DISTANT VICS NEWSLETTER

PART OF NORTHWICH VICTORIA SUPPORTERS TRUST

NUMBER 526 4^th MARCH 2010

CLUB NEWS

Every now and again something happens that puts the woes of football into perspective. The sudden death of Keith Alexander at the age of 53 after arriving home from Macclesfield’s Tuesday night game in one of those events. He may not have been at Vics for very long but his impact was profound taking us from a well adrift bottom place in the league to safety with some margin to spare and the brink of a an FA Cup Tie against Spurs. His popularity seems widespread in football and there have been tributes from every level of the game. He will be sadly missed. A brief resume of his career by Andy Simpson is below.

As a token of respect on behalf of all the fans of the club the Trust is making a donation of £100 to a charity of his family’s choosing.

Vics face the long trip to Blythe on Saturday before hosting Corby on Tuesday might. With players leaving (Lee Elam the latest) Vics have recalled Mark Cadwallader from his loan spell at Witton. Colwyn Bay have asked to keep Danny Meadowcroft until the end of the season but Vics can give no assurance on that at present.

Three new initiatives have been launched this week:

1 - Reduced prices for the Stafford Game
The club are offering fans special discounts for the upcoming Blue Square North fixture at home to Stafford Rangers on Saturday 13th March.
Adults (standing): £10

Concessions £8
Under 14s (standing): £1
14-16s (standing): £5
Students (standing): £5 (on production of a valid student card)
This applies to the standing areas of the ground.

2 - Volunteers required to help put up posters in local shops and deliver flyers throughout Mid-Cheshire. The area has been split into a number of smaller areas and it is hoped to collect names of people who would be willing to put up posters in their area.

The message from the Club reads:
We require willing volunteers to put posters up in post offices, shops and businesses in and around Northwich and surrounding villages.
If you feel you could help in any way then please send us a message at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  
Simply tell us your name, number and the village or area in which you live and we will get back to you asap.
 
3 - Mobile Phones

The club is urging all fans attending the upcoming Blue Square North home fixtures against Corby Town (Tuesday 9th March) and Stafford Rangers (Saturday 13th March) to bring along your old mobile phones.
Collection boxes will be located around the ground for any old devices you may have.
Have any old mobiles lying around unused? Then bring them with you to either of the two upcoming Blue Square North fixtures and hand them in.
For every 100 phones the club collects £700 in cash will be raised, with all proceeds going directly to the club.

QUESTIONS TO JIM RUSHE

Given that the club has had to look at revenue needs to reduce playing staff, what would have been the bottom line attendance to ensure that that existing squad was kept in place?

JR: Minimum of 700 to 750. However a ball park figure for attendances is only the thin end of the wedge. In order for the club to operate both at this level and progress further there has to be an appropriate off the field revenue generated. That means increased use of the bars on match days and a significant use of the facilities outside of match days i.e Carvery, booking rooms for events and parties etc.

What is your relationship with Steven Vaughan, former owner of Chester City FC, given that he has been “seen” at a few recent Vics matches.?

Let’s put this speculation to bed!!!!

I have no relationship with Steve other than two owners sharing a common interest.

THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR HIM TO BECOME INVOLVED AT THIS FOOTBALL CLUB. Similarly, that would not even be possible given recent disclosures and FA rulings.

Following last week’s answer around exploring the option of forming a Northwich Villa, can you explain the criteria proposed for the launching of a seemingly new club?

The formation of a Northwich Villa would certainly not be the launch of a new or alternative club to the Vics. Quite the opposite. This new venture would work both with the existing youth provision to provide a further and effective link that would theoretically allow young players to advance through the current childrens links to reach a suitable level that would give them the chance to progress to senior Vics level.

Would you be happy to approve a campaign from fans to register their concerns about how the Conference have dealt with the club in recent times?

Firstly it should be made clear that the Conference have not notified or been engaged in a dialogue with the club about any disciplinary measures.

However Jim would welcome any campaign that would challenge the institutions and highlight Vics needs and safeguard the clubs long term aims if that became an issue.

FROM NEXT WEEK QUESTIONS CAN ALSO BE DIRECTED TO ANDY PREECE.

Can I ask everyone to use this media as a responsible link between yourselves and the club. Jim has gone out of his way to respond honestly to your questions and the Newsletter appears to be a mutually appropriate way of addressing concerns.

With that in mind I would ask you to send questions, comments and concerns directly to myself at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .uk or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Jim has agreed to answer ALL concerns through the Newsletter but will not respond to comments on the web chat line.

SUPPORTERS TRUST

The bus to Blythe on Saturday has only 1 seat left at the time of writing. Contact Dave Thomas on 01606 815208 (quickly!!) if you want to book it. 9.0am from the Memorial Hall priced £16 and £14.

On the subject of travel the Trust is planning to run a free bus to the Cheshire Senior Cup Final at Altrincham on Wednesday 24^th March. Details to be announced soon.

Also, the Trust is underwriting the cost of the players bus to Blythe this Saturday.

The Trust are entering a team in the 10th Annual Swimathon at Moss Farm on Sunday 7th March. The event is run by the Rotary Club and is raising money for a number of local charities including:

• St Lukes Hospice

• Vale Royal Talking Newspaper

• Joshua Tree

• Rotary Charities

It is a relay event for teams of between 4 and 7 people, swimming in turn for 55 minutes. The Trust team currently has 4 swimmers, but if anyone can spare an hour from 8pm on Sunday night to take part, it would be greatly appreciated. Please ring Maggie Nixon on 07808765110. Alternatively, if you'd like to sponsor the team, you could make a donation via the paypal button on the Trust website or by pledging a donation via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Thanks

Maggie

KEITH ALEXANDER by Andrew Simpson

FORMER Northwich Victoria manager Keith Alexander, in charge for one of the club’s most famous FA Cup runs, has died.

He was 53.

The Macclesfield Town boss, who recently took time off to recover from illness, passed away after arriving home following his team’s League Two match at Notts County last night, Tuesday.

"Keith was a splendid man; he will be sorely missed at the Moss Rose and by everyone involved in football,” the club said.

Alexander, born in Nottingham, recently celebrated his two-years anniversary in charge of the Silkmen and his death has prompted tributes from a whole host of figures in the game.

“We're all absolutely devastated," said Macclesfield chairman Mike Rance.

"I spoke to Keith last night at about 11.15pm after our game and he was in good spirits because, although we lost, we had given a team chasing promotion a good game.

"It was perhaps fitting that the last conversation we had was about football."

Alexander replaced Mark Gardiner in the dugout at the Drill Field following Vics’ dismal start to the 2000-2001 campaign, arriving in town in October from Ilkeston Town with a remit to keep the club in non-league’s top tier.

It’s a feat he achieved.

But his impact was not confined to Vics’ Football Conference campaign.

He was in charge as he guided Northwich to a stunning FA Cup first round replay success against Football League outfit Bury, then ranked two tiers higher, before taking Leyton Orient to a second game at the next stage.

"It is all about hard work, no matter what job you do,” Alexander said before the second round clash.

“When I first watched Northwich, I felt they wanted to play off the cuff too much.

“Everyone wants to be like Manchester United, but that's not possible. I naturally want to play the game as it should be played, but winning is paramount.”

Northwich bowed out 3-2 following the replay, missing out on a third round date with Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur.

Alexander sold star striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher to Vics’ cup conquerors for a club record fee – which still stands today – of £50,000 before he left to take a coaching role at former club Lincoln City for the 2001-2002 season.

One of only two black managers working in the Football League – MK Dons’ Paul Ince is the other – he underwent surgery on a brain aneurysm in 2003 and suffered a further scare in March last year.

He exited Lincoln by mutual consent in 2006 and moved to Peterborough, but left there in January 2007 after a disappointing run of results.

He became director of football at Bury before being appointed Macclesfield manager in February 2008, returning to Northwich for a pre-season friendly against Andy Preece’s men last summer.

THE GUARDIAN - Andrew Simpson

ARTICLE No 1

ANDY Preece accused Fleetwood’s players of disrespect after Northwich Victoria became the first team to beat the title favourites in front of their own fans.

The Vics boss told the Guardian that Micky Mellon’s promotion hopefuls had sung the Queen anthem Another One Bites the Dust in the dressing room following their emphatic win at the Victoria Stadium before Christmas.

“It’s been ringing in our ears ever since,” he revealed.

“We felt it was arrogant.

“I’ve got huge respect for what Fleetwood have achieved on the pitch this season but for me that was totally uncalled for.

“I don’t know whether they were trying to intimidate us or strike a psychological blow.

It did hurt us, although it made my team talk so much easier this time around.

“That extra incentive helped us, not them.”

His happy players retorted with a rendition of the Beatles’ number one Can’t Buy Me Love following their stunning 3-0 success at Highbury Stadium.

It marked the first time this season that Fleetwood had lost to anybody there.

“To come here and get a result like that is fantastic,” added Preece.

“It’s no fluke either; we thoroughly deserved the three points. It’s a huge shock probably for everybody else in the league too.

“Of course we didn’t think we were going to come here and win 3-0 but we thought we had enough about us to cause them problems.

“I think it’s our best victory yet.

“If you look at Fleetwood’s home record and the list of win after win then that tells you how tough a place this is to come to.

“They haven’t lost here; it’s that simple.”

Mark Danks blasted the visitors in front on the stroke of half time to hand them a deserved lead.

Brian Dutton’s header from Mike Aspin’s cross doubled their tally before substitute Lee Elam gleefully turned in a third following a swift counter attack.

Fleetwood rallied late on, going closest when Nathan Pond’s stabbed shot struck the bar.

“They’ve got good players who they can bring on to change the game but maybe those guys arrived too late today,” said Preece.

“We were tight defensively and the back four stayed very narrow.

“That meant their wingers had no gaps to run through which is a lesson we have learned from the two games we’ve lost against Fleetwood earlier this season.”

Northwich move up to ninth place as a reward – their highest placing in Blue Square North since the start of the season.

A play-off place is six points away.

“It’s a great position for us to be in and we just need to keep going,” added Preece.

“I’ve said all along that I think we need to be within six points of fifth place with ten games to go. We’ve hit that now so hopefully we can close that gap further.”

ARTICLE No 2

ANDY Preece reckons his side’s midweek setback makes Saturday’s battle with Blyth Spartans a must-win in the race for a play-offs place.

The Northwich Victoria manager told the Guardian that there would be no repeat of the Vics’ five-goals thrashing dished out to Mick Tait’s men in January either.

“They are going to be right up for it following the result at our place,” he said.

“Their manager kept them in the changing room for about an hour and a half afterwards going absolutely berserk with them.

“But they’ve gone on a decent run since.”

Preece said he was looking for an instant improvement from his players following their single-goal reverse at Vauxhall Motors in midweek – their first on the road since September.

It also marked the first time Vics have failed to score in 2010.

“We didn’t perform,” he said.

“If we had turned up and played the way we had at Fleetwood [last Saturday] then we would have won the match but if you’re not tuned in then you will lose and that’s what happened.

“Ultimately it’s down to us.

“There’s no point talking about one or two decisions that didn’t go our way because I felt we didn’t earn the right to win the game.

“We’ve only ourselves to blame.”

Preece also said he would not be pressing the panic button following Vics’ fine start to the New Year, a run which leaves them six points adrift of a play-offs place.

He added: “We’ve been really consistent since the start of the year.

“But there was a huge warning there for us when you look at some of the other teams that have been to Vauxhall this season and got nothing.

“We couldn’t break them down; there were one or two openings but we didn’t make the most of them.

“It was poor way to lose the game but that pretty much summed up our night.

“Curtis [Aspden] didn’t have too much to do but if we’re honest then neither did James Coates at the other end. “That’s disappointing.”

Blyth, unbeaten at home since November, beat Telford 4-0 last weekend but went down at Workington on Tuesday.

They are three points, but five places, worse off than Northwich in the standings.

“It’s tough going there anyway because they have such a strong home record,” said Preece.

“They’ve had some great results, particularly putting four past Telford last week, so we could have done with getting three points at Vauxhall to take the pressure off.

“Now, if we are really serious about making the play offs then we will probably need to win.”

ARTICLE NO 3

BRIAN Dutton will sit out three matches through suspension as punishment for his dismissal at Vauxhall Motors on Tuesday.

The Northwich front man was sent off by referee Mark Ackerman following his challenge on Tom Grice in stoppage time.

Vics lost the Blue Square North encounter 1-0.

“I thought it was a terrible decision,” said Northwich manager Andy Preece.

“It was a strong challenge but I think their player has got ours sent off with his reaction; it’s as simple as that.

“Brian didn’t go in with his studs or in a dangerous way; I just don’t understand why the referee made the decision that he did.”

Dutton’s three-matches ban starts on March 16, ruling him out of the return match against Vauxhall at the Victoria Stadium.

He misses the league trip to Solihull the following weekend plus the Cheshire FA Senior Cup final against Woodley Sports at Moss Lane.

ARTICLE NO 4

LEE Elam is the latest player to leave Northwich Victoria as the club continues to cut its weekly wage bill.

He has joined Bradford Park Avenue, currently on course to join Andy Preece’s men in Blue Square North next season as UniBond League champions.

Vics will not receive a fee for the 33-year-old wide man.

Elam’s exit ends a 15-months spell at the Victoria Stadium, during which he has made 51 appearances and scored five times.

But the former Altrincham winger has struggled to find space in the starting line since the start of the year, ironically only playing from the first minute in his last outing for the club at Vauxhall Motors on Tuesday.

He signed off with a goal too as a second half substitute in last weekend’s 3-0 win at Fleetwood Town.

Elam was one of five contracted players transfer-listed at the start of last month after owner Jim Rushe revealed that the club was not making enough money to pay it’s highest earners.

Mat Bailey, Ryan Brown and Jonathan D’Laryea have left since then too.

The latest departure leaves the Northwich manager with just 16 players to pick from for Saturday’s trip to Blyth Spartans.

Jonny Allan (knee) is still recovering from injury, but Preece is pondering whether to recall defender Danny Meadowcroft from his month-long loan spell at Colwyn Bay, which ends next week.

The UniBond League Division One North hopefuls want the stopper to stay until the end of the season following his impressive form in the five matches he has started to date.

CONFERENCE RAMBLINGS

Altrincham forward Chris Senior has won the Blue Square Premier `Player of the Month` award for February.
In the Blue Square South the award goes to Basingstoke Town’s Mitchell Bryant.
Andy Brown from AFC Telford United has won the award in the Blue Square North.

There was another surprise development in the ongoing saga of Farsley Celtic’s efforts to secure their future on Tuesday night when their Blue Square North fixture at AFC Telford United was called off.
The postponement was made by the Football Conference early in the afternoon following Farsley’s failure to exit administration.
The club, in its 101st year, is not extinct just yet but they are closer to the brink than at any time over the last catastrophic nine months.
Administrators Mazars held a meeting with representatives of the consortium bidding to buy the club on Monday. They were locked in talks from 4pm to 8pm but a settlement was not reached.
That led to more talks being scheduled for Tuesday but, as no agreement had been reached, the administrators informed the Conference that Farsley were unable to fulfil the fixture.
It is understood that there is only one serious bid for the club and that is by a consortium headed by Farsley president John Palmer.
In Monday’s meeting they were encouraged to increase their bid to a sum that the administrators deemed acceptable.
With the consortium unable to procure further funds, a higher offer from them was not forthcoming.
There are expected to be more discussions involving the consortium, the administrators and the creditors committee before any decision is made regarding Saturday’s home game against Workington.
A source close to the club said: “We are not dead in the water just yet but we are in limbo.
“It doesn’t look good for the club at the moment but it never has since we entered administration and we have made it this far, so never say die.”

Droylsden have announced that their crucial game against fellow play-off chasers Eastwood Town will be free to watch!
The admission to the game on March 13th is free for both home and away supporters at the Butcher`s Arms.

The Board of the Football Conference has issued a statement following the meeting of member clubs at Rushden & Diamonds on Friday morning.
The statement reads: “Member clubs of the Football Conference, at a general meeting held today, voted in support of the Board of Director`s recommendation to erase Chester City (2004) FC Ltd from membership in accordance with Article 5.2”.
Chester City did not attend the meeting.

SUPPORTERS RALLY

The current problems experienced within the higher / highest echelons of the football pyramid have long been predicted but are nonetheless a very real worry for those directly connected with these clubs and ultimately for all with even a passing interest in the beautiful game.

Many football fans are now seeing that the attempts of their club guardians to join the costly race for success regardless of what league you are in can have drastic consequences and put established clubs long entrenched within their local communities at the very real risk of extinction.

As a football fan one is constantly faced with a real juxtaposition when one considers balancing the want of success against the realties of the modern game. Agents, players, managers, fans, the tax man even all have different goals. Some more noble than others. But now more than ever a balance must be found or we will see the horror stories of the last months return on a regular basis.

Supporter Ownership, and thus by defintion FC United, attempts to offer the basis of a different model. At it’s core is the ‘club’ and it’s relationship within and as an important community asset offering all who wish to be involved the opportunity to get involved.

On Saturday 27th Feb before their home game against North Ferriby United, FC United will host a supporters rally aimed at putting supporter ownership at the very centre of the debate on the future of the game.

Alongside FC United speakers, guests will include Guardian journalist David Conn, representatives from Portsmouth, Schalke FC, Supporters Direct and IMUSA. It is also hoped that groups from English clubs affected by the escalating debt in the game, will be in attendance.

Football is at a critical juncture, with the need for clear leadership and regulation never more evident. An alternative model of how the game is structured has never been more needed with supporter ownership absolutely fundamental to that model.

12 noon at Gigg Lane Social Club - Free Entry

EX-VICS

Blue Square's Alan Alger has confirmed that Kidderminster Harriers` manager Steve Burr has won the February Manager of the Month award for the Blue Square Premier.
It's safe to say that Burr, who joined Harriers from Stalybridge Celtic in January, has enjoyed a fantastic start to life at Aggborough, starting with a draw at Crawley Town and a thumping win over Grays Athletic in his first matches in charge.
After steering the club through a tasty local derby against Worcester City in the FA Trophy in February's first game, he picked up a Blue Square Premier draw at title-chasers Oxford United.
Harriers then downed Forest Green Rovers before returning to Oxford to knock them out of the FA Trophy as the club booked a spot in the last four of the competition. There was the perfect follow-up, a 3-0 League win at home to Histon this past Saturday.
"Steve has had a fantastic start at Kidderminster and was a runaway winner in the vote for February's manager of the month," said Alger of league sponsors Blue Square.
"The appointment looked to be a shrewd one at the time and he hasn't disappointed."
"It's Steve's third managerial award of the season, having already won the Blue Square North equivalent in September and December when at Stalybridge Celtic."

REMINDERS

MOTHERS DAY

The Carvery at the ground is doing two lunch sittings for Mothers Day (a week on Sunday) so if you want to go for a meal that day please hurry up and book to avoid disappointment as there only a few reservations left with one sitting almost completely booked..

2nd NVFC BEER FESTIVAL - 12/06/2010 at the club.
Tickets for the event are going to be on sale from the club shop on match days, cost for the event is £5.00 and it is a ticket only event with all proceeds made going to the club.
We are also looking for sponsors for barrels of beer at the event, cost for a barrel is £75.00 and for this you receive two tickets for the event, your details on the bar as sponsor, in the beer programme and we hope like last year that you will get a mention in the Northwich Guardian and on their web page.
Also we are looking at selling advertising on the programme, it will be for a 1/4 page advert and cost will be £25.
If anyone is interested then they can contact Andy on 07989836303 or by e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it