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Weekly Preview: 5/2/19-11/2/19


Hello and welcome to the third edition of the Northern Football Guide. This week I have begun to expand my efforts, starting with previews of the action in the Evo-Stik Premier. There are some very interesting fixtures in that division this weekend with the stand out game surely being Farsley Celtic v Nantwich where third hosts fourth. I have also included maps showing all of the previewed games for the week.

Higher up the divisions, it has been a week of intrigue in the Premier League as both Liverpool and Manchester City have faltered in their pursuit of the title. It promises to be an anxious week for all concerned on Merseyside. Not least for Everton fans, who could hand their rivals a huge boost with victory over Manchester City this week.

There will be three FA Trophy ties on Tuesday after they were postponed due to the weather over the weekend. Ramsbottom v Fylde remains my standout tie out of those games. Elsewhere, the pick of the weekend's football is focussed in the North East, with eye-catching games taking place at Middlesbrough, Gateshead, Durham and Blyth.

As ever this is intended as a guide only, please do check before you travel that the game is on and your train is on. The strikes and the weather remain an ever-present issue unfortunately. If you have any feedback at all it is gratefully received either in the comments, on twitter (@tnfguide) or to northernfootballguide@gmail.com. I hope you all have a great week of ground-hopping!


Tuesday 5th February 2019


Sky Bet League Two


7.45pm Tranmere Rovers v Northampton Town
Where: Prenton Park, Prenton Rd W, Birkenhead CH42 9PY
Public Transport: 423, 464, 471, 472, 487 & 2 Gold buses all go close to the ground from Liverpool City Centre. Rock Ferry train station is a 20-minute walk away.
Tickets: (Advance) Adults: £18-21, 65+, 18-22 and Disabled supporters: £11-14, U18 £5-6. U12 £2-5. (All prices increase by £2 on matchday) https://www.trfctickets.co.uk/
Preview: After 2 defeats and a postponement, Tranmere will be itching to get back to form here. Winning this game in hand would bring them to within 5 points of the play-offs.

Buildbase FA Trophy Third Round


7.45pm     Ramsbottom United v AFC Fylde
Where: The Harry Williams Stadium, Acrebottom, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
Public Transport: X41 Red Express buses link Ramsbottom with central Manchester and Accrington.
Tickets: Adults: £8, Concessions: £4 (over 65s, under 16 years, 17-18 Students), Children under 12 (when accompanied by an adult): £1.
Preview: A proper local cup-tie in the north west should play out in front of a bumper crowd in Ramsbottom’s biggest game of the season so far. Can they pull off a massive shock here?

7.45pm      Salford City v Maidstone United
Where: Peninsula Stadium, Moor Ln, Salford M7 3PZ.
Public Transport: 96, 97, X41 Red Express & X43 Witch Way buses from central Manchester all stop at the bottom of Moor Lane. The ground is a 5-minute walk from the bus stop.
Tickets: Adults: £10, 60+, Children 5-16, Students: £5, Under-5s: Free
Preview: This fixture in the league provided a narrow 1-0 win for Salford back in September. Much has changed for Maidstone since then and John Still now occupies the Stones’ dugout after Harry Wheeler’s short-lived reign and they will be hoping to build some form in this game to take into their faltering league campaign.

7.45pm      Spennymoor Town v AFC Telford United
Where: The Brewery Field, Wood Vue, Spennymoor DL16 6JN
Public Transport: Catch a train to Durham on the East Coast Main Line and then catch the 6 or X21 bus to Spennymoor (Burn Terrace stop). The ground is a 3-minute walk away.
Tickets: Adults £12, Concessions £9, Juniors £4, U10’s FREE (with adult)
Preview: A third league home game in quick succession for the Moors. They will be out for revenge here after being defeated in the West Midlands at the start of January.

National League North


7.45pm York City v Hereford
Where: Bootham Crescent, York YO30 7AJ
Public Transport: York station is a 20-minute walk away.
Tickets: Adults £14-17, Over-65s & 18-21s £10-12, U18 £5-6, U5 FREE
Preview: Home fans will be cautiously optimistic that there is a bright future ahead after they pulled off a thrilling comeback against Alfreton on the weekend. Failing to back up performances such as this was probably what cost Sam Collins his job in the end and new manager Steve Watson will be keen to show that his reign will not be fraught with such inconsistencies.

Wednesday 6th February 2019


Premier League


7.45pm Everton v Manchester City
Where: Goodison Park, Goodison Rd, Liverpool L4 4EL
Public Transport: Regular 919 buses operate from Liverpool Lime Street station on matchdays.
Tickets: General Sale tickets still available Adult £35, Concession £17.50. http://www.evertonfc.com/ticket-news
Preview: A week ago, defeat at Newcastle left City fearing the worst. A win here though and they go top, at least for the time being as Liverpool have failed to win their last two games. In the Everton dugout, Silva is under ever increasing pressure with his side being accused of lacking identity after their defeat to Wolves. Can he produce the win to silence the doubters (and inadvertently assist the cross-park neighbours)?

Saturday 9th February 2019


Premier League


3pm Huddersfield Town v Arsenal
Where: John Smith's Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield HD1 6PG
Public Transport: On the TransPennine Express route between Leeds (20 mins) and Manchester (30 mins). The ground it a half mile walk from Huddersfield Station.
Tickets: Adults £30, Over-60s £20, Under-18s £15 (Memberships or previous purchase history may be required)
Preview: New manager Jan Siewert is yet to have the dramatic impact required to stave of relegation fears at the Terriers. While Huddersfield do their best to depart the Premier League gracefully, Arsenal are finding themselves in danger of being left behind in the race for the top four. This is the sort of game they will need to win to steady their challenge.

3pm Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth
Where: Anfield Stadium, Anfield Rd, Liverpool L4 0TH
Public Transport: Regular buses from Liverpool Lime Street station
Tickets: Membership required, All matches for remainder of season sold out. Check website for late availability (or local sale if you have an “L” postcode)
Preview: The blip has arrived. Four dropped points now blot a previously impeccable record against the “bottom-14” and, in truth, they could have easily dropped more in those games. Bournemouth at home at 3pm is the fixture Klopp will have prayed for to get the injury-ravaged red machine going again. If they can't win this, there will have to be serious questions about their title credentials.

Sky Bet Championship


3pm Blackburn Rovers v Bristol City
Where: Ewood Park, Nuttall St, Blackburn, BB2 4JF
Public Transport: (From Manchester) Train from Manchester Victoria to Bolton. 1 Bus from Bolton interchange to Blackburn (Ewood WMC stop)
Tickets: Variable pricing structure Adults ~£24, Senior ~£17, 18-21 ~£13, Junior & Child ~£8. https://www.rovers.co.uk/tickets/
Preview: A thumping win last time at Ewood Park has since been tempered by a themping defeat at the hands of Brentford. At least a win here would drag play-off sitting Bristol City to within a point, game in hand notwithstanding.

3pm Bolton Wanderers v Preston North End
Where: University of Bolton Stadium, Burnden Way, Horwich, Bolton BL6 6JW
Public Transport: Horwich Parkway Station is nearby and is serviced by Manchester -Preston/Blackpool routes.
Tickets: Adults from £28, Over-65s from £22, Under-23s from £22, Under-18s: £12, Under-12s: £10 https://www.bwfc.co.uk/tickets/
Preview: Bolton really needed more against Reading last week. As The Trotters slide towards the Championship exit, and further financial uncertainty, it is bottom-half Preston who are the visitors. Absolute must win for Bolton.

1pm Middlesbrough v Leeds United
Where: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, TS3 6RS
Public Transport: Any train to Darlington on the East Coast Mainline connects frequently to Middlesbrough. There are also hourly direct services from Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle.
Tickets: Adult prices from £30, Over-65s from £20, Under-18s from £17 https://www.mfc.co.uk/tickets/tickets
Preview: Another Yorkshire derby for the no-longer-top-of-the-table Leeds United. A win here would be the perfect way to get back on track. It should be said though that is because it will also be a very challenging task against a Middlesbrough side who are only seven points behind them.

3pm Rotherham United v Wigan Athletic
Where: AESSEAL New York Stadium, New York Way, Rotherham S60 1FJ
Public Transport: Regular trains and trams to Rotherham Central from Sheffield. Trains also go from Doncaster.
Tickets: Adults £23/25, Concession £13/15, Juvenile £8/9, Junior £6/7 (Matchday price rise of £1-2) https://www.themillers.co.uk/tickets/
Preview: Rotherham are only one point above Reading in the relegation zone. Wigan are only six points ahead. They'll both be fighting for their lives in this one.

3pm Sheffield Wednesday v Reading
Where: Hillsborough Stadium, 76 Penistone Rd N, Sheffield S6 1SW
Public Transport: Sheffield station is directly connected to all major cities across the north by TransPennine Express, Cross Country and East Midlands Trains. From the city centre, Yellow Line trams to Middlewood stop at Leppings Lane which is nearby to the stadium.
Tickets: Adults: £33-39, Senior/U21: £23-29, U17: 15, U11: £10, U5: £5. https://www.swfc.co.uk/tickets/
Preview: Rotherham fans will be in the unusual position of cheering for a Wednesday win here in what will be Steve Bruce's first game in charge after his well-earned rest. Hopefully he hasn't picked up too many pointers from his time watching the England Cricket team in the West Indies though!

Sky Bet League One


3pm Blackpool v Walsall
Where: Bloomfield Rd, Seasiders Way, Blackpool FY1 6JJ
Public Transport: Blackpool South Station is a 10-minute walk from the ground and is served by trains from Preston. Blackpool North links directly to Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds and is a half hour walk.
Tickets: Adult: £22-27, 60+ £18-23, U18s £10-15, (Under 11s FREE when purchasing £15 membership)
Preview: Well rested after Saturday's postponement against Stanley, Blackpool will need a win to keep up with the play-offs, and to keep away from the incredibly tight mid-table.

3pm Bradford City v Fleetwood Town
Where: Northern Commercials Stadium, Valley Parade, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD8 7DY
Public Transport: Bradford Forster Square is a 10-minute walk from the stadium. More regular services operate from Bradford Interchange which is a 30-minute walk away, with buses usually available.
Tickets: Adults £25, Senior Citizens/Students £15, U16 £10, U11 £5. (Adults £20 till 5pm the day before the match) https://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/tickets/
Preview: A better showing last time out at home saw Bradford win 4-3 against Shrewsbury. They find themselves however sat in the relegation zone on goal difference. Fleetwood, who find themselves at the right end of the table, will not make it an easy afternoon for the struggling Bantams.

3pm Doncaster Rovers v Peterborough United
Where: Keepmoat Stadium, Stadium Way, Doncaster DN4 5JW
Public Transport: Doncaster is easily accessible on the East Coast Mainline. Catch the 56 bus to the ground or enjoy a half hour walk!
Tickets: Adults £22-21, Senior & 22-24s £18-17, 18-21s £14-13 https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/tickets/
Preview: With two games in hand for Rovers, Saturday's clash with the bottom play-off spot holders doesn't quite have the feeling of a must win at this stage of the season. However, they'll feel an awful lot better about the rest of the season to come if they find themselves above Peterborough come 5 o'clock.

3pm Rochdale v Coventry City
Where: Crown Oil Arena, Willbutts Ln, Rochdale OL11 5DS
Public Transport: From Manchester Victoria, take the 1 Line tram to Bury, there catch the 468 Trax from Market Stop E to Sandy Lane, which is a short walk from the ground.
Tickets: Adults: £17-22, 65+ & 21 and under: £12-16, 16 and under: £5, 2 and under: Free.
Preview: Solidly mid-table Coventry travel to very un-solidly just above the relegation zone Rochdale for what should be a tense affair. The Dale secured a big win away to Walsall on the weekend and to back it up here would be huge for their survival hopes.

Sky Bet League Two


3pm Carlisle United v Exeter City
Where: Brunton Park, Warwick Rd, Carlisle CA1 1LL
Public Transport: Carlisle Station is served by the West Coast Mainline, TransPennine services from Manchester and Northern Railway services from Newcastle and Leeds. The ground is a 20-minute walk from the station.
Tickets: Adults: £16-19, Senior £13-16, Young Person: £10-13, Junior: £7-10, U11: £4-7, U7: FREE. (All prices increase by £3 on matchday) https://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/tickets/
Preview: A big game for Carlisle as they look to make it three wins on the bounce against fellow promotion contenders Exeter. Crowds since Christmas have been up at Brunton Park, suggesting that the home faithful feel that there are some legs to this promotion bid.

3pm Morecambe v Bury
Where: Globe Arena, Christie Way, Westgate, Morecambe LA4 4TB
Public Transport: Morecambe Station is served regularly by shuttle services from Lancaster Station, which is on the West Coast Mainline and is well connected to Manchester by TransPennine Express and Leeds by Northern Railway. The stadium is a 30-minute walk from the station.
Tickets: Adults: £16-24, 65+ & Students: £13-20, 18-22: £10-20, 11-17: £5-11, U11: FREE-£11
Preview: These are anxious times at Morecambe as the Shrimps face a very real battle to stay in the Football League, sitting just two points above the drop. They are unlikely to find charity for their cause in opponents Bury, who will be fighting for their lives to keep hold of their automatic promotion spot.

3pm Tranmere Rovers v Stevenage
Where: Prenton Park, Prenton Rd W, Birkenhead CH42 9PY
Public Transport: 423, 464, 471, 472, 487 & 2 Gold buses all go close to the ground from Liverpool City Centre. Rock Ferry train station is a 20-minute walk away.
Tickets: (Advance) Adults: £18-21, 65+, 18-22 and Disabled supporters: £11-14, U18 £5-6. U12 £2-5. (All prices increase by £2 on matchday) https://www.trfctickets.co.uk/
Preview: Second home game of the week for Tranmere, this time they face Stevenage who before Tuesday's game lie five points above Rovers having played two games more. Both pretenders to a play-off tilt will need to show their mettle here.

National League


3pm Barrow v Bromley
Where: Holker Street, Wilkie Road, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 5UW
Public Transport: Barrow-in-Furness Station has regular services from Preston which link to the West Coast Mainline. There are some services to Barrow directly from Manchester on TransPennine Express.
Tickets: Adults £15-18, Concessions £12-14, 18-22 £8-10, 12-17 £5-8, (Tickets cheaper in advance) https://www.barrowafc.com/the-team/tickets/
Preview: Barrow have suffered something of a dry January having not scored a goal during the entire month. They will be hoping for greater fortune in the rest of 2019. Opponents Bromley lie one point behind the hosts in 12th and should provide a competitive game here.

3pm Gateshead v Havant & Waterlooville
Where: Gateshead International Stadium, Neilson Road, Gateshead, NE10 0EF
Public Transport: Nearby Tyne-Wear Metro stop “Gateshead Stadium” is a short ride from Newcastle Central station.
Tickets: Adult £15, NUFC/SAFC season ticket holder £10, Over 60’s & Armed Forces £8, U18 & Students £5, U12 FREE
Preview: Gateshead managed to push Harrogate out of the play-offs for the first time since the summer with their win over Dover last weekend. They will be looking to back this play-off charge up with a win at home to Havant and Waterlooville. The National League new boys have struggled to make an impact this season, though with the best goal-scoring record outside the top-10, they can certainly prove to be a handful.

3pm Hartlepool United v Leyton Orient
Where: Super 6 Stadium (Victoria Park), Clarence Rd, Hartlepool TS24 8BZ.
Public Transport: Direct Grand Central trains from York. Hourly Northern services between Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Newcastle.
Tickets: Seating: Adults £20, 60+, U19s, Students & Armed Forces £10, U16s £5. Standing: Adults £18, 60+, U19s, Students & Armed Forces £9, U16s £5.
Preview: These two sides were relegated to the National League together in 2017 and it would be fair to say Leyton Orient have fared the better in their new surroundings since. Hartlepool are a club without much direction at present and returning manager Chris Hignett and prospective new owner Raj Singh will see a side they would do well to model themselves on when they face the league leaders. A big away following for Orient should make for an excellent atmosphere here.

National League North


3pm Blyth Spartans v Darlington
Where: Croft Park, Plessey Rd, Northumberland, Blyth NE24 3JE
Public Transport: (From Newcastle) Green Metro to Regent Centre, MAX 9 Bus (Blyth) to Rotary Way north end.
Tickets: Adult £12, 65+ £7, 11-16 & Students £5, U11 Free. (+£2 p.p. for a seat)
Preview: After an honourable departure from the Trophy in their 1-0 defeat to Orient, Blyth will be looking to reassert their play-off push. This North-East derby should be a firey affair with a good crowd in. An excellent afternoon's entertainment if you can make it.

3pm Curzon Ashton v Alfreton Town
Where: Tameside Stadium, Richmond St, Ashton-under-Lyne OL7 9HG
Public Transport: (From Manchester) 3 Tram to Ashton-Under-Lyne. Ashton West tram station is a 10 minute walk from the ground.
Tickets: Adults: £12.00, Over 65s £6, Students: Pay what you can afford (When producing free student season ticket) / £6.00 Under 16s: Free (When producing U16 free season ticket/ also allows half price adult entry)
Preview: Just behind Blyth but without the games in hand, the Nash will need a win here to keep the momentum following their excellent win at Hereford.

3pm FC United of Manchester v Altrincham
Where: Broadhurst Park, 310 Lightbowne Rd, Manchester M40 0FJ
Public Transport: 114 and 182 buses both go from Manchester city centre to nearby the ground.
Tickets: Adults £12, Concessions £7, U18s £3.
Preview: A Greater Manchester derby here. Altrincham are just inside the play-off spots currently. FC United are firmly entrenched in relegation woe after defeat to Boston last week.

3pm Guiseley v Stockport County
Where: Nethermoor Park, Otley Rd, Guiseley LS20 8BT.
Public Transport: (From Leeds) Regular trains serve Guiseley station, which is a 5-minute walk from the ground.
Tickets: Adults: £13, Concessions £9, 11-18’s: £5, Accompanied U11s £1.
Preview: I nearly went to Guiseley's last home game. After a thrilling 5-4 victory for visiting Boston I was devastated that I had chosen to miss out. Stockport are the visitors this time and it doesn't get any easier for the National North strugglers. County are fresh from a convincing win over Harrogate in the cup and will not want to let up here.

3pm Southport v Chorley
Where: Merseyrail Community Stadium, Haig Ave, Southport PR8 6JZ
Public Transport: (From Liverpool) Regular Merseyrail services to Southport station, which is a 20 minute walk from the ground.
Tickets: (Seating/Standing) Adults £15/£13.50, Concessions (Over 65) £11/£10, 12-18’s £5 Under 11’s FREE (with paying adult)
Preview: Southport are currently about as mid-table as it gets in the National North. League leaders Chorley come to town in this one and will be looking to make the gap in the table show.

3pm Spennymoor Town v Bradford (Park Avenue)
Where: The Brewery Field, Wood Vue, Spennymoor DL16 6JN
Public Transport: Catch a train to Durham on the East Coast Main Line and then catch the 6 or X21 bus to Spennymoor (Burn Terrace stop). The ground is a 3-minute walk away.
Tickets: Adults £12, Concessions £9, Juniors £4, U10’s FREE (with adult)
Preview: Ambitious Spennymoor face ambitious-less Park Avenue in a game which should belie their relative proximity in the table as one side fights for promotion and the other fights to avoid it.

3pm York City v Ashton United
Where: Bootham Crescent, York YO30 7AJ
Public Transport: York station is a 20-minute walk away.
Tickets: Adults £14-17, Over-65s & 18-21s £10-12, U18 £5-6, U5 FREE
Preview: Going into the midweek, these sides were separated by seven points. A further opportunity for Watson to demonstrate progress at the Minstermen. A great opportunity for Ashton to take a big stride towards Hereford, who sit four points ahead, just outside the relegation zone.

Evo-Stik League Premier Division


3pm Farsley Celtic v Nantwich Town
Where: Throstle Nest, Newlands, Farsley, Leeds, LS28 5BE
Public Transport: New Pudsey Station is a short ride from Leeds Station. The ground is a 10-minute walk from the station.
Tickets: Adults £9, Concessions £5 and £1 for accompanied U16s.
Preview: Third plays fourth and both sides are just 3-points off Warrington at the top. Should be a great game.

3pm Hyde United v Matlock Town
Where: Ewen Fields, Walker Lane, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 2SB
Public Transport: Newton for Hyde Station is served regularly from Manchester Piccadilly Station and is a 10-minute walk from the ground.
Tickets: Adult £10-11, 65+ £6-7, U16 £4-5.
Preview: Both of these sides have struggled to get anything going this season and sit frustratingly adrift of the play-off picture. Can one of them make a statement for the rest of the season?

3pm Marine v Mickleover Sports
Where: The Marine Travel Arena, College Road, Crosby, Liverpool, L23 3AS
Public Transport: Blundellsands & Crosby Station on the Northern Line of Merseyrail is served regularly from Liverpool City Centre (Liverpool Central Station). The station is a 10-minute walk from the ground.
Tickets: Adults: £10, Concessions: £5, U11's FREE. Everton, Liverpool, Tranmere Rovers & AFC Liverpool season ticket holders: £5
Preview: It is tight at the bottom. Mickleover occupy the last relegation spot in 20th, meanwhile 15th place Marine are just 3 points ahead. Both sides will be battling to ease their own fears.

3pm North Ferriby United v Workington
Where: Chadwick Stadium, Grange Lane, North Ferriby, East Yorkshire HU14 3AB
Public Transport: Ferriby Station is served by the hourly Doncaster-Hull stopping service and is a 10-minute walk from the ground.
Tickets: Adults £10, 65+ & Students: £5, U16: £2, U12’s: FREE with paying adult.
Preview: A battle of the bottom two at Chadwick Stadium. It is unlikely that either side will be able to avoid the drop this year, but Workington won't have given up hope yet. A must win for them.

3pm Scarborough Athletic v Stafford Rangers
Where: Flamingo Land Stadium, Scarborough Sports Village, Ashburn Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 2JW
Public Transport: Scarborough Station is served by hourly TransPennine services via York, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. The ground is a 20-minute walk from the station.
Tickets: Adults: £10, 12-16, 65+, Students, Armed Forces and Veterans: £5, U11 FREE with paying adult.
Preview: Scarborough are just about holding on to their play-off spot after defeat to Farsley last time out. They will be looking to put a marker down against struggling Stafford here.

3pm South Shields v Bamber Bridge
Where: Mariners Park, Shaftesbury Ave, South Shields NE34 9PH
Public Transport: Bede Station, on the Tyne and Wear Metro is served regularly by trains from Newcastle Central Station (to South Shields). The ground is a 5-minute walk.
Tickets: Adults £10, Students & +65’s £8, U16 £3. Tickets £1 cheaper when bought online.
Preview: Second on goal-differnce, South Shields will be expecting to win against a Bamber Bridge side who remain too close to the drop for their own comfort. Perhaps a few goals will be in the offing as they to try and usurp Warrington's narrow advantage!

3pm Stalybridge Celtic v Witton Albion
Where: Bower Fold, Mottram Rd, Stalybridge SK15 2RT
Public Transport: Stalybridge Station is served by some TransPennine services travelling between Leeds and Manchester. From the station, the ground is a 25-minute walk. Alternatively, the 237 & 348 buses go from the station to the ground.
Tickets: Adult: £10, Concession: £6
Preview: A definitively mid-table side, Stalybridge will be hoping to consolidate this season and push on next year as they seek a return to the National North. Witton will be hoping to join them in mid-table obscurity by winning a few of their games in hand soon. A win here would help too!

3pm Warrington Town v Hednesford Town
Where: Drivers Direct Stadium, Common Ln, Warrington WA4 2RS
Public Transport: Warrington Central is well served by Northern Railway Liverpool to Manchester services (although the TransPennine Express now passes to the north of the town). The station is a 35-minute walk from the ground. The number 1 and 12 buses from the interchange stop close to the ground. Bank Quay is a similar distance by foot, with no outstanding bus route you will still find yourself walking to the interchange to get the aforementioned 1 or 12.
Tickets: Adults: £10, Concessions: £6, U16s: £2.
Preview: With South Shields breathing down their necks, Warrington will be hoping to keep up the pace at the summit with a regulation win over struggling Hednesford.

3pm Whitby Town v Lancaster City
Where: The Turnbull Ground, 70 Upgang Ln, Whitby YO21 3HZ.
Public Transport: (From the official club website) If you managed to get here by public transport you will be in the Town centre and should award yourself a medal you finding a bus or train that gets to Whitby. Get a taxi up to the ground it’ll cost about 3 quid.
If that doesn't put you off, the 840 Coastliner bus from York (various rail connections) via Malton (Malton station is served by TransPennine trains heading to Scarborough) travels to Whitby.
Tickets: Adults: £10, Concessions: £6, U18's: £3, U16's FREE with paying adult.
Preview: Whitby would probably like to be a few points further from the drop zone than their steady mid-table position suggests.

Sunday 10th February 2019


Barclays Premier League


4pm Manchester City v Chelsea
Where: Etihad Stadium, Ashton New Rd, Manchester M11 3FF
Public Transport: City Link footpath signposted from Manchester Piccadilly Station is a 25 minute walk. Etihad Campus Tram Stop is a short walk from the ground.
Tickets: SOLD OUT https://tickets.mancity.com/
Preview: For a team that defeated City earlier in the season, this game does not appear as threatening as it might. The Blues are in a bit of disarray at present and Pep Guardiola will be hoping to keep the pressure on a stuttering Liverpool with a convincing win.

FA WSL


1pm Manchester City Women FC v Chelsea FC Women
Where: Manchester City Academy Stadium, M11 4TQ
Public transport: The stadium is right outside Velopark tram stop on the 3 tram (just after Etihad Campus). A 40-minute walk from city centre.
Tickets: There is a special offer for this fixture available to ticket holders for the corresponding men’s fixture taking place. Adult £4.50-8.50, Over 65’s & U16 £2.50-4.50, 18-21 FREE https://tickets.mancity.com/
Preview: Arguably the more interesting of the two fixtures, the league leaders face off against the champions. This game will be a big test of their ambitions to finish the season unbeaten. Please note the men's game will effect travel to this fixture, although the ticket deal should encourage the bumper crowd that this fixture deserves.

2pm Everton Ladies FC v Birmingham City Women FC
Where: Merseyrail Community Stadium, Haig Ave, Southport PR8 6JZ
Public Transport: (From Liverpool) Regular Merseyrail services to Southport station, which is a 20-minute walk from the ground. From Manchester Victoria, you can change at Wigan Wallgate to reach Southport, or take the X2 bus between Preston and Liverpool.
Tickets: Adults £5, Senior £2.50, Junior FREE
Preview: If Chelsea fail in Manchester, Birmingham will be hoping to leapfrog them with victory here against struggling Everton.

2pm Liverpool FC Women v Arsenal Women
Where: Prenton Park, Prenton Rd W, Birkenhead CH42 9PY
Public Transport: 423, 464, 471, 472, 487 & 2 Gold buses all go close to the ground from Liverpool City Centre. Rock Ferry train station is a 20-minute walk away.
Tickets: Adults £5, U16/65+/Students/Disabled £2.50, Family (2+2) £12.
Preview: After recording big wins against Yeovil and West Ham, Liverpool face an altogether bigger challenge against title-hunting Arsenal. If they can get a result here, it will be a strong indicator of bright times ahead for the new-look reds.

FA WC


12pm Durham Women FC v Sheffield United Women FC
Where: New Ferens Park, Belmont, Durham, DH1 1GG
Public Transport: Durham station is well served by the East Coast Mainline with direct services from York, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. The bus station is a short, but steep, walk into town. From there Prince Bishops 20, Prince Bishops 20A, indiGo 204 and 204a stop a 5-10 minute walk from the stadium.
Tickets: Adults £5, u16/Student/OAP £2, Family of four £12
Preview: A relative derby for Durham sees Sheffield make the journey up the A1 to face them. It has been a case of so near, yet so far for the Blades against the top sides of late. Durham will be looking to continue that record as they attempt to keep touch with Spurs, Charlton and Manchester United who all have games in hand on them.

12pm Manchester United Women FC v Aston Villa Ladies FC
Where: Leigh Sports Stadium, Sale Way, Leigh WN7 4JY
Public Transport: Leigh Bus Station is served directly from Manchester (and other local towns) and is a 10-minute walk from the ground.
Tickets: Adults: £5, U16s/65+: £2.50.
Preview: Five points off the top but with two games in hand. Could cup progress get in the way of the ultimate goal of promotion to the top tier for The Red Devils? They will be hoping to dissuade any such worries with a big win over Villa.

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Hello and welcome to the second edition of The Northern Football Guide. After the drama of the F.A. Cup last weekend, it is the turn of the Women's F.A. Cup and the F.A. Trophy to provide the cup drama this weekend. Everton Ladies have a huge challenge in the shape of cup holders Chelsea, while little Ramsbottom United's tie with AFC Fylde oozes cup magic in the Trophy.  There are two rounds of Premier League fixtures to enjoy, my pick of these perhaps being the Everton v Wolves game. I have no idea what is going to happen there, but I am confident it will be a very entertaining spectacle! In the Football League it is impossible to look past the massive clash of Leeds and Norwich. Not much good for ground-hopping neutrals, but probably one to book in to view on the television if you can get home from your chosen fixture in time! Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the £15 ticket deal at Bolton v Reading in midweek. Fantastic value in what is sure to be a scintil...

Weekly Preview 19/02/19-24/02/19

Hello and welcome to this week’s Northern Football Guide. There is a lot going on this week with crunch games in nearly every league along with various cup competitions offering up a plethora of excitement. The highlight of the week must surely be the Women’s League Cup between Arsenal and Manchester City in Sheffield. Tickets are only £10 and it offers an excellent opportunity to hit two grounds in a day with Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield FC and maybe even Chesterfield within striking distance assuming the game finishes in normal time. Burnley v Tottenham is another Saturday lunchtime fixture that could provide the first half of a groundhopping double with Accrington and Colne nearby if you so choose. I have made some changes to the shape of the article this week. Instead of previewing every game, I have picked a few particularly interesting games to highlight. I have also added in the Northern Premier League Division One East & West, this and further expansions would pr...

Weekly Preview: 26.03.19-01.04.19

Hello and welcome to this week’s Northern Football Guide. This week sees the welcome return of the top two divisions following on from the international break. It should be said though that it is still very enjoyable seeing our national team being good at football, I just wish that they could play more times over the weekend to offset the lack of quantity that the league so adeptly provides! On a personal note, I visited my 50 th football ground as I took in Barnet v Harrogate at The Hive Stadium. It certainly wasn’t the most memorable game aside from a coach load of Eton students populating the away end and doing no favours to Harrogate’s posh town reputation. On the weekend, I went to watch the Liverpool Legends game at Anfield. It was wonderful to see so many legends rolling back the years, especially the likes of Dida, Pirlo, Kaka and Cafu for AC Milan. A strangely sedate crowd enjoyed the spectacle and raised around £1 million for Liverpool’s Charity Foundation in the proces...