The Non-League Teams Thread - including FCUoM etc

Niall

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We've done some re-arranging of sub-forums and threads. The FCUoM sub-forum has been removed due to inactivity, with all existing threads moved to the Football Forum and prefixed with "[FCUoM]".

This is now the place to discuss FCUoM, Salford City and any other non-league entity that is in some way associated with Manchester United.
 

Revan

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Finally. Never understood why there was a dedicated forum for FCUoM considering that a) they are not Manchester United and b) there were 2 posters posting on it.
 

Jacko21

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Unsurprisingly this hasn't gone down well with non-league fans. Salford not messing around in this window.

Questions being raised re FFP.
 

Annihilate Now!

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Unsurprisingly this hasn't gone down well with non-league fans. Salford not messing around in this window.

Questions being raised re FFP.
Surely that level of player can't be sustainable for them? What attendances are they getting these days?
 

PoTMS

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From Europa League to non-league. Apparently Salford have doubled his wages to £5k a week.
 

Jacko21

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Surely that level of player can't be sustainable for them? What attendances are they getting these days?
They average 1600, highest attendance being close to 3000.

Neville has repeatedly rebuked claims that they are operating outside of the financial norms - but many find the hard to believe. Little wonder.
 

Tiber

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They average 1600, highest attendance being close to 3000.

Neville has repeatedly rebuked claims that they are operating outside of the financial norms - but many find the hard to believe. Little wonder.
If they keep flying up the leagues short term investment may pay off handsomely if they manage to get into League Two. They only need one more promotion don't they?
 

Levo

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They’ve signed a good few league players so far, nice to see the ambition.
 

Jacko21

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If they keep flying up the leagues short term investment may pay off handsomely if they manage to get into League Two. They only need one more promotion don't they?
Yep, one more promotion. It's a calculated gamble. But it obviously raises questions re financial sustainability should they find themselves struggling to achieve immediate promotion.
 

PoTMS

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They've got billionaire Peter Lim at the helm as well as 5 very well off co-owners. I'm sure they'll be fine.
 

Bwuk

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Adam Rooney will rattle goals in at that level.

Ridiculous that Salford can out pay teams like aberdeen.

If it wasn’t his club Gary Neville would be so against this. Hypocrite of a man.
 

Chipper

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1 point from 3 matches for Salford so far and no longer the bookies favourites to win the league.

Lost 2-1 yesterday after playing against 10 men for 35 minutes. The score was 1-1 at the time of the red card.
 
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decorativeed

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FC also lost at the weekend - the third loss on the trot since the season kicked off. They were easily beaten by 3-0 Boston, but what was concerning was the lack of any stand-out player. They were all equally poor and although there was some improvement in the second half, they were miles behind the opposition.

Not sure what's going on with the team at the moment, but they are looking like they're going to have a very tough season.

Still a great atmosphere though!
 

Chipper

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Might go when they come to Maidenhead.

Any of the C92 likely to attend?
Neville was at Sutton United yesterday, don't think the others were. Great pic of him here with a perhaps a suggestion of what he could do to improve Salford's fortunes at the moment - https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulloughlin/43265952754/in/album-72157700094936155/

Sutton and Maidenhead aren't too far apart are they? Suppose that means there's a chance that he'd be at that one as well depending on comittments.

FC also lost at the weekend - the third loss on the trot since the season kicked off. They were easily beaten by 3-0 Boston, but what was concerning was the lack of any stand-out player. They were all equally poor and although there was some improvement in the second half, they were miles behind the opposition.

Not sure what's going on with the team at the moment, but they are looking like they're going to have a very tough season.

Still a great atmosphere though!
I don't follow them closely, didn't they reduce their budget for this campaign? I very loosely keep an eye Altrincham and it might've been when I was reading about them that I picked up on that, I don't know. Coincedentally, Altrincham v FCUM is on Tuesday night. FC's defence seemingly all over the place at the moment, 12 conceded in the 3 matches.
 

togg

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1 point from 3 matches for Salford so far and no longer the bookies favourites to win the league.

Lost 2-1 yesterday after playing against 10 men for 35 minutes. The score was 1-1 at the time of the red card.
The banter in the national league is that all the teams want to beat Salford because of the money they have spent and are able to spend. Especially as in the National League the transfer window doesn't close. You can buy throughout the season. Most of the fans of the other teams will be dancing with delight if Salford goes back down. However, it's a real step up for them, quite a lot more professional teams in the National, they've bought players in and have a new manager. It ain't going to be easy with every other team putting that extra effort in to beat them.
 

Chipper

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The banter in the national league is that all the teams want to beat Salford because of the money they have spent and are able to spend. Especially as in the National League the transfer window doesn't close. You can buy throughout the season. Most of the fans of the other teams will be dancing with delight if Salford goes back down. However, it's a real step up for them, quite a lot more professional teams in the National, they've bought players in and have a new manager. It ain't going to be easy with every other team putting that extra effort in to beat them.
Oh absolutely, everyone will be determined to beat them. They have a target on their head along side some of the bigger ex-football league clubs like Leyton Orient.

Whilst I'm not THAT up on my non-league footy I think it's safe to say that it's highly unlikely they'll go down and those other teams won't be getting that particular wish. Word is they're apparently looking a class act in spells of games right now but are not putting it together for a full 90. My somewhat uniformed opinion says they'll come good, they're too wealthy no to. Depending on when dictates whether they go up this season or not. It's a long slog with plenty of football to be played yet.
 

JB7

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Salford will be fine this season, no chance of them going down sadly due to the funds they've got available. The main issue is the Conference is a bloody difficult league, one where it's very unusual for a team without any Conference experience to be particularly successful. They brought in a League 1 level manager and League 1 level players which is great and over the season the players will become accustomed to the level and improve, but if they wanted immediate success their best bet would have been to sign the best players available from the level.

Realistically as a club it would do them good to have 2/3 years in the Conference and really push on once everything else is in place, but looking at the money they've spent this summer that isn't an option.
 

togg

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Salford will be fine this season, no chance of them going down sadly due to the funds they've got available. The main issue is the Conference is a bloody difficult league, one where it's very unusual for a team without any Conference experience to be particularly successful. They brought in a League 1 level manager and League 1 level players which is great and over the season the players will become accustomed to the level and improve, but if they wanted immediate success their best bet would have been to sign the best players available from the level.

Realistically as a club it would do them good to have 2/3 years in the Conference and really push on once everything else is in place, but looking at the money they've spent this summer that isn't an option.
I think realistically 'the management' don't expect to move into League Two next season. I think they are aware of the big step up in terms of the quality of a lot of the other teams in the National League. However, I do think they expect to get there the season after, so it's going to be an interesting couple of years. I suspect they will be mid-table this season.
 

Chipper

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First wins of the season for both teams last night, both 2-1 with both winners coming in the last 10 minutes. That's some symmetry there.

Salford 2-1 Halifax - headline signing Rooney with both goals moves them up to 14th in the Conference National.
Altrincham 1-2 FC United 2 - A come from behind win moves FC off the bottom and up to 19th in the National North
 

Sandikan

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Bristol rovers started with 3 defeats when they slipped down to the conference but still came back up immediately.

I wouldn't write Salford off from being in the mixer just yet.

As for other teams wanting to beat them, that won't matter for that much with their money!
 

Robertoe

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Altrincham are running a special offer on bank holiday Monday for their 3pm kick off with Guiseley that I may bob down to on the tram before the Utd match at 8pm. A bit of non-league footy for a fiver......where I can stand and have a pint too!
 

togg

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FC united lost again. Second from bottom. Going to be a real struggle this season. Johnson and Morley (ex Salford managers) are finding it tough as well with another loss at Chester - 3rd from bottom of National league north.
 
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Sandikan

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Looking forward to checking out the Salford game in the flesh tomorrow.
Rare chance to do so on a United home day
 

togg

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Looking forward to checking out the Salford game in the flesh tomorrow.
Rare chance to do so on a United home day
When I'm next in Manchester I hope to do that. I love the close community, intimacy and local feel of non-league football. It's always a great experience in the stands.
 

Robbo's Shoulder

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Looking forward to checking out the Salford game in the flesh tomorrow.
Rare chance to do so on a United home day
Did you get to the game? I was in the away end alongside a bus load of Barrovian reds who were going to OT later. Thought 3-1 flattered Salford. Although they are a big strong powerful side, they certainly knew how to work the ref.
 

Sandikan

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Did you get to the game? I was in the away end alongside a bus load of Barrovian reds who were going to OT later. Thought 3-1 flattered Salford. Although they are a big strong powerful side, they certainly knew how to work the ref.
Yep went along. Nice little ground, although very non league that one entrance gets you into the whole ground! Led to massive queues.

Everyone knows about rooney, but they also had gaffney up front who came from league one Bristol rovers. That's a combo that should boss this league. Maybe too similar though, both physical front men.

Thought barrow had some neat players but some absolutely battered physically, like the front man, or kid i should say. Watching him try to move the Almost viking looking centre back was comedy.

Interesting to see a female ref. I always think that keeps players a bit more sensible in their behaviour. Two salford players had blood wounds so barrow could put it about too
Highlight was watching scholesy arrive ten mins before kick off.
 

Robbo's Shoulder

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Yep went along. Nice little ground, although very non league that one entrance gets you into the whole ground! Led to massive queues.

Everyone knows about rooney, but they also had gaffney up front who came from league one Bristol rovers. That's a combo that should boss this league. Maybe too similar though, both physical front men.

Thought barrow had some neat players but some absolutely battered physically, like the front man, or kid i should say. Watching him try to move the Almost viking looking centre back was comedy.

Interesting to see a female ref. I always think that keeps players a bit more sensible in their behaviour. Two salford players had blood wounds so barrow could put it about too
Highlight was watching scholesy arrive ten mins before kick off.
Barrow do play decent football under Evatt, far better than the last few years. Good crowd for that level too with over 500 away supporters which isn't too shabby.
Not overly impressed with the ground myself, tidy enough but not a big fan of the ikea like flat packed stands which might raise a few eyebrows to anyone who's ever visited
Holker St
1st female ref i've seen at that evel, did ok but thought she was far too easily influenced.
 

Sandikan

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Barrow do play decent football under Evatt, far better than the last few years. Good crowd for that level too with over 500 away supporters which isn't too shabby.
Not overly impressed with the ground myself, tidy enough but not a big fan of the ikea like flat packed stands which might raise a few eyebrows to anyone who's ever visited
Holker St
1st female ref i've seen at that evel, did ok but thought she was far too easily influenced.
I don't think they can expand it any further, being on that main road. Does it hold about 5,000? Probably enough capacity wise for even a division or 2 above, but parking would become a real hassle if they had near that.

Barrow's fans were loud! I was sat very close to them in fairness.

A real outpost geography wise! Must struggle with some of the southern grounds.

As a Wycombe fan as well it was a shame Danny Rowe has moved on from Barrow. That'd have added more interest for me personally.
I was surprised to see the Barrow striker is on loan from Sheff United. 3 divisions down is quite a drop to loan someone, especially into non league. Didn't get a sniff against two giant centre backs.
 

Chipper

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Salford well and truly in the groove now, 2 points off the top. 7 wins and 2 draws in the last 9 matches.
 

Sandikan

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Salford well and truly in the groove now, 2 points off the top. 7 wins and 2 draws in the last 9 matches.
Yep. As they should with their money, they're going to ruin this league - straight up into league 2 for sure.
 

Robbo's Shoulder

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Aye, I only check their results hoping they lose, but it looks like the squad has gelled now.
Yeah, they're not very well liked in non league circles, same as Fleetwood, Fylde and Forest Green ( amongst others ) who did or are trying to buy their way to the football league.
The fact they can sign a player from the Scottish premier league and offer better wages shows it's far from a level playing field
 

Sandikan

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Maidenhead United are playing Salford City today. Wouldn't mind going along to see if any of the CO92 are there, but I don't think I can fit it in to my busy schedule.
Are you fairly local to that area then?
It's a shame this one clashed with my home town boys Wycombe having a home game, as i'd be keen to see them up close again after the Barrow game I took in on the same day as United Tottenham.

Top of the league now, it's really gathering pace.

ps I can't imagine any of the 92 gang go to the away games now some are so far away!!
 

Sassy Colin

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Are you fairly local to that area then?
It's a shame this one clashed with my home town boys Wycombe having a home game, as i'd be keen to see them up close again after the Barrow game I took in on the same day as United Tottenham.

Top of the league now, it's really gathering pace.

ps I can't imagine any of the 92 gang go to the away games now some are so far away!!
I've lived in Maidenhead for quite a while.

Always meant to try a go and see them, but I've never got round to it.
 

TheGame

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Went to FCUoM v Whitton Albion in the FA CUP 4th Round Qualifying on Saturday as my friend is a fan. Whitton are a legal below FCUoM however won 2-1. FCUoM were awful and finished with 8 Men after 3 sendings off:lol:. My friend thinks FCUoM will get relegated this season.