Whitby Town FC - The Seasiders

News 2008/09

live webchat!

FOOTBALL fans are being offered a golden opportunity to fire questions at Whitby Town chairman Graham Manser in a Whitby Gazette website forum which goes live on Tuesday teatime.
With the new UniBond League season just around the corner, you can ask Mr Manser about prospects for the coming season, new players, aims and expectations for the future, anything relating to the club.
The idea follows a successful Virtual Community and Police meeting pioneered by the Gazette last month. Mr Manser will be in the Whitby Gazette office from 5-6.30pm on Tuesday and people are invited to send in their questions online. It is also hoped either Phil Brumwell or Graeme Clark will be on hand to join in.
Gazette Sports Editor Duncan Atkins said: "With the new league season around the corner, this is a great chance for football fans to get the lowdown on all the latest news from the people who know.
We want as many people as possible to log on to our website and ask questions. Do stick around and join in the fun."

WEBCHAT LINK

Whitby beat Brazil and Holland

Yes it's true, Whitby Town overcame two of the greatest names in World football to win a recent tournament in Liverpool. The competition was fierce but the Blues prevailed in the end. Okay so now the reality. The teams were part of a mini tournament at Roscoe Junior School in Liverpool and the team names were chosen by the pupils. If you are going to choose some top names for your teams then surely you couldn't have picked three more worthy. Even considering that the school is in Evertonian heartland, Whitby Town were picked as the blue team. Teacher Alex Prior explained that she is a Whitby fan during a recent coaching excercise to stop squabbles, all team names had to be from outside Merseyside! Therefore her choice of Whitby Town for the blue team went down well, with the Blues storming to 1-0 and 2-0 wins over Brazil and Holland. Some of the pupils letters are reproduced below..!

New strip revealed

At the launch of the patrons club on Friday night, the brand new strip for 2008/09 was launched by Chairman Manser. Sponsored by The Hart Inn, the strip is the traditional royal blue and this season the popular stripes have been moved to the right hand side and run vertically down the strip.

A replica kit will be available to buy at the club shop in a few weeks time.

Patrons Club Launched

On Friday night the club launched the new patron's club at the Turnbull Ground. In the new patron's club, members would be entitled to free admission to all home matches with designated seats in the new stand, incorporating complimentary hospitality in the board room before, during and after the game. Travel to away matches is also included in the package and the total cost is £500 per season which would be acknowledged in the match programme.In the new patron's club, members would be entitled to free admission to all home matches with designated seats in the new stand, incorporating complimentary hospitality in the board room before, during and after the game. Travel to away matches is also included in the package.

Further details can be obtained from Graham on (07966) 241344.

Chairman's plea

Chairman Manser is making an urgent plea to the town following news that the club did not receive £15,000 of sponsorship money last season due to president Brooks Mileson's illness. "The committee needs your support, the club belongs to you, the supporters and if the club is to be successful, we need your financial support, no matter how small," he said. Money-spinning ideas include:
* sponsoring home and away strips or the programme
* joining a new patrons' club for £500 a season; 30 memberships available
* advertising in the programme, a board at the ground, the match and match ball
* sponsoring a player
* joining the weekly draw
Despite this setback, the club has shown its commitment to next season by signing ex-Leeds midfielder Mark Tinkler and defender Kevin Burgess, who was released by Darlington.
The pair join Brunskill, Karl Charlton and Sam Garvie on contract.
If you are interested in helping the club financially, call Mr Manser on (07966) 241344. or download our sponsorship details here

Bruno bid rejected again

Whitby Town Football Club has this week rejected a fresh bid for star striker Danny Brunskill. Conference North side Gateshead, who were promoted from the UniBond League last season, hoped to lure the Blues hotshot with the offer of playing at a higher level. But Blues chairman Graham Manser said the £2,500 bid was turned down flat.
A larger offer earlier in the year was also rejected. "Goalscorers are priceless and you don't sell your top-scorer for such a small amount of money," Mr Manser told the Whitby Gazette on Tuesday. "Danny is happy with us and enjoys his football here."
Brunskill, known to Whitby supporters as Bruno, scored 28 league and cup goals last season as the Blues battled to avoid the drop. He has won a whole clutch of club awards since signing from Durham City in October 2005 and was voted the website player of the year for 2007/08.

Blues sign ex-Premiership star Tinkler

By Sports Editor Duncan Atkins
WHITBY Town Football Club today landed the dramatic signing of experienced ex-Premiership midfielder Mark Tinkler.
The 32-year-old has played at the highest level with Leeds and has also had spells at York City, Hartlepool and Scottish side Livingston.
He is one of four new arrivals at the club.
Elated joint boss Phil Brumwell told the Whitby Gazette: "I played in the same side as Mark at school and in a district side and he was the best player around for his age. "He has also played a high level of premier league games. "He's been at Livingston for the past year but was interested in getting into the English non-league. "Mark is top drawer and I am absolutely ecstatic about signing him."
The Blues have also landed another former Leeds player, striker Tony Hackworth, who was at Whitby for a short spell last season. Centre back Kevin Burgess has signed after being released by Darlington and midfielder Steve Huggins, who Brumwell claims was "really sought after in the Northern League" is another new addition, from Billingham Town.
Brumwell said: "We have four players there who are maybe above budget money-wise but these players don't come along very often. "They were our four targets for the summer and the club has bent over backwards to help. "Everyone from last season is desperate to stay and we've agreed with the majority that they will be coming back for pre-season on 1 July. "It's a matter of people playing for places and we may have a selection headache - but that's the kind of headache you want."
Despite Whitby staying up on the final day of the UniBond campaign, Brumwell is very optimistic for the new season. "We wrote a list of targets at the end of last season and we've got them all. We can't ask for any more."

Blues hit by £15,000 sponsorship shortfall

By Duncan Atkins WHITBY Town Football Club has missed out on £15,000 of sponsorship due to the ill health of president Brooks Mileson, it has emerged. But the Blues are launching a new patrons club in a bid to make up the shortfall.
Chairman Graham Manser told the Gazette this week: "Our club president and main sponsor Brooks is still very ill and unconfirmed reports suggest he has great difficulty talking and is still having epileptic fits.
"We wish Brooks a speedy recovery and we must thank him most sincerely for all his financial backing over the past 16 years, without which the club would not be the force it is in non-league football. Nor would it be so high up the non-league pyramid.
"The club does not rely on Brooks' sponsorship for financial survival but we have not received the sponsorship monies which has placed the club in a poor financial position."
In the new patron's club, members would be entitled to free admission to all home matches with designated seats in the new stand, incorporating complimentary hospitality in the board room before, during and after the game. Travel to away matches is also included in the package and the total cost is £500 per season which would be acknowledged in the match programme.
The Blues are also seeking new sponsors for the coming season which includes everything from home and away strips, advertising boards, player sponsorship and the junior teams.
Mr Manser yesterday added: "It may be once Brooks recovers, not only might we receive the 2007/08 sponsor money but he might continue for next season. "In the meantime we have to work on the principle he won't get much better; that's why we want sponsors and are trying to think of ideas to make up the shortfall.
"We hope he recovers as he's done an awful lot for this football club."

Call Mr Manser on (01947) 605921