Ossett United v Grimsby Borough (01/10/22)

Vs GRIMSBY BOROUGH SATURDAY 01 OCTOBER | 15:00 PITCHING IN NPL EAST

OSSETT UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

INGFIELD, PROSPECT ROAD, OSSETT, WF5 9HL

WELCOME TO INGFIELD

CLUB PRESIDENT: NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH CHAIRMAN: JAMES ROGERS VICE-CHAIRMAN: PHIL SMITH SECRETARY: NEIL SPOFFORTH TREASURER: PAUL BILLING BOARD MEMBERS: LEE BROADBENT, STUART GARSIDE, JOE HANKS, STEVE HANKS TEAM MANAGER: JAS COLLIVER TEAM COACH: GARY MIDDLETON, ROSS KILLOCK MATCH ANALYST: JACK SLOAN MEDICAL TEAM: EMILY CRISPIN MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING OFFICER: KATE HENNIGHAN HEAD OF MEDIA: CRAIG BIDDLESTONE MEDIA TEAM: CHRIS CASSIDY, OWEN GERRARD, JON HUNT, ADAM LUNAT, KEITH WOOD PROGRAMME DESIGN: CHRIS BOYD, NEIL SPOFFORTH Club Honours – Ossett United, Ossett Town, Ossett Albion

Ingfield Stadium

West Riding County Senior Cup Winners: 1949/50 West Riding County Cup Winners: 1958/59, 1964/65, 1965/66, 1967/68, 1981/82, 1998/99, 2018/19 Runners Up: 2000/01 Northern Premier League First Division Runners Up: 2001/02 Play-off Runners Up: 2016/17 Northern Counties East Premier Division Winners: 1998/99, 2003/04 Runners Up: 1998/99, 2000/01

Official Teamwear Suppliers

Northern Counties East First Division Winners: 1986/87 Northern Counties East Second Division Winners: 1988/89 Club Records FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round: 1965/66, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2012/13, 2017/18 (R) Second Qualifying Round: 2019/20 FA Trophy Second Round: 1999/00 First Round: 2001/02, 2004/05, 2012/13 THird Qualifying Round: 2022/23*

Main Club Sponsor

OSSETT UNITED IS A TRADING NAME OF OSSETT UNITED LIMITED, A PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES. IT IS A COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES. IT IS REGISTERED AT COMPANIES HOUSE, COMPANY NUMBER 11162425. THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTROL. J. ROGERS (31.525%) AND D. ROGERS (25.5%)

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

3

WELCOME TO INGFIELD JAMES ROGERS, CHAIRMAN TODAY IS THE FIRST GAME OF A BUSY OCTOBER

I WOULD LIKE TO WISH A WARM WELCOME TO EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH GRIMSBY BOROUGH FOR WHAT IS A FIRST MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES TODAY AS THEY PLAY AT STEP FOUR FOR THE FIST TIME IN THEIR SHORT EXISTENCE. GRIMSBY BOROUGH, ESTABLISHED IN 2003, HAVE RISEN FROM THE LINCOLNSHIRE LEAGUE TO THE NPL, WINNING THE NCEL PREMIER DIVISION LAST SEASON

THEY HAVE HAD A TOUGH START TO LIFE AT STEP FOUR, BUT A CONFIDENCE BOOSTING VICTORY AT TADCASTER ALBION LAST WEEK WILL GIVE THEM BELIEF AND WE CAN BE SURE OF A TOUGH GAME HERE AT INGFIELD TODAY.

THAT WILL SEE US TAKE TO THE FIELD SEVEN TIMES BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH IN THREE COMPETITIONS WITH TRIPS TO RUNCORN LINNETS NEXT WEEKEND, KNARESBOROUGH TOWN ON THE 18TH IN THE WEST RIDING COUNTY CUP PLUS SHILDON AND LONG EATON UNITED IN THE LEAGUE WHILE AS WELL AS TODAY’S VISITORS WE WILL ALSO ENTERTAIN HEBBURN TOWN AND CONSETT HERE AT INGFIELD.

THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS IS HITTING EVERYONE, INCLUDING US HERE AT OSSETT UNITED. WE NEVER TAKE OUR FANS FOR GRANTED AND APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT EVEN MORE AT THIS TIME WHEN EVERYONE IS LOOKING TO SAVE MONEY WHERE THEY CAN.

HOPEFULLY THE POSITIVE RESULTS OF LATE CONTINUE AND FOR THE NINETY MINUTE WE CAN ALL FORGET ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AND CELEBRATE SOME VICTORIES TOGETHER.

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS, ENJOY THE GAME

AS NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH MENTIONED IN HIS PROGRAMME NOTES AT A RECENT GAME, HE, ALONG WITH STUART GARSIDE, JOHN HIRST AND HELP FROM OTHERS HAVE BUILT A NEW WALL BEHIND THE STAND ON THE DUGOUT SIDE OF THE GROUND AS WELL AS LEVELLING AND TIDYING THE AREA. THIS WAS A MAMMOTH TASK AND I APPLAUD EACH OF THEM FOR THE WORK CARRIED OUT. ONCE AGAIN IT IS A JOB THAT WHILE IT WAS NOT REQUIRED FOR ANY GROUND GRADING CRITERIA IT IMPROVES THE FACILITIES EVEN FURTHER.

4

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

THE DUGOUT JAS COLLIVER FINAL DECISION OR PASS LETTING US DOWN, IF WE CAN MAKE BETTER CHOICES I’M SURE WE WILL PICK UP MORE POSITIVE RESULTS HOPEFULLY THAT ALL COMES TOGETHER TODAY!

ON TUESDAY THE LADS COULD FEEL THE FANS BACKING ON A COLD NIGHT, THIS MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THEM IT FEELS LIKE HAVING A TWELFTH MAN ON THE PITCH, IT’S CLEAR TO SEE THE LADS ARE GIVING EVERYTHING AND HAVE NOTHING OUT THERE IN THE LAST THREE GAMES.

GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO TODAY’S GAME, WE WISH EVERYONE CONNECTED WITH GRIMSBY BOROUGH SAFE TRAVELS TODAY. WE

YOUR SUPPORT IS MASSIVE TO US. ENJOY THE GAME

KNOW THIS SIDE ROMPED THE DIVISION BELOW LAST SEASON AND WILL BE OUT TO BUILD SOME MOMENTUM AFTER LAST WEEK’S WIN AT TADCASTER ALBION.

I’M URGING THE PLAYERS TO END THE WEEK ON A HIGH AFTER THE MIDWEEK VICTORY AGAINST STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS. WE HAVE APPLIED OURSELVES PROPERLY AND I FEEL WE ARE STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A TEAM BUILT OF CHARACTERS, WINNERS, FLAIR AND PACE. I WAS DELIGHTED WITH THE CLEAN SHEET MIDWEEK AND THE WAY WE DEFENDED LAST SATURDAY AT SHEFFIELD.

THE LADS HAVE BEEN AN ABSOLUTE CREDIT TO THEMSELVES AND THE CLUB OF LATE AND ALL WE ASK IS TO PRODUCE THE SAME AGAIN IN TERMS OF EFFORT AND I’M SURE THE CREATIVITY AND LINK UP PLAY WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.

ON TUESDAY I FELT WE PASSED THE BALL MUCH BETTER AND GOT IN GOOD AREAS WITH ONLY THE

6

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

7

THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH CLUTCH OF CLUBS ON EIGHT POINTS. JUST HOW TIGHT THIS DIVISION IS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE FACT THAT IN MY LAST PROGRAMME NOTES FOR THAT TUESDAY EVENING ENCOUNTER I COMMENTED ON THE FACT THAT WE WERE LANGUISHING IN 16TH

GRIMSBY BOROUGH CAME UP INTO THE NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE AT THE START OF THE CURRENT 2022/2023 SEASON AFTER WINNING THE NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE TITLE AT THE END OF THEIR LAST CAMPAIGN IN THAT LEAGUE. FIRSTLY WE AT OSSETT UNITED WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE GRIMSBY ON THAT ACHIEVEMENT AS EVERYONE KNOWS BECOMING CHAMPIONS OF THAT LEAGUE IS NO EASY TASK SUCH IS THE COMPETITION AMONGST THE MEMBER CLUBS AND, NOT LEAST, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS SLUSHING ABOUT IN ORDER TO FINANCE THE ASPIRATIONS OF CLUBS.

LOOKING AT THE CURRENT LEAGUE TABLE IT IS QUITE APPARENT THAT, TO DATE, GRIMSBY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, HAVE NOT FOUND THE TRANSITION TO STEP 4 FOOTBALL AN EASY ONE AS THEIR RECORD SHOWS. AT THE TIME OF WRITING THEY SIT 18TH OUT OF THE TWENTY CLUBS WITH JUST 3 POINTS FROM THEIR OPENING SEVEN LEAGUE MATCHES. THAT SAID THEY DID OPEN THEIR ACCOUNT LAST TIME OUT WHEN THEY RAN OUT 2 – 0 WINNERS AWAY AT TADCASTER ALBION – A

POSITION AND HOVERING JUST ABOVE THE RELEGATION ZONE BUT, SHOULD WE MANAGE A WIN THIS AFTERNOON, WE COULD CONCEIVABLY HOIST OURSELVES RIGHT UP INTO THE HIGHER ECHELONS OF THE TABLE AND BE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A PLAY-OFF POSITION.

THE GENERAL FEELING ABOUT THE PLACE IS THAT WE DO HAVE THE PLAYERS TO MAKE A GENUINE CHALLENGE FOR AT LEAST A TOP THIRD FINISH. WE HAVE NOT LOST A GAME NOW IN OUR LAST FOUR OUTINGS AND IMPROVEMENT IS OCCURRING GAME UPON GAME. THAT IMPROVEMENT IS STEADY RATHER THAN SPECTACULAR BUT PERFORMANCES ARE NOTICEABLY BETTER THAN IN THE EARLY PART OF THE SEASON (CARLTON TOWN APART) AND NOT LEAST BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE OURSELVES HARDER TO BEAT. IN MY OPINION WE ARE A BETTER TEAM WHEN WE ARE PLAYING ON BETTER SURFACES AND I THINK THAT WAS VERY MUCH IN EVIDENCE LAST TUESDAY WHEN WORK ON IMPROVING OUR OWN PLAYING SURFACE REAPED ITS OWN REWARDS IN TERMS OF THE RESULT.

VICTORY THAT TOOK THEM OFF THE BOTTOM RUNG OF THE LEAGUE LADDER AND WILL SURELY HAVE GIVEN THEM A LIFT IN TERMS OF CONFIDENCE.

WHEN THE COST OF LIVING SITUATION REARED ITS HEAD A WHILE AGO I WONDERED THEN IF OUR ATTENDANCES MIGHT SUFFER AS A RESULT. THERE

HERE AT OSSETT UNITED, AFTER TUESDAY’S WIN AT HOME TO STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS, WE NOW SIT 13TH IN THE TABLE ALONGSIDE A WHOLE

COULD BE ALL KINDS OF OTHER REASONS FOR IT BUT ‘GATES’ ARE SLIGHTLY DOWN ON PREVIOUS SEASONS WHICH IS DISAPPOINTING. LAST TUESDAY

8

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS FOR EXAMPLE THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 22 MATCHES PLAYED ACROSS ALL FOUR NPL DIVISIONS WITH 13 GAMES (PREDOMINANTLY IN THE PREMIER DIVISION) REGISTERING HIGHER ATTENDANCES THAN OURS AND ONLY 8 RECORDING FEWER THAN US. I’M PRETTY SURE THAT WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THE CASE IN PREVIOUS SEASONS THOUGH A CROWD OF 267 ISN’T TOO BAD. HOPEFULLY THOUGH A RUN OF GOOD RESULTS WILL BRING BACK THE KIND OF NUMBERS WE HAVE BEEN USED TO.

THUS FAR IN THE SEASON IT IS LOOKING INCREASINGLY LIKELY THAT THE TWO NORTH EAST CLUBS STOCKTON TOWN AND HEBBURN COULD BE FAVOURITES TO LIFT THE TITLE WITH THE TWO OF THEM ALREADY OPENING UP A BIT OF DAYLIGHT BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THE CHASING PACK. AS

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

INDICATED EARLIER THOUGH A RUN OF RESULTS CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE BUT WE WILL REALLY HAVE TO BE CONSISTENTLY AT OUR BEST WITH, WHAT LOOKS ON PAPER, A VERY DIFFICULT OCTOBER ON THE HORIZON. AFTER TODAY’S GAME WE HAVE FOUR FURTHER LEAGUE GAMES IN OCTOBER AND THEY ARE SHILDON (AWAY), HEBBURN TOWN (HOME), LONG EATON UNITED (AWAY) AND CONSETT AT HOME. MAYBE COME THE END OF OCTOBER WE WILL HAVE A BETTER PICTURE OF WHERE WE STAND IN OUR DIVISION.

WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO THE DIRECTORS, OFFICIALS, MANAGEMENT, PLAYERS AND NOT LEAST THE SUPPORTERS OF GRIMSBY BOROUGH AND WE HOPE THEY ENJOY WHAT IS I THINK THEIR FIRST EVER VISIT TO INGFIELD.

9

ON THE BENCH JAS COLLIVER - MANAGER JAS WAS APPOINTED AS MANAGER ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2021. HIS MOST RECENT ROLE WAS AT GRANTHAM TOWN WORKING ALONGSIDE CARLTON PALMER, HE ALSO HAS EXTENSIVE MANAGERIAL EXPERIENCE AT STAVELEY MINERS WELFARE, SHEFFIELD AND HANDSWORTH.

ROSS KILLOCK – COACH ROSS KILLOCK RETURNED TO INGFIELD AS FIRST TEAM COACH AFTER RETIRING AS A PLAYER DUE TO INJURY. KILLOCK WAS A POPULAR PLAYER HERE AND PLAYED FOR THE LIKES OF LEEDS UNITED, CHESTER, HALIFAX TOWN AND SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC . THIS IS KILLOCK’S FIRST COACHING ROLE, HE DID OVERSEE ONE GAME AS CARETAKER MANAGER LAST SEASON

GARY MIDDLETON - COACH MAKING OVER 1000 APPEARANCES AS A DEFENDER IN HIS PLAYING DAYS, ‘MIDI’ PLAYED ALONGSIDE COLLIVER AT STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS AND WAS HIS ASSISTANT AT SHEFFIELD FC. ‘MIDI’ HAS EXTENSIVE COACHING EXPERIENCE AND IS A VALUABLE MEMBER OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.

EMILY CRISPIN – SPORTS & EXERCISE THERAPIST EMILY GRADUATED FROM LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY WITH A BSC HONOURS IN SPORT AND EXERCISE THERAPY. SHE IS ALSO QUALIFIED IN FIRST AID AT WORK AND TRAUMA MANAGEMENT WITHIN SPORT.

JACK SLOAN – DATA ANALYST JACK HAS ASSISTED THE COACHING TEAM AS THE CLUB’S DATA ANALYST SINCE THEIR APPOINTMENT IN DECEMBER 2021. THE ROLE IS PROVIDING JACK WITH VALUABLE EXPERIENCE, AS HE BEGINS STUDYING SCIENCE OF SPORTS PERFORMANCE AT LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY THIS YEAR.

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

11

PLAYER PROFILES EDD HALL - SPONSORED BY: FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS EDD JOINED THE CLUB IN JANUARY 2022 AND IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED AS ONE OF THE BEST GOALKEEPERS AT STEP FOUR AND WAS VOTED AS THE SECOND-BEST GOALKEEPER IN THE NPL EAST FOR THE 21/22 SEASON. EDD HAS NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH EXPERIENCE HAVING PLAYED FOR BRADFORD PARK AVENUE AND FARSLEY CELTIC.

JAKE TEALE – SPONSORED BY ADAMSON FAMILY JAKE IS A YOUNG GOALKEEPER, FORMERLY OF YORK CITY, WHO HAS IMPRESSED THE MANAGEMENT SINCE THEIR APPOINT. JAKE IS A KEY MEMBER OF THE SQUAD AND HAS NOT LET THE SIDE DOWN WHEN CALLED UPON.

BRAD BEATSON – SPONSORED BY: LIAM MOORE-MCCLUSKEY BEATSON IS A CENTRAL DEFENDER WHO JOINED THE CLUB FROM FRICKLEY ATHLETIC DURING THE 21/22 SEASON, MAKING 16 APPEARANCES. THE FORMER SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY TRAINEE WAS ONE OF JAS’ FIRST SIGNINGS AND A PLAYER HE HAD TARGETED PREVIOUSLY.

DANNY BURNS – SPONSORED BY JAMES & DAWN ROGERS CENTRAL DEFENDER SIGNED FROM WORKSOP TOWN. A TALL COMMANDING PLAYER WHO STARTED HIS CAREER AT CAMBRIDGE UNITED BEFORE SPELLS AT BUXTON, BLYTH SPARTANS, NUNEATON BOROUGH AND STAFFORD RANGERS AS WELL AS A SPELL AT FRICKLEY ATHLETIC ALONGSIDE BRAD BEATSON.

TOM CROPPER – SPONSORED BY: ROY TAYLOR & RICHARD FARRELL TOM WAS A LONG-TERM TARGET BEFORE JOINING THE CLUB IN JULY 2022. THE FORMER AFC MANSFIELD SKIPPER IS AN ATHLETIC, NO-NONSENSE DEFENDER WHO IS KNOWN TO ALSO CHIP IN WITH GOALS AT TIMES.

12

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

PLAYER PROFILES HARRY GAGEN – SPONSORED BY: LJB JOINERY AFTER A LOAN SPELL AT INGFIELD IN 2020, GAGEN SIGNED PERMANENTLY FOR THE CLUB UPON HIS RELEASE FROM BARNSLEY FC. ‘GADGE’ ESTABLISHED HIMSELF IN THE FIRST TEAM LAST SEASON, WINNING THE PLAYER’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

ROSS HARDAKER - SPONSORED BY: PAUL COOPER ROSS HARDAKER IS VERY POPULAR WITH PLAYERS AND SUPPORTERS ALIKE. HE HAS PLAYED FOR BOTH ALBION AND TOWN AND MADE HIS DEBUT AS A 15-YEAR-OLD, FOLLOWING A SPELL PLAYING IN GERMANY. DESPITE TALK OF A STATUTE BEING BUILT IN OSSETT FOR THE CULTURED FULL BACK, THE RUMOURS SO FAR ARE UNFOUNDED.

CONNOR HODGSON – SPONSORED BY: JAYNE OGLEY & RED BRICK FM CONNOR IS A SUMMER SIGNING FROM BARNSLEY, A CLUB HE JOINED AT THE AGE OF EIGHT. HE IS EQUALLY ADEPT IN A NUMBER OF POSITIONS AND MADE APPEARANCES IN THE BARNSLEY U23 SIDE TO AIDE HIS DEVELOPMENT. HODGSON WAS TARGETED BY SEVERAL CLUBS BEFORE AGREEING TO JOIN OSSETT UNITED.

LUKE HOGG OSSETT UNITED’S BOARD AND GARY WIDDOP SUPPORTER OF THE YEAR FOR 2021/22, HE SIGNED FOR WHITBY TOWN IN THE SUMMER. JAS COLLIVER WAS DELIGHTED WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE COMBATIVE MIDFIELDER BACK TO INGFIELD AROSE, HOGGY SIGNING AN INITIAL ONE MONTH LOAN DEAL IN SEPTEMBER 2022.

MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH – SPONSORED BY: SCOTTISH SUPPORTERS CLUB FORMERLY OF BOSTON UNITED, GRANTHAM AND MATLOCK, HOLLINGSWORTH HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR PICKERING TOWN AND FRICKLEY ATHLETIC . IN 2012/13, WAS VOTED “APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR” AT NOTTINGHAM FOREST. HE IS A NATURAL LEADER AND WILL BRING EXPERIENCE, QUALITY AND WORK ETHIC TO OUR MIDFIELD.

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

13

PLAYER PROFILES OLI METCALFE – SPONSORED BY: SPOFF & KATE OLI SPENT THE SECOND HALF OF THE 21/22 SEASON ON LOAN FROM GUISELEY BEFORE MAKING THE MOVE PERMANENT THIS SUMMER. THE CENTRAL MIDFIELDER HAS GONE FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AS HE LOOKS TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF IN THE SIDE. METCALFE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS A KEY PLAYER AT INGFIELD.

GEORGE THEWLIS – SPONSORED BY PAUL COOPER YOUNG MIDFIELDER WHO HAS SPENT HIS YOUTH CAREER AT LEEDS UNITED AND BRADFORD CITY. HAVING TRAINED WITH OSSETT UNITED HE DID ENOUGH TO EARN HIMSELF A DEAL AT THE CLUB.

DANNY WARD SIGNED IN THE SUMMER OF 2022 AFTER IMPRESSING THE MANAGEMENT WHILST ON TRIAL, DANNY IS A FIT, STRONG, BOX TO BOX MIDFIELDER WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE. HE HAS PREVIOUSLY PLAYED IN THE NCEL AND WANTS TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STEP UP THE THE NPL AND PROVE HIMSELF. DANNY IS CURRENTLY DUEL REGISTERED WITH HORBURY TOWN.

DAN WASSELL – SPONSORED BY: OSSETT TOWN JUNIORS DAN IS YOUNG MIDFIELDER WHO PREVIOUSLY PLAYED FOR OSSETT TOWN JUNIORS FROM THE AGE OF FIVE, BEFORE JOINING SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY AS A 15-YEAR-OLD. THE ATTACKING MIDFIELDER PLAYED FOR WEDNESDAY’S U 18S AND U 23S AND WILL BRING DANGER AND EXCITEMENT TO ATTACKS. CURRNENTLEY DIEL REGISTERED AT ARMTHORPE WELFARE

LUKE ALDRICH – SPONSORED BY: THE HANKS FAMILY LUKE IS A SUMMER SIGNING FROM ECCLESHILL UNITED WHERE HE SCORED 25 TIMES LAST SEASON AS THE CLUB NARROWLY MISSED OUT ON PROMOTION TO THE NPL. ALONG WITH HIS EYE FOR GOAL, HE IS A SELFLESS PLAYER AND LOOKS TO CREATE SPACE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIS TEAMMATES.

14

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

PLAYER PROFILES JUNAYD CASSIUS-GILL 21 YEAR OLD JUNAYD SPENT IS YOUTH AT HUDDERSFIELD TOWN AND BRADFORD CITY WITH NPL EXPERIENCE AT TADCASTER ALBION AND YORKSHIRE AMATEUR. HE CAN PLAY IN ANY OF THE ATTACKING POSITIONS AND WILL CERTAINLY EXCITE THE FANS WITH HIS ABILITY ON THE BALL

OLLIE FEARON – SPONSORED BY: KEITH & KATH WOOD MUCH SOUGHT AFTER IN THE SUMMER, COLLIVER WAS DELIGHTED TO ADD FEARON TO THE SQUAD THIS SEASON. OLLIE AVERAGED A GOAL EVERY TWO GAMES LAST SEASON AND IS A HARDWORKING FORWARD WHO WILL MAKE THE SIDE STRONGER ON AND OFF THE FIELD.

BRAD GRAYSON – SPONSORED BY JOHN BOWKER SIGNED FROM GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY, BRAD WILL BRING EXPERIENCE AND COMPETITION TO A TALENTED OSSETT UNITED FORWARD LINE. AS WELL AS A SUCCESSFUL NON-LEAGUE CAREER IN ENGLAND BRAD HAS ALSO PLAYED IN SWEDEN, THE PHILIPPINES AND AUSTRALIA.

JOE STACEY – SPONSORED BY: STEVE MAUD VERSATILE LEFT SIDED PLAYER, STACEY HAD A FOUR YEAR SPELL IN VIRGINIA, US WHERE HE WAS PART OF A FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP AT BLUEFIELD COLLEGE. ON RETURNING TO ENGLAND HE HAS PLAYED FOR ALFRETON TOWN AND FRICKLEY ATHLETIC

JACK WILSON – SPONSORED BY: BSP HYDRAULICS SIGNED ON LOAN FROM BRADFORD CITY, JACK IMPRESSED FOR THE BANTAMS IN A PRESEASON FRIENDLY AGAINST OSSETT UNITED, THE FORWARD HAS GREAT ABILITY AND WILL HOPE TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHARLIE WOOD AND BREAK INTO THE BRADFORD CITY FIRST TEAM SQUAD AFTER A LOAN SPELL AT INGFIELD.

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

15

PLAYER PROFILES BASILE ZOTTOS – SPONSORED BY: MOZ & MARV EXCITING FORWARD SIGNED THIS SUMMER AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY, WHERE DESPITE BEING 19 YEARS OLD WAS A REGULAR IN THEIR U23 SIDE. ZOTTOS HAS A DESIRE TO RETURN TO THE PROFESSIONAL GAME AND HAD OPTIONS TO SIGN FOR A NATIONAL LEAGUE CLUB BUT FELT THIS WAS THE BEST MOVE FOR HIM

16

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

GRIMSBY BOROUGH LIAM HIGTON: GOALKEEPER – LIAM IS AN ACCOMPLISHED GOALKEEPER AT THIS LEVEL, HE WAS A LOSING FINALIST FOR CLEETHORPES TOWN IN THE FA VASE AT WEMBLEY. GREAT SHOT STOPPER WITH QUALITY DISTRIBUTION. JACK DEBNAM: MIDFIELD – SKIPPER- JACK PLAYS WITH ALLOT OF COMMITMENT AND ENTHUSIASM, HE GIVES THE TEAM A DIFFERENT DIMENSION WHEN HE IS PLAYING WELL, VERY DANGEROUS IN AND AROUND THE PENALTY AREA WITH A THUNDEROUS STRIKE ON HIM.

TOM JAMIESON: FULL BACK – JOINED US FROM GRIMSBY TOWN YOUTH, STRONG ATTACKING FULL BACK THAT GIVES US A GREAT OPTION DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE.

JACK BRADBURY: WINGER – ON HIS DAY CAN TOTALLY MESMERISE FULL BACKS WITH HIS PACE AND DRIBBLING SKILLS, SCORES QUALITY GOALS AND ASSISTS.

TOM CHARLESWORTH: MIDFIELD – JOINS US THIS SEASON, SOLID HOLDING MIDFIELDER WITH A GOOD EYE FOR A PASS, GOOD ADDITION TO THE SQUAD. LEWIS COLLINS: MIDFIELD – JOINED US LAST SEASON FROM GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY, ENERGETIC BOX TO BOX MIDFIELDER THAT WILL GIVE THE TEAM MORE ENERGY AND CREATIVITY IN THAT MIDFIELD AREA.

ADAM DRURY: MIDFIELD – EX MANCHESTER CITY ACADEMY PLAYER, CAN PLAY A VARIETY OF POSITIONS, GIVES US QUALITY WERE EVER HE PLAYS. LEWIS BEMROSE: STRIKER – HE WILL GIVE THE TEAM SOME PACE AND MOVEMENT UP FRONT AND GET HIS FAIR SHARE OF GOALS, A GOOD ADDITION TO THE SQUAD.

18

REECE YORK: MIDFIELD – NEW ADDITION THIS SEASON, REECE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH GRIMSBY TOWN, FULHAM AND LATTERLY SHEFFIELD UNITED. CENTRAL MIDFIELD FAVOURED POSITION HE BRINGS TO THE TEAM GOOD ENERGY AND PASSING ABILITY, WORKS HARD FROM BOX TO BOX. GREAT ADDITION TO THE ENGINE ROOM. .

TOM HIPWELL: DEFENDER – TOM AS PROGRESSED FROM THE RESERVES INTO THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD , TALL CENTRE BACK LEARNING ALL THE TIME, WINS MOST HEADERS, DISTRIBUTION IS GOOD, AND HE GETS A FEW GOALS AS WELL.

JORDAN BARNETT: CENTRAL DEFENDER – JORDAN AS JUST JOINED US HAVING SPENT THE LAST FEW SEASONS IN THE STATES, STRONG QUICK DEFENDER WITH A GOOD PRESENCE. HE IS COMFORTABLE ON THE BALL AS WELL AS ENJOYING A TACKLE, A GOOD THREAT FROM SET PIECES.

LUIS ADLARD: STRIKER – JOINED US THIS SEASON AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM GRIMSBY TOWN, PACEY STRIKER WITH GOOD HOLD UP PLAY, GOOD ALL ROUND ABILITY, WHICH WILL TEST A FEW DEFENDERS, EXPECTING A FEW GOALS FROM HIM. TOM SAWYER: MIDFIELD – SOLID MIDFIELDER THAT CAN ALSO FILL IN AT CENTRE BACK, RE-JOINED THE CLUB AFTER SPELLS AT SKEGNESS AND FRICKLEY. OWEN DAVEY: MIDFIELD – JOINED US LAST SEASON FROM GRIMSBY TOWN YOUTH, NEAT AND TIDY PLAYER THAT NEVER SEEMS TO GIVE THE BALL AWAY.

CAINE WINFARRAH: MIDFIELD – CAINE AS JUST RE-JOINED US FROM CLEETHORPES TOWN TO START HIS SECOND SPELL AT THE CLUB, FULL BACK OR

THE WILDERNESS BOYS LEFT SIDED MIDFIELDER HE GIVES US EXPERIENCE

DOWN THE LEFT, GOOD PACE AND QUALITY LEFT FOOT, A GREAT ADDITION TO THE SQUAD.

HENRY ELLIS: MIDFIELD – HENRY AS JUST GOT INTO THE SQUAD THIS SEASON COMING UP FROM THE RESERVES, HE CAN FILL IN AT FULL BACK, BUT HE IS MAINLY A TENACIOUS MIDFIELDER, GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR HIM THIS SEASON.

CALLUM LOVETT: DEFENDER – STRONG TALL CENTRE BACK WINS MOST AERIAL DUELS AND VERY COMFORTABLE ON THE BALL ANOTHER BIG THREAT FROM SET PIECES.

KIERAN WRESSELL: DEFENDER – STRONG TALL

SKEGNESS TOWN, UNCOMPROMISING DEFENDER THAT WINS MOST HEADERS AND TACKLES. BIG THREAT FROM SET PIECES. JACK ROBINSON – BARLOW: MIDFIELD – FORMER HULL CITY PROFESSIONAL THAT GIVES THE TEAM QUALITY WHEN ON HIS GAME, GOOD ON THE BALL WITH AN EYE FOR A PASS, SET PIECE SPECIALIST. KIERAN PERRY: MIDFIELD – KIERAN JOINED THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD LAST SEASON FROM OUR RESERVES, YOUNG PLAYER LEARNING THE GAME, GIVES GOOD ENERGY WHEN CALLED UPON, HE CAN ONLY GET BETTER WITH GAMES.

CENTRE BACK JOINED US LAST SEASON FROM

19

BRAD BEATSON SPONSORED BY: LIAM MOORE-MCCLUSKEY

BEATSON IS A CENTRAL DEFENDER WHO JOINED THE CLUB FROM FRICKLEY ATHLETIC DURING THE 21/22 SEASON, QUICKLY ESTABLISHING HIMSELF IN THE SIDE. THE FORMER SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY TRAINEE WAS ONE OF JAS’ FIRST SIGNINGS AND A PLAYER HE HAD TARGETED PREVIOUSLY.

22

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

A-J A

IS FOR ALIEN: DO YOU BELIEVE?

B

IS FOR BALLER, WHO IS THE GADGE (HARRY GAGEN) EASILY THE BEST I HAVE BEST YOU’VE PLAYED WITH? EVER PLAYED WITH.

C

IS FOR CRUSH: WHO WAS YOUR FIRST?

MARGOT ROBBIE

D

IS FOR DESTINANTION, WHERE WAS YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY?

CANCUN

E

IS FOR EAT: WHAT IS

F

IS FOR FIVE, YOUR ALL TIME DREAM 5-A-SIDE TEAM IS..?

G

IS FOR GUEST: WHICH THREE

H

IS FOR HERO. WHAT

I J

YOUR PRE MATCH MEAL?

PEOPLE ARE COMING TO DINNER?

SUPERPOWER DO YOU WANT? IS FOR ISLAND: WHICH TEAMMATE WOULD YOU WANT ON A DESERT ISLAND?

IS FOR JOKE. TELL US ONE…

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

YES, I BELIEVE IN ALIENS

BEANS ON TOAST

PETR CECH, JOHN TERRY, RONALDINHO, THIERRY HENRY & WAYNE ROONEY PETER KAY, GORDON RAMSEY & DAVID BECKHAM

WOULD HAVE TO BE INVISIBILITY! ANYONE BUT JOE STACEY

MY PENALTY AT STOCKSBRIDGE!

23

K-R K

IS FOR KARAOKE. WHAT’S YOUR TUNE?

FRANK SINATRA - NEW YORK NEW YORK

L

IS FOR LATE. WHO TAKES THE

EDD HALL, HE’S ALWAYS LATE COMING OUT FOR

LONGEST IN THE DRESSING ROOM

A GAME

MI

S FOR MUSIC. WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE ARTIST?

IF I HAD TO PICK, I’D SAY DRAKE

N

IS FOR NICKNAME. WHAT DO YOU GET CALLED?

BEATS OR BEATDOG

O

IS FOR OPPONENT. WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER YOU HAVE FACED?

GOT TO BE ROMELU LUKAKU OR HARRY MAGUIRE

P

IS FOR PROFESSION. WHAT DO YOU DO AWAY FROM THE GAME?

HOUSING OFFICER

Q

IS FOR QUIZ. WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALIST SUBJECT?

MUSIC

R

24

IS FOR REWIND. WHAT FILM DO YOU WATCH OVER AND OVER?

IF I HAD TO PICK ONE….. FORREST GUMP

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

S-Z S

IS FOR SPORT.. WHAT’S

T

IS FOR TROUBLE. HOW

U

IS FOR UNBELIEVABLE.

YOUR FAVOURITE OUTSIDE FOOTBALL MANY

RED CARDS HAVE YOU HAD?

BOXING NONE SO FAR… TOUCH WOOD!

WHAT’S YOUR HIDDEN TALENT

NO SPECIAL TALENTS UNFORTUNATELY

V

IS FOR VROOM. WHAT DREAM CAR?

LAMBORGHINI

W

IS FOR WHO. WHO DO YOU SUPPORT?

X

IS FOR X-RAY. ANY BONES?

Y

IS FOR YOU. DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS?

COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED

Z

IS FOR ZOO. IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL WHAT WOULD IT BE?

LION

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

IS YOUR

BROKEN

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

NONE

25

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS IN THE HEAT OF THE MIDDAY SUN: THE INDELIBLE STORY OF THE 1986 WORLD CUP BY STEVEN SCRAGG IN THE INTRODUCTION TO IN THE HEAT OF THE MIDDAY SUN, STEVEN SCRAGG PUTS FORWARD, A THEORY “THAT YOU’RE CHEMICALLY WIRED TO YOUR FIRST WORLD CUPS.” MY FIRST MEMORIES ARE AS AN EIGHT-YEAR OLD WHEN ON HOLIDAY IN TORQUAY DURING THE SUMMER OF 1970 AND THE WORLD CUP IN MEXICO. I DON’T RECALL THE GAMES AS SUCH AND ALL MY MEMORIES CENTRE ON THE ENGLAND V WEST GERMANY QUARTER-FINAL AND THE INFAMOUS 3-2 LOSS. TO MY EYES AND EARS ALL THE

SHOPS

AND

HOTELS

SEEMED

AWASH

WITH

ENGLAND SQUAD PICTURES AND UNION JACK FLAGS IN THEIR WINDOWS AND THE SOUND OF ‘BACK HOME’ THE ENGLAND WORLD CUP SONG EVER PRESENT. I WAS STILL TWO YEARS FROM ATTENDING MY FIRST EVER GAME

‘LIVE’

BUT REMEMBER EVERYONE IN THE HOTEL WE

WERE STAYING AT CROWDING ROUND THE TELEVISION AND THE RESULTING DISAPPOINTMENT AS

WORLD CUP

HOLDERS, ENGLAND EXITED THE COMPETITION DESPITE LEADING 2-0 AT ONE POINT.

GIVEN

WORLD CUP WAS THE ONE HELD IN WEST GERMANY IN 1974. A TOURNAMENT OF JUST 16 TEAMS, WITH FOUR GROUPS OF FOUR, WITH THE TOP TWO PROGRESSING TO A FURTHER MINI-LEAGUE EACH CONTAINING FOUR TEAMS, WITH THE WINNERS OF EACH MEETING IN THE FINAL. MEMORIES THAT ARE STILL SO CLEAR IN MY MIND THAT FOR ME MY FIRST REAL

INCLUDE THE HUGE THUNDERSTORMS THAT AFFECTED A NUMBER OF GAMES, A MEETING BETWEEN EAST AND WEST GERMANY, SCOTLAND NOT LOSING A GAME BUT

AND

NETHERLANDS 2-0 WIN OVER BRAZIL, THE BIRTH OF THE CRUYFF TURN IN THE GAME AGAINST SWEDEN, AND THE BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE DUTCH DIDN’T LIFT THE NEWLY DESIGNED TROPHY.

ACCOUNT ENGLAND’S SEMI-FINAL APPEARANCES IN ITALIA ’90 AND RUSSIA IN 2018.

EXITING ON GOAL-DIFFERENCE, THE BEAUTY AND BRUTALITY OF THE

26

ON THAT BASIS FOR ME, AS

SUGGESTS, THOSE

1970

AND

SCRAGG’S THEORY 1974 BURN MORE

BRIGHTLY AND MORE SPECIAL, EVEN TAKING INTO

FOR SCRAGG, WHILST HE ADMITS THAT 1982 IS HIS FAVOURITE WORLD CUP, HE SEES 1986 IN MEXICO “IN HIS MIND AS THE LAST GREAT WORLD CUP” AND IN THE

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS BOOKS INTRODUCTION, HE CITES HIS REASONS WHY

1998 “HAS LOST A LITTLE BIT MORE OF ITS SHINE”. WITH QATAR 2022 ON THE HORIZON SCRAGG OPINES, “I’M NOT SURE THAT FIFA WILL EVER FULLY RECOVER ITS COMPOSURE.” ONLY TIME WILL TELL. EACH OF THE TOURNAMENTS SINCE

EQUATION.

HOWEVER,

THIS

IS

MONUMENTALLY

DIFFICULT BECAUSE AS THE AUTHOR OBSERVES, THE DEFINING IMAGE OF THE

“IT’S

1986 WORLD CUP FINALS

AND IT’S PERHAPS EVEN THE MOST DISTINGUISHING ASPECT OF THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE TOURNAMENT STRETCHING BACK TO IS VERY INCEPTION IN

1930.”

THE REALITY IS THAT THE WORLD CUP IN 1986 WASN’T SUPPOSED TO BE HELD IN MEXICO AND CHAPTER ONE, DETAILS HOW IN TYPICAL MURKY FIFA TRADITION, COLOMBIA WAS CHOSEN AS THE HOST COUNTRY FOR THE THIRTEENTH STAGING OF THE COMPETITION. WITH COLUMBIA WITHDRAWING IN 1982 UNABLE TO FINANCE THE HOSTING, A SHORTLIST WAS DRAWN UP INVOLVING MEXICO, THE USA AND CANADA (WHO IN 2026 WILL JOINT-HOST THE TOURNAMENT). WITH MORE SLEIGHT OF HAND FROM FIFA, MEXICO LANDED THE PRIZE BECOMING THE FIRST COUNTRY TO HOST TWO WORLD CUPS.

AND

ONE

QUALIFICATION AND THEIR EVENTUAL EXIT FROM THE TOURNAMENT UNTIL ARGENTINA ARE LEFT AS VICTORS

OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT SCRAGG’S EXCELLENT BOOKS TO DATE IS THAT THEY NEVER RUN IN AN ORTHODOX, SIMPLE TIMELINE APPROACH, WITH HIS

WE KNOW THAT ONCE THE GLOBAL AUDIENCE IS

FOCUSED ON QATAR LATER IN 2022, THE FOOTAGE WILL ONCE AGAIN BE ROLLED OUT.

WITH THESE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS OUT OF THE WAY, SCRAGG GETS DOWN TO THE TOURNAMENT ITSELF AND TAKES AN INTERESTING PATH IN THE REMAINING FIFTEEN.

RATHER

THAN SIMPLY TAKE IT MATCH-BY-

MATCH AS THE GAMES WERE PLAYED, HE FOCUSES ON THE TEAMS AS THEY WERE KNOCKED OUT OF THE COMPETITION. IN DOING SO,

SCRAGG

DEMONSTRATES

HIS EXTENSIVE RESEARCH SKILLS AND TELLS THE STORIES OF ALL THE PARTICIPANTS, THEIR PATH TO

LIFTING THE TROPHY FOR THE SECOND TIME, EIGHT

RESEARCH AND ABILITY TO LOOK FROM A DIFFERENT

TEARS AFTER FIRST VICTORY IN THEIR HOMELAND.

ANGLE MAKING THEM ENGAGING FOR THE READER.

SCRAGG

SO

WITHIN IN THE HEAT OF THE MIDDAY SUN, BEFORE HE GETS DOWN TO THE BUSINESS OF THE 1986 TOURNAMENT, HE TAKES READERS ON A WONDERFUL ASIDE AS HE DESCRIBES THE JOY

(WITH

ALL THE

ENTHUSIASM OF THE 12 YEAR OLD SCRAGG WAS BACK IN

1986)

OF LOOKING AT A COMPLETED PANINI STICKER ALBUM. THESE ALBUMS HAVE BEEN A STAPLE FOR FOOTBALL FANS SINCE THEIR FIRST OUTING IN

1970

AND MANY OF US HAVE UNCOMPLETED VERSIONS FROM OUR

CHILDHOOD

INCLUDED!).

WORLD CUPS (THIS

READER

THIS IS FOLLOWED BY A THIRD CHAPTER, THE HAND OF GOD, WHERE SCRAGG MAKES THE INTERESTING POINT THAT TO FULLY APPRECIATE THE 1986 WORLD CUP, THE INFAMOUS FIRST GOAL FROM ENGLAND’S DEFEAT TO ARGENTINA HAS TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE

IS WONDERFULLY ABLE TO CONJURE UP THE

ATMOSPHERE OF THE TIME, SUCH AS THE SWELTERING HEAT AND THE STRANGE SOUNDING COMMENTARY, ALWAYS WITH A SEEMINGLY FARAWAY ECHO, THAT

ACCOMPANIED THE TELEVISION IMAGES, BUT ALSO SOME VERY SPECIFIC THINGS WHICH TAKE US BACK TO WATCHING CERTAIN GAMES. ARGENTINA QUARTER-FINAL

FROM THE ENGLAND V SCRAGG DETAILS THE FOLLOWING, “A MATCH WAS PLAYED OUT…ON 22 JUNE 1986, THE MIDDAY SUN BLAZING HIGH IN THE SKY, THAT SPIDERY SHADOW LURKING OMINOUSLY IN THE CENTRE CIRCLE.” READING IT I WAS INSTANTLY TRANSFERRED BACK TO WATCHING THE GAME AT MY LOCAL CRICKET CLUB

–

A SMALL WELL OBSERVED DETAIL SPARKING

THAT MEMORY.

(PUBLISHER: PITCH PUBLISHING LTD. MAY 2022.

HARDCOVER: 352 PAGES)

27

Juice Personnel are an independent recruitment agency based in Wakefield. We were founded in 2003 in Huddersfield with the knowledge that things could be done differently. This led us to adopt what we called our ‘refreshingly different’ approach. This radical new approach to recruitment was based around our core values of mutual understanding, honesty, integrity and quality.

From day one we had a policy to constantly review how we worked.

Because of this dedication to self-improvement and our refreshing, personal approach to recruitment we saw a client and candidate loyalty that we’ve never experienced before and quickly outgrew our small office.

Skip forward a few years and we still hold fast to the same morals we started with: mutual understanding, honesty, integrity and quality. Because of our unwavering dedication to client and candidate satisfaction Juice Personnel are now seen as one of the leading independent recruiters in Wakefield.

OSSETT UNITED MEDIA PARTNER

CLUB HISTORY THE FORMATION OSSETT UNITED WAS CREATED ON THE 1ST JUNE 2018 FOLLOWING THE MERGER OF OSSETT TOWN AFC (EST. 1936) AND OSSETT ALBION AFC (EST. 1944). BOTH OSSETT TOWN AND OSSETT ALBION HAD MANAGED TO GAIN NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE STATUS AND MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF FOOTBALL FOR A REMARKABLE PERIOD OF TIME.

EARLY HISTORY THE

TWO CLUBS MERGED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A NEW BOARD BROUGHT TOGETHER FROM THE TWO

PREVIOUS CLUBS.

THE FOUNDING DIRECTORS WERE JOHN CHIDLAW (OA), JAMES ROGERS (OT), EMMA CHIDLAW (OA), DAWN ROGERS (OT), LEE SUMMERSCALES (OA) AND LEE BROADBENT (OT) FORMING THE NEW BOARD WITH SUPPORT FROM PHIL SMITH AS CEO. JOHN CHIDLAW TOOK ON THE ROLE OF CHAIRMAN FOR THE FIRST SEASON. THE CLUB MADE ITS NEW HOME INGFIELD, THE PREVIOUS HOME OF OSSETT TOWN, AND USED DIMPLE WELLS, THE PREVIOUS HOME OF OSSETT ALBION, AS ITS LADIES AND ACADEMY TEAM BASE. ON

THE PITCH, THE FIRST YEAR

(2018/19)

WAS A REMARKABLE SUCCESS WITH ATTENDANCES SIGNIFICANTLY

INCREASED FROM WHAT EITHER CLUB HAD EXPERIENCED PREVIOUSLY, COUPLED WITH SUCCESS ON THE PITCH REACHING THE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL AND WINNING THE COUNTY CUP, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF MANAGER ANDY WELSH. OFF THE PITCH THINGS WERE NOT AS SUCCESSFUL WITH A NUMBER OF RESIGNATIONS AND BOARD CHANGES AND SOME CHALLENGING FINANCIAL ISSUES TO DEAL WITH FOLLOWING THE MERGER.

BY THE END OF THE

2018/19 SEASON, PHIL SMITH HAD TAKEN ON THE MANTLE OF CLUB CHAIRMAN FOLLOWING A NUMBER OF BOARD CHANGES.

WAYNE BENN TOOK UP THE MANAGERIAL REIGNS IN LATE 2019 FOLLOWING A POOR START TO THE 2019/20 SEASON, HOWEVER, THAT SEASON WAS ENDED ABRUPTLY IN MARCH 2020 WITH THE ONSET OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC KNOWN AS COVID 19. THE SEASON WAS NULL AND VOIDED. OFF THE PITCH THERE WERE MORE TROUBLES FOR OSSETT UNITED IN NOVEMBER 2019 AS

30

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

A SIGNIFICANT AND UNPRECEDENTED COURT CASE, DATING BACK TO A TACKLE IN

2015 WHEN OSSETT TOWN WERE

RADCLIFFE BOROUGH, WAS LOST WITH UNITED FACING LEGAL AND DAMAGES COSTS AMOUNTING £135,000. FORTUNATELY, THE CLUB RECEIVED A GENEROUS LOAN FROM TWO OF ITS CLOSEST SUPPORTERS AVOID THE CLUB GOING INTO LIQUIDATION (AT WORST) OR SELLING THE INGFIELD GROUND (AT BEST).

PLAYING

TO TO

THE START OF THE 2020/21 SEASON STARTED LATE DUE TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC AND VIRTUALLY FINISHED AS SOON AS IT HAD STARTED WITH ONLY EIGHT LEAGUE GAMES HAVING BEEN PLAYED BY UNITED. THIS TIME THE SEASON WAS CURTAILED RATHER THAN NULL AND VOIDED AND MEANT A SECOND SEASON HAD GONE UNFINISHED. OFF THE PITCH ROGERS AND SMITH SWAPPED ROLES DUE TO SMITH'S WORK COMMITMENTS AND ROGERS TOOK ON THE ROLE AS CHAIRMAN, A ROLE HE HAD PREVIOUSLY HELD AT OSSETT TOWN. 2020 ALSO SAW

THE CLUB DECLARE DIMPLE WELLS AS SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO SURRENDER THE LEASE MAKING INGFIELD THE SINGLE HOME OF THE UNITED CLUB.

2021/22 LAST SEASON SAW MANY CHANGES AT OSSETT UNITED BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD. AFTER A STRONG START TO THE PITCHING IN NPL EAST SEASON A RUN OF ONLY ONE WIN IN THREE MONTHS SAW WAYNE BENN AND ANDY HAYWARD LEAVE THE CLUB IN DECEMBER. JAS COLLIVER AND MARK WARD WERE APPOINTED TO RE-IGNITE THE SEASON AND STRENGTHEN THE SQUAD WHICH THEY DID FROM DAY ONE. THE DUO SAW THE CLUB GO UNBEATEN AT HOME WITH 7 WINS AND DRAWS HOWEVER THE AWAY FORM CONTINUED TO BE IN CONSISTENT. OFF THE FIELD NEW DUGOUTS WERE INSTALLED, BEFORE THE ERECTION OF A NEW PITCH SIDE BARRIER FOLLOWED BY THE UPGRADING OF THE FLOODLIGHTS TO LED TO BRING THE FACILITIES TO A HIGH STANDARD. COLLIVER

AND

WARD

HAVE SPENT THE CLOSE SEASON WORKING HARD TO RETAIN PLAYERS FROM THE SQUAD AS

WELL AS BRINGING IN REINFORCEMENTS TO STRENGTHEN THE SQUAD FURTHER AS THE CLUB LOOKS TO IMPROVE UPON THE NINTH PLACED FINISHED IN 21/22.

AT

AUGUST MARK WARD LEFT THE CLUB, CITING ONE VOICE WOULD BE BETTER THAN TWO IN THE MANAGERIAL POSITION. JAS COLLIVER ACTED QUICKLY TO BRING IN FORMER PLAYER ROSS KILLOCK AS FIRST TEAM COACH. THE END OF

WE ARE OSSETT UNITED

31

MATCH REPORT PITCHING IN NPL EAST | 27/09/2022 | OSSETT UNITED 1 – 0 STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS REPORT FROM NONLEAGUEYORKSHIRE.COM LUKE ALDRICH’S FIRST HALF EFFORT WAS THE DIFFERENCE AS OSSETT UNITED EDGED A TIGHT AFFAIR WITH STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS AT INGFIELD TO RECORD THEIR FIRST LEAGUE WIN SINCE THE OPENING DAY. OSSETT PERHAPS SHADED THE CONTEST BUT CHANCES WERE AT A PREMIUM. STOCKSBRIDGE’S TOMAS POOLE RATTLED THE CROSSBAR WITH A LONG RANGE FREE KICK JUST BEFORE OSSETT’S 23RD MINUTE WINNER.

OSSETT UNITED: HALL, GAGEN, STACEY, HOGG, BURNS, BEATSON (CAPTAIN), THEWLIS, HOLLINGSWORTH, GRAYSON, ALDRICH, ZOTTOS. SUBS: WILSON, TEALE, HARDAKER, FEARON, METCALFE. STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS: DAVISON, REYNOLDS, TINKER, O’CONNOR, LANGTON, OGLESBY, TURNER, GOODWIN (CAPTAIN), RAWSON, POOLE, OFOEGBU. SUBS: PRIOR, BAKER, NORMAN, DEFALCO.

AFTER LINKING UP WITH GEORGE THEWLIS AND ALDRICH, THE LIVELY BASILE ZOTTOS BRILLIANTLY BROKE DOWN THE RIGHT AND HE SUPPLIED THE GOAL-SCORER WITH THE PERFECT PASS FROM WHICH HE COULDN’T MISS FROM.

ALDRICH’S NIGHT ENDED THERE AS A HAMSTRING PULL FORCED HIM OFF. NOT THAT IT AFFECTED THE HOME SIDE AS IT ALLOWED JAS COLLIVER TO THROW ON OLLIE FEARON. BRAD GRAYSON WAS DENIED TWICE BY SUPERB LAST DITCH DEFENDING FROM STOCKSBRIDGE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND HALF. ALTHOUGH THE OFFSIDE FLAG DID GO UP, STOCKSBRIDGE WOULD HIT THE BAR AGAIN AND IFY OFOEGBU, MAKING HIS STEELS DEBUT AGAINST THE CLUB HE HAS JUST LEFT, WAS DENIED BY EDD HALL LATE-ON.

@OSSETTUNITED

35

2022/2023 DATE

OPPONENT

RESULT

SCORERS

MO M

ATT 275 212 407 342 235 402 527

AUGUST 06/08/22 13/08/22 16/08/22 20/08/22 23/08/22 27/08/22 29/08/22

(H) NEW MILLS (A) CARLTON TOWN (H) STOCKTON TOWN (H) WHITCHURCH ALPORT (A) DUNSTON (H) CLEETHORPES TOWN (A) PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES

FA CUP EP NPL EAST NPL EAST FA CUP P NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

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

ZOTTOS, STACEY FEARON, OFOEGBU

CROPPER STACEY

ZOTTOS ALDRICH (2), BEATSON ALDRICH ALDRICH

HOLLINGSWORTH ALDRICH GAGEN

(A) BRIDLINGTON TOWN (A) STOCKSBRIDGE PARK ST (A) SHILDON (A) SHEFFIELD (H) STOCKSBRIDGE PARK ST

NPL EAST FAT 1Q NPL EAST FAT 2Q NPL EAST

2-2 P2-2 P-P P1-1 1-0

NELTHORPE, STACEY ALDRICH (2) SHILDON IN THE FA CUP FEARON ALDRICH

BEATSON 281 ALDRICH 115 NEW DATE 11/10/22 BURNS 351 ZOTTOS 267

(H) GRIMSBY BOROUGH (A) SHEFFIELD (A) RUNCORN LINNETS (A) SHILDON (H) HEBBURN TOWN (A) KNARESBOROUGH TOWN (A) LONG EATON UNITED (H) CONSETT

NPL EAST NPL EAST P-P FAT 3Q NPL EAST NPL EAST WR COUNTY CUP NPL EAST NPL EAST

SEPTEMBER 03/09/22 13/09/22 17/09/22 24/09/22 27/09/22

OCTOBER 01/10/22 08/10/22 08/10/22 11/10/22 15/10/22 18/10/22 22/10/22 29/10/22

DUE TO FA TROPHY 3Q – NOW 09 NOVEMBER NEW FIXTURE NEW DATE FOR THIS FIXTURE NEW FIXTURE

NOVEMBER 05/11/22 09/11/22 12/11/22 19/11/22 26/11/22

(A) NORTH SHIELDS (A) SHEFFIELD (H) LINCOLN UNITED (A) GRANTHAM TOWN (H) WORKSOP TOWN

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

NEW DATE FOR THIS FIXTURE

DECEMBER 03/12/22 10/12/22 17/12/22 26/12/22

(A) TADCASTER ALBION (H) SHILDON (H) CARLTON TOWN (A) BRIGHOUSE TOWN

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

JANUARY 2023 02/01/23 07/01/23 14/01/23 21/01/23 28/01/23

36

(H) PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES (A) STOCKTON TOWN (H) DUNSTON (A) STOCKSBRIDGE PARK ST (H) TADCASTER ALBION

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

@OSSETTUNITED

2022/2023 DATE

OPPONENT

RESULT

SCORERS

MO M

ATT

FEBRUARY 04/02/23 07/02/23 11/02/23 18/02/23 25/02/23

(A) GRIMSBY BOROUGH (H) BRIDLINGTON TOWN

NPL EAST NPL EAST

(A) HEBBURN TOWN (H) SHEFFIELD

NPL EAST NPL EAST

(H) LONG EATON UNITED

NPL EAST

(A) CONSETT (H) NORTH SHIELDS

NPL EAST NPL EAST

(A) LINCOLN UNITED (A) CLEETHORPES TOWN (H) BRIGHOUSE TOWN (A) WORKSOP TOWN (H) GRANTHAM TOWN

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

MARCH 04/03/23 11/03/23 18/03/23 25/03/23

APRIL 01/04/23 08/04/23 10/04/23 15/04/23 22/04/23

PLAYER STATS

NAME ALDRICH, LUKE ATTAKORAH, PRINCE BEATSON, BRAD BURNS, DANNY CASSIUS-GILL, JUNAYD COWGILL, JACK CROPPER, TOM DEIGHTON, TOM FEARON, OLLIE GAGEN, HARRY GRAYSON, BRAD HALL, EDD HARDAKER, ROSS HODGSON, CONNOR HOGG, LUKE HOLLINGSWORTH, MICHAEL METCALFE, OLI NELTHORPE, CRAIG OFOEGBU, IFY PARKIN, JOE STACEY, JOE TEALE, JAKE WILSON, JACK ZOTTOS, BASILE

2022/23 APPS GLS 7(4) 0 11 3 2(2) 3 6 0 9(2) 8(1) 2 11 5(1) 4 2 11 4(5) 5(1) 4 4(2) 11 0 0(7) 6(4)

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 2

CAREER APPS GLS 11 15 27 3 4 27 6 2 11 46 2 23 78 4 40 11 18 10 22 4 11 8 7 10

7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 6 2 2 0 0 2

37

PITCHING IN NPL EAST 2022/2023 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

STOCKTON TOWN HEBBURN TOWN CLEETHORPES TOWN CONSETT AFC BRIGHOUSE TOWN WORKSOP TOWN PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES BRIDLINGTON TOWN SHEFFIELD DUNSTON LONG EATON UNITED NORTH SHIELDS OSSETT UNITED CARLTON TOWN GRANTHAM TOWN STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS SHILDON GRIMSBY BOROUGH TADCASTER ALBION LINCOLN UNITED

@NORTHERNPREMLGE

P 7 9 6 8 6 6 6 8 6 6 6 7 7 6 4 6 7 7 9 7

W 7 6 5 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0

D 0 2 0 2 1 1 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 0 0 3 2

TOTAL L F A +/0 16 6 10 1 17 10 7 1 14 5 9 2 15 9 6 1 17 8 9 1 14 5 9 0 14 8 6 2 9 13 -4 2 9 7 2 2 15 14 1 2 6 6 0 3 9 11 -2 3 10 13 -3 3 5 12 -7 1 4 4 0 3 6 8 -2 6 9 14 -5 6 7 17 -10 6 9 20 -11 5 5 20 -15

FRIDAY 1 OCTOBER CARLTON TOWN V TADCASTER ALBION HEBBURN TOWN V GRANTHAM TOWN LINCOLN UNITED V STOCKTON TOWN LONG EATON UNITED V DUNSTON NORTH SHIELDS V BRIGHOUSE TOWN OSSETT UNITED V GRIMSBY BOROUGH PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES V SHILDON SHEFFIELD V BRIDLINGTON TOWN

Pts 21 20 15 14 13 13 10 10 TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER 8 BRIGHOUSE TOWN V PONTEFRACT COLLS 8 CARLTON TOWN V STOCKSBRIDGE PS 8 DUNSTON V SHEFFIELD 8 8 SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER 7 BRIDLINGTON TOWN V BRIGHOUSE TOWN 5 GRANTHAM TOWN V STOCKTON TOWN 5 GRIMSBY BOROUGH V TADCASTER ALBION 3 LONG EATON UNITED V CONSETT 3 3 PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES V NORTH SHIELDS STOCKSBRIDGE PS V CLEETHORPES TOWN 2

WWW.THENPL.CO.UK

GRIMSBY BOROUGH GRIMSBY BOROUGH FOOTBALL CLUB WAS FORMED WHEN LOUTH UNITED WITHDREW FROM ALL SENIOR COMPETITIONS ON THE 17TH JULY 2003.WITH NO COMPETITION IN WHICH TO COMPETE AND NO BASE NIGEL FANTHORPE SET UP A MEETING OF THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE KEN HOLMES, TONY HOPPER, PAUL STORER, MARTIN BLADES, KEN VINCENT AND ALBANY JORDAN TO FORM A WORKING COMMITTEE AND CREATE A NEW CLUB CALLED GRIMSBY BOROUGH. THE SOLE AIM WAS TO ENSURE THE STANDARD OF FOOTBALL STAYED IN THE AREA. NIGEL FANTHORPE AND STEPHEN NEWBY CARRIED ON THEIR SUCCESSFUL MANAGERIAL PARTNERSHIP.

COMPLETION OF THE CLUB WAS RECOGNISED ON THE 2ND SEPTEMBER 2003 WHEN AFFILIATION WAS GRANTED BY THE LINCOLNSHIRE FA. EVERY YEAR SINCE THE FORMATION OF GRIMSBY BOROUGH F.C. THEY HAVE PLAYED AT SUCCESSIVELY HIGHER LEVELS IN THE AMATEUR GAME.

IN THE FIRST YEAR BOROUGH CAME SECOND IN THE LINCOLNSHIRE PREMIER LEAGUE AND THEREFORE APPLIED TO THE CENTRAL MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION AND WERE UNANIMOUSLY ACCEPTED BY THE CML COMMITTEE. THE FOLLOWING YEAR BORO’, AS THE TEAM IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN, COMPETED IN THE CML PLAYING AT THE GRIMSBY INSTITUTE SITE. ONCE AGAIN, WE CAME SECOND IN THE LEAGUE’S PREMIER DIVISION BUT COULD NOT TAKE UP THE WELLDESERVED PROMOTION UNTIL THE GROUND WAS UPGRADED. THAT OVERDUE PROMOTION CAME THE VERY NEXT SEASON: GRIMSBY BOROUGH WAS PROMOTED TO THE SUPREME DIVISION OF THE CENTRAL MIDLANDS

42

LEAGUE. SADLY, THE CML TEAM HAD TO LEAVE THE INSTITUTE SITE DUE TO GROUND REGULATIONS. LOCAL FIRM, NICOL, STEPPED IN AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR AND THEIR GENEROUS FINANCIAL BACKING ENABLED US TO NEGOTIATE A GROUND-SHARE ARRANGEMENT WITH BRIGG TOWN F.C. WHICH GAVE US ACCESS TO THE FINEST PITCH AND FACILITIES IN THE AREA. THAT SEASON ENDED ON A HIGH NOTE WHEN THE CLUB WON THE CENTENARY JUNIOR

LINCOLNSHIRE LEAGUE CUP BEATING SKEGNESS TOWN- A VERY PROUD MOMENT FOR ALL CONCERNED. THE CLUB RECEIVED YET ANOTHER ACCOLADE WHEN THEY WERE INVITED TO JOIN THE NORTH EAST COUNTIES LEAGUE, DIVISION ONE FOR THE 20082009 SEASON. 2008-2009 WAS, OF COURSE, A TOUGH SEASON, MEETING VETERAN CLUBS SUCH AS THE FORMER NATIONWIDE TEAM, SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC F.C. BUT THE PLAYERS UPHELD THE STANDARDS WE EXPECTED OF THEM, BOTH ON AND OFF THE PITCH AND A TOUGH SEASON ENDED WITH GRIMSBY BOROUGH FINISHING A VERY CREDITABLE 13TH POSITION IN THE LEAGUE.

THE FOLLOWING SEASON 2009-2010 ENDED SUCCESSFULLY WITH ANOTHER PIECE OF SILVERWARE, WINNING THE PRESTIGIOUS ASHBY BENOVELENT CUP BEATING APPLEBY FRODINGHAM IN THE FINAL 4-3 AFTER EXTRA TIME.

THE 2011-2012 SEASON WAS THE HIGHLIGHT FOR THE CLUB, WINNING THEIR FIRST MAJOR TROPHY IN THE NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE. THEY PLAYED SHIREBROOK TOWN IN THE FINAL OF THE WILKINSON SWORD TROPHY AND CAME OUT 3-1 WINNERS AFTER EXTRA TIME AFTER BEING DOWN TO

THE WILDERNESS BOYS 10 MEN, A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL INVOLVED AT THE CLUB. FURTHER SEASONS PASSED BY WITH NO MORE SILVERWARE, BOROUGHS GOAL WAS TO MAINTAIN THE STANDARD OF NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE FOOTBALL WHICH THEY HAVE DONE TO THIS DAY. AT THE END OF THE 2014-2015 SEASON LONG TERM MANAGERS AND CLUB FOUNDER NIGEL FANTHORPE AND STEPHEN NEWBY STOOD DOWN AFTER 12 MEMORABLE SEASONS. THE CLUB THEN APPOINTED GARY PRECIOUS AND ANDREW THORNTON FOR THE 2015-2016 SEASON AS SUCCESSORS BUT RESULTS FAILED TO LIVE UP TO EXPECTATIONS, SO PAUL WALDEN WAS BROUGHT IN FROM LOUTH TOWN. RESULTS IMPROVED AS WE MOVED AWAY FROM THE RELEGATION ZONE, BUT TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON THE RESULTS DIPPED, AND RELEGATION BECAME A REALITY AGAIN. ANDREW LIDDLE AND DANIEL BARRETT WERE BROUGHT IN TO STEER THE CLUB AWAY FROM RELEGATION. SUCCESS WAS ACHIEVED WITH A 18TH PLACE FINISH.

2016-2017 SEASON WAS SUCCESSFUL IN TERMS OF PROGRESS AS THE SIDE GOT THROUGH TO THE PLAY OFF FINAL ONLY TO BE DEFEATED BY PENISTONE CHURCH.

2017-2018 SEASON WAS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS SEASON WERE ONCE AGAIN WE GOT TO THE PLAY OFF FINAL BUT WERE DEFEATED BY ECCLESHILL UNITED. WE PROGRESSED TO LINCOLNSHIRE SENIOR TROPHY FINAL FOR THE SECOND TIME IN OUR HISTORY BUT WERE BEATEN ON PENALTIES BY HOLBEACH UNITED. PROGRESS FOR THE CLUB HAD BEEN ACHIEVED ONCE AGAIN.

2018-2019 SEASON WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, PROGRESSED TO THE LINCOLNSHIRE SENIOR TROPHY FINAL FOR THE SECOND YEAR RUNNING BUT UNFORTUNATELY GOT BEAT ON PENALTIES TO DEEPING RANGERS, HOWEVER WE BOUNCED BACK AND WON THE NORTHER COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE DIVISION ONE CHAMPIONSHIP, GAINING PROMOTION TO THE PREMIER DIVISION.

2019-2020 SEASON IN THE PREMIER DIVISION FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE STARTED VERY WELL AND LEAD THE LEAGUE FOR NUMEROUS WEEKS, GOT TO THE 3RD ROUND OF THE FA VASE AND EVENTUALLY LOST 4-2 AT COVENTRY UTD HAVING BEEN 2-1 UP WITH 15MINS LEFT. FORM DROPPED OFF DRASTICALLY AFTER XMAS AND TUMBLED DOWN THE LEAGUE TO FINISH 9TH AS THE LEAGUE WAS CANCELLED DUE TO THE COVID – 19 PANDEMIC.

2020-2021 SEASON DUE TO START WITH AN FA CUP MATCH ON THE 1ST SEPTEMBER AT LONG EATON UTD. LEAGUE TO START ON THE 19TH SEPTEMBER AWAY AT BRIDLINGTON TOWN. SEASON CANCELLED IN DECEMBER DUE TO COVID 19 BREAK OUT. 2021-2022 SEASON STARTED, UNFORTUNATELY LOSSES IN THE FA CUP TO WINTERTON RANGERS AND TO REDCAR TOWN IN THE FA VASE MADE THE FOCUS OF THE LEAGUE THE PRIORITY.

BY XMAS BOROUGH WERE 5 POINTS CLEAR AT THE TOP OF THE NCEL PREMIER. BOROUGH WERE CROWNED NCEL PREMIER DIVISION CHAMPIONS FINISHING WITH A 9 POINT LEAD.

43

VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX CRAIG BIDDLESTONE TAYLOR WERE A DOUBLE ACT, BUT NOT A JOINT MANAGEMENT TEAM, CLOUGH WAS THE MANAGER, TAYLOR HIS ASSISTANT, BUT THE CHEMISTRY THE PAIR HAD WAS UP THERE WITH MORECAMBE AND WISE AND THE TWO RONNIES.

SINCE MY LAST PROGRAMME NOTES, WHICH WERE 5 WEEKS AGO, IT’S BEEN A MANIC MONTH BOTH ON AND OFF THE PITCH. IT SEEMS MUCH LONGER BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT, I WOULDN’T CHANGE IT FOR THE WORLD! I WAS ON THE PENULTIMATE DAY OF MY FAMILY HOLIDAY TO TENERIFE WHEN THE NEWS BROKE THAT WARDY HAD DECIDED TO MOVE ON, AND I REALLY DO GET HIS REASONS FOR DOING SO.

JOINT MANAGEMENT HASN’T EVER REALLY WORKED, THE MOST FAMOUS OF COURSE BEING GERARD HOULLIER AND ROY EVANS AT LIVERPOOL, THE MOST UNLIKELY MANAGEMENT DUE YOU’LL EVER FIND, SO IT WAS ONLY SO LONG BEFORE THE LONG SUCCESSION OF BOOT ROOM MANAGERS AT LIVERPOOL WAS TO END AS EVANS MOVED ON AND HOULLIER STAYED. IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED TO ME ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, INCLUDING DURING CHRIS CASSIDY’S BRILLIANT ‘STRONGER TOGETHER’ PODCAST (WHICH WE RECORDED ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT) THAT ANOTHER WAS BRIAN CLOUGH AND PETER TAYLOR. NOW LET ME TELL YOU, CLOUGH AND

44

THE JOINT MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS HAD ITS SUCCESS STORIES, BUT ARE VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, AND MOST TEND TO BE AROUND OUR SORT OF LEVEL, BUT ULTIMATELY UNLESS YOU HAVE TWO CHARACTERS WHO SHARE THE SAME PHILOSOPHIES, TACTICAL STYLES AND TEAM SELECTION IDEAS CHANCES ARE IT WILL BE A STRUGGLE. I NEARLY SAID FAILURE INSTEAD OF STRUGGLE, BUT THAT WOULD BE VERY, VERY HARSH, ESPECIALLY FOR JAS AND WARDY, OKAY ON THE ROAD LAST SEASON WE SUFFERED SOME BIG LOSSES, BUT THE PAIR REMAINED UNBEATEN AT HOME AND THE AWAY RESULTS IMPROVED TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON, AND WERE UNLUCKY TO COME AWAY WITH A BETTER SCORE LINE IN BOTH THE LAST TWO AWAY GAMES AT HEBBURN TOWN AND MARSKE UNITED LAST SEASON, BUT THE IMPROVEMENT WAS THERE TO SEE AND WE OF COURSE WERE ONLY A POINT OR SO OFF FINISHING ONE POINT OFF THE TOP 5, WHICH WAS TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK PUT IN BY THE DUO.

OVER THE SUMMER THEY POOLED TOGETHER THEIR VAST KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME, AND THE ULTIMATE SQUAD RESTRUCTURING STARTED, SO MUCH SO (AND I KNOW IT’S BEEN MENTIONED WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX CRAIG BIDDLESTONE BEFORE) THAT ON PAPER I FEEL WE HAD ASSEMBLED OUR BEST SQUAD SINCE THE FORMATION OF THE CLUB. WHEN WARDY

BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, BUT, IF YOU DON’T AIM HIGH WITH THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, THEN IT’S NOT GOING TO IMPROVE

STEPPED AWAY THERE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE FURTHER SQUAD CHANGES AS JAS IMPLEMENTED HIS OWN IDEAS, AND ON THE PITCH THE RESULT IS THAT THINGS ARE SLOWLY BEGINNING TO IMPROVE. JAS SAID IN A ONE OF HIS FIRST

FORTUNES AND BREED CONFIDENCE!

INTERVIEWS AFTER WARDY MOVED ON THAT HE WANTED HIS TEAM TO PLAY DIRECT, ATTACKING FOOTBALL, AND THAT IS WHAT WE’VE SEEN SO FAR, ESPECIALLY IN TUESDAY NIGHT’S 1-0 WIN AT HOME TO STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS.

WELCOME TO TODAY’S VISITING SUPPORTERS FROM GRIMSBY BOROUGH, I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE FACILITIES AND THE MUSIC BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE RESULT!

FOR ME PERSONALLY, THERE ARE SO MANY POSITIVES TO TAKE FROM THE GAME, BUT THE STAND OUT THING FOR ME IS THAT THE ATTACKING PLAY RUBBED OFF ON THE CROWD, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME THAT THE FANS REACTED EVERY TIME WE LOOKED LIKE GOING FORWARD, WHETHER IT BE BUMS OFF SEATS OR ROARS OF PERSUASION FROM THE TERRACES, AND THAT WAS PLEASING TO HEAR, ATTACKING FOOTBALL, ENTERTAINING PLAY AND WINNING GAMES CAN ONLY IMPROVE FORTUNES, AND BREED CONFIDENCE - BOTH ON AND OFF THE PITCH.

WE HAVE A RUN OF GAMES COMING UP OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT ON PAPER I HONESTLY THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO GET RESULTS IN AND MOVE UP THAT TABLE, NOW I’M NOT WANTING TO PUT THE MOCKERS ON IT

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

45

Ever thought of volunteering to help your local football club?

There are many different volunteer roles in non-league football and Northern Premier League football clubs need your help with them.

The Trident Leagues and Pitching In have recently launched a new online Volunteer Hub where you can find opportunities and contact your local football club.

Please visit Pitchinginvolunteers.co.uk to find out more

EDD HALL JAKE TEALE BRAD BEATSON DANNY BURNS TOM CROPPER HARRY GAGEN ROSS HARDAKER CONNOR HODGSON LUKE HOGG MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH OLI METCALFE GEORGE THEWLIS JOE STACEY DANNY WARD DANNY WASSELL LUKE ALDRICH JUNAYD CASSIUS-GILL OLLIE FEARON BRAD GRAYSON JACK WILSON BASILE ZOTTOS

LIAM HIGTON JACK DEBNAM TOM JAMIESON JACK BRADBURY TOM CHARLESWORTH LEWIS COLLINS ADAM DRURY LEWIS BEMROSE REECE YORK TOM HIPWELL JORDAN BARNETT LUIS ADLARD TOM SAWYER OWEN DAVEY CAINE WINFARRAH HENRY ELLIS CALLUM LOVETT KIERAN WRESSELL JACK ROBINSON KIERAN PERRY

MATCH OFFICIALS AR1 LUKE SMITH

REFEREE WAQAR AHMAD

AR2 LIAM SMITH