Tag: Darlington FC

FootballOpinion

And So, The End is Nigh

David Stringer

The English season has finally came to a close, with the playoffs finals of League One and Two coming last weekend.
There’s also been serious economic troubles for Kettering Town and Darlington, in both cases the culmination of a series of struggles both on the pitch and the ledger book.
In addition, for reasons that are beyond me, a number of goalkeepers have moved club, including two former England internationals.

I’m also going to try something a little different with this link – I’m going to tease the start of the article here at the blog, so readers have the ability to read before clicking over to Born Offside, just to see if that has any effect on clicks.
Basically, I’m treating you as my guinea pigs.

Do you think they're used for science because they seem really curious?
Do you think they’re used for science because they seem really curious?

You can read The Lower League Week – Dramatic Endings here.

 

 

 

Kettering Town Rolls Downward

It was starting to look like Kettering would, relatively speaking, be alright. Although relegated from the Conference, new owner George Rolls has already poured some of his money into paying off the club’s debts.

However, Kettering still have debts of £1.2m, and the Conference authorities demand all the debts of teams in their leagues (Blue Square Premier, North and South) are repaid in full. By reaching an agreement to pay creditors 10p in the pound, Kettering have guaranteed that they’ll be relegated an additional division.

There is an unusual complication to Rolls’ ownership. When in charge of Weymouth…

Continue reading…

FootballOpinion

The Later Lower League Week

David Stringer

While the English football season is over for most teams, there are still the matter of the playoffs, an FA Trophy final, economic troubles, Paolo di Canio possibly doing a racism, and several teams putting in early preparations for next season.

The penultimate Lower League Week went up at Born Offside yesterday.

Egotism, FootballOpinion

Been a Bit Distracted

David Stringer

It’s been a week since I last posted, but I’m intending to write more in the coming weeks.
First of all, there’s been one BornOffside link I’ve not posted. Last week’s Lower League Week was a double edition, focusing on the conclusion to the Football League season, and the Conference playoffs.

This is where to find the Lower League Fortnight – Dramatic Endings Edition

Meanwhile, I’ve been intending to do more in terms of analysis, thoughts on various programmes/films, and general silliness, which hopefully should arrive in some form in the next couple of weeks.
I’ve been working on a script for a deadline next Monday, so after that, I should be able to find the time to write something worthwhile for the blog!

FootballOpinion

Double Dose of Football This Easter

David Stringer

The latest Lower League Week is now up at Born Offside.

Bath City and Kettering Town have been relegated, Fleetwood Town near certainly promoted, while Darlington and Chesterfield are all but relegated from their respective divisions.
Paul Buckle and the delightful Steve Evans have taken new managerial jobs, while Darlington’s young players are being pushed literally beyond breaking point.

The Lower League Week – In Need of a Miracle

FootballOpinion

Surprisingly, It’s Not Actually Under a Hill

David Stringer

 
The latest Lower League Week is now up at Born Offside.

In it I discuss Barnet FC’s Underhill ground and a potential new stadium; Stockport planing for the future at the expense of the present; unhappy Luton Town fans; League Two managerial sackings; and, after Hartlepool United were awarded the Football League Marketing Campaign of the Year award, I’ve developed a sudden interest in marketing.

Fascinating!

If that’s not enough to pique your interest, I’ve included a snazzy black and white picture of John Prescott. It’s not connected to the article, but sex sells, and I’m not going to apologise for pandering.

Click here for The Clearly Biased Edition

FootballOpinion, Recaps

My Neglected Blog

David Stringer

Looking back at the dates of recent posts, I’ve been neglecting the blog in the past few weeks, and, like the alcoholic father I am in this metaphor*, I intend to overcompensate dramatically in a way that embarasses everyone.
So, in the next few days I intend to polish off a few things I’ve been working on, and get them up either here on the blog or elsewhere (and remember to link to them this time).

So in the next few days there should be a follow up to my earlier Life’s Too Short article in a shameless attempt to cash in on the show’s American debut. I intend to write reviews of the books I’ve read since my last review was posted, and more.
That is, if my day job of rocket scientist/rockstar doesn’t get in the way.

Hard at work

Since my last post here at the blog, I’ve written two entries for Born Offside. The first of the two, filed on the 15th, went into depth on the lovely cuddly Steve Evans, while covering Torquay’s remarkable winning streak, Kettering not being able to afford to pay police for their matches, and more.

Despite his crimes, this is the closest he gets to a prison these days

Then, last week, I covered the reasons for Stevenage’s rise and congratulated them on holding Tottenham to a draw, the reasons why Lee Clark’s sacking at Huddersfield was reasonable, and once again giving Darlington sympathetic press.
Really, as a Hartlepool fan, I hope they sort their finances out so that I don’t have to be sympathetic to them so often.

Once again, in case those links were hard to find in the text: February 15th’s ‘P All Draw Edition’
February 22nd’s ‘You Wait Ages for a Full Fixture List and then Two Come Along at Once Edition’

* Not literally of course. I’m really more of a junkie than an alcoholic.

FootballOpinion

Born Offside – Lower League Week

David Stringer

Just a brief post to tell everyone reading this (and statistically, that means you’re probably a random googler who was searching for a picture of a mountain or jawless zombie) that my latest column for BornOffside is now up.

In it you’ll be able to read about Les Parry at Tranmere, Paolo di Canio’s actions at Swindon, and Giles Coke making a bad impression at Bury, which is pretty much  the same thing, right?

Go on, you know you want to.

FootballOpinion

Last Saturday’s Week

David Stringer

Okay, catching up a little with the blog.  Firstly, I’m planning to start writing regular features pretty soon, promise.

I’ve now started writing for bornoffside.net – an up and coming English football website that I think will get a fair bit bigger over the course of the year.
You should start reading now, so you know all about Born Offside before your friends, bug them about how cool it is when they’ve not heard about it, and, eventually, they’ll grudgingly accept that you did know about Born Offside before them, so you must be really cool.

This is what cool looks like

My feature on Born Offside will be a weekly column, recapping the biggest events in the lower leagues. So, if you want to know about the goings on at Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town (and let’s face it, why wouldn’t you?) you’ll be able to read my weekly column.

The first edition of The Lower League Week went up on August seventh