ALTY'S HARDER CORE

On first impression, things have got worse as three of those four most experienced Alty players, Ryan Colclough (62 starts), Jordan Hulme (144 starts) and Toby Mullarkey (86 starts), have since left the club, leaving only James Jones of the quartet at the club. He had made 108 starts, at the club before last season kicked off. But even he had been away from Moss Lane for two years before rejoining in summer 2022.

However, for the impending 2023-24 season, despite the loss of the above trio and a heavy use last season of loanees who have now left the club, Alty go into 2023-24 season with double the number (8) of players with more than last season's 22-game threshold of previous starts in all competitions.

Right: Illustrative of growing familiarity with each other's style of play are centre-backs James Jones and Lewis Baines. Lewis and James first played together for Altrincham last season but injury meant that Baines made only 33 league starts.

Only once when both players were available did Baines start a league game without Jones alongside him.

In three other league games they did not start together simply because the Welshman was suspended.

Hopefully this greater number of players who are already experienced in the Alty style of play bodes well for a better start to the season this summer than last year when no league match was won until the tenth game of the campaign as unfamiliar faces got to know each other.

The most experienced Alty players going into 2023-24 season are:

• 154 starts for the club: James Jones
• 66: Josh Lundstram
• 61: Eddy Jones
• 59: Elliot Osborne
• 52. Isaac Marriott
• 44: Oliver Byrne
• 38: Lewis Baines
• 23: Jake Cooper

ALTY OLD BOYS

The right-back played all 120 minutes of the Cumbrians' League Two play-off final triumph against Stockport.

Senior, 23, made 16 appearances for the club this season, having signed from Altrincham in January 2022".

Right-back Joel was signed by Altrincham on 29 September 2020. He had started out as a youngster with Oldham Athletic who released him at the age of 15, leading to a spell playing at Sunday-league level. His career was rebuilt via NW Counties football at Maine Road FC, followed by joining FC United of Manchester in National League North and then Curzon Ashton at the same level before he moved to Premiership club Burnley who later released him.

Joel went on to make 65(+2) appearances for Alty before signing for Carlisle United in New Year 2022. His only goal fot the club was Goal of the Season!

Joel's move to Carlisle was blighted by a serious knee injury suffered early in his time in Cumbria.

Radcliffe FC signed Jordan Hulme recently and have now signed seven players in the three weeks since Messrs Johnson and Morley took over as managers. Two other ex-Alty players are amongst those arrivals. They are Jude Oyibo and Jamie Morgan.

Meanwhile Craig Mahon has signed on for another season at Curzon Ashton and, at Buxton, the club's option on Connor Kirby's contract extension has been activated.

Alty loanee Miles Welch-Hayes remains contracted at Harrogate Town.

NW NEWS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Leader of Calderdale Council, Coun Jane Scullion, says... 'We are keen to be able to recognise this fantastic achievement with a celebration of local pride.

'We’re in discussions with the football club and will share more information soon.'"

The Oldham Times's sports reporter Suzanne Geldard recently sat down with Oldham Athletic chief executive Darren Royle...

'We took over at the end of July, which was a week before the start of the season, the squad's already been assembled, it was a case of then trying to get the place operating as well as possibly, get the stadium safe.

There was significant amounts of work to do on the stadium, working with... John (Sheridan) and Tommy (Wright) through what had been a really difficult summer for them. They had a lot of injuries, and it was a really tough window for John and Tommy to recruit in with everything that was going on...

[Now] 'we've had a year to assess the market, scout, we've got great assistance with stats bomb, which is an unbelievable objective analytical tool for looking at players and they've got National League data...

'We've got to now bring back together the commercial side of the business to life. Businesses out there that want to partner with us and sponsor[s] are going to be really important moving forwards to increase commercial revenues'"

30 May 2023

THIS TIME LAST YEAR

This time last year, despite the season only finishing on 15 May in 2022, things were a lot more hectic as the Alty Files reported at the time...

Initially there was good news, regarding Toby Mullarkey, though we all know how that saga ended during the 2022-23 season...

• 22 May 2022

  TOBY MULLARKEY STAYS

  At Altrincham FC, press and media officer John Edwards writes "First, Jordan Hulme agrees a new deal, as skipper no less, now it’s Toby Mullarkey confirming he will be part of the club’s new exciting era by signing on the dotted line.

  There has been Football League interest in Toby... Alty’s widely-admired central defender has been taking in the sights in Cusco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, but he broke off to sign new forms electronically...

  Manager Phil Parkinson... said, ‘Toby will be vice-captain this coming season. He is a player we’ve developed, and everyone has enjoyed watching him grow into an accomplished National League centre-back. He has shown great belief and loyalty in us'.

But there was then bad news...

• 26 May 2022

  MOONEY DECAMPS TO SOUTHEND

  Altrincham FC have announced that winger Dan Mooney has moved sideways to fellow National League club Southend United for an undisclosed fee.

Better news followed...

• 27 May 2022

  ALTY SIGN DEFENDER BARROWS

  24 year-old right-sided defender Ross Barrows was revealed as a new signing for Altrincham on 27 May 2022. His contract at King's Lynn Town was set to expire three days later.

  Born in Sheffield, he is qualified to play for any of England, Scotland and Jamaica. He was released by Scunthorpe United as a teenager (2013) and joined The Shaymen where he was named their 2014/15 Student Player of the Year for 2014/15.

  In May 2017 he signed a new contract at FC Halifax Town before his move back to Lincolnshire to play for Grantham where he signed a one-year contract (2018-19). In March 2019 he moved on to King's Lynn Town.

Following Mooney's departure came news of another move awy from Altrincham as...

• 29 May 2022

• FERGUSON DEPARTS

  Centre-back Kyle Ferguson was offered terms by Altrincham for 2022-23 but has rejected these and has now joined EFL 2 club Harrogate Town instead.

  He had arrived at Moss Lane, on a short-term contract, in a move announced on 25 February 2022.

• 29 May 2022

  LUNDSTRAM JOINS ALTY

  Altrincham have announced the return of a previous loanee, Josh Lundstram (right) this time as a contracted Altrincham player. He has joined from Crewe Alexandra from whom he had been on loan at Alty in 2020, when he made thirteen starts for the club.

And, a year ago today...

• 30 May 2022

  BAINES JOINS ALTY

  Altrincham FC announced the signing of left-sided centre-back Lewis Baines on 30 May 2022.

  Lewis started out at Fleetwood Town... He signed for Chorley in July 2019. The Magpies were then in the National League but were relegated back to the North division at the end of that season.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Arriving at Mill Farm for an undisclosed fee, Theo becomes the latest signing ahead of the 2023/24 National League campaign and signs a two-year contract, with the Club holding the option of a further year in its favour.

Theo is a former Manchester United youth product who was signed by Jose Mourinho after impressing whilst on trial with the Red Devils in 2017...

Theo joined Grantham Town before brief spells at Cleethorpes and King’s Lynn Town. From King’s Lynn, the shot-stopper signed for Buxton FC in 2021....

Director of Football Chris Beech said 'The acquisition of Theo is another superb bit of business for the club despite it taking a little more time than we’d have liked, mainly due to an undisclosed fee being agreed, and then personal terms...

'He joins Chris Neal, who, after winning the league and keeping 19 clean sheets last season, will build healthy competition and supportive spirit to gain a starting position in our matchday squad'".

29 May 2023

JORDAN'S "NEW CHAPTER"

"I can start a new chapter and it's going to be good. I owe Bernard and Jonno a lot... I'm happy to get back on board with them.

"First and foremost I'm a winner... I'm kind of a target man which is a platform to play off".

Hulme had played for Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson for Salford City before his first spell at Altrincham which started in July, 2017. There he had scored ten times and provided eleven assists in 48 appearances in 2016-17 in the National League North. At the time Alty were in the tier below, the Northern Premier League. The previous season he had netted 18 times in 54 appearances for the Ammies.

ALTY OLD BOYS

Phil Jordan adds that "JOEL SENIOR played the whole match including extra time for Carlisle United as they drew 1-1 with Stockport County at Wembley. He wasn't needed in the penalty shootout as Ryan Rydel saw his kick saved and Carlisle won 5-4".

However, Senior did play an important part in the creation of Carlisle's goal during the opening ninety minutes.

HONOUR FOR FORMER ALTY CHAIRMAN

Above: Mike Ripley's image shows Grahame Rowley and Derek Wilshaw receiving the Club of the Month award from Northern Premier League chairman Mark Harris in December, 2017.

The NLP explains that "Harris started watching Altrincham in the 1970s and his journey through football has taken him to chairman of the Pitching In Northern Premier League, a role he has held since 2009".

"Having served as Altrincham's stadium announcer and match-day programme editor, before becoming chairman at the Robins and, later, Witton Albion, his passion for non-League has always shone through".

Elsewhere in the NL Paper, Mark gives an interesting explanation of how clubs are allocated to the various leagues each summer.

OLD FOES PACING THEMSELVES

Droylsden opted to drop out of the pyramid in 2020 but will be returning next season to division one of the NWCFL, with The Bloods still under the ownership of Dave Pace.

He says that "Over the past four months we have managed to raise some funds... It's a massive achievement to be where we are now" he told the NL Paper.

He added that "I don't want to do anything half-hearted. If I'm not capable of doing the job then I will resign... I want to move through the leagues straightaway like Macclesfield have done...

"I took Droylsden to the Conference on a fanbase of 250 and built the ground at the same time. I would love to get the club back to where it was".

Meanwhile Hednesford Town have announced that the Pitmen "will be unable to play" next season after what the NL Paper describes as "a collapsed takeover..but efforts to relaunch a year later would continue".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

"Remarkably the group have also spoken to Hollywood A lister Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson... Johnsons' s production company, Seven Bucks Productions are interested in a documentary on the National League club...

"The group are keen to purchase the club and also want to take over plans to build a new stadium".

28 May 2023

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES

To date the five July games which have been announced are:

1. Sat.8.7.23 3pm A Lancaster City
2. Tue.18.7.23 7.45pm A Wythenshawe Town
3. Sat.22.7.23 2pm A NEC Nijmegen
4. Tue.25.7.23 7.45pm A Macclesfield FC
5. Sun.30.7.23 NB 2pm H MANCHESTER UNITED U-21

ALTY OLD BOYS

Meanwhile, BARRY BAGGLEY started for Waterford at Longford, where the bookmakers made them 2/9 favourites, but even the 77th minute introduction from the bench of CHRIS CONN-CLARKE couldn't help them, and the game ended goalless.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The youngster has shone for our Academy and U23s... Since then, he has become an important part of our senior squad.

Krauhaus made his first team debut back in December 2021... He then spent periods out on loan at Walton & Hersham... before continuing to shine at the start of last season on loan at Cray Wanderers...

Krauhaus returned to first team action for Bromley, going on to make 12 appearances, netting once in the process".

At Chesterfield "Bailey Hobson has become the first new face at the club... after agreeing a move from Alfreton Town.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder joins the Spireites on a two-year contract.

Hobson said 'It’s a big club and I’m delighted to have signed'".

We learn from Kidderminster Harriers that "Christian Dibble has inked a contract extension at Aggborough that keeps him at the club for the new, forthcoming National League season.

Dibble joined us in the second half of our promotion season, arriving in February... as they gate-crashed the play-offs before blowing them away to achieve a return to Step 1.

The former Wrexham man, who ended a five-year stay in Wales to move to Aggborough... has now put pen to paper to ensure his stay with Harriers... is extended until the summer of 2024".

"After becoming the first player to commit their future to Oxford City, Captain Reece Fleet has said that the decision to stay was a ‘no brainer’.

The midfielder will now take part in his ninth season as a City player...

'It’s a little bit of the unknown for us all, as this is the first time we’ve been to the level, so it’ll be a bit different... We’re not just here to make up the numbers, we’ll attack the league'".

The summer has been busy at Solihull Moors where the club has announced "talented striker Connor Hall as the fourth permanent signing of the summer...

The 25-year-old arrives at the ARMCO Arena on a two-year deal, following the expiration of his contract at National League North side Chorley, where he notched 23 goals in 46 games last season...

Said the striker... 'There’s a lot of things I can work on but finishing for me comes quite naturally... One of the big attractions is the intensity in training. As much as you try, you can’t always replicate it in part-time football, so I’m really excited to be making the step-up'.

Hall has been prolific... since joining the Club permanently from Woking in 2020. Across two spells he’s scored 46 times in 105 games for the Magpies...

'Connor is someone we followed closely last season,' added the gaffer.. 'He scored bags of goals for Chorley and is desperate to play full-time football again'...

Hall began his career in non-league, eventually earning himself a move to Sheffield United... Impressive loan spells at Sheffield FC, Mickleover and Woking followed, before he joined Bolton Wanderers in 2017.

He made four first team appearances for the Wanderers, as well a further 17 appearances for League One side Accrington Stanley in a loan spell. Eventually, Hall moved to the Cards in 2020, before returning North to Chorley".

Earlier Solihull Moors had reported "the signing of exciting young left-back Joe Newton from Havant and Waterlooville on an undisclosed fee...

The 21-year-old arrives at the ARMCO Arena on the back of another positive season with the Hawks in which he featured 47 times in all competitions, registering five assists.

Joe began his career... making an impression at Royston Town in 2019. That prompted Coventry City to sign the then 18-year-old, but it was at the Hawks where he would make his professional debut...

Newton has been widely acknowledged for his energetic style of play... Following the conclusion of the 2021/22 campaign [he] was named as Player of the Season by the Havant & Waterlooville Supporters Club.

Manager Neal Ardley [said]... 'Joe will bring us the balance that we want down the left side,.. [He] loves to get forward from full-back.'”

Woking "announce the signing of Dennon Lewis.

The versatile forward, 26, who can also play wing-back, will join the Cards from Boreham Wood...

Dennon came through the ranks at Watford, first joining their academy in 2008. His first spell in senior football was at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, on loan in 2016/17. He made 27 league appearances, scoring four goals. A loan spell at Crawley Town in League Two followed in 2017...

Lewis signed for Falkirk in 2018, making ten league appearances... before making a move back to England with Bromley... He moved to Wealdstone in 2019, having scored 17 league goals in 86 appearances. He signed for Boreham Wood during the 2021/22 season.".

Manager Darren Sarll opined, 'Dennon is a player that has unique athletic attributes. In the same way that last season we had an abundance of speed, explosiveness and agression in our running game, Dennon brings those qualities and carries on that theme. He also has a capability to dribble and beat players in the final third, especially in those parts of the pitch where there is congestion and a stubbornness from opponents in defending their box'".

"TRUST THE PROCESS" SAYS ROB

"Losing Wrexham and Notts County will no doubt have a negative financial impact on all of us. That said, Rochdale dropping into the division provides us with another eagerly-anticipated derby, although it does also mean another local rival when it comes to the recruitment of players.

Rob Esteva (far right) is seen with Neil Sorvel and Phil Parkinson.

The parachute payment those teams receive when they fall into the division enables them to maintain substantial player budgets, so, when you take Fylde into account as well, it's clear we will have more competition when it comes to player recruitment.

On the flipside of that... The distance we will travel over the course of next season will be more than 500 miles less than in 22/23... Averaging 133 away is a superb achievement considering the points on the map we have to visit in this division.

While it may seem like things have been quiet on the recruitment side, I can assure you that is far from being the case... The vast majority of deals are only announced from July 1st onwards. That is the point at which new contracts commence and the window reopens and registrations are approved. Of course, many do announce before then, but nothing is official until July 1st and said deals can easily fall through.

That said, we have a number of agreements already in place with players and teams, and these will be announced in due course... It is planned that we will rely less on loans this season and will have a stronger core group of contracted players that will be supplemented with loans throughout the course of the season..

The final friendlies will shortly be announced, with an EFL team coming to The J.Davidson Stadium for the second home match alongside a Man Utd XI...

Trust the process, trust the people and stay tuned in the coming weeks for plenty of positive updates".

ALTY OLD BOYS

ALTY SEASON TICKETS

Season Tickets are now on sale, with an Early Bird discount through to the end of May. This is for existing season ticket holders renewing and also for those fans taking the step to acquiring a Season Ticket for the first time.

Being a Season Ticket holder brings a wide range of benefits.As well as guaranteed entry to all 23 of our National League home fixtures for next season, your ticket will also include entry to two planned pre-season friendlies at a significant discount to paying on the day.

In addition, other benefits include advance priority purchase of tickets for away fixtures, FA Cup and FA Trophy ties, a dedicated turnstile at the Golf Road end of the ground, 10% off all retail purchases and unique special offers for ticket holders throughout the forthcoming season.

We recognise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on you all, and we have sought to minimise the impact on our fans despite the significant extra costs the club has and will incur over 2023 and 2024.

In particular, you will be pleased to hear that Early Bird pricing for Adult and Concession Season Tickets has been held at the 22/23 pricing, with the Adult tickets costing £299 and the Concession £245 if purchased before the end of May.

Juniors (ages 12-18) will be £100 and Children (ages 5-11) will be £50 if purchased before the end of next month. Season Tickets will no longer be available for our young fans under the age of 5.

From June 1st 2023, Season Tickets will go on General Sale and pricing will be as follows:

• Adult | £320
• Concession | £265
• Junior | £120
• Child | £60

Individual matchday pricing for next season will be as follows:

• Adult | £20
• Concession | £15
• Junior | £9
• Child | £4
• Infant | £1

For full details please follow the above link...

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The BBC adds that "Chairman Ron Martin announced in March that he was looking for a buyer, having owned the club since 2008...

American-based agency General Sports Worldwide LLC were appointed as advisors to the club when the sale process began two months ago.

At the beginning of the year, chief executive Tom Lawrence said Southend had a funding gap of about £2m a year and needed to press on with plans to vacate their Roots Hall home and move to a new stadium at Fossett's Farm. Work on the 16,226-seater stadium, though, has yet to begin".

According to the Ha lifax Courier "Shaymen forward... Matty Warburton has left FC Halifax Town and joined fellow National League side Solihull Moors.

Warburton, who was out-of-contract this summer, spent two years at The Shay, joining from Northampton Town, and was a key player as Halifax reached the play-offs in 2021-22.

This season, Warburton has made less of an impact due to injuries, but returned properly towards the end of the season and showed more glimpses of his quality".

The Halifax Courier adds that "FC Halifax Town have announced the departure of midfielder Sam Smart and defender Sam Minihan.

Both players joined the club on one-year deals last summer, with Smart joining from Eastleigh and Minihan from Stockport.

But neither player was able to claim a regular first-team spot after falling out of favour, with Smart ending the season on loan at Brackley".

At Aldershot Town Club Chairman Shahid Azeem is to hold a Fans' Form at which "you’ll be able to hear from the board and our development partner, Wates, about our long-term vision for the Club and our progress so far...

We’ve been undertaking technical surveys, negotiating with nearby landowners and engaging with stakeholders; and we’re now excited to be able to start sharing our long-term plans with you...

Shortly after the Fans Forum, we’ll be launching a new development hub on our website so that you can look at the plans in more detail".

From London News Online we learn that "Bromley boss Woodman [is] ntent on kicking on after National League play-off heartbreak...

Woodman says that Charlton loanee Deji Elerewe had shown 'all the signs' he has wanted to see... The Addicks [Charlton Athletic] academy graduate joined Bromley in March on loan until the end of the season, making 12 appearances...

Centre-back Elerewe scored the winner against Woking in the [play-off] elimination round, setting up the semi-final tie at Chesterfield.

But the 19-year-old scored an own goal and was issued a straight red for a foul on Liam Mandeville in the 75th minute, with the hosts winning the tie in extra time to knock Bromley out of the play-offs...

Former Crystal Palace and Newcastle goalkeeper coach Woodman told the South London Press... 'He is resilient, moved on quickly, and he will learn from it...

'Mitchel Bergkamp will look back at the game and think "Maybe I should have done something different". It’s all part of the journey and the progression. We have to accept they [the younger players] will make mistakes, you just hope it’s not at a critical time.

'It’s part of making them the players that they will end up being. Deji will be fine... He will have a great career'..

'I’m very proud of what I have achieved at the club in the short space of time that I have been there,' said Woodman, who reached 100 games in charge of Bromley in April. 'In two-and-a-half years, it’s been two play-offs and an FA Trophy in the cabinet.. To be the most successful manager in Bromley’s history and achieve what I have so far would hopefully have answered some of those doubts in people’s minds'...

The Ravens recruited shrewdly throughout the course of the season, landing the likes of Besart Topalloj from Millwall permanently, Ryan Stirk from Birmingham on loan and picking up goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook on a free transfer.

'It’s a bit of my armoury which other clubs didn’t realise I had,' explained Woodman. 'I worked at a good level for many years, and I can pull on these favours from people... We have to have loans because the financial restraints and budget I work under does not give me the ability to sign whoever I want'...

Midfielder Jude Arthurs, star forward Michael Cheek and experienced defender Byron Webster have all signed new deals...

'When I first came in, this club was dealing year to year. You would get a team, you would get to the end of the season, and then you would be scrambling around to keep that team. If we’re going to put some foundations down, we have to make sure these boys are on longer contracts and feel a part of something. It allows me to build something on top of their foundations.

'We have the core of the team tied down for next year. We have just got to add some bits around the outside'">

One of the latest clubs to issue a retained list is Boreham Wood.

OUT OF CONTRACT: Mark Ricketts, Will Evans, Josh Rees, Danny Newton, Dennon Lewis, George Williams

RETURNING TO THEIR PARENT CLUB George Broadbent, Zak Brunt

AVAILABLE FOR TRANSFER Dion Kelly-Evans, at his request, has been put on the transfer list and at the time of writing there is nothing else to report.

CONTRACTED Nathan Ashmore, Femi Ilesanmi, David Stephens, Lee Ndlovu, Tyrone Marsh, Jamal Fyfield, Connor Stevens, Jack Payne, Erico Sousa, Cameron Coxe, Chris Bush, David Agbontohoma.

In terms of Mark Ricketts... we don’t just lose a player, but we lose a piece of our hearts, and we lose a man amongst men... Mark leaves us after seven incredible seasons as possibly the greatest and most successful skipper this club has ever known...

Big Will Evans has departed the club firstly due to his location and secondly due to Scunthorpe United’s financial package. Despite numerous conversations and two improved contract offers, Will wanted to return North to be closer to home and his young family."

26 May 2023

ALTY CO-CHAIRMEN'S STATEMENT

Reviewing last season it says of the Club that "Overall we rose to the occasion. Our third season back at National League level had its share of memorable moments but left us all reflecting on what might have been.

Left: Bill Waterson, right, Lawrence Looney.

Our on-field ambition is clear - to become capable of challenging for the play-offs in the Vanarama National League, with the aim of reaching the Football League. Our strategy to achieve this ambition, now into its second five-year term, has seen two promotions and the establishment of full-time football at the club.

In line with the strategy, we have been successful in growing our revenues and attracting unprecedented levels of investment...

Whilst we have more than doubled revenues in the last few years across all domains – season tickets, match day, hospitality, sponsorship, commercial and retail – we have also seen prohibitive rises in utility bills and for stewarding and security costs...

Our ways of working and our facilities in many cases are not fully fit for purpose... We welcome the recent announcement of the formation of a Supporters' Association...

We are not complacent; we are fully aware that it gets harder and harder, even to stand still".

ANTHONY TAYLOR

ALTY LOANEE

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The new stadium name will be in use from 1 July.

STōK Cold Brew is an American coffee company.

Built in 1864, Wrexham's home is the oldest international football stadium which still hosts international games.

Its new name in Welsh is STōK Cae Ras".

According to The Political Economy of Football V2 "A group of local businessmen are in advanced talks to buy Southend United in a deal that could result in English actor Ray Winstone joining the club’s board.

Ron Martin has been Southend’s majority owner for the last 25 years but he put the club up for sale in March...

The favourites are a group led by Kristofer Tremaine and Simon Jackson, respectively the chief executive and chief financial officer of Kimura Capital, a London-based hedge fund that specialises in commodity markets.

Six years after launching that business in 2013, the pair moved into sports, esports, media and marketing with the creation of Kimura Performance and a motorsport division called Kimura Racing. The group... have long-established links with Southend..

If their bid for Southend is successful, the Kimura group will become the new majority owners of the club, its training ground and the new stadium Martin has been trying to build... This proposed stadium is part of a longstanding plan to develop a large site on the edge of the city called Fossetts Farm".

Solihull Moors "announce defender Kyle Morrison as our first summer signing.

The 27-year-old arrives on a two-year contract having recently played an instrumental role in Kidderminster Harriers’ promotion to the National League.

Morrison arrived on loan at Aggborough Stadium from AFC Fylde in February... The centre-back was integral to a phenomenal end-of-season charge that saw Kiddy win their final six league fixtures and cruise through a tricky play-off run.

In his 18 starts for the Club, Kidderminster conceded just 12 goals...

Fylde also achieved promotion via the National League North's one automatic place, meaning Morrison also boasts the distinction of having won promotion with two clubs from the same league in the same season! He featured nine times for Fylde at the start of the campaign...

'Kyle is a centre-back that we’ve liked for a while,' said Neal Ardley... 'He’s a very good communicator and we wanted to get him in early and integrate him quickly into the group.'”

ALTY AS SEEN BY OPPONENTS

The Robins may have been slightly disappointed with their 17th-place finish last term, as Phil Parkinson’s men had sat four places higher at the end of March. However, it was another season of consolidation at National League level and also saw Altrincham complete their first campaign as a full-time club.

2023/24 will be their fourth in a row in the fifth tier after two promotions in three years...

Several of Altrincham’s key men across 2022/23 will remain at the club for the coming season. Goalkeeper Ollie Byrne, midfielder Josh Lundstram [and] former Stevenage man Elliot Osborne have all been retained. Regan Linney, who scored the winner in our trip to the J. Davidson Stadium in March, will also be staying, as will Matty Kosylo...

Phil Parkinson joined the Robins in 2017 from Nantwich Town, who he took to the Northern Premier League play-offs, transforming them from relegation contenders... He also played for the Dabbers, captaining their FA Vase-winning side. As well as that, he was on the books of Crewe Alexandra, Reading and Port Vale...

Parkinson’s overall record at the club reads 121 wins, 73 draws and 87 defeats from 281 games...

Blues have been in the same league as Altrincham in each of the last two seasons. We did the double over the Robins in 2021/22... Last season, the home fixture ended in a 2-2 draw, and Altrincham edged to a narrow win in our most recent meeting".

ALTY OLD BOYS

CHESHIRE CLUBS ROCKED BY CHANGE OF DIVISION

The paper reports that "Northwich Victoria and Winsford United have been moved into a new league for the 2023-24 season".

As a result of the FA’s National League System allocations for Steps 1-6, Vics and Winsford will play in the Midland League Premier Division next season having been moved from the North West Counties League’s top-flight.

Congleton Town join them in being moved from the NWCFL and all three must now plan for trips to sides in and around the West Midlands.

However, both clubs have expressed their dismay at the decision, suggesting it will put their financial viability in jeopardy...

Right: In the 2008-09 season when Northwich Vics last competed at national level, Anthony Danylyk was seen in acrobatic action at Northwich, as Shaun Densmore awaited the outcome.

Both Vics and Winsford have confirmed they will be appealing their lateral moves.

Winsford United say they are 'deeply shocked and extremely disappointed' by their reallocation...

The Midlands League's top flight contains 18 teams as opposed to the 24 in the North West Counties League Premier Division, meaning both sides will have six fewer home matches next season.

The allocations are subject to official ratification from the FA Council as well as an appeals process.

Vics will be under new management for the coming campaign following Steve Wilkes’ resignation after nearly six years in charge, with Steve Pickup stepping up from his role as assistant manager to take the reins.

Midland League Premier Division teams, 2023-24 season [are] AFC Wulfrunians, Atherstone Town, Bewdley Town, Congleton Town, Darlaston Town 1874, Dudley Town, Highgate United, Lichfield City, Northwich Victoria, Romulus, Shifnal Town, Stone Old Alleynians, Stourport Swifts, Studley, Tividale, Whitchurch Alport, Winsford United, Wolverhampton Casuals

1874 Northwich and Barnton will remain in the Northern Premier League West Division and the NWCFL First Division South respectively next season".

Northwich Victoria's statement was intended to "place on record how deeply disappointed we are in the decision made by the Football Association and our movement into the Midland Football League.

Northwich Victoria are a North West Club and our 149 year history has now been put in jeopardy as the financial implications and player availability of the current squad will mean we may not be able to continue as a football club.

We are also bitterly disappointed that there has been no correspondence or dialogue with the FA on the impact that this will have on community clubs across the country, and therefore echo the views of our neighbours at Winsford United that this is totally unacceptable.

As a Community Club, we have over 20 Junior teams and over 400 children playing under the banner of Northwich Victoria , and this has an immediate effect as a community accredited football club as created by the Football Association. We intend to appeal vigorously on the decision made, as it would be almost impossible to continue as a Club and stay solvent due to the additional financial costs that will be incurred".

THE NW FOOTBALL SHAKE-UP

In the Premier Division we will be running with a 24 team Division. Congleton Town, Winsford United and Northwich Victoria have all been laterally moved to the Midlands League. With a good points-per-game ratio from the 2022-23 season, Burscough have gained a reprieve from relegation and will remain at Step 5 in the Premier Division for the new season. They will be joined by Skelmersdale United, Colne FC, Glossop North End and Ramsbottom United, all former members who have been relegated to Step 5, but all familiar clubs to the NWCFL.

Skelmersdale... does not hold the required ground grade for Step 4 and they are placed in a relegation despite finishing a reputable 11th in the Northern Premier League Division One West last season. Ramsbottom United and Colne finished 20th and 19th respectively last season and were automatically relegated...

In Division One North we will be running with 18 teams for the new season. Sadly, Cleator Moor Celtic have been relegated... We will be joined in the Division by Route One Rovers who will be based at the Marley Stadium, groundsharing with existing members, Steeton. Route One join us having won the Yorkshire Amateur League... Also joining the Division will be Droylsden FC, a Club who have had quite a lot of success in recent years but have spent the last couple of seasons in hiatus, having consolidated their business plan due to the impact of the pandemic...

Division One South will also be running with 18 teams. Sadly we say goodbye to Rocester and Foley Meir who have both been relegated... but Stafford Town remain with us, having received a reprieve. Joining us will be Market Drayton Town and Uttoxeter Town FC whom have been laterally moved into us from the Midlands League following their respective relegations from Step 5."

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Carl Magnay’s assessment of Kamil Conteh would not be restricted to his display that sunny pre-season day, as the all-action midfielder went on to enjoy a highly productive season-long loan spell on the south bank of the Tyne and become a firm favourite at the International Stadium.

After slowing finding his way into the challenging environment in non-league’s top tier, Conteh has racked up an impressive list of achievements during the last seven months including an FA Cup first round goal, a senior international call-up with Sierra Leone, helping the Heed in their successful battle against relegation and, most recently, walking out at Wembley Stadium...

He said 'I wanted to bring it [FA Trophy] home..

'I am delighted with how this loan has gone. I’ve played over 40 games for the club...

Conteh has ticked every box during his time at Gateshead, helping the Tynesiders defy the odds in the face of an almost season-long injury crisis...

For former Watford youngster Conteh, over 40 appearances in all competitions means this loan spell can only be viewed as an overwhelming success...

He explained... 'I’ve had experiences playing in front of crowds, playing here at Wembley, in the first round of the FA Cup, we were tipped to get relegated by everyone, but we stayed up.'...

Described aș ‘a monster’ by Gateshead manager Mike Williamson and ‘infectious’ by captain Greg Olley, Conteh’s enthusiasm and ability have endeared him to the Heed faithful".

Wrexham report that "Our final month in the Vanarama National League ended with further celebrations, with Elliot Lee and club volunteer DJ Povey both being recognised in the monthly awards.

Lee was named Vanarama National League Player of the Month for April, after a month in which he bagged five goals in seven games as we sealed the title and promotion back to the EFL.

DJ was honoured, meanwhile, for his voluntary work with our disabled supporters on matchdays...

Lee, who was also named in the league’s Team of the Season... started the month with a goal and an assist in the 5-1 home win against Oldham Athletic, before... Lee then had the honour of netting the last goal of Wrexham’s 15-year stay in the National League on the final day at Torquay".

SENIOR SERVICE

Illustrative of the recruitment needed over this summer, in terms of National League starts for the club last season the thirteen players made up just 56% of the available starting-eleven positions in league games in 2022-23.

Right: James Jones is pictured with centre back partner Lewis Baines in the foreground.

Listed in descending order of starts in the National League in 2022-23, the retained players are:

Josh Lundstram 46, Eddy Jones 40, Ollie Byrne 37, James Jones 35, Lewis Baines 33, Elliot Osborne 32, Isaac Marriott 28, Regan Linney 13, Jake Cooper 11, Matt Gould 5, Liam Brockbank 3, Owen German 0, Matthew Kosylo 0.

Jordan Hulme's departure also means that the most senior player in terms of appearances for Altrincham over his career is now James Jones with 154(+8) appearances. In fact James has more than twice as many starts as any other player at the club, with Elliot Osborne's 70 appearances, (comprising 59 starts and eleven substitute appearances) next in the rankings, tying in total with Matty Kosylo's 62 starts and 8 games from the bench. Josh Lundstram has made more starts (66) but has never been a used substitute.

Apart from Hulme, players with more appearances than everyone except James Jones and who were at the club last season but have now left were Toby Mullarkey (132 appearances), Ryan Colclough (98 appearances) and Ben Pringle (71 appearances).

ALTY ANNOUNCE AN ONLINE Q & A

With the dust settling on the 2022/23 campaign, our first ever season as a full-time outfit, the board, along with Phil Parkinson, will be available for questions.

Registration is required on the form [available via the above link] and we also invite questions in advance. Please use the email address you wish to join the session, which will likely take place on zoom.

We welcome questions on all topics and the board will provide a wide range of key updates on club matters".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Alan Devonshire’s first addition to the 2023/24 squad is the experienced defender, Kevin Lokko.

The 27-year-old joins us following time at National League South side, Farnborough and has spent time with Aldershot Town, Dover Athletic, and Harrogate Town in the past.

Playing as centre-back predominantly, Lokko has taken on the captaincy role at his previous clubs and believes his experience and leadership qualities will benefit the Magpies".

Football inBerkshire adds that "Lokko’s career began with Norwich City’s Academy and won the FA Youth Cup in 2012/13 before he joined Colchester United...

Maidenhead have seen two big names depart already this summer with Adrian Clifton and Ryan Upward confirming moves, but academy prospect Christian Johnson has been snapped up after an impressive season with Holyport".

York City "confirm that Michael Morton will continue in the role of first-team manager.

Morton was tasked with keeping the club in the Vanarama National League after poor form in January had seen the side dragged into a relegation battle, and he succeeded in doing so...

Morton will have the chance to build his squad and style over pre-season...

On leading his hometown club on a permanent basis, Morton said... 'Nothing really changes in terms of how we finished the season, I think it’s all of us moving in the right direction...

'The biggest thing you’ll see is a different style of play... What we need to do is get that balance right of playing the right brand of football while achieving three points...

'We know that we haven’t got a massive budget so we need to be a bit smarter in terms of what kind of players we can bring in. I’ve given them a style of player that we want, and it’s just up to us now to get four or five of them across the line to help the team that we’ve currently got'".

Woking "announce that Will Jaaskelainen has signed a one-year contract extension.

The goalkeeper, 24, has signed a new deal which runs until the end of the 2023/24 season.

Jaaskelainen has featured over 80 times for Crewe Alexandra in Leagues One and Two, and joined the Cardinals from AFC Wimbledon in February 2023.

'I’ve really enjoy my short time at Woking so far and I’m very pleased to have signed,' said Jaaskelainen".

23 May 2023

JORDAN'S RECORD

Jordan spent two spells at Altrincham over the past six years, with a gap from summer 2020 to summer 2022, when he was away from the JDS having moved to AFC Fylde. However, in early 2022, whilst still a Fylde player, he had returned to Alty on loan before becoming an Altrinchem employee again during that summer.

He had first signed for Altrincham on 13 July 2017, just after he had left Salford City where he had scored ten times and provided eleven assists in 48 appearances in 2016-17 in National League North. At the time Alty were in the tier below, the Northern Premier League. The previous season he had netted 18 times in 54 appearances for the Ammies.

Jordan's earlier clubs included 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 he followed the Rams' management duo of Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson to Salford City in January 2015.

Having joined Alty, he went on to crown a fine season as Alty's top scorer, breaking the 30-goal barrier, and receiving the NPL's Player of the Season award.

He started 2018-19 with seven goals from eight starts before being suspended for a game and then missed further game time with a persistent eye problem. Nevertheless, he netted nine times in his first ten games of the campaign.

However, a flurry of yellow, and two red, cards meant that he missed more than a quarter of the club's first 30 fixtures in 2018-19 through suspension. Nevertheless, he still finished the season as joint top scorer in all competitions, with twenty goals. When the 2019/20 season was prematurely ended Hulme was again the club's leading scorer in that competition.

In summer 2020 he signed a new two-year contract but, just weeks later, he opted to take lower league AFC Fylde's offer of full-time football, his departure being announced just twenty hours before the start of the 2020-21 season.

However, an unhappy time with The Coasters prompted his return on loan in January 2022 to an Alty side which had lacked a potent striker since his departure.

Following a number of impressive preformances, injury sadly meant that he played in just two of the final eleven fixtures that season. After the end of the season, he was released by Fylde and rejoined Alty, as was announced on 21 May 2022, when he was also revealed as the team captain for 2022-23.

Injury meant his playing time was intermittent at the start of the 2022-23 season and it was not until the second half of the campaign that he managed to start more than two successive league games. He went on to make 15(+2) appearances in the last National League 21 games of 2022-23 season.

Although the situation was clouded by the departures of Colclough and Dinanga to other clubs and the return to their clubs of loanees Conn-Clarke and Newby, Jordan ended up the club's leading scorer in all competitions with ten goal.s It was the fourth time in his four and a half seasons at the club (as an employee or loanee) that he had achieved that landmark.

Overall he made 175(+18) appearances) and netted 82 goals for Altrincham.

With young forward prospects Zak Goodson and Eden Bailey both being released this summer, Jordan's departure leaves Regan Linney as the club's only recognised striker at the moment.

SIXTH ALTY FRIENDLY

Prices are "£9 adults, £5 concessions, £2 juniors. Entry is pay on the gate unless otherwise communicated, closer to the date".

The sides last met competitively in a Vanarama National League North match played on Saturday, 9 February 2019, which Alty won 2-1.

The afternoon was marred by first-half injuries to Connor Hampson and Ben Harrison, the latter having to be stretchered off.

ALTY OLD BOYS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Three players whose contracts are due to expire, Jack Clarke, Manny Oyeleke and Ross Fitzsimons, are leaving the club...

Under contract 2023/24: Jeff King, Ryheem Sheckleford, Ash Palmer, Tyrone Williams, Jamie Grimes, Laurence Maguire, Bailey Clements, Branden Horton, Ollie Banks, Darren Oldaker, Tom Whelan, Liam Mandeville, Armando Dobra, Ryan Colclough, Akwasi Asante, Joe Quigley, Danny Rowe, Michael Gyasi...

Offered new contract Jesurun Uchegbulam – option triggered on contract extension, Mike Jones, Luke Chadwick

Loanees who have returned to parent clubs: Tim Akinola – Arsenal, Paul McCallum – Dagenham & Redbridge, Andrew Dallas Solihull Moors, Lucas Covolan – Port Vale".

At Bromley, "midfielder Mitchel Bergkamp has penned a new deal at the club which will see him remain at Bromley for the 2023/24 season.

The Dutchman, who previously spent time with Watford’s U21’s, arrived at Hayes Lane back in January and has gone on to make eight league appearances for the Ravens...#

Manager Andy Woodman said... 'We’ve got a special player on our hands and we saw glimpses of what he can do last season'".

JORDAN DEPARTS

The irrepressible Alty forward was all set to continue as skipper next season until the call came from his old Salford City managerial duo to join them at Radcliffe and spearhead their attack in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division [step 3]".

On his departure, Jordan wrote "It has been a privilege to represent this great club over the past six years, and to bow out as captain with the club now full time in the National League is an absolute honour".

Manager Phil Parkinson added, "At his age [32] and point in his life, I agree with him this is the right thing to do with the deal that has been put in front of him. Jord... helped me and Neil in our pursuit to get Altrincham back to the National League, breaking all kinds [of] records and winning every award you could win in the first two seasons.

"He’s been, for me, one of the best non-League strikers over the last seven years. But more than that, one of the very best people you could wish to meet and work with".

More on Jordan Hulme's career at Altrincham will be included in tonight's Alty Files update.

ALTY FRIENDLIES

• 1 Sat.8.7.23 3pm A Lancaster City
• 2 Tue.18.7.23 7.45pm A Wythenshawe Town
• 3 Sat.22.7.23 2pm A NEC Nijmegen
• 4 Tue.25.7.23 7.45pm A Macclesfield FC
• 5 Sun.30.7.23 NB 2pm H MANCHESTER UNITED U-21

NON-LEAGUE FINALS

• Gateshead 0-1 FC Halifax Town

FA Vase Final

• Ascot United 1-0 Newport Pagnell

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The club finished in its highest ever league position in its history with a very respectable 16th placed finish...

Marc White said 'Last season was a tough one; competing in a new division... and additionally needing to complete several works off the field to achieve the required ground grading... What became clear is that our new division is that of a professional status and unless you merely want to exist, changes to our working structure would need to be implemented in order for us to strive for further upward success.

'With that in mind, we are now swapping our evenings for mornings and will remain part-time for now but, as part of our learnings from last season, this will enable several key elements to be implemented that can help us close the gap on our professional counterparts... 'This is a big transition for everyone and not all of our players are able to adjust to the new structure. Those players leaving us will be sorely missed...

Below are the players confirmed to be leaving the club, with personal comment from Marc White regarding their departure:

• SAMI EL-ABD 'Sami has been with the club since August 2018... Sami has been a deceptively great player'...
• NICKY WHEELER 'Nicky joined the club in January 2020, making 82 appearances and scoring 7 goals, joining us from Eastbourne Borough'...
• DAN LINCOLN 'I've become renowned for not personally liking many goalkeepers over the years (!), but Dan really grew on me. What probably helped was his will to win and professional mindset that he brought to the club, given his cricketing background'...

  JORDAN CHEADLE 'It is so hard to say goodbye to Cheads, he is a huge figure in the changing room and has the best left foot known to man... He played a massive part in that promotion winning season coming into the club midway through the campaign, having a big impact in a short space of time'...

• ADAM MEKKI 'Meks moves on, after just a short stint at the club this past season. He wasn’t so much plagued by injury issues but more just got them at the wrong time, and therefore failed to establish himself in the squad... Characters like Meks are one of the main reasons that I enjoy football management.”
• ALFIE EGAN 'Signed from Boreham Wood in the Autumn of 2022, Alfie struggled to hold down a regular starting position which was mainly due to the timing of his arrival and the challenges that the team were facing on the field. His lack of match action at his previous club meant Alfie found it difficult to gain the fitness levels that a standard pre-season would of course provide'...
• JAMES DICKSON 'Part of our successful youth set up and development squad, James now moves on to pastures new as his development term finishes'...

Further information on players retained by the football club will be released in due course".

Meanwhile, at Eastleigh, the Spitfires "announce the signing of midfielder, Jake Taylor, on a permanent deal... following his departure from Stevenage after being at the Hertfordshire club since the summer of 2021.

Jake is a graduate of the Reading academy, and made 31 senior appearances for the club...

The Welsh international also had loan spells at Aldershot Town, Exeter City, Cheltenham Town, Crawley Town, Leyton Orient, and Motherwell before departing Reading permanently in 2016.

Taylor then joined Exeter City in January 2016 and spent five and a half years at the club... After his spell at Exeter City, he joined Stevenage where he had been since 2021 before he left the club following the 2022/23 season...

Eastleigh boss, Lee Bradbury, said 'Jake’s been somebody I’ve liked for years. He is a great central midfielder with energy and can run the game with his intelligence and his play... It’s a marquee signing for the football club to attract somebody that has been promoted out of League Two this season'".

From Maidenhead United comes news that "After 9 years of loyalty and continued service to the Magpies, Ryan Upward has departed York Road.

Ryan has provided the club and supporters with many memories during his time with us and we thank him greatly.".

At Wealdstone the club can now confirm its retained list... with fifteen of last season's squad that secured the club's highest finish in 37 years confirmed as remaining at the club for next season.

Staying at the club are: Dante Baptiste, Ashley Charles, Mason Barrett, Tarryn Allarakhia, Nathan Ferguson, Olufela Olomola, Giovanni McGregor, Sam Howes, Micah Obiero, Dominic Hutchinson, Alex Dyer, Jaydn Mundle-Smith

These twelve players join the trio of skipper Jack Cook, striker Corie Andrews and winger Charles Clayden who were already contracted for next season.

Contract discussions remain ongoing with both Max Kretzschmar and Sam Habergham.

Leaving the club are:

• Lewis Kinsella - Joined the club last summer from Aldershot Town and made 13 appearances, enjoyed a run in the side before an injury sustained in December disrupted his season. Spent the latter half of the season on loan with Gosport Borough...
• David Sesay - A popular member of the squad and club since joining from Barnet in November 2021, made 29 appearances in his two years at the Stones...
• Simeon Akinola - Joined last October as a free agent... he made eight appearances in total...
• Joel Taylor - Left-back who joined in March from Notts County to help with the Stones play-off charge. Made three appearances at the club during his short stay
• Malachi Napa - Joined in the summer following a successful trial period. Made nine appearances at the club before joining Dartford in a successful loan spell

Our loanees have also returned to their parent clubs: Sonny Lo-Everton... Charlie Barker... Lewis Simper... Tarrelle Whittaker".

Play-off contestants Woking "announce that Rohan Ince has signed a two-year contract extension.

The midfielder, 30, has signed a new deal which runs until the end of the 2024/25 season.

A product of Chelsea’s youth academy, Rohan left the Blues on loan to Yeovil Town in 2012. Between 2013 and 2016, he made 82 Championship appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham. Spells at Swindon Town, Bury, Cheltenham Town and Maidenhead United followed.

Ince joined Woking in the summer of 2021 and has made 86 Cardinal appearances so far, scoring ten goals. He won the 2022/23 Goal of the Season award".

21 May 2023

ALTY OLD BOYS

Elsewhere, in a game in which they had 31 goal attempts, Hearts produced only two on target. Fortunately, the first of these was converted by JOSH GINNELLY to bring his side level with visitors Aberdeen, and the second was converted by Lawrence Shankland before Josh left the fray in the 65th minute. Hearts went on to win 2-1. "

ISUZU FA TROPHY FINAL

Williamson has made the seamless adjustment to management and is yet to officially call time on his playing days, although a knee injury picked up in training means he's unlikely to actually play for the Tynesiders this weekend...#

Williamson told the FA 'I’ve never been to the old Wembley or the new one... But more than anything, we know we’re playing a really tough game against Halifax and we’re looking forward to the challenge. I don’t think you can quantify how much Gateshead means to me...

'It’s been phenomenal and it’s a really community-based club, so we do everything we can to give back. The ethos is we’re in it together, win, lose or draw...

They’ve got a real identity, a game plan, they’re really organised and they’ve got players that can counter and threaten on the break as well. So, it’s going to be a real good, enjoyable tactical battle.'"

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The 6’3’’ Central Defender made over 80 appearances for The Clarets.

Barnet FC Manager Dean Brennan said, 'We’ve been tracking Ade for a long time now and his attributes fit our criteria. At 23 he’s the perfect age for us too'...

Details surrounding the deal will be released in due course".

The Real EFL adds that "The 23-year-old burst onto the Non-League scene in 2020, when he made the switch from Fisher FC to Chelmsford City, originally signing on a free transfer... In total, Oluwo has made 86 appearances in all competitions for the club".

From The Real EFL we learn that "Solihull Moors defender Junior Tiensia will join League Two side Barrow this summer, after he was released by the National League side...

The defender joined Solihull Moors in March... but after just two months, he will be leaving Neal Ardley’s side...

The left-back is a product of the Millwall academy, but failed to stake a claim for the first-team. He began the 2022/23 season with National League South side Gloucester City, where he made a real impression, earning him a move into the National League.

However, the 22-year-old made just seven appearances for Solihull, which also included a red card on his second appearance for the club... He started each of the clubs remaining five games but the side didn’t win any of them.

Tiensia will be joining a revitalised Barrow side, who have gone from relegation favourites to play-off contenders in a short space of time, curtesy of manager Pete Wild".

Hartlepool United rejoin the National League next season and the Hartlepool Mail reports that "It’s no secret Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney might have ended up at the Suit Direct Stadium had things gone a little more off script two years ago".

Humphrey Ker said that "'Ultimately Wrexham had been a front-runner from very early on and remained first choice. Hartlepool had been opened up as a second front if this had all gone wrong.'

The report suggests Wrexham finished top of Ker’s list of possibilities for Reynolds and McElhenney with 38 points out of 50 to Hartlepool’s 36... Only then was contact made with both clubs over potential offers before the takeover at Wrexham went through in February 2021....

Jeff Stelling explained in a recent interview, 'It’s 100 per cent true that they wanted to buy Hartlepool and it’s ironic they went for Wrexham in the end who are going into the Football League when the club who was their first choice, which was us, are going out of the Football League...

But Stelling has not stopped there of late as he insists there are respectable offers on the table for the club, currently...

'Raj Singh saved the football club five years ago when there was no-one else... He put his hand in his pocket as I put mine in my pocket as well. Mine aren’t quite as deep as Raj’s but he did what he promised he’d do, got the club back in the Football League, appointed Dave Challinor and yes he’s made mistakes since but he has to take credit for appointing the best manager the club has ever had'".

20 May 2023

JORDAN TOPS THE CHARTS

Jordan netted ten times in 2022-23, with five goals apiece in the National League and in cup competitions.

Past winners of the goalscoring chart (in all compeptions) have been...

• 2017-18 Jordan Hulme 31
• 2018-19 Josh Hancock, Jordan Hulme 20
• 2019-20 Jordan Hulme 19
• 2020-21 Josh Hancock 12
• 2021-22 Dan Mooney 13
• 2022-23 Jordan Hulme, Chris Conn-Clarke 10

As regards goals in the league only, it was loanee Chris Conn-Clarke who emerged top, with nine National League goals. In terms of players employed by the club, rather than loanees, the leading scorer in the National League for Altrincham was Regan Linney with six goals, three of them from the spot.

ALTY SEASON TICKETS

Season Tickets are now on sale, with an Early Bird discount through to the end of May. This is for existing season ticket holders renewing and also for those fans taking the step to acquiring a Season Ticket for the first time.

Being a Season Ticket holder brings a wide range of benefits.As well as guaranteed entry to all 23 of our National League home fixtures for next season, your ticket will also include entry to two planned pre-season friendlies at a significant discount to paying on the day.

In addition, other benefits include advance priority purchase of tickets for away fixtures, FA Cup and FA Trophy ties, a dedicated turnstile at the Golf Road end of the ground, 10% off all retail purchases and unique special offers for ticket holders throughout the forthcoming season.

We recognise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on you all, and we have sought to minimise the impact on our fans despite the significant extra costs the club has and will incur over 2023 and 2024.

In particular, you will be pleased to hear that Early Bird pricing for Adult and Concession Season Tickets has been held at the 22/23 pricing, with the Adult tickets costing £299 and the Concession £245 if purchased before the end of May.

Juniors (ages 12-18) will be £100 and Children (ages 5-11) will be £50 if purchased before the end of next month. Season Tickets will no longer be available for our young fans under the age of 5.

From June 1st 2023, Season Tickets will go on General Sale and pricing will be as follows:

• Adult | £320
• Concession | £265
• Junior | £120
• Child | £60

Individual matchday pricing for next season will be as follows:

• Adult | £20
• Concession | £15
• Junior | £9
• Child | £4
• Infant | £1

For full details please follow the above link...

ALTY OLD BOYS

NORTH-WEST NEWS

After a complex fraud trial at Preston Crown Court which began in October, Pilley has been found guilty on all counts of the charges facing him, in relation to charges of mis-selling energy supplies. The jury reached a unanimous verdict on Friday afternoon and Pilley has been remanded in custody to await sentence.

His Honour Judge Knowles KC has indicated that Pilley, the chairman of Fleetwood Town FC, is likely to face a prison term".

Fleetwood Town responded to the news stating "Fleetwood Town Football Club acknowledges the verdict in the court case involving club Chairman, Andy Pilley.

The Chairman would like to reassure supporters the club will continue to operate as normal. Today’s verdicts will not affect the running or future of Fleetwood Town Football Club.

The club is already in talks with the EFL regarding the next steps and will be making no further comment at this time".

FA TROPHY FINAL

The Halifax-born defender looks set to captain The Shaymen in their FA Trophy final against Gateshead...

He aid, 'I wake up thinking about it and go to bed thinking... positively about it...

'It'd be a bit of a fairytale in that I used to watch (Halifax) as a kid and then when I first signed, I was then walking out where I was watching all those years ago.. It'd mean everything to me to win it, it'd just be one of the proudest moments of my life'...

Senior will have around 40 family and friends coming...

'My mum's so proud, she's got a few bits of merchandise from the shop so she'll be full on when it comes to Sunday...

Senior, and the rest of his Town team-mates, could also have so easily have missed out on the final but for Milli Alli's last-ditch equaliser against Altrincham in the semi-final before Town won on penalties".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

I guess by now we should all be used to HMRC winding up petitions. As the well-known joke goes, it is Blues’ most faced opponent in recent seasons and given the frequency of these cases the seriousness of them can sometimes be downplaye...

Those taking interest from afar will have seen the 56 day adjournment for the outstanding £250,000 tax debt to be paid. But there was some deliberation before that verdict was made... Judge Mullen really thinking things over especially after remarking that this had been happening on a rolling basis...

The Shrimpers still have staff waiting to be paid for March and April, the club have been under a transfer embargo since September... The buck stops with chairman Ron Martin... After the leaving court and, having made it quite clear he would not be talking to me, Martin spoke for around five minutes with supporter groups and fans in attendance...

The Blues boss [Kevin Maher] cannot add to his squad and cannot offer any new contracts to his current players either".

And the Southend Echo also reported that "The Shrimpers appeared in the high court... re a debt of £250,000 and have now been given until July 12 to pay up.

It was also revealed that three other companies had joined the petition...

However, Judge Mark Mullen agreed to give the National League club more time to pay.

He said 't’s true to say this is the first hearing of this petition and there is evidence before me that the debt can be paid in a reasonable time. This would seem to be something of a rolling basis'...

The club’s solicitor said 'Te sale of the club is underway and progress is being made'".

At Notts County, the "retained list has been confirmed...

Four players will sadly be leaving us, while seven have been offered the chance to stay alongside the 14 who remain under contract.

Under contract: Tiernan Brooks, Aden Baldwin, Lucien Mahovo, Geraldo Bajrami, Adam Chicksen, Richard Brindley, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, John Bostock, Matt Palmer, Luther Munakandafa, Sam Austin, Junior Morias, Cedwyn Scott, Macaulay Langstaff

Offered new contract: Sam Slocombe, Kyle Cameron, Connell Rawlinson, Aaron Nemane, Jim O’Brien, Ruben Rodrigues

Loan players offered permanent contract: Jodi Jones

Released: Ed Francis, Frank Vincent, Kairo Mitchell

Loan deals expiring: Archie Mair.

Our head coach, Luke Williams, said... 'We're aiming to retain a core of players who have been through the challenges we have faced together and understand the expectations of playing for this club...

'Now we know where our destiny lies, work has already begun on recruitment. New information will be coming in on a daily basis but I won’t be involved in that, nor do I want to be. There are far better people than me to deal with it because my life revolves around maximising the performance of the players already in the building...

'I’ll give my opinion but it won’t be finaland, again, I wouldn’t want it to be. The club is more important and bigger than me and needs to function independently from any head coach. Whatever the final decision is on any new player, I’m always happy and motivated to work with them. “Earlier this week, after the initial celebrations had died down, I returned to the stadium having had my first thoughts about how we can make 2023-24 another brilliant campaign. Alongside those thoughts came a feeling of pressure and expectation, which naturally falls upon me as head coach'".

Scuthorpe United have issued a Statement following a Fans’ Forum.

Due to recent rumours circulating, David Hilton confirmed... that he had recently provided proof of funds... He went on to also confirm that the club is not currently under a transfer embargo as falsely reported and have not been since he took the club out of the one he inherited in February. HMRC payments are continually paid on time along with all staff wages. However, he did confirm that after inheriting a pension debt, it has risen further since the takeover. This is not an oversight, it is a simple mandate issue which allows the new regime to access all of the relevant information required to understand fully the club's current position. Payments will be made in due course and the account bought up to date.

Mr Hilton also confirmed that he plays no part in the recruitment process. He has provided a budget only and the instructions to build a top seven National League (Step 1) side. Acquisitions moving forward, along with the recent completed signings, are solely down to the hard work of Jimmy Dean and Lee Turnbull.

A new training facility has been secured, however its location at this stage cannot be disclosed. It was described as an excellent facility and a further £2m has been set aside to enhance the current facilities...

Mr Hilton confirmed that, subject to the relevant planning consents, a new stadium will be erected and hopefully completed in time for the start of the 2025-26 season... The purchase of Glanford Park from Peter Swann was next on the agenda. It was confirmed that the two parties were no longer on speaking terms and that the deal had stalled... Mr Swann... insists that the club, the Iron Foundation and Study United, all of which have been occupiers of Glanford Park for many years, will have to vacate on May 24th unless £3m is paid...

Finally, Mr Hilton has decided that due to us all wanting to forget the past mistakes, he has taken the steps to remove all banning orders at the football club".

19 May 2023

UNITED TO VISIT ALTRINCHAM

Altrincham fans can gain free entry to home friendlies with their season ticket, the Early Bird window closes on 31st May 2023 so act quickly to secure yours at last season's prices...

We look forward to potentially welcoming some familiar faces back to The J.Davidson Stadium in United's Maxi Oyedele, Joe Hugill, Sonny Aljofree and Dermot Mee who all spent time on loan with us during the 2022/23 campaign".

Above, left to right: Dermot Mee, Joe Hugill and Maxi Oyedele, who all played for Alty in the National League.

Manchester United add that "The match will take place at the J. Davidson Stadium on Sunday 30 July at 14:00 BST.

Altrincham and United have long had an affiliation and this opportunity for our youngsters to test themselves against senior players is one that provides the necessary challenge to help them to develop...

The match against Alty will serve to benefit our players ahead of potential loan moves or playing in Premier League 2 again".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Cook told the media 'I would like to congratulate Notts County on what has been an excellent year. To get the amount of points they’ve had, and not go up (automatically), is a real blow.

'To only have one team (automatically) promoted is an absolute sporting disgrace. When I was in the Football League, I never thought about it, because you don't, you are always looking after yourself. This is a very competitive, good league with a lot of good managers, coaches and teams in. And how it’s only been allowed to have one team going up is just insane.

'Notts County should have gone up automatically without a doubt...

'To have dropped into this league to help Chesterfield, to see it first hand, it is wrong, it is not right, it is not correct... This is just fairness in sport. It is not sour grapes from me because we wouldn't have gone up'".

The Chronicle Live reminds us that "The Heed Army take on Halifax Town in the Wembley showpiece final this weekend.

Mike Williamson and Gateshead FC will be buoyed by the return of Kenton Richardson ahead of the FA Trophy Final... Richardson missed the Heed's end of season run in after picking up a knock... back in March.

The centre-half has been influential for the Tynesiders this season with his form recognised through his aforementioned international call-up. Ex-Newcastle United midfielder, Owen Bailey, returned for the final three games of the Heed's National League campaign...

However, Gateshead will be without loanee Ethan Pye who was recalled by Stockport County, while Ed Francis, Stephen Wearne, Marcus Dinanga are Connor Pani are all cup tied...

However, the mood is high heading into the final."

ALTY MILEAGE DROPS

In 2022/23 season, when the league also ran with 24 clubs, Alty travelled 7,130 miles in making 23 round trips to their league opponents.

Next season, with the relegation of three long-distance clubs in Maidstone United (464 miles round trip), Yeovil Town (436 miles) and Torquay United (496 miles) and the arrival in the division of just one new journey of more than 400 miles, Ebbsfleet United (430 miles), it is not surprising that the total mileage has dropped for next season.

The total mileage next season will be 6,672 miles as the average trip drops from 310 to 290 miles.

The longest round-trip next season will be to Bromley (458 miles).

So, as shown below, 2023/24 will see the least travelling since Alty returned to the top flight in 2020.

• 2020/21 7,136 miles for just 22 trips, each averaging 324 miles, including the subsequently expunged Dover game.
• 2021/22 7,132 miles for 22 trips, each averaging 324 miles.
• 2022/23 7,130 miles for 23 trips, each averaging 310 miles
• 2023/24 6,672 miles for 23 trips, each averaging 290 miles

In the last season before promotion (Vanarama National North 2019/20) the total mileage (excluding the play-offs) would have been just 4,196 miles averaging 200 miles per round-trip, had Covid not curtailed the fixtures.

By the end of 2023/24 Altrincham will have faced 35 different clubs since returning to the National League in 2020.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Gateshead FC journalist Jeff Bowron told the Halifax Courier that "Gateshead go into the final... in poor shape in terms of numbers, in good shape in terms of form...

They are a tight group who are used to overcoming obstacles and setbacks. The mood in the camp is good" and they won "eight of their final 11 league games, a run that included six straight wins... They also reached Wembley for the second time after beating Barnet in the semi-final on penalties after squandering a three-goal lead...

Former Town [FC Halifax] loanee Aaron Martin has had a torrid first season on Tyneside but came good at the back end of the season and will lead the line... Greg Olley and pacey attacker Adam Campbell can cause any side in the division problems with their quality...

Tom Allan, Elliot Forbes, Lewis Knight and player-manager Mike Williamson all miss out through injury. Dinanga, midfielder Connor Pani and attacking wide man Stephen Wearne are all cup-tied. Young midfield trio Lirak Hasani, Harrison Clark and Lewis Leech are ineligible due to being out on loan at the time of the semi-final, along with left-sided defender Kyle Errington".

They also lost loanee Ethan Pye and that "was a blow because it was unexpected and came just ten days before the final. Also, because he has done well and been a regular for the full season on loan from Stockport County. Pye was named Player's Player of the Year. It was a setback that was softened by the return of England C defender Kenton Richardson after two months out...

Half the side that finished the season won't feature in the final...

The switch to a back three has been a key factor in the Heed's revival. By nature they are an attacking side that likes to get on the front foot and dominate the football. That won't change at the home of football. They like to play through the thirds but can also mix it up and go long when necessary. Their style is easy on the eye... Gateshead scored eight of their nine penalties in the shoot-outs, so that will also give them confidence if the final goes down to the wire...

The line-up for the FA Trophy final virtually picks itself as there are only 13 senior players availableand two of those are goalkeepers

Devon Live reports that "Manager Gary Johnson says Torquay United ‘need to hit the ground running’ next season after promising the club will do its best to bounce straight back to the National League...

In the last eight games they won five, drew two and lost only one. It is that kind of form that has persuaded some key players from the end-of-season ensemble to sign up for another year, including Kevin Dawson and Jack Stobbs, who were both on loan at Plainmoor...

Last week it was announced that Tom Lapslie will be staying after the rumour mill went into overdrive linking the dynamic midfielder with a move to Aldershot Town...

The manager said 'The big draw for all the players was the way we finished and the camaraderie and relationship that the players had in those last 10 or so games...

Winger Stobbs, 26, was the latest player to be announced, after he was released by Oldham Athletic. That announcement came just days after the news that goalkeeper Mark Halstead was staying for another year, along with midfielders Dawson and Lapslie, and young defender Ollie Tomlinson, who played for Chippenham Town on loan in the National South last season."

The new signings continue apace at relegated Scunthorpe as they have now signed six players who were at National League level last season. The Derbyshire Times reports that "Ross Fitzsimons has left Chesterfield and signed for National League North side Scunthorpe United.

The goalkeeper was out of contract at the Spireites this summer and so he joins the Iron on a free transfer, effective from July, penning a two-year deal. His last appearance for the Blues was the play-off final defeat to Notts County on Saturday.

Fitzsimons’ departure, along with Lucas Covolan’s loan expiring, means Town will be looking for a new keeper or two ahead of the new campaign...

He proved to be a steady keeper, but unfortunately his time at Town will probably be remembered by most for his mistake in the play-off final against Notts".

And Scunthorpe United also announce that they "have signed central defender Maxim Kouogun in a two-year deal starting from July 2023.

The 26 year-old signs following a successful year-and-a-half at York City, where he made 37 National League appearances last season... Described as a rock solid, centre-half, he joined City mid-way through last season after a spell playing in his [native] Ireland with UCD, Warrenport and Shelbourne...

The Irishman said... 'I had a really good time at York and it's sad to be leaving them, but I'm looking forward to trying to achieve something here now'".

MACC SIGN THREE EX-ALTY MEN

Macc will compete in the Northern Premier League (step 3) next season and already had ex-Alty men James Berry, James Hardy and Sam Grimshaw on their books.

Joining that trio now is Tom Peers (right) who is dropping down from step 2 of the non-league pyramid as Macclesfield FC confirm that they have "agreed terms of [with] prolific frontman Thomas Peers from Curzon Ashton.

The highly rated forward joins the Silkmen for an undisclosed fee, having scored 17 goals for the Nash in the National League North last season.

The 27 year-old comes in to the fold with an impressive track record throughout his career and having played at a higher level than the Northern Premier League for most of his career...

Peers has remained local throughout his career, featuring for Chester, Hednesford, Telford United, Nantwich Town and Altrincham, impressing for each, most notably at Curzon Ashton, scoring at least ten in all competitions in both of the last two consecutive seasons".

Right: Tom Peers made 70(+79) appearances for Altrincham, scoring 32 times.

Also, Macclesfield FC "are delighted to agree terms of [with] 20 year-old Hayden Campbell from Curzon Ashton!

The midfield maestro makes the move to Macclesfield following a successful stint at the Nash, scoring 20 in all competitions last season.

The young prodigy joins the ranks in the early stages of his career, though having made a blistering start to which via the youth ranks of football league sides Port Vale and Salford City, featuring in the first teams of Stalybridge Celtic, Altrincham, FC United of Manchester and Marine before most recently signing from Curzon".

Hayden Campbell made 0(+3) appearances for Altrincham but did not score.

The third former Robin joining Macclesfield FC is Sam Heathcote

"The 6ft 5 25 year-old defender from Runcorn reached an agreement with the Silkmen having mutually agreed to leave the Yellows [Runcorn Linnets] late last week.

Heathcote... happily obliged to sign on the dotted line when approached".

The trio join "The following 13 players have agreed terms for the 2023/24 season" with Macclesfied FC.

Sam Heathcote made 35(+26) appearances, scoring 1 goal for Altrincham.

They are Mark Duffy, Brandon Lee, Lewis Fensome, Laurent Mendy, Tre Pemberton, Tom Thorpe, Luke Murphy, James Hardy, Sam Grimshaw, Kane Drummond, Alex Curran, James Berry, Neil Kengni.

PARKINSON'S PLEA

Phil has helped revitalise the club from top to bottom since arriving... He wants to maintain the momentum and keep the club moving in the right direction, but he freely admits he can't do it without your help.

Such is the importance of summer revenue from season ticket sales that a grateful Phil took time out earlier this month to put his appreciation into words by penning a personal letter of thanks that was emailed to each and every season ticket holder...

He wrote 'Football is all about decisions, with success often the product of an important call being made, and I can think of two examples of that at Altrincham over the past 12 months; the club turning professional and you committing to a season ticket...

By pledging your support for the whole of the campaign in advance, you provided us with extra finance and added certainty for the crucial pre-season planning process, and I'm writing to you now to thank you personally for a commitment I value greatly... Income received during the summer months has a direct bearing on the size and quality of the squad we are able to assemble...

I would have no hesitation in labelling it (2022-23) a success story for the way we embraced full-time professional status and went about ensuring the club continued to move in the right direction. We more than stood our ground in the ultra-competitive world of the Vanarama National League, not only adding a few more notable ex-League scalps to our growing collection but entertaining everyone and gaining new admirers in the process.

In the Isuzu FA Trophy, we rolled back the years and revived golden memories of the 70s and 80s with a run that captured the town's imagination and took us to within a penalty shoot-out of Wembley, and, in the Cheshire Senior Cup, we went one better by going all the way to the final for the first time in a decade... with average gates at The J.Davidson Stadium topping 2,000 for the second successive year...

When Neil and I walked through the door in 2017... there was an understandable mood of despondency around the place, with attendances hovering around the 800-mark, but just look how far we have come in such a relatively short time.

On top of that, our talent-packed Academy is thriving, with highly-promising young Alty teams doing the club proud in their various leagues and cup competitions".

ALTY MERCHANDISE

Right: Alty's kit will not change next season. Here we see Eddy Jones wearing the "home" version.

Once again we will be offering sponsorship for 2023/24, and there will be a two-week window later this summer for existing sponsors to renew or choose a new player, ahead of making sponsorship available for general sale after that...

Our home and away kit will be unchanged next season. The bespoke kits that we launched last summer with partners Puma, have been our best-selling shirts of all time. Having had new kits for consecutive seasons, the plan was always to keep the current versions for two whole seasons.

We can, exclusively, announce that we will have a bespoke thirrd kit launching next season, with the shirt available for retail towards the end of September....

Early Bird pricing for Adult and Concession Season Tickets has been held at the 22/23 pricing, with the Adult tickets costing £299 and the Concession £245 if purchased before the end of May...

In addition to the 3rd kit mentioned above, we will be adding to the Puma training range. Ahead of holiday season we will have a new Alty beach towel available, a back-to-school range and other accessories.

Towards the start of the season we will be selling our official Travel wear range, the same that the players will be wearing next season.

Finally, we will also have a section of the website where supporters can buy match-worn and signed shirts".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The following players remain under contract with the club or have extended their deals during the 2022/23 season:

• Josh Casey, Scott Cuthbert, Luke Wilkinson, Ricky Korboa, Reece Grego-Cox, Padraig Amond, Dan Moss, Rhys Browne, Jim Kellermann

The following players have been offered new deals in advance of the expiry of their current contracts:

• Will Jaaskelainen, Kyran Lofthouse, James Daly, Jermaine Anderson, Rohan Ince

  Sid Nelson has been offered the opportunity to return to pre-season training.

The following players have returned to their parent clubs following the conclusion of their loan deals:

• Charlie O’Connell, Solomon Nwabuokei, Jake Hessenthaler, Marcus Dackers, Charlie Wakefield, Billy Sass-Davies

The following players have not been offered a new contract and will leave the club this summer:

• Joe McNerney, Tyreke Johnson, Craig Ross, Kacper Lopata"

The Halifax Courier’s Town reporter Tom Scargill was granted special behind-the-scenes access to how The Shaymen are preparing for the big game [FA Trophy Final]...

Town boss Chris Millington... says 'I usually get here between seven thirty and seven forty'. His working day will end around 14 hours later. Millington has brought analyst Dylan Mistry with him... Assistant manager Andy Cooper arrives soon afterwards and he and... talks Millington through his tactics board... Every part of training is designed to the minute...

The two arrive an hour-and-a-half before the players, and two hours before training starts..

Mistry is consulted on Gateshead, with training centered around how The Heed will set up...

Training starts at 9.30am but the players have begun their day's work before then. Pre-training gym work starts at 9am...

'There's always a purpose behind everything we do,' says Millington. 'Seventy-five per cent of it is geared towards the upcoming opposition, but then there's around 25 per cent of what we do geared towards a different objective around lightening the mood or taking some of the cognitive load off the lads, so we're not just battering them with information all the time'...

Millington isn't a sergeant major authoritarian. But when he speaks, the players listen".

The Leader Live reports that manager "Phil Parkinson has explained his decision to release 11 players ahead of Wrexham’s first season in the Football League since 2008.

Ryan Austin, Kai Calderbank-Park, Malik Dijksteel, Reece Hall-Johnson, Jake Hyde, Harry Lennon, Rory Watson, Tom Jenkins, Dan Jones, Louis Lloyd and Will Mountfield have not been offered new deals by Reds’ boss Parkinson.

Out-of-favour striker Hyde spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Southend United while wing-back Hall-Johnson missed the start of the season through injury and only made two league appearances...

A succession of injuries, which restricted Lennon to one league appearance this season, has led to the centre-back confirming that he intends to retire from playing...

Watson and Calderbank-Park were brought in to bolster Parkinson’s goalkeeping options but neither featured for the first-team...

Austin, Dijksteel, Jenkins, Jones, Lloyd and Mountfield, some of the younger players in the squad, are also looking for a new club...

'We... didn’t feel those lads would be pushing towards the first team squad, then it was right for them to move on for their own careers,' said the Reds’ boss...

An offer of a new contract will be made to utility player Liam McAlinden and discussions will take place with Ben Foster to establish if the goalkeeper intends to continue playing or return to retirement".

The Real EFL reports that "Scunthorpe United have completed the signings of defenders Will Evans and Tyler Denton on free transfers, just a day after completing a double signing, as confirmed via the clubs official website. MO< Yesterday, Scunthorpe signed Eastleigh duo Michael Kelly and Danny Whitehall, but have now added two fresh arrivals...

Evans, the 31-year-old, will join the club, after featuring for National League play-off semi-finalists Boreham Wood. He featured in both matches...

Denton is a 27-year-old left-back, who will join the club from fellow National League North side King's Lynn Town. He has made 37 appearances this season for the club...

Scunthorpe United, who were in League One as recently as 2019... spent a further three years in League Two, before being relegated in 2022".

At another relegated club, the unofficial Gloverscast reports that "Yeovil Town have announced the retained and released list for this season confirming the departure of the best goalkeeper in the league, Grant Smith and a contract offer for Matt Worthington.

The players who remain under contract at Huish Park for the forthcoming National League South season include: Morgan Williams, Alex Fisher, Josh Staunton, Charlie Cooper, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Will Dawes, Benjani Jr, Malachi Linton, Zanda Siziba, Scott Pollock, Jamie Reckord, Jordan Young, Jordan Stevens, Ollie Haste and Callum Harriott .

Nine players have been released from the club alongside Smith, including Max Hunt, Chiori Johnson, Lawson D’Ath, Ollie Hulbert, Toby Stephens, Max Evans, Charlie Wakefield and Ben Richards-Everton".

16 May 2023

ALTY'S SLIDING DOORS

Of the six "new" clubs, only relegated Rochdale have not previously faced Altrincham in league competition, though the sides have met in the FA Cup. However, the clubs came very close to sharing the same division in 1912, when both were members of the Lancashire Combination. In 1908 Rochdale had rejoined the Lancashire Combination Division Two, being promoted to Division One in 1909 where they remained till 1912 when they were the champions.

Meanwhile, Altrincham had spent 1903-11 in the Manchester League before they too joined the Lancashire Combination in 1911. However, whereas Alty were in Division Two, and won promotion to Division One at the end of 1911-12, Rochdale were in Division One in 1911-12 and moved on to the Central League for 1912-13 season, so the clubs never met at that time.

As for the other five National League returnee clubs in 2023-24:

• AFC Fylde: As with Rochdale, AFC Fylde and Alty have also experienced missing each other, with one going down as the other earned promotion. But in this case it happened twice! The first instance was in 2014 when Fylde were promoted to the National North just as Alty left that division for the top flight.

  However, the sides did meet in 2016-17 when Alty finished bottom of National North and the Coasters were champions that season.

  But, there was another close encounter, in 2020, when AFC Fylde were relegated from the National League just as Alty won promotion back to that level for 2020/21 season.

• Ebbsfleet United: As with Rochdale and AFC Fylde, Alty narrowly missed playing Ebbsfleet in 2011 when the Kent side won back its place in the National League just as Altrincham had been relegated from that level at the end of 2010-11!

  And the same thing happened in reverse in 2020 when Alty regained their place in the National League, just as the Fleet had gone down to National South at the truncated end of the 2019-20 campaign!

  So, the last time the clubs met was in 2009-10 season, when both were at National League level.

  

  August 2009: Altrincham opened their season with a 1-1 draw at home to Ebbsfleet United. Here Dale Johnson has his eye on a ball played up towards him.

• Oxford City and Alty last met in season 2013/14 in what is now National North. Alty were promoted at the end of that season and by the time they were relegated back there in 2016, Oxford City had transferred to National Souuth.
• Hartlepool United: Alty last met Hartlepol in season 2020-21, at the end of which Pools were promoted to the EFL
• Kidderminster Harriers: The two clubs were relegated together in 2016 down into National North. The last time they met in league competition was in 2019-20 at the end of which Alty were promoted.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The 27-year-old arrives following two campaigns on the south coast where,... last season, he made 44 appearances in all competitions, scoring 14 goals... The 6ft 3in striker has goalscoring in his blood, with his father Steve Whitehall enjoying an impressive career which saw him spend six years at Rochdale...

Speaking following the move he said 'It’s fantastic. It’s a massive club in a division that it shouldn’t be in and the aim is to get out of it obviously. I’m really happy to be here... I wouldn’t say I’m a number nine or a number 10, I’m probably somewhere in between...

'It’s a huge club and shouldn’t be in this division. The aim is to get straight back out of it... The huge fanbase was another massive reason why I wanted to sign here.'”

In addition, Scunthorpe United "have signed left-back Michael Kelly in a two-year deal starting from July 2023.

The Scottish defender, aged 25, made around 60 appearances in two seasons at Eastleigh...

He said... 'I was interested as soon as I knew the club were keen on me... If we can get off to a good start and do really well, we can get very good numbers supporting us and that's what we want...

'I'm technically quite good. I like to get up and down the left side, and would like to think I've got good quality going into the box with my crosses. I like to communicate and try to be a leader...

'It's a good opportunity for myself and my family to move a little further north for a new challenge which I'm prepared to fully embrace'">

At the other end of the National League, Wrexham confirm that "The following players, who are out of contract, will not be offered new contracts and [have been] released...

• Ryan Austin, Kai Calderbank-Park, Malik Dijksteel, Reece Hall-Johnson, Jake Hyde, Harry Lennon, Rory Watson, Tom Jenkins, Dan Jones, Louis Lloyd, Will Mountfield

An offer of a new contract will be made to Liam McAlinden and a discussion will take place with Ben Foster to establish if his intention is to return to retirement or continue playing.

Harry Lennon has confirmed that it is his intention to retire from playing due to the injuries he has suffered.

The Club will exercise the option to extend the contracts of the following players: Scott Butler, Aaron James

Following promotion, the following players' contracts have been extended by a further season: Mark Howard, Anthony Forde, Paul Mullin

A decision as to whether Kai Evans will be offered a new deal will be deferred until he is fit to return to training, while Owen Cushion will be offered his first professional deal.

From the Derbyshire Times we learn that "Jack Clarke and Paul McCallum have both confirmed on social media that they will be leaving the club...

The Irish midfielder, 24, showed plenty of talent but his time at Town was hampered by hamstring injuries, In total he made 34 appearances, scoring four goals. He finished this season on loan at Yeovil Town.

Striker McCallum signed on loan from Dagenham and Redbridge in February until the end of the season and scored four goals in 12 starts...

The two announcements suggest players are being told about their futures following the defeat to Notts County".

Following their play off defeat Chesterfield chief executive John Croot wrote "There are many positives we can take from the season with much to look forward to.

We achieved our highest place in five years in the Vanarama National League and great credit goes to Paul Cook, his staff and the players...

At a time when finances are tight for everyone as a result of rising costs, we all appreciate the sacrifices that people make in order to support the team. The backing is very much appreciated by everyone and is never taken for granted...

With the backing of the board, Paul Cook will be provided with a competitive budget once again to ensure that we are in a position to make a strong challenge for automatic promotion".

15 May 2022

WE MEET AGAIN

Kidderminster Harriers regained their place in the Vanarama National League with a comfortable 2-0 away win at perennial National North play-off bridesmaids Brackley Town on Sunday.

It turned out to be the Northamptonshire side's fifth successive play-off failure, having qualified in 2013, 2018, 2019 and 2022 before this season.

It was two goals from Ashley Hemmings (left) which won the game for a Harriers side who themselves were taking part in a fourth play-off campaign after failing in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

For the Harriers it is a return to the National League seven years after their relegation from that level. On the bench for Kiddy was another ex-Alty player in Kole Hall.

Hemmings made a positive impression at Alty, in two spells on loan from AFC Fylde in 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons. In all, he made 15(+1) appearances for Alty and scored three goals.

In the National South play-off, Oxford City comfortably despatched St Albans City 4-0, all the goals coming in the first half.

It will be The Hoops first ever season at National League level, though Alty did meet the Oxford side four times in 2012-14 when City were incongruously placed in the North division of the National League.

In 2012-13, Alty drew 2-2 at Oxford before winning 3-1 at Moss Lane. In 2013-14 a 2-2 draw in Oxford was followed by a 2-1 win for Alty in Oxford.

Oxford City remained in the North in 2014-15, after Alty had been promoted, and they finished a commendable sixth. However, they were then transferred to the South division, where they have remained until today. Since Alty last played them, Oxford have installed an artificial playing surface.

Oxford City and relegated Rochdale will be the only clubs making their debut in the top flight of non-League football in 2023-24 season.

Joining Kidderminster and Oxford City will be the champions of the North and South divisions, AFC Fylde and Ebbsfleet United

NATIONAL LEAGUE REGIONAL PLAY-OFFS

National League North Promotion Play-off Final

• Brackley Town (4th) 0-2 Kidderminster Harriers (6th)

National League South Promotion Play-off Final

• Oxford City (3rd) 4-0 St Albans City (6th)

ALTY OLD BOYS

Two goals from ASHLEY HEMMINGS were enough to seal Kidderminster Harriers' return to the National League at Brackley

JOEL SENIOR (right) returned to Carlisle United's starting line up in the first leg of their League 2 playoff semifinal at Valley Parade against Bradford City. He was substituted after 85 minutes as the hosts ground out a 1-0 advantage to take into the second leg.

From Illinois, the creator of the Altrincham FC Through the Years Files, Howard Watts, writes, "Imagine my surprise to see that my local team, AFC Ann Arbor, acquired former Alty youth player LUKE SOWERBY to play for them this Summer in USL2 (basically the fourth tier of US Soccer). He is over in the States going to college in Missouri and will be entering his senior year this Fall but will be spending the next 2-3 months here in Michigan.

Last night he made his debut and scored, as seen here."

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

He has signed a two-year contract with the Club.

McNulty had two interim spells in charge of the team during the 2022/23 season, including our final eight games of the campaign, which yielded a return of three wins and three draws.

The 38-year-old, who has represented the club for eight seasons as a player, says he is proud and honoured to become Head Coach"...

Rochdale have also "taken a look at his playing career in a Dale shirt.

The defender arrived at the Crown Oil Arena in the summer of 2015, on a free transfer from local rivals Bury.

He was signed by then manager Keith Hill, who he had worked with in the Championship at Barnsley... before being named as player-coach in the summer of 2021...

Having taken interim charge for three games early in the 2022/23 season, he was again asked to step up for our final eight games of the season".

Also relegated to the National League, in their case for a second spell, are Hartlepool United who announce that "15 players remain under contract or have had clauses in their contracts exercised for the 2023/24 season.

Discussions are ongoing with four players and six loan players will be returning to their parent clubs.

Six players will be leaving the club after their contracts expired at the end of the season. One of those leaving is Jamie Sterry. Having offered Jamie a new deal, the full-back has expressed a desire to explore other options...

Still under contract: Callum Cooke, Tom Crawford, Josh Umerah, Dan Dodds, David Ferguson, Oliver Finney, Jake Hastie, Alex Lacey, Euan Murray, Mikael Ndjoli, Brody Paterson, Joe Grey

Contract clauses exercised: Mo Sylla, Edon Pruti, Matthew Dolan

Ongoing discussions: Connor Jennings, Nicky Featherstone, Ben Killip, Pat Boyes

Released: Leon Clarke, Jamie Sterry, Peter Hartley, Mohammed Niang, Wes McDonald, Brendan Kiernan

Players returning to their parent club: Taylor Foran, Rollin Menayese, Jack Hamilton, Dan Kemp, Jakub Stolarczyk, Tayt Trusty".

UNITED TREAT FOR ALTY VOLUNTEERS

In a gesture that spoke volumes for the flourishing relationship the Robins have built up with our globally-renowned Trafford neighbours, Manchester United kindly opened their doors for Alty volunteers to take in the trophy-laden museum and be shown round the ground on a stadium tour before being treated to coffee and cakes in the company of Operations director Jim Liggett and Mike Gibson from Corporate Communications...

'We have a great relationship with Manchester United, one that has been built up over the last few years,' said Alty director Sam Mackenzie."

ALTY OLD BOYS

And in the National League promotion play-off, RYAN COLCLOUGH [right] was substituted after 70 minutes at Wembley, as his Chesterfield team twice conceded the lead to Notts County.

The Magpies went on to win the resulting penalty shootout, in which JEFF KING missed his kick, seeing it saved by substitute keeper Mair, who also saved Regan Linney's spot-kick when the Magpies faced Altrincham in March.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS

Saturday 13 May 2023:

National League Promotion Play-off Final

• Notts County (2nd) 2-2 Chesterfield (3rd) (Notts County won 4-3 on pens)

UPS AND DOWNS

Arriving in the National League for 2023-24 are two EFL clubs in Hartlepool United and Rochdale, whilst promoted from the North and South are AFC Fylde and Ebbsfleet United repectively, with two further places to be decided today in the regional finals as detailed above.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Spireites led 1-0 in normal time and 2-1 in extra-time, but Darren Oldaker and Jeff King both had penalties saved by substitute keeper Archie Mair, who was brought on specifically for the shootout at the end of the 120 minutes.

It was a thrilling game in front of a crowd of more than 38,000, and Town could not given any more, but it will be another season in the National League for them...

Andy Dallas gave the Blues the perfect start when he slotted in a penalty on six minutes after he was brought down by Sam Slocombe.

And it looked like being the winner until the 87th minute when John Bostock caught out Ross Fitzsimons at his near post with a free-kick.

Armando Dobra’s wonder goal put the Spireites ahead again three minutes into extra-time but Ruben Rodrigues equalised on 107 minutes.

" Ollie Banks, Laurence Maguire and Joe Quigley all scored their penalties, but Mair saved from Oldaker and King to send the Magpies to League Two...

But it will be a sixth season in the National League for Town".

Aldershot Town "confirm that Keane Anderson has extended his contract for a further season with the Club!

Keane signed professional terms last summer and spent the year away from the EBB Stadium on loan with Leatherhead and Kingstonian.

The midfielder was an unused substitute for the last game of the season against Altrincham...following a promising year of development!"

13 May 2023

ALTY'S GOALS EXODUS

The players in question who have been transferred are Ryan Colclough who moved to Southend after netting 7 league goals, Marcus Dinanga, who moved on to Gateshead, after hitting 5 goals and Toby Mullarkey, who now plays for Rochdale, who scored 3 times before his move to Spotland.

With the release of Zak Goodson and Egli Kaja, who each scored once, a total of 17 goals were scored last season by players who have now left the club.

So, when the loanees' contribution of 28 league goals is added, no fewer than 45 league goals were attributed to players in 2022-23 who will are no longer at the club, which equate to more than 66% of all of the goals scored by Altrincham in the National League last season.

Therefore, Regan Linney with 6 goals (inc. 3 pens) and Jordan Hulme, with 5 league goals, are the leading scorers of the 2022-23 league campaign who remain at the club for next season.

ALTY SEASON TICKETS

Season Tickets are now on sale, with an Early Bird discount through to the end of May. This is for existing season ticket holders renewing and also for those fans taking the step to acquiring a Season Ticket for the first time.

Being a Season Ticket holder brings a wide range of benefits.As well as guaranteed entry to all 23 of our National League home fixtures for next season, your ticket will also include entry to two planned pre-season friendlies at a significant discount to paying on the day.

In addition, other benefits include advance priority purchase of tickets for away fixtures, FA Cup and FA Trophy ties, a dedicated turnstile at the Golf Road end of the ground, 10% off all retail purchases and unique special offers for ticket holders throughout the forthcoming season.

We recognise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on you all, and we have sought to minimise the impact on our fans despite the significant extra costs the club has and will incur over 2023 and 2024.

In particular, you will be pleased to hear that Early Bird pricing for Adult and Concession Season Tickets has been held at the 22/23 pricing, with the Adult tickets costing £299 and the Concession £245 if purchased before the end of May.

Juniors (ages 12-18) will be £100 and Children (ages 5-11) will be £50 if purchased before the end of next month. Season Tickets will no longer be available for our young fans under the age of 5.

From June 1st 2023, Season Tickets will go on General Sale and pricing will be as follows:

• Adult | £320
• Concession | £265
• Junior | £120
• Child | £60

Individual matchday pricing for next season will be as follows:

• Adult | £20
• Concession | £15
• Junior | £9
• Child | £4
• Infant | £1

For full details please follow the above link...

ALTY OLD BOYS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS

Saturday 13 May 2023:

National League Promotion Play-off Final

• Notts County (2nd) v Chesterfield (3rd) (k.o. 3.30pm at Wembley)

Sunday 14 May 2023:

National League North Promotion Play-off Final

• Brackley Town (4th) v Kidderminster Harriers (6th) (k.o. 3.30pm)

National League South Promotion Play-off Final

• Oxford City (3rd) v St Albans City (6th) (k.o.12.30pm)

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Cash-strapped Southend United have been banned from adding to their squad since September due to money owed to HMRC.

Fans had feared the Shrimpers would be unable to start the 2023/24 season if the embargo was not lifted.

But the National League have now told Echosport that teams can kick off a campaign under an embargo as long as they have a licence".

That has not stopped the Torbay press speculating on a reprieve for Torquay United should the latest winding-up order lead to the Shrimpers' demise.

One figure not mentioned in the following list from Southend United is the club's debt to the HMRC as they "look at some of the best facts and figures from the campaign". These figures include..

• 2 – The amount of times Dan Mooney won MidexPRO Goal of the Month (amazingly both goals he scored 2022/23 won the award! [In 2021-22, for Altrincham, Dan Mooney netted 13 goals (12 in the league)]]...
• 5 – The number of players who made more than 40 appearances this season (Cav Miley, Ollie Kensdale, Shaun Hobson, Jack Bridge and Callum Powell)...
• 6 – Teams Blues did the double over this season (Wealdstone, York City, Maidenhead United, Yeovil Town, Scunthorpe United and Maidstone United)
• 9 – The amount of games we drew this season...
• 29 – The amount of players who made a Southend appearance in 2022/23...
• 45 – The amount of goals we conceded – only Boreham Wood, Notts County and Wrexham conceded fewer goals...
• 57 – The amount of goals we scored
• 8,434 – Our highest home attendance of the season (against Wealdstone)
• 9,770 – The highest crowd Blues played in front of this season (away at Wrexham)...
• 138,914 – This many supporters made their way through the Roots Hall turnstiles for National League fixtures

At Oldham Athletic "A busy summer of pitch renovation work at Boundary Park began on Monday.

An extensive programme is in place to install a new hybrid pitch for the start of the 2023/24 season... The work is the most wide-scale to have been completed on the pitch in over 25 years, with the new surface consisting of 97% natural grass and 3% plastic thanks to a grant from Oldham Council.

Working with contractors Chappelow Sports Turf, the first stage of the process has seen the vegetation removed from the pitch... 60mm has been removed in the first pass, significantly more than during a normal renovation.

A total of 8 inches will be removed and new drains installed, as well as a new system for irrigation. This phase is due to be completed within six weeks, after which seeds will be in the ground, followed by the period of growing.

Within a month of the grass germinating, the hybrid pitch will be stitched in time for the new season.

The installation of new dugouts at Boundary Park has also started, whilst work is already underway in renovating Chapel Road and Little Wembley as part of a wider pitch improvement programme".

Eastleigh "manager Lee Bradbury has confirmed his released and retained list.

The following players remain under contract with the club, or have signed new deals during the season:

• Joe McDonnell, Brennan Camp, Aaron Martin, George Langston, Corey Panter, Thomas Bragg, Brendan Willson, Charlie Carter, Seung woo-Yang, Ryan Hill, Nigel Atangana, Oscar Rutherford, Lyle Simpson

The following players have returned to their parent clubs following the conclusion of their loan deals:

• JJ McKiernan, Alfie Lloyd, Kairo Mitchell

The following players remain in contract talks with the club:

• Christian Maghoma, Vincent Harper, Danny Whitehall

The following players have been released following the expiry of their contracts:

• Michael Kelly, Jake Hesketh, Ousseynou Cissé, Gerry McDonagh, Jake Scrimshaw, Tristan Abrahams

Wealdstone have launched "our newest Kelme third strip for the 2023/24 National League season.

The black and white hooped design harks back to the club's colours in 1919, a kit recently remembered in our 2018/19 Remembrance Day game against Bath City.

A slightly more modern aesthetic to the design means history meets the future".

Dagenham & Redbrisge report that "Eleven players were already under contract for the 2023/24 season, and Myles Weston triggered an extension to extend his contract for another term. The club has also exercised its option to extend the contracts of two more.

However, three of those under contract are being made available for transfer.

The full list is as follows:

Under Contract: Inih Effiong, Josh Hare, Elliot Johnson, Elliot Justham, David Longe-King, Harry Phipps, Josh Strizovic, Nik Tavares, Myles Weston

Available for Transfer: Angelo Balanta, Omar Mussa, Manny Onariase

Exercised An Option: Aaron Blair, Sydney Ibie

Offered New Contracts: Sam Ling, Mo Sagaf, George Saunders

Released: Jay Bird, Ansu Janneh, Paul McCallum, Matt Robinson, Ryley Scott, Mauro Vilhete, Yoan Zouma...

Matt Robinson departs the Daggers after seven seasons at the club... The midfielder made 250 appearances scoring 22 goals and captained the club at the start of the 22/23 season. We wish Matt the very best for the future and thank him for his commitment and dedication...

Paul McCallum joined Dagenham in August 2020 and made 105 appearances, scoring 44 goals. Macca was the club's top scorer in the previous two seasons. Paul has been a terrific servant over his time at the club and we thank him for his efforts.

Mauro Vilhete has had a tough season this year with injuries as he sustained a severe hip injury, and later on suffered a grade three MCL rupture causing him to miss so much action".

12 May 2023

ALTY SEEK A C.E.O.

Back in May 2022, when it was announced that the club was going full-time, it was also announced that a new post of Chief Executive Officer was being created but no appointment was subsequently made.

The "job purpose" of the CEO role, which reports to the "Co-Chairman [sic] & Board of Directors", is defined in the advertisement as being to...

• Develop and implement, in conjunction with the Board and management, the vision and business plan for the business
• Provide leadership and direction for the organisation
• Determine and lead overall execution of strategy, including managing key staff and volunteers
• Establish and monitor milestones related to our financial and operating plans
• Build the presence of the AFC’s brand, experience and product set within the local business community and nationally
• Be responsible for implementing the culture for the entire organisation
• Be responsible for the day-to-day running of the football club

No timescale for applications or for an appointment is given in the announcement.

THE ALTY LOANEES' CONTRIBUTION

Nowhere was their contribution more beneficial in the Vanarama National League than in attack as, collectively, the loanees netted more than 41% of all of Altrincham's league goals, despite having comprised only around 25% of all of the starting elevens throughout the National League campaign.

In cup competitions their goalscoring was much more in step with their match starts, both being in the region of 27% of the respective totals of cup goals and cup starts.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The full team is: 1. Nathan Ashmore (Boreham Wood), 2. Jeff King (FC Halifax Town), 3. Ben Tozer (Wrexham), 4. Kyle Cameron (Notts County), 5. Adam Chicksen (Notts County), 6. Elliot Lee (Wrexham), 7. Matty Palmer (Notts County), 8. Ruben Rodrigues (Notts County), 9. Macaulay Langstaff (Notts County), 10. Paul Mullin (Wrexham), 11. Ryan Colclough (Chesterfield).

The player of the season is Macaulay Langstaff (Notts County) and the manager of the season has been named as Phil Parkinson of Wrexham.

At Southend United, "On the 14th of May the “X-Factor” of the football world comes to Roots Hall Stadium for its grand finale.

Over 1,000 young footballers from the U12 to U23 ages took part in the biggest football showcase event in Europe.

They have battled it out to reach the final stage where the best 130 boys will play in front of top scouts from the Premier League and Europe in a bid to be scouted and signed...

ScoutsConnect and Only Elite collaborated earlier this year to stage this event where grassroots and former academy players battled it out to make the final cut.

Only Elite recruits the best grassroots and former academy players and features them in Talent ID matches... ScoutsConnect is an online platform where unsigned footballers across the country can register to receive exclusive access to showcase events and scouting opportunities".

National League North play-off finalists Chester FC announce that "An initial eight individuals have today been issued with indefinite club bans from Chester FC following the crowd disorder that marred our National League North play-off semi-final with Brackley Town on May 7.

Cheshire Police has commenced its investigation, and the football club is continuing to work with the authorities to identify those responsible, with further bans and potential criminal prosecutions to follow.

The club bans prevent these individuals from entering the Deva Stadium and information will be shared with other clubs to stop them attending away fixtures.

We reiterate our apologies to Brackley Town... Following this incident, the club has been contacted by The FA and the Safety Advisory Group who have a range of sanctions available to them, including substantial fines and restrictions on supporters attending future fixtures.

For those with the best interests of Chester FC at heart, this has been a traumatic event and one that will take time for the club and those affected to recover from. We are angry that genuine fans have been left questioning their support for the club and parents having to reassure children that it is safe to watch their team".

The BBC reports that "Yeovil Town owner Scott Priestnall says he has agreed a deal to sell the relegated National League club.

Priestnall, who first took over in 2019, has been trying to sell the club for some time and has not revealed who the prospective new owner will be.

He had agreed a deal with the SU Glovers group, who claimed to have taken stewardship of the club in March.

But director Matt Uggla pulled out of the deal earlier this month following their relegation from the fifth tier...

Priestnall said in a statement on the club website [in which he said]... 'I am confident that the buyer has the best interests of the club at heart'...

Priestnall says more information will be released on Friday (today)".

STATISTICS OF THE RELEASED

2014 PLAY-OFF REUNION DINNER

Above: Altrincham celebrate their play-off win against Guiseley. L. to R. Shaun Densmore, Adam Griffin, Matt Doughty, Simon Richman, Mike Williams, Damian Reeves, Carl Rodgers, Russ Saunders, Luke Pickering (kitman) and Stuart Coburn.

This will be a fantastic night to reminisce about an unforgettable event in Altrincham FC’s recent history.

Tickets priced at £15 will be available online from April 1st through this link, or by calling 0161 9281045 option 2

Included in your ticket price will be:

• Hot buffet meal
• Q&A

Alty TV's & Radio Robins' very own Brian Flynn will MC the event. Get your tickets early as this is guaranteed to be a highly entertaining evening. They can be purchased here.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

13 players remain under contract for Michael Morton’s side, with five others currently under discussions with the club.

Four players contracts clauses have also been extended, and have all been extended by a further year.

Fraser Kerr, Luke James, Manny Duku, AJ Greaves and Nathan Thomas have all been informed that their time with the club has come to an end, although Greaves and Thomas have both been invited to return for pre-season.

The news means that Adam Crookes, Alex Hurst, Dan Pybus, Maziar Kouhyar, Mitch Hancox, Olly Dyson, Ryan Whitley, Sam Sanders, Scott Burgess, Alex Whittle, Maison Campbell, Ryan Fallowfield and captain Lenell John-Lewis will also remain with the club for next season...

After 16 matches in a York shirt, Luke James has left the club, struggling with injuries for a lot of the season and managing just one goal in that time. Another player departing is Duku, who often became second-string striker to John-Lewis and Shaq Forde....

After joining the club on a permanent deal following a loan spell at the back end of last season, Greaves’s time with the club looks to have come to an end. Greaves ended the campaign on loan at Spennymoor Town...

A hamstring injury saw Thomas absent from the squad for the majority of the season...

In other news, the club also confirmed that Forde, Danny Rowe, Mark Ellis, Ollie Tanner and Ethan Ross have all returned to their parent clubs.

Ellis has since been released by parent club Barrow and is available as a free agent".

ALTY RELEASE NINE

"The bulk of the squad that came within seconds of a Wembley appearance in the Isuzu FA Trophy and reached the final of the Cheshire Senior Cup will again be on duty next season...

Some have departed, having been thanked for helping make the transition to full-time status so seamless, while the club are also grateful for the contribution of the four loan players who were still with us at the end of the season but have returned to their parent clubs...

RETAINED: Ollie Byrne, Matt Gould, Eddy Jones, Liam Brockbank, Lewis Baines, James Jones, Jake Cooper, Josh Lundstram, Isaac Marriott, Elliot Osborne, Owen German, Matthew Kosylo, Regan Linney, Jordan Hulme.

Above: Five defenders were included in the fourteen players retained for next season. They were, left to right: Eddy Jones, Liam Brockbank, Lewis Baines, James Jones, Jake Cooper.

RELEASED: Ben Pringle, Harry Perritt, Zak Goodson, Brad Jackson, Egli Kaja, Ross Barrows, Joe Cooney, Harlan Rodgers-Morris, Eden Bailey.

Above: Four loanees were still at Altrincham when the season concluded. They were, left to right: Aaron Bennett, Luke Burgess, Myles Welch-Hayes, Kyle Ferguson.

LOAN PLAYERS RETURNING TO THEIR CLUBS: Aaron Bennett, Luke Burgess, Myles Welch-Hayes, Kyle Ferguson.

RETURNING PRE-SEASON: Ryan Forde, Ryan Morton, Amaar Hussain."

WHO'S GONE AND WHO HAS STAYED

• Retained list:

  14 players have been retained, four of whom (Gould, Brockbank, German and Kosylo) started five or few league games last season. The surprise name is that of former Academy captain Owen German who has yet to be named in a league squad and whose 1(+1) appearances have both been in the Cheshire Senior Cup.

• Released list:

  9 players have been released of whom, perhaps, the biggest surprises in this category are forward Zak Goodson and defenders Harry Perritt and Ross Barrows.

  Zak Goodson spent most of the season away on loan at Boston United, where a broken arm limited his appearances, and latterly at Spennymoor United, but a return when playing for Alty of three goals from three starts (and 5 appearances from the bench) as well as converting a shoot-out penalty in the CSC Cup Final suggested he was fulfilling the promise that the management had seen in him.

  Harry Perritt was named in every league matchday squad after signing from Accrington in March and had played the full 90 minutes of four of the last five games of the league season as well as 45 minutes in the fifth fixture, so his release came as a surprise.

  This was particularly so, when it is recalled that rival centre-back Jake Cooper was sent out on loan in March to Darlington and it seemed that he was the more likely of the two to depart, if either was to be released.

  Ross Barrows joined Alty in the summer from King's Lynn Town but injury delayed his debut till game 6 of the league season. He played ninety minutes in most of the next thirteen league games, all of which he started.

  He lost his place when he was bizarrely red-carded after the final whistle against Wealdstone and then broke his ankle in training following a team-mate's tackle. That ruled him out for the rest of the season

  

  

  Above, top row: Zak Goodson, Harry Perritt, Ben Pringle, Brad Jackson, Egli Kaja. Above: lower row: Ross Barrows, Joe Cooney, Harlan Rodgers-Morris, Eden Bailey.

  Perhaps less surprising were the departures of Brad Jackson and Egli Kaja whose seasons were blighted by injury. Jackson started only five league matches for Alty before going out on loan and Kaja started four, though they were used subs respectively eight and eleven times.

  Ben Pringle has spent two seasons at Altrincham but only started 21 games in all competitions, though he was a used sub on no fewer than 50 occasions. Approaching the age of 35 (in July) he was unlikely to start more games next season.

  The other three released players were all young players who had not made any league appearances.

  Defender Joe Cooney and midfielder Harlan Rodgers-Morris had both graduated from the Academy in 2022, whilst striker Eden Bailey had been signed after his release by Port Vale but spent his entire Altrincham career out on loan at Hanley Town and, latterly, Mossley. None of them appeared in a league match for Altrincham though Rodgers-Morris was an unused sub on one occasion.

• Invited to Return for Pre-Season:

  3 players have been invited back to make a claim for a contract for next season.

  They are three of the six Academy graduates who were assigned squad numbers last season. However, none of them had made a league appearance in 2022-23 season.

  The three in question are goalkeeper Ryan Forde who spent most of the season on loan at Alsager Town but was a named sub in the National League on three occasions, forward Ryan Morton who spent time at Trafford on loan, and forward Amaar Hussain who went on loan to Alsager but suffered an ACL injury which curtailed his season in December.

  The sixth Academy graduate who had been assigned a squad number does not appear in either the released or invited back category and may therefore have left the club. He is Jayden Matthew, who was on loan at Trafford during the season.

ALDERSHOT MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

"Contracted players: Ollie Harfield, Joe Partington, Tyler Cordner, Justin Amaluzor, Tyler Frost, Francis Amartey, Henry Ochieng, Ryan Glover, Tommy Willard, Jack Barham, Hady Ghandour.

Released: Kodi Lyons-Foster, Harrison Panayiotou, Marcel Elva-Fountaine, Ryan Hall, Jai Rowe, Michael Klass, Ben De Lacy-Turner, Lewis Horn-Haynes.

Returned to parent club: Luca Ashby-Hammond (Fulham), Tahvon Campbell (Rochdale), Jake Hutchinson (Colchester United), Haji Mnoga (Portsmouth).

A contract has been offered to Keane Anderson.

Discussions are currently ongoing with Myles Kenlock, Josh McQuoid, Corey Jordan, Oliver Pendlebury, Ben Shroll, Maxwell Mullins.

An option for an extension has been activated with Alex MacAllister".

FC Halifax Town has confirmed that "Elland-based energy, waste and IT management expert Core Facility Services will step down as principal sponsor of FC Halifax Town following the regular season coming to a close.

Core has been the name on every Shayman’s home shirt since 2019 and the partnership has resulted in the company being referred to as the Core of Halifax thanks to its long-running links with the Club. FC Halifax Town’s Commercial Director, John Williams said 'FCHT and Core have become great friends over the past four years and we’re really pleased to have their ongoing support and commitment as we take the club into the next season'".

The Trophy finalists Gateshead have announced that the referee for the Wembley final will be Premier League official Darren England.

His assistant will be Matt Jones and George Byrne, whilst the fourth official will be Scott Oldham.

Successful part-timers Wealdstone announce that the club "has officially opened a second academy site based at Brunel University. The Wealdstone FC Academy Brunel site will be run in partnership between Wealdstone FC, Football Fitness & First and Brunel University.

The Wealdstone FC academy offers football and education opportunities for 16 to 23-year-olds and the expanded academy at Brunel will initially offer places for up to 100 students with potentially more places available should the initial 100 places be filled.

Cameron Mawer Head of Player Development at Wealdstone FC said ... 'The facilities at Brunel are state of the art, it increases the range of educational courses we can offer and it gives us for the first time a base for those looking to continue in either football or education aged 19+.

'As a direct result of the expansion, we will be introducing an elite U23s team to help bridge the gap between the academy and the first team and to further improve our player development pathway we are also teaming up with a number of local teams playing further down the football pyramid to enable our academy players to play adult football at the appropriate level'...

The Wealdstone FC academy will now operate out of two fantastic sites at Harefield Academy and Brunel University and will mean that the club will now have places available for up to 170 Wealdstone scholars each year".

York City provides "a general update on some of the issues that we have noticed are on supporters’ minds.

We were overwhelmed by the record season ticket sales last season, and the outstanding home support... More specific communication on season tickets is due imminently...

The playing squad is naturally something that plays on the minds of the fanbase.

Mikey Morton and his staff have been hard at work, but there are still some conversations that need to take place. We are anticipating that a retained list will be ready to be published by the early stages of next week...

Rest assured that discussions with clubs on preseason friendlies are very advanced, but there are still some final details that need ironing out... A full preseason schedule will be published as soon as possible".

9 May 2023

RESERVES UP TO FOURTH

However, two teams below them have yet to complete their fixtures and would be able to overtake Altrincham.

• 29/04/23 14:00 Altrincham FC Res. 1-0 (HT 0-0) Garswood United
• 25/04/23 18:30 Broadheath Central 1 - 2 Altrincham FC Res.

ALTY'S SEASON: PART FOUR

PLAYERS USED IN ALL COMPETITIONS

2022-23

• 52 of whom 14 (Aljofree, J. Bailey, Billingsley, Cooney, Forde, German, Hussain, Jordan, McGeady, Matthew, Morton, Quitirna, Rodgers-Morris, Roxburgh [pictured right]) did not make a league appearance and nine of whom (Aljofree, J. Bailey, Billingsley, Cooney, German, Jordan, McGeady, Matthew, Morton) were not named in a league squad.

2021-22

• 46 of whom 3 (Higgins, Miller, Osigwe) did not make a league appearance and one of whom (Miller) was not named in a league squad.

2020-21

• 46 of whom 10 (Gavanagh, Graham, Hall, Howarth, Mercurius, Potter, Roache, Salmon, Taylor, Torrance [pictured, right]) did not make a league appearance and seven of whom (Gavanagh, Graham, Howarth, Mercurius, Potter, Taylor, Torrance) were not named in a league squad.

In 2019-20, which was a curtailed season of just 33 league matches plus the play-offs...

• 40 of whom 9 did not figure in a league squad (Liam Blackburn, Dontai Gabidon, Callum Graham, George Howarth, Billy Matthews, James Matthews, Raheem Mercurius, Jack Ryan, Dre Taylor)

In 2018-19:

• 44 of whom six did not figure in a league squad (Louie Barratt, Reece Coley, Matt Cook, Callum Jones, Pat Savage, Ross Woodcock)

DISCIPLINE: YELLOW AND RED CARDS

• Red: 3 in league
• Yellow: 59 in league, 9 in cups.

The following totals of red and yellow cards were issued in 2021-22:

• Red: 3 in league
• Yellow: 66 in league, 5 in cups.

The following totals of red and yellow cards were issued in 2020-21:

• Red: 3 in league.
• Yellow: 66 in league, 1 in cups.

In 2019-20 incl.play-offs:

• Red: 4, all in the league
• Yellow: 49 in league, 8 in cups.

In 2018-19:

• Red: 4 of which 3 in league (inc. 1 in play-offs) (Jordan Hulme away at Leamington, Andy White away at Telford, Josh Hancock away at Chorley in play-off). 1 red in cups: Jordan Hulme, home to Stockport County)
• Yellow: 61 in league, 6 in cups

RED CARDS

In 2022-23 individuals receiving red cards were:

• 2: James Jones
• 1: Ross Barrows (pictured right)

In 2021-22 individuals receiving red cards were:

• 1: Kevin Berkoe, Brad Jackson, Ben Pringle

In 2020-21 individuals receiving red cards were:

• 1: Connor Hampson, Tom Hannigan, Jake Moult

In 2019-20 individuals receiving red cards were:

• 1: Tom Hannigan, Max Harrop, Simon Richman, Sean Williams

• 2: Jordan Hulme
• 1: Andy White, Josh Hancock

YELLOW CARDS IN ALL COMPETITIONS

In 2022-23

• 8: Jordan Hulme in 31+10 appearances
• 6: James Jones in 46+1 appearances

In 2021-22

• 7 Ryan Colclough in 39+3 appearances
• 6 Toby Mullarkey in 42 appearances
• 5 Matty Kosylo in 31+5 appearances

In 2020-21:

• 12 Matty Kosylo [pictured, right] in 31+3 appearances
• 8 Jake Moult in 40+1
• 6 Tom Hannigan in 34
• 5 Tony Thompson in 44
• 4 Ryan Colclough in 23+5

In 2019-20:

• 8 Jordan Hulme in 43+2 appearances
• 5 Andy White in 31+1
• 4 Max Harrop in 9+17
• 4 James Jones in 34+2
• 4 Jake Moult in 34+1

2018-19

• 11 Max Harrop in 28+13 appearances
• 8 Jordan Hulme in 36+3
• 7 John Johnston in 44+2
• 6 Andy White in 37+3
• 5 Sean Williams in 30+7
• 5 Simon Richman in 20+20

LEAGUE ATTENDANCES

Above Sizable away followings helped to boost the increased home support even more, as seen here against Torquay United.

2022-23

• Highest home league attendnace: 4,865 v Wrexham
• Highest away league attendance: 10,107 v Wrexham
• Lowest home league attendance: 1,147 v Barnet
• Lowest away league attendance: 798 v Gateshead

2021-22

• Highest home league attendance: 3,900 v Stockport County
• Highest away league attendance: 10,022 v Wrexham
• Lowest home league attendance: 1,009 v King's Lynn Town
• Lowest away league attendance: 905 v King's Lynn Town

2020-21

Only four league matches in 2020-21 had spectators, one was at Dagenham where only the hosts' supporters, (numbering 773), were admitted and three were at the J. Davidson Stadium.

The largest gate at Moss Lane was 1,032 home-only supporters versus Torquay United on 29 May, 2021.

2019-20 League gates: the curtailed season saw the home and away highest gates and the lowest away away attendance all occurring in a one week spell in which were played the first three fixtures of the season!

HOME

• Highest: 1,879 v York City, 3 August 2019
• Lowest (excl. games behind closed doors): 614 v Blyth Spartans, 7 Jan 2020

AWAY

• Highest: 2,153 at Chester FC 6 August 2019
• Lowest (excl. games behind closed doors): 305 at Gloucester City, 10 August 2019

2018-19 League gates:

HOME

• Highest: 3,383 v Stockport County, 26 December 2018
• Lowest: 695 v Nuneaton Borough, 30 October 2018

AWAY

• Highest: 4,549 v Stockport County, 1 January 2019 and 3,446 v Chorley in play-off semi final, 5 May 2019
• Lowest: 454 at Bradford (PA), 15 September 2018

LEAGUE ATTENDANCE AVERAGES AND TOTALS

2022-23

• Home avge: 2,210
• Home total: 48,635
• Away avge: 3,066
• Away total: 67,443
• All games total: 116,078
• Overall avge: 2,638

2021-22

• Home avge: 2,119
• Home total: 46,621
• Away avge: 2,943
• Away total: 64,767
• All games total: 111,388
• Overall avge: 2,532

2020-21

• Home avge: 844 NB most games were behind closed doors due to Covid
• Away avge: 773 - only one game had spectators and they were home ans only

In 2019-20, of course, attendances were hit by the incompleted fixture list and games behind closed doors, but home gates stood up well despite several big games not being played.

• Home avge: 1139
• Away avge: 938

In 2018-19, excluding play-offs:

• Home avge: 1137
• Away avge: 1198

CUP ATTENDANCE TOTALS

2022-23

Altrincham played eleven cup ties in 2022-23 and reached the semi-finals of both the FA Trophy and the Cheshire senior Cup. However, they exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle, albeit after a replay.

• Home total: 10,417 over five ties. Highest 4,771 v FC Halifax Town (FA Trophy)
• Away avge: 6,149 over six ties. Highest 3,867 v York City (FA Trophy)

2021-22

Altrincham played only five cup ties, winning only once.

• Home total: 1,666 over two ties. Highest 1,390 v Gateshead (FA Cup)
• Away avge: 3,700 over three ties. Highest 1,386 v Southport (FA Cup)

ALTY OLD BOYS

League 2 : CARL PIERGIANNI was able to celebrate promotion as Stevenage clinched third spot, winning by the only goal at Barrow. ELLIOTT NEWBY was substituted in the 81st minute for the hosts.

Another not to last the whole match was Rochdale's TYRESE SINCLAIR who left the action in the 68th minute of the 1-1 draw at Harrogate. TOBY MULLARKEY was not involved, having been injured recently.

In Sutton United's 1-1 home draw with Carlisle United, ALISTAIR SMITH (left) played the full game for the hosts, but JOEL SENIOR stayed on the bench for the visitors.

Relegated Hartlepool United's CONNOR JENNINGS conceded a penalty at Edgeley Park which hosts Stockport County converted but the visitors emerged with a point.

Championship: After two DUNCAN WATMORE goals had contributed to Millwall's 3-1 half-time lead, they seemed to be on course for the playoffs, but, by the time he was substituted in the 73rd minute, visitors Blackburn Rovers had levelled, and they went on to win 3-4. Results elsewhere mean that both clubs will definitely remain in the Championship next season.

2014 PLAY-OFF REUNION DINNER

Above: Altrincham celebrate their 2014 play-off win against Guiseley. L. to R. Shaun Densmore, Adam Griffin, Matt Doughty, Simon Richman, Mike Williams, Damian Reeves, Carl Rodgers, Russ Saunders, Luke Pickering (kitman) and Stuart Coburn.

This will be a fantastic night to reminisce about an unforgettable event in Altrincham FC’s recent history.

Tickets priced at £15 will be available online from April 1st through this link, or by calling 0161 9281045 option 2

Included in your ticket price will be:

• Hot buffet meal
• Q&A

Alty TV's & Radio Robins' very own Brian Flynn will MC the event. Get your tickets early as this is guaranteed to be a highly entertaining evening. They can be purchased here. Friday, 12th May 2023, 7:30pm".

JAKE MOULT TESTIMONIAL HIGHLIGHTS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The victory came just a few days after Brackley had beaten Gloucester City on penalties in the eliminator and they will now host Kidderminster Harriers in the play-off final at St James Park next Sunday (3.30pm kick-off) after they beat King’s Lynn Town 4-1 in the other semi-final.

George Carline was the hero as his long-range effort 11 minutes from full-time proved to be enough...

The Saints are being guided by club captain Gareth Dean, who was placed in interim charge following the departure of previous boss Roger Johnson...

'I thought we were brilliant, genuinely brilliant from start to finish,' Dean told the club’s official YouTube channel... 'We’re not happy with just being here this time. We have a changing room full of belief and as the week went on my belief grew...

The BBC adds that "To add a final sour note for the hosts in front of a season's best, near capacity 4,479 crowd, a small section of home fans came on the pitch at the end and threw smoke canisters at the 200 visiting Brackley fans in the West Stand".

'On another day it could have been more comfortable... Kidderminster are in a great place... It’s two teams who are entering a play-off final in red hot form...

'I am so proud of them. The reason I decided to accept this responsibility is because I want to see them do well'...

Dean, meanwhile, addressed the troubling scenes at full-time when the 242 Brackley fans who made the trip to Chester were confronted by a number of home supporters who invaded the pitch...

'I haven’t seen anything like that in 15 years of football. It’s an absolute disgrace to have to walk children out of a stand because they are scared for their safety' Dean said... 'I just think it’s an absolute disgrace to have players not able to enjoy the moment with their fans'".

ONE NEW OPPONENT BUT WITH TWO OLD FACES

But playing for Rochdale next season, barring any summer transfers, will be two old faces. They are former Alty centre-back Toby Mullarkey (left) and this season's loanee from Spotland, winger Tyrese Sinclair (right).

Mullarkey surprisingly joined the already seemingly doomed Rochdale in January, with Sinclair moving the other way soon afterwards on loan.

The elimination of Sussex club Worthing on Sunday means that the semi-finalists in the regional feeder divisions are Brackley Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Oxford City and St Alban's City, all of whom have faced Altrincham in the past twenty years.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF RESULTS

Sunday 7 May 2023:

National League Promotion Play-off Semi-Finals

• Notts County (2nd, 107pts) 3-2 Boreham Wood (6th, 72 pts) after extra time
• Chesterfield (3rd, 84pts) 3-2 Bromley (7th, 71 pts) after extra time

National League North Promotion Play-off Semi-Finals

• Chester FC (3rd, 84pts) 0-1 Brackley Town (4th, 69pts) k.o. 3.30pm
• King's Lynn Town (2nd, 93 pts) 1-4 Kidderminster Harriers (6th, 69pts) k.o. 12.30pm

National League South Promotion Play-off Semi-Finals

• Dartford (2nd, 83pts) 1-1 St Albans City (6th, 75pts) St Albans won on 5-3 penalties
• Oxford City (3rd, 78pts) 2-0 Worthing (4th, 78pts) k.o. 3.30pm

ALTY OLD BOYS

In the National League playoff semifinal, RYAN COLCLOUGH and JEFF KING (who was booked) played the full game, including extra time, as their Chesterfield side beat 10 man Bromley 3-2.

In the Scottish Premiership, JOSH GINNELLY was substituted in the 82nd minute as Hearts were beaten 0-2 at Tynecastle by Celtic.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

In the first half of normal time, Femi Ilesanmi and Lee Ndlovu scored to send the visitors into the break two goals to the good.

Aden Baldwin gave us hope with a sweet strike from range shortly after the restart but, as the game entered the seventh minute of injury time, it looked like our season was over.

That was, until, substitute Jones saw his cross nodded home by Baldwin for his second of the match in front of a jubilant Kop.

Extra time was a cagey affair with both sides showing signs of fatigue. But Jones was able to summon the strength to fire a speculative effort beyond emergency loan signing Joe McDonnell to send the stadium into meltdown."

The Derbyshire Times confirmed that "Chesterfield beat 10-man Bromley 3-2 in an extra time thriller to book their place in the play-off final at Wembley against Notts County next Saturday.

Liam Mandeville struck the winner 13 minutes into the first-half of extra time in front of an ecstatic bumper crowd of almost 10,000.

Adam Marriott put the Ravens ahead during 11 minutes of added-on time in the first-half following a medical emergency on the Kop.

But an own goal from Ayodeji Elerewe just before the hour-mark made it 1-1 and then the same Bromley man was sent off for a bad challenge on Mandeville on 75 minutes.

That resulted in 10 minutes being added on and, during the 99th minute, Michael Cheek headed in from close-range. However, replays showed it should not have counted because Omar Sowunmi, who headed the ball into his path, was offside.

But 13 minutes into the first-half of extra time, Chesterfield’s Player of the Year, Mandeville, stepped up when his team needed him most, blasting into the far corner after great footwork inside the area".

News of the National North play-offs comes from Cheshire Live which records that "Chester FC boss Calum McIntyre says he is heartbroken his team’s promotion dream has ended with a play-off defeat to Brackley, but still hugely proud of the progress the club has made this season.

The Blues' hopes of promotion from the National League North were dashed by a 1-0 defeat to a Brackley side who go through to next weekend’s play-off final at home to Kidderminster. A cagey game was settled by George Carline’s 79th minute strike to disappoint the vast majority of a 4,479 crowd at the Deva Stadium.

Chester had finished third, 15 points above fourth placed above Brackley in the regular season having been transformed in McIntyre’s first year in charge. The former Runcorn Linnets boss and Chester academy manager took over a side last summer that had just finished 16th, but took then to 84 points including setting a new club record with just one away league defeat all season".

There was an away win in the other North play-off, too, as Kidderminster Harriers "stormed to their biggest win of the season with a storming 4-1 victory at King’s Lynn...

While giving full respect to a high-quality opposition in Lynn who finished second and on more than 90 points this season, there was a clear and decisive winner at The Walks on this semi-final day.

Harriers made it a sensational eight wins in a row in Norfolk and, in truth, the efforts of the home goalkeeper are to thank for the score line not being comfortably higher.

Alex Penny side-footed wide as early as the first minute... before Harriers were awarded a penalty after Dixon-Hodge wiped out [ex-Alty man] Hemmings in the area. Hemmings stepped up, but the custodian did excellently to beat away the effort from twelve yards.

Hemmings and Harriers were undeterred... Come 23 minutes, Harriers had the breakthrough. Leesley’s forward ball was latched on to by Hemmings who, it seemed, had been taken away from the target from a defender, only for an opportunistic shot to still find a way home after deflecting off the keeper.

King’s Lynn responded well and were back on level terms pretty much from the restart...

Harriers took charge ... and were in front again on 54 minutes... A minute past the hour, a Joe Leesley corner was met in the area by a wonderful header by skipper Shane Byrne to make it 3-1... Then, ten minutes later it was 4-1 and very much game over...

Lynn barely laid a glove on Harriers in the 20 that followed".

7 May 2023

ALTY'S SEASON: PART THREE

In short the last two years have been tumultuous as the team moved from part-time to a full-time model of operations.

Only Matt Gould, Ben Pringle, Matty Kosylo and Brad Jackson remained at the club at the end of 2022-23 season who had also been at the club at the start of 2021-22. And none of those four made more than five league starts for Altrincham in 2022-23.

Above: In front of keeper Matt Gould we see, left to right, defensive trio Harry Perritt, Kyle Ferguson and Lewis Baines, with Elliot Osborne and Jordan Hulme.

APPEARANCES IN ALL COMPETITIONS

2022-23

• 53 Josh LUNDSTRAM (46 league, 7 cup)
• 50 Eddy JONES (40 league, 9+1 cup)
• 47 James JONES (35+1 league, 11 cup)
• 47 Elliot OSBORNE (32+8 league, 5+3 cup)
• 44 Oliver BYRNE (37 league, 7 cup)
• 41 Jordan HULME (23+7 league, 8+3 cup)

2021-22

• 42 Toby MULLARKEY (39 league, 3 cup)
• 39 Tony THOMPSON (37 league, 2 cup)
• 39 Josh HANCOCK (23+11 league, 4+1 cup)
• 38 Dan MOONEY (33+3 league, 0+2 cup)
• 38 Ben PRINGLE (12+23 league, 2+1 cup)
• 37 Jake MOULT (26+6 league, 4+1 cup)
• 36 Matty KOSYLO (28+4 league, 3+1 cup)

2020-21

• 44 Tony THOMPSON (all starts, 42 league, 2 cup)
• 41 Joel SENIOR (39+1 league, 1 cup)
• 41 Jake MOULT (38+1 league, 2 cup)
• 38 Josh HANCOCK (33+3 league, 2 cup)
• 36 Yusifu CEESAY (24+9 league, 3 cup)
• 36 Tom PEERS (12+21 league, 3 cup)
• 34 Tom HANNIGAN (33 league, 1 cup)
• 34 Matty KOSYLO (29+3 league, 2 cup)

2019-20

As the regular season was not completed in 2019-20, the figures were necessarily lower than in previous seasons but the statistics below DO include the three play-off games.

• 45 Jordan HULME (all starts, 35+1 league, 8+1 cup)
• 40 Tom HANNIGAN (31 league, 9 cup)
• 39 Josh HANCOCK (29+1 league, 9 cup)
• 39 Anthony THOMPSON (30 league, 9 cup)
• 38 Jake MOULT (28+1 league, 9 cup)
• 37 Connor HAMPSON (23+7 league, 4+3 cup)
• 36 James JONES (27+2 league, 7 cup)
• 36 Tom PEERS (10+18 league, 6+2 cup)

2018-19

Stability was a key factor in 2018-19. 12 players made 37 or more starts:

• 49 Jake MOULT (all starts, 44 league, 5 cups)
• 46 John JOHNSTON (44+2, comprising 40+1 in league, 4+1 in cups)
• 46 Josh HANCOCK (39+7, comprising 36+5 in league, 3+2 in cups)
• 44 Tom HANNIGAN (all starts, 40 league, 4 cups)
• 44 James JONES (43+1, comprising 39+1 league, 4 in cups)
• 41 Connor HAMPSON (38+3, comprising 35+2 league, 3+1 in cups)
• 41 Max HARROP (28+13, comprising 25+12 league, 3+1 in cups)
• 40 Simon RICHMAN (20+20, comprising 16+20 league, 4 in cups)
• 39 Jordan HULME (36+3, comprising 31+3 league, 5 in cups)
• 37 Anthony THOMPSON (all starts, comprising 34 league, 3 in cups)
• 37 Andy WHITE (all starts, comprising 33 league, 4 in cups)
• 37 Sean WILLIAMS (30+7, comprising 26+7 league, 4 in cups)

PLAYERS USED IN LEAGUE

• Named in a league squad incl. play-offs: 42 players
• Loanees named in league squad: 16 (Bennett, Burgess, Cashman, Conn-Clarke, Ferguson, Gyasi, Hugill, Jennings, E. Jones, Malone, Mee, Newby, Oyedele, Quitirna, Sinclair, Welch-Hayes )
• Named in a squad but never got on pitch in league game: 5 (Forde, Hussain, Quitirna, Rodgers-Morris, Roxburgh)
• Used as a sub but did not start a league game: 3 (Burgess, Harrison, Sami)

In 2021-22

• Named in a league squad incl. play-offs: 46 players
• Loanees named in league squad: 10 (Campbell, Conn-Clarke, Cooper, Ferguson, E. Jones, Kirby, Peritt, Porter, Walker, Whitehead)
• Named in a squad but never got on pitch in league game: 3 (Butchart, Higgins, Osigwe)
• Used as a sub but did not start a league game: 2 (Campbell, Morton)

In 2020-21 heavy use was made of loan players...

• Named in a league squad incl. play-offs: 39 players
• Loanees named in league squad: 10 (Bell, Dales, Gibson, Holgate, Kirby, Ogle, Robbins Sass-Davies, Smith, Zouma)
• Named in a squad but never got on pitch in league game: 2 (Will Hall, Rowan Roache)
• Used as a sub but did not start a league game: 2 (Jamie McDonald 0+3, Curtis Miller 0+6)

In 2019-20:

• Named in a league squad incl. play-offs: 32 players
• Loanees named in league squad: 4 (who are included in total above; they were Yusifu Ceesay, Ashley Hemmings, Josh Lundstram, Ethan Walker)
• Never got on pitch in league game: 2 (Lewis Archer, Joel Torrance, James Hooper, Elliot Wynne)
• Used as a sub but did not start a league game: 2 (Curtis Miller, Ethan Walker)

In 2018-19

• Named in a league squad: 37 players
• Loanees named in league squad: 9 (who are included in total above; they were Yusifu Ceesay, Owen Dale, Brendon Daniels, Ashley Hemmings, Josh Langley, Joe Piggott, Chris Sang, Billy Sass-Davies, Nathan Waterston)
• Never got on pitch in league game: 3 (Ben Elliott, Josh Langley, Charlie Scott)
• Used as a sub but did not start a league game: 5 (Bay Downing, Dontai Gabidon, Callum Harris, Billy Sass-Davies, Nathan Waterston)

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Tom Whelan, Jack Clarke, Danny Rowe and Michael Gyasi have all been out at other clubs at different periods during the season but their loans have now expired...

Some fans have been wondering whether any of them could come back into the squad but unless anything drastic happens then that won’t be the case.

Coach Danny Webb said 'I think Jack Clarke’s contract is up this summer so that is a discussion for the manager and Jack. Danny Rowe, Tom Whelan and Michael Gyasi have got another year but for now they are not with us.

'I think we just felt that the group we have got is in a good place... The lads who have been out on loan know that they can get called upon at any time but the manager is a big believer in sticking with the players who have got us this far'".

Barnet have issued a "retained list for the First Team Squad.

Players Under Contract: Ben Wynter, Connor Smith, Courtney Senior, Daniele Collinge, Dominic Revan, Idris Kanu, Jerome Okimo, Laurie Walker, Marvin Armstrong, Michael Phillips, Moussa Diarra, Nicke Kabamba, Sam Beard

Option Exercised: Dale Gorman, Harry Pritchard, Ryan De Havilland, Sam Granville

Offered New Deal: Sam Woods

Released: Daniel Powell, Jamar Loza, James Callan, Kian Flanagan, Rob Hall

Loan Expired: Emmanuel Fernandez, David Moyo, Finley Potter, Harry Smith, Jordan Cropper

Barnet FC Manager, Dean Brennan commented 'This really is the hardest part of football; letting players go when we’ve all had such a great season and everyone has worked so hard'".

Wealdstone report that "Boris Johnson continued to pledge his support for Wealdstone FC, who are based within his Uxbridge and South Ruislip Constituency, as he met with representatives of both Wealdstone and Landlords KSIMC of London to try and resolve the future of the Club at their current home within Ruislip.

The club, football nomads for over 20 years after selling their Lower Mead Ground in Harrow in the early 1990s, have been based at the Grosvenor Vale Stadium in Ruislip for the last 15 years and have been in discussions with its landlords for some time about securing its long-term future at the site. However, after discussions had stalled, Mr Johnson offered to step in to try and find a way forward...

The real underdog story in the National League is at part time Wealdstone who against all the odds finished 13th in the league indeed having spent much of the season within the playoff places.

Darren Linden, Engagement and Community Director at Wealdstone FC said... 'Realistically if we’re going to continue to compete at this level and invest in the infrastructure that will allow us to progress into the EFL we need a long-term lease at Grosvenor Vale.

'Whilst our tenure at the Vale is secured for at least the next three years after a lease extension was signed in March this wasn’t the outcome we wanted as the short-term nature of the lease prevents us from accessing both football and other sporting grants and from significantly investing our own funds in improving the Grosvenor Vale site for the benefit of not just the football club but the entire community...

We thank Mr Johnson for his both his continuing interest and efforts to find a way forward'....

Boris Johnson added... 'I am proud to be supporting their exciting plans to develop the grounds to benefit the whole community'".

ALTY'S EXISTING PERSONNEL

Assuming that all of the 2022-23 loanees have departed for good, which may be a false assumption, the remaining squad comprises the following players who, as employees of the club, made at least one appearance in the National League in 2022-23 or who, in one case, spent the entire season away on loan. The length of existing contracts is not always clear so some of the following players may yet be announced as being out of contract and released.

• Oliver BYRNE - aged 25; after early registration issues delayed his debut, he was a regular starter in 2022-23, making 37 league appearances
• Matthew GOULD - aged 29, he spent part of season on loan at Chorley before returning to play when Byrne was injured. He made five league starts which comprised the first two games of the season and the last three fixtures.

• Lewis BAINES - aged 24, centre-back, after 33 league starts ended the season sidelined by injury
• Ross BARROWS - aged 25, left-back, missed the first five games of season with injury but then made 13 successive league starts before injury ended his season.
• Liam BROCKBANK - aged 22, a left-back who, after 3(+2) league appearances, from October 2022 was out on loan at Gloucester City for the rest of the season.
• Jake COOPER - aged 22, a central defender who, from February 2023, was on loan at Darlington. He made 11(+2) league appearances for Alty.
• Eddy JONES - aged 21, a left-back, who joined on a second loan spell in September 2022 before joining Altrincham in January 2023. 40 league starts in 2022-23.
• James JONES - aged 26, a central defender who was a regular starter but missed five games through two red cards. Made 35(+1) league appearances.
• Harry PERRITT - aged 22, a central defender/right-back who, after a previous loan spell, was signed in March 2023 and made 7(+2) league appearances

• Josh LUNDSTRAM - aged 24, he played every minute of every league game and captained the side when Hulme unavailable
• Isaac MARRIOTT - aged 23, he played all but one of the final 28 league games, once he had recovered from summer 2022 injury
• Elliot OSBORNE - aged 26, made 32(+8) league appearances
• Ben PRINGLE - aged 34, he made only 3 league starts but added a further 23 appearances from the bench.

Above, top: Eden Bailey, Zak Goodson, Jordan Hulme, Brad Jackson; lower row: Egli Kaja, Matty Kosylo, Regan Linney

• Eden BAILEY - aged 19, has spent his entire time since joining Altrincham out on loan at Hanley Town and then Mossley, after signing in November, 2022.
• Zak GOODSON - aged 23, the young striker spent most of the season on loan at Boston United, then Spennymoor United and also suffered an injury (broken arm). Made 1(+2) league appearances and scored once.
• Jordan HULME - aged 32, Alty's captain who made 23(+7) league appearances, scoring five times in the National League and is therefore the only remaining forward to have made more than 13 league starts last season.
• Brad JACKSON - aged 26, after 5(+8) appearances, injury meant that he spent most of the rest of the season on loan at Buxton -
• Egli KAJA - aged 25, the winger is believed to be on a short-term contract and missed many games through injury, making just 4(+11) appearances in the league
• Matty KOSYLO- aged 30, Matty was unable to play at all in 2022-23 owing to an ACL injury and operation
• Regan LINNEY - aged 26 on 12 May, Regan joined in February 2023 and scored six times in 13 (+5) appearances.

FOURTH FRIENDLY ANNOUNCED

The games announced so far are:

1. Sat.8.7.23 3pm A Lancaster City
2. Tue.18.7.23 7.45pm A Wythenshawe Town
3. Sat.22.7.23 2pm A NEC Nijmegen
4. Tue.25.7.23 7.45pm A Macclesfield FC

ALTY OLD BOYS

"In the Irish second tier, league leaders Galway ran out 2-1 winners at home against Waterford. For the visitors, BARRY BAGGLEY played the whole game and was booked, but CHRIS CONN-CLARKE was again left on the bench.

In Australia, Oakleigh Cannons retained third spot in the Victoria NPL with a convincing 5-0 home win over relegation threatened North Geelong. There was no involvement of special note from CONNOR HAMPSON".

ALTY SEASON TICKETS

Season Tickets are now on sale, with an Early Bird discount through to the end of May. This is for existing season ticket holders renewing and also for those fans taking the step to acquiring a Season Ticket for the first time.

Being a Season Ticket holder brings a wide range of benefits.As well as guaranteed entry to all 23 of our National League home fixtures for next season, your ticket will also include entry to two planned pre-season friendlies at a significant discount to paying on the day.

In addition, other benefits include advance priority purchase of tickets for away fixtures, FA Cup and FA Trophy ties, a dedicated turnstile at the Golf Road end of the ground, 10% off all retail purchases and unique special offers for ticket holders throughout the forthcoming season.

We recognise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on you all, and we have sought to minimise the impact on our fans despite the significant extra costs the club has and will incur over 2023 and 2024.

In particular, you will be pleased to hear that Early Bird pricing for Adult and Concession Season Tickets has been held at the 22/23 pricing, with the Adult tickets costing £299 and the Concession £245 if purchased before the end of May.

Juniors (ages 12-18) will be £100 and Children (ages 5-11) will be £50 if purchased before the end of next month. Season Tickets will no longer be available for our young fans under the age of 5.

From June 1st 2023, Season Tickets will go on General Sale and pricing will be as follows:

• Adult | £320
• Concession | £265
• Junior | £120
• Child | £60

Individual matchday pricing for next season will be as follows:

• Adult | £20
• Concession | £15
• Junior | £9
• Child | £4
• Infant | £1

For full details please follow the above link...

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Bridge, who bagged 13 goals for Blues last season, will soon be out of contract... and cannot be offered a new deal until the club come out of a transfer embargo...

Maher said... 'All I can speak about is how much we think of Jack and the other players who are out of contract'.

Blues rejected an offer from Notts County for Bridge back in February...

'Shaun Hobson’s been unbelievable too and Nathan Ralph is captain to name just a few,' said Maher. 'We want to keep the ones we’ve got in the building because they’re our players and we know how they work... We want to add to that, not loads but gradually', said Maher".

From the BBC comes news that "Boss Luke Williams says Notts County's record-breaking campaign is no reason to make them favourites for promotion in the National League play-offs.

Notts host Boreham Wood in Sunday's semi-final... The Magpies finished 35 points clear of Boreham Wood in the table...

Williams told BBC Radio Nottingham. 'It's a different competition, so I'm not sure how we are equated as favourites, that one is strange'...

The gap between second-placed Notts and Boreham Wood in sixth ended up being bigger than the distance between Sunday's rivals and the relegation places.

Still, Williams insists all that happened in the 46 games before Sunday... will count for little now that it is a knock-out competition. 'The mentality around this tournament now and the one that just finished are very different', Williams said."

5 May 2023

ALTY'S SEASON: PART TWO

LEAGUE POINTS ACCRUED

• Games 1-23: 29 points
• Games 24-46: 27 points

2021-22 witnessed Altrincham garner more points in the second half of the season than the first, the first time that had happened since 2018-19.

• Games 1-22: 26 points
• Games 23-44: 29 points

In 2020-21 Altrincham performed far better in the first half of the season than in the second half.

• Games 1-21: 30 points
• Games 22-42: 17 points

In 2019-20 (season not completed):

• Games 1-21: 33 points
• Games 22-33: 24 points

In 2018-19:

• Games 1-21: 35 points
• Games 22-42: 36 points

Above: Jordan Hulme was Alty's captain through the 2022-23 season

LEAGUE HAT-TRICKS

The last hat-trick in the league came in 2018-19 from Joe Piggott at Curzon Ashton.

BIGGEST WINS IN LEAGUE

• 4-1 at home to Dorking Wanderers and Solihull Moors

In 2021-22:

• 5-0 at home to Weymouth

In 2020-21:

• 3-0 at home to King's Lynn Town

In 2019-20:

• 5-0 at home to Leamington
• 5-1 at home to Hereford FC

• 7-0 at Alfreton Town
• 6-0 at Curzon Ashton
• 4-0 at home to Nuneaton Borough and at home to Chester FC

HEAVIEST LOSSES IN LEAGUE

In 2022-23

• 1-5 away to Solihull Moors
• 0-4 away to Wrexham and Wealdstone

In 2021-22

• 0-5 away to Solihull Moors
• 1-5 away to Stockport County

In 2020-21

• 0-4 at home to Sutton United

In 2019-20:

• 0-5 at Boston United
• 1-3 at home to York City
• 0-2 at Kidderminster, Bradford, Gateshead

• 1-4 at Chorley
• 0-3 at Leamington

DRAWS IN LEAGUE

Right: Eddy Jones proved to be a dependable left back who converted from a Stoke City loanee to an Altrincham employee during 2022-23

2021-22 brought ten league draws, with just one being goalless (away at Maidenhead United). The highest scoring draws were 2-2 at Chesterfield, at Aldershot Town and at home to Woking.

• Goalless draws in league: 1

In 2020-21, for the first time in three seasons, Altrincham played a goalless draw in the league; in fact they played two, one in the opening match versus Weymouth and the other in the final fixture against Torquay United. Both were games at Moss Lane.

• Goalless draws in league: 2

As for other scoring draws in 2020-21: 9 in league (4 home, 5 away). Seven of the draws were 1-1, the other two were 2-2.

In 2019-20, the record was identical but from nine fewer fixtures...

• Scoring draws: 9 in league (4 home, 5 away). Seven of the draws were 1-1, the other two were 2-2.

In 2018-19 Altrincham had eleven draws in the league proper plus two more in play-offs which were settled by penalty shoot-outs. Until the end of the season Alty had never drawn two successive league matches under Phil Parkinson but they finished the campaign with a run of four draws if the play-offs are included!

• Goalless draws in league: 0
• Other league draws: 11 in league (6 home, 5 away), 2 more in play-offs

BIGGEST WINS IN CUPS

2022-23 was a much better year for cup-tie results with five rounds played in the FA Trophy as well as the Cheshire Senior Cup, albeit one CSC round was a walkover. Only two FA Cup ties were played, however.

The biggest cup wins were two 4-0 successes in the Cheshire Senior Cup against Sandbach United and Runcorn Linnets.

The three cup defeats were all after ties which had finished level after ninety minutes. In the FA Cup that led to a replay defeat at Gateshead, whilst both the FA Trophy and the CSC exits were the result of penalty shootouts after ninety minutes.

s In 2021-22 the only cup win was 3-2 at Southport in the FA Cup.

In 2020-21 the biggest cup win was 3-0 v Barnton in the Cheshire Senior Cup.

In 2019-20 the biggest cup wins were 2-0 at Halesowen and 3-1 at Southport, both in the FA Cup.

In 2018-19:

• 5-0 at home to Whitley Bay (FA Cup)
• 4-0 at home to Bradford (PA) in FA Trophy

HIGHEST AGGREGATES IN LEAGUE GAMES

Right: Regan Linney provided a much needed strengthening of Alty's attacking options in the latter part of the 2022-23 season.

In 2022-23 Alty were involved in no fewer than ten league games in which five or more goals were netted. Eight of those games were away from home:

• 8: Torquay United 4 Altrincham 4
• 6: Barnet 4 Altrincham 2
• 6: Solihull Moors 5 Altrincham 1
• 5: Altrincham 4 Dorking Wanderers 1
• 5: Dagenham & Redbridge 4 Altrincham 1
• 5: Maidstone United 3 Altrincham 2
• 5: Maidenhead United 3 Altrincham 2
• 5: Altrincham 4 Solihull Moors 1
• 5: Eastleigh 3 Altrincham 2
• 5: Dorking Wanderers 3 Solihull Moors 2

In 2021-22 Alty were involved in eight league games in which five or more goals were netted:

• 6: Stockport County 5 Altrincham 1
• 6: Altrincham 4 Wealdstone 2
• 5: Altrincham 3 Dover Athletic 2
• 5: Altrincham 4 King's Lynn Town 1
• 5: Dagenham & Redbridge 2 Altrincham 3
• 5: Altrincham 1 Stockport County 4
• 5: Solihull Moors 5 Altrincham 0
• 5: Altrincham 5 Weymouth 0

In 2020-21:

• 7: Altrincham 4 Yeovil Town 3
• 5: Altrincham 3 Chesterfield 2
• 5: FC Halifax Town 3 Altrincham 2
• 5: Altrincham 2 Boreham Wood 3
• 5: Altrincham 2 Barnet 3

In 2019-20:

• 7: Altrincham 5 AFC Telford United 2
• 5: Boston United 5 Altrincham 0
• 5: Altrincham 5 Hereford FC 0
• 5: Spennymoor Town 3 Altrincham 2
• 5: Altrincham 4 Spennymoor Town 1
• 5: Altrincham 3 Chester FC 2 in play-off eliminator

In 2018-19:

• 8: Spennymoor 4 Altrincham 4
• 8: Altrincham 5 Chorley 3
• 7: Alfreton Town 0 Altrincham 7
• 6: Curzon Ashton 0 Altrincham 6
• 6: Altrincham 3 Darlington 3

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

'I am happy with the result but we have not won anything yet,' Woodman said. 'We have not come this far to only come this far. I am not going to accept that this is enough. I don’t want to get caught up in over celebrating because we have won nothing yet. We are just through to the next stage, it is cup football, and we have just got to go again against a massive club and a massive team.

'The goal is still the goal and it is a massive game on Sunday'...

Chesterfield beat Bromley 3-2 at home in October but lost 2-0 away less than two weeks ago.

Woodman continued... 'Paul Cook is a great manager and he has got a fantastic team, let's be honest... We showed what we are about. We don’t let our heads drop ever and that is brilliant. You can’t buy that'".

The BBC unsurprisingly reports that "Southend United have again been served a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs.

The financially-troubled National League club had settled a £1.4m debt owed to the tax department two months before the latest petition was filed. The club is now due to appear in the High Court on 17 May.

Southend, whose season ended with backroom staff going unpaid for the past two months, were put up for sale on 17 March...

Earlier in the week Southend head coach Kevin Maher said he needed clarity about the club's future before he could look to improve his squad".

The Southend Echo added that "United boss Kevin Maher was taken by surprise following the club’s latest winding up petition from HMRC...

'It’s come as a surprise to be honest,' Maher told Echosport... 'I want to focus on football as much as I can but when you hear things like this it puts us in a position that needs to be addressed...

'There were so many obstacles we had to deal with,' said Maher. 'Other teams were strengthening and evolving as the season progressed and we lost players. If we still had them in the building I feel like we would’ve comfortably have made the play-offs'".

But then, it can be argued that if the club had not recruited players that it could not afford, they would not have made the play-offs in any case.

Eastleigh<>/A> "confirm that we have received ratification from all the relevant authorities to enable SJD Leisure Limited to complete its takeover of the club.

The deal will see Stewart Donald purchase 85% of the shares, resulting in him owning a controlling stake in the club.

Stewart will become Chairman of Eastleigh Football Club and current Chairman, Tom Coffey, assuming the role of Vice-Chairman...

Stewart Donald said , 'I’m delighted to return to Eastleigh. It is no secret that I have a huge amount of affection for the club, the area, and the fans after my last time here'...

Tom Coffey said... 'Just like last time, Stewart’s impact for the football club will be hugely beneficial'">

Relegated Scunthorpe United announce that "There's a busy summer ahead, with the hard work behind-the-scenes already well underway as we look to reshape and strengthen our squad with the right players who can get us competing for an instant return to the National League...

We're pleased to announce re-engagement/contract offers to eight players under the age of 23 who have come through our academy... Experienced midfielder Dean Rance, who joined us in March after leaving Dagenham & Redbridge, has also been offered a new contract.

Players under contract: Aaron Chapman, Owen Foster, Reagan Ogle, Andrew Boyce, Alfie Beestin, Harry Lewis, Jacob Butterfield, Dion Sembie-Ferris, Danny Elliott, Marcus Carver.

Contract offers made to: Tom Pugh, Cameron Wilson, Dean Rance.

Options have been exercised on the contracts of: Finley Shrimpton, Ethan Young...

16 players will be departing us this summer... Players leaving the club upon the expiry of their contracts: Ben Richards-Everton, Colin Daniel, Daniel Gallimore, Elliott Whitehouse, George Taft, Jack Moore-Billam, Jordan Hallam, Liam Feeney, Mason O'Malley, Sean Shields.

Players returning to their parent club following the expiry of their loan stays: Tom Billson, Jake Leake, Will Smith, Billy Fewster, Liam Thompson, Richie Bennett.

We anticipate that some players under contract may also be leaving the football club this summer".

LUNDSTRAM APPRECIATIVE OF AWARDS

Lundstram (right) stole the show when individual gongs were dished out at a celebration dinner in the Community Sports Hall at The J.Davidson Stadium on Sunday evening...[He] was rewarded by being named player-of-the-year in all three categories...

Lundstram said 'I’m pleased and proud to have played every minute in the league. I was determined to do it, even early in the season, if I felt a niggle, I thought I’ve got to get through it and keep the run going. I’ve got to thank the rest of the lads as well...

'Since coming back here after that initial loan spell I had with Alty, I’ve grown to love this club. I appreciate everything it has done for me, and I can’t wait to see how far we can go next season.'”

2014 PLAY-OFF REUNION DINNER

Above: Altrincham celebrate their 2014 play-off win against Guiseley. L. to R. Shaun Densmore, Adam Griffin, Matt Doughty, Simon Richman, Mike Williams, Damian Reeves, Carl Rodgers, Russ Saunders, Luke Pickering (kitman) and Stuart Coburn.

This will be a fantastic night to reminisce about an unforgettable event in Altrincham FC’s recent history.

Tickets priced at £15 will be available online from April 1st through this link, or by calling 0161 9281045 option 2

Included in your ticket price will be:

• Hot buffet meal
• Q&A

Alty TV's & Radio Robins' very own Brian Flynn will MC the event. Get your tickets early as this is guaranteed to be a highly entertaining evening. They can be purchased here. Friday, 12th May 2023, 7:30pm".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS

The second National League promotion play-off eliminator ended like the first with an away win. In this case, Bromley, who had finished the season eleven points adrift of Woking, nevertheless emerged victorious at Kingfield and now face Chesterfield in Derbyshire in the semi-final of the play-offs.

Wednesday 3 May

National League Promotion Play-off Quarter-Finals (Eliminators)

• Woking 1-2 Bromley (winners away at Chesterfield)

National League North Play-off Quarter-Finals

• Brackley Town 2-2 Gloucester City (penalty shootout won by Brackley 5-3)

National League North Play-off Quarter-Finals

• Worthing 2-1 Braintree Town

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

'To stay full-time was never in question, and that helps significantly to keep as many of the players as possible from the current team, that finished the season so strongly.

'Player’s contracts finish on May 6th 2023 in the National League, but Aaron Jarvis and Shaun Donnellan are still in contract for another season. Our captain, Asa Hall, and vice-captain, Dean Moxey, have both agreed to a new contract. Tom Lapslie and Mark Halstead have also been offered new contracts, as well as Rhys Lovett and Jack Stobbs.

'Brett McGavin, Ross Marshall, Dylan Crowe and Ryan Hanson are still in contract. Players released, that have not been offered new contracts are as follows: Ben Wyatt, Jacob Mensah, Olaf Koszela, Ali Omar, Jack Winsor, Lewis Brooks, and Alex Moyse... Discussions regarding the futures of two other players, Ollie Tomlinson and Dan Martin, remain ongoing, following Tomlinson’s successful spell on loan at Chippenham Town, whilst Martin continues his rehabilitation from injury and illness...

'There are several players that we have targeted, that we are now in negotiations with, and I’m very excited by the quality and the interest in our Club from players and agents alike@">

From another seasisde resport, Southend United admit that "It’s been a season of ups and downs...

On average, more than 6,000 fans made their way through the Roots Hall turnstiles for league fixtures. That’s more than double the figure that 17 National League teams achieved. Only Wrexham, Notts County, Chesterfield and Oldham attracted more home supporters than us.

However, the most impressive aspect of our support this season was your incredible backing away from home. Averaging around 600 travelling fans across the 23 away league games, the players have said time and time again how much it has meant to them.

1,446 Blues made the trip to Barnet on a Tuesday night in November... The figure went into four digits on one other occasion...

Long midweek trips were something of a feature of the season, but... we took 588 fans to Notts County on a Tuesday night in February, with 360 making the trip to Oldham last month. Other fantastic away followings came at Gateshead (a remarkable 712 travelled all the way to Tyneside), York (672 cheered us on to an efficient 2-0 win) and Wrexham (726 travelled to see us battle with the eventual champions).

Our joint-lowest away numbers came at Halifax and Yeovil – 246 of you went to each game, still amazing numbers given the distances and costs involved.

At home, our total attendance figure reached just under 140,000, an average of 6,040. The highest crowd was 8,434 on the final day against Wealdstone, with every home league game attracting more than 5,000 fans. We also broke the 7,000 barrier against Barnet and Dagenham & Redbridge".

3 May 2023

BENEFITTING FROM REPRIEVES

Barnet lost thier eliminator on Tuesday, despite having home advantage over Boreham Wood. And tonight Woking face Bromley at Kingfield.

As recently as 2018, Woking were relegated from the top-flight of the National League, regaining their status in the truncated Covid-affected season of 2019-20, the same season that Altrincham returned as well.

In the next full-season 2020-21 they finished second-bottom of the 22 clubs who completed that campaign but escaped relegation in the aftermath of the Covid epidemic. Barnet, their fellow play-off qualifiers this season, likewise should have been relegated that season.

In advance of tonight's play-off eliminator, Dan Evans writes in the Sports Gazette that "The season began with the club experiencing a takeover of its own. American investors Drew Volpe and John Katz came in, allowing the club to go full-time for the first time in its history, yet the expensive signings seen at Wrexham and previously successful National League sides like Stockport County and Salford City were not forthcoming.

An inconsistent start on the pitch gave way to a nine-game run without a win in the New Year. Manager Alan Dowson departed in February after four years in charge, and then claimed he had been let go during a ’20-second phone call’ on his way out alongside Sky Sports commentator and assistant coach Martin Tyler.

Darren Sarll was poached from Yeovil, lost two of his first three matches as boss, won two of the next three, and ultimately steered the team to a 15th place league finish...

Woking have not truly threatened to reach the Football League for more than two decades now. Sarll’s first summer in charge saw 12 players depart and nine come in, all on free transfers other than current top scorer Rhys Browne...

'Football is a simple game,' Sarll explained... 'It’s complicated by fairytale notions of styles and things like that. It’s about clean sheets, making sure you are very defensively strong and taking chances... we are pragmatic as a football club about how we have to try and earn points. We’ve had to scrap and scrape every barrel every week to get points'".

JAKE'S FAREWELL

Altrincham FC published an inteview with the former Altrincham captain "in a column he penned specially for the souvenir programme...

'I feel proud, honoured and even a little bit emotional to be able to say, for one last time, welcome everyone to The J.Davidson Stadium for this afternoon's game.

I've lost count of the number of times I must have written that greeting in the Robins Review match programme during the years I was privileged to be captain of this fantastic football club.

It's a bit different on this occasion, of course... This afternoon is all about renewing acquaintances and saying thanks to everyone for all the memories my Altrincham career provided me with...

'Honestly, I've missed the club no end over the past 12 months... I've missed so much about Altrincham. I've missed being out on the pitch, I've missed people around the pitch on the sidelines, people I used to enjoy spending time with, I've missed the way the club is run and the people who run it, I've missed the style of football we played and I've missed the fans...

'My wife Rebecca will no doubt have a chuckle at that. She describes me as a robot, and, to be fair, I do generally tend to be level-headed and try not to be too up or too down... I don't show loads of emotion... but there's just something about Altrincham that manages to find a way through that self-control and put me to the test...

There were plenty of ups and downs over the 10 years, but I'll always be proud of what we achieved together. When I joined the club, we were in the Conference North, with a fan base of around 600-700. When I left, we were averaging gates of 2,000, and I'd like to think I played a decent part in that...

I truly believe Phil Parkinson has the best interests of the club at heart and is someone who really feels Altrincham FC, which is important...

I'd like to finish with a few thanks. To my wife Rebecca for putting up with so much over the years... and our two boys Archie and Jude, who have grown up with the club and also always look out for Alty's results.

To Grahame Rowley, whose support for me was unswerving, even in the dark days of a second successive relegation when he awarded me a new contract. I'll never forget that, Grahame, and I hope I repaid the faith you showed in me.

To Parky and Sorvs, who took over with relegation to the NPL already confirmed and could easily have not fancied keeping me on but who realised the passion I had for the club and how much I wanted to help take us back to where we should be. What we achieved was unbelievable, and I had five years of playing virtually every game, much of it as captain. I couldn't be more grateful.

To my old team-mates and all the other players who have kindly agreed to turn out... And, last but not least, all the Alty fans, each and every one of you, for getting behind the team week-in, week-out and making Altrincham the club it is'".

PLAYER OF SEASON VOTING

The 2022-23 season's awards, as reported over the weekend were the result of the following statistics, as published by Altrincham FC were as follows:

• Supporters' Player of the Season: Josh Lundstram (540 votes) [pictured, right], Isaac Marriott (495), Lewis Baines (394)
• Supporters' Young Player of the Season: Chris Conn-Clarke (627), Maxi Oyedele (577), Eddy Jones (540)
• Goal of the Season: Chris Conn-Clarke v FC Halifax Town, December 26th (158), Maxi Oyedele v Oldham Athletic, April 7th (95), Aaron Bennett v Runcorn Linnets, April 4th (90)
• Team of the Season: (based on votes cast) Ollie Byrne, Miles Welch-Hayes, Lewis Baines, Eddy Jones (loanee who joined the club), Josh Lundstram, Isaac Marriott, Maxi Oyedele (loanee), Jordan Hulme, Chris Conn-Clarke (loanee), Tyrese Sinclair (loanee), Regan Linney.

PLAY-OFFS

National League Promotion Play-off Quarter-Finals (Eliminators)

• Tuesday 2 May: Barnet 1-2 Boreham Wood - winners away at Notts County
• Wednesday 3 May: Woking v Bromley

National League North Play-off Quarter-Finals

• Tuesday 2 May: Alfreton Town 0-1 Kidderminster Harriers
• Wednesday 3 May: Brackley Town v Gloucester City

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Boreham Wood say that "Lee Ndlovu’s first-half brace was enough to secure the victory over rivals Barnet in the play-off eliminator, overcoming their noisy neighbours despite Harry Pritchard’s powerful strike after the break giving the Wood a scare in a feisty contest at The Hive.

Ndlovu opened the scoring against the run of play when a wonderful long ball from Chris Bush fell to the Wood top scorer... and he doubled both his tally and his side’s lead on the stroke of half time when he fired home at the second attempt after his initial effort had bounced off the post...

The visitors’ two-goal cushion wouldn’t last for long though as Pritchard fired home from the edge of the box shortly after the restart, but despite a barrage of pressure throughout the second half, the Wood held out to clinch the win and set up a trip to Meadow Lane with a big leap towards their goal.

Victory over the Bees sees the Wood progress to the play-off semi-final, with a big test set to take place on Sunday May 7th in the form of a trip to Notts County.

Luke Garrard made three changes to the side which beat Yeovil Town last time out, looking to add experienced heads for a crucial play-off eliminator in the form of Will Evans and Dion Kelly-Evans, along with the anticipated return of George Broadbent from injury

Seven minutes of added time unsurprisingly brought wave after wave of attack from Barnet, whose Football League hopes were on the line".

Oldham Athletic report that they "can confirm the retained player list for the First Team.

In Contract: Luke Burgess (an Alty loanee this season), Benny Couto, Mike Fondop, Dan Gardner, Liam Hogan, Hallam Hope, Mark Kitching, Jayson Leutwiler, Harrison McGahey, Magnus Norman, Joe Nuttall, Alex Reid, John Rooney, Mark Shelton, Nathan Sheron, Will Sutton, Ben Tollitt, Jordan Windass.

Released: Jordan Clarke, Vani Da Silva, Zaine Francis-Angol, Joe Edwards, Oliver Kilner, Lois Maynard, Chris Porter, Jack Stobbs, Trey Turner...

Negotiations are ongoing with Devarn Green, Matt Hudson, Junior Luamba and Joe Yarney".

ITV reports that "A potential takeover of Yeovil Town Football Club has collapsed amid ongoing financial uncertainty around the club.

Matt Uggla, the leader of the SU Glovers consortium who announced their intention to buy the team earlier this year, said that the deal was 'not meant to be'...

He said... ' We really tried our best to get this deal done but it wasn’t to be'...

It comes just days after the club confirmed that all staff and players had not been paid, a situation that has since been resolved...

Their relegation meant that the club would be sixth tier football for the first time since the 1990s...

Mr Uggla announced in March that the group had taken over 'stewardship' of the club... He then said that he expected the takeover to be completed within 48 hours".

Gloverscast comments that "The 29-year-old (Matt Uggla) said that... he would not be acquiring the 72% stake held by club chairman Scott Priestnall...

It came less than an hour after the club had confirmed that players had been paid their April wages four days late and brings to an end a long-running saga over whether the son of multi-millionaire, Lance, and his mother, Julie-Anne, would complete the deal.

The question is now, what happens next? The club’s manager Mark Cooper‘s falling out with the former owner-in-waiting spilled out in to the open with public statements on both sides as the club careered towards relegation out of the National League".

---

2 May 2023

ALDERSHOT POST-MATCH INTERVIEW

Brian Flynn spoke to Phil Parkinson (right) after the draw at Aldershot Town last Saturday. The audio interview can be heard via Alty TV.

ALTY'S SEASON: PART ONE

In a season of upheaval when Altrincham became a full-time club and had to deal with the loss to other clubs of important players (Mooney, Colclough and Mullarkey), as well as the premature recall of some loanees, the Robins did well to finish seventeenth in the National League.

Over the next few days, the Alty Files will look at season 2022-23 from a statistical point of view. We start with Season Comparisons, Goals For and Against, Clean Sheets, and League Sequences.

SEASON COMPARISON

Although Altrincham gained one more point in 2022-23 compared with the previous year, they played two additional games so their PPG was slightly worse.

• 2022-23: National League P46 W16 D14 L18 F68 A82 PTS56 POSN 17th
• 2021-22: National League P44 W15 D10 L19 F62 A69 PTS55 POSN 14th
• 2020-21: National League P42 W12 D11 L19 F46 A60 PTS47 POSN 17th
• 2019-20: National League North P33 W16 D9 L8 F62 A40 PTS57 POSN 5th* plus playoffs, in which: P2 W3 D0 L0 F6 A2
• 2018-19: National League North P42 W20 D11 L11 F85 A56 PTS71 POSN 5th plus playoffs, in which: P2 W1 D0 L1 F3 A3

Footnote: In 2019-20 Alty were on course for 72 points.

Altrincham lost one fewer match this league season than the 19 defeats in 2021-22, which had been the same number that they had lost in fewer matches in 2020-21 and the same total as in the previous two seasons combined but they were obviously playing at a higher level then.

GOALS

In 2022-23 68 league goals were netted in 46 matches (1.48 per game) compared with six fewer goals from two fewer fixtures in the previous season (1.41 per game), so there was a marginal improvement.

However, the 82 goals conceded (1.78 per game) were 13 more than the previous season's total, when the rate was 1.57 per game.

The 2021-22 season had seen Altrincham net far more goals than in the previous season, with 62 in the league, an average of 1.41 per match but they also conceded more often, 69 times, at an average of 1.57 per game.

In 2020-21, excluding the expunged game at Dover, Altrincham netted 46 goals, an average of 1.09 per match and conceded 60 times, an average of 1.43 per game.

The 2020-21 season's total of 46 goals scored was the fourth lowest total scored by Altrincham (in a league season of 42 games or more at any level) in their history.

In 2019-20 Altrincham scored 62 league goals in 33 matches, an average of 1.88 per match. They conceded 40 league goals in 33 outings. When the play-offs are added they scored 68 league goals in 36 matches, at an average of 1.89 per match.

SCORERS

This season, all three of the previous season's top scorers either left the club (Mooney, Colclough) or were sidelined by injury (Kosylo) for all, or major portions, of the 2022-23 season.

The top scorers in all competitions in 2022-23 were:

Right: Chris Conn-Clarke, Alty's loanee from Fleetwood Town, scored nine times in 27(+1) league appearances.

• 10 Chris CONN-CLARKE (9 in league, 1 in cups) in 31 (+1) appearances in all competitions
• 10 Jordan HULME (5 in league, 5 in cups) in 31 (+10) appearances in all competitions
• 8 Regan LINNEY (6 in league, 2 in cups) in 15 (+5) appearances in all competitions

Conn-Clarke's nine league goals (which came at a rate of 0.196 had he played every game over the season) was the lowest top scorer's haul since the disastrous 2016-17 campaign when James Lawrie's 8 goals from a 42-match season (0.19 average) topped the league goal-scoring chart. It was also the first time that a loanee had headed the goalscorer's table.

In league games alone the top scorers in 2022-23 comprised a loanee and two players who were transferred during the season to other clubs, so none will necessarily be at alty next season.

• 9 Chris CONN-CLARKE (loanee)
• 7 Ryan COLCLOUGH (transferred)
• 6 Marcus DINANGA (transferred)

The top scorer in all competitions in 2021-22 was Dan Mooney who replaced Josh Hancock. Dan was also top scorer in the league games, a title held for the previous three campaigns by Hancock.

In 2021-22 three scorers reached double figures:

• 13 Dan MOONEY (12 in league, 1 in cups) in 33(+5) appearances in all competitions
• 11 Ryan COLCLOUGH (all in league) in 39 (+3) appearances in all competitions
• 10 Matty KOSYLO (9 in league, 1 in cup) in 31 (+5) appearances in all competitions

In 2020-21 the leaders were:

• 12 Josh HANCOCK (all in league and incl. 5 penalties) in 35(+3) appearances in all competitions
• 8 Ryan COLCLOUGH (all in league) in 23 (+5) appearances in all competitions
• 6 Tom PEERS (3 in league, 3 in cup) in 15 (+21) appearances in all competitions

In 2019-20 the top scorers were:

• 19 in all competitions: Jordan HULME (14 league and 5 in cups) in 43(+2) appearances including play-offs.
• 18 Josh HANCOCK (16 league and 2 in cups) in 38(+1) appearances including play-offs.
• 9 Tom PEERS (5 league and 4 in cups) in 16(+20) appearances including play-offs.

s In 2018-19 Altrincham scored 85 league goals plus 3 in the play-offs and conceded 56, plus 3 in the play-offs. The individual goal scorers were led by...

• 20 in all competitions: Josh HANCOCK (19 league) and Jordan HULME (17 league)
• 15 John JOHNSTON (14 league)
• 7 Max HARROP

GOAL AGGREGATES (LEAGUE)

Since returning tothe National League, Altrincham fans have witnessed more goals per game than most other supporters and an increasing number at both ends of the pitch each season.

• 2022-23 Played 46 For 68 (1.48 per game) Against 82 (1.78) Total 150 (3.26) GD-14
• 2021-22 Played 44 For 62 (1.41) Against 69 (1.57) Total 131 (2.98) GD-7
• 2020-21 Played 42 For 46 (1.09) Against 60 (1.43) Total 106 (2.52) GD-14

GOAL TIMES (LEAGUE exc play-offs)

Despite it taking till game twelve of the season for Altrincham to score a goal earlier than in the 36th minute, overall the season saw broadly the same ratio of first-half and second-half goals scored as in previous seasons.

• First half: 29 (42.6%)
• Second half: 39 (57.3%)

Above: Far right in the image, Toby Mullarkey arrives to slot home Altrincham's opening goal in the 2-2 home draw with Yeovil Town.

League goals in the first or second half in 2021-22 arrived at almost exactly the same ratio as in 2020-21, with 41.9% first-half goals and 58.1% occurring after the interval

• First half: 26 (41.9%)
• Second half: 36 (58.1%)

The 2020-21 season saw a higher proportion of first-half goals scored by Altrincham than in recent seasons...

In 2020-21 season:

• First half: 19 (41.3%)
• Second half: 27 (58.7%)

In 2019-20 regular season:

• First half: 24 (38.7%)
• Second half: 38 (61.3%)

In 2019-20 regular season and play-offs:

• First half: 26 (38.2%)
• Second half: 42 (61.8%)

In 2018-19:

• First half: 33 (38.8%)
• Second half: 52 (61.2%)

CLEAN SHEETS

Right: Goalkeeper Ollie Byrne.

As in the previous season, there was just a single goalless draw in 2022-23, that was away at Bromley in game two of the season.

However, there was major decline in clean-sheets with only four recorded in 46 matches in 2022-23 compared with ten from two fewer games in 2021-22.

There was just one goalless draw in the League in 2021-22, away at Maidenhead United.

During 2021-22 they kept ten clean sheets, the same as in the previous campaign. Eight of those clean sheets arrived in the last sixteen fixtures of the season.

In 2020-21 Alty has two goalless draws in the league; coincidentally, these were in their first and their last fixtures. Over the whole season they recorded ten shut-outs (23.8%) excluding the Dover game which would have made it eleven.

That is exactly the same rate as in 2018-19 (see below). In 2020-21 six of the clean sheets were at home.

Nine clean sheets were kept in 33 regular league games in 2019-20, a better rate (27.3%) than the ten clean sheets which were kept in 42 league matches in 2018-19 (23.8%). Four clean sheets came at home but five were earned on the road.

In 2019-20 a further two clean sheets came in the three play-off games making 12 clean sheets in 36 league matches (33.3%).

LEAGUE SEQUENCES

Above we see the league results in 2022-23 which are colour-coded, with red for a defeat, amber for a draw and green for a win.

A recurrent feature of Altrincham's three recent seasons back in the National Level has been erratic sequences of results, with runs of good outcomes interspersed with extended spells of poor returns.

2022-23 was particularly odd as it started with nine winless games and ended with seven more winless fixtures.

Yet in the intervening 26 fixtures of the season, the points per game would have given Alty 74 points over the whole season and a play-off place (fifth).

But even in that mid-table sequence of good results there was a sequence of eight unbeaten games bracketed by three straight defeats beforehand and four successive losses afterwards!

The longest sequences in 2022-23 were...

• Wins: Three in games 31-33
• Unbeaten: Eight (games 19 to 26)
• Draws: Three (games 44 to 46)
• Losses: Four (games 27-30). Coincidentally this was almost the same stage of the season that their worst runs occurred in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns.

Above we see the league results in 2021-22 colour-coded, with red for a defeat, amber for a draw and green for a win.

2021-22 was also a season of contrasting sequences. Alty made their best ever start in the national division of non-League, winning six of their first nine games. They promptly won just one of their next seventeen fixtures in the league.

The next 15 matches then saw just three defeats and eight wins, before the season ended with four games without a win.

In the first half of the season, Alty won 7 times, drew 5 and lost 10 matches; in the second half of the campaign they won 8 times, drew on 5 occasions and lost 9 fixtures.

Their longest sequences in 2021-22 were...

• Wins: Three in games 5-7
• Unbeaten: Four, games 30 to 33
• Draws: One (games 10,14,16,18,22,27,31,37,41,43)
• Losses: Four (games 23-26). Coincidentally this was the same stage of the season that their worst run occurred in the slightly shorter 2020-21 campaign.

Above we see the league results in 2020-21 colour-coded, with red for defeat, amber for a draw and green for a win.

2020-21 was a curious season insofar as the first seven games (excluding the expunged win at Dover) witnessed no wins, whilst the next 13 matches saw eight wins, three draws and only two defeats! Well over half of the season's points' total (27 out of 46) was gained in just those 13 fixtures.

In the first half of 2020-21 Alty won nine, drew six and lost six. In the second half they lost twice as many games (12) and won just four times, drawing the other five fixtures.

Their longest league sequences in 2020-21 were...

• Wins: Three in games 11-13
• Unbeaten: Five, games 16 to 20
• Draws: Two (games 3-4, 16-17, 41-42)
• Losses: Five (games 21-25)

In 2019-20:

• Wins: Six in games, 31 to 33 and the three play-offs; in the regular season five consecutive wins came in games 18 to 22.
• Unbeaten: Seven, games 17 to 23
• Draws: Two (games 12-13)
• Losses: One (eight occasions)

In 2018-19:

• Wins: Four, games 16 to 19
• Unbeaten: Eight, twice. Games 12 to 19 and games 31 to 38
• Draws: Two in main season (games 41,42) or 4 if the two play-offs are added.
• Losses: Two, twice (games 4,5 and 8,9)

NEW MEMBERS OF NATIONAL NORTH

Monday's play-offs produced winners who will be competing in the National League North next season for the first time in their history. They are Warrington Town and Rushall Olympic who will now compete with the likes of Scunthorpe United next season.

NPL Play-off Final

• Monday 1 May: Warrington Town 1-0 Bamber Bridge

Southern League Premier Central Play-off Final

• Monday 1 May: Nuneaton Borough 0-0 Rushall Olympic. Rushall won 4-3 on pens.

ALTY OLD BOYS AND OLD FOES

Phil Jordan reports that on Monday, "Despite having JOSH AMIS sent off for a second yellow card in the 80th minute, Warrington Town won the NPL promotion playoff against Bamber Bridge with the only goal of the game in the 90th minute. TONY THOMPSON, ANDY WHITE, and TOM HANNIGAN were all in the starting lineup, while SEAN WILLIAMS was a 66th minute substitute. Warrington are managed by Mark BEESLEY.

CHRIS CONN-CLARKE was restored to Waterford's starting eleven, but was withdrawn after 61 minutes. BARRY BAGGLEY played the full match, but visitors Wexford scored the game's only goal.

Commiserations to our FA Trophy victims Bracknell, who lost their Southern League promotion playoff at home to Truro City 2-3".

FIXTURES

National League Promotion Play-off Quarter-Finals (Eliminators)

• Tuesday 2 May: Barnet v Boreham Wood
• Wednesday 3 May: Woking v Bromley

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Solihull Moors "confirm their retained and released lists...

We say our goodbyes to Alex Gudger, Ben Coker, Joey Jones, Callum Whelan, Ethan Vaughan, Junior Tiensia, Reiss McNally and Matt Preston, and would like to thank them all for their service.

We are pleased to confirm that Ryan Boot, Justin Donawa, Andrew Dallas and James Clarke have all been offered new deals by the Club.

Loan deals for David Davis, Jevon Mills, Mitchell Roberts and Tom Whelan have all expired...

Centre-back Gudger will go down as the most significant departure having made 162 appearances for the Club across five seasons. Manager Neal Ardley wanted to pay specific tribute to 'an outstanding servant'...

'Ben Coker has been really unfortunate, he'd played something like 26/27 games, and he was one of our main appearance makers until the game at Dagenham when he injured his knee... Ethan Vaughan is one I feel a little bit sorry for - he's got a fantastic attitude and had he come into last season's team, he might have got a bit more game-time. With the results and performances being poor, it probably wasn't the right environment to throw him in, being a young lad, but he's a good player'...

Matt Preston and Reiss McNally are both currently on loan at clubs in the National League North play-offs and Ardley also confirmed their departures from Moors....

'Justin Donawa has done great in this second half of the season. He's powerful, quick, and athletic so it was a no brainer for us, it just depends on Justin now on whether he still wants to be here next season. Ryan Boot we want to get back to his best... it's been tough for him coming off the back of a long-term injury.

'James Clarke speaks for himself, I think everyone can tell that we want to keep Clarkey at the Club. Meanwhile, out-on-loan striker Andrew Dallas has also been offered a new contract.

'Dallo has been brilliant for us in the last two seasons in which he's been top goalscorer in both...

'We've analysed where it's gone wrong for us and now, we need to have a strong summer to be able to turn this around'...

PLAYERS UNDER CONTRACT Callum Howe, Joe Sbarra, Josh Kelly, Callum Maycock, Jamey Osborne, Jack Stevens, Mark Beck, Max Brogan

RE-ENGAGEMENT - NEW CONTRACT OFFERED Ryan Boot, James Clarke, Andrew Dallas, Justin Donawa".

The BBC tells us that "Southend boss Kevin Maher says he needs clarity about the club's future before he can implement plans to improve the playing squad this summer...

Maher told BBC Essex. 'We're in a great position as a football department to take it forward and be up at the top end of the table next season. That's got to happen quickly... I know what I need to do, and what we need to do as a staff, but we need clarity on what's happening'.

Asked if he was anywhere near getting that clarity, Maher replied 'No'...

Southend were well-placed to secure a play-off spot following an 11-match unbeaten run from mid-September to November. But they lost all seven games in March and were unable to make up the lost ground...

'We could have quite easily ended up like [relegated] Scunthorpe and Yeovil and Torquay [given what's happened off the pitch], and that's testament to the people who came in the building 18 months ago and the work that's gone on behind the scenes in terms of recruitment,' Maher continued....

'We need a little help at the right time, which we didn't get, and that's probably why we've come up short.'"

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1 May 2023

JAKE MOULT TESTIMONIAL

There was no shortage of goals in the Jake Moult Testimonial match at the JDS on Sunday lunchtime.

The former Alty captain's XI trounced an Altrincham FC XI by eleven goals to one.

Pictured, above, courtesy of Nigel Bunce, we see Jake posing in front of the recently created banner at the Golf Road end which celebrates the midfielder's contribution to the club over many years.

And, below, the players of the two sides are pictured after the match.

Jake, now 34 and playing for Buxton, was initially signed for Altrincham by Lee Sinnott on a 93-day loan from Alfreton Town in late August 2012 and made his debut on 25 August 2012 away at Vauxhall Motors.

Previously, Jake had been a summer trialist at Altrincham in 2008. Born in Stoke on Trent, he joined Alfreton on 1 July 2010, before which he had been with Stafford Rangers. His earlier career was with Port Vale and Plymouth Argyle. Jake is also a very capable centre-back when required.

In early November 2012, Jake formally moved to Altrincham on a free transfer, signing a contract to the end of 2013/14 season. He was rewarded for his consistently good performances in central midfield with the 2014-15 Players' Player of the Season accolade.

Jake captained the side for much of the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons and, following the resignation of manager Neil Young on 28 August 2016, Jake, along with Shaun Densmore and Alan Goodall, was briefly appointed to a caretaker-management role before Jim Harvey took over. In advance of the 2017-18 season Jake was appointed team captain and led them to success with many committed performances. In October 2018 he passed the 300-appearances mark for the Club.

A summer operation sidelined Jake for the early part of 2019-200 season before he came on as a substitute at Boston towards the end of August 2019. He re-established himself in the team and continued as captain. However, 2021-22 season has seen his appearances being a little more limited.

Following the club's decision to move to a full-time playing squad, he opted to leave the club, a decision announced by Altrincham FC on 11 May 2022.

Jake's Altrincham appearances totalled 386(+29), in which he scored 41 goals.

2022-23 SEASON AWARDS

At Sunday's annual Altrincham FC end of season awards event, Josh Lundstram was the deserved recipient of three Player of the Season accolades.

The Alty midfielder played every minute of all 46 National League matches as well as playing for ninety minutes in seven cup fixtures.

• Supporters' Young Player of the Season: Chris Conn-Clarke.
• Supporters' Player of the Season: Josh Lundstram (right).
• Manager's Player of the Season: Josh Lundstram
• Players' Player of the Season: Josh Lundstram.
• Clubman of the Season: Stuart Buchan.
• Goal of the Season: Chris Conn-Clarke, versus Halifax at home on Boxing Day.

At the event, it was also announced that goalkeeper Stuart Coburn would receive a testimonial. An ever-popular local player for the club, Stuart's career was ended by injury at Dover, early in the 2015-16 season.

UPS AND DOWNS

Promoted to EFL from National League

• Wrexham, plus...
• One of six play-off contenders; Notts County, Chesterfield, Woking, Barnet, Boreham Wood and Bromley

National League Promotion Play-off Quarter-Finals

• Tuesday 2 May: Barnet v Boreham Wood
• Wednesday 3 May: Woking v Bromley

National League Promotion Play-off Semi-Finals

• Sunday 7 May: Notts County v Barnet/Boreham Wood
• Sunday 7 May: Chesterfield v Woking/Bromley

National League Promotion Play-off Final

• Saturday 13 May: At Wembley Stadium

Relegated to National North/South from VNL

• Maidstone United, Yeovil Town, Scunthorpe United and Torquay United

Relegated from the EFL to the National League

• Hartlepool United, Rochdale

Promoted to National League from National North/South

• AFC Fylde and one of King's Lynn Town, Chester FC, Alfreton Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Brackley Town or Gloucester City
• Ebbsfleet United and one of Dartford, Oxford City, Chelmsford City, St Albans City, Worthing, Braintree Town

National League North Play-off Quarter-Finals

• Tuesday 2 May: Alfreton Town v Kidderminster Harriers
• Wednesday 3 May: Brackley Town v Gloucester City
• Sunday 7 May: King's Lynn Town v Alfreton Town/Kidderminster Harriers
• Sunday 7 May: Chester FC v Brackley Town/Gloucester City

National League South Play-off Quarter-Finals

• Tuesday 2 May: Chelmsford City v St Albans City
• Wednesday 3 May: Worthing v Braintree Town
• Sunday 7 May: Dartford v Chelmsford City/St Albans City
• Sunday 7 May: Oxford City v Worthing/Braintree Town

Promoted to National League North from NPL

• South Shields and the play-off final winner (see below)

NPL Play-off Final

• Monday 1 May: Warrington Town v Bamber Bridge

Relegated from National North

• Kettering Town, Leamington, Bradford (Park Avenue) and AFC Telford United.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

BBC Essex reports that "The majority of backroom staff at the club have not received their wages for April and are still awaiting payment for March.

Southend beat Wealdstone 2-1 in their final game of the season but results elsewhere meant they finished two points outside the play-off places.

The Shrimpers were put up for sale by chairman Ron Martin in March.

Two weeks prior to the announcement, Southend had a winding-up petition against them dismissed after the club paid £1.4m owed to HM Revenue & Customs".

However, Southend have avoided any points deduction for living beyond their means. They failed to reach the play-offs despie winning on Saturday.

Josh McQuoid played against Altrincham on Saturday but the BBC reported later that "McQuoid says he will receive treatment this summer after being diagnosed with a rare cancer in his leg.

The 33-year-old former Northern Ireland international has been diagnosed with sarcoma, which affects the tissues that connect, support and surround other body structures and organs.

McQuoid has continued to play since getting the diagnosis a few weeks ago...

'The prognosis so far is positive as it can be,' he said'...

McQuoid is in his second spell with the Shots, helping them stay in the National League this season, and has previously played for clubs including Bournemouth, Luton and Weymouth.".

Meanwhile, Devon Live reports that "Torquay United manager Gary Johnson said... 'The last eight games have sort of shown us where we can get to and what we can do. We are gutted that we have gone down ... but love me or hate me, you got me, and I promise you I will give you everything...

'The directors have shown loyalty for us, and we have shown loyalty back saying "yeah, thank you, we'll take it on". It was a fantastic atmosphere and the boys have done great over the last eight games and that's play-off form, isn't it, winning five, drawing two, and losing one. And drawing with Wrexham who have won the league and showed us the respect of putting their best team out...

'We need to keep as many of them together as possible... I say "we" because I have had a chat with George [Edwards] in the week, and he wants to keep the continuity, and he wants to keep the continuity, and I want to get this club back to at least where it deserves to be'".

In the Halifax Courier, we are reminded that "Town assistant manager Andy Cooper joined the club last summer to work alongside Chris Millington... but by the start of October, Halifax were bottom of the table having won just two of their first 11 games.

Halifax then won nine of their next 14 games to rise to the verge of the play-offs and ensure progress in the FA Trophy... One win in their next 13 games, excluding penalties, piled the pressure back on the duo...

But seven wins, excluding penalties, in the last 15 matches have seen Town progress to Wembley and finish the season bang in form.

And that's not to mention injuries, illness and a host of other problems he and Millington have had to contend with...

'I think it brought us closer together a lot quicker than expected, the long phone calls and the long trips home, there's been a need for togetherness and a real brutal honesty because it does take its toll...

'Collectively, defensively we've been pretty sound throughout the season, but ultimately it's the responsibility of the staff that we're best prepared and delivering performances that merit how we want to play and that hasn't been consistent all the way through the season...

'We finished the season really strong, which is a positive way to go into a cup final [FA Trophy] and the off-season, refresh and then go again, keeping a core group of players and adding some quality as well...

'It's essential we secure and tie people down, that we retain the people we can, but that we're also constantly working to try and bring players in'" "But it is constant throughout the season, we have a database of players which is updated weekly and from that, we get a profile of the type of players we're looking for and the areas we're looking to strengthen. "And then it's over to the manager to make the decision on whether he thinks it's a viable fit with the chairman to see if it's going to work financially within the structure of the club."

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