...just checked and of the 77 teams still involved in the final qualifying round of he F.A. Cup there is only one North East based non-league team left in, Gateshead. What does that say about how far we are falling behind the Southern based teams in comparison?

But half of the teams are from the north and half are from the south. Hence the two sections of the draw.

It depends where the line is drawn.

Exactly, half the teams classed as being in the North are actually in the Midlands, which by my reckoning isn't the North. So from Harrogate in N.Yorks right up to Berwick on the border you've got a stretch of nearly 150 miles and there's only one team left from that North Eastern area. In fact if you take out Southport and Barrow in the North West it's practically nought.

Any ideas on why this is? Decline of industry, people in the North are fat and piss*d all time? lack of money due to poorer economy in the North?

Just cyclical and the luck of draw. Blyth were the non league team everyone was talking about only last and were 2-0 in the third round against Birningham. The Northern League clubs always do well in the FA Vase.

I don't really see a decline, we only have one club at conference level (who are top four) it's an achievement for fully part time teams below that to even reach the final qualifying round. Of those Blyth are top of the Evostick, with Darlo third, Spennymoor are top 6 in the League below and of the last seven years a Northern League club has won the FA Vase and other year they had a beaten finalist.

Also as I said as well Blyth were the non league team of the cup only last season.

So as much as you want a paint a Lowery painting with your doom and gloom miserable rhetoric I fail to see any evidence that supports a decline in North East non league football, on paper it looks as strong in comparison to the rest of the country as it always has.

Could have been a contender but the chances were slender.

Mr PJ makes some good points. Also bring into contention the early rounds are regional meaning NL teams often face NL teams knocking a few out etc. Then add in the NL lack of promotion within the Football pyramid since its formation, where teams from higher leagues enter. There are many other factors, as mentioned by Mr PJ above, why do you think the Vase (Tin Pot) has been won by clubs from the NL frequently? A) Because the Tin Pot is the Holy Grail or B) Luck. Why is there a lack of progression from the NL?

Questions. questions, questions.

Who is your bile aimed at ? the original OP? or me or another poster? No wonder the bunker is in meltdown with hardly anyone posting on here anymore. What a bellend you are PJ

It was aimed at you going on bizarrely about people being fat and pissed, mentioning the local economy when I don't think we've seen a decline initial non league football. I reasoned my view in fairness and someone who watches local non league football has said I make good points.

Call me what you want but it gets a bit tiresome reading your constant derogatory comments about Pools (which I'll give you right now ) the town and wider area in general. If it's that bad why don't you move?

You seem to be adopting your usual 'know-all' moral high ground stance PJ, that's what's annoying. I actually thought you were aiming your 'doom and gloom miserable rhetoric' quote at me!.
The point I'm trying to get over is that there are about 20 teams from the London area alone still in the competition all standing to get their hands on either £12,500 in the FQ round or £18k from reaching the FRProper. That's a lot of money at that level 'our' teams are missing out on, but as Horden says what's the point of mentioning it without conducting a full government level enquiry first into the facts before posting.

We only have one team at conference level though the rest are least two levels below that and always have been. So it's always going to difficult for them to get that far in the competition especially now as the conference is almost an entirely professional league. For a Spennymoor to make to the final qualifying round is almost on a par with us getting to round three or four which we know doesn't happen very often.

I reasoned my point in the post, not sure what's know all about it. Even you must admit the bloke is a constant misery on these forums, he seems to actually enjoy. Fair enough that doesn't make him a bad person but I don't I'm being unfair when I say it.

I guess Horden was only joking about being fat and peed all the time, but he does hit on a valid point about the decline in industry and the poorer economy, as I reckon for example the closing of SSI in Redcar will not only have a massive effect on Boro's crowds it will also have a knock on to the likes of Redcars/Stocktons/ Marskes teams too.

How exactly?

If you cannot see that the local businesses who sponsor the non-league teams and exist on the incomes of local workers will suffer because of huge decisions like this (and I'm not saying it's the wrong one) then I'm basically flabbergasted.

I think it's probably more likely to effect the Boros crowds than the likes of Marske and Redcar who get less than 100 people watching them probably combined. Obviously it's something that will have a devastating effect on the area but I think on things impacted by that the lowest level on semi professional football features way down.

Plus you were talking about a decline in North East non league football due to not getting far in the FA Cup which I don't think has happened as it's the norm for most of the North East clubs not to get that far. They maybe used to in the past but think that's more due with the levels of professionalism further up the pyramid than anything beyond that.

Mr Fireball makes a lot of good and valid points in his response. Re the third paragraph, Shamus O'Connell (in the 50's) moved from Bishop to Chelsea, got his game and scored goals etc. By the end of the season he returned to Bishop because he couldn't afford the wage cut he got by being professional.

Also after the Munich air crash Bishop loaned Man Utd 3 players to help them out! From memory Warren Bradley was the first and only player to be capped by England at Amateur and professional level in the same season!

The 'Northern Powerhouse' - pah, Tory shite.

I thought that was a nightclub.

HORDON IS SPOT ON, AS IS CHIP

Local football is dead, or at leat dying.

Just look at the facts.

From kid footy through the sunday leagues, the wearside league and up over.

Even kids teams at 16 now cant get teams out because half of the players are too pissed to play.

The Sunday league struggles for teams, and then I hear about young players palying who are highly rated and yet they were poor players at junior level.

Really poor. Sunday teams strugglefor players, and blokes are playing in the premier division who wouldnt have got a game in the 2nd division 20 years ago.

The wearside league is now what the District league was 20 years ago. A few decent teams, but loads of utter garbage.

And despite most of them signing about 40 players each, a lot of whom are the sunday league players above, struggle to get 11 decent players to turn up every week.

Hartlepool only has one team at that level now. And I bet they havent had the same 11 turn up two games on the trot.

No saturday league in the town any more, when ther used to be three divisions.

The prem on a sunday was full of teams that were all northern league players, and got paid.

Its tragic. And yet even on this thread, a few seem to not see it.

It wasnt that long ago that the Lion would be winning, or at least getting close to winning, the All England Sunday cup with a team full of ex pros and northern league players.

And you had to be some player to get a game in the northern league and wearside league.

not any more.

You are talking about a completely separate issue. The thread was about semi pro teams in the FA Cup.

What you're talking about isn't confined to the Hartlepool or the North East participation in the Sunday morning football is not what is was all over the country. Life changes the fact is people have more choice than they did years ago. These days lots of people will play 7 a side after work rather than turn up on Sunday mornings especially those with families who've spent all week at work. It was accepted 20 years ago they you'd go out on a Sunday morning play footy and you might see your kids for an hour after a skinful in the club after the game. Times change. How many people used to play cricket in the Town? It's exactly the same now. You even struggle to get kids these days to fully commit to cricket they have that much else going on.

When did Dibble start collecting his pension? Auld codger!

Dont worry Dan, according to PJs logic. when NUFC SAFC MBRO are in NL we will have a great cup pedigree. In the 70s the Nl regularly had 3 teams in first round, one in second, ffs even Blackhall played in first round 51/52 and Easington and Horden played in 2nd back in the day, but hey why let that get in way of good anti Horden story. Clearly the bloke doesnt like me, if this post doesnt sugggest that nothing does. Why doesnt the soft ass PM me and I will go and talk over our differences of opinion on his doorstep. I hazard a guess like all cowards he will decline my offer.

So basically you agree with me and the OP rather than PJ, how bizarre|

I'll ignore your, probably drunk threats, and try address to your points (I'll do my best) you are talking about a completely different time, non league football probably changed at the formation of the conference and the end of re-election. Now it's at a point where the conference is basically a division five, a fully professional league. The pyramid is more structured so it's harder for teams from further down that to ever reach the later stages. Then the Northern League was basically the level below the league and I'd imagine you'd get some good players in it. You'll never see village teams making it that far again, plus the thread was about a recent decline and a North/South divide. That applies as does Dibbles point nationwide.

Not drunken threats my friend, just finished my nite shift. But like all cowards when challenged you now suddenly want to talk sensibly about the original post. Just PM me and I will buy you a pint and we can put names to faces rather than this computer warrior mullarkey. You seem to know your stuff,about pools and football even if some of it is misplaced. I would like to meet you

I've tried to speak sensiblely throughout the thread. Nothing sudden really I've just read back what I've said. I'm not sure what makes someone who disagrees with you and in a fairly lighted hearted way points out how negative and down on the area/pools you always are makes them a 'coward'

I'll have a pint with you no bother at all, not on my doorstep though it's getting a bit chilly on a night now.

Well I think if you have read back the thread you will realise a good post was spoilt by you ( again) due to your obsession with putting me down. Live and learn PJ . You dont have to like me I dont have to like you, but why ruin threads of others such as Paulus? PM me about the pint, this is my last post on the bunker. ITB for me from now on. You have sickened me. This board will be the worse of for it believe me.

If this boards turning into a clandestine dating site, Im single. However I only date women of the female persuasion.

Back to the subject matter, quite a few posters have made some valid points, Messers Horden, Fireball, PJ and Colonel (to name a few). There really isn't one single answer, more a combination of the NL ego, changing times, less money in the North, teams not being bankrolled by employers etc. Also look back historically where there was professional, semi professional and amateur football. Who was really who then? Remember some teams put their money in players pockets and neglected the ground, come the pyramid it was a case of expensive ground improvement for progression, which meant cutting the playing budget, which halted progression. Can I also add in financial mismanagement from some "committees" in the past, we will all know of some.

Just a few thoughts.

So a thread about North East Football has turned into PJ and Horden going out for a date.

I think PJ is a Darlo fan undercover, his regular attempts to create havoc and arguments leave no other explanation really, don`t let him drive you away horden, we need proper supporters on here, he will eventually trudge back to loid land when he sees he is having no joy!

Cue the Man Utd tripe

lads, this is a good board with some decent posters contributing, for fucks sake don't end up like the Swindon board, full of absolute cretins who chat absolute shit. each person can have an opinion, agree, disagree who cares.

Thousands of women here ,but nee men.You up for it ?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34487450

Do we think think Horden had really been on a 'nite shift' last night or had he been drinking!!!?!

No PM yet but he has added me on Grindr.

This is what the board has been missing, imo.......the first proper hissyphit we've had for yonks. In Atweasle's day, people used regularly to take the huff and stomp off, but not any more. This might be the start of a Bunker revival.

PS Horden does remember the rules, doesn't he? ie leave it a bit and then slip back under cover of darkness? Someone better pop over to itb and remind him.

The women yes. Spending time with you on a small Island (insert own answer), and possibly falling foul of druglords and possibly spending time in Prison with you (again insert response).

I suppose 1 out of 3 ain't bad!

The board will always get a few bites especially with a lot of Fishing going on lately.
The players could stop it by actually stringing a few decent results together!

Can we afford to sign BILLY THE FISH he knows were the net is! or isent eh

Brown Fox could do an excellent job for us on the wing.

Just having a read of Into The Blue at work and I do believe I've stumbled across the explanation posted at around the same time last night;

http://into-theblue.proboards.com/threa ... ol-tonight



As initially suspected.

Hes got a good job working from the Pub.

There's been a tiff.....no-where near as one-sided as you're trying to make out, PJ. Can we drop this now?

I wish they bloody would

Quite right, Colonel. The basic rule of hissyfitting has been forgotten here. That is : hissyfitters should under no circumstances try and justify their hissyfitting after the event. It should all run like a volcano gushing forth whatever it is volcanos gush, then end abruptly with no excuses.

Now, are you here for a five minute argument, and on what subject?

It depends on who wants to diss the trust.

I want to say to anyone that has a dslike for it to go and see a solicitor, to claim for the labotomy you had that removed the working part of your brain.

Or, sadly, they were just born stupid.

Right, so lets start with a five minute one.

I must say though, its been a few years since I read someone post that they wanted to know where someone lived, so they could "discuss things" on their door step.

Weirdly, I thought only kids did that.

Anyway, thats another argument.

Or we could get on my other pet hates...............................road works, with no 'lovely lovely person' working there, and lorry drivers.

Have I got time for a 5 minute argument?...rustle rustle through diary.....no, sorry, only half hour ones left.

But what if I agree to the half hour one, then just bugger off after five minutes?

Would you demand my address?