2021-2022, A SEASON OF CHANGE - SUMMING UP
A new manager, new league set-up, and many new opponents, that was the position of Nuneaton Griff in August of last year!

The Green cousins, Adam and Iain, had stepped down as joint managers and two days later Sam Belcher was appointed in their place, his career had been cut short by injury at a comparatively young age although he was able to fit in the odd game.

One of his first acts was to bring in the experienced Darren Horne as his assistant and not long after, Dave Cook joined as Coach, Will Daniel came into the Management team as Physio.

As well as internal changes Griff faced an exciting challenge in Midland Football League One which had seen many changes as the FA restructured the Non-League scene throughout the country. Former regular opponents such as Studley and Brocton were moved and in came eleven from the West Midlands Regional League, many of them being old-established clubs from the Black Country.

Griff had a somewhat false dawn as they travelled to Wolverhampton Sporting Community first and after going behind early they hit back to win 3-1. A strange-looking fixture list gave Griff just two home games in the first ten fixtures, their second match being the short away trip to neighbours Atherstone Town midweek where after leading 1-0 at half-time the Heartlanders lost 4-1. Worse was to come as thirteen goals were shipped in two games in three days before a 4-0 victory at Cradley Town!
In September a 1-0 victory at Bilston Town was one of Griff’s finest games of the season with goalkeeper Pat Kollie wowing the home fans with a stunning performance but two games later Bewdley eased to a 3-0 victory at The Pingles in the FA Vase. Only five games were played in November and December but at the end of January came the home game against Atherstone Town which produced a Griff record League attendance of 638.
All three games were lost in February before the side went on a seven-game unbeaten run to the end of the season and finished in eighth position in the table.
Thirty six games were played in the league. of the eighteen away, nine were won and one drawn, at home seven were won, four drawn and seven lost so the team did slightly better away than at home!