A look back at 2015…part one

2015 has proved to be once again a superb year for a number of our Yorkshire sides. The likes of Guiseley, Shaw Lane Aquaforce and Pontefract Collieries celebrated promotion. Wembley was reached by one side, while another two came close. There was also plenty of manager changes too so let’s look back at the first part of the year. Stay tuned for part two.

January

• Harrogate Railway defender Mike Morris breaks his leg during his side’s defeat at Farsley AFC on New Year’s Day.
• Steven Jeff’s free kick lifts the pressure on relegation-threatened Ossett Town in their must-win clash with doomed Padiham.
• Shaw Lane Aquaforce beat Toolstation NCEL Premier Division title rivals Tadcaster Albion at home thanks to Lee Morris’ goal.
• Alan Semley replaces Curtis Woodhouse in the Goole’s manager seat. He has to quickly recruit almost a whole team for the home game with Sutton Coldfield Town. Woodhouse became the Hull United boss a week later.
• Nathan Cartman’s incredible form for Harrogate Railway earns him a move to Darlington 1883.
• The FA Vase adventure continues for Tadcaster and Shaw Lane, who beat Brocton and Walsall Wood respectively.
• AFC Emley suffer a setback when one of their floodlights collapses.

February

• Garforth Town pull off a stunning West Riding County Cup semi-finals victory at Harrogate Town in tough conditions. The win was a huge shock as Conference North outfit Harrogate fielded a strong side.
• Bradford (Park Avenue) join them in the final after winning at Tadcaster. Controversy then follows as it transpires that Alex Pursehouse was ineligible to play in the semi-final. The County FA order a replay which Avenue win.
• Tadcaster and Shaw Lane progress in the FA Vase again – Tadcaster win at AFC Mansfield and Shaw Lane come from behind to beat Flackwell.

March

• Shaw Lane and Tadcaster are knocked out of the FA Vase at the quarter-finals replay stage. Shaw Lane lost 3-1 at Glossop North End after extra-time. Aquaforce were leading 1-0 with three minutes of normal time remaining. Tadcaster are out after being beaten by Highworth – a game that was marred by crowd violence.
• It gets worse for Shaw Lane as they are then beaten by title rivals Worksop, who go ten points. Worksop supporters even start planning their promotion parties. Their manager Mark Shaw also comes up with the quote of the year by saying he feels “invincible” and that Shaw Lane “have too many games to play and they look jaded”.
• Shaw Lane, who trail Worksop by 13 points, then lose to Liversedge, but end the month strongly by beating Heanor, Parkgate and Retford.
• Nostell Miners Welfare surprise many when James Kitson scores a last minute winner at Maltby Main in the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup semi-finals. It books Nostell’s place in the final for the first ever time.
• North Ferriby United win at Wembley in the FA Trophy Final – seeing off Wrexham after a penalty shootout.

April

• The month begins with the very successful NCEL Easter GroundHop which takes in Nostell, Barton, Winterton, Grimsby, AFC Emley, Parkgate, Shaw Lane and Penistone over three days. The weekend includes some key victories as Nostell’s great escape is completed. Hemsworth effectively ended Emley’s promotion hopes with one of the displays of the year to boost their own ambitions. Pontefract put themselves in the driving seat with an unbelievable 7-0 hammering of Penistone in front of over 700 spectators.
• A further two wins – over Knaresborough Town and Hemsworth – place Pontefract a win away from ending their 16-year wait for Premier Division football. That was never in doubt as Pontefract annihilated crisis club Lincoln Moorlands Railway to win promotion from Division One.
• Shaw Lane finally overtake Worksop at the top of the Premier Division table on April 10th when Maltby Main are thrashed 5-0.
• The pressure gets too much for Worksop, who then lose to Barton Town Old Boys and Handsworth Parramore in their next two matches.
• That opens the door for Shaw Lane to clinch promotion and the Premier Division title with a game to spare. Craig Elliott’s men do so by recording their first ever win over Cleethorpes Town at a packed Shaw Lane on the 28th.
• Bradford (Park Avenue) take their time in overcoming Garforth Town in the West Riding County Cup final. Chib Chilaka struck Avenue’s goal in the 77th minute to secure their first County Cup triumph since 1991.
• A draw with Curzon Ashton on the last day is good enough for Frickley Athletic to remain in the Evo Stik Premier Division for another season.
• Les Hare retires from football after 20 years as chairman of North Ferriby United.

May

• Frickley win the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup final at Rotherham’s New York Stadium. Despite Rob Bordman’s mesmerising free kick, Nostell lost 4-1 to a Reece Thompson-inspired Frickley.
• Handsworth Parramore incredibly overturned a 3-1 deficit in the last ten minutes of the NCEL League Cup Final to beat Cleethorpes Town 4-3. Sam Smith scored the winning goal from the penalty spot – his last kick in a Handsworth shirt.
• Guiseley reach the top-flight of Non League for the first time. Mark Bower’s side defeat Chorley after coming from 2-0 down in the Conference North play-offs final.
• Bridlington Town dramatically beat Hull United in the East Riding Senior Cup final.
• Hull United and Westella VIP are approved by the FA to become NCEL clubs for the new season.
• Liversedge promote under 19s boss Jonathan Rimmington to first team manager after Alan Colquhoun resigns.
• Matlby Main replace manager Mick Norbury with former Stockport County vice-chairman Spencer Fearn and Mark Askwith.
• Paul Marshall’s seven-year tenure as Tadcaster Albion manager ends on General Election day. He turns down a directorship to become the replacement for Tony Hackworth at Pickering Town.
• Dave Mace resigns at Worsbrough Bridge and Mark Joyce takes over as their new manager along with Wayne Radford, who is named chairman.
• Harrogate Railway chief Billy Miller takes over at Tadcaster Albion after a two-week search. Former Leeds United defender Matt Heath is his first signing – followed by Jordan Armstrong and Adam Baker.
• Lee Ashforth is installed as Harrogate’s new manager straightaway. Ashforth’s first act is to ensure Dan Thirkell remains with at Station View.
• Paul Lines and Simon Turfrey quit as manager and chairman of Nostell Miners Welfare, but return within a few days.
• Martin Drury replaces John Deacey as manager of Bradford (Park Avenue).
• Pete Goodlad becomes general manager at Athersley Rec to allow Jason Dodsworth and Sean Marginson to take sole control of the team.
• There’s change around at Glasshoughton Welfare. Previous manager Jon Miles becomes their new chairman, while former Doncaster striker Mick Norbury takes the manager’s helm.
• RIASA and Eccleshill United end their long partnership. Eccleshill appoint Mark Greaves as their first manager of the new era.
• Hemsworth Miners Welfare boss Wayne Benn wins Non League Yorkshire’s manager of the year vote.
• Farsley AFC are told by the Football Association that they can re-name themselves Farsley Celtic – five years after losing the ‘Celtic” part.
• Shaw Lane win the race to sign Frickley striker Gavin Allott. Craig Elliott also signs Gibraltar and Farsley Celtic striker Adam Priestley and Rhys Meynell.

June

• Joe Thornton is one of a few new signings made by new Tadcaster Albion manager Billy Miller, who retains most of the previous season’s squad. Jimmy Beadle and George Conway are two of the other new faces.
• After years of calls, play-offs are finally introduced to NCEL Division One at the league’s AGM in Scarborough.
• Hemsworth Miners Welfare make a big name signing in Shane Kelsey to replace Farsley Celtic bound striker Nick Guest.