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09/8/2021 7:53 PM  #1


Countdown to the season start



What I’m hoping for and Ilkeston’s prospects 

With less than a week before the start of the season it’s time to contemplate Ilkeston’s prospects. 

There are several good sides in this league and in my opinion at least half of the teams are capable of finishing in the playoffs.

I can’t see any teams breaking away from the pack like Leek and Stamford have done in the past.

Because there are so many decent teams there could be a lot of points dropped by the leading teams. The team that finishes top will almost certainly lose at least six games and maybe more. 

Ours could be a league where the teams finishing in the top five remain undecided right through until the end of the season. Every team will have an incentive to keeping fighting for points throughout the whole season because in a tight league a playoff position is always a possibility for teams in the top half and relegation is always a threat to teams in the lower half. 

My hope is that Ilkeston make the playoffs. It won’t be easy with the likes of Stamford, Belper, Halesowen, Cambridge, Loughborough, Corby etc battling for the same outcome. It’s likely to be a marathon with any team putting a run together having a chance.

If it’s tight at the top, then the quality of squads may play a part when injuries inevitably happen. We have a good squad but Martin Carruthers will do well to keep all of the players happy and he will probably have to operate  a rotation system. 

The first match of a new season is always a big and exciting occasion. Last year our first League match was at Cleethorpes but we’d played an FA Cup game against Shepshed at home, the week before. We took two bus loads of supporters to Cleethorpes and we won 3-2.  This season our opening league game is away again and we’re taking a double decker bus load of fans to promotion favourites, Stamford. A repeat of the Cleethorpes scoreline would be a fantastic start.   


  

Last edited by Matchman (09/8/2021 8:12 PM)

 

09/8/2021 10:10 PM  #2


Re: Countdown to the season start

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Stamford started their season on Saturday with a 2-0 win against Oadby Town in the FA Cup extra preliminary round.

Their match report contains this opening line :

"A mixture of injuries, suspensions and holiday unavailability’s meant that only fifteen players were available to manager Graham Drury."

Let's hope they still have players unavailable next Saturday.  

But that's not likely to happen. I think they will want to be at full strength.

The last time we went there it was a cracking game.  We led 2-1 but three late Stamford goals turned the game on it's head. 

Although we lost It was a good performance. We tend to play well against the better teams. 






 

Last edited by Matchman (09/8/2021 10:25 PM)

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10/8/2021 7:10 AM  #3


Re: Countdown to the season start



Seven years ago, in September 2014, Ilkeston travelled to Stamford who had made a cracking start to the season winning all five of their opening matches. Ilkeston dominated the game and goals from Luke Shaw, Rob Duffy, Kane Richards and Che Adams gave us a 4-0 win. The match was played on Stamford’s old ground just before they moved to their current stadium.

That season saw Ilkeston reach the playoffs after clinching the final playoff place in the last game of the season. James Reid scored the goal at Nantwich which took us into the playoffs. 

Unfortunately James Reid is not available for this Saturday’s match due to suspension but a repeat of the September 2014 Stamford result and a place in the playoffs this season would be most acceptable.    


 

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10/8/2021 2:43 PM  #4


Re: Countdown to the season start

yeah i can remember that night very well , Che was on fire that night where  the very young right back for Stamford just got blasted away . Will be very different this sat tho ... 
Going for a 2-1 loss ......sorry but i really hope the lads ram that down my throat .
 

 

10/8/2021 9:20 PM  #5


Re: Countdown to the season start

I think if we get anything from the game at Stamford it will be a tremendous boost. If for instance if we win other teams will be wary of playing us as Stamford are generally thought of us as the best team in the league. As a result there will be less pressure on the Ilkeston team as they are not expected to win and that might put more pressure on Stamford. I think in some ways the game against Sporting Khalsa may be more important especially if we lose on Saturday.  we will expected to beat Khalsa but they will be no pushovers as we can remember how they over ran us a couple of years back at their newly installed artificial pitch at Noose Lane.
To be honest its just great to see Ilkeston back playing and to see us talking on here about Ilkeston chances for the new season. Whatever happens its just going to brilliant to witness the journey after such a dreadful few seasons!

 

11/8/2021 9:17 AM  #6


Re: Countdown to the season start

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Do we start at Stamford with an extra defender or do we bolster our midfield?. That’s a decision for Martin Carruthers to make. It may depend on which players he feels are most up for it. Stamford are strong in attack with two fast tricky wingers. We’ve been conceding quite a few goals in pre-season so he may decide to go defensive and play Maguire, Fenton and Irvine as central defenders and have just Verma and Wakefield in midfield.  Or is that inviting Stamford to attack us? Up front will probably be Troke, Goodson and Campbell with Frances and Bennett operating as attacking full backs when possible. 

Whilst we have great respect for Stamford I’m pretty sure that they will have the same respect for us and their formation will take that into account. Stamford will have done their homework on us and we will have done the same.  It may be the first match but neither team will want to lose.

Substitutes could be important. The bench has to cover several possibilities. As ell as cover for possible injuries in key positions, there’s also a need for game changers if things aren't going to plan.
We have to have goalkeeper cover so that’s Richard Stainsby on the bench.
The other four need to provide cover/alternatives for defence, midfield and attack. 
James Carvell would be my attacking sub. 
Although he’s not been at his best so far Ollie Brown-Hill has the quality to change things so he would be another sub..
My next choice would be either Mitchell Tait or Charlie Marzano both of whom can play in more than one position.
The final place on the bench I would give to Jack Rogers.


So this would be my team : 

                                                  Durrant

                              Irvine           Maguire        Fenton
          Frances                                                                            Bennett
                                Wakefield                      Verma              

                          Goodson            Campbell            Troke                      

The Bench :
Stainsby
Tait  (or Marzano)
Brown-Hill
Carvell
Rogers 


The most exciting thing about football is it's unpredictability. Any number of things can happen in a game that affect the result;  an injury, a red card, a refereeing decision, a mistake, a brilliant piece of play, vociferous support, they can all change a game. We all need to be there on Saturday giving encouragement to the team.  We need to match the home support. Let's get as many supporters there as possible. It could make the difference and set us up for a successful season. If you've not been before, Stamford have an excellent new ground with plenty of parking, It should be a great match between two good teams. 

Stamford v IlkestonTown is Saturday's Northern Premier League  Match of the Day

 

Last edited by Matchman (11/8/2021 6:56 PM)

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11/8/2021 7:01 PM  #7


Re: Countdown to the season start

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Stamford AFC    @Stamford AFC1896
This Saturday we host @ilkestontown_fc at the @Zeeco_Inc stadium. First home league game of 2021 with FANS!..
Lets pack the stands out and support the lads.
  





 

Last edited by Matchman (13/8/2021 7:13 AM)

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12/8/2021 8:25 AM  #8


Re: Countdown to the season start

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Ilkeston's previous opening game results : 

2020-21   19 Sep 20   Cleethorpes Town   NPL East    away      won  3-2
2019-20   17 Aug 19   Cleethorpes  Town  NPL East    home    draw  0-0
2018-19   04 Aug 18   Stourport  Swifts     ML Prem     home     won  3-2
2017-18   05 Aug 17   Uttoxeter Town        ML Div1       away     draw 1-1
2016-17   13 Aug 16   Stafford Rangers     NPL Prem    home    postponed
2015-16   15 Aug 15   Skelmersdale           NPL Prem    home     lost  1-3
2014-15   16 Aug 14   Witton Albion           NPL Prem    away     won  4-1
2013-14   17 Aug 13   Whitby                     NPL Prem    away     draw  1-1
2012-13   18 Aug 12   AFC Fylde               NPL Prem    home     draw  1-1    


Five years ago on 13th August 2016 Ilkeston should have played their opening fixture of their 2016-17 Northern Premier League season at home to Stafford Rangers but the game did not go ahead. Irregularities at the club caused the NPL to suspend Ilkeston’s opening fixtures. Having suspended the club (stopped them from playing) the NPL then proceeded to fine the club for not fulfilling their fixtures which seemed rather bizarre. When the suspension was finally lifted Ilkeston played their first match at home to Ashton United on 27th August 2016 and lost 0-2.


Since our re-birth as Ilkeston Town at the start of the 2017-18 season we have not lost our opening league fixture. Can we produce a repeat of last season's brilliant away win at Cleethorpes? We should have similar travelling support but this will be a real test against the automatic promotion favourites. 



 

Last edited by Matchman (12/8/2021 9:02 PM)

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13/8/2021 7:10 AM  #9


Re: Countdown to the season start

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Saturday 14th  August '21  : Stamford v Ilkeston 

The 2021-22 season could not have had a tougher opening game but optimism has never been greater than it is now, under our new ownership. If we can achieve promotion this season we will have clawed ourselves back to where we were 5 years ago when we were demoted three steps in the non-league pyramid. In effect that would be three promotions in three full seasons if we ignore the two seasons that were lost to the Covid pandemic. What an achievement that would be. 

          2016 -17   demoted from Step 3 to step 6
          2017-18    promoted to Step 5
          2018-19    promoted to Step 4 
          2019-20    season curtailed due to Covid pandemic
          2020-21    season curtailed due to Covid pandemic
          2021-22    promotion to Step 3 ????


This season's targets :

No 1 target        -    Achieve promotion (either automatic or via the playoffs)

No 2 target         -    Increase average attedances at NMG to 600 per game

No 3 target         -    Have decent runs in FA Cup and FA Trophy   






 

Last edited by Matchman (13/8/2021 7:40 AM)

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13/8/2021 7:53 AM  #10


Re: Countdown to the season start

kevilsonlad wrote:

Going for a 2-1 loss ......sorry but i really hope the lads ram that down my throat .
 

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i'm going for a 3-3 draw with goals by Troke, Verma and Maguire.

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