Radcliffe Radio Podcast
S3 E15 - Darlington Preview
(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - So hello there. Welcome along to the Radial Podcast. It's good to have you with us. It's extremely cold. But anyway, it is November nearly December, so I don't know why I should sound so surprised. Yes, welcome along to the podcast this week. Now, I'll guess this week are quite critical. They're quite critical most weeks, to be honest, because, you don't want to listen to me, you're rabbling on my own. So my two guests tonight are, I've got Anton with me, who I'm really needed Anton with me, because he's been at the past game and a half. So he'll be able to tell us all about the one and a half games that we played. How are you doing Anton, you all good? - Yeah man, I'm good for myself. - Yeah, I'm all right mate, thank you very much. And then we've also got Anton with us again. Now, usually when we, for regular listeners of the podcast, we'll know that when we preview the opposition's games, we know a fair bit about the teams. This is a new league this season, so it's a, you know, it takes a bit of research and a bit of looking into when, you know, sometimes I have a tendency to pick players that I think are really, really good and could challenge us and that they'll be injured, or they'll have sent them out on loan or something like that. This week we've got no excuse, because I'll say today we play a team, in fact the only team that Tom supports. So Tom, this is your massive opportunity to play an absolute blind on this pod. - It sounds like an opportunity to put my foot in my mouth. - Ah, it's really weird. I'm, we'll get to it properly in a minute, but I'm finding it really weird that, and we've got, that we're playing your team, you know, so I'm an old and fan, played old and pre-season, but it's just pre-season. Old one played nothing like the playing at the moment, but this is, this is the main bread and butter for your team, isn't it? - Yeah, and I'm sure we'll get into that later on at it. - Absolutely, absolutely. So yes, let's get into it, shall we? Well, I just closed all the windows down that I really didn't need open. And so I can actually talk about what I want to talk about. Yes, welcome along, thanks for listening. Also, I was actually highlighted to me this week, lads, that we've been talked about by other, by other teams. Our podcast has been talked about by other teams. I don't know if you saw it. It was highlighted to me that our near neighbors in Macclesfield, some of their fans have quoted that apparently we talk about them all the time on the podcast. Now, I don't remember particularly talking about Macclesfield, but I do hope they come up this season, by the way, 'cause we had a couple of cracking games against them last season. But it's good to know that we've got all the fans listening to our podcast, isn't it? - I mean, yeah, it's nice to know that someone's listening to us. (laughing) - Even if they're in Macclesfield. But yeah, good to know that the party's getting out there into the world and not just the surrounding areas of Radcliffe, all the way down to Leafy Cheshire. So yeah, we've got a game and a half to talk about. We should have played full 90 minutes on Saturday, but the game got abandoned at half time, so Anton can share exactly how wet it was then. And then he can share with us what a glorious trip it was all the way down to Peterborough on a Tuesday night, where we took on Peterborough Sports, where it was the perfect game and we were took the lead and yeah. And then it didn't quite finish that way. So we'll get through all that. We've got to talk about our game on Saturday. Are we playing Tom? Just remind me. - I think it's Darlington maybe? - Oh, is it? Oh, I didn't know, thanks for that. And we've also got a Lancia Cup game to preview. So yeah, that will go back to testing us again, 'cause we're playing Thor and Cleveland. So we're gonna have to pull some facts out the bag about that one. But let's get back to last Saturday, shall we? We were away at Curzon. Curzon's doing really well. They were third, I think, when the game kicked off. Wet conditions, there's already a number of games fall and foul of the weather in the Northwest, including the Derby at Rockdale, too much still and old. And that was a 12 o'clock kickoff. So we had, what was it, 11, 11, 30 pitch inspection Anton on it was given the green light? - Yeah, I think it was, yeah, 11 o'clock inspection and then, 'cause the red thing that was going on in the area, we were all kind of expecting it to be postponed. It didn't end up obviously going that way. And then as time, basically as time progressed, it came close this time, like we should, we all should be start making a move up to Curzon. - So when you got there, what was the pitch like? What was the weather like? Was it, were you surprised the game was on? Or what was your kind of thoughts when you got to the ground? - You know, by the time we got there, the pitch looked playable, it looked all right. And then it just kept raining, not heavy at the time, but it did get heavier as the afternoon wore on. And you could see that was going to end up affecting the surface, probably more or so, be more tested for keepers and stuff. And then the rain just got worse and worse. And then obviously the inevitable happened where it got called a hard time, basically, 'cause we just saw a congregation at the tunnel of officials, staff, and just to say, yeah, and it quickly filtered through the crowd to say, yeah, this game's done. - So from what you saw, as you were getting towards the end of the first half, what was the ball kind of rolling less on the surface? Or, you know, 'cause we've seen obviously Radcliffe pitches when there's been torrential rain and the tests that they do on the pitch. So, you know, was it kind of not moving very well, or what you think was the breaking point for the referee to call it? - So at the start of the song, we'll go back to, like, before the game. So the referee's called, don't like final check, to phone up, as you say, we've seen it, where they've thrown the ball into specific spots on the pitch and to see if it does bounce. There was like a few areas that the referee wasn't happy so they've got the ground and then to assess those areas, seemed happy to play, would play. And then, as I mentioned, the rain just got heavier and heavier, and then you could see there was a lot of standing water in certain areas and the ball was holding up, so it wasn't looking great. - For fans that were at the game, could you compare it to maybe Marina, our place last season? - Yes, you could see elements to it, maybe even worse. But I think if anything, it saved their pitch more so the fact that he called it up a hard time, 'cause we all saw the state of our pitch after that Marine game. So it probably would have ended up in the same kind of manner. - Yeah, fair enough. Well, the game was at 2-1, wasn't it? Marine took a 2-0 lead. 2-0, was that a fair reflection of the balance of play, whether were the occursing on top? - I wouldn't even say, it was a quite deep in game to say the least, majority of the half that was played. They just did, I'll tell you what they did well. They had a lot of extra runners making the way into the final third, and that was catching us out. It seemed to me anyway. But as I said to John, or before we even started, before we did the interview with him, I was looking forward to that second half, 'cause obviously we just pulled one back, and there was a point in that half where we had, I think it was a succession of five or six corners, and we looked threatening every single time. I think that keeper made a crucial save for point-long range from one of those corners as well. So there was elements to that where we say, we looked good on it, it was good for the second half if it got chance to play it. - Yeah, and what a goal as well, have you seen the goal, Tom? - I haven't, oh wait, no I did, I saw it, excellent delivery, brilliant finish, yeah. - Yeah, it really was, it was a practice. - Postman, postman back in it. - Yeah, I was gonna say, we know Nicky Adams is capable of that. I'm not sounding surprised at all, 'cause we just know he is. But then the header, I was gonna say, the header from Brad Roscoe. - Yeah, yeah. - The header from Brad was brilliant though as well, wasn't it? 'Cause it wasn't a glancing header or anything, was it? He redirected the ball from quite a fair distance out. - Yeah, he's kind of in line with like, the penalty spot, that kind of far out from the area. Is that to generate a decent amount of power on it? And he's, you know, able to actually get it past the keeper. I'd tell you what though, he was fuming. (laughs) 'Cause obviously with the game being abandoned, that goal was in county. I literally saw it after the game where you just leave when he was with his dad, it's gonna go like, take away my sick goal of the season, am I happy? (laughs) - Anyway, soon to be Tom's scorer. - Yeah, he would have been in joint, yeah. - Yeah, so it was two-and-a-half time. Fortunately at the game, we were abandoned at half time, which I think that's a first for me. I don't remember having been involved in a team where I've had the game abandoned at half time. So we have to play it again then, don't we, I think? - We do, they're just gonna be, I'm not sure they've come to a date as of yet for a rescheduled fixture, but everyone, our fans will know in due cost. I want to put a big, big thank you to the fans for that to turn up 'cause it was one of the biggest, obviously it's not only a 10 out of 10 mile trip from Radcliffe down to Curtis and Ashton and a big credit to all the fans I came 'cause there's a lot of Radcliffe fans in that way segregated area. - Yeah, I've seen a couple of stabs at how many were there and away fans and have I seen 3, 400. - In that ballpark for sure. - Yeah, no, absolutely great effort. And yeah, it's not far to go, but it's still horrible weather. You know, it's still more money, isn't it? At the time I was getting near Christmas. So no absolute credit. Just unfortunately, we couldn't finish the game. So that was Saturday. So moving on to Tuesday and Peterborough Sports. Peterborough did play on Saturday. Their game did finish, they finished one all against Spennymore. So yeah, down to Peterborough, how long did that take you there on Tuesday? - I think including the stop off that we had, about 15 minutes, stop off thinking. Oh, just all the three hours? - Yeah, on a Tuesday night, the fixture gods have not been kind to us, have they? But having, you know, on the comeback against Curzinger III, even though it's away, we've played quite well away from home. I know we talked about it some last week, but were you kind of quite the confident that we could get a result when we were away? - It's definitely a game that you can say something's there for it. It was there for it, you watch the highlights, you'd listen to how it was described. It's definitely one that you can sort of put a thing, pin in and say, oh, there's some points on the table, going into the game. - Yeah, it doesn't seem like we fear anybody, does it? You know, we go into every game trying to win it, doesn't matter who the team is, that we really kind of have a goal would. - Yeah, you've got to look at the table and I think there's only one spot in the table where a side could win a game and not move up a place. - Yeah. - And I was rushed off in 24th. - Yeah, it's a very tight closed up league. Someone can always leapfrog someone based on an outcome of a game, you know. - Yeah. - You can't go into a game thinking it's lost 'cause there's no games in the league that are like that. - So Anton, if you looked at the stats and kind of like, you know, the apps and stuff like that, you would probably only tell half a story, doesn't it? Because you kind of look at that and go flipping it, there was two goals in the last 10 minutes. - Five minutes before the end and nearly five minutes into injury time. But then Neil Mill right up to there, but you'd be looking to a false sense of security, wouldn't you, if you thought that was a boring game? - No, in terms of how Neil knows up to that stage of the opening goal going in, it was a decent Neil Mill. Obviously, people had their own way of playing and it was very effective when we were trying to figure that out for majority of the game and had ample opportunities at times and then obviously we'd get the goal, the first league goal for the Lucas. We've obviously scored in there, Manchester Cup over. You have a weekend at Stave the Bridge and took his finish, took his goal really well, but got to give big credit to Jordan Hume for his hold up play. You both would have seen the goal by now anyway. - Yeah. - You could see what Jordan did there to share the ball, control it and find Lucas and he took it really well. - It was Jordan Hume doing Jordan Hume things though, wasn't it? - For sure, it's what we know, when he's not scoring goals and he's capable of getting an assist and doing good striking, good striker play. - Yeah, exactly. There's a reason he's leading the team for assists so far this season. - Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely, spot on Tom. But let's talk about the other end of the pitch as well. Matt Huewell sounds like he had a really strong game, you know, penalty save and then got to get back up to save the rebound, but you know, either side of all that and then he made a couple of good saves when it looked like Pete Marrods on to score. - Yeah, yeah, it's obvious to look at, obviously the double save from the penalty and then the subsequent rebound, but I think there was a chance moments before on the edge of the finger, the one of the pacey strikers that they had, trying to remember his name quickly now, trying to run away. - Don't you have this all gassy? - No, it wasn't, it was the other player. - I'm going longer, I'm close, I'll find it. Felix, that's who it was. Felix came, Felix had the strike from the edge of the area and Huewell got down to his right really well 'cause it looked like he was just going to nestle into the bottom left hand corner and he's plugged that one out and then obviously the penalty saved the quickly actually to get up, save the rebound and a thing. After that would have given us a good boost and then obviously we've got the opening goal shortly after. - Yeah, well, Triple Sub, Tunday came on, Mo came on and Lucas Weaver, he was of course, we've got on low and from Old Ringham at the moment and yeah, he was out on the wing wasn't he and Jordan brought down, I think it was a pass from Rick I think, I think that's what I've read, I remember rightly, brought it down, kind of just ran across this 18 year box didn't he? You know, dodging tackles left, right and center and even when he laid it off to Lucas, I don't know what you thought, Anton, but I thought he was going to cross it. - It was one of them, he would have had to dig it out and chip it towards the far post, but he saw that Lucas is in a pocket of space to the right of him, he just nudged it out to him, Lucas has pushed it out of his feet up to get half a yard and bided it across, across goal of nestle into that like the side netting of the goal, so it was great play all around. - Yeah, no 100%, 100%. I've seen your post-match interview with Bernard, and obviously we talked about the equalizer being so close to the end, then I know it must be tough for Bernard and John O'Connor, 'cause obviously they'd probably take a point away before the game, but with it being so near the end, Matt had played it unbelievably and I know that Bernard was very complimentary about the defenders or through the game, they've got to be just that little bit of guttiveness, the fact that it was almost the last kick of the game or head of the game, should I say, and obviously they declared the ball once and it just gets recycled back in again, doesn't it? And it's just fine margins, isn't it? - Yeah, but Bernard mentioned it, it was just that second phase of play, obviously. I think it's initially a throwing, a long throw that's coming in with the all the initial threat and it's heading back across, and then to be fair to Gallagher, it's a decent and I've had it that much, Matt couldn't get to, so it's disappointing in that aspect, but I just say you think, Ben and John O would have been happy with a point at the start at the night, but it's just obviously being that close, having all three. - Yeah, I think Tom, I'm not sure if Bernard mentioned it or I read it somewhere, I might have been John O'Rourke on social somewhere, but, you know, there's a couple of games you can look at here, can't you, where we had a penalty away at Scunthorpe, right at the end of the game, if we score that, that's another two points into the pot, and then obviously there was Tuesday night, if we just told on, that's another two points into the pot, and that, those four extra points to where we are, we get those, and we're kind of four points in with the relegation zone in 17, 18 place, and just those five, obviously we've gone at the league, so these things happen, don't we? But like I just said, to Anton, these five margins are costumers a little bit out at the moment, aren't they? - I mean, yeah, fine margins to fine seasons. There was a five minute spell where Warren's in town scored twice, they'd take all three points. - Yeah. - You can look at any of the games, you can look at a number of the games, spend any more time on that Tuesday night, just a couple of moments about this, four, two, two feet, two and a half against that support, drawn to two. There are so many points on the table, or on the floor really, that we've dropped, who knows where we could be in the table, but you can look at it with that negative point of view, but you can also go, oh, there's something there, plenty of room to build in the table. Points lie, that sort of. - Yeah, and no disrespect to like Russell, but they're on 12 points and they're getting cut or drift already. You know, they're six points away from getting out of relegation, and that's a place you don't want to be, at least where we are. Like you said, we can continue to build. And kind of, the good news is, though, of course, Tommy's that we're outside the relegation zone at the moment. - Yeah, and it might only be on goal difference at the moment, but we have played one last game down to some of the teams around. - Yeah. - Because like, 'cause Nash didn't go, yeah, you know, you win that, you know, no. Yeah, we don't concede that late goal when level one points were farcely. - Yeah. - And just to touch on farcely, they were the home team the other night and arrived second to the ground after being stuck in traffic. (laughing) - Yeah, it just lurches from one disaster to another for them at the moment, doesn't it? - So, you know, the types of squads, you know, teams that were around, you'd like to think, you know, into the new year here, are we gonna be in the same position? Who knows? - Yeah, I don't think so. But let's see how it plays out. But I think we've got a good squad and, you know, the squad keeps changing ever so slightly, but I think it's only getting stronger each time that we make that change. So are we gonna be challenging for playoffs? Which can have a bit of a run and do so, but I doubt we hit this season. But, you know, I do believe we'll be comfortably kind of floating around the mid-table by the time that we're done. While we're talking about the lead table then, so Charlie is top still 35 points. Scumthorpe are second, played Joel at the time on Saturday and they still can't get, still can't get a win at the moment. Scumthorpe are... - Yeah, and by all accounts, they were looking to come away with a point. - All right, so Scumthorpe's second, Kirsten is still third, I would say. They've got a couple of games in and now, so what do we mean, abandoned against those? Kings lane a fourth, killing Minister fifth, Joxton six, and Chester are seven. And that makes up the playoffs. Down at the bottom. So like I said, rush all the bottom, they're not 12 points. They need a market next in 23rd, they've got 15. Then Marine on 17, Oxford City on 18. And that's the relegation zone. Then we're one outside the relegation zone on 18 points as well, but one better goal difference in Oxford City. And then yeah, we've just talked around farcely. I did say, I think, a few weeks ago that I thought they were going to struggle. They can't be, can't not be affected by the fact they can't play home games. The best players are leaving them to come and sign for clubs like Radcliffe. And they're having to travel all the way over to Oxford and to play home games. It's just it's just it's got disaster written all over it. And they have kind of been slipping down the table. They're two points ahead of us. We're in town on the same as M20 and a Scarborough around 21. Although they've only played 16 games. Anyone know why they only played 16 games? - Better. - Okay, thank you. One word answers, we can live with that. And then our opponents, Peter Brusport, has come next on 23. So, yeah, the reason everybody else loses them was we can jump up the 17th on Saturday. One bit of transfer news to talk about. Tom, I'll come to you on this. I'll give Anton a rest of minutes. And this is just reviewed both the games for us. Josh Wollall's gone back to Marine. I think we signed him. He was like, yeah, I'll contract when we signed him in the summer. - I believe so. - Yeah, he's gone back to Marine for an undisclosed fee. Just not worked out for him, that's it, really? - No, and it happens for all sorts of reasons. Some players move to new clubs and flourish. Some players move to new clubs and it just doesn't work out. And obviously going back to Marine, obviously a place that he must feel comfortable and manage it that he knows as squad that he knows. So, for him, hopefully the best out of him on matches where he doesn't play against us. - Yeah, I mean, he had a tough start then because he was throwing pretty much into the first team because of all injuries, wasn't he? You know, Rick was out, Ollie was out and all of a sudden, I think Bernard and Jarrow said this about all the new players that came in, but I think they'd rather have kind of introduced them gently into league games, but they had to kind of get straight in from the start. And some players can, obviously we've talked around, Brad Roscoe who's kind of really hit the ground running and scored goals as well as being strong at the back, but then unfortunately it wasn't for B to B for Hordle, but yeah, off he goes back to Marine and we'll see if the managers make any additions to the squad. Now he's left, I've not heard anything. You guys are not heard anything, have you? - Nope. - Nope. - We'll see what happens with time on that. - Exactly, exactly, right. So, Tom, here's your moment to shine, mate. - So on Saturday, we welcome former league side. Sorry, I only say that 'cause whenever old and play anybody, everyone likes to mention former Premier League side. So I thought I'd just remember it used to be good once, Tom. Former League side, Darlington. So, I guess this is a game that you've been waiting for for some time, Tom. - Since I joined in October, three years ago, I was hoping for a lucky cup draw. And now it's a league match. So, I'm really excited for Saturday. I'm going to have to buy a record of shit beforehand and I'm going to switch shirts to anyone who's winning. - We don't do half and half-scars, do we? - No, they should be a crime. - Oh, just can you imagine? So, where are you going to watch in the game, Tom? Where do you go, how does it work for you? - I don't know, I don't know because, you know, usually you give the opposition players some stick. I can't do that to the Arlington players. I have to interview some of the Radcliffe ones. - Yeah. - So, I think on the halfway line. - So, tell us a little bit about Darlington then. Obviously, last season, they kind of had a bit of a battle and a struggle and then they came good and kind of put massive runs together. So, we were quietly hopeful that this season, you'd have a comfortable season and you might even be pushing top off. - Anything that's better than last season is a win for me. - Yeah. - Last season was a roller coaster and it was the worst season since, you know, you've fallen as a club. Anything better than last season was a step forward. Obviously, the fans again raised an amazing amount of money for the playing budget. And then, to be 18 goals conceded, 18 goals scored, it's not amazing, it's not the worst. - Yeah. - But it's a long way from after 18 games last season when I think like this time, we've been pumped eight nil by Charlie and conceded 41 goals in 18 games. - Okay. Okay. So, tell us a little bit about the team then and tell us who we should be looking out for, who do we think are going to cause us some issues and how can we expect Darlington to set up in ways of formation? - Well, the first key moment will be when the team sheets come out. And if Cedric Moon is in the starting 11, it's Darlington's got a better chance than if it was. When he plays in the team, there's just, he brings a strength and the shape changes they allow to play two up top and it saves Jack Maskell, the other striker's legs 'cause otherwise he's all up on his own. So Cedric Moon is a key figure in the attack. I mean, we can compare him to Jordan Hume in the hold up play. - And how's he been, has he been injured or has he just done out the team? - Yeah, he's been a, he's picked up a few injuries so far this season. I think he's got a clean bill of health at the moment, but it's one of those players that when he's in the squad, the team looks a lot better. - Yeah. - Pete Jameson is the Darlington goalkeeper. Going back to when the two sides last met, he was the goalkeeper that day that Rick Smith headed the ball past. So the team lineups expected, if you will, there'll be two players on the pitch from last time out. - Okay. - But he's been excellent for Darlington this season. The Charlie game I went to where we, Darlington lost 3-0, but it could have been 8-0 again if not for Jameson. - Right. - So he is a big voice and an organizer at the back. - So I'm just having a walk through your squad. Joe Leasley, why do I know Joe Leasley? It's 'cause he's not there anymore. He plays to somebody else. - It's 'cause he was on loan at work stop. - Oh, okay. - Oh, that's why I know him. It's him when work's up came to town. - Yeah, that's why I recognize the name then, isn't it? See, I told you I always pick out the players that aren't there. - I know, it's a superpower. - Key battles. How do you expect attacking set up to come up against your defence? - The one thing Darlington struggled to do is attack the full back. And sometimes that's why Darlington has, why Radcliffe, though, has looked a little bit shaky in some matches when players are, you know, everyone's a bit shaky when someone runs at you with speed. Depending on what formation down in play, they do have a very good defensive structure. If you can't, you know, if they turn up, I'll say it like that. Sometimes Darlington haven't shown up this season. And it seems to always be when I'm there. So I might give it a nice three notes. - So last three games, you've drawn two all against Peterborough Sports. You beat Buxton, one nil in the FA trophy. And then like we just discussed, you've got a nil, nil draw against Scumthorpe, which I'm guessing you're probably reasonably happy with. You're 10th in the form table at the moment over the last six matches. Radcliffe are 14th. So Radcliffe, I've got eight points out the last six matches. And Darlington, I've got nine. So based on that, it should be a decent game, shouldn't it? - Yeah, and then the fact that Darlington has a way to make the games mind numbingly dull at times. - Okay. - 18 goals scored, 18 goals conceded. That's one on average a game. - Yeah. - Compared to Radcliffe statistics, and you've got two very different teams. - Yeah. - But I do have some stats for you. - Okay, you know, I'm looking to start. - You do love a stat. You are our stats, Jon, so let's have it. - Besides five times, all in 2014, with Darlington winning three, drawing two. So Radcliffe, I have not won a match in this fixture with the combined score being Radcliffe four, Darlington 10. - Right, okay. - So, you know, and then also, there is a very interesting sort of jewel that went on. It's from the 2013-14 season to the '17-18 season. - Right. - Specifically with Radcliffe's current management duo. So in Darlington's first season back as a club, they finished second in the table and played off against fifth place Rams bottom, the playoffs, who were managed by Bernard and Johnna. - Okay. Bernard and Johnna went on to take promotion that season, but they'd take the sulfur job midway through the next season. - Oh, now I'm gonna let you carry on and accept, but I remember something about the rivalry between with Darlington now. It was on the documentary, wasn't it? Go on, you carry on and tell the story. Carry on, tell the story. - And in the '14-15 season, sulfur'd won the league and Darlington went up in the playoffs. So the next season, '15-16, where we just came out of the Northern Premier League, Darlington won it, suffered third playoffs. And then he gets to 2016-17, and they both finish in the National League North playoff spots, but Darlington get denied due to grammar regulations. And then the next season, Darlington finished 12th and stay in the National League North where they've remained to this day and sulfur went up in this champions. So that was the end of the saga of Bernard and Johnna versus Darlington. - Yeah. - And both sides through blood. And then they met again once, I've met several times since, you know, Bernard and Johnno Chester, it's been anymore. - Yeah. - And then in August, 2022, Bernard was sent off in the final minute after a mass frackus, as described by the Northern Echo. (laughing) Which sort of, you know, dramatic fallout after Alan Armstrong managed at the time accused one of the reckless bench of tripping one of the, one of the Darlington players while he was still on the pitch. - Well, I think so. - Lots of, you know, tasty battles between Darlington and the two managers at the time. - I'm sure Bernard and Johnna were mellows in San Mate (laughing) in their old days. (laughing) - Yeah. - So. - It's not a very stable now. - Yeah. - Yeah. - Very familiar with each other. - Yeah, interesting. No, I do remember it on the documentary, on the, the '92 documentary, where it did feature that rivalry for some weird reason and then kind of built it up. I'll give you a minute to catch your best, Tom, and have a think about the score, and it's gonna be so tough for you. Until and everything you've heard, and then for the manager, you're the one personalized podcast who's seen Radcliffe play in the last seven days. How do you see it going then? And what kind of score line are you thinking about for Saturday? - It's still gonna be a tough game. Every game is tough in at this level. Darlington, Paul, there was a lot of threats as Tom mentioned there. But I think, I think our lives are still gonna be quite, quite confident that was in the league anyway, were unbeaten this month, two wins and two draws. - Yeah. - Obviously the last two results being draws, but I think it's still enough about us, and I was, obviously when I was speaking, well, I spoke to Clark the other day, didn't I? Training, but this seems to be a lot of elements where they're working on things, they seem to be working, and they're gonna be keep working and changing things that are gonna work. But I'm going down a road that I'm gonna win. I want to say we're gonna keep going free, but I don't think we will. I'm gonna say three, one. - Okay, interesting. Tom, about the time to think, is it your heart or is it your head? - You see, every time I read a Darlington match report, it seems really common against the most informed goalkeeper. If it's Simmons, pulled off some excellent saves in the scumflop down to match on Tuesday. Darlington went to Maureen, and Maureen's goalkeeper at the time, Luke Hutchinson, amazing, kept the game level. And just this Tuesday, Matt Hewell had an amazing game. So I feel it's gonna happen again, and I don't think Darlington's gonna be able to find a way through. I think it's gonna be, I have a nil, nil or one, nil. - I can't decide, sorry, I'm gonna say nil, nil. - All right, well, in that case, then I'll take you one nil. All right, and then Lisa representing both the scores and our end of the media box is counting. They've got both scores covered then for you. But I agree with you, Anton, that it's good. I don't expect them to be downbeat, really, if I'm being honest, because they're in a good position. I know they want to be higher, I get it. I know that, obviously, Bernard and John O have said that they're not used to being this possession. But I think we've got, I really do think we've got a good enough squad to be in the table. I've said that all the way along and we had some injuries and most of them are over and we'll get some more injuries, you know, that will happen. But, you know, the lone plays that we've bought in seem to have really added a bit more spark. And that's good. And obviously, someday coming in, I know he's been feeling to be near forever now, but. Yeah, I don't think we should fear anybody, absolutely. So, yeah, I will take the one-nil and I will be really happy with two-nil, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, eh? Okay, so that's our Saturday game. Mokshek excitement within the media team. Obviously, a big team coming to town, so hopefully, will you bring a few, Tom? Sorry, I should have asked you a minute ago. Do you think you'll bring a few fans travelling? I expect so. Diamond and fans usually do travel well. Okay. Well, we'll look forward to it. And, yeah, it should be a cracking game on Saturday. Radial will be there, so Anton will be guaranteed to give you comms. Is your sidekick going to be with you, Anton? He should be there. I know he started his new job this week, but, yeah, he should be there as well. So, Anton, I'm Jacob, Radial, usually about 2.45 for a home game. So, if you can't get down to the noovin, then please do tune in and listen and see how we get on. So, really, it's one extreme to another for the Tuesday game. So, we're in the Lancashire FA, is it Lancashire FA trophy, I think? Lancashire trophy, it's something. I know, I'm rubbish at these smaller competitions. I apologise to Lancashire, Lancashire FA, but we've been drawn away at Thornton and Cleveland. So, which of you two new, actually, new, I thought, and Cleveland was? Not me. No, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. I think it's Blackpool way, isn't it? I think I'm pretty sure it's just up from Blackpool. Yeah, near Fleetwood, yeah, so I'm not far off. So, Thornton and Cleveland, as we play on Tuesday, we're away. They are in Northwest County's league, Division 1 North. So, to give us a bit of an idea of who else is in that division, it's the Division below Berry, and Atherton L.R. are currently top, and you've got teams like Main Road, AFC Blackpool, I think we played them in a pre-season friendly. A lot more local teams, you've got Bakerborough, Ashton Athletic, Ashton Town, and Daisy Hill, it's kind of giving an idea of who we're up against. And they've also got Route 1 Rovers. That's a random name, boys. I love it. I think we all know how they play, but anyway. Pass out the front of that, obviously. Yeah, I mean, they love passing the ball around and they play some real champagne football I've heard. So, I think I would expect that it'll be a heavily changed team. Thornton Cleveland's last six games, we've just been talking about this before we came on, were they've lost all six of the last six games. Home to Yuxdon Villa, a waiter Nelson, a waiter at Home to Gastang. They got thumped by drills and seven-nil, and then they lost at Home to Main Road and Home to Cone. So, if I'm doing some quick maths here, that's two, three, four, five goals scored. And about 21 conceded. So, Tom, Thornton Cleveland's away. Massive a changed team, would you say? You'd expect. Maybe some first-team players getting some minutes who haven't been in the squad lately. Anyone who's got those little injuries definitely gonna get protected in this one, you'd have to say. Yeah, I suppose, Anton, we shouldn't take it for granted that we're just gonna walk in there because it's at their place, isn't it? So, it's their facilities, it's their ground, it's what they're used to. Yeah, yeah, it will take us back a little bit of time to get used to it, but as Tom said, there it is. And we thought we all kind of imagine it'll be a change of learning, it'll be similar to where it was. Again, it's a stage where it'll be a mix of, as you say, some players who've had nickel and injuries trying to work themselves, back to full fitness. Mixed with some Kent, I imagine. Yeah, and the competition's not something that we've had massive success in while I've been at the club, really. Is that the same for you? Yeah, yeah, I think. Yeah, not a lot too far in the lounge, and obviously we've worked all there when we won the song kind of Manchester club. Yeah. So, that's probably the biggest one in terms of competition. You're talking stats, so, you know, I've got the stats. Yeah. The best room in the competition occurred twice, 2009 and 2017, where Radcliffe reached the final of the competition. OK. I did not. But it did not win. OK, who do we play? In the eight, eight, nine season, the last two-one to Sculmesdale United after extra time. Right, that's interesting. I've got Sculmesdale are in Thornton Cleveland's league, but they've stuck to the bottom of the table. And in 2016-17, yeah, at the Macron Stadium Bolton, actually in Athletic 1-2-1. I see another team in that division. However, you can look positively as Radcliffe recorded the joint highest victory in 2002 against Daisy Hill. Yeah. Which was six goals to Hill in the competition. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, actually, well, that's the way game played third by Radcliffe in the competition. OK, so Anton, I mean, Tripp near the seaside. What do you reckon? I know it's difficult. This is a difficult one to ask you. Again, because you don't know. You don't know Thornton Cleveland at all. I've looked at their players, and, you know, I'm not the best at picking players when I know who they are, so I've got no chance with Thornton Cleveland. But we'd expect it, like Tom said, to give a load of players first team experience or minutes that need it. So, you know, I still think that we'll have enough to do a number on them. I'd like to think, so as you just said that, I was looking through their score list before we dive back on, and I've gone. It's not really a name there that I'm too too familiar with. So, but it's, I just say, hard to go, obviously, because we're not 100% if we're going to go, well, I doubt we're going to go full-flow strength. It's going to be a mix of players. But I think, I just think we should have enough to surpass them, but I did have the similar kind of aspect of when we played state division. Look, I'll that played out. So, I'll say two, one in our favor, maybe. - I should also add maybe as well that they've already promoted to this current division last season. So, it might cause it's their first season in this league. So, yeah, I should really put that in as well. What do you think, Tom? - I spin around in a circle and point to a fix, to a random score. I'm going to say, call first, some place taking the opportunity to come into the side, and it's 4-2. And I believe that's, that would, in theory, set us up, back up, bow in the next round. - All right, okay. Okay. So, I'd be enjoying it. Is that home or away? - I'm not sure. - Okay. - We'll find out. - Well, it's not as far as Storm Cleaver's anyway, 'cause we've got to know that it's just Nero's and Dale. So, I was just up the M66 that. So, that's not too far away at all. Yeah, I'm going for 4-0. I'm feeling confident. I'm going to go for a 4-0. I don't know the team and I don't know what we're going to do. So, there you go. So, thanks a lot for listening. We really appreciate your listening. I say we, it is the only place where you will find all the news regarding Radcliffe and their games and what we've got coming up, the previews. I say if you can't make the game on Saturday, we hope you can 'cause it's going to be another cracking affair, another really decent team coming to town. So, yeah, do get down if you can. 3 o'clock kick off. I'm worried to believe the weather is going to be reasonable. Quite warm since it's the last day of November, isn't it? Is it the 30th on Saturday? - Yeah, it's Friday, yeah. - Yeah, so last day of November. So, I can't play Christmas songs unfortunately on Saturday, boys. I know you'd be disappointed. - All right. - That's the worst news I've heard. - What do you mean? I'm already hearing about the word. - I bet you are, mate. No, I'm sorry. He goes against my religion and I'm not even religious, but I can't be playing Christmas songs before the first. So, I have actually looked and the only home game we've got then before Christmas is the 14th. I think it's Kidderminster. I think it's the 14th somewhere around there anyway. So, I will throw a couple of Christmas tunes in there. Maybe a couple of classics break out the Slade and what have you. But, yeah, I think after that, then it's Boxing Day and Christmas is done by then, isn't it? So, we don't have to worry about it. But, yeah, please do get down to the move on Saturday. It would be great to see, obviously. And, yeah, interesting to see how we get on against Thorpe and Cleveland. We will be back next week where we can tell you all about the Darlington game and Tom will either be very happy or crying into the microphone. We'll have to see how that works out for him. And, yeah, we'll try and get some coverage from Thorpe and Cleveland and see how the team does and that. And, I can't wait to see what team we put out and how the guys do because we've got a great bunch of people coming through the ranks there and pushing the first team. So, it would be good to see. Thanks a lot for listening and we will be back next week with all that. Cheers. The Radcliffe Radio Podcast is presented and produced by myself, John Belfield with co-host Keiran Wilson, Thomas Dodds and Anton Jones. Previous editions of the podcast can be found on Spotify and Apple Podcasts by searching for the Radcliffe Radio Podcasts. Alternatively, you can visit RadcliffeRadio.com where you'll find all our previous episodes as well as being able to listen live to match day commentary at every Radcliffe game. [MUSIC]