Exile's Report

[The Invisible Man]

To make a change from us all wallowing in our misery, I thought I'd bore - I mean update - you with goings-on up here in t'frozen north.

 

On Monday my local team Brighouse Town were at home to Scarborough Athletic. This brought back a few memories as there are parallels with ETFC. Athletic weere formed by the supporters of the now defunct Scarborough and began at Step 6, the Koolsport Northern Counties East Division 1, lasy year. Unlike ETFC they started badly, but recovered to a decent final position and are expected to be challengers thius year. Like ETFC they have a large following for the level, their highestgate being 450 this season. I reckon there were about 300 at Brighouse on Monday, the previous two home games having gates of around 100.

 

Like many (not all!) of our hosts in our ESL days, extra facilities were provided at Brighouse for Boro's visit - extra parking attendants, portaloos, an outdoor burger bar and an ice cream van. There was subsequently a great atmosphere at the game, played in moderate sunshine.

 

This is Brighouse Town's first season at this level, previously being below th epyramid at an equivalent of step 12. The first half was excellent. Boro were the better team and had more of the ball, but Town (Brighouse!) defended calmly and put together a number of glorious sweeping counter attacks. Both sides had chances to score, and both keepers made fine saves. Then on 42 minutes Nicholson, our veteran centre back, showed inexperience at this level and made a foolish tackle from behind on a striker who only had the keeper to beat - but who was very close and may well have saved it. Penalty, red card: 0-1 and 10 men.

 

The game was destroyed as a spectacle from then on. Twon began the second half disastrously, conceding a soft goal, the other veteran centre back gave away another silly pen, then a fourth goal, all in around 10 minutes of the restart. The game went through the motions a bit: Town fought hard and got one back through a slightly generous penalty for handball, but with 10 men against a more experieneced good passing side it was a forlorn but brave effort.

 

However, I am not downhearted. The start to the season is moderate: won 2-0, lost 1-2 (last minute winner), drew 4-4 (4-2 up with 10 to go!) lost 2-3 and lost 1-4. Unlike most other clubs we can pay our players nothing. We need to get a 50-seat stand erected by the end of the season, but the ground is coming on and the pitch is excellent. The previous manager mans the turnstile and his former assistant is a car park attendant, such is the spirit.

 

The only downside is that Brighgouse play in orange and black.....

[waggamick]

where is Brighouse Town?

[The Invisible Man]

12th!

 

See http://www.ncel.org.uk/clubinfo.php?team=160&page=1&sid=27

 

Also www.ncel.org.uk

 

Brighouse is a small former valley mill town between Huddersfield and Halifax, West Yorkshire, just off junction 25 of the M62. Originally a works team they become Brighouse Town a number of years ago and until this year played in the West Riding County Amateur League, winning several championships. Although the last two or three seasons were pretty mediocre, they were accepted into the NCEL on the basis (presumably) of the ground and facilities, and off-the-field set-up. Halifax Town for example used to train there.

 

The pitch is very good for the standard, although perhaps a trifle heavy in wet weather. There is a rail around the pitch and concrete hardstanding on along one (I think only one) side, with a single step. There are floodlights and a small covered standing area, a bit like the 'bus stop' at Brimmo. We have one season to erect the required 50 seat stand. There is a pay kiosk and a car park for over 50 cars I guess. THere are proper changing rooms etc with those pedestrian barrier things for the player's 'tunnel', and proper (new!) blockwork dugouts. We even have electric number board thingys for the subs!

 

Facilities are a bit sparse, there is no clubhouse or bar ( rather charmingly everyone slopes off to the Old Pond pub afterwards, players, officials, supporters) but a tea bar (hot drinks and chocolate bars but no burgers or bread pudding) and a 'boardroom' for entertaining visiting officials all housed in portakabins. On Monday there was a makeshift bar selling canned beer etc.

 

NCEL Div One promotes into NCEL Premier, which in turn feeds into Unibond One, then Unibond Premier, Conference South, Conference Prem. We are thus effectively a step below the ESL, in theory.

 

We do not expect to win promotion for a while, until we can consolidate our position and build up some sponsorship and more support. We featured in two of the division's biggest attendances so far (before this wekend), 3rd highest (110) at home and 4th highest (85) away to Teversal. Not bad for Step 6. Of course Scarborough have the highest at 450 for tyheir first home game.

 

Attendance on Monday was 341. Boro give a very fair, rather generous, match report on their website.

[townerboy]

glad to see there are other clubs out there follwoing our example other thatn the famous AFC Wimbledon and FCUM.

[waggamick]

Deep in the hearty of Rugby League territory.

Grass roots football is what its all about.

Went to a local Aussie Rules game with my mates last Saturday and despite the standard being a fair way below the AFL( Collingwood, Carlton, Geelong, etc)there was no doubt about the endeavour, zeal and commitment.

Keep us informed of Brighouse Town's progress.

Have they got a website?

[The Invisible Man]

Website is at http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/brighousetownafc/

 

Brief details are also given on the NCEL website, which incudes a page on each club - the links are given in my post above.

[waggamick]

Might be safer(and saner) for us to pick the results for Brighouse Town.

[The Invisible Man]

Rossington Main 0 Brighouse Town 2.

[waggamick]

Thought you'd go better against a depleted Rossington Main!

 

Only kidding!

Where's Rossington Main? Somewhere near Brighouse Town...who are now my second favourite team.

 

Given ETFC's latest efforts it's good to see someone doing well!!

Who do we(Brighouse Town..that is, play next?

AFC Emley I see..both on 7 points...Brighouse Town...pretenders or the real thing?

Go Town! (Both of them)

[Gazza]

Similar updates from out here in the east soon as well, Histon being the local team (seven miles closer than Cambridge United & nine miles closer than Cambridge City) now there's a 10 year story thats a success.

[townerboy]

my local team are hampton and richmond. they haven;t doen too badly recently either

[waggamick]

My local team is Henwood Park who recently saw their Captain get 18 months suspension(later reduced to 6)for conspiring with a referee and the opposition captain to alter the result of a statewide knockout...the ref got 4 years and the winning captain got 5 years suspension...HP lost 3-2 to a Sydney based side(Quakers Hill)who had prior commitments(????)so wouldn't be able to play the next round...so they switched the result...HP informed the State Association of the switch and the club weren't penalised.

[waggamick]

Current Table:

Semis coming up.

Pascoe Cup (1st Grade)

 

Ladder

Team P W D L F A D Pts

Henwood Park Hawks 17 11 1 1 44 8 36 34

Wagga United 17 9 2 6 32 27 5 29

Cootamundra Strikers 17 7 3 7 24 20 4 24

Tolland Wolves 17 6 2 9 22 40 -18 20

Lake Albert Sharks 17 4 4 9 23 42 -19 16

Junee Jaguars 17 2 4 11 19 47 -28 10

 

[waggamick]

Henwood Park should read 11 wins 1 draw 5 losses.

Wagga United have a large number of recently arrived(over last 3 years) Sudanese refugees.

[The Invisible Man]

Sorry Mick, been working away - back briefly tonight then of again tomorrow.

 

Rossington Main are near Sheffield. About 45 mins to an hour down the M1. Yep, Emley next.