The Shifnal Town and Shropshire Football Podcast
A weekly football podcast dedicated to all football in Shropshire.
The Shifnal Town and Shropshire Football Podcast
Episode 1 - The New Season
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We kick-off the new podcast! We are looking forward to welcoming guests onto the podcast from next week onwards. Get in touch with us on our various social media platforms if you would like to joins us.
Here we are. The Red Spar Schiffnell.
SPEAKER_00Two podcasts becoming one.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00The home of our new podcast. Do you want to say the title or shall I? Well, hopefully one of us can remember it. The Schiffnell Town and Shropshire football podcast.
SPEAKER_01Right, it rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Just about. The podcast that's all about Shropshire non-league football. We're not going to bother with uh Shrewsbury or Telford.
SPEAKER_00They got enough coverage in it.
SPEAKER_01So that's what we're going to do. This is the first one. We've done all our practice runs, our friendly games. One of them. Yeah, both of friendly games. So shall we get down to business? Let's start. Right, so uh we better start with Shiftnall Town because um here we are in the red spa. Yeah, it's nice in here, isn't it? It's alright, it's a good function room. Yeah, good function room. It is. That's the first ad of a selling point. So um Schiffnell Town pre-season.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's a bit obviously they had a good first season at step four. Um, last season, the first half of the season was amazing, second half of the season not so good, yeah. Um, but obviously they had a really respectable finish in terms of their league position. They survived relegation convincingly, and then I think obviously the management team are just looking to uh have an even better time this uh this season and some good new signings, yeah. Obviously, um last night uh Zelly Ishmar was announced. Um he lives fairly local, so it's uh does he live in Shropshire? I'm pretty sure he's Wolverhampton. Oh obviously close to Shiftnall, and then tonight we've announced the signing of uh Jake Bennett, so another Bennett uh member of the family. Yeah, yeah. What position does he uh right back right back so it would be near near your lads, not too far away.
SPEAKER_01And uh a couple of good signings up front, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh lots of goals hopefully this season. Um, we've got uh Shea Tilt and Andre Landell from Sporting Council, so lots of speed and firepower fingers crossed. And have the friendlies gone? Yeah, they've been good. Um we lost at Sporting Council, that was a really tough game. They were really up for it on the night. It was more like an elite game, to be fair. Um, and then some other good results at Coles Hill playing Rush All Olympic as well. Um, so yeah, it looks alright. It's it's always difficult though to tell, isn't it, in preseason what how things are going to turn out, but so far so good, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Okay, and then of course the baptism of fire on uh Saturday, straight into the FA Cup.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01It's a tough thing that is to your first game to be the FA Cup.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean I think the unfortunate thing for Shiftnall is that their opposition have already played three league games. Um clay cross town. Clay Cross Town. So they're they're they're well uh uh prepared for the game. That's for play three, one three play three, one three, and I think scored a few goals in the process as well. Um so yeah, it'll be interesting. But of course, Schiffnell lost at the first attempt last year to step five opposition. So they'll be hoping that obviously doesn't happen again on Saturday. Yeah, after some previous cup runs before that under Connor Patterson, so yeah. Right, well, and then after that league action, yeah. So I think the first one, big one, uh, we're at home to Lichfield. So we've moved across. Yeah, so it's back to the the Midland League days with them. We had some cracking games with them over the years, uh, when Ivor Green was in charge, and obviously I'm sure Matty Lovitt's going to do an excellent job there as well.
SPEAKER_01Well, he'll he'll certainly have them revved up, and I think they've signed one of our old players, haven't they?
SPEAKER_00Uh two, I believe. So a couple of uh familiar faces, uh, and obviously they're still a core from Litchfield, he've been there a yeah a long time.
SPEAKER_01They've kept seven. I was listening to Matty Lovitt's um, he was talking to Brooksy the other day on the on a podcast, yeah, and they've kept seven. And um I know that a lot of the uh NPL West predictors are putting them in the relegation places, so that's gonna spur them on.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I've seen a few things like that, but um we we both know that literature it'll be very different to that. They'll be they'll be very competitive for sure. They'll be revved up. So when's that game? Uh so next Wednesday, we're playing on the Wednesday. Don't tell me you're not away, are you? No, I'm not gonna be away.
SPEAKER_01I'm not I wouldn't be away for that. I'm just thinking we've got the cup on Saturday and then well that's two tough games.
SPEAKER_00It is, but uh to be fair, they're all as tough as each other in that uh north northwest premiere, aren't they?
SPEAKER_01Well, we lost the first two last season, didn't we?
SPEAKER_00I think it might have even been first three, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, and then within about a month, I think we're in unbeaten for for most of up until Christmas. Yeah, so it's gonna be an interesting season.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, really looking forward to it. Obviously, it's a bit bizarre at the moment. All the pitches are yellow generally, it's more like a cricket season, isn't it?
SPEAKER_01Still, yeah, and we've got a new goalie coach, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh so Gary Moore, uh lovely guy as well, just really nice guy. Um, actually bumped into him up at the weekend up at uh the Wolverhampton City game, so he's he's a keen lover of football.
SPEAKER_01He used to be connected with Orwolves, so I think he used to be joint manager there for a bit, yeah. So uh so that's uh that's the review because there's no games to review, so uh but there are games to review, and we're gonna run through generally all the non-league football in Shropshire. That's the idea. Obviously, as the lower leagues kick in, there'll be more to cover, so we'll have to sort of pick and choose. But uh for the first one, uh, we'll start at the uh senior team that played and that's Whitchurch, and lo and behold, you put me to shame. You were there, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I I couldn't uh turn down the offer of uh going to that game. It was it was a good game to be fair, and I was really impressed with Whitchurch.
SPEAKER_01And they played at AFC Wolf City.
SPEAKER_00AFC Wolf City, and they won uh two nil ones. 2-0 struggling ages ago now. 0-0 half timer. Yeah, nil-nil half time, and then uh I think Alex Hughes, and then I think possibly Ollie Holden with the other goal. Yeah, um, it was a really good game, and I was impressed with Whitchurch. Um, Jack Alles played really well, Freddie Bishton, um, Alex Hughes, Oli Holden. They they look really good and they had a good result last night against Northwich Victoria, didn't they?
SPEAKER_01They did, they had a man sent off uh quite early on. They played an hour with 10. Yeah, um Lennon Billingham got a red card, and uh they held on to get a point out of the Northwich fix now. You know, many might be saying they're that'd be tip to be up there, won't they?
SPEAKER_00So uh yeah, a very good point and a clean sheet as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I know the manager Jason uh Starkey, is he? The uh Witchurch manager's very happy. We're hoping to get him on.
SPEAKER_00We were but a bit busy, a bit busy, isn't he? So uh I'm sure we'll get him on at some point.
SPEAKER_01They are coming on, they're promised to coming on, so uh remember that. Yeah, and uh I think they've got the Dawley Town. Dawley Town, so Tom White um next week, fingers crossed, yeah. So uh that's an open invitation. Anybody who wants to come on. Get in touch, get in touch, absolutely. Uh so let's run through a few of the other leagues, trying to get uh step by step. Step six, Ludlow Town. Um their social media's a bit difficult to uh they don't give a lot away on social media. Struggle to uh pick up my trony, but uh they play in the Hellenic First Division and uh they won a waste that didn't Chip in Sodbury, never an easy place to go. Good result, pretending he knows. And then they ate they played uh near neighbours Bewedley Town last night and got a 3-2 win with uh goals two from Howard, one from Clark, and that's six points out of six.
SPEAKER_00Good result because Bewdley Town got in the playoffs last season, didn't they? So that'll be a foursome short.
SPEAKER_01Um I wonder what they think playing in that league. Would they rather be in a sort of uh more local league, if you think?
SPEAKER_00And there's a lot of people scratching their heads at the moment, because even in the Midland League, I know it's looking at the results as a real mixture of teams in there now, isn't there, compared to when Schiffnell were in there?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So uh moving on, anyway. I mean, now the Northwest County's first division Southwick. What a Shropshire league that is. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's derby after derby, week after week.
SPEAKER_00Well, I think last night there was uh Talford Town Shawbury, wasn't there?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so just second game in running through on Saturday. We had uh AFC Bridge O three, and they've moved across from the Midland League originals. Uh Foley Mere one, great result, yeah. Uh Deja got two, and Priest, uh 135 is a good start in a team. Yeah, and I think they're at Bilston tonight, so that's another game who've moved across as well. Yeah, uh, you know, the Midland League has lost some decent teams, yeah. And then we've got uh all Scott Heath on Saturday two, Cheadle Heath nomads two. Yeah, all Scott were 2-0 up, so um for Morris and Davies, so that's they regard that I guess as a point dropped or two points dropped. And last night they crashed to Eccleshore 4-0.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, I'm I'm pretty certain um we've got a couple of players out on um draw registration at Eccleshore, so I think uh Easter February and um Archie Elsden as well.
SPEAKER_01So there's there's an old goalie play for them, uh Adam Whitehouse, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And I'm pretty certain they got playoffs last season, didn't they, Eccleshore? So yeah, they're a good side.
SPEAKER_01All Scott didn't help themselves, they were down to 10 men on the hour. So uh, you know, but it's early days. So you read cards last night? There were, it's uh I mean I don't know, not a very friendly few starts a new season. Then we've got Dawley Town now, they've moved up, haven't they? From the Silent Leisure League, yeah. We'll be out of talk to them next week, hopefully. Yeah, they got a point Saturday away at Alsager, yeah. 2-2. Uh lost both goals coming uh really late on. Uh so that that uh that that shows some good spunk from them. Lost Jones on 85 and an own goal on 92. They all count, they snatched a point, but they went across to Wentzfield last night and they lost 3-2, but that's close. Lost Jones 2, so um and I think they had 10 men last night as well. I don't know, were they not?
SPEAKER_00I think they did, yeah. I think the the the report I saw, I think they were uh down to ten minutes half time, possibly as well.
SPEAKER_01Wensfield never an easy place to go. No, absolutely. Uh and again they've moved across from the the the uh Midlands, these Midland teams from mashup, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. And then um Saturday we had Bilston to Shawbury 0. Now um that's a tough geek to go to Bilston.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And uh I'm sure Bosse at Shawbury will get them.
SPEAKER_00Did you see Billston's um World Cup theme video? I did really went off on social media, didn't it? Fantastic.
SPEAKER_01It was cracking that. Anybody who hasn't seen it, you're gonna be able to do it. Check it out. And um 230 at Bilston for that one. Yeah, they're they're always well supported, aren't they? Always. And then moving on, moving on, we had um Market Drayton Nilk, Britain Social 2. Now, Britain Social uh were good last season, so that's not a shock. No, 212 there.
SPEAKER_00And I think Market Drayton, a bit of a rebuild, aren't they? I think new manager, a lot of new players.
SPEAKER_01Well, we saw them uh pretty friendly, didn't they? And um they you know it wasn't much of a get us, but you know, they played, they tried hard and you know put uh put up a good fight, but it was uh it was a tough friendly for them on T. And then we've got New Mill 6, Chelford Town Nil Saturday. No.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that was a that was a shock, wasn't it? I think there were a few people that were shot by that one. But they've had a rebuild, haven't they?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. But but I notice um two of their signings weren't in the team, and I've subsequently found them injured. Now, old favourite of anybody follows Shropshire football, Joe Cuff. Yeah, great player. He's injured. I mean, once he gets fit, he's gonna be a threat to the floor. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00And Shaquille Brown, um yeah, absolutely another good footballer. Like you say, I'm sure given time for Talon will find their feet and they'll uh they'll they'll uh cause.
SPEAKER_01And I've got a couple of blokes um waiting international clearance um uh to see Martin and Afari.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think uh playing in the Welsh League possibly, isn't it? That kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's a bit much, isn't it? Yeah, I mean we had that last season. We did, we did, yeah. Um so I think that runs through all the early doors results. So um a few people gonna be uh dismayed, but as we know, three three defeats at the start of the season, yeah, it just doesn't mean nothing. Absolutely. Now, a bit about the podcast for because otherwise it could be the world's shortest podcast. This is it, yeah. We're gonna put it out as a video podcast as well. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Do you want to uh so it's gonna be out on YouTube so you can access it as a video if you prefer to watch it as opposed to listen? And then also um it'll be available audio on um Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, I think, are the main ones it's going to. All the normal platforms. That's it, yeah. Um, but more than anything, we just want to welcome everybody to if they want to come on and say a bit about their club and advertise their club, then you're more than welcome to, aren't they?
SPEAKER_01That's what it's about. Uh we need content, so uh we need people to come on.
SPEAKER_00And people are gonna get bored of me and you, that's for certain.
SPEAKER_01Oh well, then it won't be like this every week. Um, and a couple of things we would got all the social media, we've got Facebook, and we've got Twitter, and we've got uh Memento, I think it is, and uh all also there's lots of platforms we can get it on. And we did do a couple of competitions in the close season. Um we ran a World Cup sweep, and the final went down to Ludlow Town versus um who was it? Cleehill United. Right. And uh fairly close to each other, aren't they? Yeah, they are the local derby and Cleal United won it. They defeated Ludlow Town. There you go. Um and they've won the big prize, so they've got to get in touch with us. Yeah. Uh so if they uh well I'll send them the link and then they're on social media, have you found them?
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, they're on social media. Oh there you go.
SPEAKER_01They don't say a lot, but they're on social media. And then we also did a um pick the most picturesque pitch. I can't even say that. Picturesque pitch in Shrops. Yeah, yeah. And uh we did some pictures. So anybody who's got a better contender, they think, send in your photos. And the final three were Snail Beach. Have you been there? No, no, never been there. Honorbury. We're gonna have to do some ground up in a thing, aren't we? Dave, yeah. Oh, we know a guy who does. Oh yeah. And uh I bet Jeff's been to all of them. I expect he has, yeah. And Church Stretton have been there. Oh, yeah, nice place. So uh they were the final contenders, and there's a video on there which I might post again. Yeah. So anybody interested in that, give it a look. So that rounds it up for this week.
SPEAKER_00Superb, and then next week we look forward to welcoming uh Tom White and uh Dawley Town. We're gonna do it here, absolutely, we'll be here. And this is in the red spa. The red spa shift now, the premier bar. Absolutely, uh hold your functions here. Functions here, come and watch the football here, cricket, whatever you want to watch.
SPEAKER_01And get and if you want to come along on Saturday to the magic of the FA Cup.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Um, £10 adults, £7 concessions, £3 under 18s. And we've got a gift shop. Uh yeah, uh, we've got the club shop open, uh, new away shirts on sale, and we've got a new look programme as well, the Town Cryer. Town Cryer and a raffle. Raffle, yeah. Get your tickets off, Maury.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely, she'll be there. Right, we've done a big one this week. So, thanks, Rick. Cheers, Dave, thanks so much. The beauty of this is you do all the hard work now, uploading.
