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Post by amberaleman on Nov 23, 2008 21:58:34 GMT
Is anyone else just a little fascinated by Histon's rather dizzying rise up the non-League pyramid? Yesterday's 5-2 demolition of Oxford United (who'd have envisaged that result a couple of years ago?) means that the Stutes now sit on top of the Blue Square Premier, above Burton Albion on goal difference (and with a game in hand over them). I guess not all TT regulars will have been to Histon. It's a rather unremarkable village a few miles north of Cambridge. It does have one excellent real ale pub (the Red Lion) but little else to recommend it. Eight years ago its football team were playing in front of a few dozen spectators in the Eastern Counties League. Now, the club's on the threshold of the Football League. Oh, and there's the small matter of a televised FA Cup second round tie against Leeds United next Sunday.  There's clearly been some canny investment in the club, and the team plays a functional style of football that opponents struggle to cope with. But remarkably the players are still part-time. Some football fans may resent the club's rapidly acquired success. But I say Histon represent the very spirit of tinpoticity! There are echoes of Wimbledon's ascent through the divisions in the 70s and 80s. Should Histon win the BSP, I'm doubtful that they'd take a place in the Football League. I'd be very surprised if their Glass World Stadium would be capable of meeting the ground-grading criteria. A ground-share with Cambridge United would be an option, but the club might baulk at that sort of compromise. Nevertheless, we can but marvel at this slightly crazy success story. If Histon can do it, so could your club!  |
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Post by coops on Nov 24, 2008 13:50:05 GMT
It's amazing, and although some have tried, their success can't solely be put down to just chucking money at it.
I don't think they can enter into a groundshare in order to gain promotion, that's against the rules isn't it?
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davetscfc
Steaming Bovril
......and it's Salisbury City......
Posts: 457
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Post by davetscfc on Nov 24, 2008 14:06:03 GMT
As far as I'm aware they've got the necessary ground grading, or will have with some minor works.
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Post by coops on Nov 24, 2008 16:31:20 GMT
As far as I'm aware they've got the necessary ground grading, or will have with some minor works. Wouldn't surprise me, after all The Lamb was up to League standard when we were in Conf Arrogant. |
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Post by ojiveojive on Nov 24, 2008 17:40:09 GMT
Coops, is it true that T'Muffers are coming to support The Moors against Southport this weekend, T'Muff having a blank Saturday? If so, you will all be most welcome.
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Post by coops on Nov 24, 2008 22:09:28 GMT
Coops, is it true that T'Muffers are coming to support The Moors against Southport this weekend, T'Muff having a blank Saturday? If so, you will all be most welcome. It has been mooted on our forum, being the potential Arrogants that we are we see Southport as our rivals for promotion so some of us were coming to cheer you lot on. I may be there but I may have to do a mercy dash to Llanelli, an old mate of mine is not very well and I might be off down to cheer him up. |
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Post by medibot on Nov 25, 2008 1:08:01 GMT
I still find it amazing that a side who, only a few years ago, brought a fanbase of 8 pensioners to GGL for a Tuesday night league game and but for a horrendous miss from Mark Watson would have been easily beaten, are now looking at league football.
Mental.
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Post by J Esaj PRA on Nov 25, 2008 13:21:23 GMT
Histon represent pretty much everything that is wrong with non-league football. Their success is artificial and unsustainable.
Apart from some of the 'AFC's and Exeter City, I suspect the only club I have less respect for is Team Bath.
Football is pretty dead above Step 8 though, isn't it? All about money and luck rather than 11 blokes hoofing a bag of wind about. Dog shit.
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Post by Col ISIHAC. on Nov 25, 2008 22:50:32 GMT
they get nothing but respect from me! The game they play has adapted as the club has risen through the leagues and, forgive me, but isn't this little story somewhat similar to the meteoric rise of a club formerly of Plough Lane fame? Why begrudge them a place in the limelight?
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Post by Sultan of Cannock- SRFC on Nov 25, 2008 23:10:04 GMT
Last year we could see Histon's ground from our hotel room window when we stayed at the Holiday Inn, Cambridge.
Unfortunately, my son had just gone down with a tummy virus he'd picked up from our holiday in Eygpt which i promptly caught from cleaning up the projectile vomit in the bathroom. We travelled to the village - and i do mean village- to pick up some medicine.
At that stage i couldn't imagine how Histon could even have got to Conference South, let alone the conf Arrogant or Football League.
However, i found out that amongst the coaching staff at Histon was one John Beck, the evil genius who led Cambridge United from the 4th division to within one dodgy decision of automatic promotion to the Premiership.
One good thing about this is that it will be upsetting a certain Cambridge City supporter, Malcolm the taxman, aka Lillywhite who has had some blood with us gentle, fun-loving SRFC fans (northern thugs he called us if memory serves)
When the old Pyramid Portal began, he was a member and responded to the thread " Which 5 teams do you hate the most" by (disappointingly for me) choosing Histon as his No. 1 hate.
Lilywhite must be consumed with paroxisms of rage, tee-hee. ;D
If Histon have to ground-share to go up, i wish somehow, that it could be with Cambridge CITY rather than United just to wind Lillywhite up to the max... ;D
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Post by J Esaj PRA on Nov 26, 2008 16:39:12 GMT
So..... Where exactly do H*st*n get their cash from?
Do you seriously want me to believe that a tiny village club can afford to sustain Conference football (or above) when clubs in several large town can't get anywhere near it?
They are an abomination.
While we're here, can we get some love for Hornchurch and Grays?
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davetscfc
Steaming Bovril
......and it's Salisbury City......
Posts: 457
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Post by davetscfc on Nov 26, 2008 17:21:01 GMT
So..... Where exactly do H*st*n get their cash from? The clue lies in the fact that their ground, formerly plain old Bridge Road,i s known as the Glassworld Stadium, but expect you knew that. No love lost for Histon here, but mainly because they've beaten us at every level from Doc Martens Eastern to BSP! |
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Post by ambersalamander on Nov 26, 2008 20:54:09 GMT
They always used to beat us, too. Pooboys.
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Post by J Esaj PRA on Nov 27, 2008 17:16:10 GMT
So..... Where exactly do H*st*n get their cash from? The clue lies in the fact that their ground, formerly plain old Bridge Road,i s known as the Glassworld Stadium, but expect you knew that. So, it's a sponsorship deal? Does it last forever? They will drop like a stone when the money goes. Just a club built on dodgy money. Dog sh it. |
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Post by ojiveojive on Nov 29, 2008 20:19:04 GMT
Take it whilst you can, we'd all love to beat the likes of Oxford, we still talk about beating Premiership Birmingham City with five first teamers on show, or Wolverjampot Wanderers at Molyneux Maramalade in the Birmingham Senior cup final, again with first teamers on show. Not to mention Tamuff, twice in the same competition, hee, hee, (sorry coops) ;D
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