33 Ramsbottom United v Kings Lynn

rammy news v KING’S LYNN 16-08-14

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First of all I’d like to welcome everybody associated with Kings Lynn Town who have made the ridiculously long journey to the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium. I hope you've had a pleasant trip and enjoy your stay with us (apart from the 90 minutes that matter).

It's absolutely frightening to think our last competitive game was the play-off final against Bamber Bridge. I'm pretty sure I'm still hungover after the partying that ensued, but the whole week prior to the game, in getting into the playoffs and then beating Darlington and Bamber Bridge in their own backyards will live long in the memory.

As normally happens we have lost a couple of players during the close season.

Danny Warrender has moved to Salford City - he actually told us six weeks before the season ended that if we got promoted he wouldn't be staying as family and work commitments wouldn’t allow him the extra traveling time. e same applies with Owen Roberts who for the time being has stopped playing due to a promotion at the school he works at. Martin Fearon who came in on loan whilst Shents was out with his broken ankle has also been allowed to move on as we told him that once Grant was fit he would resume being our number 1. Martin has moved to Skelmersdale. We wish all three players the very best of luck for the future.

e rest of the squad have all re-signed for the new season apart from Andy Dawson who is still recovering from the operation he had on his knee last year. A lot of the players had very good offers to move to other clubs but have all stayed loyal to the cause and we are very confident of having another good season. We still have ten players who were with us when we won the NWC and the amount of the games this squad has played together is staggering. at should stand us in good stead providing us with stability and consistency a lot of clubs strive for.

We have also bolstered the squad with five new signings who all fit the Ramsbottom United remit perfectly. All five are 23 and under and have shown a hunger in preseason that has helped push the current squad to be as strong as we have ever had.

I'm sure you don't need telling that these lads will give everything to the Rammy cause. Please get behind them just like you have to every player that has ever pulled on the blue shirt. is season has the potential to be as good as the last five, so let's all enjoy the ride together.

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Jonno

jonno bernard

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tony cunningham and the wonderful world of non-league football A special welcome to today’s visitors and match officials.

We kick off the new season in a new division for the second time in three years, and this is testimony to the excellent job being done by Bernard, Jonno, the coaching staff and the amazingly loyal band of players. is journey began, as has been well documented, with a 5-0 thrashing at Newcastle Town, five years ago this month. Who would have predicted the amazing journey that was to follow? It has been achieved on the back of some of the best football ever seen in Ramsbottom and an increase in support from the town of around 250%. e whole club has moved on in leaps and bounds over recent times, and we must now acclimatise ourselves at Evo-Stik Premier level. e outlook of everyone here is so much different from our lengthy spell in the NWCFL, but the challenges are there to be overcome. Hard work by many people has seen us reach this level, and it is vitally important that, as a club, we establish ourselves comfortably in the third tier of non-league football. e arrival of teams such as Kings Lynn Town really does confirm the reality, and this

campaign will see the Rams double the amount of travelling that we are used to.

Saying that, it is still nowhere near the amount Lynn have to do (or the Workington’s, Blyth’s and Whitby’s of this world!), so we hope that our visitors have had a good journey here, enjoy the hospitality (certainly off the pitch!), and have a safe journey home. We will look forward to renewing acquaintances in Norfolk later in the season.

All this is the reward for that terrific final week of last season. No-one had us down as favourites, especially in the cauldron that was Darlington away. e lads performed magnificently to silence the baying crowd. (My lasting memory is of Harry taunting the moaning home fans with the comment “Not bad for a village team”!) e game at Bamber Bridge will long live in the memory, and easy to recall thanks to the excellently produced DVD. It really did go down to the wire, but again, we thoroughly deserved the victory and with it the promotion that followed. e new challenge is exciting and we will welcome many a team to the HWRS for the first time ever over the next nine months. I, for one, can’t wait!

Enjoy your non-league football!

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Long away trips such as last season’s visit to Worcester are now Rammy’s staple, really testing the mettle of the players and supporters.

“We, and football, have lost a good friend.”

ERIC WHALLEY We all know that during the summer we lost a good friend of this club in Eric Whalley.

Eric was very well known in this part of the world for his connections with many local clubs, such as Clitheroe, Great Harwood Town, and, of course, Accrington Stanley, where is lasting legacy will be to have taken this fallen club back into the Football League.

In his latter years, he was a regular down here at Rammy thanks to his longstanding friendship with our Chairman.

His advice was immeasurable, and it may be no coincidence that we achieved two promotions during his off-field support.

His football knowledge was second to none, but his declining health was sad to see.

We, and football, have lost a good friend.

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Ramsbottom United gained their second promotion in three seasons in a thriller at the newly christened Sir Tom Finney Stadium, in front of over 1200 fans.

Having disposed of former Football League side Darlington in a night of high controversy on Wednesday, the Rams played out another exciting encounter at Bamber Bridge, bringing the total of spectators watching the side in four days to well over 3000.

Saturday’s game was do-or-die for both sides, but it was the visitors who were victorious, although it took an extra thirty minutes to ensure a route to Evo-Stik Premier after a heart-breaking late penalty appeared to have derailed the opportunity. e Rams started brightly, and took the lead after just six minutes. Lee Gaskell sprayed the ball out to Grant Spencer on the right wing, and he put in the perfect cross which Gaskell met with his head to plant the ball firmly into the back of the net.

Despite the early disadvantage, though, the home side came back into game and slowly began to hold the upper hand. Ally Waddecar was unlucky to see his shot take a deflection past the far post, before the hosts regained equality on 22 minutes. e referee played the advantage, allowing the ball to be played out to Waddecar on the right. His low cross missed his team-mates in the centre, but if the Rams thought they had escaped, they were not so fortunate. e ball was played back into the area and Greg Johnstone found the space to direct his header just inside Martin Fearon’s left-hand post.

Paul Alexander saw his free-kick just clear the bar as Brig tried to turn their territorial advantage into a lead.

Having managed to hold out, it looked as though the Rams had grabbed the next goal, with Billy Priestley nodding home a right wing corner, but the referee deemed that Steve Howson had pushed a defender in the area, and promptly blew

for a free-kick to the home side.

Jordan Hulme fired over from 15 yards for the Rams before Fearon was called on to produce a magnificent tip over the bar from a close-range Matt Lawlor header.

Whilst the first half was edged by Bridge, the second half belonged to the Rams. For lengthy periods play took place in the home half, as the Brig struggled to put any real attacks together.

A long ball in from Owen Roberts found Gaskell, but his header was tipped over from just underneath the bar by home keeper Lee Dovey.

Howson then headed a Spencer cross over when he could have done better, before Gaskell found acres of space on the left. He sent over a dangerous cross for Spencer, but some quick defending snuffed out the danger.

Gaskell’s next attempt was a backward header from another Spencer corner that went inches over the top, as the Rams were well in control. e Rams should have regained the lead with ten minutes to go. Hulme squared the ball back for the on-rushing Phil Dean, but he somehow lost his balance and fired wildly over the top.

In an isolated attack from Brig, Howson threw his body in the way of a pile-driver from Curtis ompson which could have given the hosts an unexpected late lead, but that late lead appeared at the other end, and it was no more than the Rams deserved.

An Owen Roberts corner fell invitingly for Howson on the edge of the box, and he drove it through a ruck of players and in by the post.

With three minutes of normal time left, it looked as though the Rams had booked their place in the Premier Division.

A flare thrown on to the pitch by the home supporters stopped the game for two minutes, and that proved fatal for the Rams. With three additional minutes shown, the game was into the fifth minute of added time when the ball, played around the away penalty area was adjudged by the referee to have been handled by Billy Priestley.

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Sir Tom Finney Stadium 3rd May 2014 Att: 1206 Rammy Goals: Gaskell (6), Howson (87), Smalley (104) Bamber Bridge Goals: Johnston (22), Alexander (90)

Lee Gaskell opens the scoring on 6 minutes

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Despite the vehement protests, the referee was adamant, and when the arguments had died down, Alexander struck the ball home from the spot to level the scores at 2-2, with the referee blowing the final whistle immediately. e Rams needed to mentally refocus after what could have been a devastating blow, and fortunately they did so.

After Alex Taylor had screwed a free-kick wide of the post for Brig, Scott Burton fired wide from 25 yards, and substitute Jon Robinson was denied in front of goal by a defender heading over a dangerous cross from Gary Stopforth. From the resultant corner Hulme headed over.

A minute before the break saw the game’s conclusive moment.

Chris Marlow looked on helplessly as his perfect header from a corner appeared to be goal-bound only to see it headed off the Rammy line. Within fifteen seconds, the Rams re-took the lead. e ball was played up field, and Robinson thread it through on the right where the on-rushing Dominc Smalley chased it and just beat Dovey, who had rushed out of his nets. Smalley dinked it past the keeper and into the gaping net to give the Rams the advantage for the third time.

Seconds later Brig lost Lawlor to a second yellow card, and with 15 minutes to play, the Rams were determined to hold on to their slender lead.

Smalley could have made the game safe, but Dovey prevented him adding a fourth, whilst Brig threw everything at the Rams defence in the dying minutes.

Fearon held a close-range header from Alexander before making the save of the match with just three minutes to go. Alex Taylor glanced a header from a left wing corner towards the far top corner, but Fearon, at full stretch, fingertipped it over to deny the Brig with their last clear sight on goal. e Rams played down the last couple of minutes to gleefully celebrate as the final whistle sounded, and the despair felt halfan-hour earlier was consigned to history.

Promotion had been assured with a performance that deserved the plaudits. Bamber Bridge justified their position in the playoff final, but overall the visitors did enough to justify the victory and with it promotion to non-league’s third tier, the highest position in the club’s history.

After a season which began with four league defeats, followed by a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player, to overcome such odds and gain promotion at the end of another memorable season at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium has been nothing short of miraculous, and all credit must go to the squad and management team for rising to the challenge and turning the season round in such spectacular fashion.

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Steve Howson buries goal number 2 with a wicked volley

Dom Smalley fires Rammy to their second promotion in three seasons

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not just a pretty face, the Mighty Billy Priestley!

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supporters club on the terraces of rammy ere’s been a heck of a lot going on behind the scenes over the summer, not least the new programme design that’s been giving me sleepless nights for a good while now. We hope you like the new layout and new features. We’re getting much nearer to what a footie programme ought to be, and hope that people will get into the habit of buying a copy. e supporters club was set up about three and a half years ago, if my awful memory is not letting me down again, and for the last few years it’s been a bit of an ordeal getting things moving. We’ve always had a small band of die-hard supporters who’ve travelled around some of those miserable haunts of the northwest counties, and it’s great that those long-suffering folks now get a taste of better days. But with the club’s rising fortunes, this last couple of seasons has also seen a huge influx of new people onto the terraces, and these folks have brought with then a new sense of excitement and enthusiasm, with large numbers taking to the road and wanting to make Rammy

into a way of life. With the addition of these people to the already established Rammy Family we now have the potential to make the supporters club into something really special.

After the very well attended fans’ forum back in June, we called a meeting of supporters, in which a lot of things were discussed - most notably how we, the fans, can help to get Rammy United firmly established at this level, and help to take the club higher. As a supporters club we’re always going to be slightly restricted in how we can help, but some brilliant ideas came out of that meeting, and a great board of committee members was elected who are already starting to make great strides.

Very shortly you’ll see in the newspapers the announcement of a sponsorship deal with SCA, the company that runs the paper mill in Stubbins (what used to be Georgia Pacific). Forgive me for jumping the gun by announcing it here, but I really want to make sure that Andy Massey gets a walloping great pat on the back for working with SCA to create this partnership. e deal sees our squad supplied with full training kit, as well as SCA sponsoring an ad in the programme, and a pitchside

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advertising board. It’s fantastic to have such an iconic Ramsbottom mill involved with the club, and we hope that this is the start of bigger things to come.

One of the supporters club’s main aims is to help raise funds to continue Rammy’s rise through the leagues, and hopefully the SCA deal is just the start.

You no doubt found yourself harrassed to death as you entered the ground today, as you will a week on Monday against Nantwich. We need as many people as possible to sign up to the

supporters club, as this is the season that big things will be happening off the pitch; things that will also have a real impact ON the pitch! For your membership you get an away travel guide as well as access to some exclusive content on rammy.tv, for which we have huge plans. Please sign up, and help us get things moving.

Right then, enough wittering from me. e long wait is over, so let battle commence on a brand new season in a brand new division, as we take on the might of King’s Lynn.

1206 watched the playoff final at Bamber Bridge, and the lion’s share travelled from Rammy

Oh no, it’s the drum - albeit played very proficiently by the Rammy Ultras.

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rammy in exile sky sports statto richard isaacs Well, good afternoon everyone. Can you believe that the closed season has come and gone and here we are - the day that no Rammy fan in their rightest of minds really ever thought they would ever see - Rammy in the Evo-Stik Premier Division. I am sure that most of us here remember those by-gone days of Tuesday nights in Squires Gate and Atherton LR, Wednesday nights in Silsden and multiple rained off days in Bacup. Today marks a new era of Ramsbottom United Football Club and, boy oh boy, are we looking forward to it!

It only feels like a few days ago that we celebrated the amazing play-off victory at Bamber Bridge. For me to even be there was incredible in itself, to actually be there to watch what happened will live long in the memory. I was supposed to be working on the 'rig day' of the first Sky Sports cricket match of the season at Chester-le-Street so thought I wouldn't make it but I was given the nod from the producer to leave the ground at just before 1.30pm. It was manna from heaven and a steady 70mph (!!) down the A1(M), across the A66 and then down the M6 to Bamber and I was at the ground just 35 minutes after kick-off (Dear Mr Policeman, please don't do the maths!).

What an occasion! A parking space in the ground, courtesy of Andy Massey informing the Brig chairman that Sky Sports were coming to the game (which wasn't wholly untrue .....) and into the ground at 1-1 to stand, cheer, sing and shout along with the other members of the Rammy Ultras and, as every nervejangling minute passed, you wondered what was going to happen. And then, with just three minutes left, Steve Howson scored. What a feeling. And then Bamber scored with the last minute penalty. What despair! It was then that you thought that it just wasn't going to be our day - to be so close but still have to face the sudden-death of another 30 minutes. But we should know better with this mob of lads and it was Dominic Smalley - a player we all love - who was there to fire home the crucial winner (which I actually thought hit the side netting from my far-off angle). e rest, as they say, is history. Sadly, for me, I had to go back to Durham when all I wanted to do was come back to Rammy and join in the long and wonderfully deserved celebrations of two promotions in three years. But I raised a glass in the hotel with the biggest smile on my face and went to bed very happy indeed. And I go back to my original point. Five years ago, when I drove back

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Winning goalscorer Dom Smalley, and Yours Truly ready to burst into tears at any moment!

south from Newcastle Town in the first game under the new managers with a 05 loss returned, we all thought, without exception, that Harry was completely clueless for appointing these two, who were just like all the others before them.

4th - 2nd - 1st and promoted - 6th - 5th, play-offs and promoted. He sure isn't clueless at all!

And so, to today. I will be at the ground for this opening fixture. I wouldn't miss this. We head into the unknown, a league which will see our clubs name every single day on Sky Sports News, featured much more in the Non-League Paper and in the national papers too. e third tier of non-league football and just three leagues away from the Football League. Get away with you! Rammy at this level ... we will all wake up in a minute and it's all a dream.

You know what - it's not, it's real and today, Ramsbottom United play Kings Lynn Town for the first time in their history. e other thing to take into consideration is that, despite all that is going on at Salford City, we have lost just one player - Danny Warrender, who

didn't fancy all the travelling. Owen Roberts has decided to give up football but he certainly made his mark (ahem Darlington!) while Martin Fearon, he of the wonder save, is now at Skelmersdale.

Andy Dawson, sadly, remains on the sidelines with his injury-ravaged body.

But, other than them, it is the same faces, those same loyal men who have done the job for the Rams and they will be here once again. It makes you very proud to be a part of this magnificent club when the players show that sort of loyalty.

Being a statistician, I have done a few figures. Of the 16 players we have signed on prior to the Clitheroe friendly - their appearances for the club total 1,628 matches with 228 "Rub-A-Dub-Dubs" (Subs) and 423 goals between them.

Two players have played in more than 200 appearances, six have played in over 150 and a full XI have more than 90. You simply don't get those sorts of stats at this level of football.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings.

Enjoy the game, enjoy the season - the Rammy roller-coaster rides again!!!

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new signings Tom Williams is a 23 year old wide midďŹ elder/forward who started his career at Wigan Athletic, he also played for Chorley and Bamber Bridge.

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Malachi Slaven is a 20 year old box to box midďŹ elder. He played last season with Droylsden so has experience of this league despite his age.

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new signings Sam Cook is a 21 year old forward who started at MacclesďŹ eld Town and has played Evo-Stik south football for Shepshed Dynamo.

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Porya 'Rio' Ahmadi is a 21 year old forward who lists SheďŹƒeld United, Chorley and Salford City as previous clubs.

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new signings Osebi ‘Ossi’ Abadaki is a 23 year old attacking midfielder who last season played for Nantwich Town and has also played for Halifax.

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Shawbridge 9th August 2014 Att: Rammy Goals: Clitheroe Goals:

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WWF preseason

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Shawbridge 9th August 2014 Att: Rammy Goals: Clitheroe Goals:

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Tales from the Darkside We have a really exciting season in prospect, now that we are in the "big time" of the Evo-Stik Premier. Keeping up with the fantastic achievements of Bernard, Jonno and the team, our Supporters Club committee is re-formed and full of enthusiasm for the new season.

We plan to raise money to support the team, encourage supporters to come watching e Rams, and generally help everyone have a great time watching Our Team. We have lots of ideas for events and activities during the season and we hope that you will join us and become part of the Rammy footballing family. is year the Supporters Club has kept the membership charge at only £5 for the season - a real bargain! In exchange for this modest sum, you will receive : • a handy fold-out pocket guide showing the Rammy fixtures and details of the other teams in the league, with information about how to find their grounds • a car sticker • access to exclusive content on Rammy TV, giving you the chance to watch extended video footage of Rammy games • the chance to vote for the Supporters Club Player of the Month You can sign up at the game today, or at any of the next few games (home and away).

Take this exciting chance to sign up. and be involved in the fantastic things happening at Rammy FC. Here's to a great season!

- SIGN UP - JOIN IN - TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND CHEER ON THE RAMS!

e final Saturday before the football season started saw the good folks of Ramsbottom waking up to sunshine, and what better way to spend the day than watching the mighty Rams finalise preparations for the big kick-off with a trip to our close neighbours at Clitheroe. is was a big day for the town of Clitheroe as not only did they have East Lancashires top non-league side visiting, they were also hosting a food festival in the town. With this in mind we decided to set off early to sample the delicacies on offer, before making our way to the game. So, at 12.30 myself and Mrs Darkside were getting in the Hulmemobile with Jordan’s parents, Martin and Joanne, to make the short journey through the hills of Pendle. Much of the journey involved me quizzing Martin on the history of Workington F.C. (which I had been researching the previous day) and the ladies (probably) talking about shoes and handbags.

We arrived in Clitheroe and parked up near the ground before having a walk into the town centre where we were greeted by thousands of people and not much room to move. We had hoped the town was this busy due to people flocking to see what new signings Jonno and Bernard had made over the summer, but Sam was not the Cook they had come to see. e only downside to the food festival was that it was a victim of its own success and the stalls were too busy and the queues were too long to have a proper browse round. We quickly grabbed some food and made our way to the ground, arriving just in time for a quick pint before the game started.

It’s not a bad little set up at Clitheroe and I was pleased to see they had a real ale on in the bar. Armed with a pint of Jennings Cumberland Ale it was time for a chat with some of the travelling Ultras, and although some were still on holiday or watching the cricket back in Rammy it was quite a good turnout. A special shout goes out to Mick Johnson who had been holidaying in Switzerland and had driven up from Dover that very morning.

I had a browse through the programme, which was a publication that covered all Clitheroe’s pre-season games

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and not specifically their superstars of the New Orleans Jesters, Jordan game with us. I fully and Wiz with some of their mates, including understand this as the young Dave Morley. After a quick chat and a margins between making money and losing money on chorus of “ Oh Rammy United”, the young lads programmes is a delicate balancing act, so I did not mind said they were off up to Jordans house to help only two pages on Rammy. themselves to the cans of St Ettiene lager in Despite the game ending goalless, I quite enjoyed the Martin’s fridge. is was the cue for Martin to 90 minutes football (and fisticuffs). I was hoping we beat a hasty retreat home to protect them and might have got some indication of our starting eleven for the rest of us to go home and watch the the Kings Lynn game, but was left with more questions highlights from the opening day of the football than answers on that front. We enjoyed some banter with league season on TV. the Clitheroe fans behind the goal in the 2nd half who had been shouting at Shents, although some of our fans who I spoke to later were less than complimentary on the attitude of our hosts.

After a quick pint and a chat with the players in the clubhouse we headed back to Ramsbottom where our destination was the Buchanan Club for a spot of crown green bowling and a couple more drinks. It would seem that bowling is becoming the second sport of the Rammy Ultras these days after the success of our bowling day/Andy and Hilary’s combined stag and hen party last month. We were joined by the aforementioned Andy and Hilary, as well as Paul and Cheryl (Mr and Mrs Wiz) and I further cemented my place as the worse crown green bowler this town has to offer.

After finishing the evening at e Eastern Eye we came You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough out and bumped into those

Tales from the Darkside the good folks of Ramsbottom waking up to sunshine, and what better way to spend the day than watching the mighty Rams finalise preparations for the big kick-off with a trip to our close neighbours at Clitheroe. is was a big day for the town of Clitheroe as not only did they have East Lancashires top non-league side visiting, they were also hosting a food festival in the town. With this in mind we decided to set off early to sample the delicacies on offer, before making our way to the game. So, at 12.30 myself and Mrs Darkside were getting in the Hulmemobile with Jordan’s parents, Martin and Joanne, to make the short journey through the hills of Pendle. Much of the journey involved me quizzing Martin on the history of Workington F.C. (which I had been researching the previous day) and the ladies (probably) talking about We arrived in Clitheroe and parked up near the ground before having a walk into the town centre where we were greeted by thousands of people and not much room to move. We had hoped the town was this busy due to people flocking to see what new signings Jonno and Bernard had made over the summer, but Sam was not the Cook they had come to see. e only downside to the food festival was that it was a victim of its own success and the stalls were too busy and the queues were too long to have a proper browse round. We quickly grabbed some food and made our way to the ground, arriving just in time for a quick pint before the game It’s not a bad little set up at Clitheroe and I was pleased to see they had a real ale on in the bar. Armed with a pint of Jennings Cumberland Ale it was time for a chat with some of the travelling Ultras, and although some were still on holiday or watching the cricket back in Rammy it was quite a good turnout. A special shout goes out to Mick Johnson who had been holidaying in Switzerland I had a browse through the programme, which was a publication that covered all Clitheroe’s pre-season games

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It isn’t known exactly when a King’s Lynn football club first represented the town, just that Lynn Town was reformed in 1879 having gone out of existence a few years earlier. At the time there were various football clubs in King’s Lynn including Lynn United, Lynn CEYMS and Lynn Alexander.

A newly formed club that went by the name of King’s Lynn Town were formed in May 2010 with the owners completely changing the look of the previously folded club. Large sums of money were spent as the club was refurbished from top to bottom. e starting place was the changing and function rooms which were completely gutted, producing very high standards facilities for both spectators and guests of the club. New turnstiles were installed and the old fences being replaced. e club retained the traditional blue and gold home colours when reformed in 2010 to the delight of many King’s Lynn fans. e newly formed King’s Lynn Town achieved their highest ever finish during the 2012-2013 season as they became champions of the Northern Premier League Division One South. ey endured a run-of-the-mill season last time out as they finished the season in 11th place with 68 points, losing eighteen games along the way.

king’s lynn town

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Captain David Bell is a very talented and experienced player who is comfortable anywhere across the midfield. A Republic of Ireland “B” international, he joined Nott’s County in the summer of 2013 after playing five seasons at Coventry City. With experience in the Championship David will prove a stern test for Ramsbottom and will look to supply the forwards with his sublime forward play.

four to watch

Jake Jones is an exciting, hardworking and young attacking/right sided midfielder.

Signing for King’s Lynn in January 2014 after a loan spell, during the autumn and early winter, Jake went out on loan to Lincoln City in the summer of 2013 before moving to Tamworth.

Sam Mulready is a prolific young striker. A local lad who left school at the age of sixteen, he went straight to Grimsby Town on a two year Scholarship, signing Professional forms for the last six months of his contract.

Released in the summer of 2012, he joined Gainsborough Trinity. Sam was an ever present during the 2013-14 season scoring goal after goal throughout.

David Bridges is a very experienced midfielder, and definitely one to watch. He joined King’s Lynn in July having had experience at all levels of the game. He was part of the sucessful FA Trophy team at Stevenage, the same team that won promotion to the Football League. David began his career at Cambridge United, a club he returned to for a two-year spell after playing for FK Riga in Latvia. He’s capped for England’s C-team, and since departing Cambridge has played at Kettering, Chelmsford City, Bury Town and most recently Conference North side Brackley Town.

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With our promotion last season, e Rams will now be saying goodbye to visits to our close friends and neighbours in Radcliffe, Padiham and Clitheroe, instead hitting the road to an array of exotic destinations from Kings Lynn in the South to Whitby in the North. As many of the grounds we visit will be virgin territory to us, we will be previewing the away days in the programme this season.

Our first trip has us up in Cumbria with a visit to Borough Park to take on Workington. Borough Park is a traditional football ground having been built in 1937 and has cover on three sides of the ground.

Borough Park even hosted the Busby Babes in a F.A. Cup game just weeks before the Munich Air Disaster, so the ground certainly has a rich footballing tradition.

Now, those of us of a certain vintage will remember Workington being a football league club having been elected to the 3rd Division North in 1951. ey remained in the league until 1977 when they were replaced by Wimbledon, a fact that is still a sore point with the older supporters of Workington. ese were the days before automatic promotion and relegation, and the bottom four teams in the 4th Division were required to apply to the Football league for re-election. Many feel that the Football League had an agenda against Northern clubs and teams did not want to be travelling to outposts such as Workington, when they could be travelling to the leafy suburbia of places such as Wimbledon. Now, some may say this is sour grapes but, the fact that Barrow (1971) and Southport (1977) also lost their league status suggests that maybe the Football League did have an agenda against the northern clubs. e current Workington were formed in 1921, although there was a football club in the town for many years before then, and their best ever finish in the league was in 1965-66 when they managed 5th in the old 3rd Division. Borough Park has been a rich breeding ground for those starting their managerial careers having had Joe Harvey (the last manager to bring a major trophy to Newcastle United by winning the UEFA Fairs Cup with them in 1969) and Keith Burkinshaw (Won the F.A. Cup in 1981 and 1982 with Tottenham Hotspurs, along with the UEFA Cup in 1984). Perhaps the greatest claim to fame Workington have is that the legendary Bill

Shankley was in charge of the team from January 1954 to December 1955, before going onto turning Liverpool from a mid-table 2nd Division team to being the greatest team in England, and ultimately Europe. Recent years have also seen some Workington players go onto to play at a higher level including Grant Holt, Glenn Murray and England international, Scott Carson.

It’s a shame that this fixture did not fall on a Saturday as Workington would have made a good day out or even a weekend away in the Lakes.

However, with most of us having work commitments we will be faced with a round journey of 5 hours travelling. e journey is simple enough, especially if you are used to travelling up to the Lakes. If you head over Grane Road and pick up the M65 at Blackburn and carry on to Junction 2 (M61 exit) taking you towards Lancaster/Blackpool. From here you take the exit onto the M6 and carry onto Junction 40 (approximately 64 miles) where you pick up the A66. From the A66, Workington is clearly signposted and the road will take you straight into the town. As for me, I will take the easy option and get on the coach to see our opening away game.

If you are taking a break on the journey, I strongly advise taking a stop at Tebay Services in Westmorland. is can be found between Junctions 38 and 39 on the M6. Unlike most service stations this one is a family run business, without a Burger King or Costa Coffee in sight. What you do get is a farm shop that sells a range of high quality, local produce, alongside a restaurant which has amazing views of the Cumbrian landscape. e restaurant also offers high quality food and is quite competitively priced in comparison to other motorway services. I highly recommend this for a stop off point. If you are getting up there early and looking for a place to eat and drink you could try e Royal Yew (CA14 4TJ), which serves locally brewed beers and locally sourced food.

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Would you like to treat your customers and/or friends to a day or evening watching top quality non-league football at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium during the exciting 2014/15 season which sees Ramsbottom United playing in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League PREMIER DIVISION? Well you can with our outstanding Match Day Hospitality packages in our excellent Sponsors Lounge.

For just £25 per head - with a minimum of 5 persons and a maximum of 50, you will have a prime seat in the luxury of the Frank Rothwell Suite Sponsors Lounge, watching all of the action in comfort. You will be provided with a choice of half-time buffet the choices being a regular finger buffet of sandwiches etc or the traditional Pie and Peas supper or Fish, Chips and Peas - the choice is yours. You will also be provided with one bottle of champagne plus a selection of wine, lager, bitter, cider or shots - again, you chose the combination.

Your company name will also be announced over the match public address system before, during half-time and at full time. You will also be provided with programmes and a full player line-up and, of course, entry to the ground.

And you can get this for just £25 per head for an exciting afternoon or evening watching highly entertaining football by a side on the rise through the leagues - having secured promotion twice in the last three seasons.

If you wish to take advantage of this great offer, please contact Ramsbottom United's sponsorship secretary on 07576 390762 or via email at bobsolo37@googlemail.com.

Ramsbottom United have a number of other sponsorship and advertising opportunities.

- ADVERTISING HOARDING AROUND THE OUTSKIRT OF THE PITCH: £250 for the first year then every year after that for £150.

- PROGRAMME ADVERTISING: £100 for a full page and £50 for a half-page - MATCH BALL SPONSORSHIP: £40 per match (which includes company name printed in the programme and announced over public address).

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tony’s teasers 1.

From which non-league club did Bury sign Paddy Kenny?

2.

Former Shaker Gareth Seddon has moved from Chester to which other nonleague club this summer?

3.

What is the name of Kings Lynn Town’s wonderful home stadium?

4.

What is the nick-name of Harrogate Town?

5.

In which league are former Evo-Stik North side Wakefield playing this year?

6.

Spennymoor Town have gained promotion to Evo-Stik North this season. e old Spennymoor club (United) folded a few years back. Which other local club moved into the town to resurrect the club?

7.

What major change has taken place at Welsh Premier side Newtown’s ground this summer?

8.

Another Welsh premier side TNS was knocked out of the European competition last week. Where did they stage their “home” fixture?

9.

Which club won the Evo-Stik North “Club of the Month” award for April/May? 10.

Which two members of the Rammy squad have spent the closed season playing in America?

ANSWERS: 1. Bradford PA 2. Salford City 3. e Walks 4. e Sulpherites 5. None - they’ve folded! 6. Evenwood Town 7. An artificial pitch has been laid. 8. Rhyl’s Belle Vue stadium 9. Ramsbottom United! 10 Phil Dean and Jordan Hulme

p Sat 17th Aug Tues 20th Aug Sat 24th Aug Mon 26th Aug Sat 31st Aug Sat 7th Sept Tues 10th Sept Sat 14th Sept Tues 17th Sept Sat 21st Sept Tues 24th Sept Sat 28th Sept Tues 1st Oct Sat 5th Oct Tues 8 th Oct Sat 12th Oct Weds 16th Oct Sat 19th Oct Sat 26th Oct Sat 2nd Nov Wed 6th Nov Sat 9th Nov Tues 12th Nov Sun 17th Nov Tues 19th Nov Sat 23rd Nov Tues 26th Nov Sat 30th Nov Sat 7th Dec Tues 10th Dec Sat 14th Dec Sat 21st Dec Thurs 26th Dec Sat 4th Jan Sat 11th Jan Sat 18th Jan Sat 25th Jan Sat 1st Feb Tues 4th Feb Sat 8th Feb Sat 22nd Feb Tues 25th Feb Sat 1st Mar Sat 8th Mar Tues 11th Mar Sat 15th Mar Tues 25th Mar Sat 29th Mar Tues 1st Mar Sat 5th Apr Sat 12th Apr Sat 19th Apr Mon 21st Apr Sat 26th Apr Weds 30th Apr Sat 3rd Apr

H A A H H H A A H A H A A A H A H H A A A H H A H H H A A A H A H A H H A A H A A H A H H A H A H H A H A H A A

CURZON ASHTON Ossett Town Warrington Town PADIHAM AFC Liverpool - FA Cup NORTHWICH VICTORIA Ossett Albion Stocksbridge - FA Cup Stocksbridge - FA Cup Mossley DARLINGTON 1883 Barrow - FA Cup Radcliffe Borough Warrington Town FA Trophy LANCASTER CITY Wakefield ATHERTON LR Lancs Trophy WORKSOP FA Trophy 1Q Harrogate Railway Athletic Blyth Spartans FA Trophy Darlington 1883 NEW MILLS FC UNITED Doodson cup Worcester City FA Trophy Padiham Lancs Trophy BURSCOUGH CLITHEROE Kendal Town Curzon Ashton Chorley Lancs Trophy WAKEFIELD Bamber Bridge SALFORD CITY Northwich Victoria MOSSLEY RADCLIFFE BOROUGH Clitheroe Cammell Laird OSSETT ALBION Lancaster City Padiham OSSETT TOWN Prescot Cables CAMMELL LAIRD HARROGATE RAILWAY New Mills PRESCOT CABLES Burscough FARSLEY KENDAL TOWN Farsley WARRINGTON TOWN Salford City Bamber Bridge Darlington Bamber Bridge

1-3 0-2 0-1 1-2 5-0 2-2 2-1 2-2 3-0 4-3 3-0 0-3 1-1 2-1 6-0 3-2 3-1 7-2 4-0 1-0 1-0 1-1 1-2 0-3 4-1 7-1 4-1 3-2 2-2 0-2 3-1 1-2 5-2 4-3 3-1 8-0 4-2 1-2 2-0 3-1 4-1 2-2 3-0 0-2 5-0 3-2 5-2 1-1 1-1 3-0 2-3 3-2 2-1 0-0 2-0 3-2

254 100 192 309 238 212 73 129 127 173 396 677 241 103 241 64 69 355 124 298 899 292 464 341 106 229 192 167 233 301 181 248 341 176 371 344 373 73 165 228 271 172 192 305 136 175 101 215 184 228 199 366 317 491

Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Chadwick Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton Shenton * Fearon Fearon Fearon Fearon Fearon Fearon Fearon Fearon 1926 Fearon 1206 Fearon

Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender 1 Warrender Warrender # Hulme + Warrender Warrender Hulme 1 Hulme Hulme Warrender Lomax Lomax Lomax Lomax Lomax + Lomax Toth Lomax Dean Dean Lomax Toth Lomax Lomax Lomax Fitzgerald * Hulme 1 Hulme 1 Hulme Hulme Hulme 1 Hulme Warrender Warrender 1 Smalley + Smalley Smalley Smalley Smalley Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Smalley Smalley Smalley * Warrender Warrender Warrender

Pilkington Pilkington * Pilkington * Pilkington Roberts * Roberts * 1 Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Pilkington Pilkington Hulme Hulme Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Pilkington Roberts Roberts # Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington # Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts Roberts * 1 Roberts # Roberts * Roberts Roberts

Stopforth + Drew Drew + Drew + Stopforth + Pilkington Morley + Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth # Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth # Gaskell 1 Stopforth # Stopforth # Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Pilkington Stopforth Stopforth # Stopforth Stopforth # Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth + Stopforth Stopforth 1 Stopforth Stopforth Spencer Spencer Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth + Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth Stopforth

Dawson Dawson Dawson Dawson Dawson Dawson Dawson Dawson Dawson + Robinson Priestley Dawson Dawson Dawson * Warrender Warrender Dawson * Dawson Warrender Warrender 1 Warrender Warrender 1 Warrender Warrender Warburton * Warrender 2 Warrender Lomax Warrender # Edghill + Toth Warrender 1 Warrender Lacy Lacy Warrender * Warrender Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender Warrender # Warrender * Howson Warrender Warrender Howson Howson Howson 1

Hulme Hulme Hulme Spencer * Robinson Robinson Robinson Robinson * Robinson Flannery # Flannery + Warrender Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Warburton Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley 1 Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley 1 Priestley 1 Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley Priestley 1 Priestley

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Morning * Morning + Smalley Smalley Smalley Smalley Smalley Smalley 1 + Smalley # Smalley Smalley Smalley * Smalley Smalley Smalley 1 Smalley Prickett Smalley 1 Smalley 1 Smalley Smalley Smalley Toth Smalley Smalley Smalley Smalley Smalley Smalley 1 Smalley Smalley Smalley Smalley * Spencer 1 + Spencer Spencer 1 Spencer 1 Spencer * Spencer 1 * Spencer Smalley + Smalley Spencer * Spencer Hulme Spencer Spencer * Spencer * Smalley Smalley + Spencer * Hulme Hulme Spencer Spencer * Spencer *

Spencer Spencer Stopforth Stopforth Spencer Spencer Spencer # Spencer Spencer Spencer Spencer Spencer Spencer Spencer Spencer * Spencer Toth Spencer Spencer # Spencer Spencer Spencer + Hulme # Spencer Pilkington Pilkington 1 + Robinson 2 + Robinson + Spencer Spencer Spencer * 1 Spencer + Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Pilkington Burton Burton Burton Burton Burton Burton 1 Burton * Green Pilkington Pilkington Burton Burton Burton # Burton Pilkington + Burton Burton Burton Burton 1

Robinson # Robinson Robinson Robinson Gaskell 2 Gaskell Gaskell 2 Gaskell Gaskell 1 Gaskell Gaskell Gaskell Gaskell * Hulme Robinson 1 + Robinson 1 + Smith 2 Robinson 1+ Robinson 1 + Robinson + Robinson Brooks * Robinson Robinson * Brooks + Gaskell 1 * Gaskell 1 Gaskell 1 Gaskell 1 Brooks * Gaskell + Gaskell * Gaskell 2 Gaskell 1 Gaskell 1 Gaskell 2 # Gaskell Gaskell Green + Gaskell 1 Gaskell 1 Gaskell Gaskell 2 Gaskell + Gaskell * Gaskell 3 Gaskell 3 # Gaskell # Gaskell Gaskell Gaskell Howson Howson Gaskell Gaskell + Gaskell 1+

Brooks 1 Brooks # Gaskell # Gaskell Brooks # 1 Hulme Hulme Hulme # Roberts * 1 Roberts Robinson * 3 Robinson Robinson + Brooks Brooks 2 Brooks * Brooks 1 Brooks 2 * Brooks * Gaskell * Gaskell Gaskell Brooks Gaskell + Hulme 3 Hulme # Hulme * Hulme 2 Pilkington Hulme # Green # 1 Green Green + Green 1 Green + Denham Denham 2 Denham Denham # Hulme Hulme 2 * Hulme * Hulme Hulme Denham + Green + Howson 1 Howson Howson # Hulme Hulme Gaskell 1 Gaskell 2 Hulme Hulme 1 Hulme

Dean Dean Dean Dean # Dean 1 Dean 1 Dean * Dean 1 Dean Dean 1* Dean Dean Dean Dean + Dean Dean 1 Gaskell + Dean 2 Dean 2 Dean Dean 1 Dean # Dean * Pilkington Spencer Spencer 2 Spencer 1 Spencer # Dean + Dean Dean Dean Dean 2 Dean # Dean # Dean 3 Dean * Dean + Dean Dean 2 Dean 1 Dean 1 Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean 1 Dean * Dean Pilkington Dean # Dean + Dean + Dean # Dean #

Drew + Warburton Warburton * Edghill * Pilkington * Bradbury Toth * Roberts + Flannery # Hulme # + Pilkington + Edghill + Brooks * 1 Edghill + Edghill * Edghill + Dean Hulme 1 + Toth * Toth Toth Toth Smalley * Toth Warrender *1 Toth Toth # Toth # Toth Warburton + Warrender Toth Toth Toth Toth Toth Toth Toth Toth # Toth Toth + Toth Toth + Toth * # Toth # Toth Toth Toth Spencer * 1 Spencer + Toth Burton + 1 Toth Smalley + Smalley * Smalley *

Smalley * Smalley * Brooks # Morley Bradbury # 1 Edghill Prickett Flannery * Morley Brooks * 2 Brooks * Brooks * Hulme + Gaskell * Gaskell + Pilkington * Smalley + Pilkington Gaskell + Brooks * Johnson Robinson * Spencer # Hulme * Gaskell + Robinson * Pilkington + Pilkington + Brooks Bradbury Edghill * Pilkington + Brooks + Brooks Reece # Fitzgerald Fitzgerald Fitzgerald * Warburton * Green Green * Green * Green * Green # Roberts + Hulme + Green + Krou Green Howson * Krou * Robinson Pugh # Pugh * Pugh # Pugh #

Gaskell # Gaskell # Spencer + Johnson + Edghill + Prickett Johnson Brooks # Prickett Toth + Toth Toth # Toth Toth Toth # Toth Priestley * Toth # Prickett # Hulme + Brooks Pilkington + Gaskell + Brooks + Smith # Brooks + Brooks * Brooks Robinson + Smith # Brooks + 1 Edghill Robinson * Hulme * Firzgerald Lacy * Reece Green + Bradbury + Morley Morley Warburton Morley Johnson + Nuttall * Morley * Burton * Hulme * Hulme + Krou # Pugh Spencer # Krou Krou Robinson + Robinson +

Toth Toth Toth Brooks 1 # Drew Toth Toth * Bradbury # Morley Toth Brooks * Prickett Dawson # Morley Morley Morley Morley Morley Spencer # Gaskell * Chadwick Morley Warburton Chadwick Chadwick Warburton Bradbury Dean 1 # Warburton Johnson Hulme # Gaskell * Johnson # Brooks * Spencer 1 # Denham 1 + Denham 1 + Reece + Morley Morley Smith Johnson Johnson Bradbury Johnson Morley Morley Johnson Hulme # 1 Green # Krou # Pugh Dean Krou Spencer * Toth Toth Toth

Bradbury Bradbury + Bradbury Roberts Warburton Morley Warburton + Prickett Toth+ Hulme Edghill Edghill Johnson Edghill Pilkington Warburton Dawson Robinson Chadwick Johnson Johnson Smith Roberts # Stopforth Bradbury Edghill Chadwick Bradbury Morley Edghill Chadwick Chadwick Johnson Edghill Reece # Johnson Green # Green * Morley Chadwick

Pugh Toth Warrender Pugh * Robinson + Johnson Morley Krou

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Managers: Anthony Johnson, Bernard Morley

Grant SHENTON Dominic SMALLEY Lee PUGH Grant SPENCER Steve HOWSON Billy PRIESTLEY Tom WILLIAMS Scott BURTON Jon ROBINSON Lee GASKELL Phil DEAN Jordan HULME Sam COOK Porya AHMADI Osebi ABADAKI Gary STOPFORTH

Manager: Gary SETCHELL

Matthew HAILS Jackson RAMM Jordan YONG David BELL Ryan FRYATT Ross WATSON Shaun STOCKER Dan QUIGLEY Michael FREW David BRIDGES Jake JONES Jason LEE Sam MULREADY George THOMSON Chris WARD Alex STREET

Referee: Matthew Corlett Referee’s Assistants: Carl Trott and Mick Southern

Next home game: Monday 25th August, 3pm Rammy v Nantwich Town