Pre-season
 

So, when's the first pre-season friendly - I'm bored :rolleyes:

Re: Pre-season
 

Can see them all being away again, AH wont risk the new pitch before its ready

Re: Pre-season
 

Away will always be a "smaller" team if away, hopefully a few local ones at the weekend.

I enjoyed Staleybridge after not playing them for years, maybe Chorley and Fylde, Fleetwood and Lancaster would be worth visiting again.

Re: Pre-season
 

Chorley definite, and Southport always seems to be on the calendar

Re: Pre-season
 

Always used to enjoy Clitheroe away !

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It’s alright playing these lower league teams to enjoy the away trip and to give youngsters/trialists game time etc, but let’s not forget the lads do need strong opposition to test themselves against as well

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Blackpool (A) wouldn’t be a bad shout!

Re: Pre-season
 

Man City.

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Nay.......
Let’s have Barcelona.......:p
.....They can’t score!:D
So we would have a ‘Clean Sheet’.:jimbo:

Re: Pre-season
 

Only if we can play Van Dijk, Salah and Mane, and the two goal scorers from last night, as trialists ..... oh, and if the game's away from home (to protect our pitch)

:alright:

Re: Pre-season
 

that wont happen as they are in the same division as us. morecambe away might be a better shout.

Re: Pre-season
 

How about AFC Fylde and/or Salford City (one of them is bound to be League 2 next season)

Re: Pre-season
 

no thank you. anyone but plastic bankrolled football clubs please.

Re: Pre-season
 

Playing city of Liverpool fc after their promotion to the Evo stik league

Re: Pre-season
 

So, it's Salford who are being promoted to the league - as Sky Sports have just said 'for the first time in their history' - wrong, they don't have a history, just some ex-United footballers who were bored & decided to bank roll them into the league - just glad we're not still in league 2 so we don't have to play these pretenders

Re: Pre-season
 

Would love to hear Joey Barton's reaction to you calling Fleetwood a smaller team :D (not that I disagree)

Re: Pre-season
 

Disagree completely Di :-), I think it’s brilliant that a bunch of (mostly) Lancs lads who’ve done well out of footy should put their money into a local club. I’ll be perfectly happy if they take over from Etihad City or Glazer Utd as Manchester’s top club in the next few years.

Re: Pre-season
 

Salford City's goals scored by Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, Carl Piergianni and Ibou Touray.
Three good old local Lancashire names there then. :rolleyes:

Re: Pre-season
 

only game i,ve ever wanted both sides to loose.

Re: Pre-season
 

Not forgetting that other local lad Peter Lim who owns the majority of shares? :rolleyes::):)

Re: Pre-season
 

I hope Salford go bust. The only good thing about them getting into the league is they can now double or triple their multi million pound losses.

In VERY recent history they enjoyed crowds of less than 200, and have since then massively inflated wages and transfer fees throughout non league (Fylde as well).

Whilst I see the notion of footballers putting back in as a noble one, it IS wrong to falsely inflate a club's standing in the game

Re: Pre-season
 

40%. So what?

Re: Pre-season
 

OK. So Salford have gatecrashed the EFL purely through foreign investment & ex-premier league players with money to burn.
How is this sustainable????
No one in Manchester, apart from the immediate locals, are going to switch allegiance from the big two.
Their gates will remain static once the honeymoon period is over.
Investors will quickly realise they've put their money into a bottomless pit.

Re: Pre-season
 

Goodness me, I think I may have inadvertantly stirred up the proverbial hornets nest! So to be less controversial, congratulations to Chorley FC on winning promotion to the National League and how about a pre-season game with them

Re: Pre-season
 

they must have realised this at the outset. its just a hobby/vanity project to them and while their back pockets allow it i,m sure it will continue. just the same as we have hobbies that cost us money without any financial return or profit.

Re: Pre-season
 

But surely our standing has equally been "inflated" through the money put in over the years by Eric Whalley, Ilyas Khan and now Andy Holt? Without their investment we would still be in the lower reaches of non-league (or in one case out of business). Obviously the figures don't compare with some other clubs, but to, say, a Clitheroe fan we are the local barons …… football in the National League and EFL (and sometimes even inside the Prem, a la Chelski) is largely a rich man's hobby. Some do it as an ego trip, some genuinely to put something back into the community. And if they're rich enough (and get lucky enough), they can sometimes even dent the rule that only teams from Manchester, Liverpool and London are allowed to win anything.

And if Ian Dunbavin had persuaded Stevie Gerrard and a few of his rich mates from LFC to do a "Class of 92" on the Stanley, does anyone really think we wouldn't be loving it? Salford get put down mainly due to the "anybody but MUFC" syndrome ….

Re: Pre-season
 

So Andy Holt wins the lottery next week and says there you go boys I’m putting £5 mill in.
What you going to do ?
Tell him to shove it ??
I don’t think so.

Re: Pre-season
 

what a load of bull!!! no club has ever got anywhere without investment

Re: Pre-season
 

So that means 80% of football clubs have falsely inflated their standing in the game.
So what ?
Get with the programme it’s the way football is.

Re: Pre-season
 

Trying to compare Stanley's long hard struggle to achieve league status with the meteoric rise of Salford is quite frankly laughable.
Our years of surviving on bootstrap budgets, low gates & near bankruptcy - on more than one occasion, makes our success all the more incredible.
Yes of course, football today is all about money & we owe Mr Holt a debt of gratitude for guiding our club from insolvency to profit.
Only 4 years ago, Salford were languishing in the NPL DIv.1.
Is their rise down to finding rejects, freebies & loanees & polishing them into a formidable force on a non-league budget?
Or is it purely down to the financial input of the Class of 92 & major foreign investor, enabling them to employ a professional ex-International manager & a team of highly paid 'league standard' players.
Where money is no problem, anything is possible. Salford could well reach the Premier League if the wealthy investors are prepared to pay the price.
It would appear there are some on here who would be happy if Stanley were touted to some Russian Oligarch, able to 'buy' success.
That is the day I would stop supporting the club I love.
If you're with the money men, go & support Man City, Utd or Liverpool.
There's a big difference between Stanley & Salford.
Salford belongs to several wealthy people. Stanley, as Mr Holt has said - 'belongs to our fans'

Re: Pre-season
 

You still don't get it do you. Have you ever read any of Andy Holts tweets. If you have you don't appear to understand what Accrington Stanley is about or stands for. I think it's you needs to get with the programme.....

Re: Pre-season
 

A few on here have just showed themselves up with their last comments #shakeshead, and proven what little regard they have for the national game.

If a wealthy ogliarch ever turns up at Accy I'll be invoking the candle lit vigil spirit of 2010. On yer bikes

Re: Pre-season
 

Philosophically maybe, for now, but not in reality. It currently belongs to Andy Holt, who, bless him, runs it and largely funds it so we have a club to support which we feel we own and runs the way we (most of us including me) like it. But if catastrophe strikes and Andy can't keep going for whatever reason, either someone new steps in, buys it, and runs it any way they like, or they don't, and Accrington Phoenix start again at the bottom of the pyramid with our 11 fittest fans on the pitch - 'cos our collective fan base couldn't afford to pay the current electricity bill, let alone any players' wages.

I have watched Stanley in the third tier before this last season, but I didn't expect I'd ever do it again when I watched our first game at the Crown in 1970. This past season was dreamland (especially the first 3 months) but I certainly don't want us to soar higher on the wings of an oligarch, and then get dropped like a stone into bankruptcy when he gets bored. And if living within our means leads to relegation without bankruptcy, I can live with that. But if someone with local connections wants to bung some money into the pot unconditionally, bring it on.

Re: Pre-season
 

Depends which way you look at it Twenty Eight!

I would never, ever want Andy Holt or anyone else for that matter to come in and say to Coley...”Here’s 5 million, Go and treat yourself to a few very nice players!” If it could jeopardise the long term health of the football club!

Andy has come in and put money in to develop the stadium/money making side that will then push us on to hopefully be able to pay a player another £50 a week

Salford money bags have gone in, built a brand new stadium and chucked 3k 4K a week contracts in players faces in a league that majority will struggle to compete with financially

In my eyes that’s morally wrong and hope they come unstuck fairly quickly!

Re: Pre-season
 

Hang on a minute - this isn’t about Stanley it’s about certain fans who feel they have a right to have a go at Salford for running the club how they choose to do so.
Take a look at every successful club this season and name one who’s made it the “Stanley” way.
That’s what makes last seasons achievements amazing and surviving this season just as amazing.
We are the exception not the rule.

Re: Pre-season
 

[QUOTE=Twenty Eight;1228294]Hang on a minute - this isn’t about Stanley it’s about certain fans who feel they have a right to have a go at Salford for running the club how they choose to do so.

unfortunetly not all clubs have the ability to run their clubs like salford do even the ones that get much higher gates. the days have gone when you can build a club up in a sustainable way with managers being able to use their ability to spot and sign talent. do people in general want football to become something of a rich mans plaything where all a manager has to ask is a few million more and get it for a new goalkeeper. i,ll shead no tear for them if they did go bust like the likes of north ferriby who tried this and others like fylde and harrogate with a lower fan base than stanley .

Re: Pre-season
 

I agree with what you've posted here.

Re: Pre-season
 

Football is already a rich man's plaything - what's variable is the amount of the riches and the amount of care taken over the continued existence of the club, which is usually much the same as the extent to which the rich man genuinely feels part of and responsible to the local community. Andy's disposable riches are, presumably, less than those of the "Class of 92", but theirs in turn are minute compared to Abramovich (ego tripping), the Glazers (only interested in money), or Emirates and Etihad (brand building).

So far as feeling responsible to their local community, it looks to me as if the "Class" are much closer to Andy's approach than they are to the other shower. Time will tell, but I certainly don't actively wish them ill, or understand why others (except MUFC haters) do.

Re: Pre-season
 

its not the manchester united connection that bothers me its just clubs like them with a lower fanbase than stanley have just inflated wages to buy their place in the league. to compete with them and others like fylde with even fewer fans then clubs could possibly put themselves and their fans in jeapardy by attempting to compete for players and promotion due to their lack of money. now salford are in the league i expect some dubious accounting to enable em to carry on with their spend, spend,spend now they have to operate under the fair pay system. they have a fanbase similar to morecambe and it will be interesting to watch both clubs recruitment in the weeks to come. depends i suppose where you and others want football to go. would shead nothing for salford, forest green and any others who have bought success if the money and interest in spending it runs out.

Re: Pre-season
 

Tottenham post world record (for football) profits of 139m
Liverpool recently did the same

Meanwhile Championship clubs posted record cumulative losses of £1/2B
Clubs left right and centre and missing payment dates for wages, defaulting on pie bills, receving FOOD VOUCHERS for their staff (disgusting). Why? Because they are forced to compete at the money end for players they cant afford. Salford raised the bar in each league, not through professionalism or business acumen, but for wages. Agents now think the Cinference, or Conf North is fair game, clubs having to pay out tens of thousands more as a result. Salford znd their ilk can chew my chuddies and I'll shed no tears when it goes bad (like Rushden).

Ive no problem with Sunderland buying a striker in L1 for £4m and paying a reputed 20k pw, they get 30k plus attendances, but when you see a Fleetwood Town with a £5m plus wage bill, on crowds similar to ours, youve got to draw a line.

Re: Pre-season
 

A well argued & reasonable summary from my learned counsel for the defence.
I don't think anyone from the prosecution actually wishes Salford ill.
We simply base our case on the fact that their success has been achieved by circumventing the 'blood, sweat & years' suffered by 90% of most other teams.
Small community clubs like ours, just trying to achieve the same end without the benefit of the super rich.
Perhaps the time has come to declare a 'hung jury' on this case & get back to the subject in hand - 'Our pre-season'

Re: Pre-season
 

"Blood. sweat and years" ….. now that's brilliant oratory. Respect :)

Re: Pre-season
 

Andy Holt might have put a bit of cash in, but all he's done is fixed the leaking roof, got us some double glazing and got us where we can manage our outgoings/revenue in a reasonable manner. In modest, but sizeable Div 1 company, who cares?

Salford, on the other hand, have by comparison bought a ****ty little terraced house, and blinged it up so crassly and lorded it over their poverty stricken neighbours that no wonder everyone hates them.

Whatever they achieve is simply a hollow victory for splashing out cash. Same with Man City.

It's just about good taste really. Can't stop people buying success but who really wants to do it that way?

Re: Pre-season
 

According to Dan Jewell via twitter, looks like the EFL have said and I quote from dan Jewell’s twitter account, you can see the tweet here and the exchange with the chairman

https://twitter.com/danjewellmedia/s...356140032?s=21

#asfc have been told they won't get payment they've had every season in EFL if they don't sign up to EFL Digital or provide content for streaming. In "my day" this was always a no no due to costs & small fanbase (privately an EFL staff member agreed)
Can't see what's changed

So this equals £35k a year.

Re: Pre-season
 

Not like Leeds eh, they spend all they want and are still comedy gold, and their glory hunting fans can't take it.

Re: Pre-season
 

That equates to a form of blackmail, how low can the EFL go?

Re: Pre-season
 

Barmy innit. I think this is the ifollow shtuff. Pretty sure the seller of the match pass makes 70%, EFL 20% and ifollow 10%. Last year it was costed at 20k so we'd need to sell 3000 match passes to break even. I think there were around 8 matches available last season so nearly 400 per game ...

Lose 20k or lose 35k ... well done EFL you useless *******

Re: Pre-season
 

Two friendly games just announced, 20th July away at Bala Town & 27th away to our friends at Morecambe - can't wait :)

Re: Pre-season
 

Bala looks a bit inaccessible to have a drinking day out.

Should be a good sesh in Lancaster before/after the Morecambe game on a sunny Saturday.

Re: Pre-season
 

Bala's current season isn't over yet. They have a big match on Sunday, with the winners qualifying for the Europa League:
Match preview: Bala Town v Cardiff Met - Bala Town FC

Re: Pre-season
 

confirmed on the official website, Stanley to play Warrington Town at Cantilever Park on 22nd July. Team is managwed by former Stanley player paul Carden and Jamie Speare is the goalkeeping coach.

Re: Pre-season
 

Not forgetting Mark Roberts who is their captain, proper blasts from the past - wouldn't mind going

Re: Pre-season
 

John miles was on the books of Warrington town , still there?

Re: Pre-season
 

Don't think so, he joined Cammell Laird after Warrington then dropped off the radar

Re: Pre-season
 

Finances talk ahead of tonight’s Q&A with Andy golf https://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2019...ces-announced/

Full breakdown over the years can be found here

https://twitter.com/andyhholt/status...181772800?s=21

Just click his tweets and scroll through

Re: Pre-season
 

Not only a crafty striker but also a great singer Dav !

Re: Pre-season
 

When are the players back for pre-season can't be long now should start seeing some incoming signings I should imagine in the next few days.

Re: Pre-season
 

dunno suspect next week after fixtures are out this thursday?

Re: Pre-season
 

First friendly is 8 July so you would think 1st July ??

Re: Pre-season
 

Another friendly due to be announced tomorrow. According to his twitter, Andy Holt says it's a big club and we've had to find another ground to host it.

This is either actually a massive friendly against a big club at a neutral ground.... Or because we haven't got the pitch available yet we are playing someone like camel laird or Whitby at Bamber Bridge.

Any ideas?

Re: Pre-season
 

King Georges?:D

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I reckon the former as it will be a 'home' game for us if a bigger club. I am going for a scottish club at deepdale.

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Well Andy said it wont be Rangers cos its a big club.

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Highams' surely :D

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Yes...
but it WOULD be a BIG Match for Rangers!!!:rolleyes:
Playing the MIGHTY STANLEY!!!:jimbo:
:theband:
:gooddog:

Re: Pre-season
 

Man City at Turf Moor or Ewood?

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Well we play ex CHampions League winners at Salford in July thats what i call a friendly.

Re: Pre-season
 

Re: Pre-season
 

Would have been more excited by it if the fixture could have been played at home, getting to Salford for 6pm on a Thursday night just isn't possible for me :(

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Pitch will not be ready Di, is the problem.

Re: Pre-season
 

I know Cashy - more important for the pitch to be ready, doesn't mean I can't be a little disappointed though . . . . .

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I aint over the moon either Di, but its the only way it seems,

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Attractive fixture if it wasn't for the time and the ground. Not many will bother will the early finish or rush hour slog, although the tram stops 2 miles away.

Re: Pre-season
 

Excited for this... already put on Facebook that I would like to arrive in a red 2CV, if I can find one to hire, with a couple more sharing the cost if anyone's interested!

Re: Pre-season
 

Sorry, getting over excited, been checking on line, just had a quote for £980!!
Ridiculous price! Thought I can buy one for that.... but 30/40 yr old ones are fetching anything from £4000 to £12500! So, looks like it's going to be supporters bus again!

Re: Pre-season
 

For anyone with a bus pass, there's the X41 to Deansgate, then the 67, just across the road in Blackfriars Street, direct to the ground.

According to their website, Marseille have three matches in the UK in July, starting with Stoke U23s, then us, followed by Rangers.

Re: Pre-season
 

Good shout MikeA.:alright:
Better get good use out of our passes now because I reckon that we are all going to lose them soon!:mad:
(Politishuns!):clown::clown::clown:

Re: Pre-season
 

Tuesday 25th June I believe they are back.

Re: Pre-season
 

Some great photos on the 'Fishy' site of the squad starting training.
First day back at King George's Training ground.....:mosher:
I can't wait for the season to get started!
COME ON YOU REDS!:theband:
https://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2019...aining-begins/

Re: Pre-season
 

Where was Billy ?

Re: Pre-season
 

looks like liam gibson in one pic

Re: Pre-season
 

No Billy, Sean, Jonny Maxted or Piero as far as I could see.
Good to see a lot of the youth lads training with first team, hopefully more will be offered pro deals along with Savin.
I’d say maybe 6/7 players I didn’t recognise although it seemed only 1 or 2 would be 1st team trialists, seemed majority were for youth (possibly development squad)

Re: Pre-season
 

Looks like him although definitely wasn’t.

Re: Pre-season
 

King George’s in Winter will certainly ensure that our boys will be ‘Toughened up’ enough for the season ahead!
Many memories of decades ago playing up there in Windswept Horizontal Rain and deep mud!

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ever played at Trawden. you need oxygen cylinders on your back there.

Re: Pre-season
 

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Maybe we just can't see him cos of the camouflage :)

Re: Pre-season
 

might be off to tranmere. everyone else seems to be.

Re: Pre-season
 

Same question different day.
If there’s one player who needs an intensive pre season it’s Billy.
Not on boot camp ?

Re: Pre-season
 

Billy was driving the tank and enjoying the "officers mess"

Re: Pre-season
 

So you saying for sure he’s there Mr T ?
Hope so.

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Rude!!!!!!!!

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Boot camp:
https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...army-boot-camp

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would never have done for me but think most of the players might have got some benefit out of the exercise.

Re: Pre-season
 

There's a statement on the fishy site now about Billy, just says he didn't report back for pre season training due to personal reasons & that the club have no further information at this time, hope all is ok with Billy & his family

Re: Pre-season
 

Good wishes to Billy and his family. Trust all is well with him and his.

Re: Pre-season
 

certainly hope so.

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Singing completed over the weekend.
Should be announced Monday by media team (possibly Tuesday dependant on timings)
Attacking player - 1 year contract with option in clubs favour for another year

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I thought you were a bit too quiet at the old singing malarkey to warrant more than a 6 month contract Josh. But congratulations anyway

Re: Pre-season
 

What were they singing Josh?