64 Ramsbottom United v Buxton

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18.08.15

jon robinson

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First of all I’d like to extend a warm welcome to tonight’s match officials as well as the management, players and supporters of Buxton. I hope you enjoy your visit to the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium and that your journey home is a pleasant one.

Our battles against Buxton last season were very memorable, with them dumping us out of the FA Cup quite early on in the season, and us winning 2-0 at home (fantastic Wiz goal in the second half!) before bagging a desperately needed draw over there in March.

This evening is likely to be a tough test for our new-look squad, particularly given how well The Bucks did against Darlington at the weekend (running out 2-0 winners), and it’ll require us to find a little of the form that eluded us on Saturday at Rushall.

Of course it is still very early days for these players - all bar three pulled on their shirts for their first competitive Rammy game down at Rushall on Saturday, and at times it was far too evident.

The work-rate was there but the display was a little too disjointed.

There felt to be a lack of assurance, confidence and drive,

particularly making sure we keep possession in key areas, allowing the team to get forward and make some in-roads on Rushall. At times things started to click, but then at other times it seemed difficult for us to get into the kind of football we’ve been working on pre-season. We didn’t fold though, we kept plugging away, and kept trying to do the right things.

It will come good if everyone is patient. This is a fantastic squad of young players that has a huge amount of potential for the future, and everyone has to remember that it took five years to get the Rammy squad of old into the kind of shape where it could win all those promotions.

I have to mention some great individual performances from Saturday. Shents in goal was as outstanding as I’ve ever seen him, and Prince Haywood and Alex Meaney in the middle were first-rate. These lads really did us proud, but it’s the team performance that matters at the end of the day, and the results. The performances will improve as players begin to click, and those points will come soon enough.

Enjoy the match.

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tony cunningham

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Welcome to the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium this evening, and a special welcome to our match officials, and our good friends from the Peak District, everyone involved with Buxton FC.

point was more than welcome!

In between those games, we welcomed the Bucks to Rammy and sent them home on the back of a 2-0 defeat, so all-in-all, last season had both our teams just about equal.

The bookies may well not be fancying our chances this time round, but that’s OK. No pressure on the lads, so I’m sure they’ll all go out to enjoy every game we play, and come next April, we’ll see where that takes us.

OFF AND RUNNING Tonight we start our home games in what will be our second season at this level of football. To us, last year was a learning curve and, considering everything that went on, I think we did LOOKING AHEAD pretty well.

It’s always a fascinating time of Our two games at Silverlands were rather strange affairs. In the FA year as the new campaign comCup we were, quite literally, awful for mences.

Each league will have a new conthe first 45 minutes, then completely took over the game for the second stitution, with clubs leaving by various half. In the end we just missed out on means, and new ones joining. There getting a result, but it was definitely will be much forecasting done around one of those “games of two halves”. the country, and I’ll bet that no supThat, of course, was with the “old” porter anywhere will predict the team. When we returned for league dreaded drop for their side.

It looks as though we may have action late in the season, it was our “new” team that turned up, and whilst even more travelling to do this seawe took quite a battering, somehow son than last – that will probably see our defence managed to hold out me missing even more away games (Buxton’s woeful misses did help damn! – but I do look forward to seemind!) and then we conceded. At ing the likes of Hyde United, who are which point it looked like we would cave in, but Lee Gaskell scored a superb equaliser just minutes later, and in the end we could have nicked a win that would have been a The Mighty Robbo scoring against Salford back when they played in Tangerine and the band-wagon engine was still in the garage. travesty. A

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our next visitors to the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium. They have enjoyed just three victories in the last two years, so surely they will expect a marked improvement at this level.

Darlington will revive many memories. Who will ever forget that terrific night at Bishop Auckland when we absolutely battered them. One of the greatest nights in The Rams history.

Oh yes, then there’s the little matter of Salford City. For years they were merely our local friendly rivals from down the road. How their profile has altered! It’s a game that virtually all at Rammy will look forward to with relish. Mind you, the Salford team have to perform well on the pitch between now and then, otherwise...

There is no doubt this level of football is testing for a small club like ourselves, but we must set our stall out to become established at this level. Buxton, however, are synonymous with playing in the NPL. During my time with Mossley back in the 1980s, we met The Bucks on

many occasions, and I suppose most fans would regard this as Buxton’s natural level.

For us I suppose the Evo-Stik North would probably be seen as our place in The Pyramid, so you could say we are plying our trade a little above expectations. That, however, should not blunt ambition. Curzon Ashton were playing in Northern Counties East not too many years ago, and look where they are now.

Other smaller clubs like Guiseley and North Ferriby United are fine examples of how achievements can better expectations.

How far can Ramsbottom United go?

I have no idea, but we’ll never stop striving to improve.

Roll on the coming campaign...it should be fun!

Enjoy tonight’s match.

- Tony

Giving Darlington a tonking in the play-offs, goal scorer Jordan Hulme and allround ‘Naughty Boy’ Owen Roberts

2015-16 a fresh start

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After a magnificent and meteoric rise to the dizzying heights of the Evostik Premier, Rammy’s fortunes took a sudden and crushing downturn with the departure of both managers, coaches and eight of the fourthplaced squad to pastures new (Salford) back in February. Drawn by the ‘ambition’ of our neighbours, and with perhaps more than one eye on the cheque books of United’s ‘class of 92’ and of billionaire businessman Peter Lim, the overnight departure of so many long-serving players left the club in dire straits.

That awful day when Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley announced their plans to leave will live long in the memories of everyone who was there, but many will also recall the sense of relief and of hope when Rammy legend Jon Robinson stepped forward to announce his intention to take the reins.

Robbo didn’t have much of an idea where he was going to start, but reassured by the former managers that they weren’t going to pillage the

squad, he had a little bit of breathing space to get his plans in order... until he learnt over the next couple of days that no fewer than eight of Rammy’s best players were packing their bags and heading off up the road. A couple of others also announced their departure as they felt unable to continue at a club after all their friends had left.

And that’s where the story of Jon Robinson’s exploits in football management begins. Up until that point Robbo had been the non-league equivalent of Alan Shearer - a committed, goal-poaching striker and the scourge of many an opposition defence. A Rammy player through and through, with over 200 appearances and 107 goals for the club, Robbo had become known for giving it everything he had, for every single minute he was on the pitch - and what more could you want from a new manager. Most importantly, he understood The Rammy Thing, and the (often inexplicable) foibles of the club and its, at times, eccentric chairman.

Long-time fans of the club had

Taking One for the Team - how many top scorers would pull on the goalkeeper’s shirt?

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already seen Robbo give so much for the team. How many top-scoring strikers would tuck away the ball in the opposition net, and then ten minutes later pull on the goalkeeper’s shirt after a nasty injury that sidelined him? That same top-scoring striker has appeared a good number of times as a centre-half, not bad for someone whose less than statuesque height is disguised by a strong physical presence and an ability to leap and hang in the air like no other player at this level!

The dust settled on his appoint-

ment, and very quickly reality, and the poisoned chalice he’d been handed, wreaked their havoc. The note that fate very quickly scribbled to Robbo read, “You’ve got a bit of a points head-start on the job, but you’re way behind on games because of the bad weather, have a pretty meagre budget, and just a few weeks before the transfer deadline to assemble a team to compete in the Evostik Premier!” contd...

Could anyone not trust this man alongside you in a battle - Jon Robinson in full battle dress!

2015-16 a fresh start

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Master Stroke Number One came before he’d even left the club house after that initial press conference. A phone call to ex-Rammy midfielder and erstwhile defender Phil Edghill brought the inspirational and knowledgeable player back to the club as Assistant Manager. Being unassuming, Edghill’s former presence at the club had been undoubtedly influential but also calm and understated. He’s an all round ‘nice bloke’ with his head screwed on and a decent reputation around the game locally. His calmness and level-headedness looked to be the perfect balance for Robbo’s passion, no-nonsense approach and impetuosity.

Master Stroke Number Two - bring back Gassy! Jon Robinson without Lee Gaskell is like Morecambe without Wise or Keith Harris without Orville (I’ll let you try and work out who is Orville!). The partnership up front of the scrapping ‘all elbows and knees’ opportunist Robbo, and the prancing show pony (as Johnno once coined him) Lee Gaskell had long been the scourge of non-league football, indeed football in general, with the pair being the highest scoring strike force in English football just the season before.

The season had started undeservedly harshly for Gaskell, whose injury had kept him out of the team

Lee Gaskell playing on the telly up at Gateshead in the FA Cup Second Round

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early-doors, only for the newly rejuvenated Jordan Hulme (returning from a full-time training and playing spell in the USA) to force a change of formation on the team. After that full-time training regime Hulme returned with the strength and fitness to play as a lone striker, allowing the Rams to pack the midfield and deny space and time to opposition teams. The success of that approach denied the Robbo-Gassy partnership a chance to get firing again, and when Gaskell did start to return from injury, the harshness of his side-lining became all too obvious.

The short, 10-15 minute spells at the end of matches saw Gassy playing some of his best football, but with Hulme on top form, Gassy’s match-time was limited.

Many will remember that Gaskell departed Rammy to sign for

Warrington Town, in the division below, but few really understand the reasons for this move.

Gaskell had been approached by Warrington as they were enjoying an extended FA Cup run and desperately needed their squad bolstering ahead of a crucial, televised match.

Gaskell, having been injured, was one of few quality strikers who hadn’t been cup-tied, and Shaun Reid made an approach to loan him for the FA Cup game (ultimately to become games). Gaskell approached the then managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley requesting to go, in order to get back to full fitness by playing more match-time, but also as a great chance to play on the telly in front of an audience of millions.

“No,” was the categorical answer from the managers. They felt, and many would agree, that Warrington have no right to just come and help themselves to Rammy players. If they wanted Gaskell then they would have to sign him... which they did. contd...

Phil Edghill as Skem’s last minute goal puts Rammy out of the play-offs two years ago.

2015-16 a fresh start

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The deal went through astonishingly quickly, and Gaskell was away playing for Warrington in time for their memorable win against Exeter, and sojourn into the Second Round Proper with a tie at Gateshead.

Much to the (understandable) dismay and disgust of the Warrington Town officials, Lee Gaskell’s phone number was the second on Robbo’s list, and the departure of the former managers saw the return of fans’ favourite Lee Gaskell.

That was the easy bit!

Assembling a team in just a couple of weeks from other clubs’ fringe players, with no chance to study or follow form meant that relegation was, although far from likely, a dark shadow lingering in the background.

In a depressing period in Rammy’s history, the cobbled-together team managed to scrape together just four wins from a 24-match run-in, through a combination of passion and sheer hard-work. It was a long, tiring and miserable three months, with a fixture backlog that is still disturbing to behold, and even caused one player (defender Mark Ayres) to have a couple of suspected strokes. Many of the players involved weren’t quite up to the job, and had no affinity to all things Ramsbottom, but any real fan of the club will agree that Rammy are very much in their debt.

As results went Rammy’s way before the final week of the season, the pressure eased and eventually the curtains closed on a tempestuous season, allowing the harrassed-looking Phil Edghill a chance to have A Good Sit Down, and Jon Robinson to take a breather to look around before starting to build a real team of his own with which to take on the Evostik Premier.

Master Stroke Number Three came pretty quickly - retain captain and top quality goal-keeper Grant Shenton, one of the best in football.

Master Stroke Number Four - bring in the vastly experienced coach Wayne Goodison to help make sure that training is right, set-pieces are properly worked on, and that there is an experienced football management head in the dug-out.

And so we now find ourselves embarking on a new season down at the Harry Williams Riverside with a squad of players and back-room staff that are more experienced at this level than any we have had before.

Players such as Prince Haywood and

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Melford Knight have a fantastic pedigree in the middle; the return of Lee Pugh, The Mercurial Andy Dawson at centre-half after an extended period of injury, with the equally mercurial Grant Spencer playing Ariel in the middle; the signing of such highlyesteemed and proven players as Shelton Payne from FC United, and Alex Meaney from Curzon Ashton - all of these players compliment the Kyle Harrops and Jamie Rothers we retained from last season, and a whole raft of incredible youngsters who will be the main-stay of the Rammy to come.

There are still a lot of unknowns about this season, and how Rammy

will fare - as chairman Harry Williams said in an interview midweek, “If I had a crystal ball, cocker, I’d be a lot richer than I am today!”

What is for sure is that we have a really decent looking squad of proper footballers, who like to play the game as it should be played, and behind the scenes we have a coaching and management staff that any club at this level could be justifiably proud of. At the end of the day we may struggle to make in-roads in this league, but with these lads it will never be for the lack of trying.

Management Team Wayne Goodison, Jon Robinson and Phil Edghill - ready to take on the Evostik Premier

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tonight’s

opposition

n

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tonight’s opposition

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Buxton started their 2014/15 Evo-Stik

relinquish top spot in the Premier Division

high hopes of finishing higher than their

against Stourbridge, Barwell and Matlock

Northern Premier Division season with previous campaign where they ended up thirteenth in the table.

as they picked up only a further three wins Town before the turn of the New Year.

It was early March before they were to

Nantwich Town were the visitors to Sil-

bag another win on their own turf, when

and the fans went home happy as Buxton

ford 3-2. By this time The Bucks form had

verlands on the opening day of the season

won 2-1. Three score draws followed, which included an impressive one all draw

away at FC United of Manchester, a team

who many felt would be one of the title favourites. A run of eight consecutive wins

they defeated relegation-threatened Trafseverely dipped, with only three league wins in their last eleven games, although they were still hopeful that they could hold onto a Play-Off place.

The run in till the end of the season saw

through September saw The Bucks top the

Buxton only record a further two wins, both

October saw a change in fortunes as

ton and Stourbridge. Unfortunately it was

table as the early pace setters.

they suffered their first defeat of the sea-

son away at Skelmersdale United. Other away losses were to follow, as Buxton were defeated at both Rammy and

Grantham. The month also saw their FA Cup campaign ended in a Third Qualifying

Round loss away to AFC Fylde. Inconsistent form for the rest of 2014 saw Buxton

coming away from Silverlands at WorkingBuxton’s home form that eventually let them down. Although a tenth place finish

was higher than their previous campaign, it seemed for long periods of the season that a Play-Off place was well within Bux-

ton’s reach, but ultimately they ended the season ten points adrift of Ilkeston, who occupied the final spot in fifth place.

1877 1884 1926 1952 1972 1973

Buxton FC were formed as part of an offshoot of the town’s Cricket Club.

Moved to Silverlands.

The first game staged at the new ground was a Derbyshire Cup tie, which ‘The Bucks’ won 2-0 against Bakewell.

Buxton gained their first piece of silverware winning the Manchester League Cup.

Reached the Third Round Proper of the FA Cup, where they were knocked out by Doncaster Rovers.

Won the Cheshire league for the first and only time.

Promoted to the Northern Premier league (NPL).

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Buxton’s home ground Silverlands was originally a field that was owned by Frank Drewry, their first club captain.

•

Buxton has the highest elevation of any market town in England and is known as ‘the gateway to the Peak District National Park’.

•

It is home to ‘St Ann’s Well’ - the geothermal spring water is bottled and sold internationally by the Buxton Mineral Water Company.

•

Silverlands is situated 1000 feet above sea level and is the highest ground in the football pyramid, beating The Hawthorns, which is the highest Football League ground.

•

The Romans developed a settlement known as Aquae Arnemetiae, or the spa of the goddess of the grove. Coins discovered indicates that the Romans were in Buxton throughout their occupation.

•

The town’s name may be derived from the old English word for Buck Stone or for Rocking Stone.

•

The Natural Baths which were redeveloped as an arcade in 1987 feature the largest stained glass window in Britain.

•

Famous Buxtonians include comedy actor Tim Brooke-Taylor, musician and songwriter Lloyd Cole and PDC darts player Dean Winstanley.

did you know?

•

1993 1998 2005 2006 2007 2012 2012 After being a members’ run club since its formation, Buxton became a Limited Company.

Brought on by financial problems ‘The Bucks’ suffered successive relegations which took them to the NCEL.

Won the NCEL President’s Cup.

Retained the NCEL President’s Cup and won the NCEL Premier League title gaining promotion to the NPL Unibond First Division.

Won the Unibond President’s Cup and the Unibond First Division title gaining promotion back to the Northern Premier Division.

Won the Derbyshire Cup for the tenth time beating Derby County 1-0.

Current manager Martin McIntosh was appointed in February.

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RAMSBOTTOM UNITED Abadaki pen (49), Dean (69)

last time we met

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED Like the Napoleonic armies prior to reaching the gates of Moscow, Buxton had been unbeaten on their travels so far this season but found themselves similarly repelled at the Riverside Ground returning home dishevelled, disheartened and thoroughly defeated. The score line did not reflect the Rams’ superiority over the full ninety minutes or a performance that was almost complete and perfect in its execution.

For a few weeks there had been signs of the brewing storm which swept Buxton away: the odd thunderous attack and lightning strike in the area. On Saturday all the elements came together as The Rams gave a sustained display of solid defence, control in midfield and accurate passing at pace in attack. The win was based on three partnerships: Steve Howson, firm and resolute, and Cedric Krou, all languid elegance in

2 0

18.10.14 Att: 470

interception and distribution, denying Buxton sight of, never mind an effort on goal; Scott Burton and Gary Stopforth, whose return to full match fitness is no coincidence with the team’s uplift in form, providing a firm base to allow Grant Spencer to roam and torment at will, and not least Joel Pilkington and Phil Dean down the left .

For 45 minutes there was an intriguing tussle between Dean and Steve

Buxton’s Suarez Looky-Likey Steve Istead - harrassed, wound up, booked and ultimately subbed.

Istead, Buxton's right full back. It was matador against bull, Dean attacking at pace with feint and dummy Istead lunging in, turned in and out, sticking to his task bravely but with building desperation, and by half time having been booked, only one mistimed tackle away from a red card.

Sensing that dilemma, Buxton substituted him at half time - but what false economy. The first touch of his replacement, Stuart Ludlum, was a

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box.

Dean, with the cold eyed calmness of the matador delivering the final thrust, steadied himself, touched the ball forward and sent a shot screamIstead’s unfortunate replacement Stuart ing past a Ludlum, sent off without kicking a ball! bewildered push into Phil Dean's back, clear in goalkeeper into the far corner. Quite the area just two minutes into the superb.

A flurry of substitutions took some second half. Red card not having touched the ball! Osebi Abadaki heat out of The Rams’ attack but ripped the penalty high into the roof there was still time for Tom Williams to show the virtue of the early wellof the net.

Jordan Hulme had a chance to delivered ball from wide into the box double the lead moments later only and Nelson Mota contriving to walk to skew wide, but it was just a mat- around the keeper twice in the ter of time before The Rams scored same movement, but not find the again with a goal of beauty in its net from inside the six yard box. construction and finish. On 69 min- There are tough matches ahead but utes a double exchange at pace momentum and belief is growing and with precision between Hulme that this just might be another and Spencer carved out yards of extraordinary season. space for Dean on the corner of the

RAMSBOTTOM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Subs: Pugh, Williams+, Mota#, Robinson*, Slaven

BUXTON 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Phil Dean - hero, villain, matador?

You choose!

Shenton Smalley Pilkington Stopforth Krou Howson Abadaki 1+ Burton Hulme Spencer* Dean#

Jameson Istead + Green Stevens Palmer Young Williams Niven Tuton Hardy King

Subs: Ludlam +, Reed, Davies, Broadhead, Taylor

six to watch

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Gregg Young (Defender) Age: 30 Previous Clubs: Sheffield Wednesday, Grimsby Town, Northwich Victoria, Halifax Town, Altrincham, York City, Alfreton Town & Gainsborough Trinity.

Young started his career at Sheffield Wednesday before making 24 league appearances for Grimsby Town. After loan spells at Northwich he spent three seasons at Halifax Town, before signing for Altrincham, where he played over 100 games. He returned to full-time football with York City and then moved on to Alfreton and Gainsborough Trinity. This nononsense central defender signed for The Bucks in the summer of 2014, making 46 appearances last season scoring 6 goals along the way.

Liam Hardy (Forward) Age: 27 Previous Clubs: Armthorpe Welfare, Harrogate Town & Harrogate Railway.

Hardy put himself in the shop window when he netted 46 goals in one season for Armthorpe, earning a move to Harrogate Town. Unfortunately, a serious leg injury put his career on hold. Subsequent loan spells at Harrogate Railway were followed by a temporary switch to Buxton, where he scored an impressive 7 goals in 9 games. After his release by Harrogate Town in the summer of 2014, he signed on fulltime with Buxton. He enjoyed an excellent campaign last season, where he netted 26 times in 49 matches, earning a nomination for the League Team of the Year. With interest from other clubs, Buxton are mightily relieved that he has signed a new contract to stay at Silverlands.

Ricky Ravenhill (Midfield) Age: 34 Previous Clubs: Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers, Grimsby Town, Darlington, Notts County, Bradford City, Northampton Town & Mansfield Town.

Another midfielder with bags of Football League experience, who started his professional career at Barnsley. After being released he dropped down into non-league with Doncaster Rovers, where he was part of the team that enjoyed back-to-back promotions, rising from the Conference to Division Two in a couple of seasons. He played with Notts County as they won the League Two title in May 2010 and won another medal at Bradford City as they finished runners-up in the League Cup in 2013. Ravenhill finished last season with Mansfield Town and, after signing for Buxton over the summer, his talents can only add to an already experienced midfield.

Phil Barnes (Goalkeeper) Age: 36 Previous Clubs: Rotherham United, Blackpool, Sheffield United, Torquay United, QPR, Grimsby Town, Gainsborough Trinity, Alfreton Town & Harrogate Town.

This vastly experienced goalkeeper signed for Buxton during the summer from Harrogate Town. Barnes started his professional career at Rotherham United, but really made a name for himself during a seven year spell as Blackpool’s first choice keeper. Consistent form earned him a move to Sheffield United, where he was part of the squad that achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2006. He moved on to Grimsby Town, where he

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was voted Supporters’ Player of the Year in 2008, but after two years he moved into non-league football.

Barnes’ Football league experience is sure to bring stability to the Buxton back line.

Derek Niven (Midfielder) Age: 31 Previous Clubs: Stenhousemuir, Raith Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Chesterfield & Grimsby Town.

This experienced midfielder started his career in Scotland with Stenhousemuir and then Raith Rovers. He was snapped up by Sam Allardyce in 2001, but never made a first team appearance in two years at Bolton. Niven really made a name for himself during 9 seasons at Chestefield, making nearly 300 league appearances. He made Chesterfield history when he scored the last goal at their old ground Saltergate in a win over AFC Bournemouth in May 2010.

After his release he spent a season at Grimsby Town, before signing for Buxton in the summer of 2013. During the past two seasons he has been an almost ever-present, scoring three goals in in nearly 90 appearances.

Martin McIntosh (Manager) Managerial Career; Worksop Town & Rotherham United (Coach).

Martin became manager of Buxton

in February 2012, successfully avoiding relegation. He played as a defender, making over 500 professional appearances in both the Scottish and English Football Leagues. Clubs that he played for include Tottenham, St Mirren, Hamilton, Hibernian, Stockport County, Rotherham, Huddersfield Town and Grimsby Town and he finished his playing career at non-league Alfreton Town. Martin holds both the UEFA ‘B’ and ‘A’ badges and since his appointment he is one of the most promising managers around.

Defender Gregg Young, a wealth of experience at many levels.

opposition fan

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This week’s “Opposition Fan” is secondary school teacher and Buxton TV cameraman Alex McKenna. After the game you can watch the highlights at the excellent BFCTV.net website. We asked Alex to tell us a little bit about his beloved club, and for a few tips for our trip over t’hills later in the season.

“I first started following Buxton in 2005 when I was still in school. My first memory is the day we won promotion from the NCEL. It was the 92nd minute and goalless until Mark Reed nodded in at the near post to seal the League title. Great scenes!

“AFC Telford away in the FA Cup in 2010 is probably my best memory. It was a Tuesday night replay at their place. At full time, it was 1-1 but we had nine men after Gregg Anderson and Tommy Agus both received red cards. Telford scored early in extra time to put themselves 2-1 up and then missed a penalty. Buxton started to come in to it a lot more in the last 15 minutes but I never in a million years expected us to score in the 121st minute to take it to penalties.

Unbridled joy amongst the few that travelled to the game that night. It'll be difficult to top that night.

“If you asked which players really stand out for me, the first has to be Mark Reed. To score over 260 goals in over 400 appearances at one club is an incredible achievement at any level, let alone in non-league where players tend to move on after a few years. He was instrumental in getting

us back to the NPL Premier League!

The other one would probably be Neil Stevens. He never stops running for whatever cause and isn't afraid of a challenge. He also loves to get yellow cards for no apparent reason. Doesn't deserve to be in Division One where he currently is!

“Our first four games last season resulted in three draws and a loss but then we went on a ridiculous run where we scored for fun, and at Christmas we were in the top five I think. Liam Hardy, Shaun Tuton and Mark Reed linked together brilliantly at times and with Greg Young and Ashley Palmer at the back, we were pretty solid and difficult to beat. However, we dropped off quite a bit after Christmas and fell away. There was no one thing that could be to blame, just the natural changes to the team that occur over a long season.

“We've made some very good signings that have replaced the players who left over the summer, like Bradley Barraclough and Ashley Worsfold, and we have some strength in depth on the bench. However, we don't yet have a settled team and more signings in defence are needed.

Losing Ashley Palmer was a huge blow. We do have continuity with the management team though which is always a good thing at this level.

“I think the aim for Buxton - most clubs in fact - is always a top five position. I think we'll be ever-present in the top ten and, with a few more

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signings, we could have the personnel to at least make a challenge for the top five. Whether we will or not will depend on how we invest in the team after Christmas and what loan signings we bring in as last season these were a little hit and miss.

“Regarding our fans, some aren't afraid to "voice their opinion" to the manager and players, rightly or wrongly. We do have a core bunch who will support Buxton come rain or shine though. The usual number we bring for midweek away is around the 50-70 mark.

“I've only been to Ramsbottom once before with Buxton and you easily beat us. We were poor that day. The one thing that struck me about your ground is how tightly packed in you

are. Not much room down the terraces but your fans behind the goal know how to make a din! It's a nice little ground.

“The parking at Buxton’s ground is pretty much ‘park where you can and hope your registration plate isn't read out over the tannoy system during the match’. We just avoid parking in the Police Station over the road - it was allowed until last season. As for a drink, we do have a clubhouse that is pretty nice and big, but if you fancy a wander, the best place would be the Market Place, a five minute walk up the road. There are about ten pubs in that area so take your pick.”

A great day out for the bumper crowd, but Phil Dean didn’t forget Ash Palmer in a hurry

harry williams

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As we enter the fiftieth season of Ramsbottom United’s existence we caught up with club co-founder and current chairman Harry Williams and took the opportunity to ask him some questions about the current situation at the club and how he sees things moving in the future.

Over its fifty years the club has progressed from a park team playing on Chatterton Recreation Ground, managed by Harry himself, through the Manchester League and Northwest Counties to the heady heights of the Northern Premier League where it competes today. It’s a club that’s never been relegated, and has gently and sensibly built for the future, a testimony to Harry’s unwillingness to saddle his club with ridiculous debts or take on any agreements that he’s not willing and able to honour.

First of all we asked what his aims are for the coming season.

“This is an incredible level of football,” replied Harry. “I never thought that we’d ever find ourselves playing - and beating - the likes of Marine, Ilkeston and so on. I remember speaking to Alan Allcock (League Operations Manager) just after we’d got promoted to the Premier, and telling him that I didn’t think we could compete at this level as we’re such a small club in a small town, but I remember him telling me not to worry, we’d do alright. That was really reassuring, and I remember those first few matches where we looked like we were in for a hiding. But we did it! We managed to hold our own at this level in a really difficult season - they don’t come much harder than that.

“So this season I want to see the club start to properly grow at this level. Don’t forget, we’re just two pro-

motions off the league, and so if we are able to get things right on and off the pitch... maybe get ourselves a decent run in one of the cups as well as putting in a good shift in the league... then that’ll do me. I like to win - I’m naturally someone who doesn’t want to lose, and I don’t want this club to just be there to make up the numbers, but we do have a lot to do in order to make this club a proper Evostik Premier club.”

Harry sees a big role for the supporters in his plans for the club, as it’s outgrown his ability to run things himself and improve things by his old approach of calling in favours.

“It’s been amazing over the last few months that supporters have been turning up at the ground and volunteering to help out with things. I don’t want to name names because I’d be bound to forget someone, but I really appreciate the help I’m getting. In the past it was always just a few of us that turned up day-in day-out, and people who were only interested in doing a particular job, but these people are coming along and saying, ‘what do you want me to do, Harry?’

They’re making this club what it is, and really helping to keep things moving. I definitely need help, but I also need people with ideas. Sometimes I feel that we’re not handling ourselves as professionally as other clubs, and that’s a situation I don’t like, but we’re working to remedy that, and with everyone’s help we’ll definitely get there.

“It will be difficult though. You’ve got your Darlingtons and your Salfords who’ve got big bank accounts and a lot of backing, and I know that if we’re to progress then that’s the kind of area we need to look at. Football is all

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about what’s happening on the pitch, but having some financial clout is always going to help that. It’s not the be all and end all - look at clubs like Leeds, Newcastle and so on... big clubs that found themselves relegated. You do need decent players and managers, that’s for sure, and I reckon we’ve got that with these lads.

“Robbo’s doing a really good job, surprisingly well, but I know he’s a decent, loyal lad who’s got Rammy in his heart. Those he’s brought in know their stuff too, so I make sure I leave them to it. I have managed this team in the past, but I’m not the kind of chairman who does that.

They’ve got the reins and I trust them to know what they’re doing. I’m also not the kind of chairman who cuts the budget if results don’t come. They know what they’ve got to spend and I will stick by that all season.”

The next couple of promotions are amongst the biggest steps in world football turning from a semi-professional club with crowds of 300 into a fulltime league club with crowds in the thousands - and Harry is in no doubt about the difficulties that come with that.

“There’s a bit of a glass ceiling in football now. We need to get the ground footprint capable of holding 6000+ fans to qualify for the Conference. Where do you start with that, when you’re working with the cricket club and have such a small area to develop? There’s the day-to-day stuff like repairing the floodlights and keeping things looking good, and then this thought in the back of your mind about taking such a small

ground higher. It’s a huge job, and, with each promotion, that job has got bigger and bigger.

“With everyone properly on-board we can get there, but for now, for me, it’s about settling ourselves properly at this level. After that... who knows?”

wayne goodison

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I know that Saturday’s result and performance were very disappointing for a lot of people in and around the club, but I always like to be positive about things. If we are being realistic and honest then what we had at Rushall was no real surprise, and we said that to the players before the game and again afterwards: It’s the first game of the season, away from home, with one or two marginal decisions from the officials. The first 20 minutes or so were pretty lively, and it was quite difficult to get settled into playing the way we want to play, but don’t forget that we have pretty much a whole new team, playing together for the very first time in a proper, competitive setting. Only three of the players in Rammy shirts at Rushall finished the season with the club last time, and irrespective of playing games pre-season, the fact is that you’ve got a whole new squad together. They have a lot of potential and a lot of ability, but it’s not all going to come together overnight - anyone who thinks that’ll be the case is probably just deluding themselves.

We did give away goals at bad times, and I have to admit that, at 20, I started to wonder if it was going to be a four or five goal defeat, but the big plus for us is that nobody gave up, nobody stopped running, nobody stopped trying to do what we were asking of them, and if you look at the game now, there were little spells in there where, for short periods of time, we started to get a bit more in control - you could tell that they were a bit worried about that on their bench.

What we didn’t do, and this is what disappointed me, is what we did in pre-season, where we’ve kept people under pressure for a bit longer and

passed the ball better in good areas and threatened a bit more.

So, we know we can improve on that, but we also know that we’ve maybe got one or two gaps in the team at the moment through suspensions and injuries, squad availability or whatever you want to call it, and filling those will make us stronger in two or three weeks time, and you’ve just got to go with that.

The players were very disappointed. They don’t just turn up, get beat and then start wondering what’s for tea. They turned up at Rushall fully expecting to perform, as we all did, and they’d be the first to admit that, on the whole, they didn’t. At halftime we were still in the game - it was still only one-nil. Admittedly, it could have been more, but with a bit of luck going our way we could have got on the end of a couple of crosses and who knows, but at the end of the day it was only one-nil and we were still in the game. We told them to try and relax a little bit and do what we’ve asked of them, and what they’ve managed to do in pre-season. They did in the second half, but at the end of the day it wasn’t quite right, we just weren’t quite good enough to put into action what we’d worked on throughout pre-season. We’ve got a clear idea of what we want to do, and ultimately we just didn’t do it for long enough, but we will. We just need everyone to remain patient and calm, and we need the fans 100 percent behind us.

We expect supporters, just like players, to get passionate about Rammy and passionate about our performances, but in management we have to sit down and look at what’s going wrong, or what needs to

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be looked at and improved on. I’m going to sit and watch the game back and see what I can pick up that perhaps I didn’t at the time. You will see underneath that there is a plan of what we want to do and how we want to play, even if it didn’t quite come off on Saturday. In reality though, these things will only come the more we play games and the players get to know one another. Pre-season is ok, but it’s when it really matters in league football that you really learn the lessons. And don’t forget, you’ve got two eighteen-year-olds playing in the back-four. You’ve got a nineteenyear-old in midfield and a lot of youngsters in and around the bench. It’s a young team, and that’s done on purpose. We’re in the process of rebuilding Rammy’s team, and to an extent the club. It’s easy for fans to forget how long it took the previous regime to build the quality team that they did.

For the stage that we’re currently at with the rebuilding we’re quite pleased with how things have gone, and we have one eye very much fixed on the future for the club and for this young squad.

This week sees us playing two really big games, against teams that I’ve been involved with in the past, and we’re ready to pick ourselves up and go again. Yes Saturday was disappointing, but nobody died, we lost 2-0 away from home! We’re all now very much looking forward to playing at home in front of our own fans.

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Pit your wits against The Mighty Molly by trying to correctly guess the results from today’s Evostik Premier games. Each correct score earns 3pts, with correct results earning 1pt.

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today’s guest

“I'm a baby amongst the fans here, both in terms of time in the stands and years on this earth, but I've settled in quickly thanks to the warm atmosphere. You can always catch me chanting and screaming to keep warm in my woolly hat.

“When I'm not at a Rammy match, I tend to be found working at Citizens Advice in Bolton, trying to maintain my sanity, and trying to convince my clients that my replica Rammy top is that of a real football team.

Some day they'll see.

“Buy me a pint and we'll be friends for life.”

MOLLY 0pts

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Molly: Guest: You:

2-1 3-1

Molly: Guest: You:

3-1 2-0

Molly: Guest: You:

1-1 1-2

Molly: Guest: You:

0-0 0-0

Molly: Guest: You:

2-1 3-2

Molly: Guest: You:

2-1 0-2

Molly: Guest: You:

1-2 2-2

Molly: Guest: You:

0-1 1-2

Molly: Guest: You:

1-2 0-4

Molly: Guest: You:

2-2 3-1

Molly: Guest: You:

0-2 1-1

Molly: Guest: You:

1-1 0-1

GUESTS 0pts

Frickley Retro Insert_Standard Programme 27/08/2015 14:29 Page 1

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED v FRICKLEY SATURDAY 29th AUGUST 3pm

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PROGRAMME TEAM Programme Editor: Rob Moss League News: Gareth Bird Darkside Column: Darren Comer Exile Column: Richard Isaacs Tony’s Teasers: Tony Cunningham Editorial Page: Tony Cunningham Supporters Club Column: Rob Moss Photographs: Rob Moss, Ste Heard, Darren Comer, Angie Heard Other Contributors: Phil Edghill, Jon Robinson, Grant Shenton, Newsthump.com, the Evostik League, Mark Molyneaux. Special thanks to match officials and opposition officials, supporters and photographers too numerous to mention. We’d also like to thank Hilary Massey for going above and beyond the call of duty in proof-reading the programme for us.

Printed by: 4 colour digital, Newport under license from Terry Brumpton and JJ Sports Promotions; fairprint Edinburgh and Alston Press Bury.

The views expressed in this programme are purely those of the individual contributors and are not representative of the views of Ramsbottom United Football Club.

To get in touch with us, please email: programme@rammyunited.co.uk

PHIL EDGHILL Welcome to everyone for tonight's game against Buxton.

After six weeks of pre season we went into Saturday's game at Rushall confident we could get something from the game, knowing it would be a difficult first game away at a well organised team.

Conceding after 2 minutes with a bit of a freak goal set us back and gave them a lift, but we settled down and played some decent football without really creating clear chances. They were a threat going forward and we struggled at times with their direct play, having to rely on shents to make good saves to stop them increasing their lead.

Conceding a second goal right after half time was a blow and we never looked like getting back into the game after that. We lacked 'cutting edge' to our play and as the game became stretched Rushall looked dangerous on the counter-attack.

In the end we can have no complaints about the result, we played some decent football in patches but struggled with the physical aspect of the game and never really tested their keeper.

If we are to get results especially away from home we have to compete and do the 'ugly stuff', be harder to beat and carry more of a threat to the opposition goal.

We had only four or five players in the squad that finished last season with us so it's quite a new team and it will take time for things to click, and there are still areas of the team we are looking to improve. The next two home games are massive for us now and we need to get points on the board to gain some confidence, and the lads will be doing their best to make this happen.

Tonight's opponents had a great opening day win against a strong Darlington side so will come here full of confidence. Hopefully we can have a positive start at home and get 3 points. Enjoy the game!

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NEW LOOK PROGRAMME No doubt regular readers of ‘Rammy News’ will notice that we’ve pulled out all of the stops this season to try and make our programme one of the best around. We did win a couple of awards over the close season, including coming eighth in the National Programme Awards competition, which encompasses the

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY PRICING AT RADCLIFFE BOROUGH After the supporters club wrote a letter to Radcliffe Borough expressing our disappointment at their decision to charge full matchday prices for our recent friendly, and the turnstile operator’s apparently whimsical variation of admission prices as the mood took him, we received the below response from Radcliffe’s Match Secretary Ric Fielding.

“I am very sorry that ill feeling about admission prices tarnished what proved to be an interesting workout for players and supporters last Tuesday. Can I first of all clarify our normal admission policy, which is Adults £8 (increased this season from £7 the first increase in ten years) Concessions £5 Children 16-18 £2 Children under 16 free if accompanied by an adult, £1 if not If our turnstile operator did use discretion to vary from this, I am sure his motives were right and I applaud him for maintaining calm in what proved to be a difficult situation. He had been confronted from the outset by a group of young men claiming to be related to one of your players and determined to get in free. Others then saw this as "fun" and joined in.

To get back to the main point of your letter.

When planning for our pre-season fixtures we found we had two visiting teams of Youth players, from Huddersfield Town and Stockport County, and decided that for these games the entry for all adults should be reduced to £5. For

whole non-league pyramid, and we won ‘Programme of the Year’ from the Non League Magazine. The whole team is very proud of these achievements, and we’ll continue working as hard as possible to ensure that the programme improves season upon season.

If you are interested in getting involved them please give us a shout. the other matches against clubs of higher status - your own club, Bury FC and FC United - we chose to adopt our normal charges, as in the past.

We may have failed to communicate adequately with your club, but our admission charges were stated on our website, and I also noticed that Bury FC's website had the charges detailed in advance of Saturday's match, with no prompting from us. In the event Bury turned out a predominantly youth team, with a few of the first team squad, but we had no complaints from Bury supporters.

While you have every right to express your views about our pricing policy, I hope you will accept that it would have been impossible to change it in the middle of the proceedings. We have set our policy for this year, but will give the matter serious thought for the future.

You mention other events which have had a bearing on relationships between our clubs and, yes, we do find it hard to forget the brawl when a group including management, players and supporters of your team arrived here after being rained off. It was nothing to do with us, but we took the flak and accepted that sadly these things happen occasionally. We too are keen to put all such events behind us and move forward in the interests of football. You will still find our supporters frequently attending your home matches.

Your team were worthy winners, although our first half squad did well and how you got away with that "free kick" I will never know!! I hope you are able to consign last season to history and continue to progress up the pyramid.”

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STOURBRIDGE Stourbridge could be in the hunt for a new striker, with new signing Jamie Insall set to secure a move to Scottish Championship side Hibernian.

The former Kidderminster youngster earned a deal after scoring 30 goals for Bromyard Town in the West Midlands League Division One last season. This did not go unnoticed North of the Border, with Hib’s manager Alan Stubbs inviting the striker for a trial match against Brentford. Reports are now suggesting that a deal is very close to take Insall to the Edinburgh club.

MATLOCK TOWN With the departure of experienced goalkeeper Jon Kennedy to Worksop, Matlock have managed to fill the void with another former Sunderland keeper in the form of Lewis King.

The 21 year old started his career at Derby County, after a spell in the North east he dropped into the Non-League pyramid and finished last season at Stalybridge Celtic. Manager Mark Hume said: “Lewis has good presence and he kicks well, although he had offers from clubs in higher leagues, he felt this was an opportunity to play regular football”.

FRICKLEY ATHLETIC Frickley manager Karl Rose has said that he would be more than happy to have a season of mid-table obscurity, especially after losing top scorer Reece Thompson, who has signed for York City.

A last game of the season draw against Curzon Ashton, meant Rose’s men avoided relegation, but Thompson’s departure, who scored 16 goals last season, is sure to have an impact on this season’s campaign. Frickley have also been rocked by a number of players dropping down a division. Striker Gavin Allott, who scored 88 goals in three seasons has moved to

Shaw Lane Aquaforce, with goalkeeper Ben Simpson and skipper Matty Bloor opting for Scarborough Athletic.

Striker Reece Thompson has completed a dream move from EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Frickley Athletic to League Two York City.

Thompson left Westfield Lane after the Blues announced they'd agreed a deal for an undisclosed fee which also includes a substantial sell-on clause.

The 21-year-old joined Frickley in midOctober last year from Retford United, impressing with 16 goals in 32 appearances, including two in the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup Final in May. Thompson has attracted interest from several clubs since the start of pre-season with York and another Football League club both bidding for his services. Both had offers accepted over the weekend with the striker opting for a switch to Bootham Crescent.

Frickley Athletic chairman Gareth Dando said: “We’ve had a lot of interest in Reece and a number of offers for the player over the past few weeks.

"We got to a situation last week where we received offers from two clubs which matched our valuation of the player and the decision was then up to Reece. We wish him well at York and are sure he’ll be a success there.”

He added: "All the management and officials of Frickley Athletic thank Reece for his efforts while at Frickley and wish him all the best in his professional career."

NEW MILLS Non-League fans are set to see a familiar face on the touchline this season at New Mills, as ex Manchester City striker Shaun Goater has just become their new Assistant Manager.

Goater scored over 100 goals in a five year spell at City and was also awarded an MBE in 2003, for his services to sport and young people

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in his native Bermuda. He holds a UEFA B licence and will assist manager Andy Fearn against Scarborough Athletic in their first game, before being unavailable until September, due to existing work commitments.

BLYTH SPARTANS After leaving for National League FC Halifax Town over the summer, Dan Maguire has made a shock return to Evo-Stik Northern Premier side Blyth Spartans.

The striker was a key man last season for Blyth, scoring 31 goals in a campaign that also saw them reach the Third Round of the FA Cup. Maguire originally signed a 2 year deal with FC Halifax, but after not making a single appearance during pre-season, he was allowed to leave, with the club citing that he was struggling to balance work and personal commitments.

ILKESTON Burton Albion winger Marcus harness has signed an initial one-month loan deal with Ilkeston FC. The move was sanctioned by manager Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink after a formal approach was made by Ilkeston manager Gavin Strachan.

Harness first appeared at the age of 15 in a pre-season friendly against Derby County and two years later made his competitive debut against Notts County in the Football League Trophy. The winger featured eighteen times last season for Burton’s promotion winning squad and was voted man of the match in their League Cup win over Premier League QPR.

COLWYN BAY Colwyn Bay have been given a huge boost after skipper Wes Baynes rejected a move to National League North side Brackley Town.

Baynes has told the clubs fans that he is happy to extend his stay at Llanelian Road for a

further year, even though the move would have meant more money. As an added incentive manager Ash Hoskin has handed him the captains armband for the new Northern Premier League campaign.

Meanwhile, Colwyn Bay have also beaten off strong competition from FC United and Southport to sign 19 year old winger Cory Williams, who appeared for Chester last season.

TRANSFERS Billy Priestley from Bradford Park Avenue to Ashton United (loan) Christopher Sutherland from Birmingham City to Ashton United Jordan Wakeling from Grantham Town to Barwell Daniel Maguire FC from Halifax Town to Blyth Spartans Dillon Morse from Gateshead to Blyth Spartans

EVOSTIK PODCAST The award-winning NPL Show is back for its third season Launched in 2013 with the backing of the league by the team behind FCUM Radio to tap into the passion at the EVO-STIK NPL's 68 clubs, the first hour long monthly podcast of the 201516 campaign will be available for download on Friday 14 August.

As in the past, the show will be hosted by FCUM's Ben Hughes and recorded at The Magnet Inn in Stockport where a wide variety of guests from fans, players and managers to members of the media and club and league officials, will debate the the latest news and action.

Downloaded by thousands of listeners every month, last season the podcast even spawned a spin-off, The EVO-STIK NPL Show Extra, an hour long podcast every Friday to preview the weekend and upcoming midweek action.

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WEEKEND ROUNDUP The EVO-STIK Northern Premier League's top flight got underway for the 2015-16 season on Saturday with Nantwich Town take top billing by beating Stamford AFC 6-3 at the Weaver Stadium.

It was a strange game that saw the visitors` race into a 2-0 lead with goals from Daniel Clements after 17 minutes and an Andy Hall penalty three minutes later.

Josh Hancock reduced the deficit a minute before half-time and then Paul Hudson equalised eight minutes into the second period. But Gregg Smith restored the Daniels` lead in the 67th minute, only for Elliot Osborne to pull the Dabbers back on terms with another spot-kick four minutes later.

Sub Steve Jones gave Nantwich the lead for the first time nine minutes from time and then Liam Shotton made it a nap hand in the last minute of normal time. The drama wasn`t over yet as the home side were awarded the third penalty of the afternoon in injury-time and Osborne duly converted the spot-kick to make it 6-3.

Whitby Town made it a miserable long journey back to Worcestershire for new-look Stourbridge after condemning them to a 4-0 defeat at the Turnbull Ground.

Matty Waters gave the Seasiders` a great start with a sixth minute opener. Eight minutes after the break and Ross Gardner doubled Whitby`s lead and 11 minutes after that it was game over with Michael Roberts making it 3-0. A last-gasp James Brown effort put the icing on the cake for the hosts.

Two games, 13 goals, but there were none at Hurst Cross where Ashton United hosted Mickleover Sports, or at Moor Lane where fancied

Salford City were held by Marine AFC in front of a good crowd of 518.

It was a bad start for new Ilkeston FC boss Gavin Strachan as his side lost 3-1 at the New Manor Ground to wily Tommy Lawson`s Skelmersdale United.

One of the Reds` many summer signings, loanee Marcus Harness, gave Strachan`s side an early sixth minute lead. And they held that lead until 11 minutes into the second period when Alan Burton equalised.

Two minutes later Danny Mitchley put Skem in front and the majority in the 505 crowd were then stunned when Burton grabbed his second seven minutes from time to put the game beyond Ilkeston`s reach.

Promoted Darlington 1883 were beaten 2-0 at Silverlands by Buxton in front of the day`s biggest crowd of 708.

Ashley Burbeary put the Bucks in front after 18 minutes and the Quakers were killed off by Liam Hardy two minutes into the second half.

Relegated Colwyn Bay and Hyde United could only manage one point between them on the opening day.

Bay were beaten 1-0 at The Grove by Halesowen Town – a Jordan Fagbola own goal in the 16th minute handing their hosts victory.

The Tigers led twice at Ewen Fields against Grantham Town in front of 509 before being pegged back to 2-2.

Ayrton Bevins put Hyde in front on the half-hour mark, only for Lindokuhle Ndlovu to pull the Gingerbreads level six minutes after half-time. Bevins

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Jameel Ible had broken the deadlock to give Frickley a 77th minute lead. Michael Harcourt levelled

with four minutes of normal time remaining for what looked like a point-saver – until Joel Purkiss popped up with the Gladiators` injury-time winner.

Rushall Olympic were the day`s other winners, beating Ramsbottom United 2-0 at Dales Lane.

Kris Taylor scored the fastest goal of the day to give the Pics a third minute advantage. And two minutes after half-time, Alex Reid scored the second to win it for Richard Sneekes' side.

A crowd of 488 saw Workington AFC and promoted Sutton Coldfield Town share a 1-1 draw at Borough Park, Justin Richards giving the Royals a 34th minute lead that Scott Allison cancelled out 10 minutes into the second half.

On the opening day of the new EVO-STIK Northern Premier League's First Division North season, Scarborough Athletic showed why they are among the bookmakers` favourites to go up, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.

Boro won 3-0 at New Mills with goals from Alex Peterson and Joe Fox in the first 26 minutes and then a Tom Corner penalty four minutes after halftime.

Northwich Victoria went one better on their travels at Ossett Town, adding three more second half goals to Aboubacar Sanogo`s 27th minute opener with Richard Bennett, Iain Howard and Josh Amiss all on the mark.

Mossley AFC secured a 2-0 win at Stainton Park against neighbours Radcliffe Borough with goals from Tom Pratt after 19 minutes and Luke Hancock six minutes into the second half.

Kendal Town and Lancaster City were the day`s other two away winners.

The Mintcakes enjoyed a good 3-0 win at Throstle Nest against Farsley Celtic, courtesy of a brace from the recently returned Tom Kilifin and Sam Bailey.

The Dolly Blues saw off Burscough 2-1 at Victoria Park with goals from Joe Whittington and Ryan Winder – Nick Ryan sandwiching a reply for the Linnets.

Strangely there were only two home winners on the opening day!

Relegated Witton Albion beat Ossett Albion 1-0 at Wincham Park with a 71st minute goal from Alex Titchiner, while Clitheroe beat Prescot Cables 3-1, goals from Louis Mayers and a Scott Harries brace after Rob Doran had given Cables an 11th minute lead.

There were several drawn matches, including relegated Trafford`s 2-2 encounter at home against Brighouse Town, who were 2-0 down to a first half Chris McDonagh penalty and a Jack Dorney effort.

James Pollard and then Ernest Boafo two minutes from time rescued a point.

Vince Dhesi gave Harrogate Railway an early fouth minute lead at Station View against Droylsden, whose Ben Hampson earned a point in the 63rd minute.

Astley Mulholland put newly-promoted Glossop North End ahead after 14 minutes at home to Spennymoor Town, for whom Glen Taylor levelled from the spot on the hour-mark.

And Warrington Town found themselves two Brett Ormerod goals behind at Irongate against Bamber Bridge with only 10 minutes to go – only for Scott Metcalfe and then Ciaran Kilheeney to earn the Wire a dramatic point.

restored the home side`s advantage just five minutes later but 10 minutes from time Ellis Humble earned Grantham a share of the spoils.

Blyth Spartans are another side fancied to do well this season and they started well, winning 1-0 at Kirkby Road against Barwell, courtesy of a goal from Stephen Turnbull with less than four minutes remaining.

There was even less time to go when Matlock Town recorded victory at Westfield Lane against Frickley Athletic.

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RAMSBOTTOM UN Shirts: Blue. Shorts: Blue.

1 (Goal) Grant SHENTO 2 (Right Back) Kyle HARROP

5 (Centre Back) Keiran NOLAN

7 (Right Wing) Ben McHALE

4 (Midfield) Alex MEANEY 9 (Forward) Lee GASKELL

Referee: Mr Craig Hainsworth

10 (Forward) Liam HARDY 11 (Left Wing) Warren BURRELL

8 (Midfield) Ricky RAVENHILL

3 (Left Back) Jamie GREEN

6 (Centre Back) Gregg YOUNG

1 (Goal) Phil BARN

Shirts: White. Shorts: Blac

BUXTON F

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M UNITED

Substitutes: 12 Phil EDGHILL 14 Clevon BEADLE 15 Jake CLIFFE 16 Grant SPENCER 17 Tom HARTLEY

: Blue. Stockings: Blue.

1 (Goal) HENTON capt 6 (CentreBack) Andy DAWSON

3 (Left Back) Luke HERON

8 (Midfield) Prince HAYWOOD

11 (Left Wing) Shelton PAYNE

10 (Forward) David KUBA-KUBA

Linesmen: Mr Daniel Bennett, Mr Akeel Ahmed

9 (Forward) Bradley BARRACLOUGH

1 (Goal) BARNES

4 (Midfield) Derek NIVEN

7 (Right Wing) Alastair TAYLOR

5 (CentreBack) Tim RYAN

2 (Right Back) Shomari DOYLE

ts: Black. Stockings: Black.

TON FC

Substitutes: 12 Aaron JAMESON 14 Ash WORSFOLD 15 Alex STACEY 16 Ash BURBEARY 17 Reece LUCAS

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RESULTS SERVICE

SATURDAY 15th AUGUST 2015 EVOSTIK PREMIER DIVISION Att. 126

Ashton United

0-0

Mickleover Sports

Att. 227

Barwell

0-1

Blyth Spartans Stephen Turnbull 86'

Att. 708

Buxton Ashley Burbeary 18' Liam Hardy 47'

2-0

Darlington 1883

Att. 236

Frickley Athletic Jameel Ible 77'

1-2

Matlock Town Michael Harcourt 86' Joel Purkiss 90'

Att. 471

Halesowen Town Jordan Fagbola 16' (OG)

1-0

Colwyn Bay

Att. 509

Hyde United Ayrton Bevins 30' Ayrton Bevins 56'

2-2

Grantham Town Lindokuhle Ndlovu 51' Ellis Humble 80'

Att. 505

Ilkeston FC Marcus Harness 6'

1-3

Skelmersdale United Alan Burton 54' Daniel Mitchley 56' Alan Burton 83'

Att. 302

Nantwich Town Joshua Hancock 44' Paul Hudson 53' Elliot Osborne 71' (Pen) Stephen Jones 81' Liam Shotton 90' Elliot Osborne 91' (Pen)

6-3

Stamford Daniel Clements 17' Andrew Hall 20' (Pen) Gregory Smith 67

Buxton Retro Insert_Standard Programme 16/08/2015 12:37 Page 11

Att. 237

Rushall Olympic Kris Taylor 3' Alex Reid 47'

2-0

Ramsbottom United

Att. 518

Salford City

0-0

Marine

Att. 241

Whitby Town Matthew Waters 6' Ross Gardner 53' Michael Roberts 64' James Brown 90'

4-0

Stourbridge

Att. 488

Workington Scott Allison 55'

1-1

Sutton Coldfield Town Justin Richards 34'

2-2 1-2 3-1 0-3 1-1 1-1 0-3 0-4 0-2 2-2 1-0

Warrington Town Lancaster City Prescot Cables Kendal Town Spennymoor Town Droylsden Scarborough Athletic Northwich Victoria Mossley Brighouse Town Ossett Albion

3-3 1-2 0-1 1-2 0-1 0-1 6-1 1-1 1-2 3-2 1-2

Newcastle Town Stafford Rangers Basford United Goole AFC Chasetown Coalville Town Rugby Town Spalding United Carlton Town Market Drayton Town Shaw Lane Aquaforce

EVOSTIK FIRST DIVISION NORTH Bamber Bridge Burscough Clitheroe Farsley Glossop North End Harrogate Railway Athletic New Mills Ossett Town Radcliffe Borough Trafford Witton Albion

EVOSTIK FIRST DIVISION SOUTH Belper Town Daventry Town Gresley Kidsgrove Athletic Leek Town Lincoln United Loughborough Dynamo Romulus Sheffield Stocksbridge Park Steels Tividale

Buxton Retro Insert_Standard Programme 16/08/2015 12:37 Page 12

RESULTS

Buxton Retro Insert_Standard Programme 16/08/2015 12:37 Page 13

SULTS 2014-15

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ATTENDANCES 2014-15 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

TEAM FCUM Workington Halesowen Town Kings Lynn Town Ilkeston Blyth Spartans Stourbridge Stamford Witton Albion Marine Ramsbottom United Buxton Matlock Town Belper Town Whitby Town Skelmersdale United Curzon Ashton Nantwich Town Grantham Town Frickley Athletic Rushall Olympic Trafford Ashton United Barwell

AVG 2155 548 529 518 466 464 462 406 376 369 354 314 302 295 289 281 276 268 251 250 246 228 207 193

EVOSTIK PREMIER DIVISION 2014-15

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

TEAM FCUM (P) Workington Ashton United Curzon Ashton (P) Ilkeston Blyth Spartans Skelmersdale United Barwell Rushall Olympic Buxton Halesowen Town Grantham Town Whitby Town Matlock Town Nantwich Town Stourbridge Ramsbottom United King's Lynn Town Frickley Athletic Stamford Marine Witton Albion (R) Trafford (R) Belper Town (R)

P 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46

OTHER FIXTURES A - BLYTH

v

WHITBY

B - COLWYN BAY

v

HYDE

C - DARLINGTON

v

FRICKLEY

D - GRANTHAM

v

ILKESTON

E - MARINE

v

ASHTON

F - MATLOCK

v

SALFORD

G - MICKLEOVER

v

HALESOWEN

H - RAMSBOTTOM

v

BUXTON

v

WORKINGTON

J - STAMFORD

v

RUSHALL

K - SUTTON

v

BARWELL

I - SKELMERSDALE

W 26 27 24 23 22 21 21 21 21 18 13 15 14 15 16 14 15 14 12 13 11 14 6 6

D 14 9 12 14 15 16 10 10 9 17 20 14 16 11 7 11 8 10 14 11 16 7 15 14

L 6 10 10 9 9 9 15 15 16 11 13 17 16 20 23 21 23 22 20 22 19 25 25 26

F 78 63 75 79 79 84 58 69 76 70 56 64 56 57 61 59 66 60 60 56 58 58 58 62

A 37 39 54 46 56 54 48 63 64 57 48 72 63 60 76 72 80 81 73 75 69 86 93 96

GD 41 24 21 33 23 30 10 6 12 13 8 -8 -7 -3 -15 -13 -14 -21 -13 -19 -11 -28 -35 -34

Pts 92 90 84 83 81 79 73 73 72 71 59 59 58 56 55 53 53 52 50 50 49 49 33 32

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Can you spare as little as half an hour to help get the club and pitch ready for the next match?

Volunteers are desperately needed every day of the week between 11 and 2pm, so if you are available then please come down and help Harry keep things in tip-top condition.

Buxton Retro Insert_Standard Programme 16/08/2015 12:37 Page 15

‘WIN OUR REMAINING GAMES AND THE TITLE IS OURS’ INSISTS BRENDAN RODGERS With just 38 games to go until the end of the Premier League season, the maths is simple: Liverpool are in control of their Premier League destiny.

All they need to do is win their remaining games and the 19th league title that the club has craved for a quarter of a century will be theirs.

Unlike previous near misses, such as 2009’s late rally when the reds were banking on Manchester United slipping up during the title run-in, or 2014’s goal difference-fuelled three-way battle with Manchester City and Chelsea, Liverpool are now firmly in the driving seat.

Not since 1990 has top flight league silverware graced the Anfield trophy room, but now, with the title in their grasp as they enter what Sir Alex Ferguson famously called “squeaky-bum time”, that could all change in just nine months.

But being in touching distance of the Premier League trophy just over a year ago, the pressure will surely mount ever more between now and the end of the season on the champions elect.

Rodgers summed up the mood at pre-season training at Melwood yesterday: “It’s nice to be in control of our own destiny and not have anyone have games in hand over us”.

Captain Jordan Henderson added, “Who would have thought that at this stage of the season we’d be masters of our own fate? To be this close: we can finally dare to dream.”

“We go again. Just 38 more times.”

ENGLAND CRICKETERS TOLD TO PLAY NICE WITH AUSTRALIA OR NOT PLAY AT ALL! The England team has been told to stop being so mean to Australia, and to let them have a proper go when they play cricket together.

The team’s mums were forced to step in after England comprehensively humiliated the Australian side in the first day of the fourth Ashes test in Nottingham.

As one mum explained to the players, “Look, we just want you to play nice and have some fun, but doing that to Australia just because you’re much bigger and better than them isn’t very nice, is it?”

“I don’t care if it’s ‘the Ashes mum’ – no child of mine will behave like that.”

“How would you like it if someone did that to you? You wouldn’t, would you?”

At which point a number of England players tried to make the point that they had in fact had that done to them pretty recently, but it fell on deaf ears.

“Stop, this is NOT a discussion, we’re telling you to be nicer to the Australian players, or we’ll have their mums on the phone again accusing you of bullying.”

“Then we’ll have to get your Dad out of work and we’ll have to go up to the ICC for a meeting.”

“Do you want that? No, I didn’t think so.”

“So play nicely.”

The average premier league footballer can afford twice as much gaudy tat as their Spanish equivalent, according to a new wages survey.

Researchers at VoucherBin.co.uk pulled out some interesting facts about what players in the English Premier League earn.

Football analyst Simon Williams told us, “Players in the English Premier League are the best paid in the world, and if we know anything about footballers it’s that great wealth doesn’t, in any way, buy great taste.”

“From chrome plated sports cars to diamond encrusted watches, the average premier league footballer looks like a cross between a colour blind pimp and the star of a modern-day remake of Brewster’s Millions.”

“Players in Spain and Italy have nice cars and houses, but research shows they’re earning less than half what their English-based compatriots can earn.”

“This means they’re not literally sitting on mountains of money, so throwing cash at gaudy trinkets that are both cringingly hideous and ridiculously expensive is far less prevalent on the continent.”

Frickley Retro Insert_Standard Programme 27/08/2015 14:29 Page 12

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tony’s teasers

1 - WHICH CLUB plays at the Deeside Stadium?

2 - WHO IS THE MANAGER of Mossley?

3 - WHICH COLOURS do Bala Town play in?

4 - IN WHAT YEAR did Accrington Stanley win the NPL? 5 - IN WHICH LEAGUE do Tow Law Town play?

6 - WHAT IS THE NICKNAME of Burscough?

7 - WHERE DOES former Bury player Ashley Grimes now play?

8 - WHAT IS THE LINK BETWEEN Stocksbridge Park Steels and Glossop NE? 9 - RAMMY LINK: Who has Lee Neville signed for?

10 - MISC: Skem player Ben Tollitt has signed for which League Two side?

HOW DID YOU DO? answers at bottom of page 10-Non-League guru!

8-9 Non-league enthusiast 6-7 Pretty good, but much to learn 4-5 Average, so time to read up on the non-league game 2-3 You must be missing out on the delights of non-league 0-1 Obviously an armchair Premier League viewer!

match officials CRAIG HAINSWORTH

DANIEL BENNETT

29 year old Daniel is engaged with an eight month old boy. He works in the motor parts trade and began refereeing at the age of 14 after a serious injury put him out of playing for a year.

Daniel’s dad is also a referee.

AKEEL AHMED

37 year old Craig is married with a daughter aged seven.

He works in the motor parts trade and took up refereeing aged 26 while suffering from an injury that kept him out of his Sunday League team for a while. He now referees in the Evostik North and assists in Conference North matches.

ANSWERS: 1-GAP Connahs Quay 2-Peter Band 3-Black and White 4-2002-3 5-Northern League 6-e Linnets 7-Barrow 8-Manager Chris Willcock 9-Hyde United 10-Portsmouth

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RAMSBOTTOM UNITED

RUSHALL OLYMPIC Taylor (3), Reid (47)

0 2

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RAMSBOTTOM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Shenton Fitzgerald# Woods+ Haywood Nolan Dawson Payne Meaney Gaskell Spencer* Heron

Subs: Edghill, Harrop+, KubaKuba*, Cliffe, McHale#

RUSHALL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Coleman Christophorou Smith Taylor 1 Duggan Caines Delaney McGrath Benbow Fitzpatrick Reid 1

Subs: Sinton, Yafai, Farquharson, Martin, Palmer

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RAMSBOTTOM UNITED

RUSHALL OLYMPIC

match review

Taylor (3), Reid (47)

The awful traffic on the way down to Rushall set the tone for what was to become quite a disappointing day all round for the fans and players who’d so much looked forward to the start of a new season - though Rammy fans should know by now that the club is not really known for starting off like a greyhound from a trap. A number of the supporters, whether due to a burst water main near Tatton, or the usual stop-start of M6 roadworks, missed the opening goal for Rushall, which came within the first three minutes and left The Rams looking shell-shocked.

It was quite a bizarre goal, which came from more or less nothing, but

Alex Meaney, our choice of Man of the Match

0 2

14.08.15 Att:

showed the vision for which midfielder Kris Taylor made his mark throughout the game. Picking up the ball on the halfway line, Taylor spotted Grant Shenton a little way off his line, and decided to try his luck audacious to say the least. As the ball left his toe, time stood still for the Ramsbottom keeper, who back-peddled almost enough to get a finger-tip to the looping ball that dipped below the bar and into the back of the net.

The effect on a Ramsbottom team just trying to find its feet after a fullscale rebuilding exercise in the summer was crushing, and it was fully fifteen minutes before they managed to pull together a little

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Prince Haywood clears the danger, but only to Taylor on the edge of the box

excellent run down the left by Jordan Fitzpatrick was spotted by Kris Taylor, whose perfect chipped ball fell into his path. Fitzpatrick crossed low to the near post for the unmarked Benbow only to be denied at close range by the first in a series of fantastic saves by Grant Shenton in goal.

Rammy of old was built over 5/6 seasons. Robbo has had what, just over half a season? Just look at Man Utd's displays last season trying to gel new players and staff. I'm no utd fan but nobody can say their manager and players aint up to the job.

- Trigger

have your say

confidence, and a half-chance of their own. Before that came, however, it was a case of weathering the storm from a strong and organised Rushall team which will do better than the ninth position they achieved last season.

Just two minutes after the opening goal, left-back Ben Woods was caught being a little over-elaborate with the ball, allowing Luke Benbow what seemed a free run on Shenton’s goal. Andy Dawson showed that, despite a long break through injury, he’s still very much the classy player he’s always been, and raced from behind to dispossess the striker when he looked odds-on to increase Rushall’s lead.

12 minutes saw Kieran Nolan and Andy Fitzgerald caught out when an

Look at the results since Robbo took over and that tells a story. I just think why wait to give the young lads a chance? I agree that Kuba has looked sharp in pre-season so why not start today?

- Thornton Its one game and pre-season the lads have looked sharp. They have the ability no doubt but have we too many flair players who dont do the 'dirty work'.

- hinchg

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RAMSBOTTOM UNITED

RUSHALL OLYMPIC

match review

Taylor (3), Reid (47)

0 2

14.08.15 Att:

Grant Shenton about to collide with Benbow, resulting in mild concussion

Rammy’s first meaningful posession came just short of the quarter-hour mark as an impeccable long ball out to the right by Alex Meaney found new signing Shelton Payne, who raced beyond his markers only for them to recover well and race back and disrupt his shot. This half-chance seemed to be exactly what The Rams needed, and their game instantly improved, showing some of the passing ability that they delivered in pre-season.

An excellent probing run through the middle by young winger Luke Heron saw him brought down about ten yards outside the box. Grant Spencer’s free-kick cannoned off the wall for a corner which was taken short to Shelton Payne who played the ball deep to Alex Meaney. His shot flew well over.

Shenton was called upon to make three fantastic saves as the half draw

near to a close, the first as Rushall’s Kris Taylor pumped long, the ball flicked on to Fitzgerald whose low shot to the left was palmed wide. The resultant corner was headed clear by Dawson, but only as far as Rushall’s Gavin Caines who wrong-footed Fitzgerald and crossed to an unmarked Colin Smith. His shot was parried to the feet of Benbow who collided with Shenton, causing a short delay to the game as Shents suffered mild concussion.

Just before the half-time whistle Haywood cleared yet another Rushall corner to the edge of the box where Taylor lingered to fire a viciously dipping shot just under the bar - Shenton again denying an increase in the Rushall lead.

The second half began with more Rushall pressure which saw them extend their lead. Nolan challenged Rushall’s Reid for a loose ball, Reid

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getting the better of the bounce before slipping through a great ball to Benbow, advancing on goal. Although Dawson came out to intervene, Benbow managed to cut inside and then pull the ball back to Reid, who’d somehow lost Nolan, and had the simple task of side-footing into the left corner of the Rammy goal. 2-0.

The Rams made a trio of substitutions twenty minutes into the half, and the extra fight of McHale, Harrop and Kuba-Kuba did much to even out the match. Heron dropped to left-back, Payne out to left-wing, with Harrop and McHale combining well down the right. Kuba-Kuba gave some much needed fight in the middle alongside the tireless and hard-working Alex Meaney and Prince Haywood.

Rammy came closest to scoring just

a couple of minutes later, Kuba-Kuba dispossessing Benbow in the midfield, buying himself acres of room, with Gaskell advancing to his right and Payne to his left. He chose Payne with a weak pass which was controlled well and then fired in by the new signing. The excellent shot called for a similarly excellent save from the otherwise untroubled exBury goalkeeper. The game gradually fizzled out with Rushall running down the clock.

Ultimately this was a disappointing performance, but it’s easy to forget that this is a team of players who’ve never taken the field together in a competitive game before. There were signs of quality, however, and as the players grow together, this might just become a first-rate Rammy team.

Kieran Nolan and the influential Kris Taylor, scourge of Rammy all afternoon

rammy in exile

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Wow, that summer break passed very quickly and here we are again, back for more. For the first time in a good number of years, this season marks the start of a completely clean slate for the club. For the last five years of so, we have been used to the same faces producing the same outstanding football, but this campaign kicks off like no-other in recent memory, with new names to cheer on, some familiar, some returning but many wholly fresh and that in itself causes some excitement - and a little trepidation.

Of course that is what we love about football at this level - its complete unpredictability. No-one at our club nor at any other club knows what the next nine months has in store for it. I am sure that Darlington expected to rock up at Buxton on Saturday and win ... they didn't. I am sure our old friends at Salford City expected to defeat 'just survived' Marine ... they didn't. And we hiked down to Walsall to play Rushall Olympic and came away 0-2 defeated. This stage of the season is all about making a good start and hoping your expectations are realised. Let's hope that we can start our wagon rolling tonight.

As for me, well it has been a very busy summer of cricket on Sky Sports and there is a little bit of me that is hoping to be here tonight - but that is dependent on (a) what time the game between Yorkshire and Northants at Headingley finishes today and (b) what the M62 traffic will be like. It has been a very hectic season for me but nonetheless very enjoyable. I had the honour of working on the England v New Zealand Test and ODI series, which were the precursor to the brilliance of the 2015 Ashes series,

which I have been intently watching, as most of the country has. Anyone expect the Ashes result? Well, having seen England play against the Black Caps in May, there was definitely a shift in the sands from the dire World Cup campaign (which anyone who read my column at the time will know how dismal it was) maybe it shouldn't come quite as the surprise that it was.

I do love it when my two world collide and it was fascinating to chat to Ashes winner Steve Harmison during our coverage of the first Royal London One-Day Cup game at Northampton. As many of you may have seen in the media, Steve is now managing Ashington FC, who play in the Ebac Northern League Division One (currently played 2, lost 2 in the

league) and it was my knowledge of non-league football (Steve knows about Ramsbottom United - he has heard much from many Darlington supporters!) and my statistical efforts that you may see a feature on their FA Cup match against Bradfordbased Albion Sports sometime on Sky in the near future.

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For it was exactly 10 years to the day on 15 August that Steve and his 2005 Ashes hero were trying to knock over that last Australian wicket at Old Trafford, in front of a packed house that saw over 10,000 spectators turned away at the gate, and he bowled the last over to Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath. 10 years later, he was trying to knock over a team from the Northern Counties East League ... as it turned out, they drew 2-2 and will be playing their replay tonight.

Finally from me, a little update as to my efforts in the weight loss. Many of you who have followed The Rams over the last few years will know that I have been making a very big effort to shed rather a lot of weight. Well, I am very proud to tell you all in my trusty column that I have now shed over 10 stone! And 8 and a half has that has been achieved doing Slimming World. To say I am a different person would be an understatement.

You will have seen me at my very largest - and probably been as

appalled as I was. Now, I am rocking (as Harry would say) to just over 20 stone so still about two and a half stone to go to target and then see how I go.

But you will also be rather stunned to know (and I will be asking for your help in the near future) that I am going to be running the Great South Run in Portsmouth on Sunday 25 October. Yes, me, Richard Isaacs, running the Great South Run, a 10mile jaunt. So if anyone would like to support me, please keep an eye on my column and I will give the details. Those of you who know me know that is completely not me - but I am going to give it a go!

That will do for me I think - hopefully see you later on. COME ON YOU RAMS! - Richard

Forget the certificates, losing eight and a half stone lets you stand in front of Those Curtains!

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mr cantankerous

...and I’ ll tell you another thing...

Here we go again, yet another numb-nuts of a Premiership manager having a good old primadonna whinge about something other than their team’s garbage performance! This time it’s not everyone’s favourite Poor Loser Arsene Wenger, but old Mr Suave from down the posh end of town, Jose Mourinho.

In case you’ve had your head down a hole all week, his little dummy-spitting episode is over club doctor Eva Carneiro, who’s been at the club and doing a pretty good job since about 2009. Pretty seems to be the operative word as normally she’s the brunt of those meat-head “get yer xxxs out for the lads” chants from Arsenal fans, and assorted Mancs, but this time she’s being slagged off by the slick Portuguese poser for nothing more than doing her job!

Anyone with an ounce of integrity about them would hold up their hands and say, “Yeah, we got our keeper sent off and we’re too crap to manage more than a draw against Swansea, but not Jose. Did he decide to point the finger at himself, or at the team display? Nope. He pointed it at... the team doctor God Help Us. As the match headed into injury time, Eden Hazard had decided he was a bit knackered and had a sit-down breather after a tasty challenge. As he lay on the deck, the referee trotted over and asked

if he’d like treatment. “Yes,” was the reply, or “Alstublieft”, or whatever it is Belgians say in that bizarre assorment of languages they use, and so the ref waved on the head physio and club doctor. It’s injury time and Chelski are chasing the game, so both wait for the ref to signal a second time before grabbing the bucket, bag and magic sponge and racing out to tend to the Belgian Girl’s Blouse who’s just had his designer hairstyle mussed.

Well, next thing you know, Mourinho’s bouncing up and down like a Wenger with an innocuous offside decision, screaming bloody murder at the medical staff

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for following the ref’s instructions and doing their job! Off trots the un-hurt Hazard awaiting the ref’s signal to re-join play, and Doctor Carneiro heads back to the dug-out for an absolute roasting from ‘The Chosen One’ who was still going ballistic in his postmatch interview, and has since had her removed from all match-day and training ground duties. Allegedly he’d have sacked her but was worried about being called sexist!

I thought I’d just about seen it all when it comes to the whinging

cockneys, but this really tickled my chuckle bones! There’s only one thing they like down there more than winning matches, and that’s the feeling that they’ve been robbed of something they deserved, and ducking the blame for anything that’s patently their fault.

I’m not feeling much sympathy for Eva Carneiro, who’s getting more than enough of that in the media and on Twitface, but I am really enjoying the way that Mourinho is making such a fool of himself whinging about the most nothing of nothingnesses, and the resultant aggro that’s flying his way.

God help us is Robbo ever starts behaving like one of those over-paid Premier nancies who can’t accept defeat with a little bit of grace and decorum! ...and I’ ll tell you another thing...

from the darkside

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Well, that was a long summer wasn’t it ? From having those three home games in the last week of April, we Rammy junkies then had to wait until the third week of July to see the lads in action again. It was also one of those summers when we didn’t even have a World Cup or European Championship to take our minds off things, although I do find it difficult to work up any kind of enthusiasm for that kind of nonsense these days.

Thank heavens then for the Women’s World Cup (or the Treacle’s World Cup according to that walking, talking Cockney cliche, Danny Dyer) for helping to fill the footie-free gap. I know quite a few other Rammy supporters got into watching it, obviously helped by the England team’s amazing progress, and many of us

agreed that the Women’s game was much closer, in spirit, to the non-league game than to the Premier League. With that in my mind, I’d like to open my first column of the season by congratulating the England Women’s team for not only a wonderful, third place finish, but for also allowing me to get passionate about the national team in a way I haven’t done with the men’s team since Euro 96.

CLITHEROE So on to the serious stuff and our first pre-season friendly against near neighbours and old foes, Clitheroe.

The word “friendly”, when applied to a game between Clitheroe and Ramsbottom United, could possibly get

both clubs fined under the Trade Description Act, so much of the talk on the short journey to Clitheroe was about the recent, bruising encounters between the sides. With the Carlsberg Clan sunning themselves in Portugal, I was joined on the trip by Mrs Darkside and young Jack the Lad (or ‘I’m Awesome’ to those of you who read the forum). We arrived in Clitheroe for 2.15 and parked in one of the many terraced side streets around the ground. Mrs Darkside chose to visit the catalogue

shop that is located next to the ground, whilst Jack the Lad and I paid our fiver each and entered.

We went in the bar and had a quick chat with Roger, who was on Grandad duties with Jake, and then to see if we could get any juicy gossip about new signings from a tight lipped Andy Edmunson (we couldn’t !).

Also present, after a three hour bus trip from Bury, was Killie Craig who had attended a few of our games towards the end of last season. For those of you who haven’t met Craig yet, he is a Kilmarnock supporter

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from over the border, but now working and living in Bury. I first met him at our Lancashire Cup game at Atherton last season where he told me he travels around the Manchester area taking in as many non-league games as his budget will allow. So if you see a wee fellow in a Kilmarnock shirt, with a Scottish accent down at The HWRS this season go and say hello to him as he’s one of those characters who make watching the nonleague game an experience you just

The pitch hadn’t changed since our last visit and is still more suitable for cheese rolling than football, but we did get a decent game in the Lancashire sunshine. A 2-1 victory for the Rams was certainly a nice way to start the pre-season, especially

wouldn’t get in the Premiership.

Meanwhile, out on the pitch, Robbie was carrying out his match day duties by photographing our new signings, including the first of the prodigal sons to return from their exile at Salford City, Grant Spencer (Mystic Darkside predicts that we will see others returning at some point).

The game itself wasn’t as bruising as previous seasons, which was probably due to the large turnover of players at Rammy over these past twelve months, many of who don’t have the links to Clitheroe that the previous team had.

when you consider our opponents already had a couple of games under their belts and were out to beat their lofty neighbours. The goals came from that long -standing Riverside legend and Tom Jones wannabe, Lee Gaskell and the new darling of The Riverside, Tom ‘Baby Boris’ Hartley. A late substitution saw Grant Shenton replaced by his brother, Ashley, who then went on to tip over a late Clitheroe effort that many of us compared to Martin Fearon’s wonder save in the Play-Off Final at Bamber Bridge.

from the darkside

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RADCLIFFE BOROUGH The following Tuesday evening saw us make an even shorter journey to our even closer neighbours and good friends, Radcliffe Borough. For this journey I had the same line up of fellow travellers with the added addition of our chairman, Mr Harry Williams (I really can’t imagine Roman Abramovich travelling through West London with the supporters in an old Toyota Yaris, another wonderful aspect of being a non-league football supporter).

We pulled into the car park at 7.15 and were pleased to see the Masseys, Andy and Hilary, who had just returned from Barcelona that day and, despite a long day travelling, nothing was going to stop them getting back to following the lads. We were then joined by the Gaskells, Paul and Rita, and looking around at the familiar cars we decided that a large contingent had already made the journey over from Ramsbottom Entering the turnstile we got quite a shock when we were informed it was going to cost us £8 each, the same as a league game at Radcliffe, for what was basically a glorified kickabout on a summer’s evening. We did begin to complain, but it seemed futile as the poor turnstile operator hadn’t set the price and seemed to have been given some earache about the matter already. As the subject was being discussed over the next few days it transpired that Radcliffe are struggling financially, hence the price increase (£5 v Huddersfield Youth a few days earlier). I think that most Ramsbottom supporters would be happy to help a fellow club in financial difficulties by adding an extra few quid to their coffers, but this did have

a feeling of being “ripped off” (of course we weren’t really “ripped off” as that is the sole preserve of that “cash cow”, FCUM). Despite this, I really hope that Radcliffe Borough can overcome their money problems and we can continue to have our friendly little derby days with them for many years to come.

One thing that Radciffe can be praised on is the catering. I got a very pleasant surprise walking round the ground before the kick off to find that my old friend from The Samosa Stop in Rochdale was now doing the catering at Stainton Park and I ordered a, rather large portion of chicken tikka and rice to take home for my supper.

The food also seemed to go down well with the travelling supporters and for the first time that evening we got some value for our money. I’m not holding my breath, but I took the number for The Samosa Stall, with a promise I would have words with

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Harry about using them for future big games at The Riverside. Nowt wrong with pie ‘n’ peas in my book, but this stuff will really warm the cockles on a cold January night down at The Riverside. Yum Yum, indeed A large contingent of Rammy Ultras was in evidence and I had a good chat with my old friends, and parents

Best Before 1984 - Ukepunk, Rammy’s very own Penny Rimbauld

of the returning Lee Pugh, Tony and Denise. They have quite a season ahead of them with Lee’s brother, Marc, now playing in the top flight of English football after winning promotion as an integral part of the Bournemouth team who thrilled us all last season with their achievements.

Congratulations go out to Marc for that amazing feat... but you’re not a patch on your Bro’ A special mention also to UkePunk, although I wasn’t too pleased that he had outdone me as Rammy’s “Number One Punk Rocker” by wearing a rather fetching Crass t-shirt. Don’t

rest on your laurels yet though, Paul, as I shall be scouring the internet for an Angelic Upstarts t-shirt once this column is written and sent off to Robbie. You have been warned!

As for the game itself, it was a rather one-sided affair with Rammy dominating throughout against a decent, and much improved from a couple of seasons ago, Radcliffe team. We took an early lead when Grant Spencer reminded us what we had missed during his time at Salford City by taking a quick free kick and floating it past the despairing Borough keeper. From here on in we never looked like losing the game, controlling the midfield and defending solidly on yet another sloping pitch, running out easy 3-0 winners after ninety minutes. With so many new faces in the squad it had been an impressive start from a group of players who were still getting used to playing together We had to wait a short while after the game as Harry was holding court in the clubhouse with Andy Edmunson and signing player forms with Robbo, which gave Jack the Lad and me plenty of time to load the dirty kits into the old Toyota, so we could drop them off at the ground on our return.

After a quick chat with Shents, we were back on the road as we headed down to the Cricket Club for a long awaited pint of Moorehouses White Witch, served by Super Sophie, before I made my merry, car-less, way back to the Kay Brow residence.

The long wait was finally over, and football was back in the Darkside Domain.

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Tired of missing out on getting hold of a programme?

Get your copy reserved for the season by contacting Rob on 07944 038512, or by email: rob@rammyunited.co.uk

Watch the match in style with our Corporate Hospitality Packages starting at just ÂŁ25 per person. For further information call 07576 390762, or email bobsolo@googlemail.com

Buxton Main Programme_Standard Programme 16/08/2015 21:54 Page 43

fixtures & results 2015-16

This season we want to hear first-hand what our supporters think about everything, from team and player performances right through to what everyone thought of the pies and the parking!

To that end, we’ve had printed a load of ‘Have Your Say’ cards, which you can pick up near the tea-bar. Onto these you can write your thoughts and then post them into the boxes near the exits as you leave. These will be available at every game from now on.

Alternatively, you can use your phone to text TV444 followed by your comment to 82055. These cost the same as any other text you would send.

The comments will be given to Robbo/Harry etc, and will be posted to @RammyReaction on Twitter. A selection will be published in the programme.

Ramsbottom United Football Club Chairman: H Williams Vice Chairman: C Woolfall Secretary: A Cunningham Matchday Secretary: A Edmunson Treasurers: H Williams, C Woolfall Committee: H Williams, C Woolfall, A Edmundson, K Hitchen, A Cunningham Catering Manager: S Fletcher

Recent Senior Honours: Bolton Comination Div 1 Champions: 1972/73 Bolton Comb. Premier Champions 1976/77: Bolton Comb. Div2 cup runners up: 1979/80,1982/83 Bolton Comb. Div2 runners up: 1982/83 Bolton Comb. Cup winners: 1976/77, 1979/80, 1983/84 Bolton Comb. Div1 runners up: 1984/85 Bolton Comb. Cup runners up: 1985/86, 1987/88 Manchester League Cup Winners: 1990/91 Manchester League Champions: 1990/91 Yorkshire Cup runners up: 1993/94 Northwest Counties Div2 Champions: 1996/97 Northwest Counties Div2 Trophy: 1995/96 Bolton Hospital Cup winners: 1974/75, 05/06.

06/07, 07/08 Northwest Counties Premier runners Up 2010/11 Northwest Counties Premier Champions: 2011/12 Northern Premier League Div1 playoff winners: 2013/14 The Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Acre Bottom, Ramsbottom, Lancashire Tel: 01706 822799

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RAMMY

BUXTON

SEASON 2014-15

SEASON 2014-15

FORM

NUMBER OF WINS

3-4 0-0 1-2

0-3 0-3 0-0

0-1

GOALS SCORED

POSITION 17th

GOALS SCORED PER GAME

ATTENDANCES

BIGGEST WIN RAMMY WHITBY

4 0

CLEAN SHEETS

WORST DEFEAT

1-1 POSITION 10th

ATTENDANCES

BIGGEST WIN UNKNOWN

WORST DEFEAT

RAMMY BLYTH

0 4

TOP SCORERS

Jon Robinson Jordan Hulme Phil Dean Grant Spencer Osebi Abadaki

FORM

14 13 11 10 6

UNKNOWN GOALS CONCEDED

GOALS CONCEDED PER GAME

TOP SCORERS

Mark Reed Liam Hardy Steve Istead Neil Stevens Derek Niven

9 7 6 5 1

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ATTENDANCES

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

TEAM Ashton United Barwell Blyth Spartans Buxton Colwyn Bay Darlington Frickley Athletic Grantham Town Halesowen Town Hyde United Ilkeston Marine Matlock Town Mickleover Sports Nantwich Town Ramsbottom United Rushall Olympic Salford City Skelmersdale United Stamford Stourbridge Sutton Coldfield Town Whitby Town Workington

Avg 126 227 0 708 0 0 236 0 471 509 505 0 0 0 302 0 237 518 0 0 0 0 241 0

EVOSTIK PREMIER DIVISION 1 Whitby Town 2 Nantwich Town 3 Skelmersdale United 4 Buxton 5 Rushall Olympic 6 Matlock Town 7 Blyth Spartans 8 Halesowen Town 9 Grantham Town 10 Hyde United 11 Sutton Coldfield Town 12 Workington 13 Ashton United 14 Marine 15 Mickleover Sports 16 Salford City 17 Frickley Athletic 18 Barwell 19 Colwyn Bay 20 Ilkeston 21 Darlington 22 Ramsbottom United 23 Stamford 24 Stourbridge

P 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

W 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

SEASON 2015-16 / CAREER STATISTICS

Jake Cliffe

SIGNED Jan-15

Andy Dawson

Aug-08

Andy Fitzgerald

July-15

Phil Edghill

Jan-15

Lee Gaskell

Aug-10

Tom Hartley

Aug-12

Luke Heron

Jan-15

Kyle Harrop

Prince Haywood

Jan-15

July-15

Melford Knight

July-15

Dominic McHale

July-15

David Kuba-Kuba Alex Meaney

Kieran Nolan

Nov-14 July-15 July-15

Shelton Payne

Aug-15

Grant Shenton

Aug-10

Ben Woods

July-15

Lee Pugh

Grant Spencer

July-15 July-15

SEASON APPS

SUB

GOALS

1

0

0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

CAREER

D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

F 4 6 3 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 0

A GD Pts 0 4 3 3 3 3 1 2 3 0 2 3 0 2 3 1 1 3 0 1 3 0 1 3 2 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 -1 0 1 -1 0 1 -1 0 3 -2 0 2 -2 0 2 -2 0 6 -3 0 4 -4 0

APPS

SUB

GOALS

YELS

REDS

0

173

5

23

25

4

0

1

0

0

0

0 0

1

2

1

44

14

0

175

37

110

10

0

0

9

1

0

0 0 0 0

21 1 9 0

0

12

0

1

0 0 0 0

1 1 1

36

0

228

0

1

0

143

2 0 6 0 7 1 0 0 0 7 1

20 0

1

0

0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

6 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 9

0

12

0

0

43

19

0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0

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who’s who? meet the rammy squad for 2015/16

Jon Robinson

Phil Edghill

Grant Shenton

Date of birth: 28/12/81 Place of birth: Salford Position: Manager / Striker Height: 5ft 9ins Previous clubs: Salford, Flixton, New Mills, Bacup A passionate and neversay-die striker who will score goals by sheer enthusiasm alone. Took over the managerial reins in January 2015.

Date of birth: 13/09/79 Place of birth: Oldham Position: Manager / Midfield Height: 6ft Previous clubs: Rochdale, Curzon, Hyde, Salford Versatile midfielder who’s happy anywhere on the pitch. Intelligent, mature and articulate addition to Rammy’s management.

Date of birth: 28/01/91 Place of birth: Newton Heath Position: Goalkeeper Height: 6ft 2ins Previous clubs: Maine Road, FCUM Charismatic and influential goalkeeper whose vision helps score as many goals as his athleticism denies.

Kyle Harrop

Lee Pugh

Ben Woods

Date of birth: 22/05/92 Place of birth: Chadderton Position: Defender Height: 6ft Previous clubs: Curzon, Bacup, Trafford, Ashton United, Nantwich Full back with a great ability to read the game.

Date of birth: 26/05/92 Place of birth: Rossendale Position: Defender Height: 6ft Previous clubs: Bury, Hyde, Bacup, Clitheroe, Chester No-nonsense hard man with a huge long throw and mean free kick.

Date of birth: 1/07/97 Place of birth: Manchester Position: Wing-back Height: 5ft 10ins Previous clubs: Hough End Griffins Extremely talented young full back with bags of pace, which allows him to wreak havoc coming forward.

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6

Andy Fitzgerald

Andy Dawson

Kieran Nolan

Date of birth: 22/12/93 Place of birth: Stockport Position: Defender Height: 6ft 1in Previous clubs: Manchester United, Blackburn, Stockport, Curzon, Hyde Hard working full back with a great pedigree.

Date of birth: 19/09/85 Place of birth: Rochdale Position: Centre-Half Height: 6ft 3ins Previous clubs: Blackburn A Rammy favourite and one of the club’s longest serving players.Struggled with injury for the past three seasons, but after a series of knee operations is back in the squad.

Date of birth: 12/01/91 Place of birth: Salford Position: Centre-Half Height: 6ft 1in Previous clubs: Manchester City, Bolton Skillful young centre back who’s come through the Bolton academy setup.

Very brave, creative and has huge potential.

Prince Haywood

Melford Knight

Alex Meaney

Date of birth: 2/04/92 Place of birth: Modena, Italy Position: Midfield Height: 6ft 1in Previous clubs: Modenese, Stalybridge, Colwyn Bay No-nonsense hard working midfielder with bags of experience despite his age.

Position: Midfield Previous clubs: New Mills, Glossop, Runcorn Linnets, Mossley, Trafford Strong and experienced midfielder who likes to get stuck in. The Enforcer in the middle!

Position: Midfield Previous clubs: Stockport, Lancaster, Nantwich, Chorley, Skelmersdale, Curzon Ashton A left-footed attacking midfielder who works tirelessly and has a great eye for reading play.

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Zac Hargreaves

Jake Cliffe

Jamie Rother

Date of birth: 18/10/98 Place of birth: Bury Position: Midfield Height: 5ft 11ins Previous clubs: Bury, Burnley Young and nippy midfielder with great skill, fitness and masses of potential.

Date of birth: 14/09/95 Place of birth: Bury Position: Midfield Height: 5ft 11ins Previous clubs: Preston, Bury Young and very promising midfielder whose performances become more outstanding every time he takes the field.

Date of birth: 28/01/91 Place of birth: Middleton Position: Midfield Height: 5ft 8ins Previous clubs: Oldham, Salford, Bacup, New Mills A very hard-working midfielder whose neversay-die attitude makes him a real inspiration in the Rammy team.

David Kuba-Kuba

Grant Spencer

Tom Hartley

Date of birth: 1/03/95 Place of birth: London Position: Midfield/Wing Height: 5ft 8ins Previous clubs: Preston, FCUM A very hard-working midfielder who’s skilled, strong and confident on the ball. Extremely influential player on the field for Rammy.

Date of birth: 4/10/91 Place of birth: Manchester Position: Midfield Height: 5ft 7ins Previous clubs: Bolton, Salford, Curzon, Rossendale, Hyde A creative midfielder who has the ability to take on anyone and deliver a great ball. He has an eye for the sensational and is worth almost a goal a game.

Date of birth: 11/11/96 Place of birth: Rawtenstall Position: Midfield/Striker Height: 5ft 7ins Previous clubs: Blackburn, Moston Tough and skillful young striker / attacking midfielder who is a very exciting prospect for the future.

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Marley Gough

Luke Heron

Lee Gaskell

Date of birth: 15/09/92 Place of birth: Bolton Position: Midfield/Striker Height: 5ft 8ins Previous clubs: Burnley, Bolton, Lancaster, Mossley A creative midfielder and playmaker with an eye for goal.

Date of birth: 24/03/96 Place of birth: Bury Position: Winger Height: 6ft Previous clubs: Oldham, Trafford Young and creative wide player whose performances are going from strength to strength.

Date of birth: 07/02/85 Place of birth: Bury Position: Striker Height: 6ft Previous clubs: Bury, Morecambe, Trafford, Warrington Tall and classy striker who has an eye for the spectacular but isn’t afraid to work hard for the cause.

Clevon Beadle

Saindou Djanfar

Wayne Goodison

Date of birth: 19/12/95 Place of birth: Manchester Position: Winger Height: 5ft 11ins Previous clubs: Trafford, Radcliffe Leggy young and passionate winger with bags of pace who likes to run at defenders and can deliver a mean cross.

Date of birth: 27/02/91 Place of birth: Mayotte, Africa Position: Striker Height: 5ft 11ins Previous clubs: Chateaux Gombert, En Avant Guingamp, Endoume, Luynes Sport, Consolat, CA Plan de Cuques Tall and fast striker with great technique and whose potential is frightening.

Position: Coach Previous clubs: Barnsley, Crewe, Rochdale, Hyde, Accrington, Buxton Vastly experienced coach with some great ideas for getting the best out of his players. Played over 200 matches in professional football as a right-back.

supporters club

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A couple of weeks ago, a great stir rippled around Ramsbottom as we learned that crowd favourite Billy Priesley, who last season joined Conference side Bradford PA for an astronomical pay rise, had got in touch with Robbo about coming back to his spiritual home of Rammy United. Although on contract at Bradford, he’d been told that he is unlikely to figure in their team this season, and so they were happy to send him out on loan to any team that’d stump up a decent proportion of his salary.

There was a quick and frantic ringing around of people, and between us we managed to muster up the money to match what Ashton United were offering, enough money to ensure that the loveable Moors Monkey would be pulling on the blue of Rammy this season.

Next thing we know, Billy has signed for Ashton United! Wtf! So I phoned Robbo to ask why we’d all run around like idiots trying to Bring Billy Back, and he said that Billy had apparently decided on Ashton based on them being ‘better for my career’.

He’d cited Rammy’s lack of ambition as the main reason for heading elsewhere, the exact same reason given to the fans by Johnno and Bernard on that fateful day when they announced their departure to pastures new. You’ll probably remember Johnno saying, “This club has gone as far as it can, and it’s nothing to do with it being Salford City. We’ve decided to leave Rammy due to the club’s lack of ambition, and would happily have taken the job at Daisy Hill rather than stay here.”

Now I don’t know about you, but when I look at Rammy I don’t see this lack of ambition that these people are talking about. We have a wonderful

little town with its own unique identity, and a great pride amongst the people who have shown they’re capable of turning up in numbers if they’re sufficiently engaged by the club.

We have a lovely ground which can comfortably admit and accommodate 2,100 supporters without incident. It’s in immaculate condition with a pitch that’s tight, but in pretty decent nick.

We have one of the most palatial club-houses at this level of football, which can probably accommodate a couple of hundred in comfort, and next door the cricket club facilities are immaculate and sizeable with some really decent beer.

The fans are brimming over with ambition and enthusiasm, and the management and players are accomplished, decent fellas who are likely to surprise a lot of people this season.

The club has no debts, and a great catchment area for decent and sizeable local businesses who, if approached properly, are likely to proudly support the club and get behind its ambition.

Rammy United is perfectly capable of stepping up to Conference football with just a couple of small improvements to the ground - perhaps a new tea bar and a bit of work on the changing rooms. So where is this lack of ambition that people are talking about? ...and then you speak to the committee. Each, to a man, has said to me over the summer, “This club is really an Evostik North club. We’re punching above our weight in this division.”

Why!? Why do you think this?

There’s nothing about this club that is in any way inferior to any other at our level. In fact, we’re in a better position financially than virtually any other

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club in any of football! We have our own ground and a great arrangement with the cricket club. Why are we punching above our weight? Everything is in place for this club to take another step up, and with a bit of work we could step up again! The only thing lacking is that ambition, and ambition is purely a state of mind and a plan!

Come on fellas, stop thinking that we’ve overstepped our capabilities and start planning to take Rammy onwards and upwards. None of the fans feel this same lack of enthusiasm, and God help us if you say these things to the great players that we’re bringing in. We can appreciate that you’re all extremely hard working (I know for a fact that Harry and Tony work beyond what should be humanly possible), but if that’s the issue then please get some help.

There is nothing holding Rammy back but that lack of forward thinking and ambition, and there are many people out there capable and willing to get stuck in. Maybe it’s time to accept that help and keep this great club moving onwards and upwards.

On another note we’re back collecting Supporters Club membership fees for the coming season. This season we have a number of irons in the fire: you’ve probably noticed that 10,000 fixtures flyers have gone out and about around Rammy - the most we’ve ever produced - and we’d like to say a huge thankyou to everyone who’s stepped up to help.

This season we’re again sponsoring Grant Shenton the cost of his fourteen pairs (!) of goalkeeping gloves.

Hopefully he won’t wear them out so quickly this season with less to do in nets.

We’ll be presenting a Man of the Match award for both home and away teams this season, and we’re getting out and about around schools to try and engage new, young supporters.

A big banner is on its way very shortly, and we’re looking at putting on some social events very soon.

I’ll tell you some more about what we’re up to in Saturday’s programme as I’ve run out of...

‘Palatial’ doesn’t even come close to doing justice to the corporate facilities at Rammy

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Manager: Jon ROBINSON

Grant SHENTON Andy FITZGERALD Ben WOODS Prince HAYWOOD Kieran NOLAN Andy DAWSON Shelton PAYNE Alex MEANEY Lee GASKELL Grant SPENCER Luke HERON Phil EDGHILL Lee PUGH Saindou DJANFAR Melford KNIGHT Clevon BEADLE Marley GOUGH Jamie ROTHER Jake CLIFFE Tom HARTLEY

Manager: Martin McINTOSH

Phil BARNES Shomari DOYLE Jamie GREEN Derek NIVEN Tim RYAN Gregg YOUNG Alastair TAYLOR Ricky RAVENHILL Bradley BARRACLOUGH Liam HARDY Warren BURRELL Aaron JAMESON Ash WORSFOLD Alex STACEY Ash BURBEARY Jordan COOKE Reece LUCAS

Referee: Craig Hainsworth Referee’s Assistants: Daniel Bennett, Akeel Ahmed Next home game: Saturday 22nd August 3pm, Rammy v Hyde United