www.altyfans.co.uk

Should we manage it tomorrow, it's worth reminding ourselves that the last time we finished 4th, 29 years ago...

There were no playoffs
Macc Town were champions
Of the 21 clubs in the league:

• Only one, Stevenage, is now a Football League club.
• Five, including us, are National League.
• Nine are in leagues below us.
• Seven have either folded and reformed as phoenix clubs or folded and disappeared altogether.

[/list]

The Government's just published the Football Governance Bill, which will bring in a new independent regulator and affect National League clubs if it becomes law. The two main points are that the regulator will be able to step in to settle the funding dispute between the Premier League, EFL and National League - and clubs from Step 1 (National League) upwards will need to be licensed and stick to licensing conditions:

For the first time, clubs from the National League (Step One in the football pyramid) all the way to the Premier League will be licensed to compete in men’s elite football competitions in England. The proposed licensing regime will be proportionate to any problems, size and circumstances and involve a system of provisional and full licences, to give clubs time to transition.

It follows a number of issues in recent years including financial mismanagement, breakaway plans for the European Super League, and changes to club names, badges and colours against the wishes of fans.

All clubs will be subject to new baseline requirements enshrined in legislation irrespective of licence status, such as protections against breakaway competitions and stadium relocations.

The provisional licence will require all clubs to meet some mandatory conditions as standard, including basic requirements on fan engagement, corporate governance and financial reporting.

The regulator will then apply additional bespoke licence conditions on clubs, as necessary, to ensure they meet the necessary standards for a full licence across three key areas: financial resources, non-financial resources (such as relevant systems, policies and personnel), and fan engagement.

Fan engagement is a central tenet of the Football Governance Bill and will ensure fans are put back at the heart of the game. As part of the licence, clubs will be required to consult their fans on key off-field decisions, such as club heritage and the club’s strategic direction.

Full details here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/historic-football-governance-bill-introduced-in-parliament#:~:text=Under%20the%20Football%20Governance%20Bill,are%20found%20to%20be%20unsuitable..

So, I tinkered with the code on Premier Manager 2 to make 1993 Mick Carmody the world's greatest player. Now, after four games, Alty are top of the league, Carmo is the Conference's leading scorer - and he's just been picked for England.

Worrying news from local reporter, Daniel Holland...

Gateshead International Stadium could be taken over by a private operator, amid major cost-cutting measures that have already resulted in two leisure centres being shut down.
Civic centre bosses have agreed to include the famous venue, which has hosted international athletics events and pop concerts, in a tendering process to find an outside contractor who will run Gateshead Council’s remaining sports centres and swimming pools.
The local authority has been trying to slash the amount of money it spends on leisure services, as it faces up to a predicted £50m budget shortfall over the next five years, and controversially closed down Gateshead Leisure Centre and Birtley Swimming Centre this summer.
It has been the plan to procure an external operator for the borough’s remaining leisure sites in Blaydon, Heworth, and Dunston to further reduce the financial burden.
But the council’s Labour cabinet agreed on Tuesday morning to add the stadium to that offer as well, in hope of making a deal “more attractive to the market”.
The stadium had been excluded from the review that ultimately led to the two centre closures as it was viewed as a unique site – with its history of staging major events and the fact that it is home to the likes of Gateshead FC and Gateshead Harriers, as well as Gateshead College’s sports students.
But the council has warned that the venue is in need of £4m of repairs over the next decade and, with operating costs added to that, will cost the council at least £11m to keep open in that time. 
A report to the cabinet added that there is “no current funding source that the council may access to meet this potential liability” and that the authority “would experience financial difficulties in retaining any offer” at the stadium.
Councillors were told on Tuesday morning that commercially confidential talks are continuing with Gateshead College about the future of the stadium and that a further exercise to assess market demand to take on the running of the stadium is also being carried out.
The cabinet agreed to include Gateshead Stadium in the procurement process to find a new leisure operator – however it will be kept as a separate lot to the other three leisure centres, meaning the council will not be obliged to award a contract that covers all four sites.
The results of an online survey the council conducted about the leisure centre’s future showed that 70% of 391 respondents disagreed with a proposal to “repurpose” it “so that its primary use is for the purposes of education and sport”.
The stadium was described by clubs who use it as a “valued regional venue” and a “unique asset in the region”.
When the leisure centre closure proposals were first unveiled last year, the GMB Union called for the stadium to be thrown into the mix for closure and described it as a “white elephant” that was “draining essential resources from other services in the community”.

Whoops, wrong dugout 

https://twitter.com/secondtierpod/status/1688158631223521280?s=20

Great news for exiles!

"Tomorrow's much-anticipated semi-final clash with FC Halifax Town will be streamed internationally."

https://altrinchamfc.com/blogs/news/isuzu-fa-trophy-semi-final-to-be-streamed-internationally

All getting a bit ugly at Southend. Out of the Trophy, players not paid, owner Ron Martin arguing with fans online  (EDIT: possibly not - as Hashtag points out, it looks like a parody account. At least I hope it is 🫣)



https://twitter.com/tfinch9393/status/1624458734226350081?t=4W9y8BTiB8a7gzIR_2_qiQ&s=19

Think I've got them all...

ARRIVING (9 + Jones)

New signings:
Regan Linney, striker, from FCUM for undisclosed fee (rumoured £10k)
Eddie Jones, left-back, from Stoke City (already here on loan but now made permanent)

New loan signings:
Tyrese Sinclair, winger, Rochdale
Sonny Aljofree, central defender, MUFC U21
Joe Hugill, centre-forward, MUFC U21
Maxi Oyedele, defensive midfielder, MUFC U21
Junior Quitirna, winger/striker, Fleetwood Town
Danny Cashman, attacking midfielder, Coventry City
Miles Welch-Hayes, right back, Harrogate Town
Michael Gyasi, winger, Chesterfield

LEAVING (7)

Sold
Marcus Dinanga to Gateshead for undisclosed fee
Toby Mullarkey to Rochdale for undisclosed fee
Ryan Colclough to Chesterfield for an undisclosed fee

Out on Loan
Zak Goodson to Boston United
Brad Jackson to Buxton

Returning from loan
Chris Conn-Clarke to Fleetwood Town
Connor Jennings to Stockport