Former Harriers 3

[tonythescout]

Danny wright has retired. Finished up at Gloucester city.
Never forget whild using him as a wide man during his tenure. One of the oddest decisions I’ve seen from a manager.

[Grumpy old man]

Watched him a couple of times at Gloucester this season. Never threatened to score a goal on either occasion. Not sure that their pitch suited him at his age. Good guy.

[Phil]

Martin Riley hangs his boots up after twenty years in the game.

[Phil]

Brandon Diau's latest video. Produced by Portadown/League of Ireland.

Good to see him win his first trophy. Legend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_9Ic6WtmfM

[harry211]

I always felt a bit for Diau. One of those signings that made no sense, and you felt he might have been duped a little bit, but seems such a nice bloke with a really good story. Some players, like managers, seem to have a club where they just click - and I hope that Brandon has found his.

As for Riley, I found it unbelievable that he was playing for us nearly 15 years ago. I put that into perspective of when I started going and it would have been like talking about a player in the late 80s. There is some footage of Riley, but for younger or more recent fans... He came to us as a young centre half. Almost immediately he took up position as the 'good cop' to Mark Creighton's 'bad cop' - the more elegant, composed, quicker, more finessed defender. Think of him as similar to the partnership between Chey Dunkley and Josh Gowling (nowhere near as good), or Baj and Cameron.

It was obvious he would go on to play at a higher level. We hoped it would be for us, but after we missed out on the playoffs on the final day we had a post-season cull of first team players. Adam Bartlett, Keith Lowe, Mark Creighton, Martin Riley, Lee Baker, Martin Brittain, Justin Richards and others left on frees as we couldn't afford to keep them in the dying days of Barry Norgrove's ownership. Memorably Riley got sent off against Forest Green Rovers in a 2-2 draw, when Harriers came back from 2-1 down and nine men to equalise late on. Didn't Riley get sent off for an elbow on Andy Mangan?The other red was for Justin Richards who had a scrap with ex-Harriers defender Lee Ayres. Luckily super Stefan Moore popped up. Happy days!

[Phil]

Riles was sent off at FGR after Mangan tripped over a veggie burger and the ref deemed that Riles had put it there

Seriously they were side by side heading for the FGR goal. Riles was about two foot away from him and Mangan put his foot to one side and went down like a bag of. Ref gave a straight red.

Like Reece Styche, Mangan was convincing at it.

You were also right about Justin Richards getting sent off in that game for a coming together with our former player Lee Ayres.

https://www.harriers-online.co.uk/season08-09/reports08-09/fgro_a_7-4-09.shtml

[aberred]

I always felt a bit for Diau. One of those signings that made no sense, and you felt he might have been duped a little bit, but seems such a nice bloke with a really good story. Some players, like managers, seem to have a club where they just click - and I hope that Brandon has found his.

As for Riley, I found it unbelievable that he was playing for us nearly 15 years ago. I put that into perspective of when I started going and it would have been like talking about a player in the late 80s. There is some footage of Riley, but for younger or more recent fans... He came to us as a young centre half. Almost immediately he took up position as the 'good cop' to Mark Creighton's 'bad cop' - the more elegant, composed, quicker, more finessed defender. Think of him as similar to the partnership between Chey Dunkley and Josh Gowling (nowhere near as good), or Baj and Cameron.

It was obvious he would go on to play at a higher level. We hoped it would be for us, but after we missed out on the playoffs on the final day we had a post-season cull of first team players. Adam Bartlett, Keith Lowe, Mark Creighton, Martin Riley, Lee Baker, Martin Brittain, Justin Richards and others left on frees as we couldn't afford to keep them in the dying days of Barry Norgrove's ownership. Memorably Riley got sent off against Forest Green Rovers in a 2-2 draw, when Harriers came back from 2-1 down and nine men to equalise late on. Didn't Riley get sent off for an elbow on Andy Mangan?The other red was for Justin Richards who had a scrap with ex-Harriers defender Lee Ayres. Luckily super Stefan Moore popped up. Happy days!

Riley was actually one of those who wasn’t part of the exodus. He was there the following season, playing under Burr, was offered a contract the following season but refused it, and because of his age had to had to buy himself out of his contract so he could go elsewhere (Cheltenham I think).

[Bewdleyharrier]

I always felt a bit for Diau. One of those signings that made no sense, and you felt he might have been duped a little bit, but seems such a nice bloke with a really good story. Some players, like managers, seem to have a club where they just click - and I hope that Brandon has found his.

As for Riley, I found it unbelievable that he was playing for us nearly 15 years ago. I put that into perspective of when I started going and it would have been like talking about a player in the late 80s. There is some footage of Riley, but for younger or more recent fans... He came to us as a young centre half. Almost immediately he took up position as the 'good cop' to Mark Creighton's 'bad cop' - the more elegant, composed, quicker, more finessed defender. Think of him as similar to the partnership between Chey Dunkley and Josh Gowling (nowhere near as good), or Baj and Cameron.

It was obvious he would go on to play at a higher level. We hoped it would be for us, but after we missed out on the playoffs on the final day we had a post-season cull of first team players. Adam Bartlett, Keith Lowe, Mark Creighton, Martin Riley, Lee Baker, Martin Brittain, Justin Richards and others left on frees as we couldn't afford to keep them in the dying days of Barry Norgrove's ownership. Memorably Riley got sent off against Forest Green Rovers in a 2-2 draw, when Harriers came back from 2-1 down and nine men to equalise late on. Didn't Riley get sent off for an elbow on Andy Mangan?The other red was for Justin Richards who had a scrap with ex-Harriers defender Lee Ayres. Luckily super Stefan Moore popped up. Happy days!

Cracking goal by Stefan Moore to send the (only) packed side of their ground into delirium.

[PIRATE OF ZARAGOZA]

Riles was sent off at FGR after Mangan tripped over a veggie burger and the ref deemed that Riles had put it there

Seriously they were side by side heading for the FGR goal. Riles was about two foot away from him and Mangan put his foot to one side and went down like a bag of. Ref gave a straight red.

Like Reece Styche, Mangan was convincing at it.

You were also right about Justin Richards getting sent off in that game for a coming together with our former player Lee Ayres.

https://www.harriers-online.co.uk/season08-09/reports08-09/fgro_a_7-4-09.shtml

The referee from that day hasn't had a bad career been a Premiership referee for about 5 years and doing the Arsenal game today.

[harry211]

Well corrected Nick, my apologies.

As for Coote, I think every Harriers fan is shocked he's made the step up. Then again, we all have bad days at work...

[garthrockett]

Not sure if this has been posted before but an interesting perspective on one of the Harriers legends.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5HSbi3jB_E

[Sheffield Harrier]

Just noticed that Martin Devaney is caretaker manager at Barnsley. They lost 3-1 to Bolton in the play-offs last night.

[tonythescout]

Always liked devaney, despite his stay being short. Shame he wasn’t kept on but I suppose that was the summer re recruited a certain Joe Lolley

[Phil]

John McGrath is the new manager of Buxton: https://www.buxtonfc.co.uk/post/buxton-fc-appoint-new-first-team-manager

Spent a short time with us 20 years ago: https://harriers-online.co.uk/khfc/harriers/former-harriers-players/john-mcgrath/

[Phil]

Nick Clayton-Phillips joining Walsall Wood.