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Four from Wembley
Story courtesy of Burton Mail
Emley’s march towards Wembley is running parallel with a bid to reach the Northern Premier League next season.
And so far the Northern Counties (East) side has enjoyed success on both fronts.The Huddersfield-area outfit tops its league and is among the front-runners in the Vase. Managed by PE Teacher Gerry Quinn, a qualified FA Coach whose playing career took him to some of the North of England’s top non-league club.
In goal will be South Derbyshire based Ray Dennis who has continued to turn out for the Yorkshire club this season despite moving to live in Shardlow because he believes that this is Emley’s year for glory.
Dennis rated by Rovers full back Martin Dick, who plays in the same Long Eaton Sunday side, as “a very good keeper with tremendous reflexes.” His experience extends to having been on the verge of playing for Halifax in the Football League last season – a move that was finally blocked by Emley.
Emley have several other players with experience of a higher level. Midfielder Paul Gartland has been on Huddersfield Town’s books while 25-year-old striker John Francis attracted a bid from York City earlier in the season.
Skipper Robert Mellor is an uncompromising central defender whose popularity is shared with defensive partner Steve Codd.
Midfielder duties are shared between local boy Nicky Bradmald and Mick Carmady, another former Huddesfield player.
A head-to-head this week with vanquished Bridgnorth Town boss Ken Jones has given Frank Northwood a man-to-man blueprint of the Emley side.
Jones – who by astonishing coincidence is a water board worker in Burton – gave Northwood a rundown of every player in the table-topping Northern Counties (East) side after seeing his own Bridgnorth outfit drubbed 6-0 in last week’s replay.
“Ken felt that if they’d played each other six times they’d have ended up even stevens. But on the night everything Emley hit went into the net. But you can’t argue about 6-0 – that’s a whacking in anybody’s book.”
Northwood has been helped in his preparation by former Burton Albion boss Neil Warnock who has watched Emley several times this season.
“Neil told me they’re a typical Yorkshire side. They work hard and they’ve got a lot of skill. But he says that if we play to our best he expects to see our name in the hat on Monday. I always fancy my chances, and I think if we can produce our best we’ll win. All I ask is that the fans are patient with us, and get behind the team. That could make all the difference.”
