COME HERE ROVERS YOU ARE ON TELLY

I watched "Rovers" last night, a comedy series on Sky 1 written by Joe Wilkinson and David Earl. Take a few members of "Early Doors" and "the Royle Family", film for 4 days and produce a series of 6 and a half hours for the telly. The set was at New Mills AFC, described by some as the worst team in the pyramid. The team this season, played in the Northern Premier League Div One North, but finances are short and of course results rely on cash in football. In Step 4 the Millers drew three games, scored 26 and let in 156 goals in 42. So not such a good season then, especially after a run of 19 losing games in the first 19 matches of the season.

New Mills FC founded in 1919, were originally known as New Mill St Georges. The club's latest triumph was in 2011-12 when they won the North-west Counties Premier League championship, Step 5. This year's winners were Colne (near Nelson) who mustered 100 points and 105 goals and were promoted. 

I might add an old club of mine, Horsham FC, won their step 5 league this season and are promoted. Well done the Hornets.

Much of the filming is in the club house and some shots are of the Church Lane pitch and surrounds, which may be described as "grubby". 

Well known stars as Craig Cash, the dopey son in law in the Royle family and Sue Johnston, the mum in law, lead the line, so to speak.

New Mills has a population of around 10,000 and is located somewhere on the edge of Manchester. 

The episode proved mucky at times and reference is made to the one time star of the club, Stanley Bell whose has a stand named after him. Yes, the Stanley Bell End.

The Millers, the team in real life, are played out as Redbridge Rovers FC, a moderate local league side with a faithful following. The Rovers won't want to be as useless as New Mills who easily finished bottom of their division and mustered 3 points all season.

Various well known clubs are mentioned in the script, some not necessarily in the league New Mills were relegated from. "Frickley has Plexiglas dugouts", Skelmersdale gets a mention....

As New Mills go down, Warrington Town and Spennymoor Town get promotion from their division to Step 3.

There is an opportunity for viewers or anyone else, as a matter of fact, to design the new New Mills kit for next season. June 6th is the deadline and the winner gets £100, a season ticket and your name in the programme. Wooohoooo! Get in touch.

Ps Shaun Goater, from " Feed the Goat" fame once helped manage the side.