Rival Son

Before you get too excited, that comment did come from Lies at the Bolton News!

Desparately need some left-footed defenders, at both centre half and left back. Really don’t want to see Toal or Forino on that side.

Question marks over both, for me. Wouldn’t be surprised if we brought in 4 or 5 defenders, this summer.

Alan Stubbs was at Everton until released at 14. We immediately snapped him up for our youth system, at the same age. Never anywhere other than those two clubs, apart from schools football.

Higher level than Stocksbridge Park Steels, then. Anyone who played for them would never be good enough to play in the second tier, eh?

Opportunity, potential (organically, we are a much bigger club than Wrexham, and our own billionaire fan/investor would quickly demonstrate that) and the security of a 4-year contract.

The third highest spending club in last season’s Championship (Wrexham) offered him a new contract, but he chose to sign for us. Sort his injuries out and I think he’ll be a massive player for us, next season.

Only just home from the weekend. Hence the delayed response. I must correct this opening post, which has an all too common error that requires correction every time. Namely, there is no link between Accrington Stanley FC - either in their original or current formation - and Accrington FC: founder members of the Football League. At the time the Football League was established, it was Accrington (not Stanley) who won the vote to join the original Football League. After finishing as high as 6th in 1890, Accrington subsequently struggled and by 1893 were relegated from the first to the second division. At this point, they made the fatal decision to resign from the Football League and join the Lancashire League. They quickly realised the folly of this decision and in 1894 applied to rejoin the Football League. However, their application was rejected, the club subsequently had financial difficulties and were dissolved in 1896. Accrington Stanley FC were founded in 1891 and coexisted with Accrington FC, while the latter were members of the Football League. From 1891 until 1896, the two clubs played simultaneously as crosstown rivals. The town of Accrington was then not represented in league football until Accrington Stanley were elected to the newly formed Dividion Three (North) in 1921. in short, of the twelve founding members of the Football League, only eleven currently exist. It has been this way since 1896.

That’s very helpful. Please pass on my thanks to Sluffy for his clear explanation of a poor article by the BN.

That’s exactly my point. Thank you.

Love and agree with the sentiment. But I keep reading that ACD will love the space at Wembley. Our pitch is exactly the same size as Wembley. There won’t be any more space.

My point is that other clubs were spending a much greater proportion, thanks to billionaire owner investment, and beat us to promotion.

As the best supported team in the league (this season, at least) isn’t this an advantage to us? Just a pity it wasn’t around when the yanks were bankrolling Wrexham, Birmingham, etc.

Clubs do make money from other sources. Gigs, exhibitions, conferences, etc. They’re not going to leave it unbooked, just in case.

I’m not here to present the defence for SS but, if the defence is a weakness, it remains Evatt’s defence. With regard to board investment in SS, with c.£2 million received for Collins and Thomason, I’d suggest his transfer activity is broadly cost neutral. SS has had nothing like the investment given to Evatt.

Wow! However, I still need an accountant to explain things like this. ”Group turnover dropped 3.75 per cent from £21.3m to £20.5m” And the following paragraph. “Wages for 447 staff across the group increased to £17.112m, which now represents 98.8 per cent of turnover.” 17.112 is not 98.8% of 20.5. It’s 83.5%.

Really? I can believe accumulated debt might be in that region, but I’m struggling to see how we lose that much money in a year. If we assume the average salary is £5k per week and we have 28 people on that salary, it only comes to £7 million per annum. This must be, far and away, our biggest cost item. Without searching for accounts, £12 million might be our annual turnover. However, there are a host of income streams - 20k+ crowds, TV money, etc. - to offset those costs. Perhaps, an accountant can verify?

I think part of the reason the concourses were so packed was that it was so cold. I saw quite a few dressed for May, when we got a March (and earlier) temperature. People stayed down on the concourse until kick off, and a lot went down at half time, simply to warm up! 23k (it wasn’t just 22k) felt about right.

And 2-2 now. Nice one Rochdale.

Don’t be too hasty. Rochdale pulled a goal back. 2-1 now. Even if Boreham Wood hold on, we managed to coexist in the league with Burton Wanderers, in the 1890s. Now that was a similar name!

Just checked his stats. Been there half a season and no goals, no assists , one red card and a spell out injured. Not for me.

There is no way Simons deserves a place in the team. Amongst a bad bunch at Port Vale, he was especially shocking and has been no better than poor since October. If we need to shuffle the team, the least disruptive and least risk (injury and fitness wise) is to push Rodrigues to 10 and put Dempsey alongside Sheehan. We’ll agree to disagree on this one. However, we’re hopefully debating a moot point, and Kenny and Burstow will start, with Dalby on the bench.

Simons hasn’t given a performance for eight months, while Erhahon has been out injured for almost two months. if the worst comes to the worst, on what basis do they leapfrog Dempsey as the obvious alternative?

Home attendance can be included in criteria, which would level up … and also reward those season ticket holders who attend all games.

It’s Thursday!