NEWS VIEWS & DIARY

The views and opinions expressed are my personal opinions and are not necessarily those of the club. They are also not necessarily representative of Trust in Yellow and they are not to be reproduced without my permission.

ARCHIVE NEWS: SEPTEMBER 04 to DECEMBER 05   JANUARY 06 to APRIL 06   MAY 06 to AUG 06 

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29 May TRUST IN YELLOW AGM 7.30PM

11 May Ron Ellis reports on Port Chat that Liam Blakeman has signed for AFC Telford. Also sounds like Paul Barratt is on his way to Northwich.

9 May Just watched the DVD of the Stalybridge away game for the first time.....it's taken this long to be able to face it again! The challenge on Drench is a shocker and it is a lovely own goal from Sykes. As for the pens Rick never looked like saving one and the save by the Stalybridge keeper was illegal but they usually are in penalty shoot outs aren't they. We had some chances but over the whole game Stalybridge deserved the victory.

FINAL SCORE FROM BURTON-BARROW 1 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 0

As it stands tonight the make up of Conference North is below but as usual the final composition will depend on whether it is Kings Lynn and Boston to go South or Redditch and Worcester. It also looks like Altrincham are in line for another reprieve at the expense of Halifax who face demotion to the Unibond which will mean Hucknall stay in Conference North. One day a league will be decided by what happens on the pitch.

7 May The site will have a full update over the coming weeks and a few changes made. I am currently working flat out on The Book and I am into my second week of leave with still lots to pull together so that is taking priority at the moment. It still isn't too late to subscribe to the book. We now have 200 subscribers which will leave just 300 going out on general sale as it is a one off 500 print only Limited Edition. The only way you can 100% guarantee a copy is by being a subscriber.

6 May Derek Goulding is appointed manager of FC Liverpool, lets hope he takes them to where they belong, oblivion! Another club to take floating support (and players?) off us and just because they have the name Liverpool and are in name a club for the fans I'm sure the gullible will be lead into believing they are right in setting this team up. I guess like FCUM they will get great attendances and people will try and believe they are doing it to help NL Football!! I'm also sure when they are playing on a cold November night with "Champions" League football on TV their gates, like FCUM, will truly reflect just how many people are actually bothered. I for one hope they fail! Have they got a ground of their own? Maybe they will be like FCUM and move their way up through default and play at whoever will let them.

The confirmed official away attendance (standing) was 393 on Sunday. There were an estimated 100 sitting in the stand.

I have another thread on Port Chat! Someone (Piper?) thinks I'm an old moaner and doesn't seem to like my anti Liverpoo "ravings" TOUGH! They will be ongoing throughout the lifetime of this site because I can't stand them! Having seen the way the thread has gone do people now understand why I rarely post on there?

FAR MORE IMPORTANT THINGS, FROM THE OFFICIAL SITE

GARY BRABIN APPOINTED SOUTHPORT MANAGER AS CLUB CONTINUE FULL TIME

Southport Football Club are pleased to formally announce the appointment of Gary Brabin as full time manager. After discussions with Gary Brabin it has been decided to retain a full time playing staff for next season in Blue Square North. Chairman Charlie Clapham said " I am delighted to announce Gary Brbin as our new manager and we both believe we have exciting times ahead. We have continuity by retaining both Gary and our full time status which shows the clubs ambitions. Our early decision also gives plenty of time to prepare for next season.

That is great news and early confirmation is just what we needed.

5 May Congratulations to Paul Aird of Southport who wins the PREDICTION LEAGUE after a three way play off. I will be in touch to arrange presentation of the trophy.

The morning after the day before and it still doesn't feel any better. Trying to look for some positives is hard, they are there but at this moment in time they all seem a bit too trivial.

There's actually some well reasoned debate going on on Port Chat for a change about yesterday's events and the future, almost felt like joining in but managed to stop myself at the last minute! Still some cringeworthy stuff from our fans on the Conference North Forum.

Earlier this season I was accused of being too anti-Burscough on here.  If you read the Burscough forum the one person who posts, and replies to himself seems to be obsessed with Southport. Maybe he should be a touch careful with what he posts, you never know just what may be around the corner in football do you?!!

APPEAL If Neil Goatman reads this or if anyone knows Neil and has a contact number for him could he please get in touch. I have lost his address and have a Stalybridge programme for him!

4 May Away Stalybridge Celtic Play Off Semi-Final 2nd Leg-Kick Off 3pm.

11.30am Apparently it is pouring with rain in Stalybridge but they don't envisage any problems with the game going ahead. Memories of NYD 2005?

STALYBRIDGE 2 SOUTHPORT 1 AGG 2-2 STALYBRIDGE WIN 5-3 ON PENS

I always have disliked penalty shoot outs in play offs but even more so now! They are such a cruel way to decide a whole season and the sooner they are done away with the better. I know we would still be out under my way of deciding it, the higher placed club going through, but it doesn't put the pressure on one individual. It's the first shoot out I have seen, that matters, with Southport and I never realised before the anguish you feel if you lose but it hit home today when I saw Liam break down at the end of the game.

What a game, both goalkeepers substituted, it looked like the Stalybridge keeper overdid his celebrating of the goal a bit and landed awkwardly. Maybe his ott antics caught up a bit with him. Drenchy had concussion and was subbed at half time. I haven't seen the DVD yet but the feeling from our bench after the game was the player concerned should have had a straight red card. Matt Hocking also stretchered off, a bizarre own goal to send the game into extra time and the drama of a penalty shoot out which went the wrong way. Add to that the ref having to be replaced after Liam smashed the ball into his face, accidentally I may add, and all in all it was a highly entertaining game. We eventually got away from the ground at 6.45 after we had got the manager interviews out of the way.  Pens scored by Paul Barratt, Neil Robinson and Tony Gray.

Good luck to Stalybridge in the final, I for one hope they go on and win it. I know some felt they were over physical and compared to the two league games when they looked a much better side than just the physical side we saw in the last two games I still think they deserve to go up.

Big few days coming up I think with lots of decisions to be taken on the future and only 97 days to go until the new season starts, if the 9th of August is the correct start date.

It will be just the one new place to visit next season for me, Farsley Celtic. There is of course lots still to sort out with either Barrow or Stalybridge getting promoted, Alty probably gaining yet another reprieve, at the expense of Halifax, and, if Halifax do get demoted into The NPL then, Hucknall would be saved. There is also the issue as to which clubs would have to move south with Redditch (won't we miss them) and Worcester looking likely favourites.

3 May Congratulations to Gateshead who are promoted to Conference North. FCUM are also promoted, to the Unibond Prem which I am sure we are all delighted about, surely they will soon have to have their own ground if they wish to progress any further?

As at 9pm there are just two seats remaining on Coach 3.

2 May I will again be in the Club Shop 4.30pm to 6.30pm. Please call in and pick up a bargain or two ready for Sunday or book your coach places.

The fun goes on between Barrow and Telford fans. Isn't it great not having to worry about getting tickets, no threats of violence and MOST people being what true football fans are all about. I'm sure whether it will be us or Stalybridge we will be heavily outnumbered in the final, does it matter? It may be worth reminding one or two Barrow fans just what the gates had dropped to before they all crawled out of the woodwork again, it may also be worth reminding them where the ground is by the sound of it.

Stalybridge have announced that the game will now be segregated and we will be under cover which given the forecast for Sunday is a relief. Admission is £10 and the programme will be £2.

1 May Having watched the DVD, still think it could easily have been a pen and the challenge on Princey was a yellow card at the least. The passage of play leading to our goal saw the ball in play for nearly two minutes before the ball hit the net which is rare at this level. The attendance of 1361 was half that of the Barrow v Telford(2701) game but it is around the figure I predicted would turn up given the game on TV. Interesting to see how many we take on Sunday. Two coaches are full and bookings being taken for a third, could be 300 or so. I was hoping the game would be segregated to keep everyone together but it seems to suggest that it won't be at this point. It's going to be a tense 90 minutes. I still thought Stalybridge looked a good team despite their fans not being overly impressed, it will be tough!

We do have some fans who bring embarrassment to the club, check out the Conf North Forum and you will see what I mean. You do despair, the same person also thinks it's clever to trivialise the request not to take alcohol on the coaches on Sunday. Obviously doesn't appreciate that the coach operator could lose his license and the organiser could end up in serious trouble. Too much to expect I suppose.

Very much looks like our game is being seen as "the other semi-final" with Barrow having to request more tickets and taking 900 to Telford in a gate expected to be around the 5000 mark. Do we care? The end result will be the same, a final at Burton on 9th May for either us or Stalybridge. Telford and Barrow can brag all they want we will just get on with our game in pleasant surroundings at a great club. My idea of not deciding play off games on penalties but allowing the team who finished highest in the league to go through still stands if the scores are level after 90 minutes even though it would work against us this Sunday. Much fairer than a whole season being decided on five spot kicks in my view.

Webmaster Rob Urwin Contact rob@southportfcstats.co.uk