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Not long to wait
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Next Saturday (1st July 2023) football returns to the NMG with the first pre-season friendly against Radford : Kick off 2pm.
Last season the Northern Premier League fixtures were released on Thursday 14th July so not too long to wait. Someone asked at the League AGM why the fixtures couldn't be released earlier and the reply was that the league was in the hands of the company that compiles the fixtures. I'm guessing the publication this year will be Thursday 13th July. Clubs get to see the fixtures first but are not allowed to divulge them until a stated deadline.
The NPL start date is Saturday 12th August. Clubs who start with an away game get a midweek home game usually on the following Tuesday night. If we start with a home game then away travel will start with an evening fixture.
So the season will start as follows:
1st match: Sat 12th Aug,
2nd match: Tue 15th Aug,
3rd match: Sat 19th Aug,
4th match: Tue 22nd Aug,
5th match: Sat 26th August
Then it’s the August Bank Holiday Monday match presumably against Basford or Matlock.
The following Saturday we will be in FA Cup action (1st Qualifying round).
Last edited by Matchman (25/6/2023 11:24 AM)
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Re: Not long to wait
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Wouldn't mind a tough game to start with like last season when we played at Tamworth. Last season our two opening games were against the teams that finished 1st and 3rd and we drew both.
Wouldn’t mind FC United in the first match to get it out the way and If we’re away on the Tuesday night let’s not be travelling too far maybe to Worksop or Stafford Rangers.
But we don’t want to start with two defeats. Last season we went six games without a win. We need to get off to a decent start this season.
There’s usually six night matches scheduled for August and September (3 home and 3 away)
We would rather not have to travel to the following grounds for night matches
Workington 205 miles
Morpeth 176 miles
Marske 143 miles
Whitby 141 miles
Lancaster 137 miles
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Thread Starter- WhiteBallProject
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Re: Not long to wait
I can feel it in my water🤫 it’s Morpeth away in August!
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Re: Not long to wait
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I don't think there are many artificial pitches in this league so there could be a lot of matches postponed during bad weather resulting in them being re-arranged as night matches. Therefore there will be a significant likelihood of having to play one or more long distance night matches.
Last season we had to travel to our longest distance match (Leiston) for an evening game and it's very possible that we will have to travel further than that this coming season for an evening kick off. If we had to travel to Workington for a night match, It wouldn't be the first time.
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Thread Starter- Matchman
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Re: Not long to wait
WhiteBallProject wrote:
I can feel it in my water🤫 it’s Morpeth away in August!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
I'm guessing we will play Gainsborough Trinity first match.
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Thread Starter- WhiteBallProject
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Re: Not long to wait
I’m visiting in August so fingers crossed but I know what’s going to happen! I’ll be in Ilson and they will be playing Morpeth away?!?!?