Messages

841

The B-Ark / Re: RETAINED LIST

« on: May 07, 2010, 10:00:54 PM »

Whilst the managers have got the vast majority of their decisions right over the past year, I'm a bit disappointed to read about the players being released:

(1) TOM EVANS
- Yes, he had his nightmares against Burscough and Lowestoft, but he had more good performances than bad ones. You have to say that he single-handedly kept FC United at bay on the opening day of the season, and equally produced some vital saves in the play-offs against North Ferriby and Bradford Park Avenue. When I look at the players retained by the club, I only really see Canoville and Davidson with any experience. Personally I would have liked to have seen Tom marshalling the back line for one more season.

(2) CHRIS WOOD
- He had his detractors early on, but as the season progressed I thought he was our most improved player. Personally I'd have kept him ahead of Cullingworth, as I think he distributes the ball better and is more versatile. He filled in admirably at centre-back away at Hucknall, which I don't think Cullingworth could have done.

(3) ADAM MILLSON
- I don't think the managers have seen enough of Millson in first team competitive action to make this kind of decision. He's been very unlucky with injuries. As a minimum he should have been offered the chance to attend pre-season trials and prove his fitness. If I'd been in charge I would have offered him a contract until Christmas to prove his worth.

(4) MARK CAMM
- Probably the one decision that I agree with. I think there are better players around and I'm not sure he has what it takes to step up to Conference North. That said, I don't think he's been any worse than Davies?

(5) JAMIE CLARKE
- I suppose this was inevitable given the time spent out on loan, but quite simply never had a chance at Boston in his prefered central striking position. Disappointing, as from what we saw in the early weeks of the season he is technically a much better player than Danny Davidson and works harder off the ball than Marc Newsham. Scored plenty of goals out on loan and I'm sure will continue to do so next season.

Good luck to all the players concerned and thanks for all their efforts!

842

The B-Ark / Re: Next season's admission

« on: May 07, 2010, 06:29:06 PM »

A few years ago I think it was Swansea City that had a variable admission price, depending on the club's league position at the time of the game. If they were in the top five or six in the league, prices would go up by an extra pound.

Wonder if something similar would be an option at York Street? It would give the club an opportunity of "cashing in" if we were doing well, whilst at the same time encourage more people through the turnstyles if we started to struggle.

I'm pretty sure it was Swansea who tried this, though others may have also followed suit.

843

The B-Ark / Re: Plea to the Lincs FA

« on: May 07, 2010, 06:25:12 PM »

We won't be able to defend the Unibond League Challenge Cup though!

844

The B-Ark / Re: Conf North Forum

« on: May 06, 2010, 07:07:57 AM »

I've had a look at the official "Blue Square" website a few minutes ago, and am not immediately impressed. Take a look at the end-of-season league table...

http://www.footballconference.co.uk/tables/default.asp?lid=8

According to this...

(i) One-third of the teams involved didn't play a league fixture during the season.

(ii) Southport were promoted, despite finishing in the bottom three and not playing a game.

(iii) Corby won the title but didn't gain promotion or take part in the play-offs.

(iv) Gainsborough secured an average of 1.8 points per away supporter.

For all its criticisms around administration (the Nantwich fiasco, etc), the Unibond League at least kept a fairly decent official website. Surely we should expect something at least as good as we move up the pyramid?

845

The B-Ark / Re: WES PARKER

« on: May 05, 2010, 06:00:02 PM »

I wouldn't be first in the queue to sign Wes Parker either.

But having said that, there may be some financial benefits if we did try and sign him. At the moment our squad is comprised of three or four players from Loughborough (Church, Sleath, Cullingworth, etc), three or four from the Sheffield area (Newsham, Wood, Yates, etc), a cluster from the Nottingham area (Suarez, Canoville, etc) and crucially players from Skegness (L Parker, Millson, etc). If you consider the fact that we keep our expenses lower by having players who can "pool" cars to training and matches, we'd perhaps be better off financially signing Wes Parker than a comparable player from elsewhere.

846

The B-Ark / Re: Non League Paper

« on: May 04, 2010, 06:54:39 AM »

Of course, we have been on the front page of the Non-League Paper before...



... but doesn't it feel a whole lot better this time around!

847

The B-Ark / Re: We`re up!

« on: May 02, 2010, 10:42:51 AM »

If Hurst thinks they didn,t give us much to worry about he should have been sitting where I was.   

Indeed. At the start of the second half BPA created some very good chances. There was one particularly good save from Tom Evans and another effort that hit the crossbar. Had 1-0 become 2-0, then I think we would have been feeling a bit different today. But the game turned when Ryan Semple came on. It was a great cross to set up Newsham's goal and we ended the match the stronger side. The winner from, ahem, Lee Canoville (see link below), was fully deserved.

http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=66548

For anyone sat in BPA's main stand there were "blind spots" around the pitch where spectators couldn't see through the green and white striped dugouts. Presumably the reported for the Non League website must have been sat in one of those blind spots to have not seen who actually scored.

848

The B-Ark / Re: Line up v BPA

« on: April 30, 2010, 07:43:57 PM »

1. Tom Evans
2. Lee Canoville
3. Matthew Bird
4. Picks itself
5. First Name on the Teamsheet
6. Liam Parker
7. Jamie Yates
8. Danny Sleath
9. Mikel Suarez
10. Do I really need to say?
11. Marc Newsham

Subs: Semple, Davidson, Wood, Cullingworth, Butcher

On a serious note, I think the managers should include Butcher on the subs' bench tomorrow. The game is about as serious as it can get. On Tuesday there was a heart-in-mouth moment when a North Ferriby player barged late into Tom Evans and, with no goalkeeper on the bench, you have to wonder if we'd have survived the tie with an outfield player in goal. Surely in any match where penalties are a possibility, we have to have the security of a keeper on the bench?

849

The B-Ark / Date of BPA vs Kendal Play-Off Fixture

« on: April 25, 2010, 10:38:38 PM »

From the fixture's page of the Unibond League website:

Mon 26th April
Premier Division Play Offs
Bradford Park A. vs Kendal Town
 
Tue 27th April
Premier Division Play Offs
Boston United vs North Ferriby U.

All season long, the play-off fixtures have been advertised as Tuesday 27th April. I know Bradford play their midweek games on Monday, but surely that shouldn't give them the right to move the date of the play-off semi-final? Doesn't this give the winners of that tie an advantage, in that they have one extra day to rest up and prepare for the final?

If I'd been a Kendal fan anticipating a play-off match, I'd have booked time off work for Tuesday to attend the game. At this short notice I wouldn't have been able to switch things around and would have ended up missing the game. Come on BPA and the Unibond League, apply the rules properly and treat fans fairly!

850

The B-Ark / Re: Marine Ground Info

« on: April 23, 2010, 06:21:52 AM »

The Club Shop also stocks a large collection of Non League, League and Foreign programmes and has its own library.

[/quote]

Everybody'd better remember to ssssssshhhhhhh on Saturday, then!

851

The B-Ark / Re: And here's coach number six.

« on: April 22, 2010, 06:17:06 PM »

When the six coaches get to Marine, where are they going to park?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=l23+3as&sll=51.479731,-0.292318&sspn=0.012722,0.029826&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Liverpool,+Merseyside+L23+3AS,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.48581,-3.032377&spn=0.00076,0.002886&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.48574,-3.032292&panoid=mMVX1d-F_l4QiG-yoQ9k8Q&cbp=12,264.67,,0,9.85

852

The B-Ark / Re: Space

« on: April 19, 2010, 06:00:28 PM »

Marine are admitting kids under 11 free of charge if accompanied by a paying adult...

http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=66249

... This could make things even more crowded.

853

The B-Ark / Re: Space

« on: April 19, 2010, 07:22:03 AM »

Marine is a small ground,but I think car parking will present the bigger problem. The car park at the ground is tiny, and I finished up parking some distance away on the street last season. And that was for a midweek game with hardly anybody there!

854

The B-Ark / Re: the mangers

« on: April 15, 2010, 10:33:59 PM »

You only had to look at the poor facilities at Ilkeston last night and then compare them with ours to see that they couldn't fail to be impressed with us.

ABSOLUTELY NO CONTEST!

To be perfectly honest though, I've now been to every single ground in the Unibond League Premier Division and I reckon Ilkeston is in the top four in terms of best facilities. I'd put only Boston, FC United and Nantwich ahead of it. Whitby is perhaps on a par. But in short the setup at Ilkeston is one of the best at this level of football.

And I have to say that the Ilkeston / Worksop pitch was in immaculate condition given (a) that two teams use it and (b) that it had staged a match the night before. It certainly put their neighbours Matlock to shame.

855

The B-Ark / Re: Bradford v Buxton

« on: April 13, 2010, 06:28:37 AM »

Realistically we're going to play at home against North Ferriby, Retford of Kendal in the play-off semi-finals, with anything else to be considered a bonus.

The battle for fourth and fifth in the Unibond League is closer to call than fourth place in the Premiership! Games remaining:

North Ferriby:
- Ossett Away (tonight)
- Worksop Home (Saturday)
- Hucknall Home (20th April)
- Retford Home (Final Day)

Retford:
- Kendal Away (Saturday)
- North Ferriby Away (Final Day)

Kendal:
- Frickley Home (Tonight)
- Ashton United Home (Thursday)
- Retford Home (Saturday)
- Buxton Away (Monday 19th April)
- Whitby Home (Wednesday 24th April)
- Worksop Away (Final Day)

Interestingly all three have at least one game to play against their play-off rivals with Retfod playing their two closest rivals. Still time for twists and turns, but with the games they have in hand - especially at home - I'd fancy Kendal to edge ahead of Retford into fifth place. They would then be our "reward" for finishing second.