8th April, 2006 (Back to Newsletter menu)
BUXTON boss Nicky Law continues to strengthen his squad as his table-topping Bucks prepare for the final
weeks of the season.
Much-travelled striker Leroy Chambers has joined the Silverlands outfit from UniBond Premier Division
side Frickley Athletic after a long career in both non-league and professional football.
Chambers, 34, began his career
as a trainee at Sheffield Wednesday but left Hillsborough for Chester City before breaking into the first-team. After making
21 appearances for City, Chambers moved onto Boston United before returning briefly to the Football League with Macclesfield
Town. Spells at Altrincham, Hucknall Town, Bradford Park Avenue and Droylsden then followed for the Sheffield born marksman.
The
quartet of new arrivals at Buxton is completed by former Hallam and Frickley Athletic player Brandan West, Parkgate midfielder
Mark Cooper and Mick Vernon from Central Midlands League side Dinnington Town.
GARFORTH TOWN have been successful
in their appeal to the Football Association over their ban by the West Riding FA.
The FA’s appeal board ruled
that the punishment meted out to the NCEL Division One club was excessive and instead imposed a fine of £150 and suspended
any ban until December 2007.
The decision was welcomed by Garforth owner and manager Simon Clifford who said: “I
do believe that the £150 fine is fitting and that we were dealt with very fairly.
“The FA Board, led by the National
Head of the FA’s Disciplinary Committee listened with great care to our case and were both courteous and fair.
“We’re
now going to just get on with the football, we’re hoping to finish our season in style and begin preparations for our
push to the UniBond League next season.”
And those plans have already begun with the Miners confirming that Clifford
will again manage the side next season with Vemol Blair as his assistant. Steve Nichol will fill the director of coaching
role at the Marston’s Stadium.
An exciting development for the club will see Town’s reserve side joining
the Conference Academy League in 2006/07. Garforth will play alongside Accrington Stanley, Southport, Halifax Town, York City
and others in this strong league with games taking place on a Wednesday afternoon.
LINCOLN MOORLANDS will withdraw
their reserve side from the Lincolnshire League at the end of this season with the second string due to join the Central Midlands
League reserve section for 2006/07.
Moors secretary Graham Peck told the club’s website: “The Club has
decided to definitely to join the Central Midlands reserve League next season to close the gap with the Lines League now being
on the same level as the local Lincoln and West Lindsey leagues.
“It has been a disappointment that more of the
younger reserves have not made it into the first team more regularly and there is no doubt this has got to change next year
if other local talent can’t be found.”
PICKERING TOWN’S Ricky Greening, brother of West Brom
star Jonathan, has left the Recreation Ground to join UniBond Premier side Whitby Town.
Greening made an immediate
impact at The Turnbull by scoring after just two minutes of his debut as the Seasiders beat Gateshead 2-0.
SHEFFIELD’S
Football in the Community programme, run by team manager Dave McCarthy, has received a huge boost with the announcement that
fast-food restaurant McDonalds will become the scheme’s main supporter.
Sheffield Chairman Richard Tims told
the club’s website: “We are delighted that McDonalds have chosen to become one of our community partners.
“Sheffield
FC can now look forward to being able to provide the kids with even better opportunities and facilities. The investment McDonalds
have put in the club shows they are serious when it comes to putting something back into grassroots football.”
James
Thompson of McDonalds said: “As a Sheffield Football Club supporter, I am proud to be associated with the oldest club
in the world.”
THE NCEL South Yorkshire contingent won’t be boosted by AFC Barnsley after the promotion
chasing club suddenly withdrew from the Central Midlands League.
AFC Barnsley had enjoyed a meteoric rise through the
non-league ranks after being formed just three seasons ago and were looking likely to finish in the higher echelons of the
CML Supreme Division this season.
Whether they would have eventually achieved NCEL status is open to question but the
club, formed by disgruntled fans of Football League side Barnsley, folded unexpectedly at the end of March with a spokesmen
saying, “AFC Barnsley was established three seasons ago as a football team to represent the town should Barnsley Football
Club’s ongoing financial problems become terminal.
“It is clear now that the future of Barnsley Football
Club is secure and therefore the central purpose of AFC Barnsley no longer exists.”
Mark Hancock, manager of
AFC Barnsley, said: “It is extremely disappointing for everybody connected with the Club for it to be disbanded after
a successful three years.
“We decided that it made sense to withdraw from the league with immediate effect. This
allows other teams in our league to recognise that the promotion place we had looked like achieving is still up for grabs.”
SHIREBROOK
TOWN report that striker Simon Johnson’s 35-day ban for his sending off against Garforth Town has been overturned on
appeal.
Meanwhile central defender Stewart Ashford was pleased with his first run-out in Shirebrook colours following
his debut in the recent draw with Hallam.
Ashford, who has had spells with Teversal and Sutton Town, said: “I
was a bit nervous at first but I really enjoyed it.
“I’d been out of the game for a month and I was glad
to be playing again.”
CARLTON TOWN staged one of the most remarkable comebacks of the season in their recent
match at Winterton Rangers.
The First Division leaders were 2-4 down after 88 minutes at West Street and staring defeat
in the face before netting three times through Chaplin (2) and Hayes to take an unlikely three points.
THE dates
have been set for the two legs of the Presidents Cup final between Premier Division sides Buxton and Selby Town.
Both
matches will be played on a Thursday evening with the first leg being played at the Silverlands on April 13th. The return
match will take place two weeks later at Selby’s Flaxley Road Ground on April 27th.
