Football

After more than 30 years of being in and around Holbeach United, Phil Barnes is now ready to step up to the top job. The 47-year-old, who first joined the club as a player aged 11, was named as the new first team manager at Carter’s Park on Thursday. He and assistant Dean Elston will replace Danny Hussey in the ...

Holbeach United have announced that club stalwart Phil Barnes will be their new manager. Barnes, who won the UCL Premier Division as a player with the Tigers, will be assisted by Dean Elston – another Tigers legend – at Carter’s Park. With Danny Hussey stepping down as boss following the early completion of the season, Barnes steps up from his ...

Spalding United have launched their ‘SUFC 200 Club’ – dubbed a great way to support the Tulips while having the chance to win prizes. You can sign up for just £10 per month, with three monthly cash prizes for winners, with the rest helping support the club during these difficult times. You can set up a standing order via treasurer ...

One of the finest and most enduring players on the local football scene has had his final competitive match. Holbeach United legend Steve “Oddie” Barnes announced his retirement on Saturday, March 26 soon after the season was declared null and void for the vast majority of non-league teams due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the 44-year-old is just thankful he ...

Ian Dunn isn’t thinking much about football at the moment – but he reckons the enforced break will be good for stress levels. After years of success that saw the player/boss take the Knights from the Peterborough League to fourth place in the UCL Premier Division last season, 2019/20 was a shock to the system. Before the season was declared ...

Last week’s decision to end the non-league season means that Danny Hussey is no longer the manager of Holbeach United. Having announced his intention to resign at the end of the season just weeks before the coronavirus crisis stalled the entire sporting scene, Hussey is now leaving the role earlier than expected. He was confident that his Tigers, fifth when ...

Lewis Thorogood has revealed his “honour” at being handed the role of Spalding United manager on a permanent basis. Having stepped up as interim manager following Matt Easton’s resignation from the BetVictor NPL South East Division club back in December, former number two Thorogood will lead the Tulips next season. It’s his first permanent role in men’s football having been ...

Pinchbeck United are “obviously very happy” that the FA have expunged all record of the 2019/20 season. That’s the frank and honest assessment of player/boss Ian Dunn, who also admits that he feels for the teams that were having great seasons in the wake of last week’s big decision. The Knights were looking odds-on to be relegated from the Uhlsport ...

All of South Holland’s football teams have kicked their last ball this season after the FA today (Thursday) announced the end of the season for non-league teams from steps three to seven. All results over the season will be declared null and void, with no champions crowned, promotions awards and relegations suffered. The following statement has this afternoon been released ...

Some 15 candidates recently completed the FA Basic Referees’ Course at Spalding Grammar School – the fourth successive year this course has run. The candidates were put through their paces by the Lincolnshire FA referee tutors. Lincolnshire FA’s referee development officer Michael Brader led the course, along with experienced referee and trainer Rob Windle. The course entailed a two-hour evening ...

Their season may have ended a little earlier than expected due to the coronavirus pandemic – but everyone at Holbeach United Black under-8s is reflecting on a real year of progress. Under the guidance of manager Rob Green, who stepped up from his role as assistant last summer, the young Tigers are looking more than ready for their first taste ...

Spalding United interim manager Lewis Thorogood intents to hold weekly chats live on Facebook to help people during what is a tough period for many people. The coronavirus crisis has led to all football being cancelled and many people are on lockdown or in self-isolation. Thorogood held his first live stream on Monday night, with more than 300 people viewing ...

Holbeach United boss Danny Hussey has expressed his pride with the current squad after they donated £800 of expenses to help aid others during the coronavirus crisis. The Tigers have forfeited money that would have been in their pocket following the 6-2 win Uhlsport UCL Premier Division win over Lutterworth Town on March 14 and instead split it between the ...

Spalding United’s BetVictor NPL South East Division campaign looks likely to end prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Northern Premier League revealed that their wish is to terminate the 2019/20 season immediately. But they admit that the best way to conclude the campaign is still to be ratified by the Football Association. Their ...

Holbeach United and Pinchbeck United may have kicked their last ball this season after the FA all but declared the United Counties League campaign over. A meeting involving all of the Step Five and Six clubs was held on Tuesday afternoon – with the FA advising that the season should now finish with immediate effect. However, a decision as to ...

Ian Dunn doesn’t see a happy ending to the coronavirus crisis for football teams across the pyramid. The Pinchbeck United player/boss, whose side sit in the sole UCL Premier Division relegation place, says it’d be unfair to crown champions or enforce promotions and relegations if the season doesn’t continue but isn’t declared void. But he also feels that a transfer ...

Lewis Thorogood sees no reason why the football season shouldn’t be completed despite the disruption caused by coronavirus. The interim Spalding United manager admits that Saturday’s 5-1 defeat at Stamford, played in front of more than 500 fans, “probably shouldn’t” have taken place. But he is against the idea of voiding this season, insisting that seasons should be extended into ...

Holbeach United boss Danny Hussey reckons that he’s already overseen his last game as Holbeach United manager. The Tigers chief, who announced his intention to resign at the end of the season ahead of Saturday’s 6-2 win over Lutterworth Town, doesn’t see any way that this footballing season can be salvaged at any level. With the coronavirus pandemic causing football ...

Long Sutton Athletic romped to a big 7-1 success at Oakham United in the ChromaSport PDFL Premier Division on Saturday. Star striker Jake Clitheroe shone with a hat-trick for the Magpies, while Matt Eaton (2), Callum Davies and Niall Burton also netted. The win moves Sutton up to eighth, with plenty of games in hand on many of the sides ...

Stamford 5 Spalding United 1 Spalding United slipped to a fifth successive defeat in BetVictor NPL South East on Saturday as Stamford came from behind to hand them a 5-1 derby reverse. The Tulips took a shock 19th-minute lead at the Zeeco Stadium through Tobias Liversedge in front of a big crowd of 513. However, the title-chasing Daniels soon levelled ...