Friday, April 30
THE CAMARADERIE that exists in non-league football was very evident as Needham Market celebrated their Ridgeons League Premier Division title success at Kirkley & Pakefield on Wednesday evening.
As I was interviewing Danny Laws after the match, the Needham manager showed me the messages he had received on his mobile from managers before the game wishing him good luck and afterwards passing on their congratulations.
The list included Mel Aldis (Debenham LC), Chris Tracey (AFC Sudbury), Steve Buckle (Ipswich Wanderers), Peter Grant and Gary Thompson (Hadleigh United), Peter Betts (Haverhill), Christian Appleford (Stowmarket) and Mark Scott from Norfolk club Thetford Town.
It is this camaraderie which makes non-league football what it is – and why we get the buzz from the game that we do.
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WHO would bet against Needham making it a league and cup double with victory against the same opponents in Monday’s Ridgeons League Cup final at Diss?
They have already defeated Kirkley & Pakefield four times this season – twice in the league and also in both the FA Vase and LB Group Suffolk Premier Cup – and it will require some effort from K&P to prevent a fifth.
Talking of the Suffolk Premier Cup, Needham did the Ridgeons League proud in their appearance in the final against Ipswich Town.
Despite the gulf in status Needham acquitted themselves really well and fully deserved their late consolation goal from Darren Bethell.
With the exception of Danny Smy, who seemed more interested in arguing than playing football and was wisely substituted before he was sent off, and to a lesser extent Matt Buckle, also on a yellow card and likewise substituted, Needham’s players enhanced the reputation of the league with their performance.
I have heard many a chant ringing around Portman Road over the last 40 years – some of them not printable – but never anything to compare with ‘There’s only one gay in Needham’ in honour of the Marketmen’s goalkeeper Danny Gay!
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APOLOGIES for the non-appearance of my musings over the last three weeks. This was caused by the switch over to the new Green ‘Un site and a family holiday in Cornwall – bad timing considering we are at the ‘business end’ of the season.
After missing two weekends of the season due to my holiday, I then failed to catch a Ridgeons League match last Saturday as I was at Ram Meadow to cover Bury Town’s promotion party.
Congratulations to not only Bury but fellow former Ridgeons League club Lowestoft Town on progressing further up the non-league ladder – and in some style too, winning their divisions and scoring goals galore in the process.
Both clubs have a number of players who appeared in the Ridgeons League in their younger days, and it just goes to show why the league is regarded as arguably the strongest at Step 5 level around the country.
Perhaps it is just a happy coincidence, but Richard Wilkins (Bury) and Mick Chapman and Ady Gallagher (Lowestoft) have been managers of their respective clubs for the last ten years.
They have not necessarily enjoyed success throughout the last decade, so both clubs should be commended for keeping faith with their respective appointments. Other club chairmen would do well to take note.
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IT’S getting ever closer to the announcement of my end-of-season awards.
I have received an (anonymous) comment asking when I select my team of the season will I consider someone else’s point of view.
While I am always interested to read and hear other people’s comments, my team of the year will be just that – the players that have caught my eye over the last nine months on my travels around the Eastern Counties.
I am sure not everyone will agree with my choices – it would be foolhardy of me to expect them to – but I will be interested to receive any feedback from managers, players and supporters once it is announced.
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