davetscfc
Steaming Bovril
......and it's Salisbury City......
Posts: 457
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Post by davetscfc on Apr 29, 2011 12:50:36 GMT
Well our season is still alive after a 1-0 win against Cambridge City last night. Off to Hednesford on Monday now for the final.
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Post by Meadow on Apr 29, 2011 17:58:06 GMT
Relegation is a nailed on certainty for Tamworth this season. I can't tell you the reasons why first hand, as I've only seen six games all season. However, it's fair to say that the team looked dog poo whenever I did watch, even if they won. In the first game of the season fans were singing "It's just like watching Blackpool" and the club have continued to emulate the Premiershite's Tango men ever since. Having troubled the top spot early on, settled into the play-off places for the first quarter and then slumped into mid table obscurity, the inevitable apathy spawned a gentle downward slope leading towards the four 'R'-labelled births at the foot of the table. With one game to go the club finally settled into the fourth of those spots. The stories I've head from the Lamb this season have been nothing short of hilarious. For the second time, Gary Mills chickened out of running the club, moving sideways to York where it appears he's failed to deliver anything for them this season. After months of limbo, Des Lyttle was allowed to take the manager's position, in spite of having zero experience and a truly appalling record during his spell as caretaker. The one player in the squad with an ounce of ability was sold to Aldershot and replaced by a series of youths on loan that either showed promise and got injured or were flat out terrible. Lyttle survived through abysmal results until a few weeks ago, when the club let it slip that they wanted to bring in an 'advisor' for the final few game. With dummy spat out and toys thrown to the four corners of the ground Lyttle walked away, allowing former Lamb legend Dale Belford to attempt a rescue mission. It started well with an unlikely victory away at York, snuffing out their play-off hopes in the process. Five points required from the final three games, two of which were at home to clubs lower in the league. First up Scouseport at home and a pathetic 1-0 reverse topped off with an inexplicable three red card salvo from the ref in stoppage time. Notts County loan 'keeper Mitchel managed to run half the length of the pitch to apparently gob into someone's face. Probably an easy one for the ref with it all kicking off just a few feet away from the fourth official! The next two followed swiftly for players enquiring about the referee's sanity/competency. The club haven't actually had a goalkeeper of their own all season and had got through a load of loans and emergency loans to keep a body between the sticks. With Mitchel banned and sent back to County, the club turned to its academy side to provide a stopper for the away trip to Wrexham (bankrupt but play-off bound), with 40+ Belford taking a place on the bench. The poor kid had a nightmare and shipped four comedy goals in a 4-2 defeat. He had to be substituted towards the end of the game with cramp, leaving Belford to see out the game with no gloves... So it's down to the final game and a simple equation - beat Forest Green Vegans at home to stay up. Easy? Well, there's no 'keeper - both are injured and the powers that be have refused emergency cover. At least four players are suspended and several are playing through serious injuries. The Vegans have already stuffed the Lambs 4-0 this season. Tamworth's home record is terrible, particularly on Saturdays. The game is being televised live by some no mark Irish sports channel - TFC have lost all six of the live TV games they've been involved with. If you have any spare cash, get down the bookies and lump on FGR for the win! Tamuff was one of my favourite awaydays this season. I really hope you don't go down. Mind you, it might not make any difference to me, football gods permitting. Apparently we're to be presented with the second place trophy tomorrow - a bit pointless if we don't win the play-offs. Talking of which, 1st leg is at Fleetwood next Friday with the 2nd leg the following Wednesday. I'll think about the final in Manchester if we get there.
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Post by Meadow on Apr 30, 2011 23:36:22 GMT
Well Esaj, you made it. How, I'm not quite sure (didn't see Subprime TV footage as I was watching us beat Grimsby).
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Post by Sultan of Cannock- SRFC on May 1, 2011 15:01:36 GMT
Well a bit disappointed but not too surprised after we went down 3-2 at Stalybridge. With their full-time pro team on a run that's seen them lose just 2 of their last 20 games we were travelling in hope rather than expectation. Not that it would've mattered. Hyde duly won at Corby so we couldn't have caught them anyway. Ironically, former SRFC striker David McNiven scored the winner that officially sent us down. Like Teeny-Tiny Tamuff, we had a few comedies of errors, too. Budget cuts, 3 managers, including one, Tim Flowers, who went after 2 winless months and several wasted loans moaning that he "wasn't enjoying it." Neither were we, Tim. Non-contract players who failed to turn up for training through work commitments or got their Moms to phone up for them cos they had colds led to him throwing his toys out of the pram before sloping off to spend more time with his 5Live microphone. Congratulations to esaj. You live to fight another day and at least if Belford gets the job you have someone who appears to know what he's doing and is Tamuff through and through. Congratulations to Sutton on your Championship and good luck to meadow and dave in your play-off games. If we get shunted into the Zamaretto we may play Salisbury if the worst happens tomorrow. We should more likely go into the Evo-Stik but the way the FA do things i wouldn't be too surprised to find us in the Ryman....
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Post by Meadow on May 1, 2011 16:57:27 GMT
Cheers Sultan and commiserations on the relegation. Good luck to Salisbury and Telford (thought I noticed Giggy logged in the other day) in their play-offs.
Question - if we win the BSP play-offs, will I be considered not tinpot enough to post here?
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Post by ambersalamander on May 1, 2011 19:42:37 GMT
You may be an honorary tinpot You kind of were anyway...
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Post by Sultan of Cannock- SRFC on May 2, 2011 10:29:21 GMT
Question - if we win the BSP play-offs, will I be considered not tinpot enough to post here? I hope you will continue to descend from your Olympian heights to shed light into our workaday world
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Post by Jared on May 2, 2011 12:07:51 GMT
Question - if we win the BSP play-offs, will I be considered not tinpot enough to post here? Wimbledon will always be tinpot, no matter what name you use ;D Oh, and I'm utterly pleased with our season, probably the happiest I've ever been watching Sutton.
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Post by Sultan of Cannock- SRFC on May 4, 2011 9:25:04 GMT
Just speaking from a personal point of view as a guy now in his 50's who started attending SRFC back in 1974, i just feel totally knocked on my a**e at the moment about the way things have gone this last few seasons. No, i'm not just harking back to the "glory days" either. It's been an even bigger letdown than voting for Blair was. Off the top of my head, with the possible exception of Wednesfield, i cannot think of another club where the facilities have actually got WORSE over the last 30 years. In addition the entertainment factor has gone completely out of the window. Even in our other less successful times, we were like a non-league version of Man City or Spurs in that you rarely left the ground feeling short-changed and that the players had put in a good shift and at least endeavoured to play the beautiful game in the right way. The last few times i attended, before i (almost mercifully) got made redundant and then had to take a job that works 12hr saturdays i almost wished i'd gone shopping with the wife instead. It was more boring than watching toothpaste coming out of a tube. I came home on Saturday night, switched on the lappy and just sat slumped on the armchair not moving for about half an hour after i found out the scores. Luckily the delectable Mrs Sultan had tidied up while i was at work and i couldn't find the paracetamol. I never thought i'd live to see the day that our FIRST TEAM would be having LEAGUE GAMES against the likes of Rushall and Chasetown. I had visions of going to a home game and having to endure Wednesfield fans chanting "S**t ground no fans!" Yes, i know we've done it all before and on Monday night there was the heartening example of Norwich who have managed back-to-back promotions to get back to where they were. But how long do i have to wait for it? How old will i be? And then only to be back to where we were when i was 14yrs old, still less to where we could, and should have been. Given the close season, the optimisim will no doubt return that in the near future a newer, more dynamic, younger generation will arrive. A gleaming new Shed or even a brand-spanking new "Roy Chapman Arena" will magically appear and i wont have to stand in the open, ankle deep in dead leaves, urinating into an open pipe. When i look at the pitch, i will see talented, commited players wearing the black 'n white whith pride, playing flowing, attacking football. Once again, whether we win, lose or draw i will be able to walk away from the ground, give a satisfied nod and say quietly to myself "Yes, i enjoyed that!" www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjN1woX4laEIn the meantime, pass the Colgate........
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davetscfc
Steaming Bovril
......and it's Salisbury City......
Posts: 457
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Post by davetscfc on May 4, 2011 22:12:42 GMT
Well that was something else. I've been on some emotional rollercoasters but we just about topped the lot. The bare facts were, after a goalless first half which we had the better of, Hednesford take the lead mid way through the second with just about their first proper chance. With time running out an unlikely hero steps up. Matt Wright has spent 5 months of the season out on loan (3 at Weymouth and 2 at Andover) before our injury problems got him called back. On as a sub and he clamly lifts his shot over the home keeper with 6 minutes to go. Extra time is cagey until Hednesford score in the 1st minute of the second period. With time properly running out this time, Ben Adelsbury smacks in the 118th minute leveller from 20 yards! Right in front of the travelling support. Mayhem follows, but hang on, it's the dreaded penalties. First for each side are scored. Hednesford's second somehow squirms under our keeper Tommy Smith's body when he looked to have saved it, then earlier hero Wright puts his penalty about as wide as is possible. So advantage Hednesford. But wait...their next one is skied and Adelsbury scores his to make it 2 out of 3 for each of us. Enter Tommy Smith, 20 year old keeper coming to the end of his first season of senior football. Goes the right way to save Hednesford's fourth, and Ben Joyce scores his to make it 3-2 to us with one to go. Hednesford's final kick is put the same way as the previous one, Smith pulls off the same save, and we're up! You can argue whether a whole season and the future progress of one club or another should come down to one penalty, but, hey, we won. Looking forward to getting back to Conference South. Always felt that was our natural level even though we only spent one year there. Ready to be hated by all the internet warriors behind their keyboards, and looking forward to enjoying some beers with some real people. Quite a good write up and photos from a neutral (who ended up getting caught up in the emotions and willing us to win!) stadiumsandcities.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/hednesford-2-salisbury-2-2-3-pens/
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Post by Sultan of Cannock- SRFC on May 5, 2011 9:36:01 GMT
Congratulations, Dave. I claim the entire credit for your promotion I'd been gardening on Monday afternoon and came in to find out the score. I got BBC Wiltshire on the internet to find that the game was still going on, deep into extra time and you were losing 2-1. Reception stabilised just as ex-SRFC player Chris Clements hit the post, denying the scum what would've been a 3-1 winning lead. Then, of course, you equalised and the pens came after. I had to leave the room briefly, during which time you missed a penalty, but on my return the scum started missing theirs and you were home and hosed. Had i not tuned in when i did, then Clements would've scored that third goal and you would've been down and out. It is entirely due to the fact that i joined the netcast when i did that the entire game turned on it's head and you find yourselves promoted. ;D
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Post by amberaleman on May 6, 2011 11:35:53 GMT
So it's fanfares for Salisbury and Sutton (with AFCs Telford and Wimbledon hovering hopefully in the wings), restrained applause for Worcester, squeaks for Tamworth, and raspberries for Hucknall and Stafford!
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Post by Giggy of Telford on May 6, 2011 13:09:14 GMT
Obviously happy with how this season has gone. New manager came in this preseason and after last year the target was get into the top 5 and see where that takes us so great to finish 2nd. Was nice to have been in the title race for so long, though realistically we knew it would have taken something crazy to have over-taken Alfreton this year.
First leg of the playoffs we travelled to Nuneaton, who despite a 6th placed finish sneak into the playoffs at Eastwood's expense due to ground grading issues "You're only here cos of Eastwood...". We dominate the first half but don't get a goal, Nuneaton come into it more in second half and it's more even. Nuneaton score from what was in all fairness a brilliantly placed freekick with 16 minutes left on the clock. Then with 7 seconds of injury time left Jon Adams has a shot well saved by the Nuneaton keeper but Phil Trainer gets there to head home the rebound.
Deserved at least a draw from the game and would have been criminal if we'd lost. Also an important goal going into the second leg as otherwise Nuneaton could have just come to the Bucks Head and hold out for a draw. As it is think both sides will have to go for it so a tough one to call.
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davetscfc
Steaming Bovril
......and it's Salisbury City......
Posts: 457
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Post by davetscfc on May 9, 2011 8:40:59 GMT
Congratulations, Dave. I claim the entire credit for your promotion I'd been gardening on Monday afternoon and came in to find out the score. I got BBC Wiltshire on the internet to find that the game was still going on, deep into extra time and you were losing 2-1. Reception stabilised just as ex-SRFC player Chris Clements hit the post, denying the scum what would've been a 3-1 winning lead. Then, of course, you equalised and the pens came after. I had to leave the room briefly, during which time you missed a penalty, but on my return the scum started missing theirs and you were home and hosed. Had i not tuned in when i did, then Clements would've scored that third goal and you would've been down and out. It is entirely due to the fact that i joined the netcast when i did that the entire game turned on it's head and you find yourselves promoted. ;D Thanks for your powers of persuasion.
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Post by medibot on May 9, 2011 10:50:49 GMT
If you have any spare cash, get down the bookies and lump on FGR for the win! Tip for Medibot there! I shall look out for this result at the weekend, especially as it might just affect who Sutton play next season. Left it well alone as I fully anticipated odd results and teams pulling off unexpected results as the reality of losing their easy "full time" wages dawned on them. Alty made a right arse of the last day though
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