Author: Mitul Mistry

By Tom Parker

Follow @SPaddockFC on Twitter for live-match updates and subscribe to our YouTube channel for highlights.

By Ethan James

After the 4-0 demolishing of Signol Old Boys, Manager Stephen Howson will be reorganising his Stretford Paddock troops for battle against High Lane this Saturday (3 pm KO).

In what has been described as a ‘must win’ clash for Paddock, both teams find themselves locked on four points in the 20/21 Rhodes Cup group stages.

Howson’s men find themselves a place higher and with a better goal difference than this weekend’s hosts, as both clubs fight to make up ground on North Walkden and Manchester Polonia in an attempt to escape Group D.

High Lane entered the group stages from AFL Lancashire and Cheshire Premier League – a division above Paddock – but found themselves having only played three matches and winless.

“I don’t know anything about them – I know that they’ve struggled in the Premier League this season but that means nothing,” said Howson, “I know everybody has got the opportunity to be difficult on any game.”

Paddock come into the fixture having claimed their first win of the group stages last weekend – a 4-0 thrashing of Signol Old Boys – with Howson’s side recording their first-ever clean sheet and now hoping to gain some momentum.

“I think the clean sheet is bigger than anything – we’ve scored four goals before, we’ve scored more than four goals before.

“The thing about playing us is that no one gives up. I think the gift of the curse of having the camera there is nobody gives up, nobody wants to be on YouTube having seven, eight, nine slots past them. So we have everyone on their best day – no one’s had a bad game against us.

“I don’t think we’ve been outplayed once – and we’ve lost games – but we’ve had chances to win those games in every instance.

“We need two games to guarantee [progression into the knockout rounds]. How do we get through? The simple thing is we win both games and there’s a weird set of circumstances for us not to progress. So, we’re almost guaranteed to go through if we win both games.

“I like the pressure of that, I think our lads might perform better when the pressure is on us a little bit.”

Due to our participation in this weekend’s social media blackout – a show of solidarity against racism and online abuse– we will not be posting our usual live-match updates on Twitter.

Full highlights of the match will be posted on our YouTube channel after the blackout.

Follow @SPaddockFC on Twitter and @stretfordpaddck on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel for highlights.

Catch Up With Our Last Game:

After a disappointing loss to North Walkden last weekend, Stretford Paddock look for a first victory in the 2020/21 Rhodes Cup group stages as they host Signol Old Boys First Team this Saturday (2pm KO).

Signol Old Boys were part of Lancashire and Cheshire’s AFL Division One this year alongside Stretford Paddock before COVID-19 restrictions drew the competition to a close.

In the league, Stretford Paddock came out victorious against Signol Old Boys 3-1 in the only fixture they faced each other.

Stephen Howson’s side are raring to get back at it with a win keeping their Rhodes cup hopes alive.

 

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Manager Stephen Howson has this to say;

“It’s do or die time for us now. After a brilliant first season where I’ve been happy with the progress we’ve made, finishing joint top was a good indicator of how we felt we’d done, no means perfect, but doing well. The contrast in the cup has been frustrating. Collectively we know we can improve. We know we MUST improve and we know we need to win all 3 of our remaining group matches to have any hope of progression.”

“Right now, we can’t look beyond the next 90 minutes. We need to show up. I firmly believe if we do, we’re unmatched. But too often we’ve been under par and too often it’s cost us. There can be no complacency.”

Follow @SPaddockFC on Twitter and @stretfordpaddck for live-match updates and subscribe to our YouTube channel for highlights.

Catch Up With Our Last Game:

Stretford Paddock Football Club, whilst being an entirely new entity, has ambitions to join the official football pyramid in England because we understand the importance of each and every single level of football. How it binds communities, encourages play, and keeps football accessible for all.
As the largest, most popular sport in the country, it is a tragedy that the game is being sold off to the highest bidder and turning its back on its roots. Everyone with ambitions to play at a higher level, with aspirations to one day meet those storied teams, holds those ambitions and those teams in high esteem because those are the teams that have achieved, that are at the top because they’ve earned their success.

The European Super League proposal removes competition from sport. This is the point at which it becomes purely entertainment only. Stretford Paddock are proud to be a grassroots club, we are proud to represent the league, and the level that we exist in, and despite ambitions of rising through the leagues and one day competing in the FA Cup, we’d be perfectly content to simply exist at this level amongst the brotherhood of clubs on the same journey, with the same dreams. We are one of the thousands.

As a club, we have a deep-rooted idea to give back to the fans, to represent our fans, to try and make decisions that are made WITH our fans. We have spoken to a handful of our supporters in recent weeks about the possibility of a Stretford Paddock FC Membership – where supporters, like in Germany will have a large say in the day-to-day running of the football club. Today we have decided, amidst our disillusionment at the ESL announcement, that we as a club WILL be making this scheme a reality. As a club, we are determined to make this a priority, to finalise the workings and legal requirements for the club to become member-ran, and also accelerate our development of a delivery system that allows members to vote on club matters.

Football was founded for the many, not the few. Stretford Paddock FC will be run by our supporters for the supporters.

We will make a further announcement with launch dates in due course.

By Mitul Mistry

Stretford Paddock rescued a last-minute draw in the Lancashire and Cheshire Leagues Rhodes Cup against Manchester Polonia. This result in a physical game with a team who were in the league above before the season was cancelled.

 

 

 

 

 

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The first half was an even affair with both teams playing a physical game with the first half ending at 0-0 with the Paddock goalkeeper being tested with a few spectacular saves to keep it level.

The Second half started off the same as the first a physical battle with Stretford Paddock conceding a penalty midway through the first half. Polonia scores the penalty sending the keeper the wrong way. Paddock respond immediately with a beautiful goal by star man Okera Simmons 2 minuets after the restart.

Polonia went ahead again in the 80th min with the game heating up on and off the pitch. Manager Stephen Howson gets sent off in the 87th minute by the referee for dissent after a few harsh decisions against Paddock. Despite this paddock worked hard to get back in the game and 2 minutes later James Oatt gets fouled in the box from a corner giving Paddock a last-ditch penalty. Okera Simmons steps up and finishes it in style to rescue a point for Paddock.

Final Score Paddock FC 2-2 Manchester Polonia on the first group game of The Rhodes Cup.

By Mitul Mistry

Stretford Paddock came out victors in their first fixture back after a 111-day break in the Lancashire and Cheshire League against Didsbury. This result put Stretford Paddock FC in 2nd place with only first placed Hadfield Athletic AFC First ahead by goal difference. The Lancashire and Cheshire AFL have announced the suspension of the league with a cup competition to see out the rest of the season. See who we have 

Paddock again got off to a great start, with a lovely goal by Okera Simmonds in the 18^th minute. It was a back and forth game with both sides eager to show what they are about after such a long break.

Paddock finished the first half the strongest with an onslaught of chances just before the break.

Didsbury FC started the second half well with a goal from the penalty spot after they forced a foul from Cam Watters in the 57th minute. Paddock dominated the second half Okera Simmonds running into the box and winning a penalty for Paddock in the 70th minute. Ronaldo Brown stepped up slotted the ball to the keepers left. 

Paddock soaked up Didsbury’s chances near the end of the half with the fresh legs that came on for both teams.

Final Score Didsbury FC 1-2 Stertford Paddock FC on the final day before the season was null and voided before the Rhodes Cup starts next week.

By Mitul Mistry

Stretford Paddock came out victors in their first fixture back after 43 days in the Lancashire and Cheshire League against Trafford United. This result put Stretford Paddock FC in a great position with only goal difference separating Paddock and first placed Moston Brook.

Paddock again got off to a great star, with a great goal by debutant Isaac Buckley-Ricketts in the 30^th minute. It was back and fourth until the 38^th minute when top scorer Jay Phillips pops up to give Paddock a 2-0 lead.

Straight from Kick Off Trafford nick a goal back to make it 2-1 in the 40^th minute which gave Trafford hope just before half time.

Throughout the first half Paddock showed their quality on the ball with some tight and precise passing around the Trafford side.

Stretford Paddock started the second half well with a brilliant second goal from Isaac Buckley-Ricketts in the 51st minute. Paddock dominated the half with beautiful football, one of the best from the lads this season. After a corner Left Back, Will Hobson scored a brilliant first goal for Stretford paddock with his left foot, quickly after that Simmonds scores a wonderful chip in the 68^th minute. Jay finished off the scoring for Paddock in the 81^st minute beating the keeper from long range to make it 6-1.

At the nearing the end of the gae Trafford scored two quick fire consolation goals in the 83^rd and 89^th minute after paddock switched off.

Midfielder Cam Watters got the Man of the Match with a brilliant performance in the middle of the park. The game finished 6-3 to Stretford Paddock.