The Independent Voice of Ilkeston Football
1 of 1- Matchman
- Member
Offline 
- Registered: 26/2/2016
- Posts: 13,869
Teams who have made a good start
.
KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC
IT'S BEEN THE PERFECT START TO THE SEASON FOR RICKY BRIDGE BY RICHARD SCOTT
Left back Ricky Bridge discusses the start to the season with Jake Tomkinson.
It’s been two months since defender Ricky Bridge returned to Kidsgrove Athletic, following spells with Congleton, Chester, Leek Town and Newcastle Town, and it’s been a perfect return to the club for him.
Kidsgrove have had a fantastic start to the season, and sit in fourth place in the Northern Premier League South East division, with only one league defeat in seven, winning five league games.
Not only have the Grove had such a positive start to the league season, the club have progressed to the FA Trophy First Round for the first time since 2004 after a shock 3-1 victory away at Stratford Town, and it’s clear to see that Bridge is happy with the start to the season.
“We have all had ambitions but our aspirations were to be in and around the playoff spots, honestly I don’t think we could have wished for a better start. “If you’d have told us we’d be three points off the top of the league with a game in hand, with the opportunity to go top on goal difference and in the first round of the FA Trophy I think we would have snapped your hand off. “We’ve picked up three away wins in there as well in the FA Trophy so I don’t think it could have gone any better, and it’s a testament to our hard work by all at the club.” The club suffered defeat in the first game of the season this year in what was an FA Cup tie, but Ricky believes this spurred the players and staff on to produce greater things. Bridge said: “I didn’t think we deserved to lose that game if we’d have put our chances away we would have won that game but obviously it hurt to lose. “Nobody likes losing so you just have to pick yourself up and go again and luckily we went on a great winning run after the other defeat to Sutton Coldfield which shows our character.
”The Grove have seen a fair amount of new additions to the side, but Bridge made it clear that it’s not had any negative impact on the squad's morale, as the group becomes closer and closer together each week. Bridge said: “The morale at the club is great, I don’t think it could be any better at the moment, obviously it’s always easy when you’re winning. “We all get along, we’re great friends, there’s also good friendship groups within the group and the new lads have really settled in and been made to feel really welcome.“Scott Dundas has always said when I’ve been with him at previous clubs that to achieve something you must always have a good team spirit that’s key.” It didn’t take Bridge long to get himself feeling comfortable at the club again with the close nit connections that he has with many people associated with the club. Bridge added: “I’ve settled in great as I know pretty much everybody at the club, the chairman was there last time when I was at Kidsgrove as a young 18 year old.” “I also know most of the lads, Tom France is one of my best mates, also good friends with Disco (Kyle Diskin), Kyle Blake, and I’ve played with Sam Hall, Danny Cocks, Blake and more so I wasn’t coming in without knowing anybody so it was easy to adapt."
Bridge has struggled this season with slight injuries and it’s caused the defender to miss a couple of games this season, but he is confident that the recovery process is all done, and he’s fully ready to return once the season reconvenes. Bridge said: “The injury is absolutely fine now so it’s just about getting minutes in the legs and to get back up to speed with things.“It’s very frustrating as come pre season I had got myself fit and had claimed the number three shirt by being named in the starting eleven in the first game of the season. “Within 35 minutes of the new season I fell awkwardly on to my kneecap and it just blew up the swelling was huge but thankfully it was nothing serious.
“I have been available the last couple of weeks but Lewis Bergin has stepped in and done brilliant plus the team have been winning, so I’ve just got to be patient and wait for another chance.” Manager Scott Dundas and Bridge have had a close relationship now for fifteen years, and it’s something that has helped upon Bridge’s return to the Grove.
Bridge couldn’t speak any higher of his gaffer, and believes he is a key reason for the clubs success. Bridge continued: “I’ve known him the best part of 15 years and played under him at Newcastle and now here at Kidsgrove. “He’s a great manager and he’s a top bloke away from football as well, he always wants the players to work hard, and if you don’t work your socks off then you don’t play and everybody’s realised that. “There’s been times where he’s won us games and he’s built a strong team chemistry.”
Last edited by Matchman (18/11/2020 3:08 PM)
- Matchman
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 26/2/2016
- Posts: 13,869
Re: Teams who have made a good start
.
LOUGHBOROUGH DYNAMO
MATTHEWS WANTS TO KEEP BUILDING
The midfielder reflected on his side’s start to the season
Loughborough Dynamo winger Tristan Matthews believes that his side have started the season really well but now wants them to continue where they left off in the league when they get the green light to do so.
The Moes currently sit in second place in the Pitching In Northern Premier League South East, having won six of their eight matches and not lost in the league since the opening day, but Matthews is hoping to keep building what they’ve begun.
“To be honest, I think we have done really well,” the 20-year-old said. “We’ve won quite a lot of games so far this season. Obviously it’s been put on hold at the moment but when we do get back up to it, we want to keep building on that and try and end up as high up the table as possible come the end of the season.”
“I feel like I’ve made an alright start to life at the Club. I feel like I could have had a hand in a few more goals and assists. But I feel like I’ve got a lot, lot more to come when we get back going. So, I still think there is a lot more to come from me to be honest.”
This has been Dynamo’s best start to a league campaign for over six years and Matthews praised their team spirit levels and insists that it’s been a vital component of his side’s start.He added: “If you have got a tight group, you can always do well together because everyone wants to work hard for each-other.
We want get as far as possible in the league and win as many games as we can. “You can only do that if you work hard together and work hard as a team, talking while demanding more from each-other to be honest. We know if we make a mistake, someone is going to be onto us but help us at the same time. So, it’s positive.”
- •
Thread Starter- Matchman
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 26/2/2016
- Posts: 13,869
Re: Teams who have made a good start
.
WORKSOP TOWN
COMPETITION FOR PLACES
Manager Craig Parry has stated that he is elated with the signing of former Tigers starlet Ben Tomlinson, making the competition for places even stronger. Tomlinson came through the club’s Under-19s and became a favourite with the fans as he went on to score 46 goals in over 100 appearances for the club.
The forward netted 29 goals in his final campaign with Worksop, who were playing in Retford at the time, earning him a move to Macclesfield Town where Tomlinson forged a respectable career in the Football League and the top tiers of Non-League.
Parry said: “I am very pleased to get Ben over the line; he is a player whom I have admired for quite a while and he is a player who has a big affiliation with the club.
“As I have said from minute one, we must build the core and spine [of the team] with people like him, so it is pleasing to get someone of Ben’s calibre.
“He will bring experience to the side; we have Gavin Allott, who is very experienced in there, but we still have young lads who want to achieve bigger and better things in Aaron [Sennett-Neilson], Mikey Dunn and Vaughan [Redford]. What he will bring to those guys is leadership and professionalism, and he will set a good example for those guys to look up to with what he has gone on to do.
“It isn’t just his footballing ability that we have got him in for, it is the all-round package that excites us in guiding the young lads into where we want them to be.”
The arrival of Tomlinson creates some stiff competition in the forward line, giving Parry a plethora of options to pick from. The Worksop boss stated that the vying for places is a positive factor for his side.
“With Ben, it brings us another option; competition is vital for the squad,” he continued. “After speaking to other managers who have managed him and given him some glowing references, he can not only play in the ‘nine’ role, but he can also play off that position.
“It is pleasing to have those options up there because everyone will be needed at different times in different games – no-one is guaranteed to be on the team sheet.
“From minute one, I have always wanted to carry 16-18 competitive players at any time. I want to be able to change the side to suit any game and I want players to come in – via any suspensions, injuries, opportunities or lack of form – and make the side just as strong.
“We like to play on the front foot and we want to score as many goals as we can, so to do that we need the right tools in the box to be able to do that – there is no point in just preaching that and not being able to deliver it.
“We feel that every forward we have on board adds something a little bit different; whether that’s in their personalities, ability, age, experience, preferred foot or whether one is a quick player and the other is a battering ram.
“This means that everyone is a little bit different in our toolbox, we just need to make sure that we use the right combination in the right games to get the best possible result.”
- •
Thread Starter- Matchman
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 26/2/2016
- Posts: 13,869
Re: Teams who have made a good start
BELPER TOWN
.
. 
CHAIRMAN SAYS CLUB CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A BRIGHT FUTURE
BY DAVID LAUGHLIN
Chairman, Ian Woodward believes the club is in a stronger position a year on from the floods which wrecked the ground, writes Stephen Thirkill
We decided we could use it to change the club, to make it better and that it would be a fresh start for us - in a way that is what happened and it was good
The club’s Christchurch Meadow ground was left flooded by rising waters from the Derwent river just over 12 months ago. It left the pitch unplayable and cost the club crucial income from a loss of function revenue.
But Woodward (pictured) feels the club have bounced back and can now look forward to a brighter future. “I can remember it well (the night of the floods), I was the first one in,” he told BBC Radio Derby. “We couldn't get in the clubhouse because the water was so high up. I waded into the clubhouse and there was devastation.
“We came away from it and, on that night, we decided as a club that we can’t bury our heads in the sand. “We decided we could use it to change the club, to make it better and that it would be a fresh start for us - in a way that is what happened and it was good.
“If we didn't have the backing of sponsors, individual directors, the generosity of local business and access to grant aid, it could have crippled us. “It meant we couldn't do any functions and then we got COVID, so it was a double whammy. It was difficult times and we were so grateful for the help we got.
“We decided we wanted to take the club forward and make it a professionally run club. A year on the club is unrecognisable, it is fantastic."
As part of the improvements, the club will open their new community 4G training pitch whenever lockdown ends.
It will give the club the ability to have all age groups training under one roof, with community groups also able to hire pitches.
The Nailers will also be able to offer community functions and events seven days a week, allowing them to create a regular stream of income.
“We want Belper Town to be an asset for the local community,” Woodward added. “It will be a seven day a week venue, that's the way we have to run things to finance the club in the modern day."
Just before lockdown gates were up and people were coming to watch non-league football. Non-league football is taking off at the moment and we hope, when we get back to it we will have even more people coming.” 
Last edited by Matchman (24/11/2020 11:13 AM)
- •
Thread Starter- Matchman
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 26/2/2016
- Posts: 13,869
Re: Teams who have made a good start
SUTTON COLDFIELD TOWN
.
.
Is this the reason for Sutton Coldfield’s upturn in form? They failed to win any of their first five matches but they’ve now won their last three.
Last edited by Matchman (21/11/2020 8:11 PM)
- •
Thread Starter- Matchman
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 26/2/2016
- Posts: 13,869
Re: Teams who have made a good start
LEEK TOWN
Ryan Shotton was not messing about when he pulled on a Leek Town shirt,The former Stoke City defender, who turned 32 a couple of weeks ago, was only playing for Middlesbrough in the Championship in July and hopes to be back at that level soon enough
But as a free agent keeping himself in shape and training with local club Leek, he wasn’t going to turn up his nose at the prospect of playing seven divisions below.
“I was training with Leek for six or seven week and (manager) Neil Baker had said if I fancied a few games and hadn’t sorted out a new club, I could come on board,” he said.
“They needed a defender because of injuries so I thought, ‘You know what, let’s have a few games.’“It’s a good standard and a great club, really well set up. I’m never going to disrespect those leagues. They’re honest lads who’ve got good talent and there’s always some who have a real chance of breaking into higher divisions. “If you don’t respect it, it’ll bite you on the bum.
I prepared and treated it just like I would if I was playing in the Premier League or Championship. I wanted to do the shirt justice. I was proud to play for Leek.”
Shotton actually managed just two appearances before lockdown stopped football at that level but, unlike his old teammates, at least he got to play in front of fans.
That's not something to take for granted at the moment. There were 271 at Evesham United for an entertaining 3-2 defeat in the FA Trophy and 374 at Ilkeston for a brilliant 3-2 win, a fifth on the spin in the league that put Leek top of the early table.
“That was massive,” he said. “I’ve not been able to play in front of any supporters at all since March so it was great… even if I did get a lot of abuse. We played in Birmingham and Derby so that was to be expected! It was good fun."
Bakes knows what he’s doing. Most of the lads there say he’s the best coach they’ve ever worked with in non-league.
“It was a real shame that they missed out on promotion last season because of the first lockdown and I hope they can go and finish the job this time, even if hopefully I’m not around to carry on playing for them. They deserve it.”
- •
Thread Starter