2018-19 National League North

[JE93]

Sat 4th August Fixtures

AFC Telford United vs Southport
Alfreton Town vs Kidderminster Harriers
Altrincham vs Leamington
Ashton United vs Nuneaton Borough
Boston United vs Guiseley
Bradford Park Avenue vs Brackley Town
Chester vs Spennymoor Town
Chorley vs York City
Darlington vs Curzon Ashton
Hereford vs Blyth Spartans
Stockport County vs FC United Of Manchester

With all the shenanigans going on at Nuneaton Borough, I think Ashton United have a great chance of picking up 3 points.

It's an interesting set of opening day fixtures.
Alfreton v Kiddy
Chester v Spennymoor
Chorley v York
Probably the pick of the games.

Decent start for us v Curzon at home. It's the kind of game you should be winning if you want to finish in the top 7. As others have said. The league is wide open. Could be anyone's from about 12 clubs.

In terms of Darlo our preseason has been okay. Squad turnover has been higher than most fans expected in the summer, circa 10 out and 6 in. Biggest losses certainly were Josh Heaton who signed for St Mirren and Phil Turnbull who signed for his home town club South Shields. Add to that Ansley Pears who returned to Boro after a great loan spell.

But in terms of who we've brought in I think k there could be goals in Nicholson, Henshall and Ainge which is an area we struggled last season. It's at the back where I think we might be a bit open. But I'm willing to give Jonny Burn (CB) and Liam Hughes (Cm) the opportunity to prove me wrong. Johnny Maddison our new GK signed from Yeovil looks a good find.

If we could get 5, 6 or 7th place at the end of the season and have a mildly successful run in either of the cups I'd consider it a very good season.

Hopefully that all starts at a sunny Blackwell Meadows on Saturday with a 2-0 win in front of c.1700. Ainge and Nicholson to score.

 

[GTFCfish]

Cannot wait for the new season. We look reborn. Billy Heath has done a great job over preason which couldnt have gone much better. Recruitment has been excellent. Makes a refreshing change to going in to pre season unprepared and a mess.

Our first 8-10 league fixtures are extremely tough. Id be happy to be in and around the top 10 heading in to the FA Cup break.
Kidderminster up first at the Impact Arena on Saturday. Intriguing tie as Kiddy have recruited a couple of ex Reds in Baxendale and Wagner along with Bradley and Ironside
Feeling confident. Hopefully not too confident..

Is Dan Bradley fully fit now Harrier94?

Is Lee Mullen still there DSL?

 

[DarkSithLord]

Is Lee Mullen still there DSL?

Yes. Still very much involved and is now a Director at the club.

 

[MWS]

After seeing a fair few of the friendlies, my chief concern is up front. Playing one up front we need someone who makes a nuisance of himself. Oswell was good at this. Mulhern doesn't seem to offer anything in this department, and Bell, whilst showing flashes, has been inconsistent. We certainly don't have a Danny Lloyd type player who will terrify defences - Warburton's probably the closest we have.

Elsewhere we look solid. Palmer and Keane look decent additions, and Sam Walker and Paul Turnball look fitter and sharper than last season.

My prediction: about the same as last season (4th/5th)

I'm not sure I agree with you on the Oswell / Mulhern comparison. From what I've seen of Mulhern he is the type of striker who makes a nuisance of himself (a Man City supporting friend of mine compared him to Paul Dickov). The downside with Oswell was he was often too busy trying to rough up the defender than actually paying attention to the ball. His first touch was also often found wanting. Cannot deny he was a real natural goal scorer and a big loss to us but his overall game does need work. Mulhern is certainly better on the ball than Oswell and seems to have a similar level of physicality to his game.

The main difference I see is Mulhern is he's a clever player and possesses far more intelligence than Oswell, which linking up with the likes of Warburton and Stephenson should bare some fruit.

Be interesting to see how we get on.

 

[AnimoEtFide]

I'm not sure I agree with you on the Oswell / Mulhern comparison. From what I've seen of Mulhern he is the type of striker who makes a nuisance of himself (a Man City supporting friend of mine compared him to Paul Dickov). The downside with Oswell was he was often too busy trying to rough up the defender than actually paying attention to the ball. His first touch was also often found wanting. Cannot deny he was a real natural goal scorer and a big loss to us but his overall game does need work. Mulhern is certainly better on the ball than Oswell and seems to have a similar level of physicality to his game.

The main difference I see is Mulhern is he's a clever player and possesses far more intelligence than Oswell, which linking up with the likes of Warburton and Stephenson should bare some fruit.

Be interesting to see how we get on.

Mulhern looks OK when the ball is played to his feet. However in the friendlies I saw too many balls just being pumped up long to him, and he barely won a single one. If we're going to do that, I'd rather start Bell. Oswell was good at drawing fouls (or just looking like he'd been fouled) even if he didn't win many long balls.

Perhaps my main concern isn't so much the forwards, but the fact we still look too willing to revert to hoofball when Plan A isn't working. We'll see.

 

[MWS]

Mulhern looks OK when the ball is played to his feet. However in the friendlies I saw too many balls just being pumped up long to him, and he barely won a single one. If we're going to do that, I'd rather start Bell. Oswell was good at drawing fouls (or just looking like he'd been fouled) even if he didn't win many long balls.

Perhaps my main concern isn't so much the forwards, but the fact we still look too willing to revert to hoofball when Plan A isn't working. We'll see.

I'd like to think we'd be a little more open to playing football on the deck and only resort to the long ball when needed and Bell is on the pitch.

We have enough technical players in the team now to be able to play better football IMO

 

[Quakerz]

Darlo have completed the signing of Tom Elliott, who was at Nuneaton last year.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Darlo have completed the signing of Tom Elliott, who was at Nuneaton last year.

Fantastic recruiting this summer! I think i'm ready to believe that good things will happen from the lads this season.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Blyth Spartans are happy to announce the loan signing of centre-back Aaron Cunningham from Hartlepool United. Cunningham, 20, joins the club until January 2019.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Boston away for our first game. From what I've read they are one of the fancied teams so it will be interesting to see how far away we are from them on Saturday. Hopefully we will have everyone fit as there have been a few knocks over the last week.
Our last psf tonight against Barnsley, probably their u23's.

Work has started on their new Quadrant stadium on the south side of the town. So I'm not sure GS whether as fans It'll be our last ever visit to York Street? Shame like It's a decent ground I've been the last couple of season's.

 

[CFC4LIFE]

Absolutely over the moon that we have resigned Matt urwin for another season long loan. Got 3 keepers now after starting the season with none. Can't see belford lasting long as urwin will be no. 1 I would imagine

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Absolute weird one at Curzon but their main summer signing Michael Clarke, has left them after a month to sign for Stalybridge.

It is a weird one because it won’t be financial as Staly have a small budget this season, but it means we already lost two of our players from start of July.

Maybe he wasn’t going to start and felt drop would get him games.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

My guess at the festive fixtures for this season -

Alfreton v Boston
Ashton United v Curzon Ashton
Altrincham v FC United
Blyth v Spennymoor
Brackley v Telford
Bradford PA v Guiseley
Chester v Stockport
Chorley v Southport
Darlington v York
Hereford v Kidderminster
Leamington v Nuneaton

Would like to think we shall give Darlo a bloody hard match, we usually do..........goals is going to be the issue, we will be hard to score against but I see no goals

 

[DarkSithLord]

Nuneaton sign Massiah McDonald.

Clearly searching for anybody who can put a shirt on. He is fucking dire.

Elsewhere former Alfreton and Guiseley man Callum McFadzean has signed for Bury and former Alfreton keeper Victor Johansson has signed for Leicester

 

[Bluandwite]

We were short up front with only Dudley and teenager Iwan Murray so we’ve completed our business by finalising deals for forwards Shaun Tuton and Deane Smalley. Both been on trial and done well.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Absolute weird one at Curzon but their main summer signing Michael Clarke, has left them after a month to sign for Stalybridge.

It is a weird one because it won’t be financial as Staly have a small budget this season, but it means we already lost two of our players from start of July.

Maybe he wasn’t going to start and felt drop would get him games.

That is a strange turn of events. He was under The National League Curzon Ashton Star signing: Michael Clarke, with One to watch: Joe Guest.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Would like to think we shall give Darlo a bloody hard match, we usually do..........goals is going to be the issue, we will be hard to score against but I see no goals

I've always considered Curzon as our thorn in the side over previous meetings between our clubs, we always seem to struggle against you's - But tomorrow i think we will be a totally different team, only the first match of the season but crucially we've got to win this game, especially with Spenny/Brackley away next in line.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

AFC Telford United have announced the loan signings of 19-year-old defender Ryan Sears from Shrewsbury Town for a one-month period, and 20-year-old goalkeeper Max Bramley from Leicester City on a season-long loan deal.

Nuneaton Borough have announced the signings of Courtney Richards, Danny Burns and Enoch Andoh, but goalkeeper Joslain Mayebi departs less than a month after joining.

 

[Prodigal]

Like CFC4Life, absolutely over the moon with the return of Matt Urwin in goal on loan again from Fleetwood, was concerned over the keeper situation as not been impressed with Belford in pre season, but we now have a great keeper. Looking promising.

 

[Harrier94]

My predicted line up for today

Hall

Vaughan
Horsfall
O'connor
Johnson
Taylor

Daniels
Weeks
Bradley

Ironside
Chambers

Hopefully we'll start the season with a win. Feeling confident about this year.

 

[DarkSithLord]

My predicted line up for today

Hall

Vaughan
Horsfall
O'connor
Johnson
Taylor

Daniels
Weeks
Bradley

Ironside
Chambers

Hopefully we'll start the season with a win. Feeling confident about this year.

Not sure of ours but I will guess at

Ramsbottom

Wilde
Shiels
Riley/Lane
Clifton

Platt
King
Johnson
Middleton

Peniket
Denton

Should be a good game!

 

[rudebwoyben]

Nuneaton sign Massiah McDonald.

Clearly searching for anybody who can put a shirt on. He is fucking dire.

Elsewhere former Alfreton and Guiseley man Callum McFadzean has signed for Bury and former Alfreton keeper Victor Johansson has signed for Leicester

He’s not the saviour they’re looking for?

 

[CFC4LIFE]

Predicted line up will be:
Belford
Teague Leather Meppen-Walter/Anson
Challinor Newby OKeefe Newby Blakeman
Almond Carver

Should be this apart from urwin for belford and challinor picked up a knock Vs Fleetwood so hine may start ahead of him.

 

[ForzaCounty]

with One to watch: Joe Guest.

I loved her back in the '90s

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Good luck to everyone for the upcoming season

 

[CFC4LIFE]

Good win today with a very poor ref for both sides. Their number 10 is still a knobhead, hasn't changed since last season at Harrogate.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Well well a superb away win at Darlo to begin with, could have been even better as we missed a pen with afew minutes left.

Away points always a bonus, now onto Monday and am confident of something as it has all the hallmarks of the type of game we win as our big ‘result’ of the season.........ex conf side who will turn up having more fans than home side and expect easy win, team comes in billy big b*llocks and plays half hearted before getting beat........aka Halifax two years back and York last season.

Although I am sure Chester management team may try to stop that happening

 

[TheMinsterman]

Oh look. We lost. But its ok, the lads who got us relegated two seasons ago will click eventually, the huge contract extentions were totally justified based on an FA Trophy win.

 

[Prodigal]

Very good result for us, just short of a second goal as a clincher. Have to say Belford did very well, 3 very good saves today, overall not impressed by York considering they are full time and Tait is a real clown.

 

[Minstermen central]

York were awful second half didn’t deserve a thing.