Following another of the realignments by the Football Association, two of Nottinghamshire’s finest, both in the same town as well, were laterally moved during the summer, Retford United and Retford being moved from the Northern Counties Eastern League Division One, to the United Counties League Division One.
Here the Nottingham Sport catches up with Badgers boss, Ryan Hindley, who, after missing out in the play-offs in the NCEL One last time around, has seen his Retford United charges start the season with eight wins and a draw from eleven games, sitting fourth in the league, and will be travelling to Chadderton, in the FA Vase 2QR, this coming weekend.
“It’s been relentless and we’ve not really had a break if I’m honest,” insisted Hindley, looking back on last season, and the summer now a fading memory.
“But you also have to factor in, and value family time as well.
“Looking at last season though, we weren’t good enough, in the big games.
“Therefore, we didn’t deserve to go up; but we amassed a good points tally, and we scored plenty of goals.
“This season (in the NCEL) I’m thinking Wombwell Town, but for us, being moved to the United Counties, it really feels like a relegation, even more as we’d already paid our fees for the new season.
“It was all very last minute, but we carry and, like say Clay Cross Town, we’re ambitious, and I can see the race for promotion being a four or even a five-horse race.”
Alongside a number of other, Notts-based clubs in the division, it’s been a good start for the Badgers, one that, so far, has seen several clubs put to the sword, and in different competitions – Sandiacre Town were beaten 5-1 away in early August (Kieren Watson a brace), seven was the magi number in back-to-back outings as August turned into September, Clifton All Whites beaten 7-1 at home (goal-machine Mark West with a hat-trick), followed by G N G Oadby Town dismissed from the UCL Cup, 7-0, away (another West treble, and Watson brace), and progression in the Notts FA Senior Cup with a 5-2 win at Southwell City.
West bagged a brace that day, nothing eight in three consecutive outings, and has taken his personal tally, thus far, to eleven in eleven, the Badgers amassing thirty-six goals already (conceding ten); of the other ten scorers heading into the Chadderton game, Watson is already on six (in eight games), and Kieran Knight has four himself.
“We treat every single opponent the same,” insists Hindley.
“The players are educated enough, and they go out there and play the game for a full, ninety (plus) minutes, and there’s no guaranteed three points either, so we all have to work our socks off.
“This (UCL) it’s a new league, with new teams, but for us is has to be finishing in the top three-to-five (play-offs), and if we do that, then we need to be getting promotion.
“But we’ve also got to go out there and find our feet first as well.”
In what is a top-heavy, Notts division, the Badgers one of dozen sides from the county plying their trade in UCL One, their first two outings of October are local affairs, at home to Rainworth Miners Welfare, before visiting Selston, on the 2 and 5 respectively, before the next round of the UCL Cup a week later, United travelling to Staveley Miners Welfare.
“Squad, and talent-wise, we should be there or thereabouts anyway,” claimed Hindley.
“The loss to Clipstone, and Coalville, we probably should have got something, both coming here, getting the goal that mattered, and did the job, taking the tree points.
“We really though should be played eight, won eight (or at least won six and drawn two), but opposing clubs have got what they deserved when taking off us.”
Before those upcoming league (and league cup) matches, it’s a trip to Andrew Street, and North West Counties Premier Division high-fliers, Chadderton.
Sitting second in the table, a point behind leaders Ramsbottom United, with a game in hand, they’ve already played fifteen games (league and cup), winning eight – but when they lose, they do so badly.
Hindley can take a little heart from the fact his free-scoring side could cause an upset against a side that have shipped seven, and five goals, already this season – 7-1 at Wythenshawe Town in the FA Cup, and 5-2 when home to AFC Liverpool.
“Chadderton, they’re a tough challenge, but the lads here welcome that,” smiled Hindley, looking ahead to their upcoming, FA Vase match.
“We love being the underdogs, and if we go out there and win, then that’s great.
“But we’re playing a new system as well, a new shape, which these lads have bought into, so we’re cautiously optimistic – although I wish games would come thicker and faster.”
Rivalry-wise, as things stand, the Badgers will face the Choughs twice this season, in the league; separated by less than two miles with each club based either side of the town centre, derby day is often (well always) an entertaining fixture.
This season, the first meeting between the two sides will see Hindley’s Badgers welcome their rivals to Cannon Park for the traditional, Boxing Day fixture, with the return, at Woodhead’s The Rail, currently scheduled for the last match of the season (21 April 2025).
The Badgers make the trip to Chadderton, Greater Manchester, this coming Saturday afternoon (21 September) looking to book their place in the next round of the FA Vase – keep up-to-date via their socials on Facebook here and X here.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @RetfordUnited Badgers boss Ryan Hindley.
