SEASON 2 - ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY 2014
! S N O I P CHAM SPONSORED BY
KENNY ‘THE PACKAGE’ BOLTON
WHITBY TOWN SUBBUTEO
2013-
ISSUE
14 8
EDITOR’S NOTE...
Another unbeaten fanzine ahoy! In all fairness, we’ve only played twice since the last but who cares? I must say though. this being a good team lark is both unfamiliar, and excellent! Let’s keep it going Whitby! We’re up to issue 8 of this season, which can only mean that we’re starting to hit the business end of the campaign, something that we’ll be talknig about later on in this issue. It’s going to be something that will be mentioned a lot in the coming weeks, so get ready for the clichés... You know you can’t wait! As the end of the season approaches, we’re starting to consider how the season up until now has gone. I won’t bore you with that until the last day though, after the Blyth match, but still, how do you think it has gone so far? There’s always room to discuss it on the Whitby Town Fans’ Forum. This past month has seen the Blues be hit with some tough news, as goalkeeper Shane Bland announced that he would be leaving the club in the summer, to make a move to America. The young stopper has been a massive help with the fanzine in his short time here, and has built up a good rapport with the Town supporters, something which is rarely seen from a number of players dropping out of the Football League. Shane definitely has the character, the commitment and the passion to go very far, and I for one wish him all the best in his pursuit of his career in America with SCAD Savannah Bees. You will be missed Shane! I was happy to see FC United offer to pay for the damages left by a minority of their supporters. They didn’t have to do it, but they lived up to the true nature of their club by helping where they could. We were all disappointed after the graffiti appeared, but we all knew that the true FC United would stand up and help out, rather than just brush this under the carpet. Hopefully together, we will find the culprits. Other than that, it was a fantastic match, with a fantastic atmosphere! Please enjoy issue 8 of the fanzine, let’s make it another unbeaten month, and hunt down that 17-game unbeaten record! UTB!
bluearmywtfc@hotmail.co.uk twitter.com/bluearmywtfc facebook.com/bluearmywtfc SPONSORED BY: Ultimate Soccer School SPECIAL THANKS TO: Kenny Bolton @kennybolton1 Shane Bland @shanebland18 Dennis Wheeler EDITED & WRITTEN BY: Paul Connolly @paulconwtfc GRAPHICS EDITOR: Jamie Cook @DesignJMC DESIGN & LAYOUT: Paul Connolly PRINTED BY: Sporting Lizard @SportingLizard CONTRIBUTORS: Joe Gamble @Gamble_Joseph Lens Meister @The_Lensmeister Paul Brown COVER ILLUSTRATION: Joe Gamble PHOTOGRAPHS: Bri Murfield @cc_seasider Matt Wilkinson @wilkinsonphoto Lens Meister Steven Holliday All editorial content copyright Blue Army fanzine 2013. Blue Army fanzine is not affiliated to, endorsed by or connected to Whitby Town Football Club. All views expressed are those of the individual contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of Blue Army fanzine.
...DEAR DIARY... What’s been happening whilst we’ve been away?
18th January “Make that a double” are the words in the bar after the game, after Whitby Town get their second win of the season over FC United of Manchester. Graeme Armstrong scores twice for the Blues, with Steven Snaith adding the other in a 3-2 victory. The victory is overshadowed by the behaviour of a small minority of FC United of Manchester fans, who graffitied the back of the Scratching Shed. Three wise men return to the Turnbull Ground, bearing gifts of... Well, nothing other than their presence. That was enough though, as David Goodchild, Graeme Williams and Graham Robinson returned to the Turnbull. Legends.
19nd January The play-off 6-pointer against FC United doesn’t make the featured match in the NonLeague Paper, which is funny considering that every other
FC United match seems to featured. As you can tell, we’re not at all jealous of being the little club (as some FC United fans put it) in this... 20th January The campaign is to #GiveCammyATestimonial is back in the public domain, as Lens Meister confirms that Cammy has now definitely been at Whitby Town for 10 consecutive seasons. The initial ideas are put in motion, with a number of ‘97 players declaring their desire to return... #97vs14?
22nd January Player-manager Darren Williams hails the Blues for their “great performace” against FC United, but is disappointed with conceding 2 sloppy goals. Who’d have thought it, us being disappointed with elements of a win of FC United. It shows how far we’ve come! 23rd January Yorkshire Coast Radio send Lens Meister into a Twitter
fury, by saying that Paul Pitman was a bin man, not a cable layer. You tell them Lens. You tell them.
The new Codcast is out (Don’t worry, we’ve got over the whole Goose not uploading it thing... Honestly...) and it’s good to see it uploaded AGAIN (Okay, we’re not quite over it). This time around, Darren Williams joins Goose, along with physio Kenny Bolton, fanzine editor Paul Connolly, defender/midfielder Lee Bullock and Stocksbridge fan Martin Salkeld. Another packed Codcast, it seems! 24th January Whitby Town make both the front and back pages of the Whitby Gazette, with news of the graffiti in the Shed hitting the headlines. On the back though, the Blues get a glowing report following the win over FC United. 25th January The Blues go to Stocksbridge in high hopes of a win. The fans came from far and wide on the day, with a number of exiles making appearances. No appearance from celebrity Whitby fan Ed Cosens though,
was presumably gigging somewhere with Reverand & The Makers. It’s a shame really, we could have done with an extra voice. The game was in doubt ahead of kick-off, after a lethal weather mix of rain, thunder & lightning, wind and hailstone. Beautiful British weather. Whitby run out 3-0 winners at Stocksbridge in the bizarre weather, with Graeme Armstrong netting. Craig Farrell also bagged a brace on his return to the first-team, as the Seasiders run riot in the first-half.
Shane Bland gets even more praise from the Town fans as he grabs his 11th clean sheet of the season, as Whitby go 11 unbeaten. 27th January Darren Williams refuses to rule out the possibility of rotating the squad again for the Kings Lynn game, after Nathan Mulligan and Craig Farrell impress against Stocksbridge Park Steels. Williams also announces that he doesn’t expect to be arranging a friendly for the free weekend, meaning that Whitby fans have to go a whole weekend without a match. With the form we’ve
been it, that genuinely seems like torture!
even a Soccer Saturday day. Unbelievable Jeff.
30th January The latest Codcast is out, with returnees Craig Farrell and Nathan Mulligan joining Goose. Also, Arkwright, Si Fox and Darren Williams are guests.
Elsewhere, with the Blues out of action, all eyes are on results elsewhere, which were as follows: Worksop 2-2 Witton Buxton 0-4 AFC Fylde Marine 0-2 FC United Ashton United 2-0 Rushall
31st January Bad weather hits Whitby, and a 7:30am pitch inspection is called for the following day, with Kings Lynn Town due to visit the Turnbull Ground for another play-off 6-pointer. Blues fans aren’t holding out much hope though, as the rain continued to pour. A gem of a photo is unearthed by Steven Holliday from the history of the club. The photo is from a Billingham Synthonia vs Whitby Town match, and it shows Whitby ‘keeper Jim Ashworth playing in skins. Brave in those conditions, one would think!
1st February It’s weather 1 Whitby Town 0, as the Kings Lynn Town game is called off, due to a waterlogged pitch. It looks like the Whitby supporters have to fill another boring and empty Saturday without proper football. Looks like it might be a Football League day, or
Not brilliant results, but not bad either. It keeps the Blues in the mix, at least. 3rd February The Kings Lynn Town game is rearranged for Wednesday 9th April, much to the delight of Kishy, who can make it, due to it being in the school holidays. Let’s all have a disco... 4th February Shane Bland reveals that he will be leaving Whitby Town in the Summer to take up a football scholarship in America. Bland recieves multiple messages of support from many at Whitby Town, from supporters to fellow players after making the announcement on Facebook and the Whitby Town Fans’ Forum. It’s rare to see a player build such an affinity with the fans in such a short time, so it was never in doubt that he would get a good send-off and a lot of support.
5th February It’s a Shane Bland-themed Codcast, with the gloveman featuring alongside fellow stopper David Campbell and physio Kenny Bolton. As was the theme of the previous day, the praise was heaped on Bland, who is due to move on to bigger and better things! The quiz night is a success once again, with Steven and Claire raising £85 for the club. Quiz’ll Kicks again next month please! 6th February The only match left to rearrange, at home to Buxton, is arranged for Wednesday 16th April, just 7 days after the Blues host Kings Lynn at the Turnbull. The addition of these fixtures makes the Seasiders’ run-in look increasingly tougher. Thanks Evo-Stik. 7th February The Blandwagon just keeps on rolling, whilst preparing to head west, as the young goalkeeper features on the back page of the Whitby Gazette, following his appearance and praise on the Codcast! 8 February The Seasiders are without a game for the weekend, meaning another Saturday with Jeff and the boys, so all eyes are on the other league fixtures. th
The results were as follows: Blyth 4-2 Witton Kings Lynn 0-2 Chorley Skelmersdale 2-0 Buxton Stamford 2-1 Ashton
Not a bad set of results for the Blues. 10th February The club call for the fans to “pack the shed” for the upcoming clash with Rushall Olympic. After the atmosphere of the FC United match, the Whitby fans are called upon to recreate that atmosphere in all of the remaining home games. It can be done!
12th February The latest Codcast is out, with another big list of names. This time around, skipper Mark Robinson is Goose’s guest, along with the gaffer Darren Williams, who returns to Codcast duty. Finally, centre-half Kev Burgess is on there. 13th February The look ahead to the Rushall Olympic, with manager Darren Williams talking about outgoing goalkeeper Shane Bland, adding his name to the ever-growing number of people who have wished him well in his career following Whitby Town. Williams also plans to use it as a way of negotiating with pros who he wants to sign. “Look at Nick Liversedge at Burnley. Look at Shane Bland”. Expect to see Lionel Messi at Whitby Town soon, who wants to use the club as a stepping stone to his dream club, Burnley....
HAVE AN OPINION ON WHITBY TOWN? GOT A FUNNY WHITBY TOWN STORY? ENJOY A MOAN? EMAIL US YOUR WTFC STORY AT: bluearmywtfc@ hotmail.co.uk
STAY
CONNECTED!
@Turnbull_Tweeter @bluearmywtfc
LEAGUE POSITION
+9 6 1 3 818 966
ONLY AWAY ATTENDANCE
3
GOAL DIFFERENCE GOALS FOR CLEAN SHEETS
POINTS OFF THE PLAY-OFFS ONLY HOME ATTENDANCE
148
8
th
NUMBER OF FANS THAT HAVE SEEN WHITBY
2
0-0 DRAWS
GOALS AGAINST...
0
LAST MONTH IN NUMBERS...
GOALS BY TOP SCORER...
GRAEME ARMSTRONG
0 0 2 2
GAMES DRAWN... GAMES LOST... GAMES WON... GAMES PLAYED...
AS SHANE THE AMERICAN DREAM BRUSHES THE BLUES, , THE MANCS BLAND ANNOUNCES SOME BIG NEWS... ALSO FROM BURY CAUSE A BIT OF A STIR...
BY PAUL BROWN Our last edition hit the stands on the day of the home game with FCUM, and what a day that turned out to be, with our best crowd for a long time witnessing a see saw match which the Blues won by the odd goal in five, despite being pegged back twice by the hungry opposition. This fine result gave us the “double” over FCUM, scoring six goals in the process, some would say it was well worth the long wait as we had never beaten them before, hopefully they will be the underdogs in future meetings between the clubs. This was followed up by the completion of another double with a 3-0 victory away to Stocksbridge, not as hard a fixture, but the same amount of points gained, so just as important. Unfortunately we have had no action since that game, Kings Lyn were saved a long costly journey by a sensible early pitch inspection and postponement, which was followed by a scheduled blank week. Hopefully the break will have given the lads time to recharge
their batteries, shake off the inevitable niggly knocks, and be ready champing at the bit to continue the great run they are in. Back to the FCUM match : A lot of attention was taken away from the result by the actions of a few misguided visiting “fans”, with graffiti left on the back of the Shed, a stolen flag paraded proudly on Twitter, and one middle aged visitor trying his best to start a fight outside the ground after the match. I heard of one young fan who is normally quite vocal when he gets home after a game, saying nothing when he got home, not even telling his mother the result until about eight o’clock that night, and then being very reserved in the telling. To their clubs credit they offered to compensate Whitby for the damage caused, but I suggest the damage goes further than the physical signs. I had Utd. Fans stood next to me in the shed who acted reasonably for most of the game, but seemed to take
“I hope Shane has read the small print and it is proper football he’s signed up for, and not the American type football!” exception to me celebrating Armies great winner, pushing me in the back aggressively several times. If I had been as full of alcohol as this individual seemed to be, and of a more fiery nature, this could have instigated trouble, maybe what he was hoping for. When I offered a handshake at the final whistle it was snubbed with a stream of expletives, good sportsmen obviously. If you choose to stand with the opposition supporters don’t take offence when they celebrate their team’s success! To my mind they have a lot of arrogant followers who think they have a divine right to win every game, and cannot take defeat from a small town club like Whitby. During the game the lads in the Shed were singing about our Wembley success, to which this individual was heard to say “I’ve been to Wembley more times than I’ve been to Leeds.” Where do you think their real loyalties lie? The Whitby Gazette reported that FCUM fans outnumbered the home support by two to one. By my maths that means there were only 270 Town fans at the match, get real Gazette, we may have been outnum-
bered, but not by that ratio. I would estimate we had at least 350 home fans out of a total of 818, the egos of FCUM don’t need any massaging by local newspapers when they play away, but the Town need to up the attendances, if people read that we are attracting more home fans there’s a chance that curiosity will bring them to the Turnbull. The biggest talking point recently is the announcement by Shane Bland that he has been offered a fouryear scholarship in Georgia, USA, and a place in the Savannha Bees football team. I hope Shane has read the small print and it is proper football he’s signed up for, and not the American type football! I’m sure this will be covered extensively elsewhere in this edition, but on behalf of all the fans, I would like to wish Shane every success in the future, and hope he goes out with a bang by keeping more “shut outs” to keep our run going. I know you will all get behind Shane for the remainder of this campaign, and he will continue to give his all for a club he has grown to love. Away from the Turnbull the press are starting to turn on David
Moyes as his new team continue to struggle. Like their counterparts in the NPL the fans of MUFC think they have a divine right to win something every season. Time for a reality check I think. Darren will be hoping for a double this season, Sunderland winning at Wembley, and the Blues getting promotion. I’m sure you would get good odds on that one, and no doubt some Whitby fans have already laid the bet. It can only be good for the game as a whole, and we are seeing the closest Premiership title race for quite a while, with the bookies favourites changing weekly. We have also had the FA’s favourite team spitting their dummies out when an appeal against a red card for their pony tailed “saviour” was turned down. They even talked about legal action at one stage. I’m sure the red and white half of Sheffield will have lots of sympathy for them. We learnt that Yaya Toure won’t be punished for an offence caught on camera, but Craig Bellamy will be punished for a dubious action also caught on camera. But the FA don’t have favourite clubs do they? When Macca was wrongly red carded against Grantham there was no
point appealing because we don’t have cameras recording everything from every angle of the pitch. The club and player accepted the punishment and got on with it. It’s time the professionals stopped whingeing so much and adopted the same attitude. Yes, referees make mistakes, they are human after all, and yes we fans will let them know when we think they’re wrong, but without the referee there would be no game for us to watch, so let’s hope the players can start respecting the officials instead of trying to con them, and we will all enjoy our football more. I hope the weather has relented and you are reading this whilst waiting for the lads to take the pitch against Rushall Olympic. Be prepared to go home with a stiff neck, but if we have secured another 3 points who cares? Again any comments on the content of this article would be welcomed on the Forum, follow the link from the club website if you’re unsure. Until next time, KTF and UTB.
E
ven though Shane Bland leaving Whitby Town was always half expected, we didn’t quite seem prepared for the news when it did arrive. Shane announced last Tuesday evening that in the summer, he would be leaving the Blues and clean sheets for America and shut-outs. A new start, and a fantastic oppurtunity for the young glove-man. Right from the start, Shane Bland has made an impression on the Whitby following. He immediately got them onside, especially when he grabbed an assist on his debut against Darlington 1883, along with making a number of key saves to keep the Quakers at bay. From that game onwards, it was evident that we’d found our new number one. A confident keeper, with an excellent kicking range and brilliant shot stopping. Also, his relationship with the supporters has been something unique, something that was evident when the messages of support just kept flooding in from the Blues’ faithful upon the announcement. In the following pages, we hear from Shane, the fans and teammates ahead of his move.
E H
T S ' E H
A
R E M
R O
F D I K E
A C I R E
CHRIS ‘LIGHTNING’ SYTHES When I was first told that he was coming to the club I did not think that he would last. I thought he was going to me a big time gobby lad, and how I was wrong! Shane has to be one of the nicest players that has played for Whitby Town. He always talks to the fans and makes the effort! All the best, Blandy! JOHN BUTTERFIELD All at Guisborough Town would like to wish Shane all the best in the USA. Shane came on loan to Guisborough from Middlesbrough, and had several trials with professional clubs during his time with us. He helped us out and showed that he was a different class and destined for better things. We had some great games and times together! PAUL CONNOLLY When the news broke that Shane was leaving, I was a bit shocked, but also, I was not surprised. Shane has always been destined to go on to bigger and better things, as he just oozes quality when playing. The fact that Jason Steele recommended him says a lot about Shane and his talent. Whilst at Whitby, his attitude has been second to none, and he has become a very good friend of the fanzine, helping us out in some capacity every month. All the best, Shane. You’ll be missed by everyone at Whitby Town! JOEL WEIGHTMAN I’m glad you have such a good chance Shane! All the best with your future and make sure you keep the clean sheets coming until you leave us. One top keeper and an even better bloke! SI FOX It’ll be gutting to see you go Shane, but I can’t fault your ambition. Your performances have been great and you’ll be missed! All the best! KISHY RUSH ALL BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL BLANDWAGON! Good luck mate and I wish you every success-
A MESSAGE TO YO you deserve it! TAXIMAN You will be a great loss to the club Shane, but, I, like all the other posters wish you all the luck in the world and hope you have a long and successful career. When you are rich and famous, come back to Whitby and buy us all a pint! LOFTUS BLUE Congratulations Shane, it’s nothing less than you deserve. You will always be remembered fondly by all at the Turnbull, and when you make it big we will be able to say that we spotted the talent in the early days.
Congratulations Shane! REUBEN HARTLEY Good luck Shane, you are in the top two of goalkeepers that I have ever seen play for Whitby Town, and when you are playing at the highest level you can achieve, we can say that he played for us once. MICHAEL WILLIAMS Massive congratulations to Whitby Town goalkeeper Shane Bland, well deserved! It just goes to show that playing at Whitby’s level is not the end of your career; the last 2 keepers have shown us that. Good luck mate! STEVEN HOLLIDAY Good luck Shane, it’ll be a hard job replacing you between the sticks!
TO YOU, BLANDY! It would be great if you helped us in to the play offs, what a send off that would be, but whatever happens this season I’m sure we all wish you the best, and we will follow your career closely. Remember to spread the word about the Blues in the States, you might even manage to recruit some “exiles” to follow our fortunes. LENSMEISTER We’re losing one of the best keepers since Cammy in 1996/97, but Blandy is going to represent Whitby Town to the wider world and bring in new, international fans. Take your Whitby Town shirt with and ALWAYS train in it. You will always be welcome at the Turnbull.
KENNY BOLTON Shaneo, well done kid. It’s totally deserved. Grab this opportunity with both hands mate! You’ll be hugely missed, but bigger things were always going to come your way! Top man! DARREN WILLIAMS Got to say a massive congratulations to you Shane, you’ve been a credit to work with with and you have a fantastic attitude towards the game. But I’m pleased that we still have you until end of the season, so I’m happy to let you go in search of your dreams, but... ONLY AFTER YOU HELP GET US PROMOTED! DEVAN ROBSON You’re a great keeper Shane; we’re all behind you and wish you all the best in America. You deserve it, you’re a top lad and top goalkeeper. We’re all staying on the Blandwagon!
T
he Blandwagon is due to head west in the Summer, with goalkeeper Shane Bland having agreed a move to American side SCAD Savannah Bees. Bland is excited by the prospect, but disappointed to be leaving, as he told supporters in a statement. “I have some news to share with all fans at Whitby Town, which is tough for me to tell, but I’m hoping that you will be very supportive.” The statement read. “I will be moving on at the end of the season, as I have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to move to America on a 4 year scholarship in Savannah, Georgia. “I will be playing for the Savannah Bees, and as a young 19 year old goalkeeper, this is another massive step in my career; I cannot thank all the fans and staff at Whitby Town enough! “I will be definitely staying for the rest of the season, as I hope to help to get us into the play offs! “Once again, the support I have had this season SO FAR has been immense! Thank you very much! UTB!” Bland later added to the statement that he’d issued, whilst talking to Andrew Snaith on the Codcast “But, just looking back, I’ve really
enjoyed my time with Whitby. It’s not over yet, but this is a really big move for me when it comes.” Just listening to everything Shane has said after announcing that he’ll be leaving gives you a sense of how much this football club means to him. Also though, it shows how much the fans in general mean to him. The fact that he took to the Fans’ Forum to announce the news was a telling sign. A sign that he’s got the fans’ interests at hearts, and a sign that he wants to keep them informed. Funnily enough, Shane seemed quite worried about telling the supporters. Perhaps he was fearing a backlash? If he was, then he couldn’t have been more wrong! Just read the messages from supporters on the previous page, and you’ll see how much we all support him. The rapport he has built up with the fans has ensured that he would get a good send off. With the end of the season approaching, and the play-off push coming up, I think Shane has chosen the ideal time to announce this. His announcement allows him to focus purely on his game now, up until the end of the season. This can only be an advantage to Whitby Town, as we’ll have the services of a top class goalkeeper at our disposal for the rest of the season, whose mind will be focused on Whitby Town!
BLUE COAST DESIGN
WANT A SPECIAL PRESENT FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION? WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO EVERYBODY ELSE? WANT MERCHANDISE FOR YOUR BUSINESS OR CLUB? WELL, BLUE COAST DESIGN OFFER THE PERFECT SOLUTION. WE PERSONALISE ANYTHING FOR YOU, FROM MUGS TO KEYRINGS, AND ANYTHING IN BETWEEN. THERE ARE NO MINIMUM ORDERS, MEANING THAT YOU CAN ORDER AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE AS YOU LIKE FROM US. OUR SERVICE IS THE MOST AFFORDABLE AROUND, AND YOU’LL STRUGGLE TO FIND ANOTHER PLACE WITH SUCH GOOD VALUE FOR SO MANY PRODUCTS. EMAIL: bluecoastdesign928@gmail.com
THIRKILLS OF WHITBY
WE HAVE MOVED!
To celebrate our move to our new premises, we’re giving you the chance to claim a free A2 aeriel shot of Whitby! Just present the printed voucher to claim yours today! OUR NEW ADDRESS: Rear of 6 Flowergate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3BA TELEPHONE - (01947) 820224
Present this voucher at Thirkills to claim your free aerial shot of Whitby!
er m ot
THE MAN FROM DEL MONTE / BOSS HOGG Last season we had the infamous Ilkeston hat, knitted presumably by the blind woman up the road who he felt sorry for. This season though, we had an even more unique visitor. A man who either a) has the dress sense of Stevie Wonder, or b) the eyesight of Stevie Wonder. Again, it would explain why the bloke is wearing glasses. On the day, FC United’s Boss Hogg got somewhat of an interesting reception from the Shed. Unfortunately, we’re not quite able to print the lyrics of the songs from the Whitby fans. The poor chap, though, had a bit of a run-in with a supporter... Well, when we say run in, it literally was somebody running into him with a nice
tray of chips, smothered lovingly in gravy. Put it this way, it wasn’t long before the gravy was smothered not-so-lovingly all over his pristine white clothing. I suppose that’s what you get for dressing like that...
THE BUSINESS END
L
et’s face it, we’ve all heard the cliché ‘the business end of the season’. It’s one of the most used clichés in the game, but in reality, it’s true. Well, in a way anyway. In fact, it’s the only time of the season where no business can be done. But, less of the technicalities, and more of the cliché... As we head into the clichéd end of the season, it’s time to look ahead to what is going to be a tough run-in. In April alone, the Blues have to face Marine, Kings Lynn Town, Matlock Town, Buxton, Chorley, Blyth Spartans and Stafford Rangers. As well as this, we also have to play Nantwich Town in late March, a team who we consider to be our bogey team, and who could blame us? We’ve only won two of our twelve competitive games against them. We just can’t seem to grab a win there from anywhere. Looking at the April fixtures, we’re really in for a tough month. In all fairness, our recent record against Marine, especially at their ground, suggests that the Blues should come out on top in that clash. But then we move on to Kings Lynn. We got hammered at Kings Lynn earlier this season, due to poor refereeing and the Linnets having a two-man advantage (yes, we’re counting the referee as a Kings Lynn player). It’s hard to tell with this game. It’ll be a Wednesday night, so one would think that the Blues will have a decreased attendance, but on the other hand, the Shed
really comes to life, as the Brigg Town cup match proved. The Shed was bouncing, and the atmosphere was somewhat intimidating. If we can recreate that, Kings Lynn will really be on the back foot, especially having travelled all that way on a Wednesday night. Following the game against the Linnets, we have a trip to Matlock, followed by the visit of Buxton. The trip to Matlock is always a tough game, but hopefully we’ll be rolling through continually unbeaten and end Matlock’s play-off hopes once and for all. The visit of Buxton is similar to that of Kings Lynn Town. They’ve got a long journey to the Turnbull, and if the shed continues to be as vocal as in recent weeks, it could give us a 1-0 advantage as such. We need a full shed end every week, in fact. When the Shed is on form, the Turnbull Ground is one of the louder grounds in the league. We know that it helps the players, so let’s get it rocking, and let’s make it intimidating for the visitors. We managed to outsing FC United, so we can outsing anyone! The going really gets tough on the 19th April though, as we entertain Chorley at the Turnbull Ground. The current league leaders have really hit form recently, but, with the Blues’ record against them, we can be confident of actually managing to get something from what would seem to be a difficult match on paper. As we know, anybody can beat anybody in this league, so don’t ever
rule us out of winning that one. The penultimate game of the season, and the final away game, could be more like a home game for Whitby. The Blues are already set to take a big following to Croft Park for the derby game, and the noise levels in the away end could be unbelievable. This is a difficult game to tell in terms of how the teams shape up against each other. Derby games are never easy to tell, and we’re two very similar teams. The close nature of these games has always been evident, with the games often ending in draws, or close wins for either side. Take the Boxing Day clash from this season, for instance. The Spartans took the lead, but the Blues fought back, and late on, Graeme Armstrong netted the winner, but it truly could have gone either way, with both teams pushing for the winner. I can see that game setting the tone for this clash, with both sides wanting the win, probably to bolster their own play-off hopes. Hopefully, the large and vocal travelling Town support can spur the boys on to a famous victory at Croft Park. The final game of the season could be an interesting one, depending on the situations for each side. Stafford Rangers could be coming to the Turnbull Ground needing a win to stay in the division, but equally, we may be going into the game needing a win to make the play-offs. We know that this game could be the biggest of our season for many reasons, and it certainly isn’t going to be an easy one. What could be in our favour for this
one, though, is the fact that we could have an increased crowd, as it is likely to be a ‘pay what you want’ day. If the Blyth result goes our way, and we’re hitting the game in form, we could potentially look at a crowd in the 400s for once, and for us, that’s definitely a positive. It shows that the town is getting behind the Blues again, and we’re all pulling in the same direction for the sake of the club. The truth of the matter is, the run-in for Whitby is difficult. There’s no hiding away from the facts, but, why can’t we go through and win all of those games? We don’t fear any team in this division, and we’re certainly as good as every team we’re faced with. But with a small squad, it could be difficult. We’re currently carrying one of the smallest squads in the league, with not much room for rotation, so we can’t call on the fringe players to fill in with an injury. The ideal thing is that we could probably call Nathan Evans back from his loan, and give Ben Sullivan a run in the side if we needed to, but the truth is, if the injuries pile up, then so will the problems. Kenny Bolton may just need to be on standby for a busy few months as the season begins to hot up. Tackles will fly in, cards will be shown, goals will be scored (mainly by Graeme Armstrong, probably) and crucial games will be won or lost in the briefest of moments. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t excited, but also, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t worry. Strap yourselves in, because it could well be a bumpy ride ahead as we hit the business end.
“WE NEED A FULL SHED END EVERY WEEK”
Out of the depths of the White Moss Park mud bath emerged a pint sized hero whose choir boy features looked completely out of place in the hurly burly world of top amateur soccer, writes John Yates. But appearances can be deceptive and for 90 mud splattered minutes Skelmersdale United inside right Paul Clements proved the reality of this belief. Despite the pools of water which covered large areas of the playing surface following a pre match cloudburst, the England Amateur International turned in an incredible display of soccer craftsmanship. It’s mainly thanks to this, that United find themselves 90 minutes away from Wembley. Whilst other players found it difficult to keep their feet, even when attempting the simplest of tasks, Clements kept his balance with the skill of a tightrope walker and sprayed out some superb passes. Micky Burns scores United’s second on a very muddy White Moss Park,
against Whitby (Picture courtesy of the Advertiser) But Clements alone must not take all the credit for this hard earned win. The entire United side covered themselves with glory as they mastered the near impossible conditions by sheer effort and ability. Early on Whitby made the mistake of trying to play too much football and the ineffectuality of this was shown in the fact that Terry Crosbie had not one difficult save to make. A change in tactics gave United’s defence some anxious moments. However they left their revival late and though they reduced the arrears to 2-1 with 12 minutes to play United’s defence were in no mood to slip up again. After 18 minutes a shot from Shergold struck the bar, which had not been cleared, was sent skidding back into the goalmouth where Windsor was on hand to hammer it in to the roof of the net. The score line remained unchanged till the 58th minute when Burns notched a second goal for the home side. The Whitby defence failed to clear the ball properly and Burns
The White Moss Park Mud Bath... SKELMERSDALE UNITED 3 - 1 WHITBY TOWN FEBRUARY 1ST, 1969 completely unmarked was left with the simple task of netting from close range. As the half wore on Whitby came more into the game Veart missed a golden opportunity as he fired straight at Crosbie when clean through. However their efforts were rewarded when Roy Edwards galloped through the mud and hammered the ball high into the net. It was nothing more than a consolation as a minute before time Dicken sealed victory with a gift goal. Keeper Pybus allowed the greasy ball slip from his grasp and Dicken, quick to appreciate the mistake scored easily. United team; Crosbie, Allen, Bennett, Turner, Suddaby, Bob Scott, Shergold, Clements, Windsor, Dicken, Burns: Sub McDermott Whitby team: Pybus, Myers, W Veart, Theaker, Williamson, Nobbs, Mulgren, R Veart, Hetherington, Edwards, Wilkinson: Sub Cranks
REPORT & PHOTOS COURTESY OF KEV PANTHER
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IS... I
t takes a lot to walk away from your professional team. In fact, the chances are, you never will. But, once Non-League grips you, you realise that it’s not something that lets go easily. It sticks with you, and over time, you start to stick with it... The thing is, when you start supporting a Non-League side, whether it be your local side (in my case), or another side, there’s always an attachment bound to form after the first visit, and it can be an attachment that is way stronger than one with a professional football club. To say that professional football is rubbish is perhaps a bit unfair. It does have its upsides, but for me, I can no longer see too much of an appeal. If you talk to many people in fact, they will reel off page after page of reasons why Non-League football is nothing on the professional game. But, when you compare the two after having a vast experience of both, you notice a lot in the way of difference. The first difference I noticed between each form of football was the difference in the passion shown by players. Over the years, I’ve taken my seat at Elland Road, only to realise at half-time that I’m paying my money to watch a lot of overpaid footballers not care for the club that they are playing for. There is absolutely no consideration for the thousands of supporters who have spent their hard-earned money on
watching them. They can’t match the passion of the supporters who have been following them week in, week out. I find that quite sad in many ways. Their loyal supporters are having everything, including their £30 match ticket, thrown right back at them. In fact, there was one photo that summed it all up for me, and that was the now infamous photo of Michael Brown supposedly laughing at Charlton’s winner against Leeds United last season. The truth is, Brown probably wasn’t laughing at all. In fact, he’ll probably have been very disappointed. The fact that Leeds had just conceded at the death of a relegation 6-pointer will have hurt him as a professional. But, the unfortunate camera timing, along with his unfortunate facial expression at the time mean that the photo seems to epitomise the state of professional football nowadays. It was used as a way of making professional footballers fit the picture painted by many. The picture of these overpaid stars being just that, overpaid and unloyal. Another thing with professional football that really does get to me is the unprofessional manner in which the club owners seem
RUBBISH BY PAUL CONNOLLY
to go about their business. All the time, the fans, who are the life and soul of a football club, are constantly shoved away by the owners. Every year, ticket prices go up, food prices go up, merchandise prices go up. Also, there’s a new shirt to buy every year. It’s as though they do it deliberatly. They just find so many new ways to milk money out of the fans, and every year, the fans buy into it unknowingly. They constantly give the owners the money to entertain the prawn-sandwich
“
WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO WATCH PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL? NON-LEAGUE OFFERS SO MUCH MORE.
brigade, and the majority of fans are seemingly none the wiser, which is a shame, because if they realised, they would perhaps think twice about paying the money for that. I’m not saying that this doesn’t happen in Non-League. At certain clubs, I’m sure that it will do, but it’s way more evident in the Football League, because everybody seems to do it. In Non-League though, the clubs are generally run by supporters, or people who care about clubs. Their month-to-month costs don’t involve prawn-sandwich brigades, they just involve the basics. Match costs, running costs etc. Also, they don’t bleed the fans dry for their money because the club is struggling for money, they’ll organise fundraisers and get the community involved to help the club. This is what sets Non-League aside. That community spirit that runs through everyone at the clubs. Looking at the two closely, after vast experience of both, I ask: why would you want to watch professional football? Non-League offers so much for everyone. The sense of belonging to something special, that community spirit that lacks in the Football League and the passion of players who are playing for the game; not the money. Also, you get to have a laugh with your mates, along with having a few beers. Non-League offers a cheap day out, and a good laugh. You can’t really beat it.
We’re the famous Whitby Town and we’re off to...
WEMBLEY!
WORDS - PAUL CONNOLLY
ILLUSTRATIONS - JOE GAMBLE
istory is an important thing, especially for a football club. It’s what gives you an identity. It makes you what you are, and that can’t be taken away. On two occasions, the Blues have visited the Twin Towers of Wembley for cup finals, and both times, we’ve made an occasion of it, as any club would. But, for Whitby in particular, it’s a special day, because, well, we’re something of a special club, as the 96/97 season proved. The stage for Whitby Town’s season was set. The town had rallied around the football club after the floodlight disaster of the previous season, and Harry Dunn’s men were raring to go. Messrs Campbell, Pitman, Logan and Toman promised so much, and duly delivered. The previous season’s Northern League Cup win showed signs that this team was on the cusp of being great, and the wave of success was truly ridden through the 1996/97 season, especially in the FA Vase. In early November 1996, the Blues were really storming through matters on the cup front. In the month itself, the Blues played a Northern League Cup game and two FA Cup games, both against Hull City. Along with this though, the “road to Wembley” was being paved, as Crook Town visited the Turnbull Ground for the first round of the FA Vase, for an all Northern League clash. Northern League clubs in general, and Whitby Town in particular, were considered as favourites to lift the Vase at the home of football, but realistically, were little old Whit-
by going to do it? Well, the Crook Town game sparked a run that will live in the memories of the supporters of that particular era. The Vase run didn’t start off in sparkling fashion at all though. In fact, in the first minute of the Crook game, the Seasiders fell behind to a Wayne Edgecumbe goal. It wasn’t an ideal side, but this was a Whitby side that had everything a Non-League side could want. They had grit, determination and a will to win at all costs. After Crook stung them into action, it wasn’t long before a response came, with David Logan hitting a spectacular freekick into the net from 25 yards. A response in some style. The response got even better just three minutes later too, as Whitby took the lead. Allan Martin broke through from Kenny Goodrick’s pass, only to be felled in the area. The penalty was given, and it was, of course, Paul Pitman who stepped up to slot home his 301st goal for the club. As a spectacle, the second half was nowhere near as good as the early exchanges of the game. Crook had applied pressure early in the second half in search of an equaliser, but Whitby were rarely threatened, and the game ended 2-1 to Whitby, with the new floodlights making their debut midway through the half, to much applause from the supporters. The second round draw was somewhat cruel to Whitby Town, as they were handed the task of facing the second placed side in the Northern League, Billingham Synthonia. But, before that, the Seasiders had the small matter of facing Hull City in the FA Cup first
H
round. The Hull City game itself was intended to be a home game for Whitby, but was actually played at the McCain Stadium in Scarborough. But, it didn’t stop the supporters flocking to Scarborough for the game, with 3337 fans watching the sides play out a 0-0 draw on a heavy McCain pitch. The focus was soon back on the Vase for Harry Dunn and his men though, with Billigham Synthonia visiting the Turnbull Ground. The Blues had a psychological advantage over their opponents, having already beaten them in the league and the Cleator Cup prior to this meeting. This game was hardly a classic considering the fact that both were battling away with each other at the right end of Northern League. In fact, in this one, it was only Graham Robinson’s goal just before half-time that could seperate the two sides. A Whitby corner was passed back to the edge of the penalty area, and the young South African striker fired home through a crowd of bodies in the penalty area, to give the Blues the win. The game was littered with a number of yellow cards, and the visitors nearly grabbed an equaliser and forced extra-time, with Fletcher striking the crossbar, and watching Kenny Goodrick save the day for Whitby by desperately clearing the ball off the line. Tempers flared late on in the game, with both Glen and Stephen Corkain seeing red cards, along with Paul Pitman, who was given a red card for retaliation. As was the case after the Crook Town game, the Blues were again in FA Cup action against Hull City. This time, it was to be a thriller at Boothferry Park, with it being a true battle of fitness to the very end of the game. The Blues just lost out on the night, in an 8-4 defeat away from home, but it’s impossible to say that the Blues didn’t deserve anything, particularly since they were leading 4-3 until the very dying seconds of extra-time. A cruel blow for a valiant Whitby side, who were so close to grabbing a famous cup win in Hull. But, with Pitman and Robinson both combining again
“The Seasiders had the small matter of facing Hull City in the FA Cup first round.”
to score goals, Harry Dunn and the Whitby fans will have had no worries about the rest of the league season. The third round of the FA Vase came on a cold December afternoon away at Louth United. The game was in doubt until just minutes before kick-off, but the ref decided that the frozen pitch was just playable. It was a hesitant start from Whitby in the bitter conditions, but it took them only 19 minutes to draw first blood. Paul Pitman crossed a ball in to the head of Graham Robinson, who looped his header over Louth goal keeper Pratt. The lead didn’t last long though, as Caine Winfarrah steered home following a goalmouth scramble. Two minutes into the second half, Winfarrah doubled his side’s lead, as he drove the ball under the advancing Campbell. Ten minutes following from this though, Paul Pitman headed home from close range, and this ended up being the goal that forced extra-time, keeping the Wembley dream well and truly alive for another 30 minutes. As the game wore on, and the cold continued to set in, the Blues took full advantage of Louth’s tiring legs. John Borthwick slotted the ball through to South African Graham Robinson, who lobbed Pratt from the edge of the 18 yard box for his second goal of the after noon. The Seasiders wrapped the game up just a minute from the mid-way point of extra time, with David Good child powering home a header from an Andy Toman corner, making the scoreline
“Harry Dunn believed that this was the game where the Vase was truly won”
4-2, and setting up a fourth round tie with Nantwich Town at the Turnbull. It was almost another month before the Blues were back in FA Vase action, but in that time, they continued their excellent league antics, by beating Durham City and Dunston F. B. 3-1 and 4-2 respectively. As their North West Counties League opponents arrived, the Blues showed no signs of relenting in their quest to make it to the twin towers in London. It was a wet and windy Turnbull Ground, but over 500 fans turned out to support Harry Dunn’s men. In the first half, the visitors had the wind in their favour, but they were unable to put it to good use, and it was Whitby who made the breakthrough. Andy Toman slotted a through ball to Paul Pitman, and the ever-prolific marksman scored the opening goal. In the second half, the Blues piled on the pressure, whilst playing with the wind. They earned their reward after 51 minutes. Paul Pitman this time turned provider for Ian Williams, who hammered the ball home from a tight angle. The game was as good as over when John Borthwick and Pitman linked up to provide the ball to Logan, whose cross was met emphatically by the head of skipper Neil Hodgson. Logan nearly made it four, but he was unlucky to see his ball strike the upright. The visitors, to their credit, never gave up and got a consolation in the 86th minute, with their skipper Mick Green netting to make it a full-time score of Whitby 3-1 Nantwich. Round five’s game was billed as the “Tie of the Round”, and a place in the quarter finals was at stake for one of the sides. When interviewed a few months ago, Harry Dunn believed that this was the game where the Vase was truly won, describing it as the toughest game of the run. Over 1100 flocked to the Turnbull for the game, and it was a truly battling performance that won the game for Whitby Town in a scrappy game that saw a player sent off for either side. Graham Robinson saw red for Whitby, and Kevin Smith for Tiverton. The only goal of the game came in the 18th minute, with prolific goalscorer
Paul Pitman this time turning provider. His defence-splitting pass found defender Ian Williams, who struck low inside the post. Tiverton stepped up the tempo late in the first half, and David Campbell certainly earned his wages, making a string of excellent saves. As the game wore on, the chances came at either end. Graham Robinson saw his drilled shot saved by Edwards. Tiverton’s best chance came on 67 minutes, but Campbell was Everett’s equal, as he launched himself at the effort. The quarter final drew Whitby Town at home once again, with Mossley due to be the visitors to the Turnbull, and a rampant Whitby Town were ready and waiting..
TO BE CONTINUED...
BLUE ARMY PLAYER OF THE MONTH SHANE
BLAND
Well, this month has certianly been an interesting one for Shane Bland, a goalkeeper who is preparing to ply his trade with his new American college side, Savannah Bees. But on the pitch, despite this hanging over him, he has just continued to impress between the sticks. This season, he has been one of the Blues’ most consistent players, and he has been widely regarded as one of the best players at the club. This has led to the move to America, after he was recommended to the Savannah Bees by ‘Boro goalkeeper Jason Steele. When somebody like that is recommending you as a goalkeeper, then you know you’re doing something right. Over the month, Shane has continued to make a number of key saves to keep the Blues in some key positions. A thoroughly deserved award for Shane, who was once again voted for by fans as the player of the month. Talk about a good relationship with the fans! Well done, Shane!
“COMING TOGETHER IS A BEGINNING. KEEPING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS. WORKING TOGETHER IS A SUCCESS.”
Kick ‘N’ Rushall (H) 15/2/2014 - 3PM
SKELMERSDALE UNITED (A)
It’s about time that we had a return of a witty Goose nickname. Of course, Kick ‘N’ Rushall are visiting the Turnbull Ground for the first game that we’re looking at. In the previous meeting, Rushall did live up to their nickname, but in all fairness, we did our fair share of hoofing the ball. But, the pitch was nearly a quagmire, so it was inevitable. At least we’re not set up to hoof. You can disagree all you want Rushall, but when you’ve got Dele Adebola up top, you can’t really complain, can you? Rushall are currently launching, like the ball, a play-off bid of their own, so this game really is the first of a lot of six-pointers to come, and we need to gain maximum points in all of them. This time, I’m going to predict a 2-1 Whitby win. It’ll be a close one, and potentially a busy one for Pell, but I can see football winning the day. I’ll go with Armstrong and Farrell scoring. Get the chiropractor on standby...
*ANOTHER SIX-POINTER KLAXON*... It’s time to visit the title contenders Skelmersdale United, just our second visit in 45 years, and our third game against them in that time. Hopefully, the pitch won’t be a quagmire this time round. I’m sure that a lot will have changed in the 45 years we’ve been away! We faced Skelmersdale United for only our second meeting last month, and didn’t give a bad account of ourselves, but, we let (another) 2 goal lead slip, and it just felt like a return to the earlier season at times. But, when you feel disappointed at a draw with title challengers, you know that you’ve come on a long way. I’m going to predict another very tight game this time. It’s near-impossible to tell the two teams apart, and that says a lot about us in particular. I’ll go for another 2-2 draw, with Snaith and Armstrong netting for Whitby Town. It’ll be an interesting one for the neutral, I think!
D THE MENTAL EN ... OF DALES LANE
22/2/2014 - 3PM
GRANTHAM TOWN (A) 1/3/2014 - 3PM Ah, Grantham. The place of true class, and the home of some fine athletes. Or not... Put it this way, it’s about time a few put the running track to good use. Well, from the last game, we can conclude that Grantham are a bunch of dirty gets. Take Jamie Jackson for example. Laughed in the face of people who suggested that he was a cheat, despite the fact he constantly dived and threw punches at Whitby players? Cheat? Of course not... This will be a tough one for the Blues, but I’m going with a 3-1 Whitby win. Armstrong will net two, and Farrell with the other. Come on Blues!
STAMFORD AFC (H) 8/3/2014 - 3PM Ah, a home game after two long trips. Lovely stuff. In the last game between the sides, the Blues came out on top, with Steven Snaith netting a brace for Whitby. It’s been a while since the last meeting, but Stamford aren’t a bad side and, like any other in this league, could inflict plenty of damage on teams. I’m confidently predicting a Blues win here. I’m fairly sure that we’ll still be playing well, and if we attack as confidently as we usually do, we’ll be looking at a good result. 4-2 Whitby, Armstrong, Pell, Mulligan and Snaith to score!
Ahead at the back ... A Look Ahead At The Upcoming opposition
WITTON ALBION (A) 15/3/2014 - 3PM Witton away is the final game in this run, as the Blues prepare to hit their tough run-in whilst on form. Oh the joys. Believe it or not, the previous game between the sides ended in a draw at the Turnbull Ground (I know, we were shocked too!), and it wasn’t exactly a classic. As ever with a draw at the Turnbull though. In all honestly, I can’t see this being a classic either, as ever when we play Witton! I’m predicting a Blues win, though. I’ll go with 3-1 Whitby, with Armstrong, Farrell and Snaith all netting for Whitby Town.