Altrincham Football Club News Archive
28 August to 4 September, 2001.


4 September, 2001

RESULTS TONIGHT

  • Altrincham 2 Hucknall Town 0 (498)
  • Bishop Auckland 1 Gateshead 2 (307)
  • Blyth Spartans 1 Emley 3 (519)
  • Burscough 5 Bamber Bridge 0 (185)
  • Colwyn Bay 3 Accrington Stanley 0 (290)
  • Droylsden 3 Hyde Utd 2 (484)
  • Frickley Ath. 0 Burton Albion 5 (513)
  • Gainsborough Trinity 4 Bradford PA 1 (/)
  • Runcorn FC Halton 0 Lancaster City 2 (391)
  • Vauxhall Motors 4 Marine 1 (310)
  • Whitby Town 0 Worksop Town 2 (305)

    TRANSFERS: ALTY TRIALIST MOVES

    Former Morecambe player Colin Hunter, who scored as a trialist for Altrincham against Abbey Hey in the opening friendly of the pre-season, has now signed for Harrogate Town in the UniBond First Division. Elsewhere, Northwich Vics have signed 19 year-old striker John Dawson, from Nantwich Town, where former Vics' and Leek Town manager, Mark Gardner is now caretaker manager. Striker Wayne Edgcumbe, who surprisingly recently left Gateshead, has rejoined Spennymoor United, who have also signed midfielder Tony Skedd from Blyth Spartans. The Moors' keeper, Mark Taylor, remains in a bad way, having broken four ribs and punctured a lung, which doctors have been unable to reflate.

    AROUND THE UNIBOND

    The newly revamped Hyde United website reports that, as well as losing their first five games and suffering an arson attack, Hyde United also face a three-match suspension of their striker Simon Yeo. Yeo was dismissed against Hucknall Town but as he is also injured, he may have missed some of his banned games anyway. Last Saturday, Hyde's Dale Hawtin was also sent off so he, too, faces a rest. Meanwhile, on 16 September, Hyde host an unsual charity game between an All Stars XI and a "Royal Mail Best XI". Our opponents next Saturday, Bradford P.A. have signed James Stansfield, a young centre-back, formerly at Ossett Town but with experience at league sides Huddersfield and Halifax Town. Bishop Auckland have launched a community newspaper, The Two Blue News, which they aim to deliver to every house in the town.
    3 September, 2001

    OPPONENTS PAST AND FUTURE

    Our last opponents, Lancaster City have been named UniBond Club of the Month for August. At our earlier hosts, Worksop, something seems to be afoot. According to the Yorkshire Post both Chris Waddle and the Worksop manager missed their side's 0-3 defeat to Droylsden last weekend "amid speculation that they were meeting with the new chairman". Our next opponents, Hucknall Town, have come through their worst start to a season (3 straight defeats) in their 55-year history. Finally, our next away opponents Emley have re-signed Michael Reynolds, after spells at Ayr United and Leigh RMI. His Emley debut on Saturday ended after only 17 minutes through injury.

    YOUTH DATE CONFIRMED

    The FA Youth Cup match against Gretna has now been confirmed as taking place at Moss Lane on Tuesday 11th September, 7.30pm kick off. Admission will be £2 for adults and £1 for children/OAP's. The last Round resulted in a 3-2 win over Leek Town and a very entertaining game, so come along and encourage the lads to make further progress in this national competition. See the Youth Page for more on the team.

    MORRELL MOVES ON

    After a brief stay at Ossett Town on his way from Leigh RMI, ex-Robin Mick Morrell has now joined Dr Martens Premier side Hinckley United, where his team-mates include the delightfully named Morton Titterton. He came on at half-time as they defeated Chelmsford City. For more, see the excellent Hinckley site.
    2 September 2001

    HULME SCORES


    Reproduced with kind permission of Alan Johnson is this fine picture of Kevin Hulme's equaliser at Lancaster yesterday. The keeper, Thornley is rushing back in vain as the ball enters the net after Martin (no.7) had made a bodged back-pass. For more of Alan's photos of the game, click here to visit his web site. For this site's match report, click here. For the Lancaster web site's very fair assessment view, click here.

    OLD BOYS

    Mark Quayle, who started last season with Alty, scored a hat-trick for Telford as they beat Leigh RMI yesterday, for whom Ricky Harris played half a game. Andy Green scored one of Droylsden's goals as they beat Waddle-less Worksop. Glendenning, Farley and Esdaile (sub) were other ex-Robins in the Bloods' squad. For Quayle it was fourth successive scoring debut including one for Altrincham. Both Scott Wilson and Dickie Landon, with a 25 yard free-kick, scored for Radcliffe in their 3-3 draw with Atherton LR in the Cup. The Pink has a large picture of Stuart Scheuber playing against Hyde yesterday and Ricky Harris figures in a Leigh RMI team picture. Paul Ellender came out on top over Gary Talbot, who was substitued as Boston beat Northwich to go top of the Conference. There are two pictures of Ellender in that game in the NLP. Steve Porter was a sub again for Burscough as was Paul Edwards for Swindon Town.

    ALTY RESERVES

    The Alty Reserves' page of this site has been updated and a new Reserves' fixtures page created. Click the link to go there. The next Reserves game is at home to Leigh RMI this Wednesday; will Mark Ward be in the RMI side? The game is at Flixton FC, Valley Road, Flixton, 7.30pm.

    YOUTH SQUAD DETAILS

    Brief details of this season's Altrincham Youth team squad have been added to the Youth Fixtures page. Click the link to go there. The Youth league season starts at 2pm on Sunday 9 September with a home game against Burscough at Wythenshawe Town FC, Timpson Road, Baguley.

    MOSSLEY OUT

    Our FA Cup conquerors last season, Mossley, crashed out 4-2 at Spennymoor in this year's preliminary round. Our neighbours Trafford also went out, 1-0 at Farsley.

    YESTERDAY IN THE UNIBOND

    The NLP carries a letter about Lancaster manager Tony Hesketh's "disgraceful antics" against Marine recently when he refused to let his side give the ball back to Marine after one of their players had been injured. Runcorn's 6-1 win at Bamber Bridge came after the home side lost their keeper with the score at 1-3. Hyde remain pointless and had a man sent off when leading 1-0; they lost 1-2 to Colwyn Bay. Leroy Chambers "missed chances" (NLP) as Hucknall, our next opponents, also went down. After four away games the Bishops have nine points, with a goal in every game from ex-Whitby striker Chillingsworth. Frickley brought in a new goalkeeper, Martin Kearney from Doncaster Rovers, and won their first point of the season at Gateshead, but lost two players on stretchers - Bernard and Smith, with Savic also being injured. Attendances have now been added to the scores given yesterday (below).
    1 September 2001

    LANCASTER CITY 1 ALTRINCHAM 1

    For details of this controversial game, please see the match report here. Altrincham are now seventh in the updated table.
  • Results: Saturday 1 September
  • Accrington S. 2 Vauxhall M. 3 (att.505)
  • Bamber Bridge 1 Runcorn FC Halton 6 (242)
  • Barrow 1 Burscough 0 (1280)
  • Bradford PA 2 Blyth S. 2 (337)
  • Burton A. 4 Gainsborough T. 2 (1204)
  • Emley 0 Bishop Auckland 1 (257)
  • Gateshead 0 Frickley A. 0 (259)
  • Hucknall T. 0 Whitby T. 1 (195)
  • Hyde U. 0 Colwyn Bay 1 (267)
  • Lancaster C. 1 Altrincham 1 (477)
  • Worksop T. 0 Droylsden 3 (347)

    FIRST AID AT COLWYN BAY


    Steve Hawes is seen, above, receiving treatment from Gary Thompson after being fouled by ex-Robin, Marc Limbert (bending over in no.7 shirt). The other Alty players visible are (l. to r.) Mark Sertori, Kevin Hulme, Mark Maddox and Chris Adams. In the background is Bay no.11, Stuart Scheuber, who was at Moss Lane last season.

    BARROW

    The Barrow game, today, will include a parade of past Barrow players at half-time, to commemorate the Club's centenary and the publication of a book, Barrow A.F.C., the first hundred years, by Darren Gardner, Tony McWilliams and Phil Yelland. The paperback book costs £14 plus postage and packing from the Club Shop at 60 Buccleuch Street, Barrow.

    JASON AGAINST BURTON


    Jason Gallagher jumps high to head clear in the second half against Burton last Saturday.
    31 August 2001

    THORNLEY TO MISS SEVEN GAMES!

    In tonight's Evening News Bernard Taylor reveals that Rod Thornley will miss "at least seven" Altrincham games this season due to his work commitments at Old Trafford. The first of these is tomorrow at Lancaster, as Rod is in Germany acting as masseur to the England team for Saturday's international game.

    AROUND THE UNIBOND AND THE LOCALITY

  • HYDE UNITED lost their portakabin toilets in a fire started by arsonists last Tuesday and an attempt was also made to set fire to the social club.
  • COLWYN BAY have signed another Rhyl player, Gary Curtis, a left-sided player. He joins defender Dewi Morris, rceently acquired from the same club. Jonathan Cross is fit for the next home game but Jamie Jardine and Craig Lawton remain sidelined.
  • EMLEY The Huddersfield Examiner described Emley's performance last Monday as "woeful". Ex-Hednesford man Micky Norbury finally made his Emley debut after serving a three-match ban, but Rory Prendergast, (the ex-Vics' man who went down as if poleaxed at Moss Lane last season), is banned for four weeks for a sending off in the Reserves. Club captain Steve Nicholson is also out, injured, with cracked ribs.
  • NORTHWICH VICS Ex-Alty skipper Gary Talbot is an injury doubt for the weekend, with a groin strain. The Vics Reserves lost 9-2 to Marine this week!
    30 August 2001

    WARD AND BOMBER AT LEIGH

    Two ex-Alty men, ex-player/manager Mark Ward and midfielder, Ricky (Bomber) Harris turned out in Leigh RMI Reserves' win over Bamber Bridge Reserves this week. Ward is training with Leigh and though he has not signed for them, is available to help out in emergencies. One of the Leigh goalscorers was Michael Twiss, who played and scored for Alty in their pre-season match at Witton.

    LANCASTER PREVIEW

    The following preview of Saturday's game at Lancaster is from the Lancaster City web site, where you will also find much more on our opponents. "Last season's game at home to Altrincham was memorable not only for a 4-1 scoreline in our favour, but for an outrageous performance by Colin Potts, putting in possibly the best wing performance ever seen in a City shirt. The scoreline may have been a touch flattering, this season may be different, Alty have only lost to Burton, look strong bets for a top three finish, and are likely to give us a strong game. There should be a good crowd with no Premiership fixtures, so get down to the Giant Axe!" A man to watch this season, as well as Potts, is striker Andy Whittaker who was signed from Bamber Bridge to replace Chris Ward, after Ward's move to Birmingham City. Whittaker hit a hat-trick against Burscough last week. For Lancaster travel details, click the Away Travel button above.

    YOUTH CUP VICTORY

    Alty Youth won an entertaining FA Youth Cup 1st Qualifying Round match last night at Moss Lane, overcoming Leek Town 3-2. There is a match report on the Youth Team Page on this site as well as George Heslop's report from the Youth pre-season friendly at Rainhill. In the next round they entertain Gretna from Scotland who beat Crook Town in Durham 5-3 on Monday last. The recently issued Youth team league fixtures can also be found via the Youth Page link above.


    29 August 2001

    QUAYLE GOES TO TELFORD

    Telford United have signed transfer-listed Mark Quayle from Morecambe on a month's loan. Mark made a big impression at Moss Lane when he started four games for us at the start of last season. The ex-Everton youth player, now 22, was transfer-listed recently by The Shrimps.

    ALTY SIGN KEEPER

    Altrincham have signed goalkeeper Kurt Edginton from Hyde United as cover for Stuart Coburn. Kurt joined The Tigers in late 1997 from Flixton. At Hyde, he played in the same team as Jason Gallagher. Kurt is also a bowler with Urmston Cricket Club. Altrincham also have teenage goalkeeper Dale Newbrook who, after a successful spell in the Youth Team, is now in the Reserves' side.

    ROD'S INTERNATIONAL CALL-UP

    Alty striker Rod Thornley, whose day-job is as a masseur for Manchester United, has been called up to join the England team for their international game in Germany on Saturday, according to a UniBond Press release. So, it looks like we will be without him at Lancaster City.
    28 August 2001

    MONDAY'S GAMES

    Former Alty left-back Steve Porter had a baptism of fire yesterday, making his full debut for Burscough as they went down 0-6 at home to Lancaster. Burscough's defender Ged Nolan had an even worse weekend; on Saturday he was sent off and on Monday he both gave away a penalty and another goal was blamed on him. Burscough's keeper, Matt Taylor, was also sent off in Monday's mauling. The Lancashire Club also have a player in their squad called Steve Alty! Hyde United have now lost their first four games to lie bottom of the UniBond Premier. Last season they won their first four games and were top! Simon Yeo was sent off in Monday's game at Hucknall to add to the Tigers' woe. The Colwyn Bay site has a report and several large pictures of our 5-2 win there last Saturday. Ex-Alty man Craig Skelton got the winner for Blyth against Bishop Auckland yesterday, but the Bishops both lost their goalkeeper and ended the game with ten men. Bishops' signing from Whitby, Carl Chillingsworth, has scored in all three of their league games so far. Monday's game was all too much for Rob Tinker, who runs From Both Ends, the Gainsborough Trinity web site. He writes: Trinity lost 2-0 at home to Worksop, in abysmal fashion, continuing the style of play and attitude they showed at Emley 2 days earlier. This is not good enough. They can play well, they have the collective ability to be a good team, but something is wrong. So, if they can't be bothered to put in the effort, neither can I. "FROM BOTH ENDS" has existed for over 4 years, but will be suspended until Trinity begin to play properly. I shall be at Burton on Saturday, and hopefully normal service will be resumed after this game. If effort is lacking, I won't bother. Alty may have lost yesterday but at least they haven't provoked this reaction!

    NON-LEAGUE PUBLICATIONS

    The Cherry Red Non-League Newsdesk Annual for 2001 has now been published. It contains the results and tables for literally dozens of leagues in the Pyramid structure throughout England. It is 256 pages in size and available for £6.95 from Non-League Media. The Non-League Newsdesk weekly bulletin of results and tables has been re-formatted and expanded during the close season and now costs £1.20 per issue. A postal subscription costs £46.80 for the full season. For the UniBond it provides scores, scorers and attendances for every game as well as the league table. Further details of both the annual and weekly are obtainable from Non-League Media, 2nd Floor, Hill House, Highgate Hill, London N19 5NA.