A YEAR OF STARS AND NEW HISTORY

THE NLP'S 2022-23 SEASON REVIEW NATIONAL LEAGUE

AUGUST

And they’re off – eight months of the 2022-23 season get underway in the usual basking sunshine.

It certainly felt a lot brighter for National League new boys Oldham Athletic at kick-off following the completed eve of the season takeover by local businessman Frank Rothwell to end the unpopular regime under Abdallah Lemsagam.

Rothwell had asked fans if they’d ever heard of Dorking Wanderers – the 8,000 who turned up for their first home game under new ownership certainly had by full-time after Marc White’s newly-promoted side pushed them all the way in a 3-2 thriller.

Pre-season title favourites Wrexham finished the month having won five of their first four games – defeat inflicted by Chesterfield.

The Spireites would finish the month top of the pile ahead of the Red Dragons and fast-starters Barnet and Wealdstone who both won four of their first six.

There was intrigue as to how Macaulay Langstaff would step up from Gateshead and under the Magpies’ new manager Luke Williams – the former Heed man scored three doubles in his first six games.

At the other end, Scunthorpe United’s opening day win proved a false dawn. They lost their next five and Keith Hill was shown the exit door with Tony Daws handed caretaker responsibilities.

SEPTEMBER 

Football fell silent following the death of Her Majesty The Queen, cancelling the September 10 weekend’s programme as a mark of respect.

John Sheridan departed Oldham Athletic and was given a big send-off by fans in his final game as they beat Eastleigh.

Former Everton defender David Unsworth was appointed as his replacement and, on taking his first permanent, senior management role felt he’d found the perfect club at the right time.