The Official Lower/Local/Little Team Thread
Discussion
As it says on the title, a thread for those of us who follow one team but have a soft spot for a second team.
Inspired in truth by Alfahorn (Arsenal) who also supports Oadby Town in the United Counties League Division One. I'm also in the same boat, working for and supporting Oldland Abbotonians in the Toolstation Western League Division One.
Feel free to join in and give us a brief outline of your team, why you follow them and how they are doing this season.
Inspired in truth by Alfahorn (Arsenal) who also supports Oadby Town in the United Counties League Division One. I'm also in the same boat, working for and supporting Oldland Abbotonians in the Toolstation Western League Division One.
Feel free to join in and give us a brief outline of your team, why you follow them and how they are doing this season.
I'll go second then.
My second team are Oldland Abbotonians, formed when Oldland merged with, er, Abbotonians. They play at Castle Road in Oldland, a small village between Bristol and Bath, and play in the Toolstation Western League Division One; this is Step Ten in the football pyramid, based on the Premier League being Step One, Championship Step Two etc.
Former Arsenal star David Hillier managed the side four years ago when they won the Les Phillips Cup, combining his role with that of a fireman. Ian Holloway's father Bill has previously been involved off the field with the club too. Happy days as the sun shone but since then, times have been mixed.
The side, nicknamed the O's, currently sit next to bottom of the division after a struggle this season. Having finished fifth last season after a 19-game unbeaten run that included beating the league champions, they were decimated in the summer when the first team manager left for local rivals Bitton. He took the whole team with him except for two loyal lads who remained with Oldland.
Pre-season wasn't great and the club's first ever FA Cup game this season was one to remember but for all the wrong reasons. Drawn away to Bristol Manor Farm, a side from the division above, the O's were 4-0 down after 11 minutes, 7-0 down after 50 minutes and eventually lost 9-3. After forty years of watching football, I've never seen twelve goals in a game before!!
The rest of the season has been hard work. Manager Nigel Lee brought in a whole new team but Ali and Danny, the two lads who remained loyal, both suffered serious leg injuries and are unlikely to play again this campaign. The O's actually put together a five game unbeaten run in October but had the misfortune of facing runaway leaders Bradford Town next game, losing 7-3. Their last win was October 15th and the run of poor results meant that Nigel jacked in the job at Christmas.
New boss Dale Dempsey came in and changed the whole team again. With the bad weather, Dale has only had five games in charge, encompassing two draws and three defeats by the odd goal. Actually with today's game being postponed, the O's have been unbeaten since Jan 25th, their longest unbeaten run of the season!! But now the game are piling up with 15 matches to fit in by the 26th April.
So it's hard work following the O's. I follow Yeovil as well so having seen only four wins in around forty games, I shan't look back on this season fondly. Oldland have used a crazy 51 players so far this season, ah the joys of lower league football. At this rate, I might be number 52!
My second team are Oldland Abbotonians, formed when Oldland merged with, er, Abbotonians. They play at Castle Road in Oldland, a small village between Bristol and Bath, and play in the Toolstation Western League Division One; this is Step Ten in the football pyramid, based on the Premier League being Step One, Championship Step Two etc.
Former Arsenal star David Hillier managed the side four years ago when they won the Les Phillips Cup, combining his role with that of a fireman. Ian Holloway's father Bill has previously been involved off the field with the club too. Happy days as the sun shone but since then, times have been mixed.
The side, nicknamed the O's, currently sit next to bottom of the division after a struggle this season. Having finished fifth last season after a 19-game unbeaten run that included beating the league champions, they were decimated in the summer when the first team manager left for local rivals Bitton. He took the whole team with him except for two loyal lads who remained with Oldland.
Pre-season wasn't great and the club's first ever FA Cup game this season was one to remember but for all the wrong reasons. Drawn away to Bristol Manor Farm, a side from the division above, the O's were 4-0 down after 11 minutes, 7-0 down after 50 minutes and eventually lost 9-3. After forty years of watching football, I've never seen twelve goals in a game before!!
The rest of the season has been hard work. Manager Nigel Lee brought in a whole new team but Ali and Danny, the two lads who remained loyal, both suffered serious leg injuries and are unlikely to play again this campaign. The O's actually put together a five game unbeaten run in October but had the misfortune of facing runaway leaders Bradford Town next game, losing 7-3. Their last win was October 15th and the run of poor results meant that Nigel jacked in the job at Christmas.
New boss Dale Dempsey came in and changed the whole team again. With the bad weather, Dale has only had five games in charge, encompassing two draws and three defeats by the odd goal. Actually with today's game being postponed, the O's have been unbeaten since Jan 25th, their longest unbeaten run of the season!! But now the game are piling up with 15 matches to fit in by the 26th April.
So it's hard work following the O's. I follow Yeovil as well so having seen only four wins in around forty games, I shan't look back on this season fondly. Oldland have used a crazy 51 players so far this season, ah the joys of lower league football. At this rate, I might be number 52!
Nice one Mart.
As has been said. I support Oadby Town of the UCL Divsion one (step 6 of the pyramid) Our nickname is 'The Poachers' and we play at Freeway Park, Oadby, Leicestershire. Oadby is a leafy suburb of Leicester. Approx. 4 miles from the KP Stadium. We play in red and white shirts (that's just a coincidence.
)
We are currently 9 points clear at the top of the table and have already scored more than 100 league goals. We are the Man City of the UCL having scored 22 goals in our last 3 home games in the league alone! We've got Julian Joachim up front, the former Leicester & Aston Villa striker who is now 150 years old!
We're away to Blackstones FC today the pitch having been past fit. Here's hoping for 3 points!
As has been said. I support Oadby Town of the UCL Divsion one (step 6 of the pyramid) Our nickname is 'The Poachers' and we play at Freeway Park, Oadby, Leicestershire. Oadby is a leafy suburb of Leicester. Approx. 4 miles from the KP Stadium. We play in red and white shirts (that's just a coincidence.
) We are currently 9 points clear at the top of the table and have already scored more than 100 league goals. We are the Man City of the UCL having scored 22 goals in our last 3 home games in the league alone!
We've got Julian Joachim up front, the former Leicester & Aston Villa striker who is now 150 years old! We're away to Blackstones FC today the pitch having been past fit. Here's hoping for 3 points!
Alfahorn said:
Guess it's just the three of us then.
2-0 win for us yesterday
Yep, looks like it. Seems the thread will be as well attended as an Oldland home game! 2-0 win for us yesterday
Just had a look at the Oadby website, nice little set up there. I see you are away to Irchester United next weekend, great name that sounds like a comic book team!!
Our game was off yesterday so the long unbeaten run continues (will be 28 days by the time we play again) but that's only one game. Missed the height of the social calendar last night when Paul Salvage, winner of "Stars In Their Eyes" 1992, was on at the club. Ah well.
Yep, it's a cracking club we're all very proud of it.
Irchester United play in a village close to Wellingborough in Northants, it's about 30 miles away.
Your ground is in a housing estate by the looks of it. I couldn't see my info about your results this season on your site? Unless I wasn't looking hard enough.
Irchester United play in a village close to Wellingborough in Northants, it's about 30 miles away.
Your ground is in a housing estate by the looks of it. I couldn't see my info about your results this season on your site? Unless I wasn't looking hard enough.
Alfahorn said:
I couldn't see my info about your results this season on your site? Unless I wasn't looking hard enough.
I wouldn't bother looking, it makes sorry reading http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/oldlandabbotoniansfo...
GloverMart said:
Alfahorn said:
I couldn't see my info about your results this season on your site? Unless I wasn't looking hard enough.
I wouldn't bother looking, it makes sorry reading http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/oldlandabbotoniansfo...
Bo'ness United, my local team.
Having a good season this time around, with a former manager back who has got the team working excellently and knocking the ball about well, with a good end product.
We're still in the Scottish Junior Cup, but the match to decide who we play in the next round has been called off FIVE times
When we play local rivals, it tends to be in the news. Either for fights, or because it's one of the largest attendances of the weekend in Scotland.
Having a good season this time around, with a former manager back who has got the team working excellently and knocking the ball about well, with a good end product.
We're still in the Scottish Junior Cup, but the match to decide who we play in the next round has been called off FIVE times
When we play local rivals, it tends to be in the news. Either for fights, or because it's one of the largest attendances of the weekend in Scotland.
Acceptable for say, Rushden or Kettering who's clubs have died. Not really for many others.
Or, for example, I know a few people who say they support one club in the Premiership and a Championship (I know of one person who supports Everton and Wigan, for example, which I can understand as Wigan never expected to become who they are, but isn't that the point?).
Or one allegedly 'die hard' supporter of the same club as me, who also follows Wolves and goes to 10+ Wolves game a year. We've met in a competitive fixture in recent times, and it just baffles me.
Edit: I should add it's different to 'having a soft spot' I have many of those, for many clubs but wouldn't pay to watch them.
Or, for example, I know a few people who say they support one club in the Premiership and a Championship (I know of one person who supports Everton and Wigan, for example, which I can understand as Wigan never expected to become who they are, but isn't that the point?).
Or one allegedly 'die hard' supporter of the same club as me, who also follows Wolves and goes to 10+ Wolves game a year. We've met in a competitive fixture in recent times, and it just baffles me.
Edit: I should add it's different to 'having a soft spot' I have many of those, for many clubs but wouldn't pay to watch them.
Calletrece said:
Acceptable for say, Rushden or Kettering who's clubs have died. Not really for many others.
Or, for example, I know a few people who say they support one club in the Premiership and a Championship (I know of one person who supports Everton and Wigan, for example, which I can understand as Wigan never expected to become who they are, but isn't that the point?).
Or one allegedly 'die hard' supporter of the same club as me, who also follows Wolves and goes to 10+ Wolves game a year. We've met in a competitive fixture in recent times, and it just baffles me.
Edit: I should add it's different to 'having a soft spot' I have many of those, for many clubs but wouldn't pay to watch them.
Ooh, controversial.... Or, for example, I know a few people who say they support one club in the Premiership and a Championship (I know of one person who supports Everton and Wigan, for example, which I can understand as Wigan never expected to become who they are, but isn't that the point?).
Or one allegedly 'die hard' supporter of the same club as me, who also follows Wolves and goes to 10+ Wolves game a year. We've met in a competitive fixture in recent times, and it just baffles me.
Edit: I should add it's different to 'having a soft spot' I have many of those, for many clubs but wouldn't pay to watch them.
Thing is, my two teams are extremely unlikely to meet. One is Step 2, the other Step 10. The higher of the two teams have never been lower than Step 6, the lower side are at their highest level ever. Theoretically they could meet in the FA Cup but Yeovil are exempt to the First Round Proper, Oldland come in at a preliminary round before the First Qualifying, meaning they'd need to win five matches before reaching the same level as Yeovil.
What happens if Yeovil return to their natural level and end up meeting though?
I guess I should be a little clearer with what I mean, nothing annoys me more than the question ''but don't you support a Premiership team as well?''. Hmm.
Without going off on a tangent, a divide like you mention I'd have no real issue with, but it's when there's a division between the teams, or they're both professional clubs that it really miffs me.
I suppose it comes with personal experience of our demise. We fell two leagues below where we were, and a local side from the city rose up 4 divisions and we ended up sharing a fair few league battles. A fair few dyed-in-the-wool United 'fans' were aggrieved at the way the club was being ran and ended up watching the other side or willing both on, frequently telling us that our club was dying and they would overtake us and we'd vanish into the ether.
I just found that plain weird, why support a club through so much strife and then jump ship?
I guess I should be a little clearer with what I mean, nothing annoys me more than the question ''but don't you support a Premiership team as well?''. Hmm.
Without going off on a tangent, a divide like you mention I'd have no real issue with, but it's when there's a division between the teams, or they're both professional clubs that it really miffs me.
I suppose it comes with personal experience of our demise. We fell two leagues below where we were, and a local side from the city rose up 4 divisions and we ended up sharing a fair few league battles. A fair few dyed-in-the-wool United 'fans' were aggrieved at the way the club was being ran and ended up watching the other side or willing both on, frequently telling us that our club was dying and they would overtake us and we'd vanish into the ether.
I just found that plain weird, why support a club through so much strife and then jump ship?
Calletrece said:
What happens if Yeovil return to their natural level and end up meeting though?
I guess I should be a little clearer with what I mean, nothing annoys me more than the question ''but don't you support a Premiership team as well?''. Hmm.
Without going off on a tangent, a divide like you mention I'd have no real issue with, but it's when there's a division between the teams, or they're both professional clubs that it really miffs me.
I suppose it comes with personal experience of our demise. We fell two leagues below where we were, and a local side from the city rose up 4 divisions and we ended up sharing a fair few league battles. A fair few dyed-in-the-wool United 'fans' were aggrieved at the way the club was being ran and ended up watching the other side or willing both on, frequently telling us that our club was dying and they would overtake us and we'd vanish into the ether.
I just found that plain weird, why support a club through so much strife and then jump ship?
Ouch, that first line hurt.... I guess I should be a little clearer with what I mean, nothing annoys me more than the question ''but don't you support a Premiership team as well?''. Hmm.
Without going off on a tangent, a divide like you mention I'd have no real issue with, but it's when there's a division between the teams, or they're both professional clubs that it really miffs me.
I suppose it comes with personal experience of our demise. We fell two leagues below where we were, and a local side from the city rose up 4 divisions and we ended up sharing a fair few league battles. A fair few dyed-in-the-wool United 'fans' were aggrieved at the way the club was being ran and ended up watching the other side or willing both on, frequently telling us that our club was dying and they would overtake us and we'd vanish into the ether.
I just found that plain weird, why support a club through so much strife and then jump ship?
I can't understand why you'd follow Everton AND Wigan although as you say, they were miles apart at one point. Wigan were non-league with Yeovil in the late seventies and the top flight would have been a pipe dream to most who traipsed off to Springfeld Park once a fortnight.
Still trying to work out who you follow.
Calletrece said:
What happens if Yeovil return to their natural level and end up meeting though?
I guess I should be a little clearer with what I mean, nothing annoys me more than the question ''but don't you support a Premiership team as well?''. Hmm.
Without going off on a tangent, a divide like you mention I'd have no real issue with, but it's when there's a division between the teams, or they're both professional clubs that it really miffs me.
I suppose it comes with personal experience of our demise. We fell two leagues below where we were, and a local side from the city rose up 4 divisions and we ended up sharing a fair few league battles. A fair few dyed-in-the-wool United 'fans' were aggrieved at the way the club was being ran and ended up watching the other side or willing both on, frequently telling us that our club was dying and they would overtake us and we'd vanish into the ether.
I just found that plain weird, why support a club through so much strife and then jump ship?
I would understand if someone supports Arsenal like me and then choses to support another Premier League Club or Football league, however otherwise I'm sorry your argument doesn't carry any water.I guess I should be a little clearer with what I mean, nothing annoys me more than the question ''but don't you support a Premiership team as well?''. Hmm.
Without going off on a tangent, a divide like you mention I'd have no real issue with, but it's when there's a division between the teams, or they're both professional clubs that it really miffs me.
I suppose it comes with personal experience of our demise. We fell two leagues below where we were, and a local side from the city rose up 4 divisions and we ended up sharing a fair few league battles. A fair few dyed-in-the-wool United 'fans' were aggrieved at the way the club was being ran and ended up watching the other side or willing both on, frequently telling us that our club was dying and they would overtake us and we'd vanish into the ether.
I just found that plain weird, why support a club through so much strife and then jump ship?
I'm a Londoner and support Arsenal a Level 1 side, for the last 16 years I've lived in Leicestershire. Subsequently I also support Oadby Town a Level 10 side (step 6 in the non-league Pyramid) these two sides are worlds apart, there is no conflict of interest.
I believe more people should get behind the clubs at the grassroots level of the game, these clubs need the support of their local community to survive. The fact that I don't go to Arsenal games anymore doesn't affect the club, however I know my gate money and beer money at Oadby really counts.
^ You are competely correct, and I withdraw my earlier statement as it was a little too ambiguous and with Premiership clubs/grassroots like Oadby is quite different to what irks me and that I'm getting at.
Apologies, and much respect for spending your time and money on such a club.
Well that's pretty much why, as I say, it's just a person on another forum but they care quite passionately about both, and I think Wigan were Division 3 at the time they started following them as well! I think it is very much unforeseen that they'd eventually be in the top flight, and even Europe!
I think I've given a fair few clues away, so guess away!
Edit: I'll give you a clue, we crossed paths on our respective journies, with one match being quite notable...
Apologies, and much respect for spending your time and money on such a club.
GloverMart said:
Ouch, that first line hurt....
I can't understand why you'd follow Everton AND Wigan although as you say, they were miles apart at one point. Wigan were non-league with Yeovil in the late seventies and the top flight would have been a pipe dream to most who traipsed off to Springfeld Park once a fortnight.
Still trying to work out who you follow.
I'm just waiting for you to tell me your second team is Weymouth I can't understand why you'd follow Everton AND Wigan although as you say, they were miles apart at one point. Wigan were non-league with Yeovil in the late seventies and the top flight would have been a pipe dream to most who traipsed off to Springfeld Park once a fortnight.
Still trying to work out who you follow.
Well that's pretty much why, as I say, it's just a person on another forum but they care quite passionately about both, and I think Wigan were Division 3 at the time they started following them as well! I think it is very much unforeseen that they'd eventually be in the top flight, and even Europe!
I think I've given a fair few clues away, so guess away!
Edit: I'll give you a clue, we crossed paths on our respective journies, with one match being quite notable...
Edited by Calletrece on Monday 17th February 13:53
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