www.altyfans.co.uk

Is it just me or was it a nice change for Ian Snodin to replace Paul Parker on Setanta for the first couple of games of the season? Paul Parker has to be the worst co-commentator on tv and surely makes less people watch the conference on tv than more.

As far as I recall there was more than one person causing trouble. Why was he only banned for a season?

If we started with 2 then 1 of them could definitely not be Peter Band

Is it April Fools' Day?

Alty saved as Halifax go to wall
tony glennon
12/ 5/2008

ALTRINCHAM fans are celebrating after it emerged their team are to receive a third successive relegation reprieve, keeping them in the top flight of non-League.

But chairman Geoff Goodwin insists he'll take no pleasure from the closure of rivals Halifax Town, which will lead to Alty retaining their place in Blue Square Premier despite them having just finished inside the relegation-zone for the third year running.

Halifax, who pipped Alty to safety even though they had 10 points docked, collapsed under the weight of massive debts at the weekend and will now be liquidated.

The knock-on effect is yet another dramatic escape for the Robins, who survived in similar circumstances in both 2006 and 2007 due to the demise of first Scarborough and then Boston United.

But, far from welcoming Alty's latest reprieve, Goodwin says he's sad to see Halifax go under and that staying up could do the Moss Lane club more harm than good.

Goodwin said: "I take no pleasure from this situation and it doesn't do us any favours. We could have done with a spell in Blue Square North to get our breath back.

"I'm not being negative, but a lot of people don't realise just how immense the pressures are on a part-time club such as ourselves trying to stay afloat in the financially demanding Blue Square Premier.

"I won't try to pretend I'm happy that we're still in it, because I'm not, but I'm twice as unhappy for Halifax fans. They must be gutted because, whether you support Halifax, Altrincham or Real Madrid, you have the same passion for your club.

"It makes me feel sick that they've gone out of business."

Unlike last year, when Altrincham only learned they were staying up in the middle of June, news of this escape has at least arrived early enough for manager Graham Heathcote to adequately readjust his plans for next term.

Instead of rubbing shoulders with neighbours Droylsden, Hyde United and Stalybridge in Blue Square North as they'd anticipated, Alty will now face trips to places such as Wrexham and Mansfield.

I don't know whether or not Geoff Goodwin was misquoted by the Manchester Evening News as well, but his viewpoint doesn't differ from that reported in the non league paper yesterday. Can anyone from the club clarify this?

Surely know we have to draw a line under what Vics are doing and conentrate on ways that we can compete with them. Yes we can have a laugh when it all goes wrong but not if we're not competitive ourselves.

How can a national newspaper misquotes somebody that badly. The club should consider some form of action because this is happening on a regular basis.