So its been a busy week with the league confirming that pre season can indeed start from the beginning of August and for us at Heys it will look like this.
The majority of games will be played at home and the pick of these will be Counties Premier League sides Silsden and Padiham which should prove a good test for us.
Heys took on Padiham away early last season in the Lancs League Trophy and after a battling 0-0 draw we came out 6-5 winners in a penalty shoot out.
Other games see us take on Machester League side Beechfield who we have a link up with this season so that will be a good early work out for both sides as will the game against Division one side Maine Road a side formally managed by Heys boss Matt Barnes.
It is looking highly likely the season start 5th September which is fantastic but while the FA have said that football at our level will not start without fans being allowed to attend for the commencement of the season for pre season things are not so clear cut.
The latest announcement states that all friendlies are to be played behind closed doors, but little information is available at the time of writing on if this will be reviewed before September's start date, with Heys and other clubs wondering how they can make that much needed cash after lock down whilst also preparing for the 2020-21 season,we await news.
So I was thinking about closed door pre season games and to my amusement saw this in the week from Polish Third Division side Motor Lubin FC who's supporters hired 18 cranes behind the goal in order to watch them clinch promotion to Division 2.
Now that's how you deal with it!,any cheap crane firms in Prestwich? hope the large flag we have will drape over it ok?...
So with the pre season excitement this week came the news that the newly formed AFC Bury will be joining in the North West Counties Division one north next season.
AFC have broken away from the 'official' Bury FC and we hear will play at Radcliffe's ground next season but the FA allowing them into the Counties has caused much controversy amongst the league itself and non league supporters alike.
Initially the league were in favour of AFC being invited to apply for the 2020-21 season along with other clubs who had spent money to get grounds up to standard to play in Division One North or South.
The FA however decided after the curtailment of the 2019-20 season due to coronavirus that no promotion and relegation would take place in step six and so the 20 teams for the new season would be the same as the previous one.
Things came to a head when Emley FC moved back to the North East Counties for the next campaign thus creating a space for a new team.
The FA approved AFC Bury to replace Emley but without meeting much of the criteria required by the NW Counties that other clubs in the Manchester league had been striving to meet, to qualify entry for the new season.
As a result the league put out a bizzare statement in the week that AFC Bury were welcomed into Counties League One, but stated they had been over ruled by the FA and therefore did not approve of the decision on the basis that they only agreed to admitting Bury had promotion and relegation taken place and it was wrong to deny other teams who met all the criteria a chance to play in the Counties for 2020-21.
For me, yes it is controversial, but from a Heys point of view we have to look at potential money making opportunities and AFC Bury may provide this, adding extra fans onto the gate at Adie Moran Park, the likely media coverage that comes with it and therefore raising the profile of both clubs.
Also from a football point of view we have a new 'derby' a short trip to Radcliffe for an away day and I am sure Matt Barnes will have our lads fired up for a couple of cracking games.
So much to look forward to over the coming weeks and if indeed September 5th is the opening day we don't have long to wait .
UP THE HEYS!
Rick