton Athletic, running out 3-1 winners. Luis Rose, new signing Shaun Harrod and an un-named trialists were the Gladiators on target, with Shane Newton replying."

Grantham Town report that "Adam Stevens has again been dipping into local football to add to his squad for the upcoming season.All made their debuts against Spalding and were involved last night at Lincoln United.

Ollie Luto is a left-sided player who has joined from Stamford. He started his career with Peterborough United.

Keegan Everington was released by Lincoln City in the summer. The 21 year-old is a central midfielder.

George Couzens, who scored The Gingerbreads third goal last night, is a striker. George played for his home club Bourne Town last season and was previously at Norwich City.

Tom Potts is another central midfielder. He joins from RHP Sports and Social FC, who are in the Newark Football Alliance.

Also returning for another season with The Gingerbreads are Rhys Lewis, Sam Purcicoe, Curtis Burrows, Tom Curtis and Kevin Bastos Da Silva."

TONIGHT'S OPPONENTS

Youth team player Marsh-Hughes came on at half-time and netted on his Blues debut before setting up Harry White for Chester’s third after [ex-Alty loanee] Nyal Bell had given the Blues a first-half lead. Chris Venables netted to level matters at the break for Bala but the second-half line-up came up with the goods and Marsh-Hughes’s performance provided the talking point.

As had been the case in the previous three friendlies, Chester boss Jon McCarthy opted to field two separate teams and played his more senior players in the first half before blooding some of the younger members of the squad in the second.... Chester were once again with[out] Ross Hannah as he continued to rest after picking up a muscle strain...

A fine flowing move saw Craig Mahon, starting after his return from injury in the draw at Hyde United last week, create room on the left and stand up and inviting cross towards Bell who nodded goalwards only to see his goalbound header hacked off the line... But Chester had the lead their early play deserved on 20 minutes in calamitous circumstances. A back pass to keeper Vernon saw Bell race and pressure the Bala keeper on the end of his six yard box, pinching the ball off him before tapping home..

And the home side were back on level terms six minutes before the break... It was all change at the break for McCarthy’s men as they opted for a new XI that included the now permanent addition of Lucas Dawson and young academy prospect Lloyd Marsh-Hughes... It was Marsh-Hughes who stole the show just past the hour mark when Joyce did well to manoeuvre his way out of traffic before playing a piercing through ball to a lurking Marsh-Hughes with the teenager showing composure beyond his tender years to lift the ball over an onrushing Vernon...

At the other end former Southport man [and ex-Alty loanee] Andrai Jones wasted a glorious chance to level matters when he headed over from a Mike Hayes flick on, and they were made to pay for their profligacy minutes later when Chester made it 3-1, with Marsh-Hughes once again having an impact...

Chester first half: Lynch, Halls, Astles, McCome, Rowe-Turner, Chapell, Turnbull, James, Mahon, Bell, Akintunde.

Chester second half: Trialist A, Trialist B, Jones, Trialist C, Trialist D, Waters, Dawson, Joyce, Davies, White, Marsh-Hughes".

ALTRINCHAM v CHESTER FC

Brian Flynn announces that "Radio Robins is providing full live commentary of Tuesday night's game.

The commentator is Brian Flynn & the match summariser is John Edwards. Coverage starts at 7.40pm & you can listen to Radio Robins on the internet here.

HELPING VICKI

As well as coming to terms with her condition, Vicki is trying to find the means to finance an extensive programme of home and car adaptations which are essential to accommodate her needs and enable her to look after her two children.

Friends, family and her colleagues at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service have already launched a series of fundraising initiatives to try and generate the thousands of pounds needed to make her home accessible. The connections extend to tomorrow night's opponents, with Tom having graduated from their youth system and Chester FC director Neil Bellis closely associated with the drive to raise funds for Vicki in his capacity as Communications Officer at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

While planning a bucket collection of their own at an upcoming home game, Chester officials approached Alty for permission to conduct one at The J.Davidson Stadium tomorrow evening. It was immediately granted, and up to half-a-dozen volunteers will be dotted round the ground, grateful for any contributions Alty fans are able to make.

Tom (right) made an impressive debut for Alty in Saturday's 4-1 win at Kidsgrove Athletic and earned glowing praise from manager Phil Parkinson, who brought the versatile forward with him from Nantwich earlier this summer.

Lynsey McVay, Service Delivery Manager at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said, 'Vicki is a firefighter at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and was injured in an accident in a gym. She can’t feel anything from the waist down as a result, and the Service has been fundraising for her to raise the money to help her adapt her home and car. The whole of the Service has been raising money for Vicki since the accident and we want to thank Altrincham FC and Chester FC for their support in our fundraising efforts. Please give what you can to help support Vicki'".

ALTRINCHAM HELP YOUNGSTERS

Children from St Mary’s Primary School in Moss Side were given tips by the experts from the Moss Lane club during a sports themed residential break at the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT).

The training session on July 4 lasted two hours and took place at the charity’s base just outside of Altrincham.

The 16 children, aged nine and 10, learned lessons in teamwork, ball skills, communication and goal scoring during their time with the coaches.

Many of them were so inspired that they are now determined to take part in training back at school as a result.

Caroline Whittaker, one of the charity’s play workers who took part in the session, said, 'The children got so much out of this training session, they were so excited to meet the experts and learned many new skills.

'We’re so grateful to the coaches from AFC for taking the time out to visit, and for being so wonderful with our children. They’ll never forget this experience and many now have a renewed interest in football and sporting activities in general.'

During their week at the Millington centre the children also took part in sessions with young Paralympian Lottie Wilcocks as well as visiting the Halliwell Jones Stadium to meet and train with players from Warrington Wolves.

The charity provides holidays, daytrips and Christmas parties to children from all over the North West at ITS Cheshire base. They support children with a wide range of difficulties which prevent them from enjoying breaks, including those with terminal illnesses, complex physical disabilities, learning difficulties and sensory impairment, as well as those from deprived communities, victims of abuse and young carers.

Each holiday is provided free of charge thanks to the charity’s supporters who help them to secure the £1million in funding they require to change the lives of thousands of children each year. Sixteen children aged 9-10 years from St Mary’s stayed with the charity for this special themed week and enjoyed a full programme of activities designed to encourage an active lifestyle."

EVO_STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

The hosts almost took the lead in bizarre fashion as [ex-Alty man] Andy McWilliams forced Rob Lainton into a great save from a corner with just 24 minutes on the clock...

Finally, the deadlock was broken as the hosts took the lead as the ball fell to Alastair Taylor down the left-hand side and his cross found the boot of Liam Hardy and the striker slotted home... After a frustrating opening 45 minutes, Vale had finally got their goal following an excellent counter attack...

It was Port Vale’s first draw of pre-season following two victories over Kidsgrove and Newcastle Town...

Buxton Team: Budtz, Meane, McWilliams, Hinsley, Maguire, Young ©, Taylor, Abbott, Wilson, Hardy, Williams. Subs: Stevens, Smith, Jameson, Ravenhill, Patterson, Doran, Williams."

PHIL HAPPY AFTER CHESTER GAME

Q: We said on Saturday you faced some tough decisions over team selection for the start of the season - they're not getting any easier, are they?

A: No, they're not, but I'm really pleased about that. Obviously, it's pre-season, and we are trying to get the lads to play a certain way, which I think people can see they are endeavouring to do. I think they are feeling good, because they can see it works. They are all fighting for places, so it is really healthy. I keep picking up on people saying what tough decisions I'm facing, but I'm sure all the supporters and people at the football club want me to have these sort of decisions to make.

All I would say is it's something I'm not concerned about or worried about. I'm relishing the challenge of making tough decisions, and I hope the players make it as tough as it could possibly be for me. It will be down to them either to want to be here and play for Altrincham and fight it out against the others or not. It's not a difficult position to be in, from my perspective. It's a great position to be in, and I'm really looking forward to making those decisions.

Q: We were up against Conference National opposition tonight, but 3-2 by no means flattered us, did it?

A: It didn't flatter us one bit. I thought we completely dominated the first half. I felt our ball retention was outstanding. I gave the opposition a lot of respect, because Jon McCarthy is a top manager. He is someone I have worked with, and I have nothing but respect for him and the way he ensures his team are very well drilled. I can't speak any more highly of Chester or Jon, and that is why I wanted this friendly. But I was so pleased and proud of the way my players conducted themselves.

We scored goals again, but really Tom Peers should have had a hat-trick in the first half. That doesn't mean we peppered their goal, but what it does mean is we created three well-worked opportunities that I think we should have scored from. It was disappointing we didn't, and I have told Tom that, because if he wants to start, he needs to be clinical in front of goal. He has taken one of the chances, and it was probably the most difficult, but he missed the other two, so that is something for him to fine-tune, because he will have Jordan Hulme and Josh Amis breathing down his neck.

Above: Jerome Wright is congratulated by his team-mates after his superb goal on Tuesday night. Left to right, in Gavin Rathbone's image, we see Laurence Taylor, Jerome Wright, Josh Amis, John Johnston (back to camera), and Shaun Densmore.

So I was disappointed with the fact we did not finish them off in the first half, but it was a friendly, and I'm not going to take too much from the fact we beat a Conference National side 3-2. It should have been 3-1, by the way, because once again it should never have been a penalty. Poor James Jones getting penalised for a perfectly good tackle. Chester's goal in the first half came from something we had not done all half, and we addressed that at half-time and spoke about it. That sort of thing could cost us, because we are going to have games like that, where we dominate but might not get what we deserve if someone doesn't do what I ask them to do. The lad in the changing room held his hand up and it wasn't an issue, because he knows what he did and won't do it again. It wasn't a question of he should have cleared his lines. It was about having too many touches in the wrong area. The ball got stuck under his feet, and that didn't help.

Moving forward, I'm not going to tell my lads 'If in doubt, kick it out', because we are not going to do that. They are good players, and they just have to have the awareness to know what is around them. There is a time to clear it, and that is when there are no options, but it's not something I promote. There is a time to clear the ball, but their goal was unfortunately down to a little bit of miscontrol and maybe a little bit of tiredness, because Chester are a Conference team. We may have looked like we dominated, but they made us work hard to dominate.

Q: There was a real quality about some of the goals again, particularly Jerome Wright's, wasn't there?

A: It was a fantastic finish by Jerome. I have been waiting for that from him, because he is a top, top player. He has been captain of FC United of Manchester for 10 years or whatever, and we have been waiting for that little bit of sparkle he showed for that goal. I think he needed it, because he grew into the game and was getting to the bye-line and whipping balls in, and I think we are going to see more and more from Jerome.

Right: John Johnston in action against Chester, as seen by Mike Ripley

Q: Up on the Radio Robins gantry, we were debating who should get man-of-the-match, and John Johnston seemed to get most votes. But how pleasing was it that you could again build a case for several players?

A: We won't win anything as individuals. We are stronger together, and that is how we will play, because we have not signed a bunch of individuals, we have signed lads who can fit into the team ethic. I mentioned at the start of the game that it's no good to me having the best individuals if they don't stick to the game plan. They won't play for me if that happens, because while you need them to do the bits of magic as and when the opportunity arises, like for Jerome's goal, they still need to stick to the team ethic, because that is how we came to dominate possession.

That's why my teams play a certain way. It's a team. It's not the best individuals; it's players who can fit into a system, and these lads are all doing that at the moment.

Q: James Jones and Josh Amis have been on trial the last couple of weeks but played again tonight, any decision on their futures?

A: James is going to sign a form. It's non-contract, as it is with a lot of the other lads, so he will be fighting for his life to get into the team. He wants to be here, and we want him here. Josh Amis has just signed tonight, so that's another who's non-contract, and these players will be giving it everything to try and get in the team.

Q: With the strange, to say the least, decision on Saturday, and now another one tonight, you must be hoping that's all the dodgy penalties out of the way?

A: They weren't even dodgy, were they? I saw the ref after the game tonight, and he said it wasn't a pen. He admitted he'd got it wrong. Maybe, just as we have to blow the cobwebs off in pre-season, so too do the referees. In a competitive game, I think I would have been ripping the door off its hinges!

I have said I'm not a manager who goes screaming and shouting, but that decision tonight could have cost us. Luckily, it was a friendly, and luckily for me, because I'm about winning, it did not affect the result. It's not the be-all-and-end-all in a friendly, but it's nice for these players to get used to winning, and I want them to have that mentality.

Rhyl are next up, and Jordan Hulme is due back from holiday on Saturday. I don't know whether he might be jet-lagged and not in the best condition to play, but I might just make him travel as punishment for being away! I won't be bringing anyone in or letting anyone go now, so it will be up to the players to decide if they want to be here or not.

We will be aiming for about the Wrexham game for being roughly where we want to be for the start of the season. Things are changing every single game. We have seen the performances. The lads who started Saturday were absolutely outstanding, the lads who started tonight were outstanding and the lads who came on were really good as well.

It is very interesting to see the group dynamics happening. Considering they are fighting against each other for positions, they are a very together group. That is something I wanted to happen, and it is nice to see it forming already".

LADIES UPGRADED

Alty's official caterer Richie Bentley is a versatile man. On Tuesday night he provided hot meals, at his own expense, to a roomful of prospective matchday sponsors in the Manchester Glass Sponsors' Lounge, And on Wednesday he and coleagues turned their hands to refurbishing the ladies' toilets at the away end of the J. Davidson Stadium. The toilets are seen on the left in the adjacent photo, provided by Richie. As reported recently, the mobile snack unit was also repainted by Richie and colleagues last week and that can be seen on the right of his photo.

As ever, the Club is very grateful to Richie and his fellow volunteers for their efforts.

NEXT VISITORS v LEAGUE OPPONENTS

A late strike from Ruben Jerome threatened to end Wrexham’s winning streak, but the Reds retained their composure to maintain their winning run.

French trialist Gime Toure was handed a starting place up front, while Akil Wright made an early appearance from the bench after James Jennings was forced off. In a summer of transition at the Racecourse, Keates has completely overhauled his squad with 12 new arrivals, while Town too have been proactive in their summer dealings, with Yellows' boss Paul Carden recruiting seven players, including former Airbus striker Tony Gray.

And the game against Northern Premier League opposition provided another useful workout for the Reds, with manager Dean Keates utilising 15 players across the 90 minutes. Having acclimatised to the weather in their recent mini-tour of Portugal, the Reds were unfazed by the sticky 24 degree conditions early on in East Cheshire as their superior match fitness came to the fore.

A lively start from the visitors saw Paul Rutherford and Toure combine well down the right-hand side. The game’s early exchanges soon took on a low-key feel, not helped by the number of thumping clearances from the hosts, many of which landed outside the ground..

Town struggled for a foothold in the game and lacked any real attacking fluency, with forward Josh Hines firing well over...

Warrington Town (4-3-3): [Ex-Alty keeper] McMillan, Beeley, Trialist, [ex-Alty miidfielder} Williams, McCarten, Goulding, Vasallo (Jerome 72), Trialist (Ashcroft, 25), Gray (Trialist 52) Hines, Hughes. Subs: [Ex-Alty] Mwasile, Carden, Trialist, Ashcroft.

Wrexham (4-4-2): Dunn, Hurst, Jennings (Wright, 6), Manny Smith, Pearson, Rutherford (Smith 70), Carrington, [ex-Alty loanee] Wedgberry [Wedgbury], Kelly, Holroyd (Boden, 60), Toure (Massanka 60). Subs: Dibble, Tharme.

Star Man: Akil Wright – Looked composed throughout and his commanding physical presence in midfield will be a real asset to Keates’ side this season."

NW NEWS

"Exactly forty years ago, Southport Football Club was looking forward to another season in the Fourth Division of the Football League... Ten months later, Southport became the last club to be voted out of the Football League...

The thirty-nine years that have passed since that relegation have seen Southport and what is now called the National League Premier seem to lock into something of an elliptical orbit...

It felt as though Southport sleepwalked their way to relegation at the end of last season.... Since Liam Watson left the position after almost five years at the end of April 2013, Southport have burned their way through nine managers. Last season, the club had three...

It is a fact of life in the non-league game that bad appointments are easier to make than good ones, but when it’s nine in a row that can’t get it right the managers start to feel like more of a symptom than a cause of the club’s issues on the pitch. It is, therefore, unsurprising that attention started to turn towards chairman Charlie Clapham...

Clapham suddenly announced that he was stepping down, with Nigel Allen, who’d become a director of the club the previous September alongside former manager Liam Watson and another businessman, Dave Barron. Barron, Watson and Allen all left the club on the fifth of May, having been prevented from attending a meeting at the club two days earlier. Meanwhile, on the same day, Phil Hodgkinson, the CEO of Pure Legal Group... confirmed that he had made a written offer to the club to which he had yet to receive any acknowledgement of receipt, before going on to reveal that he had agreement in place with a manager and nineteen players to join Southport, along with details of a business plan in order to secure its future..

Four days after the departure of Barron, Watson and Allen, it was confirmed that accountant James Treadwell and financial advisor Adrian Shandley had taken over the club, having invested what was reported as “six figure sum” of money into it... It was starting to feel to many supporters as though Treadwell and Shandley might as easily be acting as proxies for somebody else. That belief seemed to be fully borne out a week later with the release of texts sent and received between a supporter pretending to be Treadwell and the club’s Commercial and Communities Director, Haydn Preece. The texts, which seemed to confirm the ongoing involvement of Charlie Clapham as a director of the club, were decried by some as fake, but this assessment seemed ill at ease with the fact that Preece resigned his position a couple of days later...

The club confirmed the appointment of Alan Lewer as the club’s new manger and Mark Wright as its new “Head of Development.” Lewer and Wright are both connected to one man... Stephen Vaughan. Lewer was a former Head Scout at Chester City and spent last season as the manager of Bangor City... Wright had a spell as the Southport manager at the turn of the century, and also had two spells as the manager of Chester City and spent some time in Malta managing Floriana whilst Vaughan was involved with that club.

Supporters are wary of Vaughan with good reason. His involvement at Barrow in the late 1990s ended with that club bankrupt... His involvement with Chester City ended in that club’s closure and reformation during the 2009/10 season. Elsewhere, he was banned from being a company director in 2009... a ban that doesn’t end until 2020, and in 2011 he was jailed for fifteen months after punching a policeman outside his home.

Last summer, Vaughan became involved at Bangor City, ostensibly as a sponsor of the club through Vaughan Sports Management... whilst his son Stephen Vaughan Junior became its director of football. The Football Association of Wales doesn’t have a specific Owners & Directors Test – Vaughan’s convictions disbar him from acting as a club director in England...

What would the club to say to supporters who might be concerned at Lewer and Wright’s arrival at a club that is clearly going some degree of upheaval in terms of its ownership structure, considering their previous working relationships with Stephen Vaughan? If Southport can answer these questions fully, frankly and honestly, that’s all and well and good".

ALTRINCHAM 3 CHESTER FC 2

Left: Manager Phil Parkinson looks pleased with the performance against Chester. Image courtesy of Gavin Rathbone.

Match report here

FROM THE OTHER SIDE

It was the hosts who looked the brighter in the opening exchanges.... It was the lively Tom Peers [opened] the scoring in the 33rd minute after some neat play from the hosts. Winger Josh Hancock received the ball inside Chester’s penalty area, he cut inside onto his right foot and hit a low drive at goal, which Peers managed to poke past Alex Lynch for the game’s opener.

The lead didn’t last long as Liam Davies claimed his second goal of this pre-season campaign. The ball fell to the winger after good pressing from the visitors, Paul Turnbull laid the ball of the Davies, who curled the ball home with the outside of his left foot from 20-yards. A superb effort to draw Chester level in the 38th minute.

Jon McCarthy made eleven changes to the starting line-up for the second half, as we have seen in all of Chester’s pre-season games so far. Nyal Bell led the line for Chester, while midfielders Lucas Dawson, Wade Joyce and Jordan Chappell were the other senior players that entered the game in a second-half XI made up mostly of trialists and youth-team players...

It was the hosts that took the lead however with another ex-Chester man finding himself on the scoresheet in the 69th minute, Jerome Wright. The winger had time to twist and turn inside the box, before sending the ball into the top left-corner of the Chester goal, well out of reach of the triallist goalkeeper.

The visitors extended their lead in the 76th minute, substitute Amis the scorer for the visitors. Alty hit Chester on the counter-attack, with the impressive Johnson finding Amis wide in the penalty area. He hit a low shot at goal, which Chester’s trialist goalkeeper was only able to parry into the net.

Lucas Dawson gave Chester a way back into the game as he converted a penalty in the 84th minute, after Bell was brought down by Altrincham’s James Jones, though the decision looked harsh".

LADIES START A DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Manager of the Altrincham FC Ladies' team, Keith Edleston, is delighted to report that "Last Thursday saw the launch of our new Development Team for the Ladies section of the club. This has been 18 months in the making, with a lot of hard work and endless meetings. But now, as the junior U17 team has finished its season, we can incorporate them along with some other players into our section with the attraction of adult football.

The Development Team, which will be managed by Steve Mackay, will play in Division 2 of the Cheshire Women's & Youth League. Any players who wish to come down and trial for either team please contact either me, Keith Edleston or Steven Mackay.

You can follow the progress of both teams throughout the coming season either, here, on the club main website or on Twitter @Altrinchamfcl or on Facebook".

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

The Gingerbreads` league rivals Matlock Town had more joy at Midland League Premier Division new boys South Normanton Athletic, running out 3-1 winners. Luis Rose, new signing Shaun Harrod and an un-named trialists were the Gladiators on target, with Shane Newton replying."

Grantham Town report that "Adam Stevens has again been dipping into local football to add to his squad for the upcoming season.All made their debuts against Spalding and were involved last night at Lincoln United.

Ollie Luto is a left-sided player who has joined from Stamford. He started his career with Peterborough United.

Keegan Everington was released by Lincoln City in the summer. The 21 year-old is a central midfielder.

George Couzens, who scored The Gingerbreads third goal last night, is a striker. George played for his home club Bourne Town last season and was previously at Norwich City.

Tom Potts is another central midfielder. He joins from RHP Sports and Social FC, who are in the Newark Football Alliance.

Also returning for another season with The Gingerbreads are Rhys Lewis, Sam Purcicoe, Curtis Burrows, Tom Curtis and Kevin Bastos Da Silva."

TONIGHT'S OPPONENTS

Youth team player Marsh-Hughes came on at half-time and netted on his Blues debut before setting up Harry White for Chester’s third after [ex-Alty loanee] Nyal Bell had given the Blues a first-half lead. Chris Venables netted to level matters at the break for Bala but the second-half line-up came up with the goods and Marsh-Hughes’s performance provided the talking point.

As had been the case in the previous three friendlies, Chester boss Jon McCarthy opted to field two separate teams and played his more senior players in the first half before blooding some of the younger members of the squad in the second.... Chester were once again with[out] Ross Hannah as he continued to rest after picking up a muscle strain...

A fine flowing move saw Craig Mahon, starting after his return from injury in the draw at Hyde United last week, create room on the left and stand up and inviting cross towards Bell who nodded goalwards only to see his goalbound header hacked off the line... But Chester had the lead their early play deserved on 20 minutes in calamitous circumstances. A back pass to keeper Vernon saw Bell race and pressure the Bala keeper on the end of his six yard box, pinching the ball off him before tapping home..

And the home side were back on level terms six minutes before the break... It was all change at the break for McCarthy’s men as they opted for a new XI that included the now permanent addition of Lucas Dawson and young academy prospect Lloyd Marsh-Hughes... It was Marsh-Hughes who stole the show just past the hour mark when Joyce did well to manoeuvre his way out of traffic before playing a piercing through ball to a lurking Marsh-Hughes with the teenager showing composure beyond his tender years to lift the ball over an onrushing Vernon...

At the other end former Southport man [and ex-Alty loanee] Andrai Jones wasted a glorious chance to level matters when he headed over from a Mike Hayes flick on, and they were made to pay for their profligacy minutes later when Chester made it 3-1, with Marsh-Hughes once again having an impact...

Chester first half: Lynch, Halls, Astles, McCome, Rowe-Turner, Chapell, Turnbull, James, Mahon, Bell, Akintunde.

Chester second half: Trialist A, Trialist B, Jones, Trialist C, Trialist D, Waters, Dawson, Joyce, Davies, White, Marsh-Hughes".

ALTRINCHAM v CHESTER FC

Brian Flynn announces that "Radio Robins is providing full live commentary of Tuesday night's game.

The commentator is Brian Flynn & the match summariser is John Edwards. Coverage starts at 7.40pm & you can listen to Radio Robins on the internet here.

HELPING VICKI

As well as coming to terms with her condition, Vicki is trying to find the means to finance an extensive programme of home and car adaptations which are essential to accommodate her needs and enable her to look after her two children.

Friends, family and her colleagues at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service have already launched a series of fundraising initiatives to try and generate the thousands of pounds needed to make her home accessible. The connections extend to tomorrow night's opponents, with Tom having graduated from their youth system and Chester FC director Neil Bellis closely associated with the drive to raise funds for Vicki in his capacity as Communications Officer at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

While planning a bucket collection of their own at an upcoming home game, Chester officials approached Alty for permission to conduct one at The J.Davidson Stadium tomorrow evening. It was immediately granted, and up to half-a-dozen volunteers will be dotted round the ground, grateful for any contributions Alty fans are able to make.

Tom (right) made an impressive debut for Alty in Saturday's 4-1 win at Kidsgrove Athletic and earned glowing praise from manager Phil Parkinson, who brought the versatile forward with him from Nantwich earlier this summer.

Lynsey McVay, Service Delivery Manager at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said, 'Vicki is a firefighter at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and was injured in an accident in a gym. She can’t feel anything from the waist down as a result, and the Service has been fundraising for her to raise the money to help her adapt her home and car. The whole of the Service has been raising money for Vicki since the accident and we want to thank Altrincham FC and Chester FC for their support in our fundraising efforts. Please give what you can to help support Vicki'".

ALTRINCHAM HELP YOUNGSTERS

Children from St Mary’s Primary School in Moss Side were given tips by the experts from the Moss Lane club during a sports themed residential break at the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT).

The training session on July 4 lasted two hours and took place at the charity’s base just outside of Altrincham.

The 16 children, aged nine and 10, learned lessons in teamwork, ball skills, communication and goal scoring during their time with the coaches.

Many of them were so inspired that they are now determined to take part in training back at school as a result.

Caroline Whittaker, one of the charity’s play workers who took part in the session, said, 'The children got so much out of this training session, they were so excited to meet the experts and learned many new skills.

'We’re so grateful to the coaches from AFC for taking the time out to visit, and for being so wonderful with our children. They’ll never forget this experience and many now have a renewed interest in football and sporting activities in general.'

During their week at the Millington centre the children also took part in sessions with young Paralympian Lottie Wilcocks as well as visiting the Halliwell Jones Stadium to meet and train with players from Warrington Wolves.

The charity provides holidays, daytrips and Christmas parties to children from all over the North West at ITS Cheshire base. They support children with a wide range of difficulties which prevent them from enjoying breaks, including those with terminal illnesses, complex physical disabilities, learning difficulties and sensory impairment, as well as those from deprived communities, victims of abuse and young carers.

Each holiday is provided free of charge thanks to the charity’s supporters who help them to secure the £1million in funding they require to change the lives of thousands of children each year. Sixteen children aged 9-10 years from St Mary’s stayed with the charity for this special themed week and enjoyed a full programme of activities designed to encourage an active lifestyle."

EVO_STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

The hosts almost took the lead in bizarre fashion as [ex-Alty man] Andy McWilliams forced Rob Lainton into a great save from a corner with just 24 minutes on the clock...

Finally, the deadlock was broken as the hosts took the lead as the ball fell to Alastair Taylor down the left-hand side and his cross found the boot of Liam Hardy and the striker slotted home... After a frustrating opening 45 minutes, Vale had finally got their goal following an excellent counter attack...

It was Port Vale’s first draw of pre-season following two victories over Kidsgrove and Newcastle Town...

Buxton Team: Budtz, Meane, McWilliams, Hinsley, Maguire, Young ©, Taylor, Abbott, Wilson, Hardy, Williams. Subs: Stevens, Smith, Jameson, Ravenhill, Patterson, Doran, Williams."

PHIL PARKINSON ON KIDSGROVE GAME

Q: With so many good performances in so many areas of the pitch, you're almost spoilt for choice when it comes to settling on a starting line-up. You've got some tough decisions ahead, haven't you?

A: Those are the decisions I want to have. I think the players are looking around them and seeing there is top opposition in every position. You have to remember Si Richman (right) isn't here yet. He is away with work, so there will be even more options when he gets back. There were so many positives today. The most pleasing thing for me was the way they stuck to the system I asked them to play, particularly in the first half.

I thought we should have been winning the game five or six, really. The thing is, though, we were scoring. We always looked like scoring at will on the break, which is a very promising sign, because we just did a bit of shooting on Thursday, and it was great to see the lads put into practice what we had been working on. It's just pleasing to see that, to see they have been listening and are able to do it.

It's the ones who don't listen and don't do it who will not survive, but if we keep going as we are and keep doing well, then it's going to present me with some really tough decisions, in terms of a starting line-up, going into the season. They are all enjoying it and all want to be part of it, which is good. When you can see competition in and around you, that is when you either back yourself or decide to try somewhere else. I think a lot of the lads here are that confident and of that quality, they are backing themselves in Altrincham colours, so for me, it makes it really good to work with players of that calibre.

They are giving us everything in training, and it was evident today that they are all contributing in games. There is no-one walking around, taking it easy. I wouldn't accept that, anyway, or allow it to happen, but you could see the attitude the lads have from what was going on after the final whistle. You could see lads doing extra work because they had only played 30 minutes, rather than 70. No moaning, they just got on with it. It's important we do that extra work, because to do what we want to do, everyone has to be really fit.

Everyone thinks you have to be fit to be running after the ball, but I can tell you that keeping it and finding space takes it out of you as well. You need to be switched on in possession, but when you lose it, you need to be quick enough and fit enough to get it back, so we will keep doing those extra bits, if I feel we need to.

Q: Were you pleased with the quality of the goals and the fact they were shared out?

A: Yes, I think you could see the goals were well worked. I thought it was a very soft penalty the ref gave against us, very, very soft. I don't know why he gave it, but there you are. It was really pleasing to see Josh Amis showing up so well. He has given me a good headache to have, because he came in against Stockport County on Tuesday night and probably didn't do himself justice, which he knows, but he was superb today.

But the real shining light for me was Laurence Taylor. I thought he was absolutely outstanding. He had a big job to do, because I left Jake Moult out to see if Laurence could handle that role, and he did it exceptionally well. So when you are talking about headaches, he has given me a really big one, because what a game he had. I was really pleased for him.

Q: That penalty award cost you a clean sheet, which must have made it all the more frustrating. I imagine you might have been a bit more animated on the touchline, if points had been at stake?

A: Yes, without doubt! You can't influence what the referee does, in terms of decision making, and I'm not one of those managers who goes off at the deep end in the technical area, but I will ask the question if something's not right.

Q: How significant a signing might Jordan Hulme prove, and presumably he was the player you were referring to on Tuesday night when you said a striker was coming in on Thursday?

A: Yes, that was Jordan, all right. Did I make a quick decision when I saw him on Thursday night? I'd already made my decision! He is absolute quality. He is going to bring us goals. He is exactly the type of player I want to use, and I would say we are exceptionally lucky to have him at the club, as we are with so many other players who have joined us. He was someone I was desperate to get, and I worked really hard to make it happen. I didn't leave him alone. It's a bit like some of the other lads; I'm like a dog with a bone when it comes to a player I want.

Sefton Gonzales was a big target man, so we will still look to get that sort of player in if we can, but I would like to think the lads who are here can still do us that type of job, if need be. The way I want us to play, though, Jordan fits us like a glove.

Q: Was there anything in particular you said that helped make his mind up?

A: I just kept on at him and kept telling him the style of play here would be right up his street. Obviously, he was devastated he's not gone full-time with Salford, but things have changed there, and that's none of my business. All I did really was sell him what I have sold everyone else, the style of play. The club sells itself, as does the area we are in and the fact we are an ambitious club who want to get promoted and fight on all the cup fronts. I think overall the biggest thing for Jordan, as well as the club and fantastic supporters, was the style of play. Footballers want to play football, and everyone who knows me will know I won't change my style of play.

I will adapt when necessary, but I won't change. If you want to play good football and be treated right, looked after and not lied to, be given honest information, I'm the manager who is going to give you that, and this is the football club that is going to supply it. I think that ticked all the boxes for Jordan.

Q: Though he was signed in the wake of Sefton Gonzales' departure, he's not just an out-and-out centre-forward, is he?

A: Jordan can play in a number of positions, but all my frontline players can do that. If you look at Josh Hancock, he played the number 10 role superbly today, but he's really a left-winger who can play centre-forward. Jordan is exactly the same. When he played at the level we're at now, Salford played him at centre-forward, and he was very effective. If I was managing Jordan, which I am now, of course, I would be looking to play him as a nine, because he punches above his weight in the air, he's got an excellent touch with his back to goal and he's a bit of a maverick who can get you something out of nothing. He's also got phenomenal energy levels.

People look at the centre-forward position and think you need a big target man, but someone who can jump, hold the ball up and be what you need technically ticks all the boxes for me. He was a player I had to get.

Q: What did you make of Sefton joining Clitheroe, after he said a change in his work commitments made it impossible for him to commit to us? Did it surprise you?

A: No, not at all. Clitheroe are on his doorstep, whereas he couldn't commit the time needed for us, once his work became more demanding, unless he was lying to me, which I don't think he was. As I say, Clitheroe are his local club, and he told me he had them in mind and might be able to manage things there. I've no problem with that. For me, if a player doesn't want to be here, or says he can't be, I move very quickly to find someone else.

Above: Tom Peers made his debut for Alty on Saturday. Here he is seen by Mike Ripley's camera, keeping the ball in play on the right-wing.

Q: Finally, a word on Tom Peers and Tolani Omotola, who were playing for the first time. What did you make of them?

A: With Tom, what you see is what you get. He will always work extremely hard, for one thing. He is one of the fittest lads at the club, right up there with Simon Richman. For me, he is more of a centre-forward, but he does enjoy the wing, and you could see his quality. He has a fight on his hands (for a place in the team), but he has staked a claim, playing like that. He delivered some great balls, he stretched them when I wanted him to and he drove inside as well.

He is just an honest, honest player, and one of the big reasons I brought him with me from Nantwich is his attitude. It is absolutely exemplary. Tolani got his goal, which was good to see. That was his first bit of football, really. He had a little touch of it in training on Thursday and looked really sharp in one-on-ones, so I gave him a run-out on the left. He is a centre-forward, not a left-sided player, so it was a bit unfair of me to put him there, but I just wanted him to get some minutes on the board. When he's at his best, he is a very explosive centre-forward, with an eye for goal. We've not seen anywhere near the best of him today, so hopefully that is still to come".

JOIN THE ALTY PATRONS!

All supporters are welcome to join. "It is all the more important to continue your support as we look to build as competitive a budget as possible for next season. Thus we are looking for supporters to renew or join the Patrons' Scheme for the forthcoming 2017-18 season, the 12th season that it has been run.

For the cost of £50 your name will appear throughout the coming season in the matchday programme as a Patron of Altrincham Football Club.

At the beginning of the season, every member will be entered into a prize draw, with the winner being match sponsor for an appointed game along with 9 guests. Second prize will be hospitality for 5 people and third prize hospitality for 3 people in the Manchester Glass Sponsors' Lounge.

If you are interested in becoming a Patron for next season, please forward a cheque, payable to Altrincham Football Club, for £50. Alternatively, you can pay by card by phoning the office. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to enquire by e-mail.

Thank you once again for your support – it’s very much appreciated".

SEASON TICKETS

There is a 17 per cent cut to £50 for 12-16 year olds, while the cost for under-11s has been halved at just £15. In keeping with most Evo-Stik League Premier teams, matchday entry for adults has been set at £10, a 28.5 per cent reduction, with concessionaries and students paying £7 (22 per cent less), 12-16 year olds £4 (20 per cent less) and under-11s £1 (50 per cent less).

Furthermore, at just £1 for under-11s, it is also hoped parents with young children will be encouraged to come along to sample the matchday experience at The J.Davidson Stadium and turn it into a family day out".

You can order your season ticket by visiting the Club offices during weekday working hours, by e-mail, by post (AFC, J Davidson Stadium, Moss Lane, Altrincham WA15 8AP), or by telephone (0161 928-1045).

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

The squad had to work hard to earn the draw and was valuable in gaining match fitness as manager Jody Banim isn’t too concerned about results at this stage."

The Tameside Reporter adds that "Ashton's second warm up game saw the goals shared at Radcliffe’s Neuven Stadium, the hosts early goal being quickly cancelled out by a penalty.

Radcliffe took just 3 minutes to register as Ryan Salmon ran clear from the left wing before sliding the ball past Max Poney and after the returning Aaron Chalmers had headed Josh Stachini’s corner over the top Dominic Smalley won a penalty after being tripped by Torpey, Ryan Crowther converting easily. With half time approaching Crowther unfortunately suffered a serious looking injury to his right knee and had to be stretchered off with manager Jody Banim taking his place...

Team; Poney, Smalley, Coo, Eckersley, Chalmers, Tomsett, Duke, Smith, Gyimah, Stachini, Crowther"

KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC 1 ALTRINCHAM 4

Match report here

NEXT OPPONENTS: CHESTER FC

The visitors could not have started the game in better fashion, after opening the scoring with just three minutes on the clock. Kingsley James flicked on an inch perfect pass for Harry White, who hit a wonderful effort across goal – leaving the Hyde goalkeeper outstretched and unable to palm away his strike.

Hyde continued to press forward in response to the Blues’ early lead, but were consistently denied by Alex Lynch... Tom Pratt was bundled to the ground by Lynch, with Boyle’s resulting spot kick sending the Blues' keeper the wrong way to equalise.

Jon McCarthy made ten changes for the second period, and introduced Craig Mahon on the hour mark for his first appearance of the pre-season campaign. And the Irish-man caused problems from the outset, twisting and turning along the left wing".

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

In Cheshire, Runcorn Linnets beat Witton Albion 4-2 and over the Shropshire border at Market Drayton, there was a goalless draw against Nantwich Town.

Matlock Town "is pleased to announce the signing of thirty-two-year-old striker Shaun Harrad formally of Torquay United on a one-year deal. Harrad began his career at Notts County, making 29 appearances and scoring one goal against Shrewsbury. He enjoyed loan spells out at Gresley Rovers and Tamworth, before being released in 2005.

He joined Burton Albion in 2005, gaining promotion with the club in 2009 to the Football League, scoring 16 goals in the promotion season". Since then he has played for Alfreton Town, Notts County, Torquay United, Wrexham before he rejoined Torquay United until the end of the 2016/17 season. "Harrad started for the Gladiators wearing the number nine shirt in the defeat to Chesterfield as well as the victory against Mansfield Town where he scored two goals and has set up his own coaching school based in Nottingham".

And at Shaw Lane AFC "Shaw Lane AFC can confirm that our new home for the upcoming 2017/2018 Evo-Stik Premier Season will be Sheerien Park also the home of Athersley Recreation Football Club. Our chairman Craig Wood and Athersley's chairman Pete Goodlad have agreed upon a 10-year lease which will be of benefit for both clubs.

Shaw Lane will have to get Sheerien Park up to the Evo-Stik Premier standards and preparation to do that is ongoing".

KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC 1 ALTRINCHAM 4

Above: Josh Hancock (centre) and Ben Harrison (far right) show their delight after combining to score Alty's third goal. Also seen are Josh Amis (left) and Tom Peers.

Altrincham gave their best performance of pre-season, so far, to overcome a Kidsgrove side who nevertheless gave a good account of themselves.

In the first half, Altrincham played some excellent passing football, with Sheridan and Taylor impressing and Shaun Densmore back his old self after his injury troubles of the past two seasons. Alty took a 12th minute lead when trialist Josh Amis did well and slid the ball forward for Hancock to poke past the exposed Kidsgrove keeper. Densmore made it 0-2 after 32 minutes with an excellent goal which he netted calmly after advancing into the box and exchanging passes with a team-mate.

Houghton, who was Kidsgrove's most threatening player, won his side a spot kick which Diskin netted confidently in the 38th minute to make it 1-2. But Alty responded with a third goal just a minute later. An impressive run into the box by Harrson led to Amis scoring with a fine rising shot from 15 yards.

Alty made two changes at the break and a further seven after 60 minutes. James Poole was the pick of the substitutes but there was to be just a single further goal in the match, netted by Tolani Omotola following a Johnston cross in the 68th minute.

Match report here

MATCH DAY AND EVENT STEWARD VACANCIES

Altrincham FC are looking to add to their existing team of stewards in preparation for the new season. This customer facing role is vital to support the club's match day function. Training will be provided to anyone who has not held a stewarding position before. For a role description (in MS Word format) please click here. (A text-only version is here).

To apply, please email your CV and cover letter. Alternatively you can post or deliver a paper copy of these to Altrincham FC, J. Davidson Stadium, Moss Lane, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 8AP marked for the attention of Roger Goodwin, Volunteer Coordinator. The closing date for the receipt of applications is Sunday, 23rd July 2017.

Details of this post will remain on the Job Vacancies page until the closing date.

ALTY FIXTURES IN YOUR CALENDAR

ALTY SIGN STRIKER

The Alty boss launched a search for a proven frontrunner after a change in Sefton Gonzales' work arrangements forced his departure from The J.Davidson Stadium, and it ended in spectacular style last night (Thursday) with the prized capture of a forward who frequently took the eye in the Vanarama National League North last season.

Parkinson revealed on Tuesday night that a striker 'of a very high calibre' was visiting the club on Thursday, and it has now emerged that the player in question was Hulme, who joined in training and made a favourable impression and then became an Alty player by signing contract forms.

As an added bonus, his integration into the team should be made all the smoother by the presence of former Salford team-mates James Poole and John Johnston, both signed by Parkinson this summer and both already to the fore in Alty's two pre-season friendlies so far. In particular, his partnership with Poole, a revelation in an attacking role just behind the main striker against Stockport County on Tuesday night, is a prospect Alty fans will relish.

Alty continue their preparations for the new season with a trip to Kidsgrove Athletic tomorrow, and it is hoped a post-match interview with Parkinson, including his thoughts on his latest acquisition, will appear on the website on Sunday".

MORE ON JORDAN HULME

A versatile right-sided player who has appeared on the right-wing and as a right-back as well as a striker, Jordan scored ten times and provided eleven assists in 48 appearances in the National League North at Salford City last season. In the previous campaign he had netted 18 times in 54 appearances for the Ammies.

Jordan's earlier clubs include CMB Sports Club, Walshaw Sports Club, Shevington, Padiham, Ramsbottom United (2012) and New Orleans Jesters (USA). At Ramsbottom, he had scored more than thirty goals in 100 or so appearances before following the Rams' management duo of Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson to Salford City in January 2015.

Jordan played for Salford against Alty twice last season, starting the game at the J Davidson Stadium and being a used sub in the return at Moor Lane.

SUMMER FUN WEEKS

Click on the schedule below to see what's on, when and where!

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

On the opening day clash against Nantwich, he said, 'The fixture list announcement is always an exciting day for the fans, players, staff and anyone else associated with the club. To be given a home game on the opening day is a nice way to start the season. Nantwich will provide stiff competition, though, as they had a good season last year and will look to do the same again this time round. Saying that, all games in this division will be tough this year so it’s important we approach everyone with the right attitude and get off to a good start.'

Looking further on down the line, Burr touched on the Boxing Day derby against Ashton United at Hurst Cross. He said, 'Any local derby attracts interest but this one especially as they don’t come much bigger for us. It will be great occasion round that time of year and hopefully we will get a good result.... Despite having played only one pre-season game, I am very happy with the progress the lads are making as a team in training and... we will look to give some lads more game time and see what they can do, so we have plenty of options going forward'"

Over at Shaw Lane AFC the club "can confirm the signing of Godwin Abadaki's brother, Osebi, from Nantwich Town. A pacey left winger who played for Nantwich last season in the Evo-Stik Premier, [he] brings experience of playing in this league to the squad, he will definitely be an asset to the club'". Osebi was with Altrincham's youth team in the past. At Shaw Lane he joins other ex-Alty players including Damian Reeves and the Lugsden twins.

ALTY APPOINT A NEW ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Based in Hale, Rob is founder, owner and managing director of The Stats Zone and has been working closely with Alty bosses since offering his services voluntarily and placing his company's extensive database and resources at the club's disposal just over four months ago.

Mindful that Rob's area of expertise can prove crucial in not only identifying transfer targets but getting the best out of them in their time at The J.Davidson, manager Phil Parkinson and his coaching staff have already forged a close working relationship with him.

Reflecting on his elevation to board member, Rob said, 'I’m delighted to join the Altrincham board as an associate director. My main responsibilities will be on the football side, and I’m just looking forward to working with Phil and getting the season under way.

'Since offering my services after the strategic review evening at the end of February, I’ve been working closely with various people at the club to set up an infrastructure that will benefit us over the long term. That said, when the fixtures came out today and the reality of having over 40% of the season’s schedule crammed in before the end of October, we’re all aware of the need for a positive start.

'This season, we’ll be analysing our own matches with video analysis, analysing every opponent prior to playing them and scouting potential recruits at the same time. Phil and his team have been very receptive to such information and data, and I’m confident it will pay off over the season. I've been to a few training sessions and the friendly against Stockport on Tuesday night, and I think there are encouraging signs. Phil has a clear idea of how he wants his team to play, and pre-season plans are developing nicely so that we’re as well prepared as possible for Stafford on August 12th.'"

YOUTH TEAM'S HOME VENUE

OLD BOY

SATURDAY AT KIDSGROVE

On Wednesday, in their second friendly on successive days, Kidsgrove lost 5-0 at home to Burton Albion. The Burton Mail reports that "Burton Albion's long road to the opening day of another Championship season began in promising fashion at Kidsgrove Athletic tonight as Nigel Clough's side bagged a 5-0 win... This high-paced 90-minute outing... will have tested every bit of fitness work Clough's men have put in so far this summer...

[Burton keeper] Campbell was tested inside a minute when Tom France found space in behind that Albion defence on the right... Much of the Brewers' impetus came down the flanks, Dyer's pace causing problems for opposite number Rhys Thompson, while Cotterill on the opposite flank got behind on several occasions...

Pre-season games are primarily a test of fitness, and Burton certainly tested the work they have done so far, keeping the pace and intensity high throughout and stretching their Evo-Stik NPL Division One South opponents... It would have been 4-0 or 5-0 at the break but for some wasteful finishing...

An entirely different outfield team took to the field in the second half... record signing Liam Boyce partnered Marcus Dinanga, a revelation on loan at Matlock Town last term...

The second 45 saw Albion more patient in possession, with the hosts dropping to form two banks of four on the edge of their box".

LEAGUE FIXTURES ISSUED

Altrincham kick off the 2017-18 season with a home match against old rivals, Stafford Rangers on 12 August at the J Davidson Stadium. We then have a Tuesday night (15th) away match at Phil Parkinson's former club, Nantwich Town.

Our August Bank Holiday match is away at Witton Albion, whilst September sees two of our two longer away trips taking place in the space of four days. We are off to Barwell (188 miles return) on Saturday 9th and then to Workington (294 miles return) on Tuesday 12th September. We also have a long midweek trip to Whitby (268 miles return) on a Tuesday night (10 October). In fact, our two longest away fixtures (Whitby and Workington) are both midweek affairs!

Conversely, we visit all of our most local neighbours (Ashton United, Warrington Town, Stalybridge Celtic, Buxton, Witton Albion) for 3pm kick offs, with Nantwich Town (58 miles return) being our geographically closest 7.45pm trip.

At Christmas, we travel to Marine on Boxing Day, whilst Witton Albion visit us on New Year's Day. Between those festive fixtures we have a trip to Coalville Town on 30 December.

On Easter Monday we entertain Marine and we complete the season at home to Hednesford Town on 28 April.

• 1 Sat.12.8.17 H STAFFORD RANGERS 3pm
• 2 Tue.15.8.17 A Nantwich Town 7.45pm
• 3 Sat.19.8.17 A Matlock Town 3pm
• 4 Tue.22.8.17 H WHITBY TOWN 7.45pm
• 5 Sat.26.8.17 H COALVILLE TOWN 3pm
• 6 Mon.28.8.17 A Witton Albion 3pm
• 7 Tue.5.9.17 H LANCASTER CITY 7.45pm
• 8 Sat.9.9.17 A Barwell 3pm
• 9 Tue.12.9.17 A Workington 7.45pm
• 10 Tue.19.9.17 H FARSLEY CELTIC 7.45pm
• 11 Sat.23.9.17 H GRANTHAM TOWN 3pm
• 12 Tue.26.9.17 A Hednesford Town 7.45pm
• 13 Sat.30.9.17 A Stafford Rangers 3pm
• 14 Tue.3.10.17 H NANTWICH TOWN 7.45pm
• 15 Sat.7.10.17 H RUSHALL OLYMPIC 3pm
• 16 Tue.10.10.17 A Whitby Town 7.45pm
• 17 Sat.14.10.17 H STOURBRIDGE 3pm
• 18 Sat.21.10.17 A Warrington Town 3pm
• 19 Tue.31.10.17 A Shaw Lane AFC 7.45pm
• 20 Sat.4.11.17 H BUXTON 3pm
• 21 Sat.18.11.17 A Sutton Coldfield Town 3pm
• 22 Sat.25.11.17 H ASHTON UNITED 3pm
• 23 Sat.2.12.17 A Mickleover Sports 3pm
• 24 Sat.9.12.17 H HALESOWEN TOWN 3pm
• 25 Sat.16.12.17 A Stalybridge Celtic 3pm
• 26 Sat.23.12.17 H MATLOCK TOWN 3pm
• 27 Tue.26.12.17 A Marine 3pm
• 28 Sat.30.12.17 A Coalville Town 3pm
• 29 Mon.1.1.18 H WITTON ALBION 3pm
• 30 Sat.6.1.18 A Farsley Celtic 3pm
• 31 Sat.13.1.18 H WORKINGTON 3pm
• 32 Sat.20.1.18 A Stourbridge 3pm
• 33 Sat.27.1.18 H WARRINGTON TOWN 3pm
• 34 Sat.3.2.18 H MICKLEOVER SPORTS 3pm
• 35 Sat.10.2.18 A Buxton 3pm
• 36 Sat.17.2.18 H SUTTON COLDFIELD TOWN 3pm
• 37 Sat.24.2.18 A Ashton United 3pm
• 38 Sat.3.3.18 H SHAW LANE AFC 3pm
• 39 Sat.17.3.18 H STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 3pm
• 40 Sat.24.3.18 A Halesowen Town 3pm
• 41 Sat.31.3.18 A Rushall Olympic 3pm
• 42 Mon.2.4.18 H MARINE 3pm
• 43 Sat.7.4.18 A Lancaster City 3pm
• 44 Sat.14.4.18 H BARWELL 3pm
• 45 Sat.21.4.18 A Grantham Town 3pm
• 46 Sat.28.4.18 H HEDNESFORD TOWN 3pm

The official list of league fixtures is here and this also shows the dates for the rounds of the various cup competitions.

The opening day's fixtures on Saturday, August 12th, 2017 are:

• Altrincham v. Stafford Rangers
• Barwell v. Whitby Town
• Buxton v. Lancaster City
• Farsley Celtic v. Coalville Town
• Grantham Town v. Marine
• Hednesford Town v. Ashton United
• Mickleover Sports v. Witton Albion
• Stalybridge Celtic v. Nantwich Town
• Sutton Coldfield Town v. Shaw Lane
• AFC Warrington Town v. Rushall Olympic
• Workington v. Halesowen Town

Sunday, August 13th, 2017

• Stourbridge v. Matlock Town

COUNTY VIEW

Our opponents on Tuesday night, Stockport County report that "For the second consecutive friendly, County turned in a composed performance away from home against lower-league opponents to make it two pre-season victories out of two.

As was the case at Cheadle Heath last Saturday, too, some 20 players enjoyed a run-out for the Hatters in the course of a grey, damp evening at Altrincham...

Sam Minihan was rested due to injury, with Dan Cowan taking his place in the starting line-up, while Chris Smalley, who had been unavailable three days earlier, was named among County’s substitutes. The hosts, for their part, gave starts to no fewer than five former Hatters, including striker Josh Amis, appearing as a trialist further to his departure from Edgeley Park earlier in the summer...

After 20 minutes, County went ahead. Darren Stephenson cut in from the left, before drilling a low shot that ex-County ‘keeper Tim Deasy could only parry as far as Jason Oswell, whose subsequent touch was deflected over his own line by Sam Heathcote... The Hatters then doubled their lead a minute before the break and, on this occasion, Oswell could quite unambiguously celebrate getting his name on to the score-sheet when he powered in a header from the half’s final corner...

Altrincham took to the field following the resumption with a greater sense of purpose, and were to earn four corners within nine early second-half minutes. From the first of those, Jerome Wright headed just wide of the right post – while the fourth was awarded when another home substitute, Joel Benbow-Lita, saw his shot palmed over by Hinchliffe’s half-time replacement, Ian Ormson...

Josh Hancock halved the arrears for Altrincham with a well-taken shot from close range 10 minutes from time, but the Hatters held firm to maintain their advantage and prevail by the odd goal in three".

NEXT OPPONENTS: KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC

Also earlier this summer, the Stoke Sentinel reported that "Kidsgrove Athletic manager Ryan Austin hasn't wasted much time in starting to put together his squad for next season. Austin has signed three new players and he hasn't had to look too far to get them.

[Ex-Alty goalkeeper] Dave Parton, Tim Sanders and Dan Cocks were all playing at local rivals Newcastle Town last season under Scott Dundas, but he resigned as manager at the end of the season and has since taken over the reins at Chasetown. Goalkeeper Parton started last season at Evo-Stik Premier Division side Nantwich Town, but lost his place when then Dabbers manager Phil Parkinson signed Stoke City youngster Dan Gyollai on loan.

Midfielder Sanders also kicked off last season at Nantwich before having a short spell at Stafford Rangers before returning to Newcastle Town in March. He is no stranger to the Novus Stadium however, having played for Kidsgrove in 2011. Wide man Cocks played a big part in Newcastle's flying start to last season and was the perfect partner for striker Lee Cropper.

Austin says he's delighted to have completed some early business. 'It's always good to get some business done early and I am really pleased the three have decided to join us... Dave is also experienced at this level. He is a good organiser and I was impressed with his performance against us last season, as I was with Dan who will give us added attacking strength,' said Austin... 'We were not too far off last season but, perhaps, the squad just lacked a little depth. If we have a little bit more quality in the squad, like the Shaw Lanes and Witton Albions, then perhaps we can push on next season.'

Austin has also made an appointment to the management team by appointing former Hanley Town boss Dean Owen as assistant. Owen led Hanley to the Hallmark Security Premier Division, but resigned in February. Austin says... 'He comes with a good pedigree. We talked a lot last season and he has ideas similar to mine about how the game should be played, so I think we will work well together'".

NEXT VISITORS: CHESTER FC

In their pre-season games, the National League reports that "A goal in each half from Jordan Chapell and Lucas Dawson bagged Chester FC a 2-0 win at Flint Town United. Having claimed a 5-1 success at Runcorn Town just 24 hours earlier, Chester were back at it at Cae-Y-Castell for a clash against a Silkmen side now under the stewardship of former Chester favourite Andy Holden".

More recently, Kidsgrove have played friendlies on two consecutives days this week. On Tuesday they lost at home 2-7 to a Crewe Alexandra XI. And on Wednesday they played a Burton Albion XI.

Crewe Alexandra reported that "Charlie Kirk hit a five-minute hat-trick as Crewe cruised to a 7-2 win at Kidsgrove Athletic... as Crewe enjoyed their first run out of pre-season at the Nouvus Ground. The impressive Harry Pickering created two of Kirk's goals and he was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet himself after threatening the goal on a number of occasions...

Crewe could have ended the game by scoring double figures but sub Dan Udoh was denied by goalkeeper Ben Lucas and Lowery had another effort cleared from the line. The only real downside on the night was the two goals we conceded. Lee Cropper took a well taken brace in the first half that meant we went in at the interval 5-2 ahead".

And details of the Burton game are here.

Before that game, the Burton Mail stated that "Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough has confirmed... that close to the entire Albion squad will be involved in the first pre-season fixture against Kidsgrove, barring the injured Jake Buxton and Marvin Sordell.

Two separate XIs will each play 45 minutes, with returning international duo Jackson Irvine and Liam Boyce both set to play a half each... Travelling Brewers fans will also catch a glimpse of fellow new arrivals Matty Lund and Stephen Warnock, while Clough also confirmed trialist Fryatt will play 45 minutes against Kidsgrove. Ex-Nottingham Forest striker Fryatt has been training with the Brewers during their pre-season preparations".f he continued to make an impact."

AFTER THE GAME: PHIL PARKINSON

Right: Sam Sheridan and James Poole form a two-man wall against a Stockport freekick.

Q: You stressed on Saturday the importance of not losing these pre-season games, because you want to change the attitude that seemed to drag us down last season. Even so, there was plenty to encourage you in the performance, wasn't there?

A: I felt a huge positive was that we didn't just roll over. We went right to the bitter end. A lot of managers would say it's only a pre-season game, and it doesn't really matter, but I'm never comfortable losing a game. I'd have to say Stockport County are a fantastic outfit, run by a great manager in Jim Gannon, who certainly knows his stuff, so there's no disgrace in the result.

What we have got to get used to is that when we play these teams, we are the underdogs. Altrincham have obviously always been used to being the higher level team but, unfortunatel,y we are where we are in the Northern Premier League. We have to face facts that when we play teams like Stockport now, we are the underdogs, and we have to play above ourselves to beat them. I felt in the first half, in particular, we looked just as good as our opponents, in terms of the possession we had.

I felt their two goals came from sloppy mistakes, which I have addressed with the lads. Our goal, on the other hand, was really well worked and really well taken. I actually thought we didn't play particularly well in the second half. I thought we looked a bit disjointed. To be fair, there were a heck of a lot of changes, rolling on and rolling off, so you do lose that continuity, and there were lads who were new to us and not familiar with how we want things done. Even so, our goal was so well put together, and that is what we are all about, in the sense that five or six passes went into it, the ball was played out to the wide man, who picked out his pass into the box for Josh Hancock to execute an excellent finish. That is when we are at our most fluent, and it's something Altrincham fans can look forward to seeing. There were a lot of players involved in it, and that is a style we are trying to instil into the team.

You will hear me constantly from the sidelines, cajoling and coaching, though I'm not sure how much notice the players take of it. They probably don't listen to about 90 per cent of what you're shouting. But that is what we are striving for, and it is a case of encouraging them to reproduce what we are working on in training. You could see in the first half what we are trying to do. There were phases of play where the continuity was evident. But, again, we are playing against a very good Stockport team who will be challenging for the championship in their division. It's not like they are going to let us have things all our own way and have the ball all the time. They were pressing, very physical and very fit, and I felt their front three showed real quality, in terms of when they had chances, they executed.

That is something we have got to do, and I'm sure when we get sharper, and my players get accustomed to what I'm asking them to do, that will happen.

Q: I don't know whether you're happy being asked to single out individuals, but James Poole looks to have all the makings of a real crowd pleaser, doesn't he?

A: He does, and that's why we signed him. He is going to be a huge player for us. He is a player who excited me whenever I used to be up against him. In fact, he upset me many a time, because he always did well against me and looked the top player he is. He's not someone who is going to scrap round. He will put a foot in but, first and foremost, he is a footballer who is going to create and score goals, hopefully lots of winning goals. He is a fantastic player, and Altrincham are very lucky to have him.

Q: Anyone else who took your eye?

A: I felt Sam Sheridan stood out again, as a midfield player who is very comfortable on the ball. John Johnston showed more of what he is capable of, even though he was up against a very good full-back. That was a really good tussle, and I think people saw what JJ is all about, in terms of being very direct, and when he gets past someone, there is an end-product. He will pick someone out, and I thought he made a big impact. Some of the runs we made were not quite right. That's why, when some of the crosses were coming in, players were not where they should have been. But that is stuff we are working on. We had a new centre-forward (Josh Amis) who came in today, who needs to figure out what runs we need him to make.

Q: Can you clarify what you said on Saturday about 'a change in life/work balance' for one of the strikers you brought in, and has that led to Amis playing tonight?

A: Yes, I couldn't go into more detail at the time, but Sefton Gonzales will be leaving the club, because circumstances have changed for him, with regard to his work situation. It is extremely unfortunate, because he is what I invested in as a centre-forward and now I'm having to look for another one. Josh (left) came to us tonight, and I've got another centre-forward coming in on Thursday, so there will be a few decisions to make this week. I was hoping to have it all resolved by now, but we needed to have a look at Josh tonight, and we will have a little chat with him and see what happens there.

As I've just said, there is another centre-forward coming in on Thursday who is of a very high calibre from a higher level, so we need to make sure we get things right for that position.

Q: So, has a decision been made over Josh, on the evidence of tonight, or is that still up in the air?

A: There have been discussions with him, but we still need to finalise things to see if it's right for both parties. It's a difficult one, because the other striker who's coming in is due to go away at the end of the week, so while we can have a look at him on Thursday, I'm not sure at this stage whether he would be available for Saturday's game at Kidsgrove. Hopefully, Tom Peers may be back from holiday by then, and Tolani Omotola shouldn't be too far away after recovering from a hamstring injury. It's just unfortunate that, having brought in three centre-forwards, I haven't been able to make use of any of them so far. Tolani did the warm-up before kick-off tonight, so it looks hopeful for him for Saturday, but it's a shame that both he and Tom have been unavailable, just when they were eager to make the right impression and just when the opportunity was there for them to do it.

Q: On the fitness front, how is Ben Harrison?

A: I think he wanted to play tonight, but I'm just not willing to risk lads who've got little niggles at the moment, particularly when we've got lads like James Jones here on trial. I thought James did really well, going on in the second half, and he will get another run-out. He is travelling a long way from Wrexham, so I need to make a decision and move things forward. Joel Bembo-Lita is another we had a look at tonight, but I believe he is speaking to another couple of clubs at a higher level, and I wouldn't hold anyone back from doing that. It was nice to see he was interested in coming to Altrincham, so we will look at him as and when he makes a decision about where he wants to play.

Q: I think a few people might have been surprised to see Billy Hasler-Cregg among the substitutes, and going on in the second half.

A: He came to me at the start of pre-season, but we had an influx of wingers. I didn't want to put him in a position where he wasn't going to be playing, so I said come along and see how it goes but, if you need to look elsewhere as well, then do so. I thought he did ever so well when he came on. He was very tenacious, and he delivered a great ball for the goal. You could see he is so hungry to do well. The thing is for Billy; is he going to be able to get ahead of the other lads? That is the question mark for him, and it is whether he is willing to wait, because I've got about 23 players at the moment, and I will be whittling it down to a probable squad of 18-20 max, but not everyone can get paid or can play.

Those are the factors the players have to think about. If they are not in the squad, they don't get paid, unfortunately. I do think, though, there is a lot of interest surrounding what we are doing here, and I think lads are prepared to wait for others to get injured or have a dip in form for the chance to show what they can do. It's just a completely different kettle of fish in the Northern Premier League, compared to the Conference. We can't have 20 players all on contract. We have a budget, and we have to stick to it.

It's still very early in our preparation, just two games in to the pre-season programme, but I'm glad the lads gave a good account of themselves. They are slowly getting what it is I want from them, and that is what pre-season is all about, ironing things out and getting some continuity into our play. Much as I am all about winning, it does come second fiddle sometimes to the lads showing they can do what I need them to do. I'm not saying we deserved to win the game tonight, but equally we didn't deserve to lose. If we cut out those mistakes that cost us and concentrate on what we are good at, I think we will prove really formidable opponents this coming season".

ALTRINCHAM 1-2 STOCKPORT COUNTY

Above: The teams take to the field, watched by County boss Jim Gannon in the foreground.

After a largely end to end first half, Stockport nevertheless led 2-0 at the break. Alty had fallen behind in the 20th minute when goalkeeper Tim Deasy delayed his kicked clearance which, as a result, was partly charged down. The ball was then worked to Stephenson and his cross-shot from the left proved too strong for Deasy. Alty had their moments at the other end but, just before the interval, they conceded a decisive second goal. This was a header by Oswell, direct from a right-side corner.

With both sides making numerous changes at the start of the second half, and throughout the final 45 minutes, County largely dominated, with the surging runs of Warburton particularly threatening. But an excellent Altrincham goal in the 81st minute prompted a late attacking improvement from the home side. The goal had started at the heart of the Alty defence before, several passes later, trialist Billy Hasler Cregg on his return to Altrincham, crossed from the right for Hancock to turn the ball into the roof of the net.

Match report here.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Tim DEASY, 2. John DISNEY, 3. Kyle BROWNHILL, 4. Chris LYNCH, 5. Sam HEATHCOTE, 6. Jake MOULT (capt), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Sam SHERIDAN, 9. Josh AMIS, 10. James POOLE, 11. Josh HANCOCK. Subs: 12. Lewis SHORT, 14. James JONES, 15. Laurence TAYLOR, 16. Jerome WRIGHT, 17. Shaun DENSMORE, 18. Joel BEMBO-LITA, 19. Billy HASLER-CREGG, 20. Tony THOMPSON (gk).

The new faces (trialists) included centre-backs James Jones (ex-TNS) and Joel Bembo-Lita. Joel came though the ranks at Stalybridge but was at Buxton last season and has also played for Colwyn Bay and Marine. Returning to Alty was winger Billy Hasler-Cregg, who was at Moss Lane early last season, but had been with Stalybridge Celtic last season. Up front, striker Josh Amis was at Stockport County last season.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION APPOINTMENTS

Firstly I am delighted that Jacqui Forster has accepted the role of Honorary Head of Diversity and Inclusion. Jacqui has long championed the rights of fans in the running of football clubs, and has been a leading voice in Supporters Direct since 2003, latterly as Head of Casework and Constitutional Affairs. Additionally, in 2016 Jacqui founded Women at the Game, an organisation established for women who prefer to be with other women at a game, rather than on their own, and to give women of all ages, backgrounds, ability and religion an opportunity to attend live sport in a supportive, inclusive all-female group. I am truly honoured to have Jacqui involved in this capacity at Altrincham FC.

In addition, I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Jordan Tyms, as Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the club. Jordan is a Board Trustee of the charity Better Things and has a long track record of actively promoting Diversity, Inclusion and Equality. He has also worked with the Community Sports team on several occasions in this capacity. I first spoke to Jordan at the end of last season and was greatly impressed by his enthusiasm and his focus on what needs to be done.

It is a great credit to our club that we have in our dedicated fan base two such excellent individuals. I know there are more who have expressed an interest in supporting our push for greater Diversity, and we are ready to welcome them with open arms. We are pulling together a list of initiatives aimed at making a difference straightaway, as well as some longer term actions we look forward to being able to share with you in the near future.

I am sure all Altrincham supporters will join me in wishing Jacqui and Jordan every success in their new roles.”

CATERING AT THE J DAVIDSON STADIUM

In the Community Sports Hall, Stuart Buchan will be running a team serving hot snacks and drinks.

We all look forward to serving you this season and would ask that, specifically in the case of alcoholic drinks, the many extra bins around the Stadium are used to avoid excess litter. The alcoholic refreshments will be limited as we have a superb well-stocked bar in the Community Sports Hall for those seeking draught or spirits".

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

The crisis-hit [ex-Evo-Stik] non-league club owed £14,438 debt to Hire Intelligence, a firm which hires out office equipment, but it could not be saved. Hardy has since stepped in and has registered Ilkeston Town Football Club as a business at Companies House while he tries to thrash out a deal. He has already been given clearance by the Football League that he could own two clubs and there would be no conflict of interest".

Hardy says his offer is the only credible one on the table but would need a licence from Erewash Borough Council because they effectively own the New Manor ground... He said, 'We are the only ones who have really put our hands up to revive the club. We want football to return to Ilkeston. We have registered Ilkeston Town Football Club as a corporate entity. It only cost £50 and if the deal happens then we are ready'...

News of Hardy's intentions is likely to bring some comfort to Robins fans who endured a terrible season in which the club were relegated from the Northern Premier League. Players and staff were not paid since December as the club suffered huge financial problems."

Non-League Yorkshire reports that "A devastating second-half display drove Shaw Lane AFC to an eventual big victory at Eccleshill United. Toolstation NCEL Division One side Eccleshill handled the first half well against the Division One South champions, but the second half saw the Ducks take complete control.

Although Shaw Lane always looked dangerous, there was little to choose between the sides in the opening stanza. Only a fast-flowing move, ending with a neat finish from former Farsley Celtic striker Damian Reeves, was the difference at the interval. The goals just kept coming straight after the break, with a Matty Davies penalty opening the floodgates.

An Oscar Radford own goal briefly reduced the deficit before Reeves deftly headed home from close range to score his second and Shaw Lane’s third goal. Recent signing Nicky Walker netted twice late-on, in between a Godwin Abadaki strike".

Meanwhile, Shaw Lane have signed ex-Doncaster Rovers midfielder, Matthew Davies.

OLD BOY

He made his debut as a substitute in April 2013 in a 1–1 draw against Derby County but, in August of the same year, he joined League One side Tranmere Rovers on a month-long loan. Released by Barnsley at the end of the season, Jones joined Gateshead where he made his debut against Wrexham prior to another 19 appearances. Released at the end of the season he signed a two-year deal with Southport in July 2015 and was sent off on his debut against Eastleigh, making another 31 appearances for the Sandgrounders."

ALTRINCHAM v STOCKPORT COUNTY

Brian Flynn advises that "Radio Robins is providing full live commentary of Tuesday night's game. The commentators are Mark Simpson and Paul Salt and the match summariser is John Edwards. Coverage starts at 7.40pm and you can listen to Radio Robins on the internet here.

COUNTY TAKE THE POSITIVES

After seeing the club bounce back from the high-profile departures of Danny Lloyd and Lewis Montrose, the right-sided defender was quick to look at the positives....

'There was a bit of a hangover during the summer, a case of 'what could have been'. To miss out [on the play-offs] by one goal was tough to take... We had the best defensive record in the league... and we do feel there were a lot of positives to take into this year. We're in a really good place'".

TWO VACANCIES AT ALTRINCHAM FC

Applicants are invited to send a CV and covering letter by e-mail, to reach the club by 31 July 2017.

FRIENDLY FOES: KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC

• KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC (1) 2 ALTRINCHAM (0) 2, played on Tuesday, 18 July 2006.

  Alty got within seven minutes of their first win of pre-season before Kidsgrove substitute Ward netted the equaliser. Kidsgrove had started well, taking the lead after just three minutes when a through ball obliged Richard Acton to rush to the edge of his box to push the ball away but it was immediately crossed back in from the left and Matt Rhead hammered the ball home. Alty levelled just after the break when Lee Hendley got free and took the ball round the keeper (51 mins) and then the visitors went ahead as Pat McFadden got on the end of a perceptive pass from trialist Lee Mannion to score from right of goal (73 mins).

  For most Alty supporters this was their first visit to Kidsgrove Athletic, where they received a warm welcome from officials at the Stan Brown Stadium. The heat was a major factor with temperatures having reached 32 degrees during the day.

  With three games in three days, Alty rang the changes and Steve Aspinall was the sole survivor in the starting line-up at Kidsgrove compared with the eleven who began the game at Cammell Laird last Saturday. Into the starting eleven at Kidsgrove's well-presented stadium came goalkeeper Richard Acton, defenders Stephen Rose, Gary Scott and Gary Talbot, midfielders Lewis Chalmers, Edddie Hussin, Val Owen and Blake Norton and strikers Colin Little and Pat McFadden.

  Alty's line up was... 13. Richard ACTON, 2. Steve ASPINALL, 21. Stephen ROSE, 5. Gary TALBOT, 3. Gary SCOTT; 14. Lewis CHALMERS, 4. Eddie HUSSIN (capt), 8. Val OWEN, 18. Blake NORTON; 9. Colin LITTLE, 10. Pat McFADDEN. Subs: 1*. Dave CUMMINS (gk), 26. Lee HENDLEY, 22. Richard NORRIS, 16. Lee MANNION, 17. Karl MUNROE

• KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC (1) 3 ALTRINCHAM (3) 4, played on Thursday, 25 July, 2007.

  

  Above: Chris Baguley takes Rod Thornley's congratulations after scoring from outside the box.

  On an evening of heavy rain, interspersed by sunny periods, Alty fielded a mixture of established players, new signings, trialists and graduates from the youth and reserves' teams. Kidsgrove deservedly took the lead when Steve Aspinall blatantly pushed over Steve Jones to concede a penalty which Matt Rhead converted comfortably (10 mins). An excellent 25 yard shot from Chris Baguley made it 1-1 (18 mins) before two goals in as many minutes from trialist Matt Berkeley made it 3-1 to Alty. His second goal owed a lot to Rod Thornley's persistence but Berkeley neverthless scored well (39 mins).

  Kidsgrove got themselves level in the second half when Phil Hadland netted twice , the first a deflected shot from outside the box (65 mins) and the second, following an Alty defensive mix-up (74 mins). But Alty snatched a late winner when Adam Walker's shot was parried by former Worcester City keeper James Coates and Ben Deegan battled to get the loose ball which he knocked towards goal where Walker and Metcalfe closed on it as it neared the line, and Walker seemed to get a touch before it crossed the line (86 mins).

  Altrincham's team comprised 1.Richard ACTON, 2. Steve ASPINALL, 3. Jake SEDGEMORE, 4. Stephen ROSE, 5. Darren TINSON (capt), 6. Chris BAGULEY, 7. Colin POTTS, 8. Val OWEN, 9. Matthew BERKELEY, 10. Pat McFADDEN, 11. Rod THORNLEY. Subs: 12. Andy KEOGH, 14. Ben DEEGAN, 15. Scott METCALFE, 16. Adam WALKER.

FRIENDLY FOES: RHYL

The forward, who is originally from the town of Rhyl, joined Crewe Alexandra as a youngster and turned professional with the Cheshire side. He was unable to make the breakthrough at Crewe and had spells with loans at Chasetown and Colwyn Bay. Alex’s fortunes turned round during a move to Witton Albion. In the Northern Premier League North he scored 6 goals from 8 appearances and then the following season he scored 40 goals from 57 appearances.

This form earned Alex a return to the professional ranks with a move to newly promoted Fleetwood Town where he made 10 appearances during the 2012/13 season. A loan spell at Halifax Town in the Conference North saw him net 11 times from 21 appearances and following his release from Fleetwood a further spell at Witton occurred. Once again he was a regular scorer where he netted a further 28 goals".

At Rhyl, "The Corbett Sports Stadium, formerly known as Belle Vue, has hosted football since 1900. The ground has seen extensive developments over the last 15 years as the number of seated areas has increased to meet the needs of hosting European football.

The Don Spendlove stand, where the players tunnel is has grown significantly in the last 10 years. The central section of the stand which hosts approximately 200 was previously the only seated part of the ground. In the early 2000s, additional seating was provided to both sides of the stand and eventually this has led to the entire length of the pitch with seated accommodation. This includes a canteen bar and a media section.

To the right of the main stand is the Coronation Gardens (or Corrers) end. Previously this was a small terraced area with cover only to the centre of the goal. The facilities were extended when Rhyl qualified for Europe with three rows of covered seating running the width of the pitch.

Opposite the main stand is the George James stand named after a Groundsman who tended to the hallowed Belle Vue turf. In the mid 1980's new terracing was installed and at the end of the 1990's three rows of seats were installed and the length of the cover was increased to provide more seating. In recent years additional uncovered seating was provided closer to the Coronation Gardens end.

Behind the other goal is the Grange Road end or Kop end of the ground as it was formerly known. Rhyl have always traditionally attacked this end in the second half of matches. Up to the mid 1980's this was a large terrace area which could accomodate approximately 1000 supporters. However concerns over the terrace led to barriers being installed about a third up and the capacity reduced. In the 2000's this area of the ground was developed with the NWPS suite and what is now known as the Legends Lounge. In front of the Legends Lounge is a mixture of terracing and seats behind the goal. A large canteen is also located at this end of the ground."

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

[Manager] Jimmy Ginnelly was positive after the match saying, 'I thought it was a very even match spoilt by some poor decisions from the referee. I'd like to thank both sets of players for putting on a bit of a spectacle for the 300 plus fans who turned up... I had 5/6 starters missing and we still gave them a great game and I can only say we don't look in too bad a shape ourselves'".

From the other side, the Nuneaton News says that "Nuneaton Town manager Tommy Wright lavished midfielder Billy Daniels with praise after he overcame selection disappointments to score a goal that 'lit up' Boro's opening pre-season friendly. The 23-year-old former Coventry City man spared Boro's blushes as his dribble and 30-yard wonder-goal with less than ten minutes to go tied up Saturday's pre-season friendly with Barwell at three goals apiece...

It was the highlight of an incident-packed friendly at Kirkby Road which saw Jimmy Ginnelly's Canaries go within eight minutes of a famous victory...

Boro would play the final five minutes against ten men after former Atherstone Town striker Luke Barlone, who scored a wonderful first-half header to put Barwell 3-2 ahead, was given a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident... 'Luke Barlone, I've known him for five or six years now, you can't take that [aggression] away from him,' said Wright. 'That aggression makes him the player that he is. I was that type of player, I always lived on the edge. I didn't do much of the after stuff but I was aggressive when I attacked the ball and that's what Luke does. I think he is a dying breed of footballer, he's passionate, he cares, he throws his weight around, he unsettles people which is what he did against us and I think that's great for our lads to have a bit of rough and tumble, it's more realistic to what we will be up against in our league'".

From NL Pitchero we learn that "Unfortunately, club captain and Coalville legend Sean Bowles will be leaving the club and country to live a new life in China with his partner. Sean has played an instrumental role in what the club has achieved over the last two decades during his two spells with the Ravens... He has notched up staggering 389 appearances in a Coalville shirt...

Chairman Glyn Rennocks added, 'He will be a massive loss and a huge personality to replace having been with us for so long and also being the club's captain'".

Over at Grantham Town, "Gingerbreads' Manager, Adam Stevens, has announced his latest signings for the upcoming season

Reece Morris has joined from Gresley FC. Reece was a target last season after impressing in Integro League Cup match . He received the Supporters and Players' Player-of-the-Year, the Directors' award and joint top scorer award. Reece is a left-sided winger.

After being released by Lincoln City. Andy Wright has returned to The Gingerbreads after spending time on loan with us last season. Midfielder Jack McMillan has joined following his release from Notts County. Jack spent time at Boston United and Coalville last season. Also joining from Notts County is Riley Thompson, who is a left-back."

Meanwhile, Stourbridge "are delighted to announce that central defender Paul McCone has re-signed for Stourbridge from AFC Telford United. 'Macca' returns to the War Memorial Ground for a fourth spell with the Glassboys, having originally joined us in the summer of 2010, following his release from Wolverhampton Wanderers. He enjoyed three outstanding seasons with us as he chalked up over 150 appearances...

Paul left the Club in the summer of 2013 to sign for newly-promoted Leamington in Conference North, but returned very briefly in October of the same year to make a couple more appearances in our colours before joining another Conference North outfit, Hednesford Town, helping them to reach the 2013-14 play-offs. Paul began 2014/15 at Hednesford but re-joined Stourbridge in October 2014 for a third stint, only to switch back to Hednesford two months later.

Paul then followed the Pitmen's managerial team of Rob Smith and Larry Chambers to Telford early in the 2015/16 season but an impressive start with the Bucks was halted by a serious knee injury which ruled him out of the rest of that season. A long battle back to fitness ensued, but he successfully regained his place in the Telford set-up last term ... In all, Paul has made 169 appearances... for Stourbridge during his past spells, scoring 14 goals".

NW NEWS

Southport lost 3-1 in a game which featured several triallists, including ex-Preston North End and Everton goalkpeer Iain Turner. Alan Lewer's side were due to take on the Linnets and Victoria Park on Tuesday night".

TAIWAN TRAVELLERS

Above: Pictured are Alty fan Mark Buckton and his wife Ching Yeh, who travelled 14,000 kilometres from the Taiwan capital Taipei to be at Whitchurch Alport to see them entertain Altrincham on Saturday. Image courtesy of Mike Ripley..

FAT MEMORIES

After a marathon 2nd Qualifying Round tussle with Runcorn, which saw three draws (0-0, 0-0 and 1-1) before the Robins finally triumphed on this ground 2-0 through goals from Smith and Hughes, and a 5-1 3rd Qualifying Round replay win here over Chorley, after a 1-1 draw at Victory Park, we went down 3-1 at Springfield Park, then the home of Wigan Athletic, in the 1st Round Proper, Smith scoring the Alty goal in front of 4,531 spectators.

This came at the end of a week which had seen the Robins bow out of the FA Cup in a 3rd Round replay, staged at Old Trafford, which Everton won 2-0. The 1-1 draw at Goodison Park the previous Saturday (Hughes netting for Alty) remains one of the outstanding days in our history and the two ties attracted almost 70,000 spectators overall".

PHIL'S VIEW

Q: You can't always read too much into the first game back, but what were your impressions overall?

A: I was delighted with the run-out. It was good that most of the boys got 45 minutes under their belts. We picked up one or two injuries in the second half, but just stuck with 10 men for about half-an-hour, and it was pleasing that you couldn't really tell we were a man short. I know we weren't very threatening, but possession-wise we controlled it. I don't remember them having too much of the ball, so from that point of view, I was really happy with the work-out, and the way the lads are buying in to the style of play I want from them.

I know everyone would have loved to come here and see us win 5-0 or whatever, but Whitchurch are a very good outfit at their level. They are very well organised, they train the correct way and they make it difficult for you, so for me, it was a really good outing for us. It was pleasing to see that defensively, apart from their goal, we were fine, and the way we dominated midfield was good.

We haven't really worked on the front three yet, which you could probably tell. There was a lack of understanding up there, though it doesn't help when so many new players are coming together. You look at Jake Moult and Laurence Taylor in the first half, and you could tell they had played together, but in the second half, I don't think there was anyone who had played together before, apart from in the training we've done so far. Considering all that, I don't think we looked too disjointed. We looked like we were in control of the game, but we have to work on that cutting edge.

It was plainly obvious we were lacking a centre-forward, but that is something we are working on. There's been a couple of things that have gone on this week that have made me have to change my plans in that area, but I'm hoping to be able to announce something on Monday or Tuesday, with regard to that centre-forward position.

Q: Does that suggest more comings and goings?

A: It will be a bit of both, but I don't want to say anything more until everything is done. We are working really hard to resolve the issue. It's just something that has happened this week in respect of someone's work/life balance changing, so I have to adjust to that. These things happen, but I hope to be in a position to announce something in the next couple of days.

Q: How much did you know about Laurence Taylor (left) before you took over, and how impressed have you been with him?

A: I had heard all about him, and I saw him against Curzon Ashton and Tamworth. I was very impressed with him against Curzon, and though I didn't see a great deal of him at Tamworth, the highlights I've seen of him have been very impressive. We just need to work on him. He's got all the attributes you look for in a central midfielder. He's very comfortable on the ball, he's young, he's an athlete, he's got legs, he's got ability, he's clearly got a lot going for him. I just felt the goal they scored was down to a lack of understanding between our midfield three.

That's how they managed to get through us and score, and those are just the little things we need to work on. We will do that with him. I thought Laurence and Jake both wanted to sit at times, and when they are playing against two, it needs to be James Poole and Laurence pushing on. It's just little tactical things like that we need to get right and iron out.

I don't remember them threatening us too much or having too much of the ball, and while you would expect that against lower level opposition, you have to bear in mind they are very good lower level opposition. I know the management team here, and what the club are trying to do, and that is why I wanted this friendly. I knew they would be very well organised and give us a good work-out. They play the pitch well. It's a very tight, narrow pitch. On our bigger pitch, it might have been a different story, with the players we've got, but it's easier just to sit behind the ball, in a scenario like today, and make our lives difficult. We are going to face that a lot this season, but on the bigger pitches, I think we will be a different beast. Overall, though, I'm really happy with the way the lads conducted themselves.

It's really important, for me, that we did not lose the game. We've got to get the mentality that we are used to winning, or at least not losing, because that's what we've got to turn round, the attitude at this football club. It's not acceptable to lose. That's what we have to take into some tough upcoming fixtures. Today, it would have been easier for their players to get themselves up than ours, with big Alty coming to town, but we need to show that same level of endeavour against Stockport on Tuesday and make sure we are up for that.

The squad will be feathered out again after today, because just watching the 90 minutes, I know those who will be moving on or are not quite what I'm looking for. I don't like to have players hanging about, if I've made my mind up about them. I won't just keep them here for numbers sake. I will move them on and try and find someone who is going to be what I need them to be.

Q: Are you referring specifically to some of the trialists there?

A: A little bit, but some of the ones who are already here as well. I said to them all before we went out that they have to prove to me they can play the way I want them to, which means win games and do what I need them to. Listen, they haven't lost the game and have dominated possession, but we have conceded a sloppy goal and haven't looked much of a threat, so that's something I need to work on.

There are little things you look for in a game, in terms of how people keep the ball, the way they join in, the vision and awareness they show and whether they are communicators. But fundamentally what I'm looking for is a winner. They all showed that desire, but we need to work on adding a cutting edge. That will come. It's the first game for a new group, with just five or six sessions under their belts, so I am really excited about what's ahead.

Q: It's bound to take a little while for so many new players to gel, but there were one or two incisive moments in the first half, not least James Poole's goal, weren't there?

A: You would like to think, if people know their football, they can see there's a method behind what we are doing. We won't panic, even if we go a goal down. Some might press the emergency button if that happened and change what they were doing, but we won't. It's not just a case of turn up, pick the team and send them out. There is a methodology to it, and I was really happy that the players seemed to buy in to that today.

Q: What happened with Ben Harrison, who started the second half, but then had to go off?

A: He's only recently come back from an injury, so that was unfortunate. He's only had two sessions, so we have to be careful with him. I don't think it's anything major. He just felt something in his foot, so we will have a look at that. You can get these little niggles in pre-season. We will have a look at him and see where he's up to.

Q: And how about Sean Miller (right) and Tom Hannigan?

A: Sean's ankle is strapped up, because he's had an operation on it. He won't make the start of the season, unfortunately. This should have been sorted out a long time ago, and if it had been, we would be looking forward to having a very good player in our side for the first game. As it is, he needs to rest and recuperate, and that will be followed by extensive rehabilitation. I'm anticipating and crossing my fingers for him being available at the end of September or even early October. If he's back any earlier, so much the better, but realistically that's what we are looking at.

Hopefully, this won't happen again. We're being very careful with Tom, because we don't want him missing virtually an entire season, like last season. If it means him not playing until three or four games before the season starts, then so be it. We will accept that. What Tom has to remember is that when he does come back, he has to be ahead of the other lads. He is a very good player. We all know what he is about. He just needs to get himself right and show the supporters here what the club bought into when they signed Tom Hannigan.

Q: No sign of Shaun Densmore today?

A: No, Dens was at a wedding, another one! He's a very popular lad, and he has come back great, but he knows he has got a fight on his hands this season, because John Disney did ever so well there, and they are going to scrap it out for that right-back position. Shaun is a fighter, a typical Scouser. He won't just roll over and give it up. But, likewise, Dis is a fighter as well, but that's the competition and pressure you need in each position. For me, overall, I'm fairly happy with everything, but I just need to sort out the frontline, in terms of fine-tuning and the centre-forward.

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

I think Altrincham could start as a few people's favourites. They are arguably the bigest club in the league so, if they start well, the fans will get right behind them and their crowds will swell. They've made a very good appointment in Phil Parkinson. He did superbly with Natwich in this league last season, with less money to work with. He's already made good signings and know the league inside out.

It will be competitive but there don't seem to be many sides you look at and think 'Wow, they should win it', so it's great that it could be open this year...

I left a comfortable job at Tranmere to take on this challenge and I wouldn't have agreed to come if I didn't think Warrington had the capabilities to push on up the ladder. The chairman here is an ambitious man and he's backed me the whole way...

I think we have a very strong attack, maybe the strongest in the league. Now, with our new central defenders signed up, we will be looking more balanced".

The Shropshire Star tells us that "Defender Paul McCone has left AFC Telford United to to rejoin Stourbridge. The 25-year-old centre-half made 24 appearances for the Bucks in last season after recovering from a severe knee injury. He had signed non-contract terms with Telford earlier this summer for the new season, but moves on following the club's decision to sack Rob Smith and make Rob Edwards their new boss.

McCone is dropping down a division to sign with Gary Hackett's Glassboys, where he had a fruitful spell several seasons ago including scoring as they beat Plymouth Argyle to reach the second round of the FA Cup in 2011."

OLD BOY

Tooth made a total of six changes during the break... The three goal advantage was soon extended again, in the 76th minute, when James Lawrie scored a great individual goal."

Over at Crosby, NL Pitchero reports that Marine "are pleased to announce the following players have signed for the club:

• Zach ADEKOYA, 19, left sided forward previously with Everton Youth and Southport.
• Harry BLACKBURN, 18, striker who started with Accrington Stanley and had a spell at Skelmersdale United last season.
• Jack FLEMING, 18, a central defender who came through Tranmere's youth system, making his debut for Rovers in their final League game of 2016-17 at Maidstone United.
• Gary GRIER, 20, midfielder, joins from local football.
• Liam HOLLETT, 25, central defender who was part of last season's squad. Previous spells with Skelmersdale United and Burscough.
• James MURRAY, a pacy forward who joins from West Cheshire League champions Newton FC.

NL Pitchero confirms that "Midfielder Lewis Nightingale has left Farsley Celtic to take up coaching role with Merseyside giants Everton. The talented play-maker who returned to the Celts at the beginning of last season has left the club to take up a role with the Premier League outfit's youth coaching set-up."

WHITCHURCH ALPORT 1 ALTRINCHAM 1

Match report here.

Right: Kyle Brownhill in action at Whitchurch. Image courtesy of Mike Ripley..

OLD BOY

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

From the other side, Chesterfield add that "Goals from Delial Brewster, Jordan Sinnott, Ricky German and Kristian Dennis made it three wins from three pre-season friendlies for the Spireites...

[Leading 1-0], Chesterfield doubled their advantage... when Greg Young brought down Brewster, Jordan Sinnott converted the penalty for his first goal in Chesterfield colours...

Buxton: Budtz, Williams, McWilliams, Ravenhill, Maguire, Young (C), Taylor, Abbott, Hinsley, Hardy, Williams. Subs not used: Biggs, Stevens, Meade, Smith, Torm. Hasler-Cregg, Ward, Osgathorpe".

According to the Northwich Guardian, "Witton Albion have confirmed Nick Ryan, a defender that spent last season at a higher level with Stalybridge, as their first signing of the summer. He has agreed terms on a one-year deal...

'We’re taller now!' quipped Albion boss Carl Macauley. 'I felt we perhaps needed a bit more height in defence, and Nick gives us that. He had a disrupted season with Stalybridge because of an injury and the fact they changed manager a couple of times, so it was a good moment for us to pounce. He’s a young lad that is comfortable in possession, which is important to us, and we’ve got all options covered with four central defenders available.'

Anthony Brown has signed a contract for this season, while Scott Lycett and Michael Wilson are also on board again. Both of them filled in at full-back last term when Anthony Gardner or Matty Devine were unavailable, and in a 24-team Premier Division are likely to do the same again.

Macauley said, 'We’ll need all of them with fixtures almost every Saturday and Tuesday; that’s impossible to do with only two central defenders'...

Witton’s players started their preparations for a new campaign last weekend, and are scheduled to play a first friendly at Runcorn Linnets next Saturday. Macauley, who has spent the past seven days running the rule over trialists and hopefuls from Albion’s youth team, told the Guardian that his squad is unlikely to be settled by then.

He added, 'I’m trying to get a couple more signings sorted. Like every other manager, we’ve had knock-backs or been priced out of a deal by other clubs offering more money. That happens. We’ll have a decision either way from two more lads early next week'...

One player who won’t be returning is attacking midfielder Karl Noon, who has joined City of Liverpool. The 30-year-old has dropped down two levels in search of more regular playing time after starting only 20 games in league and cup for Witton. He is the fourth member of last season’s promotion-winning squad, Bradley Bauress, Tom Owens and Danny Roberts are the others, to depart Wincham Park this summer.

Macauley said, 'There was a place for Karl here if he wanted to stay, but I couldn’t make him the guarantee he was after that he’d play from the first minute'...

Goalkeeper Calvin Hare, Will Jones, Steven Tames and Rob Hopley have all agreed new one-year deals, while Macauley has told the Guardian that negotiations with influential midfielder Paul Williams have reached a successful conclusion too. Prince Haywood is staying, while full-back Matty Devine still has another 12 months on his arrangement. Youngsters Jamie Hinchliffe and James Sloane are committed as well."

The National League reports that "York City... were comfortable 4-1 victory against Farsley Celtic at Throstle Nest. Striker Jon Parkin twice added to an early Daniel Parslow header as the visitors led 3-1 at the break after James Walshaw's reply, with substitute Kaine Felix later claiming a fourth goal." Elsewhere, our nect opponents, Stockport County, "won 3-0 at Cheshire Leaguers Lynotype Cheadle Heath Nomads. [The goals came from] James Ball and a Darren Stephenson brace for County."

At Stourbridge "The Glassboys kicked off their pre-season programme with a goal-less draw at the Baggies' training ground [against WBA under-23s]. With both teams fielding entirely different line-ups in each half, the fixture was a useful training exercise".

WHITCHURCH ALPORT 1 ALTRINCHAM 1

Both goals were scored in the first half. Altrincham took a 21st minute lead when James Poole's low shot from outside the box left Alport keeper Cooke motionless. Whitchurch Alport replied eleven minutes later when a smart dink over the Alty backline by former Robins' loanee Ben Mills set up Luke Walley for the equalizer.

The second half produced little in the way of goalmouth incident with two on-target shots from Sam Heathcote the nearest to breaking the deadlock. Whitchurch Alport proved excellent hosts and we wish them well for the coming season.

Match report here.

WHITCHURCH ALPORT v ALTRINCHAM

Brian Flynn advises that "Radio Robins is providing full live commentary of Saturday's game. The commentators are Mark Simpson and Simon Ellis and the match summariser is Dave Stringer. Coverage starts at 2.55pm. You can listen to Radio Robins on the internet here".

There will be a match report after the game, here on the official website.

Whitchurch Alport report the "signing of 18 year-old midfielder Kieran Smith for 2017/18. Smith, who just today [Thursday] turned 18 years of age, is another promising youngster who has captained his teams throughout youth football and has just progressed from the Crewe Alex scholarship course.

A versatile player who has tremendous energy levels and great composure to play which has impressed the management team. Smith is just the latest teenager to join the journey at Yockings Park that managers Carl Everall and Luke Goddard have pushed since taking over. Existing players Minshall, Thomas, Marley [are] just a few examples of players given the opportunity to progress at Alport. We're confident Kieran Smith can follow the same pathway as we build a young, energetic and exciting squad for 2017/18 that will make the RedArmy proud!

Smith is looking forward to being apart of Alport. 'Firstly, I am delighted to be signing with Whitchurch Alport FC. Over the last two years I have been coached by Carl (Everall) in both football and education, which were both a success. At the end of the two years Carl asked me if I would like to attend pre-season. It was apparent to me the enthusiasm which surrounded the club as well as the motivation to succeed and the togetherness amongst the players, staff and fans and it was certainly something which I wanted to be part of.

The pre-season training has been quality and challenging so far and I have seen first-hand the motivation and enthusiasm amongst the squad. After working hard in training I was extremely happy to be selected in the squad vs Airbus, in which I played the second half at RB and CB. Although it took me time to adjust at first , I settled down and enjoyed the game time. My aim for the season is to keep working hard, listening and learning and to play my part in bringing huge success to Whitchurch Alport this season and in the future'"

Alport's players include striker Ben Mills and midfielder Kevin Street who have worn the Altrincham stripes.

Directions to the club, whose address is Yockings Park, Black Park Road, Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 1PG are here. The ground is just over half a mile from Whitchurch railway station.

On Tuesday, Alty entertain Stockport County at the J. Davidson Stadium, k.o. 7.45pm).

As previously reported, entrance to the friendlies at the J. Davidson Stadium is free to Altrincham FC 2017-18 season-ticket holders, whilst the turnstile prices are...

• Adults £7
• Concessionaries £5
• 12-16 year-olds £2
• Under 12s FREE

FA TROPHY DRAW

The Preliminary Round, which will determine our opponents, is to be played on Saturday, 8 October.

For the full draw for northern and Midland clubs, please see yesterday's news, below...

FA YOUTH CUP

Alty therefore progress to the First Qualifying Round, to be played in week commencing Monday 18 September. In that round, Altrincham will be away to either Ashton United or Chadderton.

FOYLE CUP

OLD BOYS

Manchester-born Evans, 24, began his career with Blackburn Rovers and played against FC United in a friendly in 2012. Whilst at Blackburn he had loan spells with Accrington Stanley, Chesterfield and Macclesfield. In 2014/15, he joined Southport and the following season he played for Stockport County and later that season joined Chorley on loan. Last season he joined AFC Telford United before brief spells with Worcester City and Altrincham".

FA TROPHY DRAW

The Preliminary Round, which will determine our opponents, is to be played on Saturday, 8 October.

The draw for clubs in the North and Midlands is...

The Evo-Stik League adds that "Next season’s promotion races and survival battles will effectively kick off for fans, players and officials at 9am on Thursday when the fixtures for the coming campaign will be published".

The FA Trophy round dates are:

• Preliminary Round Saturday 7 October 2017
• First Round Qualifying Saturday 28 October 2017
• Second Round Qualifying Saturday 11 November 2017
• Third Round Qualifying Saturday 25 November 2017
• First Round Saturday 16 December 2017
• Second Round Saturday 13 January 2018
• Third Round Saturday 3 February 2018
• Fourth Round Saturday 24 February 2018
• Semi-Final first leg Saturday 17 March 2018
• Semi-Final second leg Saturday 24 March 2018
• The Final Sunday 20 May 2018

FRIENDLY INFO

• Saturday 8th July: Whitchurch Alport (A) 3pm. Directions to the club, whose address is Yockings Park, Black Park Road, Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 1PG are here. The ground is just over half a mile from Whitchurch railway station.
• Tuesday 11th July: Stockport County (H) 7.45pm
• Saturday 15th July: Kidsgrove Athletic (A) 3pm, Hollinwood Rd, Kidsgrove ST7 1BQ
• Tuesday 18th July: Chester FC (H) 7.45pm
• Saturday 22nd July: Rhyl (A) 3pm, Belle Vue, Grange Rd, Rhyl LL18 4BY
• Tuesday 25th July: Wrexham (H) 7.45pm
• Saturday 29th July: Bradford Park Avenue (A) 3pm, Horsfall Stadium, Cemetery Road, Bradford BD6 2NG
• Tuesday 1st August: Winsford United (A) 3pm, Barton Stadium, Kingsway, Winsford CW7 3AE
• Saturday 5th August: Trafford (A) 3pm, Shawe View, Pennybridge Ln, Urmston, M41 5DL

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Manager Steve Burr said, 'Luke is another very important signing for us. I’ve been speaking to Luke this summer, and I’m pleased he has joined us. He’s an experienced lad at this level and the level above and still at a relatively young age. He has had a good few years at FC United, playing a lot of games for them in a successful period and I feel he can play a big part in bringing success to our club'.

Ashworth gave his thoughts on signing for Celtic... 'I’m excited to work with the gaffer once again'".

According to the Lancashire Evening Post, "Lancaster City boss Phil Brown concedes there will be an element of the unknown when his team take their place in the NPL Premier Division. Long-time members of the First Division North, the Dolly Blues will ply their trade at a higher level next season for the first time in a decade after their glorious title success last term.

Used to a diet of regular derby encounters against teams such as Kendal, Bamber Bridge and Clitheroe, City’s fixture list for the 2017/18 campaign will be conspicuous by the lack of games against teams within close proximity to them. In fact, Lancaster’s nearest rivals will be Marine and Altrincham who are 60 miles away, while Workington in the north takes just under two hours by road to get to.

While agreeing his team will miss the familarity of trips to Parkside Road or Irongate, there is something exciting about going to places that they have never been to before.

'I think our nearest game will be Marine next season,' said Brown. 'Our derbies are going to be Marine, Ashton United, Altrincham, Warrington Town and Workington. But it’s what we wanted. We’re coming out of the First Division North, which was a lot more regionalised. We are used to games against Bamber Bridge and Kendal Town. I think not having games against them any more will be a different challenge. We are coming up against a lot of clubs from Derbyshire and the Midlands. Most of the lads in our squad will not know much about half of the clubs in the Premier Division.

'So a lot of the teams that we are going to play will be new to us. And there are a lot of clubs like Stalybridge and Marine who we haven’t locked horns with as a club for a long time, since I used to play many moons ago. So we are going into the unknown a little bit, but it’s also going to be very exciting'...

The Dolly Blues returned to pre-season training on Saturday as they prepare for their first pre-season game against Morecambe on July 15 at the Globe Arena...Said Brown, 'Everybody who has come back looks somewhere near in terms of fitness and the attitude towards what we have done has been first class'".

News of several ex-Alty players comes from the Warrington Guardian which says that "Warrington Town boss Paul Carden has beefed up his squad with the signing of four new players. Full-back Shaun Beeley arrives from Barrow, while centre-backs Liam Goulding and Jack Higgins have been brought in from Wealdstone and York City respectively.

Winger Joe Mwasile, who spent last season with Nantwich Town, has also joined the squad.

The quartet’s arrival at Cantilever Park brings the number of new arrivals this summer to seven, with Connor Hughes, Josh Hine and Tony Gray already secured. It has also been confirmed that skipper Jay McCarten, goalkeeper Tony McMillan and striker Ruben Jerome will be returning next season and Carden says he is pleased with how his squad is coming together.

The Yellows boss also said each of his three new defenders was able to bring something different to the table while Mwasile will give them pace out wide. 'I couldn’t believe it when I got the call from Shaun Beeley’s agent to say he was available. I sort of dismissed it at first as I thought he’d get a full-time deal,' he said. 'He said he was sick of chasing full-time football at 28 and wanted to devote more time to his teaching career while still playing for a club with ambition. Shaun will give us a real calming presence in defence as well as being excellent going forward from full-back.

'Jack is a good age for us, is an intelligent lad and spent last season playing Conference football. He’s an old-school centre half, an organiser and a leader. He’ll compl[e]ment the other options we have at the back. Liam is a very elegant player and is extremely comfortable on the ball. He can play at centre-half, at right-back and in midfield.

'Joe has got extreme pace. He’s had a bit of an up-and-down summer [originally arriving at Altrincham] but we’ve been there to pick up the pieces. He gives us a different option out wide to what we already have in Connor Hughes and Dylan Vassallo.'

Yellows returned to pre-season training on Saturday, but player-coach Craig Robinson was not among them as he has moved on to prolong his playing career... Robinson has signed for City of Liverpool. Carden says Robinson 'had an itch' to continue playing and said it would have been unfair to stand in his way... 'Once you stop, you can’t start again', he said...

'There will be no replacement as such, Mark Beesley and Adam Carden are already here and we all muck in together. Adam helps in a number of ways. He’ll be registered as a player but he can do coaching and a bit of scouting as he has great connections. We’ve kept a tight number in training rather than swamping the squad with trialists. That’s what goes on at other clubs at this level but we’ve managed to avoid it and I’m really pleased with the work we’ve got through so far'".

At Nantwich Town, the Dabbers confirm that "Former Wigan Athletic professionals Arnie Baxendale and Alex Lingard are the latest players be added to Dave Cooke’s new look squad along with Jamie Morgan, a defender brought in from local side Sandbach United.

Dave Cooke Manager [commented], 'I have to say I’m pleased with where we are at now. I know we need two or three more but the squad is taking shape and looking stronger by the day. The lads from Wigan have come highly recommended to me, Jamie is a good footballer with a strong background'".

AWAY SHIRTS

The away kit is pictured below...

PERIMETER FENCING

The new perimeter barriers at the J Davidson Stadium have now been installed and can be seen in the adjacent image which shows the corner of the pitch adjacent to the Community Sports Hall.

EVO-STIK PREMIER NEWS

As well as Hartlepool United and Alfreton Town, Monkhouse has appeared for Rotherham United, Swindon Town, Bristol Rovers and Grimsby Town... The Blues beat strong competition from elsewhere in the Evo-Stik Premier to secure the midfielder’s signature, making him Chris Hardy’s first addition of the summer."

According to NL Pitchero, "Competition for places is very much in the minds of Matlock Town joint-managers Craig Hopkins and Glenn Kirkwood as they assemble their squad for the coming season. Adam Yates and Ted Cribley had already agreed contracts and key midfielders Joe Doyle-Charles and Michael Williams followed suit late last week.

Then the Gladiators announced the signing of 19-year-old winger Luis Rose, who was a star player in a bleak season for Ilkeston FC which ended in relegation and then being wound up during the summer.

Left-sided defender or midfielder Rory Coleman (26) has joined Matlock from Coalville Town, while six-foot plus academy and reserve team player Max Hunt signed first-team forms. With midfielder Callum Lloyd now fully fit after a serious knee injury, despite being on the books last season, Matlock could be said to have a fourth new signing.

On the debit side, the only player who has definitely left is top scorer Marcus Dinanga, who has returned to Burton Albion after a marvellous season which brought him 34 league and cup goals.

Niall McManus’s future is unclear having now completed his studies at Sheffield University and returned to his London home. McManus though, is still under contract at the DCJ Group Arena...

Said Hopkins, 'We’ve managed to keep nearly everyone from last year so we’re chuffed. It gives us a good base and means that most of the players know what’s expected of them. Willo and Joe did really well but Cleveland Taylor and Callum Lloyd will push them for the two central midfield places. Cleveland’s come back looking really fit and sharp, he’s a tremendous talker as well. Callum’s back to full fitness, when me and Kirky won the First Division South with Mickleover, Lloydy was the best player in the league.'

Rose has been on the managers’ radar for some time. 'Luis has really impressed us in pre-season, he’s worked really hard and you can see he wants to do well. He did very well against us last season and we’ve watched Ilkeston two or three times and liked what we saw.'...

Coleman had a brief spell at Matlock at the start of the 2012/13 season and again his arrival highlights the fight for places in the starting line-up. 'Rory plays down the left and scores more than his fair share of goals for a defender as he’s got an excellent left foot. It means with Jake Green and Liam Marsden, we’ve got three players going for two positions, Jake also being able to play on the right. Then there’s Max Hunt whose big and strong, got a lovely touch and could be a great player'...

“We’ve had five good sessions including last Saturday when we had an hour of ball work followed by a good session in the gym. The lads have come back looking really fit, pre-season’s gone well so far and we’re looking forward to the game on Thursday when we can see how we’re doing. We’ll have two trialists in and hopefully there’ll be a big crowd, Chesterfield will field their new signings'".

From the Crewe Chronicle we learn that "Nantwich Town manager Dave Cooke will run the rule over a host of new faces in the club’s first friendly of the summer on Thursday. Former Wigan Athletic professionals Arnie Baxendale and Alex Lingard are the latest to be added to the ranks...

Jamie Morgan, a defender brought in from Sandbach United, and Joe Piggott, a striker released by Rochdale, will also be involved when the Dabbers visit Hanley Town (7.45pm). Cooke says the warm-up games, which will also include an in-house match on Sunday before a trip to Leek Town next Tuesday (7.45pm), are all part of a process to shape his squad in time for the Evo-Stik Premier kick-off.

He explained, 'The picture will keep changing as we go along, and we’ll have to adjust things to make sure we are right. Maybe some of the lads won’t do as well as I’m expecting, while others will do better. We’ll identify where we need more cover and perhaps where we’ve got too many, and we will react to that. But I have to say I’m pleased with where we are at now. I know we need two or three more but the squad is taking shape and looking stronger by the day. The lads from Wigan have come highly recommended to me, Jamie is a good footballer with a strong background, and Joe is a talent who still has league sides looking at him'...

Baxendale and Lingard are both 19 and signed pro deals with Wigan last summer, but are now looking to rebuild their careers with Nantwich. Morgan was schooled at the Crewe Alex academy and has impressed for Sandbach, while Piggott has been released by Rochdale after completing a scholarship. Nantwich returned to ‘full-time’ training last week, with new keeper coach Paddy Chesters and fitness coach Jay Bateman helping oversee what was mainly physical work to improve fitness and agility.

The squad were put to the test at the notoriously hilly Joey the Swan Park in Wistaston at the weekend, and were working hard in training on Tuesday night. Cooke added... 'Nigel Deeley is also coming into assist so I’m pleased with the team we’ve got'".

LONG-DISTANCE SUPPORT

"New Altrincham manager Phil Parkinson prides himself on thoroughness, but it is doubtful even he will have put as much preparation time into Saturday's opening pre-season friendly as lifelong fan Mark Buckton. Former Altrincham Grammar pupil Mark has spent 17 hours in the air, travelling 14,000 kilometres from the Taiwan capital Taipei to Heathrow via Kuala Lumpur, to ensure he can take his place at Yockings Park for the 3pm kick-off against Whitchurch Alport.

For good measure, the 46-year old, accompanied by his wife Ching Yeh, is marking his first visit home in nine years by sponsoring the game.

'I'm quite impulsive, so when my wife asked whether I'd like to see England again, back in January, I said yes, and we booked the flights there and then,' he said. 'It was only after it was all sorted, and I looked at the dates, 14 or 15 days apart, that I thought, 'Hang on, I don't even know whether Alty are playing then'. It was quite an anxious wait, monitoring twitter for the pre-season fixtures, and it came as a relief when I finally realised I could make the Whitchurch game.

'Ideally, it would have been a game at Moss Lane, and I know we've got Stockport at home the following Tuesday but, unfortunately, I can't make that one, because we've already booked accommodation in Loch Lomond. I've got to be fair to the Mrs; there's got to be a bit of give and take! Whitchurch is fine, though. We're due at my sister's in the Altrincham area on Thursday, so we'll have a couple of days to unwind before the game, then we'll head up to Scotland for some sight-seeing.

'I just thought it would be a nice touch to sponsor the game. I'm no millionaire. It's not exactly on the scale of Lord Sugar! It's just a 50 quid thing, but I get to meet the captains and have my picture taken with them, so I'm looking forward to that. I mean, even if we lose, I'll have it in my head that I've sponsored an Alty game, so it will be worth every penny.

Right: Alty's winning goal in the 1986 FA Trophy Final netted by Mike Farrelly.

'I was born in Wythenshawe Hospital and went to Altrincham Grammar, so Alty have always been my team, and I even sold programmes at the ground for a couple of years in the early 80s. I can't tell you what my first game was, but I do remember my dad started taking me when I was six or seven. I went to lots of games, and there are great memories of some magical moments, like the FA Cup win over Blackpool and the FA Trophy final against Runcorn. Unfortunately, I didn't go to the famous Cup win over Birmingham - my mum wouldn't let me!

'They were great times and, like anyone else, I had my favourites, such as Gary Anderson and Graham Bennett and, before them, John Davison. But when I joined the RAF in 1990, I was based near Peterborough for six years, travelling here, there and everywhere and even seeing service in Iraq when the first war happened there. Since '96, I've spent one year in Australia, 20 in Japan and the past 12 months in Taiwan, working as a sports writer, covering the national team for the Asian media.

'Why nine years without a visit home? Well, I've been taking the chance to learn more about Vietnam and Cambodia, and I married a Taiwan girl last year, so there has been a lot going on over there. But we are making up for lost time. After finally arriving at Heathrow at 5.30 this morning (Tuesday), after a couple of delays to the flights, we picked up a hire car and have just been to Shakespeare's grave, so we are getting a few touristy things in, before heading to my sister's on Thursday.

'I'm not sure what my wife is going to make of Whitchurch. I've taken her to a few big games in Taiwan, and she has seen Old Trafford on TV, so she was a bit taken aback when I showed her a tweet of Alport's main stand! But she'll be fine - she's very open-minded and shows an interest in anything I'm interested in.

'It has been quite a haul getting here, and there were one or two hairy moments, not least when our first flight was delayed by a couple of hours and we arrived in Kuala Lumpur with about 30 minutes to get to the gate for the connecting flight to Heathrow, wondering all the while if our bags would make it. As it happened, that was delayed as well, so we were OK.

'I'm looking forward to seeing the new manager and all the players he has brought in, and I just hope there will be signs on Saturday that our fortunes are about to take a turn for the better. I do my best to keep in touch with events, by social media or Radio Robins when I can get it to work. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't, but when it does, it's great listening to the commentary and thinking those voices are coming to me live from Moss Lane.

'Funnily enough, I'm not completely isolated as an Alty fan over in the Far East. There's another who's 20-odd years older than me and runs a bar in Macau, near Hong Kong. I was in there having a drink a while back, and he said he thought he recognised my accent. When I told him where I was from, he said he was from Wythenshawe and had supported Alty all his life. He's always reeling off the names of Alty players from before my time. Jack Swindells is one and, while I know all about what he did as an Alty player, there are lots more he keeps mentioning I've never heard of before.

'It has been a long wait to see Alty in action again, but everything is planned for Saturday. The game is the main thing, and I'm hoping there's plenty that's positive for the manager to take out of it, then it's back to Altrincham in the evening for a catch-up with some old school pals. A special day, I hope. I'm sure it will be.'"

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Robinson, who scored the crucial goal in Warrington Town's 1-0 FA Cup first round win over Exeter City in 2014, left Cantilever Park last summer to switch to Trafford, having ended the 2015-16 season as part of the coaching set-up. Despite returning in November in a coaching capacity, Robinson regularly played in defence last term to help Carden ease his injury woes.

Paul Carden and chairman Toby Macormac also held a Q&A with club supporters after the club's first training session to discuss last season, progress on recruitment and their plans for the coming campaign in 'an open and honest session'".

According to the Stourbridge News, "Halesowen Town have announced that Mapei will be the club's new sponsor for the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons. Mapei supplies construction materials and system solutions for sports facilities; the installation of swimming pools, running tracks and pitches at Olympic games, and international sporting events.

Karen Brookes, chairman and director at Halesowen Town, said, 'We are delighted that such a prestigious company like Mapei has agreed to sponsor Halesowen Town FC. It is sponsorship deals of this nature that enables the club to invest in not only our first team, the ground and facilities, but also our Academy and Youth Teams, which are a significant part of our future and the local community in which we operate'...

On a global level, Mapei have also supported the Sassuolo Calcio Football Club, based in Milan at the Mapei Stadium, since 1988".

The Evo-Stik League reports that "Buxton vice-chairman Tony Tomlinson has been hailing Marc Roberts after the club's former hot-shot completed his big money move to Birmingham City. The big centre-half was snapped up by Harry Redknapp's Blues on a five year deal this week from Barnsley after skippering the Tykes last term.

Originally signed on loan in 2012 by Bucks' boss Martin McIntosh, himself a former centre-half with the likes of Hibernian, Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town, the 26-year-old rose to prominence at Silverlands before switching to FC Halifax Town in July 2013 and then Barnsley two years later in 2015. In a statement paying tribute to the 6' 4" defender, former chairman and Bucks' stalwart Tomlinson also lauded the continuing success of manager Martin McIntosh in developing the careers of talented young players in the EVO-STIK League's top flight.

Tomlinson said, 'There's a feeling of considerable pride at Buxton Football Club after former favourite Marc Roberts made a big-fee transfer from Barnsley. Nor was Roberts a fluke as Martin has since developed the talents of two more young centre-backs who have progressed up the pyramid; Ash Palmer who was transferred to North Ferriby United and is now with Guiseley while teenager Danny Burns last season moved up two levels when he was transferred to Gateshead."

Nearly a thousand fans were at Silverlands on Sunday to see a Buxton Legends XI beat a Manchester United XI featuring Sammy McIlroy and Frank Stapleton 6-4".

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Meanwhile, the NCEL anticipates that it will be releasing its fixture list in mid- to late-July after the leagues above us have released theirs, due to ground-sharing issues such as the one involving Athersley Recreation".

Last season Athersley finished tenth in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division. They play at Sheerien Park the directions for which are provided by the club, as follows...

• Follow M1 motorway to Junction 38
• Go down slip road to bottom
• Go right back under the motorway and take first left onto Haigh Lane
• Continue to top of hill to T-junction, turn right and follow to next T-junction (approx. 1.5 miles)
• Turn left onto Shaw Lane and go to bottom of hill to junction of A61 and turn right towards Barnsley
• Go to 1st set of traffic lights, go straight through and take 1st left onto Newstead Road; follow to 2nd roundabout, turn right onto Ollerton Road and follow to 2nd left. Approximately five yds past second entrance on the left to Sheerien Park between houses 123/125 Ollerton Road. Postcode Ollerton Rd, Barnsley S71 3DP

The Athersley Rec website is here, whilst that for Shaw Lane Association is here.

Rivals Farsley Celtic remind us that "In winning the 2016/17 Division One South Championship, Shaw Lane clinched their fifth promotion in seven years".

A former Alty loanee (from Blackpool) will be playing against us next season as the NL Daily confirms that "Ashton United have completed the signing of 24 year-old midfielder Liam Tomsett. The energetic central midfielder becomes the latest player to join [ex-Alty striker] Jody Banim's promising squad for the 2017/18 season.

Tomsett spent eleven years at Blackpool football club having come through the clubs academy but, after a series of loan spells at various levels, he joined AFC Fylde at National League North level. After a full season with Fylde notching up 33 appearances scoring 3 goals he joined Curzon Ashton...

Tomsett's arrival brings the number of new signings for Jody's first full season in charge to five players and there may even be more new arrivals to announce".

Several familiar ex-Alty faces feature as Warrington Worldwide reports that "Warrington Town started pre-season training on Saturday morning, before manager Paul Carden held a Q&A with club supporters.

Joined by club chairman Toby Macormac, the pair discussed last season, recruitment progress, plans for the next campaign and much more in an open and honest session.

The club’s new away shirt was revealed... Carden confirmed that six players from last season have returned to the club. They include Supporters' Player of the Year James McCarten [an Alty trialist in 2012], [ex-Alty] goalkeeper Tony McMillan and striker Ruben Jerome. Hot prospect Dylan Vassallo and [ex-Alty] midfielder Sean Williams had already been announced as having signed new contracts, while former Everton youngster Gerard Kinsella is also on the comeback trail from a serious back injury.

A seventh player who featured last year, [ex-Alty] Adam Carden, is also likely to be involved in the squad and also in a coaching capacity. So far, the Yellows have announced the signings of strikers Josh Hine (Salford) and Tony Gray (Airbus), as well as midfielder Connor Hughes (Wealdstone). Of those who ended the season at the club, loanees Evan Gumbs, Mitch Duggan and Samuel Ilesamni have all returned to Tranmere, while another loan player Josh Askew has signed a full-time deal at Salford.

Michael Monaghan (Trafford), Lewis Codling (Skelmersdale) and Scott Harries (Lancaster) have all moved on, while the club opted to release Danny Ventre and [ex-Alty striker] Steven Gillespie (both Skelmersdale). Billy Smart has joined Marine and [ex-Alty] striker Danny Hattersley is moving to Australia. The club is expected to announce the signing of two defenders this week."

SUPPORTERS' LIAISON OFFICER

"As part of the 5 year Strategic Plan, presented to the fans in February, the board promised look at additional measures that can be taken to improve and strengthen the club’s communication with its fans. With this in mind the football club are pleased to announce that they are now looking to recruit a volunteer Supporters’ Liaison Officer (SLO) to act a bridge between the football club supporters and the board.

The role, which is backed by a UEFA initiative, is designed to ensure that fans have a dedicated point of contact and it is hoped that this will be someone who will represent the needs of fans within the club, and ensure that the most common issues are raised at the highest level within Altrincham FC.

Director Bill Waterson says 'The board believe that a SLO can help establish real, constructive dialogue between the supporters and the football club, and give fans a further vehicle by which they can put their thoughts and views forward on any subject they wish.'

The role of an SLO is not just about what happens at the games, or at the J Davidson Stadium, and therefore it would also incorporate non-match day responsibilities on supporter issues. A full job description (MS Word document) can be found here, but a summary of duties includes:

• Provide supporters with a link into the club, allowing fans to put their thoughts and views forward on any subject
• Gather feedback (formally and informally) from supporters, identify key issues and opportunities and communicate these to the club
• Communicate key information to supporters and other stakeholders (through a variety of media, but including face-to-face meetings if required)

Applications are open from all fans and the successful applicant will be considered independent in the role, but with full and proper support from the club.

To register your interest in the role, please contact Brian Flynn. Applications will be considered until Saturday July 22nd, with an announcement following soon after".

A text-only version of the job description is here. The league fixtures are expected to be unveiled on 13th July.

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

They will have one further session on Monday before a near full squad travels to Whitehaven for the Shaun Hocking Memorial Trophy fixture on Wednesday.

Sam Joel became the latest player to commit himself to the club for the 2017-18 season, meaning all but Kyle May from last season’s squad have agreed to stay. Management have invited several ‘newcomers’ to partake in pre-season with Jamie Mellon one of those impressing so far. He came through the Everton Academy and was recommended to Reds by Brian Dawson after a spell playing for Holker Old Boys. The left-sided player, comfortable on the ball, can operate in midfield or up front and adds to the growing Barrow contingent in the squad.

Four of last season’s Reserves’ squad will also spend the summer with the first-team group and have acquitted themselves well. Skipper Gari Rowntree will combine playing duties with a coaching role this season and he will ease back into training soon having recovered from the broken ankle sustained in the play-off match at Stourbridge."

The Grantham Journal says that "Grantham Town FC are celebrating after being awarded a £3,000 Grow the Game grant over the next three years. The funds... will now go towards providing equipment for the newly formed U21 side...

Grow the Game is a £2.5m programme funded by The FA and the Football Foundation. It awards grants to grassroots football clubs that wish to create new teams, especially amongst under-represented groups. £1,500 is available to help FA-affiliated clubs with the cost of creating a new team, which might include the cost towards FA coaching courses; FA league affiliation costs; referees’ fees; first aid kits; and even football kit & equipment".

Meanwhile, from the Nantwich News we learn that "Nantwich Town players held their first pre-season training session under the watchful eye of new First Team Manager Dave Cooke. The players were put through their paces as they prepare for their first pre-season game on July 6 away at Hanley Town.

Cooke and his management team, including new assistant boss Steve Jones, ran the session on the sports field at Malbank School on Thursday... There were returning players Sam Hall, Matt Bell, Joel Stair, Theo Stair, Ryan Brooke, Troy Bourne, Kristian Burzynski, Steve Jones, Danny Giggs and Sean Cooke. Also present were some of the new signings, including striker Harry Clayton and keeper Fabian Spiess.

Team spokesman Dave Vickers said, 'It was pleasing to see such a large turn out at the first team training session, quashing any concerns people may have after the recent departures. Fitness seemed to be the focus, although I thought the players already looked pretty fit and ready to go.'"

FRIENDLY OPPONENTS START WITH A WIN

As well as former Alty midfielder Kevin Street, Alport also included in their squad Alty defender Clayton McDonald. In fact, Street replaced McDonald during the match. All of Alport's goals were netted by Luke Walley

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

• Ben BARNES - goalkeeper who first played for the club in 2004 as a 16 year-old. Joins from Burscough Richmond.
• Michael BREWSTER - central midfield.
• Alan BURTON - central midfield.
• James FOLEY - central midfield.
• Paul FOY - midfield / right back.
• Matty HAMILTON - forward.
• Adam HUGHES - central defender.
• Steven JAMES - goalkeeper.
• Jamie MENAGH - wide midfield.
• Danny MITCHLEY - forward.
• Dean SHACKLOCK - wide midfield / forward.
• John SHAW - central defender / left back.
• James SHORT - left back.
• Billy SMART - central midfield.
• Kenny STRICKLAND - central defender / central midfield.
• Peter WYLIE - right back - central defender.

JOIN THE VOLUNTEERS

We have earmarked three Saturdays for volunteer work at the J. Davidson Stadium, Saturdays, June 17th, 24th and July 1st.

In addition to these dates, for anybody who is available during the week, we regularly have volunteers at the ground on a Tuesday or Thursday. I would suggest that you either email or ring the club (0161 928-1045) to let us know if you would like to come down.

We are hoping to complete remedial work including: rubbish removal, woodworking, concrete repairs, oiling, painting, welding, cleaning, weeding/strimming etc. If you have any time over these days, and/or if you have equipment, or a vehicle that is suitable for moving rubbish to the tip, please email or ring the club (0161 928-1045) and leave your name, and we will get back to you.

In addition to these jobs, there will be plenty of internal painting and decoration required to public and changing areas throughout the summer, and help with this work will be gratefully received at any time."

EVO-STIK LEAGUE PREMIER NEWS

Tonks is a long-throw specialist, and his previous clubs include Halesowen and AFC Telford United."

From the Whitby Gazette comes news that "Whitby Town boss Chris Hardy is working hard to draft in three new signings as the club look to move on after the exit of top-scorer Dale Hopson. Thirty-goal hitman Hopson signed for Blyth Spartans earlier this week after they met the Blues’ asking price...

Hardy said, 'It’s silly season at the moment, we are working hard to make sure we get the right replacements through the door. Ideally we want to bring in three players, a centre-back, a central midfielder and a striker, but I’m keen to make sure we don’t make knee-jerk signings after Dale’s departure.'

Hardy insists Hopson leaves the Turnbull Ground with his blessing. 'He’s a talented kid and made it clear he wanted to play at a higher level,' added Hardy. 'It was just a case of Blyth matching our valuation of Dale, and they did that. He goes with our best wishes. He was superb for us during his time with the club.'

Hopson... said, 'It’s a big club and a big step up for me from Whitby, so I can’t wait to get started'".

At Mickleover Sports the club is "extremely pleased to confirm that Andy Dales has signed a new contract at Mickleover Sports Football Club despite heavy competition for his signature from a number of other clubs.

Dales made the following statement... 'The club is going places and everyone both on and off the pitch is pushing the club in the right direction. I believe this will be a massive season for the club and myself'...

First team player-manager John McGrath added... 'Here is a player who I genuinely believe will go on to play in the Football League. He has all the attributes and, at the tender age of 22 and [having] played over 150 senior leagues' games, he is one with a very bright future. We had a lot of interest from clubs in higher divisions but ‘Dalesy’ believes another season with Mickleover will be of huge benefit to him. Our style of play suits him and he will be a key factor in our progression this season'".

According to the 'View from the Boardroom with Stafford Rangers chairman John Bromley' in the Staffordshire Newsletter we learn that "July 1 is the date that the players return to training... Our first friendly is away at Stratford Town on Thursday, July 13, then at home on Saturday, July 15th against Wrexham...

We would also like to welcome our under-18 team to Marston Road...

The hard work has continued throughout the close season, everyone has been very busy... The social club has once again seen major improvements, this time it's the Stan Robinson Suite which has been decorated in Stan's company colours. There is a new bar and display units, a new floor fitted by Kev Jolley, two new televisions supplied and fitted by Mick Fisher and new curtains, supplied by Stan's company, are about to be fitted. The entrance to the social club has also been completely redecorated and new ceiling tiles have been fitted...

On Thursday, July 7 at 7pm we will be holding a social evening for all our volunteers in the Chairman's Suite".

At Matlock Town, "Joe Doyle-Charles and Michael Williams have signed one-year contract extensions with the club".

A player leaving our league is the subject of a report from NL Pitchero which says that "Bala Town boss Colin Caton has delved into the English Pyramid to sign 24-year-old Eddie Toner from Marine AFC. The midfielder has played previously for Barrow AFC, Northwich Victoria, Stafford Rangers, AFC Telford United, Stalybridge Celtic, Burscough and Ashton United."