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Sunday
05Jul

Welcome Back...to the New Website!

DateSunday, July 5, 2009 at 9:30PM

After what has been a very busy June for me personally, time to get back to the ol' routine.

Like the new look? Well, I told you that things would be a bit different around here....

I know I used to tinker with the "old" website a bit every now and again but after three full seasons of the same format I felt as though now was a good a time as any to perform a major overhaul and move onto the proverbial "next level".

Moving it away from the Blogger format and onto one hosted by Squarespace has given me a bit more scope and that's why you'll find a lot more stuff on here; some of it useful, some if it purely "because I could, that's why". So, in short:

What's New?

  • a menu bar across the top containing stuff that I have been able to "separate out" from the main site containing some-but-not-all of the following features....
  • in response to loads of requests, we finally have some "pen pictures" of the squad. I say "some" because I haven't had the time to include everybody. Yet.
  • I've been guilty-as-charged of leaving them out, so now there's details of the reserves' fixtures and results
  • all of the pictures have been aggregated onto one Flickr site now (which took me f**king ages to do)
  • an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) bit full of, well, frequently asked questions
  • a Forum...which I'm still pondering over having on here at the moment

What's The Same?

  • the Forthcoming Fixtures, Goalscorers table and League Table at-a-glance are still over on the right
  • you still have your opportunity to comment on each article that goes on here
  • the video channel on YouTube can still be accessed (but now the button is on the left)

What's Gone?

  • seeing as how they aren't relevant any more, the match previews, results round-ups and most of the rants n' raves haven't been transferred over from the "old blog"...
  • ...I have, however, kept all of the match reports from the past three seasons. These can be accessed via the 'Archive' categories on the left

I'm more-than-open to comments about the layout or new look as this is a new work in progress. More information about new features will appear here as I create them.

And onwards we go.

AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment |
Tuesday
26May

Look What We've Started!

DateTuesday, May 26, 2009 at 11:15AM

Okay, just one more thing before the summer break. I was looking at the Barmy Flags Facebook page the other day and saw this latest creation made for fans of Bohemians FC (Dublin): Now where could they have got the "Born To Moan" idea from? Summer hibernation starts this Wednesday; come back then for further details.

AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment |
Tuesday
26May

Groundhopping: A Visit to Thornaby FC

DateTuesday, May 26, 2009 at 11:13AM

Just one more thing of mild interest before I put this website into its usual summer hibernation.

As part of the pre-marital festivities the "website committee" i.e myself and Polardin spent a weekend in the North East, starting off in Polardin's childhood hometown of Thornaby, near Middlesbrough. Our pre-trip research had revealed a Thornaby FC who had finished bottom of the Northern League Division Two, thus putting them on the same rung of the footballing pyramid as our very own Cheadle Town. An excuse to pack the flag and go ground-hunting for a photo opportunity if ever we saw one....

When we found the gates to their ground sixth sense seemed to kick in; something wasn't right. The gate itself was swung wide open and to the right of that was a boarded-up, derelict clubhouse for a Stockton FC [further research was to reveal that this was Thornaby FC's former name].

Given that the gate wasn't going to stop us in our tracks we kept walking down the long path that was hopefully going to lead us to something resembling a football ground. What we didn't expect was to be led straight inside the ground itself without further challenge in the shape of a fence, gate, wall etc.

It quickly became evident that Thornaby FC hadn't kicked a ball at this ground for a while. The pitch itself was worse for wear - rutted and in the process of surrender to Bellis Perennis - and the only living things stood on the terraces were the weeds. There was a turnstile, in fact, but its position was certainly more ornament than use. I took the opportunity to do a quick video and all whilst we were being rather impolite and walking all over their (fit for purpose or not) playing surface. Apologies if you can't hear my attempt at a commentary but hopefully you'll get the gist of it.

Further contact with a Thornaby FC fan has revealed that the ground had been untouched for around a month when we visited (just shows you how quick a playing surface can deteriorate) with a new security fence and clubhouse being built in the next 12 months amidst a lot of hard work to actually keep the club in the league. We wish them well and who knows, we may be drawn together in next year's FA Cup.

AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment |
Wednesday
20May

2008-2009 Season Review: In Pictures

DateWednesday, May 20, 2009 at 7:00AM

...and now onto the usual compilation of pictures that hopefully go to sum up the past season, thus bringing the review period to an natural conclusion. If you want a better version of it then click on the 'HQ' button on the bottom right. Enjoy.

AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment | in |
Sunday
17May

2008-2009 Season Review: Player-by-Player

DateSunday, May 17, 2009 at 7:00AM

I haven't been bothered to check on past seasons but I'm sure this player-by-player run-down is the longest I've ever done, largely thanks to the huge number of players who pulled on the white-and-black this season: a whopping 40. Anyway, here they are, each and every one of them....

GOALKEEPERS
Anthony "Boom" O'Keefe Has now become our first-choice custodian and capped a great season with the NWCFL's 'Safe Hands' Award for January 2009. Not one to be messed with; have you seen the size of him??
Steven McDonagh James McDonagh's brother. Stepped in between the sticks for four games whilst "Boom" was recovering from an injury and saw us to two wins, a draw and a loss. Made some key saves in the Ashton Town away match.
Peter "Misery Guts" Mellor Completely unrelated I'm sure, but came back for four matches in October during our bad run. We assume he's still at New Mills....

DEFENDERS
Ben Roberts Another great season for our tigerish left-back, but could do with curbing that short fuse of his which saw him pick up six yellows and one red.
Barry "Asda Price" Cotterill Another solid season at the back for Barry...and three goals and all!
Neil Logan Put in 31 appearances in total, albeit most of them coming off the substitutes' bench. None the worse for that, though, as he has become an important member of the squad.
Adam Roberts What would we do without him at the back? Only missed three games all season. We've still to see him net for Cheadle! Picked up the club's Players' Player of the Season Award.
James McDonagh Made a return towards the latter half of the season and put in some very solid, impressive performances in midfield and defence. Has come on leaps and bounds.
Lee McGregor Find of the season. Came in from Maine Road towards the second-half of the campaign and has been a near-revelation at right-back.

MIDFIELDERS
Rob Brocklehurst Was easily in the early running for our Player of the Season with five goals and a raft of excellent performances before he left for Maine Road at the start of November. He'd struggle to get back into our side now given the strong midfield we have.
Arron "Daddy Cool" Riley Our Player of the Season. Didn't miss a single game, netted eight goals and only managed to get himself one booking. Is Cheadle Town through and through.
Andy Lindon We are hampered with midweek games as it means we miss Lindinho's presence. Had a much better season than last and was back to his best, chipping in with seven goals. We're not sure that he has warmed to our 'Lindinho' tag yet...
Johnny "Every Ref Knows His Name" Hussain No doubt I'll still be barracked for awarding him our Player of the Month back in March but I'll stand by my decision. A solid season from Johnny with 37 apearances and not one red card in sight. Is the one with the loudest voice and so is ideal for driving the players on...a job he does admirably.
Carl "Call The Cops" Buchanan Put in 9 appearances before disappearing towards the end of October.
Phil Clorley Just pipped to our Player of the Season award by Arron. Bided his time in the reserves for ages before being given his chance when Steve took over as manager...and seized his chance with gusto, netting 7 times.
Dan Brokenbrow A decent handful of appearances from him this season where he has been called in to cover suspensions or injuries in midfield.
Paul McCormack Another newbie towards the latter half of the season that has been a more-than-welcome addition to the squad.

STRIKERS
Ben Brooks Our top scorer. We'd have been stuffed without his goals. The fact that we didn't win when he was injured throughout October says a lot. Should have netted more...but you show me a striker you can't say that about and I'll show my arse on Cheadle High Street.
Scott "The Wasp" Flanagan Our cult hero put in 13 appearances - and 1 goal - before disappearing to the reserves at the end of November.
Mike "Halloween" Myers The only scorer of a hat-trick this season. Phenomenal work-rate at times...which deserves more goals.
Tommy Greally Hasn't been for the want of trying, but by christ does he need a goal. Still plays with a smile on his face.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS TO THOSE WHO WARMED THE BENCH OR CAME ON A COUPLE OF TIMES...
Daniel Atkinson - 'keeper with just one appearance this season, but he kept a clean sheet in the first match of the season.
Craig Fairclough - just the one game between the sticks to his name: the 1-3 home defeat to Stone Dominoes in the Vodkat League Cup.
Scott Clarke - we hope to see him back next season after his knee injury sustained two games in
Brian Hodgkinson
Brad Brokenbrow
Jonathan Quinn
Gaz Gittens
Ryan Wilkinson
Jacob Ritchie-Brown
Dave Bennett
Ben Fallows
Aston Barrett
Andy Street
Dean Martin - the return of the prodigal son was short-lived; just the one appearance
Anthony Fannon
Jamie Firth, Alan Hamlet and Dean Tutle - "the Padiham three"

THANKS, BUT NO THANKS TO...
Lee Ebdon - we're still searching for that evidence of his time at Portsmouth....

AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment | in |
Thursday
14May

2008-2009 Season Review: Reflection from The Pole

DateThursday, May 14, 2009 at 1:37PM

It started in the best of ways; it started in the worst of ways.

Although this website will never forget nor forgive the silliness stirred up by certain people at the start of this season, it did threaten to overshadow the fantastic start we had made, a start that saw us briefly looking down on the rest of the division following a 2-0 away win at Stone Dominoes.

I'll have to admit that our start surprised me as the pre-season friendlies saw us struggle to get results against teams that were technically below us on the non-league pyramid. It just goes to show the importance of such fixtures as we must have got rid of our rustiness and hit form just at the right time.

When the wheels started to fall off in October I feared the inevitable journey downwards to our ultimate "home" of 13th spot. We had failed to win a single match all month and then Trevor left us, leaving Steve Brokenbrow at the helm.

Although Steve would only manage one win in his first five matches, as the year clicked round to 2009 it all suddenly started to fall into place. An unbeaten January - something that brought the rare-as-hens-teeth occurrence of the 'Manager of the Month' award making its way to Park Road - and just two defeats in nine matches meant that the dream of a top-ten finish was back on again.

So full credit to Steve - and his sidekick Dave "six-foot-three" Lee - for turning a situation that could have easily turned into a tailspin into Cheadle Town's highest league finish for 11 years. Further certification of how far we've progressed comes out of the mouths of the supporters of other clubs and the friends that we sometimes drag along to the games; we're now regarded as a difficult fixture and have a talented, settled side.

One area where we didn't fair well at all - and was in stark contrast to last season - was our performance in the cup competitions which saw us eliminated at the first time of asking in each case. Mind you, it hasn't done our final league position much harm, so it does make you wonder whether you can't have the best of both worlds. Something for Steve and Dave to consider, perhaps.

At this point I usually form some sort of a "wish list" for next season. Given that 2008-2009 exceeded all expectations - and then some - that particular exercise seems a little trite now...although collecting a win on the last day of the season would be nice!

The season's end has come just at the right time as I feel all "footballed-out" and have other things on my mind to attend to before the pre-season kicks-off and this whole circus re-boots and starts again in July.

Roll on.
AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment | in |
Tuesday
12May

2008-2009 Season Review: In Numbers

DateTuesday, May 12, 2009 at 7:00AM
First up in the review period, the usual list of facts, figures and generally uninteresting stuff. All stats are for all competitions, unless it says "league".


Final League Position and Points
7th with 52 points from 34 games. An average of 1.53 points per match. In fact, we never dropped out of the top ten all season.

Home League Record
8 wins, 2 draws, 7 losses
Away League Record
Exactly the same! 8 wins, 2 draws, 7 losses!
Goals Scored
61 in total: 30 at home, 31 away
Goals Conceded
63 in total: 32 at home, 31 away. It was 98 conceded last season - another marker on how far we've come
Goals Scored Half-by-Half
31 in the first half, 37 in the second
Top Scorer
Ben Brooks with 13 goals
Biggest Win
5-0 v Holker Old Boys (home), NWCFL Division One
Heaviest Defeat
0-4 v Bootle (home), NWCFL Division One
Biggest Home Attendance
164 v AFC Liverpool, NWCFL Division One

Smallest Home Attendance
29 v Holker Old Boys (home), Division One Trophy Second Round
Most Consecutive Wins
Same as last season - never any more than 2!
Most Consecutive Games Unbeaten
4 - the run in January 2009 that earned Steve the 'Manager of the Month' award
Most Consecutive Games Without A Win
5 - it was a shit October 2008. From the home defeat to Stone in the Vodkat League Cup to the 1-4 away defeat at Chadderton
League Doubles
5 this season: Leek CSOB, AFC Blackpool Mechanics, Daisy Hill (again), Rochdale Town and last but certainly not least, a certain Staffordshire-based club
Percentage of League Points Gained by Venue
26 points at home, 26 points away - a 50%-50% split
League Points Gained As A Percentage Of Possible Total Points
51% - a vast improvement from the 35% mark that we've set over the past two seasons
AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment | in |
Sunday
03May

Cheadle Town 0-1 Darwen

DateSunday, May 3, 2009 at 11:49PM

What is it about Cheadle Town FC and the final day of the season? Banishment of the last-match hoodoo will just have to wait another season thanks to a late Darwen goal.

Not that it ruined our celebrations...nor was it for the want of trying as Cheadle did everything they could to go out and win the match; it was "one of those": Cheadle could still be playing now and they still wouldn't score.

On the 12th minute Mike Myers headed just wide from a corner with Phil Clorley - easily the man-of-the-match - doing the same thing just three minutes later. His bad luck would continue into the second half as a lob went just wide on 78 minutes and then he had a looping header clip the top of the crossbar followng a great cross from Brad Brokenbrow.

As Cheadle poured forward they would always be susceptible to leaving gaps open at the back. Darwen's Herrodge suddenly found himself clear on the right with just four minutes to go to advance on goal and plant a shot home. Given the hoodoo mentioned before and the fact that we had turned this day into a bit of a celebration, I suppose the ultimate result was ever thus.

No matter though as Cheadle Town will finish in 7th spot, our highest league finish in 11 years. This was celebrated post-match in the clubhouse where we made our announcement of the cheadletownfc.com 'Player of the Season'.

Yes, if only the end result WAS 2-2

 

Before that came the award for the April/May 2009 'Player of the Month' which we gave to Barry Cotterill who started the month with two goals at Padiham and put in solid performances in the back line. Steve was then given a small token of our appreciation for getting Cheadle Town to such lofty heights this season.

So, Player of the Season. We said all along that we would try to ignore facts, figures and stats when it came to making our decision. However, when you look at the figures for this particular player, they are hard to ignore. This player scored 8 goals, has only received 1 yellow card all season (not bad for us!) but more importantly has started every single match this season, cup games included, no mean feat at this level given the work committments that the players have. So it's a big well done to Arron Riley.

From that point on the rest of my day became a slow blur as 'Phase One' of my pre-wedding festivities got under way. We didn't stick around for the official presentation of Players' Player and Managers' Player of the Season but can tell you that Adam Roberts and Arron Riley - his second gong of the day - picked up those two awards respectively.

Photos? Click here - keep checking back as there should be some more on the way as there were a handful of cameras knocking around yesterday and I haven't badgered the owners to cough them up yet. Many thanks to Adam Riley who had already turned his in to me via e-mail before I got back home this afternoon!

That may be it for another season Cheadle-wise but it's not quite over for Polardin and I on a footballing front. We're attending what promises to be an enthralling Vodkat League Cup Final between New Mills and Runcorn Linnets on Tuesday night. The end-of-season reviews, stats etc. will be on here week commencing Monday 11th May.

TEAM: O'Keefe, Logan, B Roberts, Cotterill, A Roberts, McCormack, Riley, Clorley, Brooks (B Brokenbrow), D Brokenbrow (Lindon), Myers (Hussain). Subs: Hussain, Lindon, B Brokenbrow

AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment | in , |
Thursday
30Apr

Cheadle Town 2-1 Oldham Town

DateThursday, April 30, 2009 at 8:42AM

We've done it. We've only gone and done it. If only you could see the smile on my face as I'm typing this....

Mathematically there's no way we can slip out of the top-ten now. Well bloody done to Steve Brokenbrow and Dave Lee for getting us there and providing us with a decent bedrock on which to build for next season. What makes the whole thing that little bit more satisfying is that we got over the finishing line with a game to spare and with a cultured performance over a half-decent Oldham Town outfit. We were absolutely full value for the win tonight.

Whatever it was that Steve and Dave put in the half-time tea it worked wonders as the game came to life after a rather scruffy first 45 minutes of play, a half that was concluded by a fittingly scruffy goal from Phil Clorley to put Cheadle in a 1-0 lead; he gathered a through-ball and hit a bobbler from 30 yards that had no right to end up in the back of the net. The Oldham 'keeper chose that very moment to be in charitable mood as he allowed the ball to squirm through his hands.

So, onto that second half.

Just three minutes in and both teams had great chances within 60 seconds of each other. O'Keefe saved superbly at the far post from an Oldham header and when the ball was fed upfield to Arron Riley he steamed in on goal and crashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar. Cheadle were pouring forward time after time and carved out numerous half-chances to increase the scoreline.

On the hour mark it was Oldham's turn to have the upper-hand. The ever-troublesome Darren Scanlon had a superb turn-and-shot blocked by O'Keefe in an equally superb manner and then Paul McCormack made a fantastic saving tackle just two minutes later after Scanlon had cut the ball back to a waiting attacker.

At this point Ben Brooks will have still been kicking himself about the opportunity he had back in the 38th minute when he was through on goal but opted to play the ball square to nobody in particular when the shot looked the obvious option. On the 70th minute he seized on a loose ball and presented himself with a similar opportunity; this time he cracked an unstoppable left-footed finish into the corner of the net.

With such a head of steam worked up, it was inevitable that Cheadle would create further chances.

On 77 minutes Arron Riley diverted a header from a free-kick goalwards that was collected by the 'keeper and with six minutes left on the clock, Brad Brokenbrow held the ball up well on the left and fed the ball for a far-post cross that both Ben Brooks and Arron Riley just failed to get a decent connection on.

For all their efforts, I suppose Oldham Town were worth the bizarre 40-yarder that looped over O'Keefe with the last kick of the match but by then the celebrations had begun as the manner of the performance told us that even Cheadle weren't gonna throw this one away.

Just one to go now and by Christ, are we gonna enjoy it on Saturday. Objectives: achieved.

Photos: they're here.

TEAM: O'Keefe, McGregor, B Roberts, J McDonagh (Logan), A Roberts, Hussain (B Brokenbrow), Riley, McCormack, Brooks, Clorley, D Brokenbrow (Myers). Subs: Logan, B Brokenbrow, Myers

AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment | in , |
Sunday
26Apr

Daisy Hill 1-2 Cheadle Town

DateSunday, April 26, 2009 at 10:36AM

Any air of deja-vu could have gone one of two ways today: Polardin's dad fails to see Cheadle win a match for the seventh time or Cheadle leave it late to snatch all three points, just as they did last season. Thankfully it was the latter.

Although we didn't leave it quite as late as last season, there was still a paltry five minutes left on the clock when Mike Myers was 'supersub' for the day, getting his head onto an Andy Lindon cross from the left. Given the way that Cheadle grasped the second half by the scruff of the neck, you could say it was rich reward.

In amongst the gilt-edged chances that Cheadle created for themselves in the second-half was Arron Riley's equaliser on 56 minutes. Dan Brokenbrow gathered a cross from the left before flashing the ball across the net, with our captain getting the final, decisive touch.

Arron hit the woodwork eight minutes later when he met a free-kick with his head and then ten minutes after that Ben Brooks should have heralded his introduction from the bench with a goal when he was put through, only to be denied by a double-save from the Daisy Hill 'keeper. He was definitely the least called-upon of the two custodians in the first-half, however, as Cheadle rarely threatened.

Daisy Hill forced a good save from O'Keefe as early as the 5th minute and really should have opened the scoring from the resulting corner; their attacker going for Row Z when he had all the time in the world when the ball fell to him in the box. O'Keefe's next significant activity would be to pick the ball out of the net on the stroke of half-time. A free-kick was nodded goalwards and O'Keefe could do nothing more than claw the ball to the far post where a Daisy attacker was on-hand to bundle it home.

The home side had an easier chance on 77 minutes when the score was at 1-1. Following a melee where Ben Roberts was yellow-carded, Cheadle switched off as a cross was pinged across the face of the goal to an awaiting Daisy player at the far post; how he missed only he will know.

We made hard work of this today but who are we to complain. It's a much-needed three points in our quest for a top-ten finish and yet another hoodoo has been banished this season: Polardin's dad can now go back home to Middlesbrough with a clear conscience.

Pictures are here.

TEAM: O'Keefe, McGregor, B Roberts, Cotterill (J McDonagh), A Roberts, Hussain, Riley, D Brokenbrow (Myers), Clorley, McCormack (Brooks), Lindon. Subs: J McDonagh, Myers, Brooks

AuthorThe Pole | CommentPost a Comment | in , |
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