Promotion from the Midland Combination, Division 2
Saturday 25 May 2024
Sunday 5 May 2024
Holleran's game plan to win
Paul Holleran told the Non-League Paper that Leamington will go to Telford tomorrow with a game plan to win. The team are 'full of verve'. He aims to 'upset the odds against an expectant home crowd.'
Holleran said: Telford have been the best team in the second half of the season by far, and going into the season we'd have been second best to them in terms of squad balance and depth.'
'There was a lot of upheaval and rebuilding over the summer, It's difficult with so many teams in the area. We kept a few of the players on pro deals, and added four or five youth to the suqad, but after the second game in which we conceded five at Coalville, I knew it was going to be a difficult task this season.'
Recalling the victory over Redditch, Holleran admits: 'Redditch were on top in the second half. At first we tried to go through them, then around them, then evenrually we brought on Tyrone Barnett and went over them. He did a great job at that.'
Thursday 2 May 2024
Knox;s quiet revolution
Leamington’s 1973/4 season was reviewed by Ken Widdowes in
April 1974. ‘They savoured the champagne
times by following that semi-final win over Borough to clinch the League
Cup. They did it by a comparatively easy
win over Bromsgrove at the Windmill Ground after slipping a goal behind on the
first leg. Now promotion is the aim.
Knox and his trainer
Bob Ward have worked a quiet revolution at AP in one season. There is no reason why they cannot improve
on that. For after a steady start to the
League campaign last August, they had a mid-season slump before making a
determined bid to catch leaders Stourbridge and Burton.
A seasoned observer of Leamington’s fortunes over the past
years told me: “Knox has made incredible progress for the club, and though they
dropped some simple points, the team spirit remained fabulous. Jimmy Goodfellow was a revelation and Norman
Foster, who started the season virtually as third choice striker, netted 38
goals in all competitions.”
AP were dealt a blow
this week with the news that Goodfellow has now retired. He feels the travelling from his Leicester
home is getting too much and wants to spend more time with his family. That leaves a yawning gap in AP’s set up, but
it also gives Mickey Boot the chance to show his true potential. Boot has missed much of the season with a
broken leg, but Goodfellow’s retirement blow will be softened if Boot strikes
forn.’
‘If they win tonight’s clash with Tamworth, AP will finish
in third spot in the table - and that wlll crown a memorable season.’ Brakes had already had an unfortunate 2-1
defeat at Banbury where they conceded two penalties ‘to give Banbury a win they
hardly deserved on the run of play
Leamington had the edge in skill and ideas for most of the game.’
Sadly, ‘A typical end-of-season game saw Tamworth snatch
victory against highly-placed AP at Knaresbrook on Saturday night. The goal was one of the few bright moments in
a game of wasted energy by players who were unable to produce any kind of
possession football. Neither side showed
any flair or interest in a game watched by one of Tamworth’s lowest gates of
the season – 223. Dennis Walker secured
the match winner after 33 minutes when he outpaced gioalkeeper Dave Jones in a
chase along the bye-line. Walker turned
quickly and screwed the ball into the far corner of the net before Jones could
recover possession.
There were remarkably
few direct shots at goal and neither goalkeeper was tested in a game of small
entertainment value. Leamington
displayed a surprising amount of energy, but very little thrust or finish. Though there was a great deal of midfield
activity, there was remarkably very little positive attacking play. Leamington can feel upset with a performance
that was far from impressive.’
Brakes did win the Leamington Charity Invitation Cup with a
4-0 victory over Bermuda WMC, goals from Ivor Talbot, Neil Armstrong, Adrian
Stewart and Keith Shrimpston. Stourbridge topped the Division One North table
with 69 points, followed by Burton Albion 63, Cheltenham Town 56 and Brakes 54.