The final season of Scarborough Football Club
- Conference North, 2006-07
Full list of fixtures, results and scorers for Boro's last ever season.
Below the list are short reviews of each away match from a Boro fan's perspective.
| Aug 12 | Worksop Town | A 0-0 | - | | Aug 15 | Gainsborough Trinity | H 0-0 | - | | Aug 19 | Vauxhall Motors | H 0-1 | - | | Aug 22 | Stalybridge Celtic | A 2-2 | Whittington, Thompson | | Aug 26 | Nuneaton Borough | A 1-1 | Hackworth | | Aug 28 | Moor Green | H 3-0 | Thornton, Thompson (pen), Blott |
| Sep 2 | Redditch United | A 1-1 | Thompson | | Sep 9 | Workington | H 0-1 | - | | Sep 12 | Farsley Celtic | H 0-0 | - | | Sep 16 | Kettering Town | A 1-3 | Whittington | | Sep 23 | Lancaster City | H 1-2 | Hackworth | | Sep 30 | Lancaster City (FAC) | H 1-1 | Blott | | Oct 3 | Lancaster City (FAC) | A 2-1 | Thompson, Blott | | Oct 7 | Hucknall Town | H 1-2 | Blott | | Oct 14 | Ossett Albion (FAC) | A 1-1 | Vermiglio | | Oct 17 | Ossett Albion (FAC) | H 2-0 | Thompson, Vermiglio | | Oct 21 | Leigh RMI | A 1-1 | Hackworth | | Oct 28 | Stafford Rangers (FAC) | A 0-3 | Thornton, Thompson (pen), Blott |
| Nov 4 | Droylsden | A 3-1 | Thompson (pen), Cartwright, o.g. | | Nov 11 | Harrogate Town | H 1-1 | Thompson (pen) | | Nov 14 | Barrow | H 1-1 | Thompson (pen) | | Nov 18 | Worcester City | A 2-3 | Whittington, Vermiglio | | Nov 25 | Burscough | A 2-1 | Vermiglio,Whittington | | Dec 2 | Hinckley United | H 3-0 | Cartwright, Whittington, Thompson | | Dec 9 | Hyde United | A 1-1 | Dalton | | Dec 16 | Redditch United | H 3-2 | Hackworth, Thompson, Dalton | | Dec 19 | Rushden & Diamonds (FAT) | A 2-3 | Hackworth, Dalton | | Dec 26 | Blyth Spartans | A 0-2 | - | | Dec 30 | Farsley Celtic | A 2-0 | Vermiglio, Thornton |
| Jan 1 | Blyth Spartans | H 0-1 | - | | Jan 6 | Workington | A 1-0 | Hackworth | | Jan 20 | Alfreton Town | H 0-1 | - | | Jan 27 | Lancaster City | A 5-1 | Beadle 2, Hackworth, Thornton, o.g. | | Jan 30 | Kettering Town | H 1-1 | Blott | | Feb 3 | Harrogate Town | A 1-0 | Thompson | | Feb 10 | Worcester City | H 1-0 | Hackworth | | Feb 17 | Hinckley United | A 1-1 | Thompson | | Feb 24 | Hyde United | H 1-2 | Cartwright |
| Mar 3 | Barrow | A 1-1 | Dalton | | Mar 10 | Droylsden | H 1-0 | Thompson (pen) | | Mar 17 | Vauxhall Motors | A 1-1 | Thompson | | Mar 20 | Alfreton Town | A 1-1 | Cook | | Mar 23 | Worksop Town | H 2-1 | Cartwright, Blott | | Mar 31 | Gainsborough Trinity | A 1-3 | Beadle | | Apr 7 | Nuneaton Borough | H 1-3 | Blott | | Apr 9 | Moor Green | A 2-1 | Hackworth, Blott | | Apr 14 | Stalybridge Celtic | H 0-1 | - | | Apr 21 | Leigh RMI | H 1-1 | Beadle | | Apr 28 | Hucknall Town | A 1-0 | Hackworth |
Boro were so much on top in the first half, it seemed inconceivable that we wouldn't take all three points. Boro fans spent the time counting how many times the Alfreton defenders hoofed the ball over the roof of the stand. (Number 3 won, with a total of four. Number 5 came second)
After 34 minutes the pressure paid off when Lee Cartwright crossed from the right and Carl Cook - yes, Carl Cook - hit a sweet volley with his right foot - yes, his right foot. This was Carl's first Boro goal and it was a cracker.
In the second half Boro sat back and defended too deep, inviting pressure from Alfreton which paid off when they scored three minutes from time.
A late kick off after the team coach had to turn round on the A1 and take a different route due to a traffic accident.
Nice scenery on the way into Barrow. Shame about Barrow itself, though.
The ground has a real 1950s Football League feel to it, and those weird dugouts are unique.
Boro did OK in the first half and had a number of chances, but didn't play well after the break and would have returned home empty-handed but for a moment of magic from sub Geraldinho.
Some of the Boro fans were embarrassingly inebriated after arriving by train, but what the heck. Well done to Stuart Canvin for arranging alternative transport home for them all, when the late k.o. scuppered their plans.
"Life's not fair" - that's the opening line of "The Lion King" and it's very true. Nobody knows this better than a football fan.
Boro played well, especially in the first half, and should have been out of sight by the interval. But in the second half we all knew what was coming (well, apart from the referee not giving a couple of pretty obvious penalties!).
Yes, two late goals and a 2-0 defeat.
Happy Christmas to us.
Couldn't resist having a pint in the Butcher's Arms beforehand, which was nice.
Then had a pint in the social club. Which was nice.
And then 21st-placed Boro beat promotion hopefuls Droylsden and destroyed their 86-year unbeaten home record. Which was even nicer.
Lee Cartwright scored a cracker, Chris Thompson got one, and there was an own goal after a good run from Tony "I'm claiming the goal" Hackworth.
Fantastic day!
What better way to celebrate New Year than to stand outside in the pouring rain, clutching a pint of beer in a plastic glass, and watching your team win? Well OK, quite a few things.
Most fans of both teams crowded into the covered terracing, which led to some first class banter with some very good-natured Farsley folk.
Daz Thornton and Jamie Vermiglio scored in the first half, and the result was never in doubt. An excellent Boro performance.
All in all, a grand day out.
But a little wet.
Nice set of roadworks entering the town. Which saved us money by cutting down on drinking time.
Decent first half, shame about the second. The game started well, despite Boro going behind to a Charlie Trout header. Jimmy Beadle got his third of the season with a crisp shot from the edge of the box and we were all happy enough at half time.
The second half was very poor. Ok it was a bobbly pitch and there was a strong wind, but we looked pretty clueless. Ryan Mallon got Trinity's second after a some poor Boro defending, and their third goal was volleyed in following a corner, in the style of Lothar Matthäus.
A couple of hundred Boro fans were noisy in the first half but had nothing to shout about in the second.
Fact: Gainsborough are one of only 874 football clubs in the country to play "I Feel Good" by James Brown when they score. And they played it three times, dammit.
This was a "local derby", so the club/council/police thought it wise to pen the Boro fans behind barriers in a cramped area of the ground with just a single-cubicle chemical toilet to share amongst 440 fans. Very nice.
Our view of the game from the crowded, shallow terracing was very poor.
The pitch resembled Cayton Bay (although with more of a slope) and conditions were difficult. Tommo scored the decisive goal which gave Boro the win, though we had to hang on desperately towards the end. Especially after Hacky was sent off, for apparently saying to the linesman: "I say, that decision was slightly dubious, old boy. Would you care to reconsider it?"
After the game we went into the clubhouse in an orderly manner but were then thrown out for no apparent reason. A memorable day - but not entirely for the right reasons.
Boro's first ever visit to Hinckley, and we were impressed. Maybe this is what the new Boro stadium will look like?
Nice main stand, good terracing at one end but just flat hard-standing at the other. The people were very nice, including those who came out of the social club as the coach departed to applaud us on our way. Thanks, guys.
The directors were apparently treated to a three-course meal before the game, which is a bit different to the "bag of crisps and a cup of tea" on offer at a certain un-named other grounds!
Tommo scored and a 1-1 draw seemed about fair.
We look forward to going back again next year.
Boro's final game of the season, with relegation already confirmed. It was the usual "old shirts day" for Boro fans, whilst many Hucknall fans were in fancy dress.
Everyone at Hucknall was extremely friendly, club officials as well as fans. Well, maybe the bar staff were just a tad grumpy, but then again they were busier than at most games this season.
Boro fans made up at least half of the 646 crowd and were in party mood throughout the game. This was helped by an excellent performance from Boro. who dominated most of the game and could have won by a large margin had it not been from some inspired goalkeeping from Hucknall's Greg Smith.
Tony Hackworth scored a magnificent solo goal after 81 minutes, and after the game the Boro fans went on to the pitch to congratulate the team on some great performances in the latter stages of the campaign (shame about August, September and October, though!)
There are always mixed emotions on the last day of the season, as certain players will have made their last appearance for the club and it's often also the manager's last game (Slade and Redfearn, for example)
So, as it said on the souvenir badge worn by Boro fans - "Goodbye Conference, Hello Unibond".
Nice ground, nice people.
A game of two halves. Geraldinho scored his first ever Boro goal (though maybe the defender got there first?). A Hyde player scored for Hyde. 1-1.
If you fancy standing on a slope for two hours, this is where to do it. My ankles always ache after a visit to Kettering. We were segregated for this game - but at least there were enough toilets (memo: criticise Harrogate again)
Kettering hit top form this day, and Boro were well beaten. Really well beaten. It could have been a lot more.
The highlight was a moment of comedy between Ashley Lyth and Curtis Aspden, resulting in a slow-motion own goal.
Positives were a well-taken goal from Whitto and a debut for 16-year old Ged Dalton.
The battle of the "minus ten points" clubs.
Lancaster had been hit really hard by financial problems, and were already into their record-breaking winless run.
Jimmy Beadle scored his first ever Boro goal, and then, would you believe, he scored another. Daz Thornton scored from the edge of the box, Tony Hackworth got one, and there was a Dolly Blue own goal,
Easy, easy.
It's weird, but visits to Leigh are always a highlight of the season. Maybe it's the thrill of navigating around the bomb craters in the car park, maybe it's trying to imagine what the ground would be like if it had 10,000 fans in it.
And it's always interesting to see which parts of the ground are cordoned off.
Boro got a 1-1 draw, which finally took us up to the giddy total of zero points for the season. But it wasn't a good game. The most memorable part was the full-volume rant from a Boro fan who shall remain nameless (but we'll call him Andy).
Hacky scored the goal. The league table read: played 11, points 0.
On Easter Monday (excellent fixture planning again, thank you Conference) Boro visited Damson Park, the home of Solihull Borough, Moor Green and Birmingham City Reserves.
A basic grandstand with the minimum number of seats but an excellent social club behind it. Covered terracing at one end, but just a wall around the other two sides of the pitch.
A superb away following from Boro, again making up half of the total attendance.
Boro looked the better team for most of the game, but after an early goal from Moor Green it looked as Boro would end the game pointless and doomed to relegation. But in a fantastic last quarter of an hour, Hacky and Blotty hit great goals to win the match.
Did we mention that the social club is very good? Let's hope we can visit it again next season.
This game was due to be segregated but plans had to be amended when it was realised that not enough meat pies had been ordered.
It was Boro's third away game of the season, with the team still getting to know each other and starting the game on minus seven points in the league table.
Lee Whittington started the game but was subbed early on. His dad was not very pleased at Paddy.
Hacky scored and we drew 1-1.
Some people don't think much of the Valley Stadium, but it is definitely one-of-a-kind with more character than most of the other grounds put together. The unique grandstand (did the architect have the plans upside down?), the little walkway at the opposite side, the uncovered seats. Well worth a visit!
We went there in early September, our fourth away game and our fourth away draw. Tommo got the goal, but we should have scored loads more.
Excellent stadium, one of the best in Conference North. Very strange social club, but the beer was good.
A midweek visit in the second week of the season ended in a 2-2 draw. Whitto scored an absolute belter and Tommo got the other. Nice to see Steve Brodie again.
OK, one season we're playing at Exeter, Stevenage, Burton, York and Halifax, and the next season we're playing at - Vauxhall Motors. Or is it just a nightmare and we'll all wake up soon?
Without wishing to sound disrespectful to the fantastic folk at Ellesmere Port, Rivacre Park is well named. It's a park pitch. A little bit of covered terracing in the middle of one side, and a "grandstand" without any seats in it - so every Boro fan, whether 9 or 90, had to manage without a seat.
Met a guy who was a gateman until kick-off, then became a steward while the game was on, and was then serving pies in the snack bar at half time. Hats off to you, sir!
Boro allowed the Motormen to score first before Tommo equalised. Bumpy pitch, strong crosswind. Not a game to remember.
Why didn't they have any Worcester sauce flavoured crisps in the bar, that's what I want to know?
With injury and suspension problems, Boro only had three 16-year-olds on the bench. But it was a great game, end-to-end, with lots of goalmouth action. Whitto put Boro ahead, but some Worcester chap scored a hat-trick before Jamie V made it 3-2, still before half-time.
More thrills in the second half but no goals. Boro were unlucky to lose.
One of the Worcester stewards was a bit of a prat, but everyone else was fine.
A ground with character. Oh yes! What used to be the main grandstand is now a low building with a weirdly-sloping roof, and the traditional old floodlight pylons have been chopped off at the knees. Shame they couldn't afford something better than 40-watt bulbs for the lights, though. It's the sort of place you can love, even though it's actually a bit of a dump.
What we especially loved about it was that we won 1-0 thanks to a Hacky goal.
Thanks to the guy in the social club who bought drinks for a few of us after the game. What sort of person buys drinks for complete strangers? And can I please have another free drink next time we go there?
First game of the season, and Boro's first ever visit to Babbage Way as Boro had only ever played at their former ground at Central Avenue.
The players got changed in a portakabin with no electricity supply, so Jimmy Beadle couldn't play his music. Not necessarily a bad thing, then.
Boro were on top for much of the game but couldn't score. The story of the whole season encapsulated into 90 minutes.
There were a few chavs and young nutters causing problems and throwing things. Not Worksop Town's fault. One elderly steward single-handedly ejected half a dozen yobbos from the ground. Respect!
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