Author Archives: FWA editor

Vanarama Column May 9 – Brackley Town

Posted on by
Reply

Brackley Town – racing to the top, by Glenn Moore.

Football puts places on the map. Blackburn businessmen noted that, after Rovers won the Premier League in 1995, clients in far-away places were more familiar with the town. Talking football provided them with an opening gambit.

The Northamptonshire town of Brackley is the base of Mercedes-AMG Petronas, the F1 team of Lewis Hamilton, Britain’s four-time world champion. Its proximity to Silverstone means it has long had close links to globally recognised names. However, motorsport’s focus on drivers, cars and sponsors, rather than production locations, means few people outside the immediate environs will know of a town whose population is less than 15,000 and has no railway station.

Awareness, however, is growing, thanks to the local football team. Until recently Brackley Town had an unremarkable history. Founded in 1890 they played in county leagues until 1977, using a local pub as a dressing room as late as 1968. Until 2007 they had not played beyond the eighth tier or reached the FA Cup proper. However, in the last decade the Saints have begun to make headlines. In the FA Cup they have twice beaten a Football League club – Gillingham on both occasions. In the league they began to make a mark, winning promotion to the Conference North and establishing themselves there.

This season Brackley have forced people to take notice. On Saturday they meet Harrogate Town in the final of the Vanarama National League North promotion play-offs. The following Sunday they make their first trip to Wembley, to face Bromley, of the Vanarama National League, in the FA Trophy final.

Harrogate, who pushed champions Salford City, the club revived by a quintet of Manchester United legends, all the way, will start favourites in the play-off final. They are full-time and at home. Bromley, making their first appearance at this stage since winning its precursor, the FA Amateur Cup, in 1949, will also be favourites. Former Gillingham and Fulham midfielder Neil Smith has fashioned a good side that just missed out on the play-offs for a Football League place.

But Brackley are growing used to upsetting the odds. They attract average crowds of little over 500 to St James Park but finished well ahead of such relative giants as Stockport County, York City and Darlington. In the FA Trophy Kevin Wilkin’s team have already defeated two Vanarama National League clubs, Sutton United and Barrow.

Wilkin took Wrexham to the FA Trophy final three years ago, only to be unexpectedly beaten by North Ferriby United on penalties. A former Northampton Town player he has been at Brackley since September 2015 finishing 19th (after inheriting a poor start), seventh, and now third. Making the difference this season has been Aaron Williams whose 36th goal of the campaign saw off Bradford Park Avenue in Sunday’s play-off semi-final. Williams is only 24 but has already played for ten clubs at six different levels of the pyramid from Walsall and Peterborough in League One to Romulus of the Northern Premier League Division One South, picking up an England C cap on the way. Young enough to have a third stab at full-time football he, like his club, now has two finals to put his name in the public eye.

For more on Brackley Town, visit: https://en.brackleytownfc.com/

For more on the Vanarama League visit: http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/

For great deals on car and van leasing, visit: http://www.vanarama.co.uk/

Play-offs, Sudden-Death and Beery Breath

Posted on by
1

Luke Coulson gives a first-hand account of the high drama of the playoffs

Our season at Ebbsfleet United began 10 months ago, and 46 games later we have achieved what we set out to do – securing a place in the Vanarama National League playoffs.

Two weeks ago, our win against my former club, Eastleigh FC, extended our unbeaten run to eleven games and edged us ever closer to securing a chance to play off for a place in the Football League. However, our next match against Sutton United saw our opposition also desperately in need of a win – and they succeeded.

The atmosphere was electric at Stonebridge Road, with 3,000 passionate fans packed into the stadium watching every kick of the ball. Unfortunately for our fantastic supporters, the away side grabbed all three points with a 1-0 victory in our final home game. Although the loss was deflating, we knew that four points from our final two games would cement a playoff spot and therefore our fate was in our own hands.

Firstly, we made the dreaded journey to Gateshead for our Tuesday night fixture. Whilst Liverpool dominated Roma to win 5-2 in the Champions League, we similarly wore red and won convincingly with the same scoreline, except it was in the Vanarama National League.

Gateshead FC is 300 miles from Stonebridge Road and I can assure you that at 11pm after a football match, the journey home is not what your body needs. It would have been made easier if our final game of the season had been a local away match; sadly it was at Torquay.

Preparing for the match, we knew that one point would be enough to extend our season and give us a chance of playing at Wembley. The match was a scrappy affair against the already relegated side and it was evident that tiredness began to creep in towards the end of the game. In the second half, Jack Connors gave us the lead with an arching finish from a tight angle and although Torquay equalised two minutes later, the 1-1 score line gave us the result we needed.

The point in our last game of the season meant that we finished 6th in the table, setting up an exciting playoff game against Aldershot. What an evening it was, on the same Wednesday night as Liverpool’s triumphant semi-final second leg in Rome.

The days leading up to the game seemed to drag. I had never been involved in a playoff match before and I was excited by the prospect. When we arrived at Aldershot’s Electrical Services Stadium, we were confident of winning despite the fact that we were underdogs.

From kick off, we allowed Aldershot to control possession, trusting that they wouldn’t be able to break us down because of our shape and work ethic off the ball. Our tactics worked and the biggest chance of the game fell to Danny Kedwell from the penalty spot. Our number nine uncharacteristically missed, however, and the score was 0-0 after 90 minutes.

I was taken off just before extra time began and it was agonising to watch from the bench, especially when the home side took the lead with a glancing header from their striker, Nicke Kabamba. With two minutes left on the clock, I thought the season was over until our captain, Dave Winfield, equalised with a powerful header at the back post. I jumped off the bench to celebrate, a moment my swollen knee didn’t appreciate.

Penalties ensued and it was tense, gripping and a rollercoaster of emotions. After three penalties, we were losing 3-1 and the game was all but over. However, Aldershot failed to score their last two penalties which allowed Norman Wabo and Danny Kedwell to keep our playoff dream alive. In sudden death, Lewis Ward, the Aldershot keeper stepped up and missed but Dean Rance did not make the same mistake as he coolly slotted home and sent us through to the Vanarama National League Playoff Semi Final.

The celebrations were brilliant in front of our faithful supporters, yet I didn’t exactly appreciate the kiss from a fan with the strongest beer breath I have ever smelt. Having said that, the celebrations are now over as we prepare for the semi final on Saturday against Tranmere, live on BT Sport.

For more on Luke Coulson’s amazing adventure visit: http://ebbsfleetunited.co.uk

For more on the Vanarama National League visit: http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/

For great deals on van and car leasing visit:  http://www.vanarama.co.uk/

England Legends at FWA Live on May 17

Posted on by
Reply

England legends Frank Lampard and Alex Scott will be our special guests at the next FWA Live, to be held at the Landmark Hotel London on Thursday May 17.

Former Chelsea midfielder Lampard and Arsenal Women’s star Scott both reached over 100 caps for England, and will be previewing the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester United and also discussing this summer’s World Cup, and in particular England’s prospects.

They will be joined on stage by leading FWA members Carrie Brown, Paul McCarthy, Neil Ashton in the popular Question Time-style format.  Our last FWA Live, featuring Arsene Wenger, Les Ferdinand and Gary Lineker among others, raised thousands for the Grenfell tragedy charities.

Proceeds from this year’s event will go to the charities of the players’ choices.  Tickets are £25 which includes a free drink. and are likely to sell out quickly again.  Get them at:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-night-of-england-legends-tickets-45647370514

 

VENUE: Empire Room, Landmark Hotel, 222 Marylebone Road, London NW1 6JQ

TIME: Doors open 7.00pm

DATE: Thursday May 17

TICKETS: £25.00

Alex Scott

Frank Lampard

Paul Parker

MO SALAH IS FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

Posted on by
2

SALAH IS FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR
Mohamed Salah is the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year.

The Liverpool forward narrowly beat Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in a ballot of over 400 FWA members, with the winning margin less than 20 votes.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane was placed third.

Between them, Salah and De Bruyne polled more than 90 per cent of the FWA member votes.

The Egyptian, 25, becomes the first African winner of the football’s oldest individual award, which has been running since 1948. Salah will be presented with his trophy at the 2018 FWA Footballer of the Year dinner, to be held at the Landmark Hotel in London on May 10.

Patrick Barclay, FWA Chairman, said: “It’s been the tightest call since 1968/69, when there was a dead heat between Tony Book of Manchester City and Derby’s Dave Mackay.

“Right up to the last week or so we thought it might happen again, so strong was the support for Kevin de Bruyne, but Mo Salah’s relentless match-winning form, exemplified by his two great goals against Roma, seems to have swung the vote by a very narrow margin.

“What a race it has been between two players who, in a relatively short time, have reached genuine world class. But Mo Salah is the worthiest of winners. He is also the first African to receive the award and we congratulate him on a magnificent season.”

The FWA has also introduced the inaugural FWA Women’s Footballer of the Year Award, which was won by Chelsea and England forward Fran Kirby, who will collect her accolade at the gala event.

Both Kirby and Salah were also voted PFA Players of the Year last month.

Other players to receive votes from FWA members were, in alphabetical order: Sergio Aguero (Man City), Christian Eriksen (Tottenham), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Nick Pope (Burnley), David Silva (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Man City) and Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham).

You can see the full list of previous winners, starting with Sir Stanley Matthews in 1947, here: http://footballwriters.co.uk/previous-foty

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring his side’s first goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League, Quarter Final at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester.

Footballer of the Year – voting deadline tonight

Posted on by
Reply

A reminder that voting closes at midnight tonight (April 30) for the Footballer of the Year, so if you have yet to cast your vote, make sure you do so today.  Mohammed Salah and Kevin de Bruyne are among the front-runners, but you are, of course, free to vote for whichever player you consider, by precept and example, to be the Footballer of the Year.  Last year’s winner was N’Golo Kante, who finished ajhead of Chelsea team-mate Eden Hazard and Tottenham’s Dele Alli.

The winner will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday May 1) at 10am, and will be honoured at the Footballer of the Year dinner on May 10th at the Landmark Hotel.

All FWA members can vote via the link on this website, or by email or phone to FWA Executive Secretary Paul McCarthy

Vanarama Column – Macclesfield’s silky skills

Posted on by
Reply

Macclesfield – The Silkmen’s success .  By Glenn Moore

A happy ending did not seem likely in February when the players of Macclesfield Town confronted the club chairman at a local country club after their wages went unpaid, but by last weekend the Silkmen were celebrating the most joyous of finales.

Victory at Eastleigh ensured Macclesfield would return to the Football League after a six-year absence with a Vanarama National League match to spare. John Askew’s team pulled away from the pack in recent weeks then kept their nerve to hold off a late run from Tranmere Rovers.

Askew, who played for the club for nearly two decades, winning three titles plus promotion to League One, said this was his ‘biggest achievement’ at Moss Rose. This is hardly surprising given the fiscal backdrop.

Funds have long been tight at the club and after January’s wages went unpaid a group of first team players gate-crashed a meeting at the Tytherington Club to ask chairman Mark Blower what was going on. The players then issued a statement saying neither majority shareholder Amar Alkadhi nor the chairman had told them what the reason was for this ‘alarming’ situation. Four days after the country club showdown the wages were paid with Alkadhi blaming ‘a technical issue with my bank’ adding, “put simply, I didn’t do my job properly”.

Wages banked, the players got back to doing their job. The Silkmen were second then, behind Wrexham on goal difference and with six clubs within two wins of them. Losing one of 14 subsequent matches, while all around them faltered, they ultimately cruised to the Vanarama National League title winning at rivals Tranmere, Aldershot and Boreham Wood on the way.

It has been a team effort with no player scoring more than a dozen goals. Housemates Scott Wilson (12 goals) and Tyrone Marsh (nine) have led the way, both having been among the raft of players signed in the summer after the bulk of the team that reached last year’s FA Trophy final departed.

That exodus – only three players were left – meant many thought Macclesfield more likely to exit the Vanarama National League through relegation rather than promotion. Askew had to wait to see who was left looking for a contract before filling up his squad. His contacts and experience proved invaluable but Askew still had to take a few gambles on players whose potential had not previously been realised, such as Wilson and Marsh, both of whom are having their most prolific season at this level.

“There will always be talent out there,” said Askew earlier this season. “it is just a case of getting them in the right environment and feeling comfortable to play. You need to have the confidence to have a bit of faith in them.”

With a good start boosting belief the squad gelled quickly. Luck with injuries and good discipline limiting suspensions helped. Team spirit proved strong enough to withstand the financial worries and Tranmere’s surge. Now the Football League beckons again. No one is under illusions, making the jump will be difficult, but the Silkmen have grown used to defying the odds.

For more on Macclesfield Town, visit https://www.mtfc.co.uk/

For more on the Vanarama National League: http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/

Fran Kirby is FWA Women’s Footballer of the Year

Posted on by
Reply

Fran Kirby, the Chelsea Ladies and England striker, is the first winner of the Footballer Writers’ Association’s Women’s Footballer of the Year award.

Kirby, 24, has scored 22 goals this season for Chelsea who lead the FA Women’s Super League, have reached the final of the Women’s FA Cup and the semi-finals of the Uefa Women’s Champions League. She also starred for England as they reached the semi-finals of Euro 2017.

Kirby was the overwhelming choice of the 22-strong panel of expert members of the FWA. Having led the preliminary vote from which a shortlist was drawn up she scooped more than 50 per cent of the final tally. Jodie Taylor, who won the Golden Boot at Euro 2017, and is now at Seattle Reign having also played for Arsenal and Melbourne Victory during the last 12 months, came second.

Lucy Bronze (Lyon), Izzy Christiansen (Manchester City) and Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal) made up the rest of the short-list.

Kirby said: “I was really proud to be nominated in the first place but to actually win is a real honour. To be the first recipient of this honour and award is so special.”

Patrick Barclay, FWA Chairman, said: “Congratulations to Fran Kirby on being such a worthy winner of this historic vote by an expert panel of FWA members.

“I can’t help thinking of our first Footballer Of The Year vote back in 1947, when the winner was one of England’s most admired players of all time, Sir Stanley Matthews. Now, after Stan, comes Fran – she’ll always be first in what will become a long list of Women’s Footballers Of The Year.

“It was a great achievement to emerge from such a strong short list and let’s hope Fran can take inspiration as Chelsea prepare for a tough second leg in Germany.”

Kirby will be presented with her award, alongside the Footballer of the Year, at the FWA’s annual awards dinner on May 10 at the Landmark Hotel in London.

Fran Kirby

Vanarama column April 11 – National League North

Posted on by
Reply

Vanarama column – the National League North 

By Glenn Moore

Size is always relative: by the standards of non-league football the Vanarama National League North is the graveyard of giants. It is a curiosity that while Vanarama National League South does not contain a single club that has previously played in the Football League the northern section has eight (albeit some have reformed after the original club went bankrupt).

There are many reasons for this disparity, and to an extent it is just a snapshot in time, but the gradual southwards economic shift of the English economy is clearly a factor. There are many upwardly mobile clubs in the south. The likes of Crawley and AFC Wimbledon have climbed into the Football League in recent years, Eastleigh and Ebbsfleet are pushing to join them. Often it is northern clubs that have made way.

Even taking into account that Boston United and Kidderminster Harriers only had four seasons apiece in the Football League in the early years of this century, and Gainsborough Trinity last played League football in 1912, that leaves five once well-established Football League clubs now in the sixth tier of the game.

Of that quintet York City, the FA Trophy holders and a Football League club only two years ago, and Stockport County, a Championship-level club as recently as 2002, look best-placed to secure a spot in the play-offs. Southport, now managed by former Bolton and England striker Kevin Davies, Bradford Park Avenue and Darlington are hoping to join them, but will each need a strong finish. None will win automatic promotion, that seems certain to be claimed by either Salford City, the club bankrolled by the Lancastrian heart of Alex Ferguson’s golden generation, or Harrogate Town, who went full-time at the start of the season.

In a tier in which attendances can dip below 200, and more than half the clubs in the northern section, and all those in the southern, average crowds of less than 1,000, Stockport and York are giants. Only four Vanarama National League clubs have averaged more than their gates, approaching 3,500 for County, in excess of 2,500 for York.  For County this support is especially impressive given this is their fourth season in the sixth tier and they have been sitting in mid-table for most of it.

However, the support and facilities at Edgeley Park can inspire opponents too. “Players do like to come to our place and play in front of 3,000-4,000 fans, but they also come here with a mentality to defend and not concede and that makes it difficult for us,” said manager Jim Gannon earlier this season. County are also part-time, in a league with an increasing number of full-time clubs, including the top two.

York City are full-time, but may not be for much longer. A dispute between owner Jason McGill and the supporters trust ahead of a move to a new stadium in 2019 has clouded matters, with speculation the club may go part-time. That increases the need to go up this May. Jon Parkin, now 36 and the scorer of more than 200 career goals, including 141 in the Football League, is spearheading the Minstermen’s promotion push but with FA Trophy finalists Brackley Town all-but tying up third the chase for the remaining four play-off places is tight.

For more on the Vanarama National League North visit: http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/

For great deals on car and van leasing visit: http://www.vanarama.co.uk/

Footballer of the Year voting

Posted on by
Reply

Voting has opened for Footballer of the Year, and all FWA members should by now have received an email with a code for online voting.  If you have not received an email, however, or would like to register your vote by email, phone, text or post, please contact our executive secretary Paul McCarthy on paul@maccamedia.co.uk or 07831 650977 .  Voting closes on midnight April 30th.

Ray Wilkins RIP – an appreciation

Posted on by
Reply

The Football Writers’ Association is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ray Wilkins at the age of 61, following cardiac arrest and a fall. Ray was a fine footballer for some of Europe’s leading clubs, a respected coach and an excellent pundit. He was also a good friend of the FWA, always courteous and helpful with reporters, fans and colleagues, and will be much missed.

Martin Lipton, deputy sports editor of The Sun and a member of the FWA’s national executive committee, shares his personal memories of a great football man.

I once gave the ball back to Ray Wilkins.

It was at Brisbane Road, Orient versus Chelsea, in 1976.

Most of the people who were there vaguely recall it was the match in which the Chelsea fans pushed over one of the brick walls running alongside the pitch.

But not me. The ball went into the crowd. Ray Wilkins – THE Ray Wilkins – came over to take the throw. I gave it back to him. And for the first of what was to prove many times over the next 40-odd years, he said, simply “Thank you.”

Courteous. Polite. A gentleman.

Equally, a far, far better player and man than he was ever given credit for. Yes, for some, he was “Ray the Crab”, the master of the sideways pass. But that was because, in an era when possession of the ball was an afterthought, Wilkins believed it mattered.

That keeping the ball counted. That control of possession was vital in any context.

Captain of Chelsea at 18. Yes, 18. An FA Cup winner at Manchester United. Still respected at AC Milan. Recalled with affection at Rangers – where he was a Double winner – and QPR.

And a man who earned 84 England caps, wore the Three Lions armband on 10 occasions, represented his country at three tournaments, including two World Cups.

But, of course, it is at Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge, that Wilkins’ death at the age of 61 will be mourned more than anywhere else.

In truth, the real measure of the esteem in which real football fans held “Butch” was clear only last Sunday. To say the hostility between Chelsea and Spurs fans is brutal is an understatement. The two clubs loathe each other.

But when Wilkins’ face was displayed on the giants screens at the Bridge before kick-off, with prayers and good wishes offered for his recovery from the coma into which he had been induced, both sets of supporters had the same, immediate and genuine response.

Sadly, those warm wishes were not able to halt the inevitable.

Those who knew Wilkins, as a player, a coach, a manager, a pundit or a friend, will always recall him with a smile.

Loyal to a fault – he never said a word against Carlo Ancelotti, even after the Italian stood back and did not intervene when Wilkins was summarily sacked by Chelsea just months after the club had won the Double in 2010. And a man who always had time for real football fans.

A couple of years ago, I was contacted by someone who said they wanted to thank Ray.

They had been in the middle of their wedding in a Surrey hotel, when Wilkins had been spotted in the building. The groom was a Chelsea fan, who recalled watching Wilkins in his pomp. Out of nowhere, he was invited to be guest of honour. He could not let a Blues fan down. Then he made his way off home. I agreed to pass on the regards. Got the details. Picked up the phone and told Ray about the call I’d had.

“Thank you,” he said, once again. “It was my honour. Just give him my details.”

That was Ray.

Now, we all say our goodbyes, never to speak to him again. It’s not him who says “thank you” now. It’s me. “Thank you, Ray. It was a privilege.”