COASTERS ROLL ON AMID A SEASON OF THRILLS AND A GRIPPING FINALE
AUGUST
NEWCOMERS King’s Lynn Town and Banbury United were the first to show as they topped the table at the end of the month.
The Linnets, relegated from the top-flight, won their first four games back at Step 2 before a 1-1 draw with Leamington ended their 100 per cent record, while Banbury continued their magnificent form in the Southern League the preview season by amassing 13 points from their opening five games.
We didn’t have to wait long for the first managerial casualty – the season was just one game old when Blyth Spartans axed Terry Mitchell after 10 months in charge.
Manager of the Month:
Tommy Widdrington (King’s Lynn Town) Player of the Month:
Morgan Roberts (Banbury)
SEPTEMBER
FRONTRUNNERS King’s Lynn Town suffered their first defeat of the season at Kettering Town but still led the table by two points after a busy September.
Banbury were still impressing under Andy Whing, while
AFC Fylde were beginning to make a charge.
By now, the managerial merry-go-round was in full swing. Paul
Cox paid the price for Boston United’s underwhelming start to the season before duo Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley left Spennymoor Town after their FA Cup defeat to Clitheroe.
And just as the month came to a close, the axe also fell on Lee Mansell at Gloucester City, Steve King coming in in his place, and Kevin Wilkin surprisingly left Brackley Town after seven years in charge, replaced by Roger Johnson.
But perhaps the highest profile departure was that of James Rowe, who resigned as manager of AFC Fylde after being charged with sexual assault.
Manager of the Month:
Alun Armstrong (Darlington) Player of the Month:
Nick Haughton (AFC Fylde)
OCTOBER
AFC Telford United boss Paul Carden paid the price for just one win from their opening 12 games with his job – the seventh managerial casualty in the division of the season. Kev Wilkin didn’t have to wait for a new job, going into replace him at the New Bucks Head.
Steve King made an immediate impact at Gloucester
City, inflicting a second defeat of the season on King’s Lynn, although the Linnets still led the table come the end of the month.
Spennymoor Town announced the popular return of Jason Ainsley as manager again, almost two years after leaving.
Manager of the Month:
Josh Gowling (Hereford)
Player of the Month:
Kieran Phillips (Gloucester City)
NOVEMBER
FORMER Derby, Oxford United, Luton and Mansfield midfielder Adam Murray was handed the managerial reins at AFC Fylde, inheriting a side on a high after victory over new leaders Darlington.
Just one defeat from 16 matches earned Chester’s fledgling boss Calum McIntyre the Manager of the Month award as he celebrated becoming the first manager to take three points at Scarborough Athletic for over a year.
Only four teams topped Chester come the end of November, Manager of the Month Jonathan Greening’s Scarborough being one of them – while Brackley led the way under Roger Johnson.
Manager of the Month:
Calum McIntyre (Chester)
Player of the Month:
Jack Lambert (Darlington)
DECEMBER
WITH the nation gripped by World Cup fever, the National League North title race was really starting to take shape.
Five wins and a draw from six games put Darlington on top of the table, ahead of Brackley and King’s Lynn, but Adam Murray’s AFC Fylde had games in hand and were in touching distance.
Chorley were also on the charge. They ended 2022 unbeaten at home in ten matches and also gave Notts County a real scare in the
FA Trophy. Andy Preece’s men had broken into the play-offs and were the form team going into Christmas.
Manager of the Month: Jonathan Greening (Scarborough)
Player of the Month: Connor Hall (Chorley).
JANUARY
JANUARY was the month when AFC Fylde officially started their title charge. They ended the month with just one defeat in 13 National League North games – including 11 wins in that run.
King’s Lynn were still very much in the hunt – thanks largely to their imperious home form, having dropped just two points from their opening 11 games at The Walks.
Despite often patchy home form, Kidderminster Harriers were very much in the picture while, at the other end, Curzon Ashton were also making waves – a 5-2 victory over Farsley Celtic continuing their charge away from danger.
Jimmy Dean became the latest manager to depart after he was headhunted by National League strugglers Scunthorpe United
from Peterborough Sports. Michael Gash and Luke Steele took over and inspired an uplift.
Manager of the Month:
Adam Murray (AFC Fylde)
Player of the Month:
Dom McHale (Gloucester City)
FEBRUARY
JOSH Gowling’s three-year tenure in charge of Hereford came to an end after three straight defeats left them 15th in the table after an encouraging start. Former striker Yan Klukowski took over until the end of the season.
The only unbeaten side in February were much-improved Buxton despite a tough month which saw Craig Elliott’s men play seven times.
The only team to take more points than them were AFC Fylde, who were still neck and neck with King’s Lynn at the top following a thrilling 3-3 draw between the pair on February 25.
Manager of the Month:
Craig Elliott (Buxton)
Player of the Month: Mo
Faal (AFC Fylde)
MARCH
NEW managers Michael Gash and Luke Steele were turning a corner at Peterborough Sports with the Step 2 newcomers ending March just two wins from the playoff places.
Five points clear at the top with two games in hand, AFC Fylde appeared to be coasting towards the title but a shock 3-0 home defeat by Blyth Spartans kept King’s
Lynn interested. An intriguing race for play-off places was also enfolding with Southport, as low at 15th in the table, still very much in the mix.
Managers of the Month:
Michael Gash & Luke Steele (Peterborough Sports)
Player of the Month: Billy Chadwick (Boston United)
APRIL
A groundbreaking month started with a huge twist as Tommy Widdrington quit as manager of title chasing King’s Lynn just minutes after their 1-0 victory over Chorley to take over at Aldershot Town.
Furious chairman Stephen Cleeve threatened legal action against the Shots while hiring Mark Hughes as his caretaker boss, since made permanent. Hughes performed wonders in picking up the pieces at The Walks as Lynn kept AFC Fylde in their sights in the race for automatic promotion.
A cracking Easter closed things up even more and come the final round of matches no fewer than 10 clubs could clinch a play-off place in one of the tightest and most intriguing run races for years.
A 2-0 win for AFC Fylde at Bradford Park Avenue completed the job and relegated their hosts, while a sixth straight victory for Russ Penn’s Kidderminster Harriers saw them clinch a playoff place, while relegating Kettering Town.
Brackley Town sacked manager Roger Johnson after a little more than six months in charge, leaving popular captain Gaz Dean to take the reins until the end of the season.
Scarborough Athletic and Spennymoor Town were the unlucky teams to miss out, on goal difference, as just four points separated fourth to 13th.
Manager of the Season:
Calum McIntyre (Chester)
Player of the Season:
Nick Haughton (AFC Fylde)
MAY
STEVE King called time on his spell at Gloucester City following the club’s decision to go part-time and penalty shoot-out defeat at Brackley Town in the play-offs.
Talking of play-offs, Kidderminster had the momentum, following up a 1-0 win at Alfreton Town with a storming 4-1 win at King’s Lynn to set up a finale with Brackley, who knocked out thirdplaced Chester.
And Russ Penn’s Kiddy weren’t to be denied as they made it nine wins on the trot with a 2-0 away victory to clinch promotion to the top-flight after an eight-year wait.
The fall-out continued with Russ Wilcox leaving Farsley Celtic after steering them to safety, while Gavin Cowan left relegated AFC Telford United to eventually take over from Gaz Dean at Brackley.
Tim Flowers was named as Steve King’s replacement at Gloucester City, while Andy Whing resigned as Banbury United manager with Mark Jones taking his place in early June.