Finnaldo

The answer to that is no unfortunately. Back in 2013 they could have, but the actions of its current occupier cut that avenue off. As with most councils they’re cutting it close with reduced funding from central government and they can’t afford, monetarily or from a political capital view, to be buying an incomplete ground out for a football club with attendances of 200. That doesn’t mean they couldn’t look to purchase it with assistance from a commercial partner, but as a club it’s very much our duty to make that as attractive a proposition as possible. We’re in partnership with Hinckley Ladies and looking to create a youth setup, I like to think the club has, slowly, began to build up its reputation in the town and its capabilities since it’s been in Barwell but that’s something we need to keep chipping at with the resources we have. Whatever is created by the current regime at the stadium won’t be anything more serious than a stopgap because they’ve now got a reputation for non-payment with no serious investment looking likely, a mid-table LSL Div 1 Dev side and an active campaign against them from parents of ex-youth players who are apparently looking at an FA investigation into them. Regardless what happens a stadium like that should be a community asset and it should not be held hostage by a multi-time failed football club owner.

Must be on a small fortune. Was getting paid an absolute wedge at Heather and was content to take the money and play with mates.

It’s true but the Ugglas are a disgrace, what makes this even better is they almost certainly bought Stones from Wigan to take him off Oldham as he was on a mission there before January.

I think they’ll be very good and right up there but Real Barcode are coming into the league with an unbelievable level of backing. Hoping a year’s experience is enough to manoeuvre the cryptocretins but it’ll be a tight league I imagine.

Are you local to Leicestershire or further afield? Been involved in non-league for a few years now so happy to offer some tips/background if you’re interested, can drop me a DM

Seems unbelievably low, but again I can believe Beswick has got lads playing for him on a deal so I defer to your expertise on this one! You’d expect them to be hard to beat next season, will be tough as there’s the four relegation spots and it’s looking a very competitive league with who’s coming into it but expect a couple of those teams to be basketcases, with any luck after a couple seasons they’ll be able to build a more competitive budget for the level to kick on. Obviously no longer favourites with Nuneaton in their league, I’d say Atherstone with their current momentum will be up there too ahead of AP. Rugby Town an unknown quantity. All of a sudden it’s a strong league at the top end!

I’ll preface this with the fact Quorn have done fantastically well and will have performed eel over their budget at step 4 to get promoted, fantastic effort all around especially from Beswick. But there’s no way it’s a borderline step 6 budget, they’d have been struggling to get out the bottom half at best with that! However I can believe it wasn’t a strong step 4 budget and step 3 will be a challenge, hoping they can get the most out of it and carve out enough points to stay up, it’s there in that league.

Leicester Road players either signed on elsewhere or advertising themselves on socials. Whispers apparently originating from their playing staff that Lyne has gone. Other than Facebook posts on youth teams there’s been nothing since the end of the season. The end I’d think.

You’re right, I believe the stadium has always been its own entity. The issue he has is what does he do with it? As I understand there’s a sporting covenant on the land, and I like to think the council are sympathetic enough where that is pretty immovable and it’ll struggle to get any right to sell it off for housing. Would the rugby club want it? They’re certainly cash rich and have been quite aggressive in their expansion. But it’s a lot of money for something they probably don’t need, and it leaves their state of the art new clubhouse a bit out the way. I think there’s a bit of a chance anyway over there with their long-time chairman standing down so it might not be the opportune time. It’ll be a right old process, and LR going down the pan would only be the very foot of the hill, but it’ll be the closest Hinckley has got to getting it’s ground back since the whole thing kicked over over 11 years ago.

Was always a war of attrition for AFC. After a bit of a struggle for a few years pre-COVID it’s all beginning to come together. Very healthy commercial position, keeping crowds up at the 200 mark, membership up, and we’ve had some of our highest attendances over the last couple seasons. The only thing missing is our own ground and LR going under may open an opportunity…

Matt Dawson? Don’t let the barnet trick you he ain’t quite 35 yet can knock about four years off that. Might prove a missed opportunity for AP this season with Nuneaton, Atherstone and Rugby Town all potentially heading for the UCL South

You came in here telling people if they don’t do exactly what you do they’re ‘part time Charlie’s’ so you can cut that out pal To answer the question, been a lot more involved in my local non-league team since Covid when I’d become a bit disillusioned with the state of the club and it’s increasing lack of loyalty to supporters. More much rewarding even if it’s more of a time sink than just attending and a real sense of community around it as well.

Thinking of strolling down to AP although St Andrews is also appealing…

Could be an interesting summer for non-league in the west of the county. Surely Ginnelly can’t carry on at Barwell who will have to adapt to life at step 4, and presumably lose their best players. Meanwhile question marks over if they’ll even be a Leicester Road FC next season after pretty strong rumours swirling about and talks of playing staff and players all looking to walk now the season is over. Suppose we’ll see, but that’s probably a manager swap made in heaven

Danylyszyn. Don’t know much about the bloke but he seems to be everywhere, and has a bad rap that follows him. From where I’ve seen his name in the wild and a very cursory google search I can tell he’s been in recent years: Rushden & Diamonds, Gresley, Basford, Nuneaton Borough and Barwell. That’s all in about three years too

First season at step 5 on target for Hinckley with a top half finish and reasonably competitive for the play offs but until the last five or six, learning points is that the top three are just head and shoulders above us, both on the pitch and with the funding off it. Mental to think at Step 9 of the English pyramid you’ve got teams spending upwards of £2,000 a week! Three very good outfits however, and even though they’ll likely be favourites I’m still not sure AP will get over the line. Only hope is past Eynesbury it’s a Rugby Borough who have had a very poor second half of the season and a March who aren’t quite their level. Will be behind them as it’d be great to have another Leicestershire, especially within city borders, go up and increase the representation at the right end of non-league, and secondly cos it gets them away from us! Next year could shape up interestingly, Nuneaton all but confirmed, both Rugby clubs assuming AP are up, potentially Atherstone over (but I can see them going up). A few very decent local derbies with good attendances you’d expect, and a good opportunity to up the profile of the club in those games. Will be a big summer too commercially looking to keep progressing as sustainably as possible!

Even a couple seasons ago, they’d just got promoted to step 4 with good gates and were looking up on and off the pitch with a big ground move on the cards as well… but that became a money sink and the managerial choices came to roost. Now the ground is called off and they’re having to fight off relegation to step 6.

I, for one, am absolutely shocked a football agent thinks Rudkin is the best thing since sliced bread.

Disappointed such an obvious WUM got such a tremendous bite

Was looking up a couple early 2010s indie bands and was interested to see their main pictures on Wikipedia were from the old Summer Sundae Festival on the De Monfort Hall grounds, apparently clothe last one 2012 but the wiki article didn’t say why and I can’t find anything else on it shutting up shop, anyone know why? Seemed like it had a pretty interesting line-up of American and English alternative and indie bands.

The more time passes the more it looks like an unceremonious dumping of the club, I’m hoping there’s been time to rally and give the league a go next season. I can sympathise on the money aspect to be fair. Hinckley are a decent-sized team at step 5 and it’s already looking a mammoth task to be going up and sponsorship is a a very healthy level. It’s not helped by the groundsharing costs and loss of earnings around that, at least until any other facilities become available…

It definitely at least used to be M&B, but it certainly feels like a freehouse so I don’t know if that changed…

Live not far from the Black Horse so go in semi-regularly and walk past it to go Tescos- have had a few busy Fridays of note which I’m chuffed about. The deli on the Castle is technically part of the pub, the main room has a hatch in it to serve out. Do some recent pork pies/scotch eggs. Can’t beat a few games of pool in the Cherry Tree, can spend hours in there easily!

Genuinely what do people get out of going? 150 year record of being utter shit broken by us under ownership who have utter contempt for supporters. If you have a season ticket, it’s better accepting its wasted money and doing something productive with your time. If you’re actively buying tickets, then you’re just thick. Leave the ground empty and starve them out. No one can be arsed to lease proper protests so that’s the only option left.

Important to consider this: when you think Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire have Mansfield, Notts County, Chesterfield, Burton (I know Staffs technically but has cross-county support) in lower leagues, then there’s several National League teams. Leicestershire next highest ranked club is Harborough in the 7th step. Then it’s Barwell. Theres very few clubs at this level of football with such a clear catchment area.