THACKLEY TRUMPIT APRIL 2014 VIEW FROM MUPPET HILL By Waldorf

VIEW FROM MUPPET HILL   By Waldorf 

The end of the season is nigh, which brings with it the inevitable  promotion and relegation issues. At the start of every season, most teams are looking for progression and are striving to be the one that finishes as champions and moves up to the league above. In the professional game the parameters are known at the beginning of the season, (i.e. top two clubs promoted, there are play offs for the third club to gain promotion). In the   Northern Counties East League the system used is quite different. There is normally only one promotion place available from the league, this will automatically go to the club finishing top of the league provided that they have met the entry  criteria and wish to be considered for promotion (i.e. they have a choice, they need not take promotion). If they do want to be promoted, they have to have made an application by the 31st November, and have the correct ground grading. If the top club does not fulfil the above criteria, then the promotion place can be offered to the club   finishing second, if they are not eligible, the club in third place will be considered. Relegation from the league also has its complications, the bottom club normally does get relegated, but other criteria take over when the second relegation place is under consideration. This is one of the major reason that in the non league system, leagues insists that all matches are completed before the end of April, so that the they have time to look at the constitution of the leagues, both above and below, for the following season. 
From Thackley's point of view, the chance of promotion this season has gone and they are now playing to finish as high up the league as possible. This is quite disappointing, because up to November, they had high hopes that this could be their season, having started by winning their first seven matches. However, a bad run in December, just four points from a possible fifteen, and an even worse run in March, with just four points from eight matches, has seen the Dennyboys plummet down the league to eleventh place. If Thackley could have maintained their early season form and finished as League Champions, they had in place all the other     requirements needed to win promotion. Their ground was recently inspected and following a few minor requirements, which were completed within the timescale, it was given the 'thumbs up' for moving up to the next league. Unfortunately, the team were not good enough and they will have to try again next season.   
Looking at the league, there appears to be four teams contesting top spot, local club, Brighouse Town look to be the current favourites to win, but they need to get maximum points from their matches in hand if they want to overtake the current league leaders, Tadcaster Albion. Barton Town Old Boys are also in the reckoning, along with Worksop Parramore, who like Brighouse, need points from matches in hand of their rivals, if they are to get to a promotion place. Of the four contenders, Barton Town had their application for promotion rejected by the FA, because it was made after the deadline date, so it looks as if is between the remaining three. There is some doubt at present whether Brighouse and Tadcaster have got the correct ground grading to move up, both have had inspections carried out recently.
So, to Thackley's recent fortunes, as mentioned, March has been a dismal month for the Dennyboys. The month opened with five consecutive defeats, four in the league, the other in the League Cup. This was a particular blow, because it was the competition that Thackley had won for the last two seasons. The defeat by Heanor Town was their first in the competition since November 2010, they were in the game until twenty minutes from time, after taking a first half lead, Thackley were then hit by four late goals. Two away defeats, at Long Eaton, then at Bridlington Town, where Thackley deserved to get something, but were undone by another couple of late goals. In the Bridlington Town match, both sides were reduced to ten men at the start of the game, the incident causing the dismissals being timed at just 36  seconds, which must be something of a record. The home defeats were against Garforth Town, again a game that Thackley should have won, and a very good Retford United side that deserved their victory. A bit of a revival followed, a hard earned draw against promotion favourites Brighouse Town and, although deserved, a somewhat fortunate victory against Glasshoughton Welfare. Thackley scoring the only goal of the game in the ninetieth minute, then conceding a penalty in the final minute of time added on,  fortunately the ball hit the bar and rebounded to safety. The Dennyboys suffered a further two defeats after this temporary revival, both at home and against teams above them in the league. Albion Sports beat them at  Dennyfield for the second time this season, they had knocked them out of the West Riding County Cup in October. Worksop Parramore inflicted their latest defeat, completing a double over the Dennyboys, in their bid to win the League Championship.  
The season concludes on the 26th April with an away match at Parkgate, Thackley have five other matches to play in the month and their   target is to register their biggest ever points tally in the league, beating the 76 they collected in the 2009/10 season, when they finished in fourth   position.

Thackley fixtures for  April

Sat. 5th Apr. Barton T OB home KO 3.00pm;
Sat. 12th Apr. Liversedge away KO 3.00pm.
Tue.15th Apr. Nostell MW away KO 7.45pm;
Sat. 19th Apr. Pickering home KO 3.00pm;
Sat. 26th Apr. Parkgate away KO 3.00pm.