DARLASTON TOWN (1874) officials have announced the club's pre-season friendly with Stafford Town has been brought forward 24-hours to next Tuesday.
With England potentially being involved in the semi finals of the European Championship on Wednesday, the club took the decision to move their game. The game will now take place on Tuesday July 6 at the Paycare Ground with a 7.30pm kick off and free entry. There are a number of additions and changes to the friendly list and for a full update, visit the 21/22 Pre-Season section of the website. SHIFNAL TOWN have made two quick signings as preparations for the new season continue.
Forward Charlie Knowles makes the move to the Acoustafoam Stadium after recently spending time with Market Drayton. Former AFC Telford youth player Brandon Taylor has also joined and he will be expected to pay in either central defence or midfield. Both signings were completed today and the pair join former Westfields and Shawbury midfield Keanu Cooper who put pen-to-paper at the weekend. STUDLEY will play in the Hellenic League next season it has been confirmed.
The Bees appealed against being moved from the Midland Football League but a club tweet at the weekend confirmed it was definitely going to happen. It read: "It's official. The Bees will play in the Hellenic League this season. "Exciting times ahead as we look forward to making new friends and sporting rivalries. "Thanks to everyone involved in the MFL and the many clbs we have competed with over the years." The Hellenic League covers nine counties including Worcestershire and Studley will join Worcester Raiders in Division One. TIVIDALE boss Dave King has pitched in to support a colleague who has completed a charity walk after beating cancer. King, who owns the Soccer Kings shop in Amblecote, Stourbridge, provided the shirts for Mark Clifton's Snowdon Challenge free of charge. Clifton, a former coach at Stourbridge where King ran the youth team and who also takes sessions at Tividale, is in remission after being diagnosed with a tumour in his right hamstring in October 2019. After a period of intensive treatment and a long operation in February last year, Clifton - who formed part of a successful Stourbridge management team for 14 years - recovered well enough to start work again. He and a team of friends and colleagues trekked around nine miles up the famous mountain yesterday (Friday) to support Sarcoma UK, a national charity that raises funds for research into the cancer that develops in the bone and soft tissue. King, who has managed Tividale for the last two seasons, had his own testicular cancer scare when he was 40 and said he was only to glad to help. He said: "Mark is a good friend and colleague of mine and it is great he is doing this to try and help research into cancer so that less people may suffer in the future-I was only too glad to help him" The walk to Snowdon has already smashed the initial sponsorship target of £5,000 with around £9,000 expected to be the fina total. On the pitch, King said he was looking forward to the new season, with work taking place on the pitch at Tividale's Beeches ground and behind the scenes. Their first friendly is next Saturday at Stafford Town. *To donate to Mark Clifton's efforts for Sarcoma UK, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mark-clifton Below: Dave King (r) and Mark Clifton (l) outside the shop prior to the walk. CONGLETON TOWN will not compete in the Midland Football League next season after winning their appeal against being moved.
The Bears were laterally moved by the FA from their favoured North West Counties League but won their appeal which was heard by the FA yesterday. The board of appeal also upheld Division One club Hinckley AFC's appeal against remaining in the Midland Football League. It means that currently, both the top two divisions of the league will run with 19 clubs. WORCESTER CITY have signed midfielder Billy Shaw on loan from Halesowen Town.
The teenager, 19, has risen through the ranks at The Grove but joins City looking for first team games. He has signed on loan until January 1 next year with a view to a possible extension and has permission to play in the FA Cup. City manager Tim Harris said: "Billy played against us in a training game a couple of months ago and I have since watched him play for Halesowen. "I have been impressed with his ability so I am absolutely delighted to be working with him for the eason ahead. "He could certainly be one for the future if he works hard and shows the right application so I would like to thank Halesowen Town and manager Paul Smith for allowing him out on loan to gain some valuable experience." Below: Billy Shaw in action. CADBURY ATHLETIC have received good news ahead of the new season, with two key players committing their future to the club.
Former Bromsgrove Sporting, Highgate United and Studley defender Daniel Morris is to stay with the Chocolate men for the 2021-22 season. And the club are hoping forward James Ward will help shoot them up the Division Two table after he also confirmed he was staying.~ Ward counts Fairfield, Alcester Town and Barnt Green amongst his former clubs. MICKY Morton has joined Congleton Town as assistant manager.
Morton, who left Hanley Town in March after leading them to their best ever FA Cup run, will work with Richard Duffy who was appointed player manager at the Silk 1069 stadium in May. CONGLETON TOWN have announced their pre-season programme as they prepare for life in the Midland Football League.
They will travel to newly-formed Macclesfield FC a week on Saturday and will welcome neighbours Port Vale and Crewe to the Silk 106.9 stadium. The Bears were transferred to the Midland Football League premier division from the North West Counties League for the forthcoming 2021-22 season. Full first team friendly list: Saturday July 3: Macclesfield (a) 3pm; Saturday July 10: Abbey Hulton (h) 3pm; Saturday July 17: Newcastle Town (a) 3pm; Tuesday July 20: Leek Town (h) 7.45pm; Saturday July 24: Crewe Alex (h) 3pm; Tuesday July 27: Port Vale (h) 7.45pm. DIRECTORS at Worcester City have unveiled their new club crest which will carry them into their 120-year-anniversary in 2022.
Designed in collaboration with city based creative agency Sauce Creative,it follows month of consultation with supporters and behind the scenes work. The focus of the new badge is a simplified version of the city of Worcester's coat of arms with the badge draped in the roya blue and white colours of the team. It will be seen in all digital forms immediately, on items produced by the football club such as season tickets and on any physical signage at Claines Lane. It will also feature on new playing kits for the 2022-23 season. Chairman Steve Goode said “We are really pleased with what has been produced to be the football club’s new identity. "We have been working on this quietly in the background now for almost a year, so it’s fantastic to finally show it to the City faithful. "It not only signals Worcester City as a professionally-run, modern outfit on the pitch, but also positions us off the pitch as an attractive brand that companies and organisations can partner and work with. Sauce Creative have worked tirelessly with us to strike a balance between preserving the tradition of the former club badge whilst modernising it. We are very pleased with the outcome." Director Luke Cox added: "Owing to the intricacies of the badge used by the club to date, it has become increasingly difficult to replicate it accurately across all platforms. "Because of this, and with the clubs 120th anniversary next year, we felt it was time to move Worcester City forward with a new badge to represent us. "We consulted a broad range of City supporters to take in their views and feedback on the design. "All supporters apporached to take part in the consultation were very positive about the new badge and we thank them for their time and contributions. "We sincerely hope everyone involved with the club can appreciate why feel the time for change is now and we hope they will embrace the badge with pride." Simon Johnson will be his own man as he takes on his first managerial role at Highgate United.
The 38 year-old former Leeds forward is the new boss at Tythe Barn Lane and i already looking for improvement on last season's albeit curtailed season which h labelled 'Not good enough." Highgate only won one game out of eight and Johnson will demand improvement from the start, whilst recognising how tough the division will be. And whilst he admits he will take some influences from bosses in his playing career on board, he will stamp his own mark on the job, "My biggest influence is Mick McCarthy, even though I only had a brief spell under him at Sunderland but he was a great man-manager and I hope to be so too," he said. “But I feel I can be my own man, I have certain standards and anyone who plays under me will need to meet those-whether it be the existing players or the new ones who come in." Johnson made his debut at Elland Road aged 20 under Terry Venables after coming up through the youth ranks under David O'Leary But the West Bromwich born forward fell out of favour at Leeds as the club went through some turmoil in the early part of the millennium after three top five Premier League finishes and had a number of loan spells, including under McCarthy He eventually settled and had good two-year spells in the league with Darlington and Hereford United before moving into non-league at Halesowen Town, Bromsgrove and Solihull Moors and eventually retiring from playing at 29. After going back to Halesowen Town to run the academy, he set up his own successful soccer school in Oldbury and took on coaching roles at Evesham and last season, Sporting Khalsa. Now he feels he is more than ready to step up and hasn't ruled out blooding youngsters as well as recruiting from elsewhere in a bid to secure at least a top half finish for United. “The academy is going from strength to strength and there are a number of players who have shown they can step up and are cut above, no disrespect, a lot of the people they play against. “When I was at Leeds the attitude was if they are good enough they are old enough, I think I benefited from that and it is something I will certainly try and implement at Highgate. "But it may need experience as well because with the likes of Hanley, Congleton and Shifnal joining the league as well as the established big hitters, it is going to be tough but I am confident in my own abilities to alllow us to compete. Picture: Simon Johnson at Leeds during his playing days. Josh Green has put pen to paper as Hanley Town's latest signing.
The 26-year-old moves to the Potteries from Welsh Premier League outfit Cefn Druids. But he is no stranger to Staffordshire, having previously played for Stafford Rangers, and was also a professional for two years with Fleetwood Town. The club have also announced the signing of left back Ryan Campbell-Gordon after his release from Port Vale and both follow Chris Dagnall, who recently joined them from Yeovil Town. Youngster Ronan Sheehan has joined Lichfield City for the forthcoming Midland Football League Premer Division campaign.
The pacy forward joins from Southern League Premier outfit Rushall Olympic where he broke into the first team last season. Highgate United have announced former Leeds United striker Simon Johnson as their new manager.
The West Bromwich born 38-year-old started his career at Elland Road in 2000 and also represented Darlington and Hereford United in the football league. He runs his own Oldbury-based football academy and spent last season coaching at now-promoted Sporting Khalsa.
Vacancy
The Midland Football League are currently looking for a Fixture Secretary. The role is an opportunity to work as part of the Football Department in the well respected and highly regarded Midland Football League In order to be considered for this role candidates must be computer literate, customer focused, they should also pssess negotiating skills, a knowledge of non league football, especially at our level, as well as an in depth understanding of the National League System. If you are interested in applying for this role please send your expression of interest by 11th June 2021 to the League Secretary, Nigel Wood on nigel.r.wood@blueyonder.co.uk |
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