Solihull Moors are pleased to announce that a number of players have agreed terms for the 2012/13 season.
Having confirmed the new backroom staff, Manager Marcus Bignot has also been quick to finalise deals with many of the current first team squad.
Players' Player of the Year Jasbir Singh has been offered a new contract, and Bignot has also secured the services of Supporters Association Player of the Year Dominic Langdon, along with fellow defenders Stuart Pierpoint and Danny Spencer, all of whom have put pen to paper on new deals.
They will be joined in the squad by Midfielders: Andre Francis, Jordan Fitzpatrick, Dean Bennett and Junior English, along with Forwards: Ryan Beswick, Michael Blackwood, Justin Marsden and Lee Morris who have all committed to Solihull Moors FC for another season.
Discussions are ongoing with all the other remaining squad members including Club Captain Phil Midworth and the club hopes to conclude these talks in due course.
A number of our U21 players have also signed for the Club. Alex Price, Steve Jackson, Alando Lewis and goalkeeper Sheridan Martinez will be given the opportunity to stake a claim for a first team position next season.
After securing our Blue Square North place for next season, Solihull Moors can now confirm the admission prices for next season. With season tickets there will be discounts for those who purchase by July 21st. In thanks to our current season ticket holders there will be a further saving for adults when purchasing early. Current Season ticket holders will be contacted by Statto about renewing. Further details will follow in the next few weeks regarding how to purchase season tickets.
Manager Marcus Bignot has announced the makeup of his backroom staff for the 2012/13 season.
Roger Ashby will continue in his role as Assistant Manager and will be joined in the role by Craig Hinton. Darren Acton will take charge of the Goalkeeping Coaching whilst continuing to provide goalkeeping cover if necessary. Dean Spink will begin his fourth season with Solihull Moors as Physiotherapist, and James Bradley takes on the role of Kit Manager.
From left to right: Marcus Bignot (Manager), Roger Ashby (Asst Manager), Craig Hinton (Asst Manager), Darren Acton (GK Coach), Dean Spink (Physio), James Bradley (Kit Manager)
Solihull Moors avoided relegation despite losing at home to Halifax. The defeat of Hinckley by Stalybridge means that Hinckley are relegated.
Goals from Lee Gregory and Sean Clancy secured FC Halifax Towns place in the playoffs with a victory over the relegation threatened Moors, whose only goal came from a second-half Craig Hinton penalty.
Gregory opened the scoring when he turned in a Tom Baker corner from five yards out. Clancy doubled the lead immediately after the interval, with a strike from the edge of the box. Michael Blackwood was then hacked down to give the Moors a penalty that Craig Hinton stroked home.
Regular updates had been coming in from the Stalybridge/Hinckley match which had raised concern. Hinckley took an early lead before Stalybridge drew level only to then go down to ten men. Despite this Stalybridge scored again before half-time and in the second half early goals put them 4-2 ahead requiring Hinckley to score 3 times. Stalybridge held on but failed to reach the playoffs themselves as Nuneaton, Gainsborough and Halifax all won.
Attendance: 711
Team: 1: Jasbir Singh, 2: Phil Midworth(c), 3: Dominic Langdon, 4: Luke Connolly, 5: Stuart Pierpoint, 6: Craig Hinton, 7: Andre Francis, 8: Dean Bennett, 9: Michael Blackwood, 10: Junior English, 11: Jordan Fitzpatrick.
Subs: 12: Gavin Hurren, 13: Darren Acton, 14: Ryan Beswick, 15: Justin Marsden, 16: Pawel Tomczak.
The final day of the Blue Square Bet North season arrives tomorrow with FC Halifax Town the visitors to Damson Park. Both teams need points, but for very different reasons. The Shaymen of Halifax, in their first season at this tier of football, know that a point will be enough to secure a place in the end of season play-offs for the final promotion place to the Blue Square Bet Premier. Solihull Moorsknow that victory will guarantee survival for another season, but anything else means that they are relying on results from elsewhere.
Considering that Solihull lost the first seven league games of the season, it has been a fantastic achievement to still be in control of their own destiny. Saying that though, safety could have been sealed recently but for letting a two goal lead against Vauxhall Motors turn into a home defeat.
With so much at stake, a bumper crowd is expected at Damson Park, with officials expecting the previous seasonal high of 517 to be smashed. Indeed, rumours have emerged from West Yorkshire that there will be 900 visiting supporters, helped by the offer of reduced travel costs from the Halifax board. Whilst the figure of 900 visiting fans is optimistic (around 500 visiting supporters will be closer to the mark), Solihull Moors have had to act with regards to segregation.
As such, the away supporters will have access to the East End (runway side) and South Side (Tuck Shop End) of the ground whilst the home supporters will be able to view the game from North End (Training Ground End) and the West Stand (Dugout side of the ground). It is asked that both sets of supporters go to the correct sides of the ground and that everyone can watch the game in comfort.
With eight teams all vying to avoid the remaining relegation spot and with three of the play off spaces still remaining, all home teams in the division have been given clear guidance from the Football Conference with regards to kick off times. All games must kick off on time. With that in mind, Solihull Moors urge supporters of both clubs to allow plenty of time to get through the necessary entrances.
There has certainly been plenty of rain in the West Midlands recently and with that in mind a pitch inspection has been arranged as a precaution tomorrow and this will be done at 9.30am. Solihull Moors are 100% confident that the pitch will be in a playable condition on Saturday afternoon.
Admission prices remain at the normal price of £10 for all adults and £5 for juniors. For those supporters who are making their first visit to Damson Park, there is plenty of car park space available, so please do not park on the main road. If you are using a Sat Nav to get to the ground, the best postcode to use is B92 9EJ.
Solihull Moors boss Marcus Bignot calls for one last effort
Solihull Moors boss Marcus Bignot is calling for one last massive effort to preserve the team’s Blue Square Bet status for next season.
Solihull are one of eight clubs teetering on the verge of the drop zone and face an FC Halifax side at Damson Park on Saturday who need a point to make the play offs to contest a spot for the Blue Square Bet Premier.
“Hopefully our mental strength will get across the line,” said Bignot, who blamed a lack of match conditioning in the pre-season for the recent slump in his side’s form. The players did brilliantly pulling the side round after a poor start to the season but having to change the squad half way meant that a lot of the players didn’t have a pre-season and that’s costing us now.
“Now we need to be hard to beat. We’ve shown all season that we can play against the top sides and get a result.
“We have the fourth best defence in the league and we are fortunate that our fate is in our own hands.
You can’t take anything for granted, it’s up to us, this is our business.”
In a thrilling match last weekend, Solihull were held by Harrogate to a 1-1 draw in front of a packed crowd with goalkeeper Jas Singh once again the hero.
Solihull fell behind to a Lee Elam goal after just seven minutes when Bignot made the big call of moving skipper Phil Midowrth into midfield with Dean Bennett moving to the back four.
His decision paid off as the team immediately looked more cohesive and with Singh in fine form between the sticks, started the threaten. With ten minutes remaining a superb Michael Blackwood in-swinging corner was met by Stuart Pierpoint who crashed the ball into the back of the net.
A bumper 600 plus crowd saw Town held to a 1-1 draw by Solihull Moors.
Moors had to defend an early Matt Bloomer free kick, but Town didn’t have to wait long for the lead.
On 7 minutes Moors only half cleared a corner to Jonny Allan, his pass found Craig Radcliffe and Lee Elam sidefooted his centre into the roof of the net.
From the restart, Junior English crossed to Jordan Fitzpatrick, who luckily for Town volleyed across the face of the goal.
Elam and Allan both shot at Singh as Town sought to increase their advantage, but it was a speculative forty yard lob from Moors Fitzpatrick that had Mark Cook desperately back pedalling to tip over the bar.
As half time approached a collision between Jonny Allan and keeper Jasbir Singh saw Allan take no further part in the match.
Moors then survived a frantic goalmouth scramble as Adam Nowakowski and skipper Paul Bolland both had close range shots blocked.
Junior English squandered an early second half chance when after an heading duel in the Town defence he shot across the face of the goal.
Sub Tom Platt instigated Town’s best move of the match when he released Elam who found Bolland and his measured chip to the far post played in Chib Chilaka, only for Singh to brilliantly block his close range shot.
Nowakowski headed Elam’s free kick over the bar and then Singh saved from Radcliffe, but Town were beginning to be caught on the break.
With eleven minutes left English forced Cook to tip over the bar from point blank range.
Central defender Stuart Pierpoint pushed forward to head home Michael Blackwood’s corner at the far post with the Town defence protesting strongly that Cook had been impeded on the line, but their appeals made no impression on Referee Whiteley.
As the match entered five minutes added time a penetrative run by Radcliffe found Alex Meechan via Platt, but once again Singh pulled out a fine save to deny Town.
Then in explosive final minute, Craig Hinton’s free kick fell to sub Justin Marsden who contrived to miss an open goal before at the other end Chib Chilaka’s goalbound shot was turned round the post by Singh.
Solihull Face their biggest challenge of the season and again it is against FC Halifax Town. Earlier in the season Solihull lost to Halifax in the preliminary round of the FA Cup thus costing them a lucrative 1st Round cup tie at Home to Charlton Athletic.
This time Moors need to win to be sure mathmatically that Blue Square North Football is to be played at Damson Park next season.
Marcus Bignot will no doubt rally his team to put in a good performance and ensure all 3 points are secured.
Moors whohave only scored one goal in the last 4 games will need to find some attacking prowess as they cannot rely on their impressive defence to maintain a clean sheet against Halifax who will go all out for a second victory at Damson park.
One of Halifax's supporters has claimed that over 500 will travel from halifax for the match and soa good atmosphere is guaranteed.
News
