AFC Blackpool and Squires Gate
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Bloodtangerine
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Follow AFC Blackpool on FB and all is explained
Raging_Bull
Well-known member
I can't find out off FB what the hell went on as there's no match report Blood, what happened?
Bloodtangerine
Well-known member
I wasn’t talking about that particular match mate. I was referring to what’s gone on there since end of last season in terms of ownership/behind the scenes etc that left the club in a poor state.
Bispham_Seasider
Well-known member
Gate just seem to be having a bad season.
AFC Blackpool though.... its been utter turmoil with all sorts going on, rumours flying round, with nothing positive at all. Unless there's a huge turnaround there's a very real chance of them being relegated down from the NW Counties League to the West Lancashire League for the first time in their history. Yet its not that long ago they were challenging for promotion.
The players are doing their best, but most of the squad left. And now they have a young side. Not surprisingly they got hammered 10-1 up in the North East last weekend in a cup competition. The side they played, West Allotment, play at a higher level. But only 1 division higher.
AFC Blackpool though.... its been utter turmoil with all sorts going on, rumours flying round, with nothing positive at all. Unless there's a huge turnaround there's a very real chance of them being relegated down from the NW Counties League to the West Lancashire League for the first time in their history. Yet its not that long ago they were challenging for promotion.
The players are doing their best, but most of the squad left. And now they have a young side. Not surprisingly they got hammered 10-1 up in the North East last weekend in a cup competition. The side they played, West Allotment, play at a higher level. But only 1 division higher.
Raging_Bull
Well-known member
Yes I spoke with some of the players from last season, they told me with all the changes they were moving on which is a shame because when I’ve seen them last season I’ve been impressed as they had some really good young players And the future looked bright.
Tommy has been there a long time and been a brilliant chairman so I guess with his departure things were going to change and not change for the better.
Real shame that.
If I was Sadler, I'd loan them a few of the better u18s/development squad for a month at a time to help them out.
It'd be good for us too if we had two successful non league clubs in the town we could send players too. I'm surprised there's not already a formal link.
North West Counties is probably too low a standard for league clubs to loan young players to, they will be looking at Northern Premier League at least.
Didn`t know Tommy had left. Top fella..
voyeur
Well-known member
Maybe. But Bobby Bjork is currently playing for Burscough in NWCFL and Carlos Mendes Gomez signed for Morecambe from West Didsbury in NWCFL. Different from loaning obviously but the standard is decent for young lads to get experience.
The two you mention are not loans though, voy.
Bjork joined Burscough as a free agent I think, and as you say Gomez got a trial at Morecambe from the Counties. Occasionally happens.
I enjoy watching non-league and West Didsbury are a decent side at that level (saw them win at Longridge a season or two ago) and am not knocking the standard of football, but it is a long way from the top end of the Northern Premier League where most players have been high level academy or ex pros.
Have watched quite a lot of loanees at Lancaster City in the NPL, and some find it tough going, which is what the parent clubs want I expect...
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I've always been an East Allotment man myself, through and through. Can't abide those West Wankers.
voyeur
Well-known member
I Said loans are diffetent from my examples, yes. I'm sure you are right but not all loanees are equal. Just back from an excellent game, West Dids 3 Lower Breck 2. Late winner was harsh on Breck who played some very good football. West have Squires Gate at home on Saturday and have already won 5-0 up there by the seaside.
Raging_Bull
Well-known member
That could be a cricket score on Saturday Voy, Gate are struggling at the moment and I’m sure they won’t be looking forward playing a side that’s put 5 past them on their own pitch. It is tough for them in that league, I managed Gate in the nineties and we did very well considering after games I went around collecting subs off the players whilst most of our opponents went around handing out pay packets!!
Yep, great league this year Voy with lots of contenders.
Gate gave a good account of themselves at table toppers Kendal last night only losing 2-1.
Great to see Kendal on the up again after a some difficult years; they had nearly 900 on a couple of weeks ago for the visit of Skelmersdale which is pretty impressive.
They`ve got West Dids very soon...
voyeur
Well-known member
The games I've seen this season have all been really competitive. Went to Gigg Lane where West lost 3-4 to a 90+5 goal. Last night they won with a 90+5.
I might go on to the Squires Gate game on Saturday. Good to see they seem to be tightening things up. West Didsbury had 1159 v Chadderton and 891 v AFC Liverpool in the last few weeks. The average is about 650 I think. Support has risen massively the last few years.
voyeur
Well-known member
Kudos. I dont know how most of these clubs make it all work on attendances around 200.
West have gone off the boil a bit. Captain in midfield is missing, and the keeper who got a double ankle break v Chadderton. And with SG going close at Kendal, I suspect it'll be a closer game this time.
Micky Walsh
Well-known member
I do not think so, first division was always a very good standard back in the day with a lot of good young talent coming through, its is better than playing U18 Blackpool.
John Westhead took the club over and paid off all the immediate debts, improved the club house etc. There was then more discovered about finances and a lot of other things that spooked him enough to just walk away and give the club back to Tommy Baldwin.
rememberlesshannon
Well-known member
When I played against Kendal in the 80's weren't they sponsored by K Shoes ?
Yep, very probably shannon. There was a big connection with the local shoe factory back in the day, although my interest is more recent through watching my lad play for them a few times when on loan there. Have always looked for their result and occasionally go to watch them.
Traditionally they were a decent Northern Prem team...probably were when you played against them?
todayistheday
Well-known member
Best solution would be for all three to join up, SG, Wren Rovers and AFC Blackpool, sell land on School Rd for housing and use AFC's pitch.
voyeur
Well-known member
Those 3 are pretty close together iirc? seems like overkill, with them apparently getting under 100 each at games, at the moment at least.
Afc Blackpool have issues with the pitch as its earmarked for the new airport enterprise zone. Squires gate are massively in debt and wrens break even
voyeur
Well-known member
Recipe for a merger?
Alfie Conn
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It does seem the best solution but all three clubs(the decision makers anyway)prefer to keep separate identities.
BigHandsOliverKahn
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A merger just means killing off a club. Depends on the demand in the area, do as many people play football nowadays?
Bispham_Seasider
Well-known member
Good question.....
New owners came in with big plans. Then the rumours started going round about all sorts. Brian Rose then came on board. It then went all quiet again, and more rumours. A couple of weeks later, and no new owners. No doubt the truth is somewhere in the middle of all the rumours. But its the club and those who support it and love it that is struggling. And the future of the club.
Someone did mention that the majority of the players, all of whom seem very young, were from out of town.
As an aside with BFC loaning players. Maybe Raging might know, but I seem to recall players from the BFC youth team or development squad being loaned to Squires Gate either last season or the season before.
Bispham_Seasider
Well-known member
Gate and Wrens are literally side by side. Mechanics are just over the road. There was, as i recall, discussion many moons ago about a merger of Gate and AFC between the two owners. Can't see it ever happening.
Bispham_Seasider
Well-known member
There's that new pitch that seems similar to the Cods training ground with a viewing area. At one point there was mention of them moving there. But that would be so bland and soulless.
voyeur
Well-known member
I'm sure they all value their own existence. And they provide more opportunities for lads to play.
Bispham_Seasider
Well-known member
Incredibly, considering the large number of non-League clubs on this coast, in 2021, someone tried to "reform" South Shore FC as a phoenix club with all these big plans. They reckoned they would join the West Lancs League in the 2022-23 season. That never happened.
todayistheday
Well-known member
Think the plumber on here wanted to start Blackpool Layton FC, the original Blackpool FC. 
voyeur
Well-known member
It was 1-1 Bull. West not at their best, rained throughout the game and I was behind the Gate goal second half and the keeper made 3 or 4 top class saves. Attendance 602 in very wet weather.
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Bispham_Seasider
Well-known member
Meanwhile...AFC Blackpool lost 1-4 at home to Daisy Hill.
Sad to see both Gate and AFC struggling.
No idea how AFC will survive, not just in the NWCFL, but even as a club at this rate.
Sad to see both Gate and AFC struggling.
No idea how AFC will survive, not just in the NWCFL, but even as a club at this rate.
Camberwell1
Well-known member
It’s sad that people who watch BFC home and away could watch AFC B/Pool or Squires Gate
You watch / support who you want
Best wishes to all the Fylde Clubs