Worcestershire's No.3

Asa Charlton has now left the Brakes to be assistant manager at his spiritual home, Redditch United. Ranked as the No.3 team in Worcestershire (how massive can you get) this BBC report provides an interesting insight into the club's finances: Redditch

Some good news about well-liked players such as Jimmy Husband staying on at Harbury Lane. I do get the impression sometimes that we have a big turnover of players, although I have no time to work out the stats or how it might compare with other non-league clubs.

Brakes to face Poppies

With Kettering Town relegated to the Southern Premier because of their financial troubles and the consequent Company Voluntary Arrangement, Leamington will be facing the Poppies for the first time since 1981/82 next season. Kettering are now playing at Nene Park, the former home of Rushden and Diamonds which briefly saw League 1 football. Indeed, before Leamington got under away, I used to go and watch Rushden play from time to time: for example, I saw them draw with Queen's Park Rangers.

Rushden (formed from a merger of Rushden and Irthlingborough Diamonds) were the ultimate benefactor club, but it all ended in tears and the Irthlingborough stadium must be a ghost of its former self. It will be a game worth going to, all the same.

There was an intense rivalry between Rushden and Kettering up the road. The Rushden fanzine once suggested that the team from 'Rocking Horse Road' had launched a space mission to Uranus in the hope of finding intelligent life there as there was none in Kettering. Quite what Kettering fans think of playing at Nene Park is an interesting question. Diamonds fans have, in the meantime, formed a phoenix club.

I read in The Non-League Paper that Kettering are going to have a playing budget of £20,000 a month. Totally unnecessary in the SLP, but every year we get one: Truro City, AFC Totton (now without their benefactor) and now Kettering.

How much for Jacob Blyth?

The record transfer fee received by the Brakes was £5,000 in 1978 when Roger Brown went to Bournemouth. That was £24,500 in today's prices. I doubt whether we will get anywhere near that amount if the move to Leicester revealed in The Courier goes ahead.

A number of sides are thought to have been interested, but the move to the Foxes reflects links between Brakes manager Paul Holleran and Leicester City assistant manager Craig Shakespeare. It also makes sense for the young player to move to a Midlands club rather than, say, go to London.