Finnaldo

Dave Laing has been their chairman since their initial merger in ‘92, he definitely puts in good money but it’s also been done in a fairly sustainable way, and has included pretty significant infrastructure improvements including their 3G. More recently Jimmy Ginnelly, most recently Nuneaton’s owner-manager, has rocked up and the wage bill seemed to have increased… that said there is new sponsorship including a new ground deal he’s arranged.

Glad I’ve not gone mental, when it first got revealed I thought ‘is that the Klan cross inside the sonnenrad?’ Shame really as it’s a bit of a generic non-entity badge otherwise, I did like the old one.

That’s superb news, fingers crossed it all gets agreed in time. A fantastic effort from those who have led it. From what I’ve heard about it, they’ve been quite forthcoming. Generally in these situations if there’s time to do it they’ll try their best themselves to get it done granted everything that needs to be in place, is.

Some context if Coalville do manage to get a team going this year. Not an authority but someone who has a very good understanding of the structure and rules throughout non-league. Also suggests further up in the chain that given numbers per league, it may be they’re put in the United Counties League despite Leicestershire clubs being moved over to the Midland Football League, probably not ideal as you’ll be dealing with a higher quality of opposition in the MFL when they inevitably moved over next season, I guess it at least allows the club and supporters to regroup and adapt for a season.

Glyn Rennocks interview with BBC Radio Leicester is online: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j0qxw5 Not many extra details, reaffirms the rising costs and want to retire. More interestingly, mentions a team looking to be set up ‘around step 6’

Im basing this off an article I read last year, but I know the Lib Dems in the NW Leics Council were trying to reduce the football club’s subsidy (link here), in May of that year the Conservatives lost control of the council and it was the Lib Dems and two independents. With that in mind, my (granted, completely guesswork) theory is that the Conservatives got through the usual payment last year, or at least with token reductions, and there’s probably been a battle this year to reduce it considerably that’s ended in the Lib Dems getting their wish. Clearly it’s a bridge too far for Glyn and he either doesn’t have the means, or can’t personally justify it, to keep it going. That said, it’s a huge shame they’re gone. Seemed to create a fantastic atmosphere down Owen Street and were looking like the closest club to getting Leicestershire in step 2 again (although Harborough I think will challenge). Hopefully something can be worked out to make it sustainable and less dependent on the actions of one. Leicestershire non-league is better with a competitive Coalville.

Crap news for county non-league, firm believer a high tide raises all ships so a massive blow for Leicestershire non-league. Can’t believe there’s not more to it though…

Scott McManus heading the other way to Barwell

Nuneaton aren’t Leicester City. They’ve never even been a league side. In fact, given trying to achieve and maintain that level has either crippled or killed multiple iterations of the club, I’m at a push to say step 1 & 2 is even their level. This is meant with no personal affront but it’s probably this attitude and entitlement that has lead to a cycle of wound-up clubs killed trying desperately to reach something they can’t sustain within their limits. I expect Nuneaton to win this MFL Division 1 but they’re lucky two of the more threatening sides have been moved out as otherwise it may not be as comfortable as it likely will be. And even then, should it be the MFL Premier you go into then that’s stacked full of respectable teams or at least teams with plenty of cash to burn. Bury, a club far bigger than Nuneaton, learnt the hard way that ‘village teams’ can be very much worthy adversaries and nothing is a given because you used to be ‘big’. You have an opportunity as a supporter base to regroup and create a sustainable football club. That may mean prolonged stays in step 4 or 5, but it’s a chance to break the cycle of constant financial frailty and toxic expectations. The FA Vase is a national cup, Nuneaton has never won any form of national competition, in fact even in the FA Trophy they managed a paltry best of quarter final. This is an opportunity to have a trip to Wembley and win proper silverware. Respect the level or there’s a good chance it bites your arse.

Droitwich moving across to the Hellenic and Allscott over to NWCFL leaves absolutely no threat of more to Nuneaton, expect them to cruise that league. Wolves Sporting? To be fair, whilst it’s somewhat harsh and they won’t be happy, they’re based next to Cannock and the A5/M6, and from my reckoning even Runcorn and Stockport teams are just over an hour away, further is an hour and a half to New Mills. It’s probably comparable to Hinckley’s travel itinerary and we have a plenty of further ones in March, Wisbech and St Neots/Eynesbury.

As a Hinckley supporter who got down to the occasional Barwell game, I’m still unsure if it’s a case where the relatively low pressure expectations helped him a bit, whether he can recruit the youth to achieve a promotion challenge and deal with the much higher objectives of Coalville. Fantastic coach for Barwell but unsure if he’ll make the step up essentially.

Meeting re: allocations expected tomorrow, fingers crossed for Hinckley in the UCL South, seems some decent teams in there and something different after nine years in and around the Black Country!

Mrs is from that part of the world and a lot of what she’s shown me, that is pictures and videos of the ‘acts’ the junta have committed, is absolutely horrific. Feels very uncomfortable and frankly depressing we’ve decided on this.

Any hope Loughborough go to step 6 or is it Senior League for them? Awful really as Leicestershire Non-League was really picking up.

To ensure stability I imagine. Look at what a lack of bulletproof long-term tenancy got Cov. Getting kicked out your ground and having to groundshare massively increases costs and granted you’ll be travelling a decent distance to find a correctly graded facility you can imagine a considerable drop in attendance and it sets you well on the road to financial crisis if not managed tightly.

Personally: it’s one of the better mass-produced beers you’ll get. If you’re somewhere with limited options or you can’t be arsed to brave any guest lagers that evening, a Guinness will probably serve you pretty well. But that’s it mainly, I wouldn’t say it’s anything special above that. I think the sudden upsurge in it is a cultural response: when I started drinking (2015) was the beginning of the trend of different sweet fruit ciders became more mainstream, combined with Carling being the ‘boring’ go to lager for generations, I think Guinness was picked up by insufferable hipsters as it’s got a distinct enough taste to put some people off and be different and it’s also not distinct enough a taste as say an IPA that you don’t have to battle through it to pretend to enjoy it. At that point, probably in the last five years, it’s become the cool drink as it was drank by those types and hence the fascination and fanfare around it.

My girlfriend lives in Bath Lane and I’d Western side of town I think is pretty decent and has promise. Enough decent pubs to go into, everything off St Martin’s square and the Lanes is a nice red brick area and pleasant to shop/drink eat in. I’d probably end that to the western end of High Street before the side entrance to Highcross.Its a shame Braunstone Gate kind of collapsed in on itself as you’d have a great stretch otherwise. All falls apart after that I feel. Eastern side of the city feels dirty, grotty and half the buildings are sadly dated. Granby street feels more neglected than Mogadishu on its bad days. I’m not someone who has ever felt in danger in town but if you come in on the train after sundown there’s an air of sketchiness on that stretch up to the clock tower that as other pointed out is an awful way to introduce the city. And it’s not an inherently crap street either if the shopfronts and street plan was cleaned up.

I didn’t realise you were allowed to turn down promotion at that level. Or does that only apply to title-winners and play off teams can vacate spots?

Fantastic day yesterday, 419 down for a 4-1 win and trophy lift. Looking forward to the League Cup semi now…

Cheers mate! I said earlier in the season to one of your lads it’ll be great if it can be an all Leicestershire affair in regards to promotion this year, got a good setup out of Thringstone you can build on now. Seems Weddy have had a moment and you’re definitely capable of getting results at Stapenhill and Wolves to confirm a spot and at that point it’s for anyone to win. Have our presentation evening the day of the final so as long as it’s not Allscott there’ll be a few Hinckley along to cheer your lot on when you get there!

Done it!

352 there today and a 4-2 Hinckley win. Eight more points in five games for the title now.

Hinckley get a massive win at Droitwich which means they’re at least six points clear after games in hand. Seven to go with a favourable run-in compared with the following pack who play each other regularly. Cool heads and it might be their year!

Hinckley had to appeal to get into the UCL Div 1, as a Leicestershire club, and even then we were moved back to the MFL the following season. I’d be astonished if Nuneaton find themselves in the UCL over the MFL. That said, even though it’s been historically strong the bigger outfits have been filtering out over the years and if we finally manage it and Droitwich come up too there’s very very little in that league to threaten Nuneaton, granted they’d likely have a humongous budget for that league with the support and sponsorship they’ll start with. Even if both were to stay down they’ll have a ridiculous budget and I’d expect them to romp it. If they did get promoted though there’s good money in the current landscape they’d drop into the UCL Premier South.

I think a wee bit more transparency would help. Nothing you can do on ground negotiations until it’s done (as the other lot found out) but a few working group meetings wouldn’t hurt, perhaps a meeting about kit colours and badge could be held before an online vote is done (assuming it’ll be voted on). Bedworth is best they can do for now probably, covers them up to step 3 I assume, and I think they’ll get assistance off the council for the ground. Step 5 and 6 with their gates and sponsorship they’ll do fine without income from food and drink. Seems a sensible decision all-round but if they’re approaching step 4 they’ll probably begin to need that beer money, although I imagine they won’t want to be far off a place of their own by then.