Grassroots Plus

Lee Simpson talks about 9 years of supporting Dinnington Town and providing video highlights for the clubs YouTube channel.We talk about how the ground and club have changed in that time. We also look back to the Vase and a sad day in Tyneside History.

Sheridan Sparkes joins us from Germany to compare the matchday experiences at Professional and Grassroots levels. We review the FA Cup and look forward to the FA Vase - There are your sending off stories and some items you may not have heard before.

Jamie Williamson took the decision to stop playing at Step 4 in the close season to take over the reins at Sandiacre Town.  He explains the decision and his aims as he encounters the trials and tribulations of managing. We look at the UCL cup results along with a few stories you may not have heard. 

Phil Hiscox secretary of the South West Peninsular League joins us to discuss football in the South West. We review the Vase action and look forward to the FA Cup. We look at the Cornwall & Devon Leagues and your cupsets along with a few stories you may not have heard.

Paul Lucas talks about the work of a Chairman and Vice Chairman at Steps 4 and 5 and the difference between the two levels. We look at the Wessex league along with Dorset and the Isle of Wight. We review the FA Cup and look forward to the Vase. Paul discusses the aspirations of his club Downton in the Wessex league and an appreciation of travelling relatively short distances to opposition. We view a few events in France and Mick has a moan.

This week the Voice of Reason is away so Max Bailey from Emma's Ground Guide joins us.We take a brief look forward to the FA Cup this weekend As well as this last round of results.There is a visit to Staffordshire and Portugal while Max makes a few predictions.We lament a few lost grounds and Max recalls the best and worst of his 99 grounds visited.

This week UCL Facilities Director Ian Hughes joins us.We take a brief look at the FA Cup from the weekend and take a look at changes in the UCL line up.There is a visit to the Lincolnshire, Boston and Peterborough Leagues and Ian makes a few predictions.We have a Pub Quiz question, a look at Gibraltar and a few stories you may have missed, and not of course forgetting Mick's moan.

A New Season
As we start our fifth season we are joined by Jake Topliss @topliss94 Jonny Upton @jonnyupt and Paul Rockley @PaulRockley92.
We take a look at the first two rounds of games and look ahead to the fortunes of the Nottinghamshire Clubs competing at Steps 4,5,6 and 7.We have some predictions and Mick has his first moan of the season. A league look and a few stories you might not have heard.

Episode 38 - The End of the Season
Max Bailey from Emma's Ground Guide joins us to look at the past season and remembers that He got married mid-season.We review the playoffs and the season gone for some of our local sides. We have a few stories you may not have heard and take a light hearted look back at the season with the Grassroots Plus Awards.
Thank you to our guests, listeners, contributors, and our Sponsors Gusto Group - We couldn't have done it without you.

Luke chats about his second spell managing a club he also played for and can look back on a season that saw his team reach their highest ever pyramid position, He talks about his early playing days at school, adult football and getting in to management. We discuss preparing for Step 5 football with a few weeks notice and how the squad and club have grabbed the opportunity.We look at the relegation and promotion issues and an on-going saga in the South.

Kev Newton talks about his life in Grassroots Football including 36 years at Teversal as a player and club secretary. He also gives a fascinating insight into the importance of community and friendship between clubs in his area. We discuss the difficulties clubs in the area have faced with the demise of the Mining and Hosiery Industries. Teversal's fortunes have changed over the years but as well a senior team they also maintain 15 other teams across the club. We look at the Final Day of the regular UCL season and some of the relegation and promotion issues elsewhere. 

Gavin Rice joins us to talk about promotion as a referee as well as the progress of a couple of other local refs.We also discuss the effects of VAR and whether over-scrutinization of elite level officials is creating a public perception that standards are dropping across the game. Gav mentions some of the bigger stadiums he has officiated at places to unwind and leave the ref's whistle and notebook behind.We have a few stories you may not have heard and Gav takes on Mick's foreign stories.

 
This week it's just Mick and Dave.We look back of life outside the pyramid and the Vase Semi Finals.We also take a look at the heritage of pit clubs and travel back 50 years.
More of the promotions and relegations have been resolved and we look at a few stories you may have missed.

This week the Southwell City manager Johnny Upton talks about managing the club he played for until U13, including a ground move from their spiritual Bishops Drive home to a new ground a few miles away at Brinkley. The Zebra's also won promotion to the pyramid and have enjoyed adjusting to life at Step 6. He also talks about  the club's business model and ethos. We look back at the first leg of the FA Vase Semi Finals and more confirmed movements in the promotion and relegation game. A few stories you may have missed and a few suggestions for games to watch.

Episode 32 - Stadium Plans 
Steff Wright chairman of Newark and Sherwood United is in the hotseat, He talks about the plans for a new stadium back in the Town, the importance of a solid foundations across the club. We look at the up and downs as the season gets closer to a conclusion and a few clubs with long term league membership. We add an item to Room 101 as well as a few of the stories you may not have heard.
You can read about the plans at:
https://www.change.org/p/support-the-yorke-park-project-a-community-stadium-facilities-for-all?recruited_by_id=999f8df0-06a0-11f0-b6a2-29ebe41ae0f6&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_medium=native&fbclid=IwY2xjawJSg7FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQku1ep6QYTehS7jftzB3YxPL7N3KQBwpGasNuhSIOOZDrLNYuP-kBdJwg_aem_XHwbSvmYGg4ooB8teIb-gA