- 14/05/2025
On this week’s show, our panel start by looking at Sheffield United clinching their place in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday, May 24 with a convincing 6-0 aggregate win over Bristol City. They will face Sunderland, who beat Coventry City over two legs.
Stuart Rayner, Leon Wobschall and host Mark Singleton also cast their eyes over the retained lists released by Yorkshire’s clubs so far before turning their attention to a potential National League play-off semi-final meeting between Yorkshire rivals York City and FC Halifax Town.
They finish by reflecting on Yorkshire’s League Two campaign – one made memorable by the automatic promotion achieved by champions Doncaster Rovers and Bradford City.
Stuart Rayner, Leon Wobschall and host Mark Singleton also cast their eyes over the retained lists released by Yorkshire’s clubs so far before turning their attention to a potential National League play-off semi-final meeting between Yorkshire rivals York City and FC Halifax Town.
They finish by reflecting on Yorkshire’s League Two campaign – one made memorable by the automatic promotion achieved by champions Doncaster Rovers and Bradford City.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Football Talk from the Yorkshire Post, where we'll be discussing some of the latest talking points from the world of football with members of our football writing team.
00:19On this week's episode, we're joined by Chief Football Writer for the Yorkshire Post, Stuart Rayner, and Football Writer for the Yorkshire Post, Leon Wattall, to discuss all of the latest developments affecting our local clubs.
00:28Don't forget you can keep up to date with all the football news across Yorkshire and beyond by logging on to our website at yp.sport at nationalworld.com, as well as checking out our various Twitter feeds, the main one being at YPSport.
00:42If you search for Yorkshire Post Sport, Yorkshire Post Football, or even Sheffield Sport on Facebook, you can find us there as well.
00:47And if you have any questions for our writers, you can get in touch using those various Twitter or Facebook pages, or email us directly with the subject matter as Football Talk Podcast at yp.sport at nationalworld.com.
00:59YorkshirePost.co.uk
01:01As mentioned earlier on in the intro, this week we're joined by Chief Football Writer for the Yorkshire Post, Stuart Rayner, and Football Writer for the Yorkshire Post, Leon Wattall.
01:09Good morning, guys.
01:10Morning.
01:10Hello.
01:11Morning.
01:11Right.
01:12Now, even though the majority of the dust has settled with regards to our Yorkshire teams this season, there is still a fair amount to discuss.
01:20So let's jump right into it and start this week by looking at the playoff meeting between Sheffield United and Bristol City, which saw the Blades progress to the playoff final after recording a 6-0 aggregate win.
01:34What was your assessment of the two games, which both ended in 3-0 victories for Chris Wilder's side, Stuart?
01:39Well, surprisingly comfortable, really.
01:44You know, both Leon and I talked up the Bristol City threat before the tie, and it's fair to say that the red card at the end of the first half of the first leg had a big, big bearing of things, and it might have been a tighter, well, certainly it would have been a tighter tie had it not been for that.
02:03But really well handled by Sheffield United, you know, playoffs are not meant to be that nerveless, you know?
02:12I mean, it wasn't a stroll in the park for them, let's be straight.
02:17But, you know, to come out with a clean sheet, 6-0 win, that was the biggest aggregate win there's ever been in a championship playoff semifinal.
02:24Joint biggest in any division in terms of the margin for a playoff semifinal.
02:32So, yeah, it said a lot.
02:33And I think it's put them in a really good shape because they played both, they changed formation from the normal in both those games.
02:43Not a massive change, but 4-4-2 instead of the 4-2-3-1.
02:49I thought the substitutes were very good in both games.
02:52I think Callum O'Hare in particular has been outstanding for the bench for quite a few weeks now, not just the playoffs.
02:57So, it means that, I mean, normally when a team goes into the playoffs, or sorry, often when they go to the final,
03:05you can be fairly confident of who 9 or 10 of the starters are going to be.
03:11In this case, you know, the back seven, you can pretty much ink in.
03:15But the front four, they've got lots of different ways they could go and even different formations.
03:21So, that's good.
03:22That keeps the opposition guessing.
03:24You know, it shows they've got a lot of players playing well at the moment.
03:27Keeping things ticking over.
03:29And, yeah, it was a good win.
03:32As I said, it turned on the red card.
03:36There's been a bit of debate about that.
03:37I don't know what Leon thinks, but I thought it was a red card.
03:42The whole rule on it is, it's down to whether you intend to play the ball or not.
03:48And what muddied the water, of course, was that Rob Dickey did actually play the ball.
03:52But what sort of swung it for me was the fact that he had to pull Kiefermore down in the first place in the penalty area to win it.
04:01So, I can see the argument from the other side.
04:05But, in my opinion, it was a red card.
04:08And once Sheffield United had got that advantage for half a game against a team that's possession-based,
04:15it really did make a difficult task a bit easier.
04:20But, you know, it's all about being ruthless when you get these opportunities.
04:25And that's what they did.
04:26And then in the second leg, you know, they had to soak up a bit of pressure, as inevitably.
04:30Bristol City came at them hard for the first 25 minutes or so.
04:34But over the course of the two legs, although Bristol City had a lot of the ball at times,
04:41they didn't really work Michael Cooper much at all.
04:46Sheffield United were good at keeping them at a downs length and took their chances when they came.
04:54So, yeah, it was a really good exercise over the two legs for them.
04:57Yeah, they managed to manage it really well and tick a lot of boxes, as Stuart said.
05:06A lot of players got game time.
05:08The substitutions were good and they had a decent amount of time on the pitch.
05:12Obviously, in the second leg, the game was pretty much done, wasn't it?
05:16As soon as Sheffield United got the first goal so he could make changes in the second half,
05:21which was a bit more of a non-event.
05:24So, you know, a lot of his players, even the ones that aren't starting, they'll be happy enough.
05:28They've had their cameos from the bench and they've contributed the likes of O'Hare.
05:33I just think in the sort of here and now, Sheffield United have got to, briefly anyway,
05:39I mean, it's a farewell now until the actual final.
05:43And we still don't know what time it is, which is absolutely ridiculous.
05:46But that's by the by.
05:48They've got to enjoy this moment.
05:50I mean, you think about it, they had all the adversity of last summer.
05:53It's important to remember the mess that Sheffield United were frankly in at this time last year
05:58and the work that Chris Wilde has done to turn it around,
06:02get a body of players and individuals ship-shape and fit for purpose for a long, hard championship season.
06:10We've seen, you know, you even have to look at Luke and look at how Dave struggled
06:15and obviously fighting themselves in League One.
06:18So it can happen, this sort of spiral of, this downward spiral can continue
06:23and there were a lot of issues at Sheffield United.
06:25You know, you think about the takeover and things like that.
06:27You didn't know which direction the club was sort of really heading.
06:31So full marks for the job that Chris Wilde has done in a pretty short space of time.
06:36I think there should be a sense of achievement there.
06:39OK, the job isn't done yet.
06:41They've got a huge playoff final.
06:44Everyone talks about it being the sort of biggest domestic game in, you know,
06:49possibly world football and the riches that come with it.
06:51What is it now? 200 million.
06:53But, yeah, I think it's important to sort of know the sense of achievement,
06:57what they've done to get to a playoff final.
06:59They obviously had a big disappointment of missing out on a top two place.
07:04An incredible battle for the title and the second automatic promotion slot.
07:10Sheffield United just missed out, as we've spoken about many times.
07:15They didn't really have cause to beat themselves up too much.
07:17They just had a hard week, didn't they?
07:19A rough week, which can happen in Championship football in three game weeks.
07:24Obviously, they had the Oxford result, the Millwall one and the Plymouth one,
07:29which no one predicted.
07:30So to get themselves together in a pretty short space of time,
07:34and, you know, make light of the semi-final, really, it was pretty much a cruise.
07:39There was a bit of conjecture about the red card in Bristol,
07:42but, you know, a thoroughly professional job that they did down there.
07:46And, you know, it's important to remember how good Bristol were in terms of their home form.
07:50That's sort of been the bedrock, hasn't it,
07:52of them getting into the playoffs, which, obviously, it was a bridge too far, these two games.
07:59But it's certainly a good achievement from them, isn't it, to get into the playoffs.
08:03And they shouldn't also beat themselves up too much.
08:06I think they unspoke about the amount of points between the pair.
08:12And Sheffield United looked the classier at, didn't they?
08:15And it went to form.
08:16Sometimes these meetings don't do that, but Sheffield United made light of that.
08:21Thoroughly deserved to go through.
08:23It's been pretty much a cruise.
08:25The players have got, obviously, the starting players and, you know,
08:29the squad players who have come in and made cameos or started in the second leg.
08:34They're going to be feeling confident about stuff.
08:37They can pat themselves on the back for a job well done.
08:40They can celebrate it for maybe a day, a couple of days,
08:43and it's down to the business again.
08:45And a full preparation for the final.
08:48But, yeah, full credit to Sheffield United.
08:50And I think you've got to congratulate them on this achievement.
08:54I mean, I think if you look back to where they were,
08:57if somebody had sort of said to Chris Wilder,
09:00would you take, you know, a place in the play-off final?
09:03A one-off shot to get back in the Premier League.
09:06You know, I think if you think about it pragmatically,
09:09he possibly would have taken that, wouldn't he?
09:11Obviously, he would have, in an ideal world,
09:13finishing the top two would have been fantastic.
09:15But it's been a good season for Sheffield United
09:18with the points deductions and all the factors
09:21where you look at where they were.
09:22And a reason to pack the cells on the back,
09:25but obviously the job isn't finished yet.
09:27What was your take on the red card, Leon?
09:31I personally didn't think it was a red card.
09:33I thought, having said that,
09:36I thought the sort of penalty was sort of punishment enough.
09:41But I also thought he didn't really have to take it.
09:43You know, he could have just taken one for the team
09:47and let him go and score, really.
09:48That would have helped out Bristol City
09:50in the grander scheme of things,
09:53rather than going down to 10 men.
09:55So, I mean, it wasn't to my...
09:58I sort of understood why there was the giving the red card,
10:01but I didn't particularly like it.
10:02I thought, you know, that the penalty was punishment enough.
10:05But also in the circumstances, you know,
10:08you're just...
10:08It's difficult to say when you're not there on the field
10:12and you're not that particular player.
10:13But did he really have to make that?
10:15Would he have been just better,
10:16just letting him go through and, you know,
10:19score and take that and still have 11 men?
10:21But, yeah, I'm pretty sure that...
10:27I mean, they obviously had the chance
10:28where they hit the crossbar,
10:29but I think that if it was 11 versus 11 in that game,
10:34Sheffield United would have had too much of them anyway.
10:36Yeah.
10:36Just as well, Leon sort of talks about the mood about the place.
10:39Must mention the fact it wasn't sold out,
10:43which was a bit of a disappointment.
10:46Not helped by the fact that Sheffield United
10:48wanted to cut the ticket prices,
10:50but Bristol City didn't give them permission.
10:52So that wasn't great.
10:53But nevertheless, it was a really good atmosphere in the place.
10:57And what was really telling was, you know,
10:59obviously we're all football fans.
11:01We know what it's like.
11:02You win on a game like that, on a night like that,
11:04you're immediately singing about Wembley.
11:06Well, it wasn't those fans' first thoughts on the Monday night.
11:10It was about George Baldock.
11:12So it was quite emotional in that respect.
11:14You know, Leon and I have both been at games this season
11:17where George Baldock's been sung about,
11:19for those who don't know the ex-Sheffield United player
11:22who died earlier in the season.
11:24It's happened a lot this season,
11:25but Monday was another level.
11:28I mean, after the second goal went in,
11:29it felt like the away-ender part,
11:32the entire stadium was on its feet,
11:33clapping and singing along to George Baldock's song.
11:36And again, at the full-time whistle.
11:37And, you know, Leon talks about the difficulties
11:41that Sheffield United have come across this season.
11:43You can't underestimate that as well.
11:45The, you know, emotional load they've had to deal with.
11:49Many of those players, you know, had Baldock as a teammate.
11:52And that's, I think that's serving as an inspiration for them as well
11:57on the way to Wembley.
11:58But yeah, it was really touching to see
12:01just how everyone's thoughts immediately turned to him
12:04rather than, you know, the more obvious thing of,
12:07you know, great, we're going to Wembley sort of thing,
12:09which was obviously the second thought of them all.
12:12I think the crowd was a pretty good effort, obviously,
12:14with a night Chris Wilder would call
12:16and he wanted to be jam-packed full,
12:18but it was still reasonably full, wasn't it?
12:20Yeah, it was a Monday night.
12:22It wasn't empty, by any stretch.
12:23A Monday night, a school night,
12:25and obviously it's one of those,
12:27it doesn't count as a season ticket game, doesn't it?
12:29Exactly.
12:29Having to sort of fork out extra
12:31and obviously it's an expensive do going to Wembley as well,
12:37which obviously, barring something absolutely miraculous,
12:40the miraculous Sheffield United were going to do
12:42after the first leg, weren't they?
12:43So I wouldn't get the crowd police out too much
12:48to chastise the fact that he wasn't jam-packed.
12:51Definitely.
12:52And then the case for the defence against the crowd police is,
12:55as Leon says, it's ridiculous.
12:57We're speaking on Tuesday morning.
12:58We still don't know when this game's going to take place.
13:01So these people don't know how much
13:02they're going to have to pay out for Wembley.
13:04You know, we all know about dynamic pricing
13:06after Oasis and all this sort of thing.
13:09And it's the same argument every year.
13:11It seems to be in a high-profile game or two at Wembley.
13:14We're always having this discussion.
13:15It invariably involves teams from the North or the Midlands
13:18having a long old poke back at a thoroughly inconvenient time
13:23and messing around the weekend.
13:25And we'll have all the talk about treating football fans better,
13:28this, that and the other.
13:29And then the same thing will probably happen again in 12 months.
13:32So that's particularly disappointing.
13:34But, I mean, at least most years, as Leon says,
13:36it is inconvenient pretty much every year for the Northern teams,
13:39but at least they know in advance to not even know
13:42when, you know, the day you get through.
13:44And it was similar with the FA Cup final.
13:46That was only decided at two weeks' notice.
13:48It's just disrespectful, in my view,
13:50to the most important people in the game.
13:53Then that's the word.
13:54Exactly, exactly.
13:55And now we've reached that point in the footballing calendar
13:58where our clubs release their retained lists for the upcoming season.
14:04Is there anything that has sort of jumped out at you
14:06from any of our Yorkshire clubs, Leon?
14:10No, not in particular.
14:12I mean, there's obviously a few other clubs.
14:14I think the date, is it until the end?
14:16Is it later this week?
14:17I think the 17th, yeah.
14:18It kicks in a little bit if you've been involved in the playoffs.
14:24Obviously, the Sheffield United.
14:25But there's not been too many surprises, to be honest.
14:28I mean, the big, I suppose the big, I don't know, headline,
14:32the big dramatic one is the amount of players
14:34that Huddersfield have moved on.
14:36I mean, obviously that's going well into double figures.
14:40I mentioned it before about Michael Duff.
14:42Part of me sort of thinks that Michael Duff needed
14:46if he was in charge of Huddersfield.
14:48He needed that 12 months ago, really,
14:51to really turn around Huddersfield.
14:54But there's some big names who've gone there.
14:56I think the one takeaway from the list of players
15:00leaving Huddersfield is they're going to have to pretty much
15:02build a new back, well, whether it's a back four or a back five.
15:06There's some big characters, some big names
15:09who've leaving the club from the heart of defence.
15:12They're like the Tom Lees, as of this world,
15:14the Matty Pearsons.
15:15We've also got Ruffles and Turton.
15:19See, Jonathan Hogg as well.
15:21He's shown that he can drop back in there as well.
15:24So, yeah, I think it just underlines the expense
15:27of the work that whoever the new manager
15:29at Huddersfield is going to be
15:31and the director of football have got to do there.
15:35I mean, it's a hard league, League One.
15:38You need your quality players,
15:41but you also need your leaders and your characters.
15:43Obviously, with Michael Hellick as well,
15:45he went in January.
15:47There's some serious work to do there
15:49in terms of getting the defence ship shape for me.
15:53We've spoken about this many times as well.
15:56They sort of lack that figurehead up front as well.
15:58So, you're looking at the spine of Huddersfield's team
16:01and there's a lot of work to do there.
16:04They've obviously got a few centre-forwards
16:06who are still on deck,
16:08but it's fair to date to say there's been mixed fortunes for them.
16:13You know, Radulovic hasn't really happened.
16:17He's had injury issues and Rhys Healy as well.
16:20His time has been blighted.
16:22He's obviously enjoyed in January 2024.
16:26His time has been blighted by injury as well.
16:28So, Callum Marshall's gone back as well.
16:31He was probably one of the better players in the season.
16:34He was only on loan.
16:36A lot of work to do there
16:37in terms of getting the right forwards in.
16:40Josh Carone was left as well.
16:43And in terms of building a new spine of that team,
16:46so it's something that probably Huddersfield had to do,
16:49but they've got a hell of a lot of work
16:51and they've obviously spent a lot of money already
16:53in January, haven't they?
16:54And there's obviously the new financial rules
16:56that are kicking there.
16:57So, yeah, they've somehow got to get it right
17:01a hell of a lot to do at Huddersfield.
17:03I think there weren't too many surprises.
17:06Some of the other ones,
17:07obviously Richard Woods hung up his boots.
17:10He turns 40 in July.
17:12It wasn't necessarily too much of a shock.
17:15He's struggled this season for game time.
17:18And he's given it a good crack, hasn't he?
17:19He nearly got to his 40th birthday playing,
17:23but for the 23 seasons is a pretty sterling effort, really, isn't it?
17:29It'll be interesting to see what happens
17:30with some of the players who they're sort of talking to off contract.
17:35Obviously, Grant McCann's made no secret
17:37of the fact he wants to keep Oluw.
17:39It sounds like he's got a few other offers elsewhere.
17:42So, we'll see how that one plays out.
17:44Tom Anderson as well,
17:45who obviously put his hand up at the end of the season,
17:49especially.
17:50Obviously, there's an issue there.
17:52What's going to sort of happen with him?
17:54I think Bradford haven't announced theirs yet,
17:56but I think the big issue there will be
17:58Richie Smallwood, won't it?
18:01Obviously, he's led Bradford to promotion.
18:05I think it's his fourth, isn't it, of his career,
18:06something like that.
18:08He cleaned the ball to put the player of the year due.
18:13I think he got five or six awards.
18:15He's out of contract.
18:16He's at an age now where,
18:17I think it's one of those, isn't it,
18:19when you get to your mid-thirties,
18:21do you chase the money
18:23or are you better just going for the sort of length of contract,
18:26which might not necessarily be as much money?
18:29I think a few players
18:31have to sort of consider that fact
18:35when they get to that age.
18:36But, yeah, not too many other surprises, really.
18:40A little look at Harry,
18:41I did a piece on their retain list.
18:43I think the thing that struck me there
18:44is they've only got 11 contracted players for next season.
18:48So that suggests to me
18:49they're going to have to do a lot of work there.
18:50I know they're speaking to a few players
18:53about new deals,
18:55some big ones as well.
18:57Anthony O'Connor's done well for them.
18:59And Marsh as well.
19:01And Levi Sutton.
19:02So, yeah, I think in terms of Harrogate,
19:05he'll be trying to convince
19:06two or three of those players
19:08to stick around and stay.
19:10Because if you're just going to be
19:11left with 11 contacted players,
19:13that's a pretty big recruitment, isn't that,
19:17for the summer window?
19:18You're talking double figures there.
19:20Obviously, we're waiting to see what happens
19:22with the bulk of the championship clubs.
19:26Yeah, I think Richard Wood's a pity, really.
19:30You know, I spoke to him
19:31before his testimonial at the start of the season,
19:34and I think he really wanted to get to 40.
19:35But that ankle operation he had
19:38at the start of the season
19:39just didn't do the job.
19:40And, you know, ultimately,
19:41you can't fight your body, really, can you?
19:44I think it's always good to see,
19:46you know, the likes of Billy Sharp,
19:48Johnny House and Jonathan Hogg playing.
19:51I personally, anyway,
19:52like to see players just playing on
19:54for as long as they can.
19:56But I think it had just reached the point
19:58with Richard Wood where
19:59he just had to accept the evidence.
20:01Well, I'm afraid there's only so many
20:02painkillers you can stick into the guy
20:05and wheel him out.
20:06And, you know, the good thing for him,
20:08I think when players reach that stage,
20:11I think it's important to have an idea
20:14of what you're going to do next.
20:15And he's been driven a long time
20:17to do coaching.
20:18So hopefully we'll still see him
20:19around the Yorkshire football.
20:20He's going to do as well.
20:22Exactly, yeah.
20:23So, yes, a shame,
20:26but I'm sure he's switched on enough
20:29that, you know,
20:30he'll be able to deal with it quite well.
20:32I think the biggest surprise for me
20:33in terms of the retainer list
20:34was just the fact that
20:36there were so few players
20:38released at Rotherham.
20:42Only four let go.
20:44I mean, I think that's a legacy
20:45of a lot of the contracts
20:47that were signed last season
20:48being sort of two and three years.
20:50But I think with all three of the clubs
20:53who are in League One this season for us,
20:55it all feels like they're at the stage
20:57where they need a big clear out,
20:58a big reset.
20:59You know, Leon mentioned about
21:02Huddersfield are going to need
21:03to find new leaders,
21:04but it just feels like
21:07they needed that anyway.
21:09They needed that refresh,
21:11that new approach.
21:14You know, we've seen players
21:15like Josh Benson
21:17go at Barnsley as well.
21:19Again, it just feels like
21:22they've reached the stage
21:23where they needed to move on
21:24some of those players
21:24and start again
21:26under a new manager.
21:27And as I say,
21:28I think in an ideal world,
21:29you probably would have let,
21:31Rotherham might have let
21:32more players go.
21:34I wouldn't rule that out
21:35to be honest, Stuart.
21:35I think one or two,
21:38obviously the Huddersfield situation
21:39as well,
21:40where they've got a new manager
21:41to come in,
21:41he's going to have his own ideas.
21:43I think the fact that,
21:45I think it's fair to say
21:47that all three of them
21:47aren't going to have loads
21:48of money to throw at it.
21:49I think that will come
21:50into the equation, won't it?
21:51Maybe try and listen a few
21:53to really refresh it.
21:55You know, Barnsley,
21:56Huddersfield and Rotherham as well.
21:59But obviously we'll have to see.
22:00Yeah, I mean, obviously
22:01if the players Rotherham
22:03move on,
22:04they can get fees for
22:05rather than all these players
22:06going for free,
22:07that's obviously a stronger position.
22:08So it's not necessarily
22:10a bad thing.
22:10I just think,
22:11as I say,
22:12I was struck by the low number really.
22:16But as I say,
22:16when you think it through,
22:17it's probably due to the number
22:19of two and three year contracts
22:20they committed to
22:22in last year's,
22:23you know,
22:24last year's rebuild
22:25and here we are again
22:26needing to do it.
22:27But yeah,
22:28a lot of work
22:28for those three clubs
22:29in particular
22:30to do over the,
22:32some of the,
22:33some clubs,
22:33you know,
22:33like St. Doncaster,
22:35Radford,
22:35you can say,
22:36well,
22:36there's a really good
22:36foundation there
22:37and they just need to
22:38tinker around the edges.
22:40But for Harrogate
22:41and for those three,
22:42it's really get stuck in
22:43and get things turned around,
22:45isn't it?
22:45I mean,
22:46you'd like to think
22:47that Billy Sharp,
22:48I mean,
22:48we're talking about
22:49the 40th milestone.
22:50I think he's 40,
22:50isn't he?
22:51Next,
22:51next February,
22:53he's,
22:54you know,
22:54I don't know if there's
22:55any sentiment involved
22:56with his deal.
22:57He's done enough
22:57to stick around,
22:58hasn't he?
22:58He's gone into,
22:59he's gone into double,
23:01double figures for Doncaster
23:02in the promotion season.
23:04It's a club that means
23:04a lot to him
23:05and,
23:05you know,
23:07whether he,
23:07he probably won't,
23:08you know,
23:08certainly play every week
23:10in League One.
23:11But having somebody
23:12of his ilk
23:13on the bench
23:14to come on in
23:14the last half an hour
23:15when you need a goal,
23:17you know,
23:17it's worth its weight in gold
23:18and you can see him
23:19having a role for Doncaster
23:20in that respect
23:21next season
23:23and,
23:23you know,
23:24it'd be great for him
23:26to get to,
23:27I mean,
23:27he's always chasing
23:28milestones,
23:29isn't he?
23:29His father's got a
23:32logbook of all his numbers
23:34so he won't need
23:37any inspiration
23:38to play on
23:40past his 40th birthday
23:41and I'm sure
23:41there's one or two
23:42grounds in League One
23:43he might not have
23:44scored at or
23:44probably only one or two
23:47but yes.
23:48But yeah,
23:49like Smallwood,
23:50it's another coach
23:51on the pitch,
23:52isn't it really?
23:53It's like an extension
23:54of your coaching staff
23:55on this fly
23:56and it's really useful
23:57to have.
23:58Imagine being,
23:59if you're trying to sign
24:00a young striker
24:01for Doncaster Rovers
24:02on loan,
24:03what a sell that is
24:04come and work with,
24:06you know,
24:06one of the greatest
24:06goalscorers
24:07in the modern history
24:09of football
24:10and even for,
24:11you know,
24:11I did a piece
24:12in Tuesday's
24:14Yorkshire Post
24:14with Joe Lineside
24:15who's 31
24:15and he was talking
24:16about how much
24:17he was learning
24:17from Billy Sharp.
24:18It's not just
24:19the young players
24:19thing,
24:20but yeah,
24:21when you've got
24:22an asset like that,
24:23as Leon says,
24:24it's really worth
24:25keeping hold of
24:25but from Billy Sharp's
24:27perspective,
24:28Leon mentioned
24:29the Smallwood dilemma
24:30about length of contracts
24:31for him,
24:32it's about,
24:32do I drop down a level
24:33and play more football
24:34or am I content
24:37with,
24:37you know,
24:39with a bit part role
24:39and that's something
24:40only he can decide.
24:42Yeah.
24:42I mean,
24:43just to quickly,
24:43John,
24:43I mean,
24:44talking about old stages,
24:45you know,
24:45the likes of
24:47Ward Hogg,
24:49you know,
24:50one or two others
24:51as well,
24:52Johnny House
24:52and I think about,
24:53you're talking about
24:54sentiment,
24:56but players earning
24:57new contracts.
24:57I think he's earned
24:58one of those
24:58as well,
24:59hasn't he really?
25:00Yeah.
25:00By the way that he
25:01sort of finished the season,
25:03it was pretty telling
25:04that,
25:05you know,
25:05as a midfielder,
25:06he's slotted back
25:06into central defence
25:07and he was keeping
25:08established defenders out
25:09because of the quality
25:11of performance
25:12in a pretty lousy
25:13final quarter of the season
25:15for Middlesbrough.
25:15He was,
25:16I think,
25:17him and the goalkeeper
25:18who was unfortunately
25:19on loan,
25:20who it doesn't look like,
25:20he'll be coming back,
25:23he'll have probably
25:24bigger and better offers,
25:26but Housen was the one
25:27who put his hand up
25:27in difficult times
25:28and what is he now?
25:30He's 37 nearly,
25:31probably,
25:32I think he's 38 in May,
25:33isn't he?
25:34But,
25:35you know,
25:35he's thoroughly,
25:36for me,
25:37he's thoroughly earned
25:37another year's contract
25:39at Middlesbrough.
25:39Yeah.
25:40Yeah.
25:41And next,
25:42I wanted to have
25:42a quick review,
25:43a quick preview
25:44of the clash
25:46between Oldham Athletic
25:47and Halifax Town
25:48in the National League
25:49playoffs qualifying phase.
25:51How do you think
25:52Halifax Town
25:53could approach
25:54this fixture,
25:55Leon?
25:56Well,
25:56I think,
25:56first of all,
25:57they'll be glad
25:59that they're away,
25:59to be quite honest.
26:00I mean,
26:00you look at the form
26:02in the National League
26:03this season
26:03and it's been
26:04chalk and cheese,
26:05hasn't it?
26:05They've had
26:05well-documented
26:07problems at home.
26:09It's not just been
26:09specific to the season,
26:11hasn't it,
26:11really?
26:11We all know
26:12about the issues
26:14with the surface
26:15at the Shea
26:16and, yeah,
26:18it's been difficult
26:19for them
26:19and I think,
26:20I say,
26:21they'll be happy
26:22they're away
26:22and they'll be
26:23just as happy
26:23if they get through
26:24that they're away again.
26:25And the York City games
26:27the week after,
26:29I think there's only
26:30probably two or three
26:32clubs who have
26:32better away records
26:34but they had a little
26:3517th best record
26:37at home.
26:37I mean,
26:38that's pretty grim,
26:39isn't it?
26:40And I think
26:41probably the last,
26:43certainly last season
26:43wouldn't have been
26:44too much better
26:46but, yeah,
26:46they've just,
26:47they've been here
26:47before,
26:48Harrogate,
26:49Halifax,
26:49they've,
26:51four seasons out of six,
26:52they've qualified
26:52for the playoffs
26:53and it's a pretty
26:54familiar sketch,
26:56isn't it?
26:56Obviously an ex-league
26:58club but they're
26:59sort of competing
27:00against clubs
27:01who've got bigger
27:02resources,
27:02it's fair to say,
27:03isn't it?
27:03And there's no,
27:05there's going to be
27:05blue sachions for them
27:07when they play
27:08Oldham who,
27:09obviously an ex,
27:10an ex-league club
27:12and then they'll
27:13get through that
27:14and be playing
27:14York.
27:15I mean,
27:15some of these
27:15teams' budgets,
27:17they're sort of,
27:19you're probably
27:20looking at it
27:20and it's sort of
27:21top half League
27:21two really,
27:22isn't it?
27:22Really?
27:23And so Halifax
27:25have got all that
27:26to contend with
27:29and yeah,
27:30I think they've
27:30just got to go
27:31to Oldham
27:32if they get
27:32through against
27:33York.
27:34All the pressure
27:35will be on the
27:35home team,
27:36won't it?
27:36There'll be a big
27:37expected crowd.
27:38They've got to
27:38sort of prey on
27:40the insecurities
27:41and fears of the
27:42home supporters
27:43and back themselves
27:45to get a result.
27:46I think the better
27:46surfaces at both
27:47of those stadiums
27:49would help them
27:50as well.
27:50It sounds like
27:52they're going to
27:52be a bigger
27:52way following
27:53of Halifax
27:54fans at Oldham.
27:56They've been
27:56given 2,000
27:57tickets.
27:58I think they've
27:58sold nearly
27:591,700 so
28:01there's a local
28:02element to it.
28:03It's only 25
28:04miles up the
28:06road and
28:07yeah,
28:08hopefully a little
28:09bit more luck.
28:10I don't think
28:11one or two things
28:11have gone for
28:12them in terms
28:14of the games
28:14against Oldham
28:16this season.
28:17And yeah,
28:17I don't think
28:18they've got anything
28:19to lose.
28:19They've got to
28:20just give it
28:21a good shot.
28:22The pressure
28:22isn't on them.
28:23They're the
28:24underdogs for
28:24the, I think
28:26it's fair to
28:26say, the
28:26whole playoffs
28:27really.
28:28The next league
28:30club, don't get
28:30me wrong,
28:31they're not a
28:31small club at
28:32that level,
28:32Halifax, but
28:33in terms of
28:34the budgets,
28:36they pretty much
28:36are really,
28:37aren't they?
28:37When you look
28:38at the likes
28:39of Oldham
28:39and Forest
28:40Green and
28:41York.
28:43So yeah,
28:44I wouldn't
28:44totally discount
28:45Halifax, but
28:48I think it's
28:48fair to say
28:49there's a lot
28:50that's still
28:51got to go
28:51right for
28:52them to
28:52reach the
28:53final.
28:53Yeah, I
28:54mean, some
28:54really tasty
28:55games for
28:56them, however
28:56it goes.
28:58As Leon
28:58says, Oldham
28:59basically a
29:00derby for
29:01them.
29:02That's a good
29:03league game for
29:03them this
29:04season.
29:05And then
29:05they know if
29:05they get
29:06through, they
29:06know it's
29:07York, it's
29:07not an
29:07either or.
29:10They're owed
29:11one when it
29:11comes to York
29:12and late
29:13goals and that
29:14sort of thing.
29:14And again,
29:15they're getting
29:15the derby
29:16element.
29:16So, you
29:18know, another
29:18game to look
29:19forward to if
29:19it happens and
29:20without getting
29:21ahead of
29:21themselves,
29:22obviously, the
29:23finals at
29:24Wembley.
29:24So that by
29:25definition is a
29:26day to look
29:27forward to and
29:28almost certainly
29:30a decent pitch to
29:31play on, which
29:32is big for them
29:33because they try
29:34and play football
29:35and that
29:35shade pitch is
29:36not helping
29:39them.
29:39but hopefully
29:41brighter times
29:43to come when
29:44the future of
29:45the Shea is
29:45properly signed
29:46off and it
29:47seems like
29:48they're going
29:48to be playing
29:49on an
29:49artificial pitch
29:51shared with
29:53the rugby.
29:54So hopefully
29:54that will allow
29:56them to progress
29:57the way they're
29:57trying to progress
29:58as a football
29:59club.
29:59They basically
29:59want to be a
30:00club that takes
30:01a gamble on
30:02young players,
30:03polishes them
30:04up, sells them
30:05on and sort of
30:07competes financially
30:08that way.
30:08I think they're
30:10in a good
30:13shape.
30:13They will be
30:15outsiders.
30:17You do feel
30:17like there's
30:18other clubs,
30:20probably all the
30:21other clubs,
30:22better equipped
30:23to step up in
30:24terms of their
30:25finances, but
30:26you never turn
30:27it down.
30:28I think it's
30:29just however
30:30many games this
30:31playoff series is
30:31for them.
30:32I think it's
30:32just games to
30:33be enjoyed
30:34really and make
30:35the most of
30:36for those big
30:37travelling
30:37contingents.
30:38young players
30:41playing in big
30:42occasions.
30:43I don't think
30:44there's anything
30:44for them to
30:45fear or say.
30:46I think it's
30:46just something
30:47they should be
30:47really looking
30:48forward to as
30:49a club.
30:49I think the
30:50one with
30:50Halifax, if
30:51they can get
30:52through, I
30:54think they've
30:54had a decent
30:55season, maybe
30:56if they can
30:56get through,
30:57say they get
30:57to the final
30:58and they're
30:58just edged
30:58out by
30:59York, that's
31:00the season of
31:02progress, isn't
31:02it?
31:03the big trick
31:04there is just
31:05putting a bit
31:05more budget
31:06in to keep
31:07a lot of
31:08these players
31:08who are out
31:09of contract
31:09and he's
31:11done a
31:12brilliant job
31:12as Chris
31:13Millington
31:13there, but
31:15you must think
31:16part of him
31:17he's getting
31:18Halifax to the
31:19playoffs, just
31:20losing out in the
31:21playoffs and
31:21then he's
31:21having to build
31:22his side again
31:22isn't he really?
31:23He's using
31:23nearly every
31:25sort of season
31:25he's using
31:26three, four,
31:26sometimes more
31:27of his better
31:28players.
31:29Sometimes the
31:30better players
31:30don't get me
31:31wrong, they'll
31:31step up into
31:33the league, we've
31:33spoken to the
31:34likes of Jack
31:35Senior and
31:36Millie Alley,
31:37things like that.
31:38Quite a few of
31:39them go into
31:39the better finance
31:41conference clubs
31:42as well, so
31:42there's part of
31:43him that's got to
31:43think, well,
31:45I'm doing all
31:45this, how are we
31:46really, really
31:47progressing?
31:48If Halifax just
31:50sort of missed
31:51out, he's got a
31:53case to turn
31:54around.
31:54If any club's
31:55desperate for
31:56someone to put
31:56a little bit
31:57more into the
31:57budget,
31:58he's got a
31:59little bit more
31:59of a go at
32:00it without
32:01being stupid,
32:02so the next
32:03season, it's
32:04Halifax, isn't
32:04it?
32:05They're an
32:05ex-league club
32:06as well,
32:08rather than
32:08this, I mean,
32:10it's very
32:10admirable what
32:11they do,
32:11they're getting
32:13a lot of
32:14young footballers
32:14from academy
32:15football and
32:16they're turning
32:17them into
32:17professional
32:19footballers,
32:19but the
32:20next step
32:22and the
32:22biggest step
32:23for Halifax
32:24is ultimately
32:25just having a
32:27season where
32:27they're sort
32:29of rewarded
32:29a little bit
32:30by the
32:30board for
32:31their achievements,
32:32raising the
32:33budget somehow,
32:34getting another
32:35investor in and
32:36then they can
32:36go again and
32:37really be in a
32:41better place if it
32:42actually happens
32:43and they go all
32:44the way to the
32:45football league,
32:46else you sort of
32:47fear it's just
32:47going to keep
32:47going round and
32:48round a little
32:49bit.
32:49Yeah, but I
32:50mean, it is
32:51really difficult to
32:52do in that
32:52division, you
32:52know, especially
32:53when you've got
32:54Halifax's history
32:55as a Phoenix
32:56club.
32:57It might seem
32:58surprising to some
32:59people, but the
32:59conference is more
33:01money-led than a
33:03lot of the
33:04divisions above
33:04because you don't
33:05have the spending
33:05restrictions that
33:06you have in the
33:08football league.
33:11And yeah,
33:12Halifax, as they
33:13are at the moment,
33:14they're only ever
33:14really able to make
33:15baby steps, aren't
33:16they?
33:16And then you
33:17see teams like
33:18Wrexham and
33:18Stockport, who've
33:19been able to, you
33:20know, in Salford
33:21a few years ago,
33:22been able to throw
33:23huge amounts of
33:23money at it and
33:24go at breakneck
33:26speed sort of
33:26thing.
33:27And it's really
33:28difficult, but as
33:28Leon says, it's
33:29about finding a
33:30way to be
33:31competitive because
33:32you know, when
33:33you saw it with
33:34Pete Wilde, you
33:35know, when you've
33:35got a manager of
33:36Chris Millington's
33:37quality, you need
33:37to keep them, you
33:38need to incentivise
33:39them that there is
33:40something back in
33:41your head.
33:41It's not just
33:42standing still.
33:43Leon's dead
33:43right in that.
33:44Yeah, I mean, you
33:45still look, I
33:46mean, Stuart's
33:47right to say
33:47there are some
33:49clubs who really
33:50have thrown money
33:51at it and gone
33:51up.
33:52The likes, you
33:52know, Notch
33:53County, Wrexham's
33:54others as well, but
33:56you know, there's
33:57one or two who
33:57have probably done
33:58it a bit more
33:58incrementally.
33:59It's doable, yeah.
34:01So, it's the case
34:03for doing it that
34:03way by just, you
34:05know, just growing
34:06steadily, maybe
34:06putting a little
34:07bit more in each
34:08season or if you
34:10just miss out, just
34:10put a little bit
34:11more in the season
34:12after to sort of go
34:15that little bit
34:15further.
34:16That's the issue
34:17that Halifax have
34:19got, but yeah, I
34:20think if ever a
34:21manager needs
34:22supporting, I
34:23think it's
34:24Millington.
34:24He's done a
34:25tremendous job as
34:26Wild did a few
34:27years earlier, but
34:28he ultimately,
34:29obviously, he left
34:30because he didn't
34:31think he could
34:31realise his
34:32ambitions there,
34:33did he?
34:33That's right, yeah.
34:34Yeah.
34:35And finally for
34:36this week, let's
34:37do a quick review
34:38of the League
34:39Two season.
34:41And over the
34:41coming weeks, we'll
34:42also be looking at
34:43League One as well
34:44as the championship.
34:45However, this year
34:46in League Two, we
34:48saw two of the
34:49three Yorkshire-based
34:50teams in the
34:51division gain
34:52promotion and
34:53Harrogate retained
34:54their League Two
34:55status.
34:56What did you make
34:57of League Two this
34:58season, Leon?
35:00Well, I mean, you
35:01look at it
35:02statistically, it's
35:02been an outstanding
35:03season, hasn't it?
35:04You've got to go a
35:06fair while between
35:07drinks since two
35:08Yorkshire teams got
35:09promoted at that
35:11level.
35:11I think it's
35:112012-13 when
35:14Rotherham went up
35:14on the last day
35:15and obviously
35:16Bradford did their
35:17bit in the
35:18playoffs.
35:19It must be a
35:20fair while
35:21before that, since
35:23two teams actually
35:24did it automatically.
35:26If memory serves,
35:27I remember
35:27Doncaster winning
35:29the league in
35:292023-203-04 and
35:35Hull went up.
35:36I think Hull was
35:37second and then
35:38Huddersfield did it
35:39in the playoffs,
35:39so a season of
35:41achievement on that
35:42level for Yorkshire's
35:44teams.
35:44I think with
35:45Harrogate considering
35:46a bit of a sticky
35:49first half of the
35:49season and one or
35:52two issues at home,
35:53I think they've
35:53steadied the ship
35:54reasonably well,
35:55particularly at home
35:56in the second half
35:57of the season and
35:58they've stayed up
35:59relatively comfortably.
36:01A sixth season of
36:02league football there,
36:03which isn't to be
36:04sniffed at, is it
36:05really?
36:05I mean, obviously,
36:07ultimately, they'd
36:08like to push on and
36:10maybe nick into the
36:11playoffs, but I
36:13think given what
36:13could have been a
36:14problematic season,
36:15they've done reasonably
36:16well.
36:16They had a decent run
36:17in the FA Cup,
36:18didn't they?
36:18They got to the
36:18third round, had a
36:20night to remember
36:21against Leeds United.
36:24They've spoken a lot
36:25of times about
36:26Harrogate getting that
36:28plum third round
36:29draw and they got
36:30that.
36:31Was it the biggest
36:32ever gate against
36:33Gainsborough in the
36:34previous round?
36:35They had a couple of
36:35other sell-outs as
36:36well, so yeah,
36:38they've done the job
36:38in that regard.
36:40Yeah, I mean,
36:41tremendous two
36:42different journeys
36:43for Doncaster and
36:47Bradford.
36:49I think the Bradford
36:49journey was a lot
36:50more emotional and I
36:51think they had to
36:52deal with, not that
36:54Doncaster didn't have
36:55adversity to deal
36:55with, but I think
36:57that Bradford dealt
36:58with a lot more,
36:59didn't they really?
37:00You sort of look at
37:00it and they had a
37:01hell of a lot of
37:02injuries in the
37:03autumn in terms of
37:04the defence and
37:06obviously if you're
37:07a side going for
37:08promotion, it's not
37:09ideal that, you want
37:10to keep your sort of
37:10defence.
37:12In terms of the
37:13options, as regular
37:16as possible, they
37:17lost Andy Cook
37:18on New Year's Day
37:19to a season-ending
37:21injury against
37:22Barrow.
37:24Obviously the
37:24doom-mongers were
37:25out there, now
37:25are we going to
37:26cope?
37:27A lot of the City
37:28fans were saying
37:29we're going to drop
37:29out of contention
37:30and I think you've
37:32got to factor in as
37:32well, we've spoken
37:33about Bradford being
37:35in that bottom
37:35division a bit like
37:36Leeds being in the
37:37Championship, it is a
37:39bit of a goldfish
37:39ball for that level
37:41and there's such a
37:42desperation to escape
37:45the shackles of that
37:46division for Bradford,
37:49you know, the sixth
37:49season in League
37:50Two.
37:52Obviously they were
37:52desperate to do it.
37:54You know, the drama
37:55continued, didn't it?
37:56I mean, I did that
37:57crazy game at
37:58Swindon and I think
38:02Jack Shepard had the
38:03last laugh though,
38:03didn't he?
38:04The Swindon
38:04players, the picture
38:05where they were
38:06looking down at him
38:07after his own goal
38:08at the end, he
38:10obviously retweeted
38:11that when they'd
38:11won promotion and
38:12that was a nice
38:14bit of sport I
38:15thought.
38:16Yeah, they dealt
38:17with that, they
38:17had the late goals
38:18against, was it
38:19Chesterfield,
38:21Doncaster as well
38:22and they're just
38:23some stupid
38:26sendings off as
38:27well.
38:27The Smallwood one
38:28was bad enough
38:30but the one
38:30from Aidan
38:31Baldwin was
38:32absolutely
38:33reprehensible
38:34really.
38:35And yeah, it
38:36just seemed to me
38:37that they were
38:38just getting
38:38punched on the
38:39nose after
38:39punched on the
38:40nose but they
38:40just kept getting
38:41back up and
38:42obviously the final
38:44day as well, it
38:45wasn't going
38:46particularly well, it
38:46was a bit of a
38:47lousy game and I
38:49still don't know how
38:49that goal went in
38:50but it did,
38:51didn't it?
38:52And that's what
38:53it's all about,
38:54you know, a real
38:55rollercoaster for
38:56Bradford.
38:56Doncaster's was a
38:57little bit more,
39:00I don't know if
39:00straightforward's the
39:01right word because
39:02they did have some
39:03bumps as well,
39:04didn't they?
39:04A little bit.
39:04Yeah.
39:05In terms of, you
39:06know, the home
39:06form against some
39:08of the, some of
39:11the sort of rivals,
39:13one or two issues
39:14there but they were
39:15pretty consistent
39:15were they?
39:16And they were the
39:16side who had the
39:18strongest jaw at the
39:19end.
39:20They were really,
39:21really strong and
39:22solid at the end
39:23of the, of the
39:24season.
39:25Brilliant loan
39:25signing in, in
39:26Rob Street.
39:27Went, got into
39:28double figures.
39:29That was, that was
39:30such a smart bit of
39:31business from, from
39:33Grant McCann and
39:34yeah, they stayed,
39:35stayed strong at the
39:35right time.
39:36The best away for
39:37them in, in the
39:37division.
39:39Won the title,
39:40difficult final game
39:41against Notts
39:42County, did the job
39:43there and did what
39:44Grant McCann said
39:45they were going to
39:46do all along.
39:46You know, after the
39:47playoff game against
39:48Crewe, he fronted
39:49up, you know,
39:51brilliant bit of
39:51psychology as well
39:52when you think about
39:53it.
39:54You know, his
39:54players were on the
39:55floor, his
39:55supporters were on
39:56the floor, lifted
39:57them up straight
39:58away, right, we're
39:59going to go for the
39:59league next year.
40:00I know, I know
40:00Stuart was there, it
40:01must have been a, you
40:03know, pretty impressive
40:03sight to see him do
40:04that.
40:05It was, yeah.
40:06He was on the, you
40:07know, when he was at
40:08his, at his pretty
40:09much his lowest
40:10depth and he's kept,
40:11and he's kept true to
40:12his word and, you
40:14know, even when, you
40:16know, he didn't
40:17really know who was
40:17going to win the
40:18league as we went
40:19into, you know, sort
40:21of March, April
40:22time.
40:23But McCann kept
40:26strong to his
40:26convictions and they
40:28did the job for him.
40:30Yeah, I mean, it's,
40:31you know, McCann's
40:32pulled off a few of
40:33these psychological
40:33tricks over his
40:34second spell.
40:35There was the famous
40:36league table in the
40:37second half of last
40:38season.
40:39And, yeah, it took
40:40me back, I was there
40:41that night.
40:41I was there when
40:42Daniel Farker came
40:44out with that I'm
40:44100% convinced that
40:45Leeds will come up
40:46when they're wobbling
40:46and it's, it's, it's
40:48great to say these
40:49things.
40:49We look back and we
40:50say a masterstroke,
40:51but, you know, you've,
40:52you've got to follow
40:53through on them.
40:54If you, if you say
40:55them and you mess it
40:55up, then the next
40:56time you say something
40:57like that, it doesn't
40:58carry any weight.
40:59So you've really got
40:59to pick your moments.
41:01But, but yeah, it
41:03was, it was, it was
41:04a masterstroke.
41:05And I think, I think
41:06Doncaster in particular
41:07have just, they've
41:10clearly, they've got a
41:11manager who they
41:12believe in because of
41:13what he did the last
41:13time.
41:14And they've just fully
41:16bought into his
41:16methods, you know.
41:19They sucked up the
41:20frustration of last
41:22season, particularly the
41:23frustration of the
41:24first half of the
41:24season where results
41:26were going badly, but
41:28they, you know, they
41:28kept the faith.
41:30They allowed him to
41:30build a, he's got a
41:31big squad there, you
41:32know, but by, by, by
41:33Doncaster standards, he's
41:34even got a big coaching
41:36staff, you know, really
41:37most, most league two
41:38clubs would just have
41:39an assistant and one
41:40other coach.
41:40He's got to, so, you
41:42know, the hierarchy
41:43have really got behind
41:44him and supported him
41:46and it's good to see
41:47that, good to see that
41:48come off.
41:48And I think for both
41:49Doncaster and Bradford,
41:50you know, they've had
41:51some miserable years
41:52recently.
41:53I mean, Doncaster's
41:54really been a tale of
41:55woe since, since
41:56Darren Moore left, you
41:58know, you could even
41:58trace it back to that,
41:59that playoff semi-final
42:00that Leon was at with
42:02when Grant McCann was
42:03there in, in 2019.
42:04It's been a, it's been
42:06a real, you know, story
42:07of decline since and the
42:09whole mood of the place
42:10has just turned around.
42:11It's, you know, it's
42:12been good to see fans in
42:13that stadium just
42:14positive again.
42:15And, and, you know,
42:16for Bradford, you know,
42:18it was, it was a running
42:19thing year on year, Leon
42:20and I were writing it's
42:21next year since they've,
42:22you know, they've been
42:23in league two.
42:24Finally, that's been put
42:25to bed and, and, and,
42:27and hopefully they can,
42:28they can kick on.
42:29And again, another manager
42:30who's just stayed true
42:32to his convictions,
42:33not panicked when there's
42:36been these, these injuries,
42:37these difficulties,
42:38these late goals.
42:40And, and, and a club,
42:41I think that's done a
42:43really good job, again,
42:45in terms of supporting
42:45him, in terms of, in
42:47their case, it's been
42:48about getting fans into
42:49the stadium.
42:50And, you know,
42:52Bradford for a long time
42:53now have, I've been
42:54very shrewd in keeping
42:56ticket prices lower than
42:58some of the clubs and
42:59really getting the benefit
43:00in terms of the atmosphere
43:02and the support in the
43:03stadium.
43:03And, and Alexander's
43:04been the first manager
43:05in quite a few years.
43:07He's actually been able
43:08to harness that in a,
43:09in a really positive way.
43:10So that's, that's been
43:11good, you know, with
43:12regards to Harrogate,
43:14they're similar at their
43:16level to, to some of the
43:17things that Leon's been
43:18talking about with regards
43:19to Halifax.
43:20They're a club that has to
43:21take baby steps.
43:22They can't.
43:23I was mixing the names
43:24up, wasn't it?
43:24It was.
43:25But, yeah, I think, I
43:27think one of the positive
43:28things for Harrogate, I
43:29mean, you know, you look at
43:30the fact that they, they
43:31had that long unbeaten run
43:32that's County ended it in
43:33the final game, but from
43:3510 or 11 games, they're
43:37unbeaten at home.
43:39But I think also, you
43:40know, really significant
43:41for them, every home game
43:44after the start of March,
43:45they had a crowd bigger
43:46than 3,000, which is,
43:48which is important for
43:49them because on, on the,
43:51on the back of the
43:52showcase of that game
43:54against Leeds, it was
43:55always going to be about
43:56well, how many of these
43:57fans can we keep?
43:58How can we just nudge
44:00the gates up?
44:00I mean, that's been the
44:01challenge ever since they
44:02got promoted.
44:03How can we just increase
44:04that fan base, get more,
44:07get more money in through
44:08the door and, and, and
44:09use it wisely, you know?
44:10And it felt like, you
44:13know, some of the, some
44:14of the signings they made,
44:15some of the signings they
44:15made in January were, you
44:16know, a bit of a gamble.
44:17People like Tom Curzans
44:18who not played at that
44:19level, but it felt like
44:20with, with, with Bryn
44:21Morris and a few of the
44:22others, they, they moved
44:23the club along another
44:24step.
44:25that, and as, as Leon
44:26outlined with the
44:27retainers, they're going
44:28to, they have a lot of
44:29business to do in the
44:30summer, but if they can
44:31just keep, keep kicking
44:33on, I'd say, and, and
44:35maybe, you know, the
44:37stars align and they can
44:38have a, have a playoff
44:39push somewhere along the
44:40line, but it does, it
44:42does feel like, even
44:43though it was, it was
44:45really tough for them
44:45and I was, I was there
44:46at Salford in December
44:47where, you know, Simon
44:49Weaver was, he's quite an
44:51emotional manager after
44:52matches and he was on
44:53quite a low that day,
44:54you know, about the
44:55attitude of his players
44:56and, you know, they're
44:57not, they're not putting
44:58enough in and all this
44:59sort of thing, but, so
45:01there were difficult
45:01times during the season
45:02but it does feel like
45:03generally speaking, they
45:04are moving in the right
45:05direction and like
45:07Halifax, it's just, it's
45:09just nudge it, nudge
45:10it season by season and
45:11if from somewhere, whether
45:13it be the sale of a
45:14player or some sponsorship
45:15deal, some more fans in
45:17the gate, you can just
45:18push it on that extra
45:19step, that's, that
45:21would be so, so, you
45:23know, massive for a
45:24club like them.
45:24Yeah, I think with
45:25respect to Halifax, it'll
45:28be, the Harrogate fans
45:31will be wanting York to
45:32go up, won't they
45:33really, that'll give it
45:33a local element, they'll
45:35also have a derby
45:36again.
45:37And it goes for
45:38derbies, Leon, so
45:39they'll be...
45:40Well, it's true, and
45:41they beat Doncaster as
45:42well, didn't they, in
45:43the regular season, but
45:45yeah, I think it
45:46generated a lot of
45:47interest in that part of
45:49the county, and yeah,
45:51they've got a lot to
45:51look forward to it,
45:52Bradford and Doncaster
45:55we sort of mentioned
45:56over the season about
45:57League One, it was a
45:59little bit, a little bit
46:00skewed, I suppose, this
46:01year, wasn't it, with
46:02what Birmingham had
46:03done, and don't get me
46:04wrong, they've spent a
46:04lot of money, but they've
46:05spent it well, haven't
46:06they, and look aside,
46:07they look well-equipped
46:08to go again, but, you
46:10know, to a lesser
46:10degree, you know, Wrexham
46:12as well, they've, their
46:14owners are obviously
46:15extremely ambitious, and
46:16they've put the money in
46:17as well there, it looks
46:18not that there won't be
46:20some big clubs still in
46:21League One next season, but
46:22I think it will be a
46:24little bit more of a
46:24level playing field, and
46:26there'll be a chance for
46:29one or two clubs if they
46:30have good summers, if they
46:32can carry on the
46:33momentum that they've
46:34generated from the end of
46:35last season, and
46:36obviously you can bracket
46:37Doncaster and Bradford in
46:40that regard, there's an
46:42opportunity to, all things
46:43considered, to go again and
46:45put themselves potentially in
46:47that sort of top six, top
46:50six shake-up, but there's
46:51obviously other of the
46:52Yorkshire clubs who have
46:53been desperately hoping for
46:55better fortunes, because
46:56it's been a bit of a
46:57letdown for, well a massive
46:59letdown for Huddersfield,
47:01you know, and Rotherham as
47:02well, and I'm pretty
47:03disappointed for Barnsley
47:04as well, they've got to do
47:05better next season.
47:15Many thanks to Stuart Rayner
47:20and Leon Wobstall, who will
47:21doubtless join us again soon
47:23for more discussions on the
47:24Yorkshire football scene.
47:25But don't forget you can keep
47:26up to date with all the
47:27football news across Yorkshire
47:28and beyond by logging on to
47:29our website at yp.sport
47:31at nationalworld.com, or if
47:33you search for Yorkshire
47:33Post Sport, Yorkshire Post
47:35Football, or even Sheffield
47:36Sport on Facebook, you can
47:37find us there as well.
47:39If you have any questions for
47:40our writers, you can get in
47:41touch using those various
47:42Twitter or Facebook pages, or
47:43email us directly with the
47:45subject matter as
47:45footballtalkpodcast at
47:47yp.sport at nationalworld.com.
47:50As ever, many thanks for
47:51listening, look after
47:52yourselves, and bye for now.
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