Northern Counties East League Runners and Riders

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We are close to the grand finale of the football season and as usual the NCEL Premier Division and Division One promotion races are exciting to say the least. Last year Retford United won the Premier title at a canter, but it is much closer this time around. The Division One promotion race went to the wire last year when Glasshoughton Welfare took second place after coming from 2-0 behind at AFC Emley to win on the last day to clinch promotion. Once again there are eight teams in a chance of gaining promotion.

Premier Division
1. Scarborough Athletic (68 pts)
The pressure is on manager Rudy Funk to secure promotion. The Scarborough fans want to see their team in the Evo Stik Leagues. They missed out last year, but with an experienced side, Funk has put Scarborough in the driving seat. Ollie Ryan, Tony Hackworth, Jimmy Beadle and Peter Davidson are just four players that have higher level experience and they should be able to see Scarborough over the line.

2. Brighouse Town (66 pts)
Paul Quinn’s young guns do have a game in hand of Scarborough so they can overtake and go top. Brighouse are hard workers and have a potent attack in Ernest Boafo and Tom Matthews who are scoring goals for fun. Brighouse suffered no FA Vase hangover after bowing out in the Isle of Wright and all they can do is keep going. If they can stay in the race, their game with Scarborough in late April could be a title decider.

3. Bridlington Town (63 pts)
As ever Bridlington remain in the hunt and hold two ace cards in having two games in hand. Mitch Cook’s team are experienced in title battles and so they are very real threat to Scarborough’s hopes. Bridlington cannot be written off.

Division One
1. Athersley Recreation (58 pts)
The newcomers to the NCEL set-up have been a revelation since joining in the summer. But looking at their team, Athersley have experienced guys such as Ryan White, who served Ossett Albion for years along with Jason Bentley. Their manager is Simon Houghton who deserves a bit of success as a manager in his own right after being so close to achieving promotion with Pontefract Collieries a few years ago. He has built an impressive squad at Athersley and I think they will hold their nerve and secure promotion.

2. Shirebrook Town (57 pts)
Shirebrook are the surprise package and have a great chance of promotion. Powerful striker Jason Bradley, formerly of Mansfield Town, has helped with the goals recently.

3. Albion Sports (54 pts)
Albion are near the top again, but the Horsfall Stadium side have heavy financial backing. The difference this year though from a pitch perspective is the introduction of former semi-pro striker Pav Singh as a coach. He has added know-how on the coaching side. But with players like Roy Stamer, who spent years with Farsley AFC, and goal machine Alex Cusack, Albion are one of the favourites.

4. Cleethorpes (54 pts) and 5. Knaresborough (53 pts)
Cleethorpes and Knaresborough have continued the theme of newcomers to NCEL doing well. Cleethorpes assent has helped with some crucial big wins over Grimsby Borough, Athersley and two victories over Askern Villa in recent weeks.

Knaresborough enjoyed a good start to life in NCEL and manager Brian Davey did say at the start of the season that he hoped to do well. Players of Football League calibre like Seb Carole have helped Knaresborough’s cause and they have an excellent chance of glory.

Other contenders – Teversal, Pontefract Collieries, AFC Emley

Leeds United: Neil Warnock Deserves a Chance to Succeed

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Following the 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough, Leeds United manager Neil Warnock faced renewed calls for his dismissal. But, in my view, sacking Warnock will not achieve anything. All it will do is cause needless disruption and he does deserve a chance to succeed with proper financial backing.

When he was appointed last year, chairman Ken Bates promised Warnock the funds to mount a promotion charge to the Premier League. By the end of the May, it was obvious that the promise would be unfulfilled as Warnock grew frustrated and later admitted that he considered quitting.

Now with the funds he did receive, he has been able to put together a good base with a number of workhorse players. However, the funds were not enough to add the gravitas that is needed to reach the Premier League. Leeds have no-one with something special. El-Hadji Diouf is the closest thing Leeds have. Cardiff have the likes of Craig Bellamy and that is the difference.

By December, GFH Capital finally gained ownership and expressed their desire to get to the Premier League. But for them the honeymoon is over, Warnock has been given little backing financially. He got a good player in Steve Morison but that was a player-swap with Norwich so GFH did little.

If Leeds seriously want to get back to the Premier League, investment has to be made, regardless of who the manager is. I don’t see the point of changing manager when the replacement could end up in the same situation six months down the line.

My view – judge Warnock when he gets the financial backing.

The Resurrection of Farsley AFC

From Darkness into Blue:

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Almost three years to the day Farsley Celtic played its last ever game – a 2-1 Blue Square North victory at Droylsden. Eleven days later, administrators Mazars folded the senior team to end 101 years of history. The club reformed in the summer of 2010 and in 2013, Farsley AFC is a thriving business and football club built with steel on solid ground rather than on sand.

The Palmer-Farrell consortium bought Throstle Nest in June 2010 to pave the way for the club to reform and compete in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division. Led by chairman John Palmer, they had and still have a solid business plan designed for the club to make money and become self-sufficient. The bar and sports hall were renovated and new sports facilities were added including an all-weather surface and two small-sided pitches. The bar makes money and there are parties every weekend. The sports hall is booked up every night. Until recently a church group held its Sunday service in the function room.

The successful business side of the football club has allowed Neil Parsley, who returned to manage the reformed team, to create a promotion-chasing side in all three seasons as Farsley AFC. He persuaded most of his Blue Square North side to take a massive wage cut to return and lead the charge back up the leagues. Farsley won the NCEL Premier title at the first attempt at a canter – winning 13 and drawing one of the last 14 games. Ryan Watson’s last minute goal also secured the NCEL League Cup.

The success continued last season when Farsley finished fourth in the Evo Stik Division One North and bowed out in the play-off semi-final at Witton Albion. The Villagers again went on a long unbeaten run to secure their aim.

Last summer Farsley set their sights on winning the league with the signings of Chris Walton, Adam Priestley and Rob Pacey from Garforth Town. However, inconsistent performances have dogged the club’s progress and they will do well to hold their play-off spot as other teams have games in hand. The season has not been a disaster though. Farsley returned to the FA Cup for the first time in three years and are still challenging for the Doodson Sports Cup.

If promotion can’t be achieved this season, Farsley will go for it against next year. They will not go away. Although the aims of the club are not to reach the heights of his predecessor, Farsley AFC still want to play at the highest standard possible. Farsley are a gathering storm, but a powerful one backed by a successful business.

Farsley AFC Manager Neil Parsley on Finances in Football

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The first of many interviews with non-league football personalities to appear on the website.
Use Farsley AFC as an example for how to run a club financially successfully. That is the message from Farsley manager Neil Parsley to clubs living beyond their means.

Parsley has been in charge at Throstle Nest through the bad times to the good times – from the folding of Farsley Celtic in 2010 to the resurrection as AFC. After taking charge in 2008, Parsley kept the team afloat on the pitch, while in the background Celtic were haemorrhaging money from players’ wages. Administration followed because of a large tax bill before administrators Mazars closed the club after failing to agree a deal with the Palmer-Farrell consortium.

The consortium, led by chairman John Palmer, bought Throstle Nest back and reformed the club. Since then the club has gone from strength to strength. There have been large investments in the facilities and the club are making money from the sports hall and bar. But Evo Stik Division One North side Farsley will not spend beyond their means and Parsley believes other clubs should follow their lead.

“I think other clubs should use us as a good example of how to run a club,” he said. “The only two things we do lack are and that is without a dig at anyone, we have great training facilities here but we can’t use them because they are hired as the club is making money. And the second is that we could do with an influx of young blood behind the scenes at directorship to implement new ideas.

“Make no mistake about it though, the Palmers and the Farrells have implemented some fantastic things and we need to move onto the next level now.”

Parsley admits financial problems are a thing of the past at Throstle Nest and the former Huddersfield Town and West Brom defender speaks very proudly of how his club is run.

“We lost three tiers (after folding), but the club is self-sufficient and I’m quite happy to run a club that doesn’t have any financial worries,” he said. “The club has a budget it can afford and it is a competitive budget. But what I know from being manager since the club reformed, the wages have been there every single week and no-one has had a problem with the tax. We are a well-run club from top to bottom.”

The demise of Farsley Celtic was primarily down to overspending on players’ wages after reaching the Football Conference in 2007 alongside a huge tax bill. In 2013, Farsley refuse to overspend and Parsley admits to turning away a player who demanded too much in wages.

“I spoke to a player three months ago who wasn’t earning anything at a certain club and he asked for twice what my best player was on,” he said. “It brought a wry smile to my face and the business wasn’t concluded.”

While how Farsley have evolved in three years since reforming should be applauded, there are still clubs out there who teetering on the brink of oblivion. In non-league football, Hucknall Town and Hinckley United are just two struggling to survive. On the professional side, Glasgow Rangers went bust while Portsmouth’s future is still uncertain and Parsley is of the belief that more clubs will fold.

He said: “Unfortunately I think there will be more clubs that will fall by the wayside because of tax bills, national insurance, partly because of clubs spending beyond their means.”

Rugby League: Castleford Tigers 14-12 Leeds Rhinos

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A last minute Jamie Ellis penalty gave Castleford Tigers a memorable victory over local rivals Leeds Rhinos at a wet Wheldon Road.

In the driving rain, Ellis converted two late penalties to level the scores and then win the game for Cas, whose supporters will be partying long into the night.

Cas, who endured a terrible campaign last year when they finished second-bottom, will hope that the result is the turning point in coach Ian Millward’s reign.

However, defending champions Leeds will rue not extending their lead after going 12-10 ahead in the second half when Tigers prop Nathan Massey was sin-binned for stealing the ball.

The Tigers were clearly up for the occasion, watched by 9,103 people, and the Castleford fans were given something to cheer about after only four minutes.
A succession of penalties gave Castleford a good position and from playmaker Rangi Chase’s grubber kick, former Leeds man Jordan Tansey pounced to touch-down – Ellis converted the conversion.

Leeds lost Brett Delaney before great link-up between Zak Hardaker and Danny McGuire saw the latter scamper away to bring Leeds’ level.

Despite the blow, Castleford refused to capitulate and edged 10-6 in front before half-time. However, Leeds have only themselves to blame after failing to close Chase down. Chase grabbed hold of the loose ball on the 30m line and the Rhinos defenders allowed the stand-off to run at them. He got through and laid a pass to Jake Webster who had the simple task of touching down.

After the break Leeds had a period of pressure and it told when Massey was sin-binned after a string of infringements. From the penalty, Ryan Hall was able to power his way over the line in the corner for his second try of the campaign. Kevin Sinfield added the extras from a tricky angle to put Leeds ahead for the first time.

But, Leeds failed to build on their lead and as the temperature dropped and the rain got heavier, errors began to creep into the Rhinos’ game. Ellis missed one penalty chance to level the scores before eventually doing so with six minutes remaining on the clock.

And in the final minute, Leeds were penalised for the markers not being square with the penalty being directly in front of the posts. Ellis was never going to miss and he got Wheldan Road rocking with the straightforward conversion.

Castleford Tigers: Tansey; Owen, Shenton, Webster, Carney; Chase, Ellis; Walker, Milner, Huby, Gilmour, Hauraki, Holmes.

Replacements: Clark, Millington, Massey, Thompson.

Leeds Rhinos: Hardaker; Keinhorst, Watkins, Moon, Hall; Sinfield, McGuire; Bailey, Burrow, Peacock, Delaney, Ablett, Jones-Buchanan.

Replacements: McShane, Kirke, Clarkson, Achurch.

Referee: Tim Roby (RFL)

My View - Farsley AFC 1-1 Goole (Evo Stik Div 1 North)

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Match Photos:
Inconsistency continues to wreck the Evo Stik Division One North play-off aspirations of Farsley AFC after strugglers Goole AFC left Throstle Nest with a precious point. Although most of us Farsley followers will aggrieved by a ridiculous penalty decision which gave Goole their goal.

Overall though, I think it was a fair result and where Goole are in the table doesn’t come into it. There have been many changes since Wayne Benn took over from John Reed in October. Benn has built a decent side which will in all probability get them away from danger. He has a strong defence, a good midfield with Tom Claisse as captain and a dangerous striker in Aiden Savory. Goole worked really hard and showed good battling skills.

The match was pretty poor with few chances. Much to the delight of his fan club, Ryan Harrison scored for the second week running on 18 minutes with a wonder goal. Ryan is turning out to be a fantastic signing and the strike will be a contender for goal of the season.

Goole hit the bar shortly after but had to wait until the hour mark to equalise. Savory went down theatrically after a slight touch from captain James Riley. It wasn’t a dive, but neither was it a penalty. I personally blame the referee. The referee was 25 yards away and I have been always led to believe they should be ten to 15 away. If he had been closer, the penalty probably would not have been given.

The obvious then happened as Savory fired the spot kick home. But regardless of the penalty decision, Farsley had chances to finish Goole off in the last ten minutes. Gareth Grant should have scored after going through on goal, while Matt Dempsey was unlucky with a header.

The crowd did get restless with the referee after he turned down a penalty appeal in the last minute from Adam Priestley after giving a free kick on the edge of the box, despite the ball being in the box when the foul was committed. One woman shouted that the referee should ‘be a comedian because he’d be good at it’. One bloke even upset the RSPCA after saying that he going to go home and kick his dog because of the referee.

The referee did get some stick as he walked off, but the facts are that Farsley could have won despite not deserving to. Goole deserve credit for their work ethic and if they keep playing like that, they will take points off teams.

Harrogate Town Thriving under Simon Weaver

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Whilst forgetting about their horrendous pitch problems, the progress of Harrogate Town this season under Simon Weaver has been unstated. Town are well on course to reach the Blue Square Bet North play-offs having sneaked under the radar.

It is quite remarkable that Harrogate, currently on a three game winning run, have achieved so much, considering the disruption they have had. I have no problem with the amount of games that have been postponed at Wetherby Road. The amount of rainfall this year has been unprecedented and no-one could have foreseen the problems that have arisen.
But, despite the issues, Town are eighth and four points off the top five with games in hand so Weaver’s men have a great chance of upsetting the applecart.

It has taken four years, but Weaver is now reaping the rewards of patience. He took the job when Neil Aspin and all the players quit because of budget cuts. Town finished bottom of the BSN in Weaver’s first campaign, but he had to cope with a shoestring budget and a revolving door policy on players. 2010-11 was much better with a strong finish. Last season saw Harrogate have a settled squad and only injuries prevented them from finishing higher.

The nucleus of last season’s squad has been retained and this enabled them to compete in the top half. They have not smashed money about either, despite the well-known fact that Weaver’s millionaire father Irving is the chairman. Harrogate have steadily built a squad to compete and their current success is well deserved.

From the pain of relegation four years in his first year in management, Weaver could become Harrogate’s greatest manager having taken them to the FA Cup second round for the first time. Earn promotion out of the BSN and he will earn that title. However, that is getting a bit ahead of ourselves. But Harrogate are a team to watch out for. They have put six past Brackley and Corby this season and after a win against Workington in mid-week, there is clearly more to come. Top five material? Definitely. And to be in with a chance, Weaver jnr deserves a lot of credit.