Wednesday 20 July 2022 - Kick-off 8.00pm v FC United of Manchester The Sam Harding Memorial Trophy Admission by donations. Official Matchday Programme £2 ASHTON ATHLETIC ASHTON ATHLETIC Welcome to Brocstedes Park Year Formed: 1968 Life President: Jimmy Witherington Club President: Bill Bohannon Club Chairman: Jimmy Whyte Club Secretary: Alan Greenhalgh Club Treasurer: Brad Reid First Team Manager : Jay Foulds Assistant Manager: Richard Brodie Physio: TBC Development Squad Manager: Konrad Gielniak Programme Editor: Bernie Johnson Ground: Brocstedes Park Address: Brocstedes Road, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 0NR Telephone: 01942 716360 Website: www.ashtonathletic.co.uk Twitter: @AshtonAthletic Facebook: www.facebook.com/AshtonAthletic The Entity: Unincorperated Members Club Midweek Home Games: Tuesday Registered Outfield Colours: Yellow Shirts, Blue Shorts & Socks Registered Goalkeeping Colours: Green Shirt, Shorts & Socks Alternative Colours: Blue shirts, Blue Shorts & Socks Highest Attendance: 610(v Chorley 30/09/17) County Affiliation: Lancashire FA Honours: Atherton Charity Cup: Winners: 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 NWCFL Challenge Cup: Winners: 2013/14 Wigan Cup: Winners: 2014/15 Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy: Winners 2016/17 Jay Foulds I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone who is attending tonight’s game in memory of Sam Harding. FC United contacted me a couple of months ago with the idea of having a memorial game for Sam and I immediately agreed to the game. I hope everyone from both clubs enjoys the game. I would also like to personally welcome Colin, Liz, Amy and all their family and friends to Brocstedes Park for tonight’s game. When we received the news about Sam’s passing everyone at the the club was devastated to say the least. It rocked the club to its core and the emotion around the club was hard to control. All the 1st team players met up at the club and senior management & Officials spoke to as many lads as possible to ensure they were ok mentally. There were definite visible signs that some of the younger guys were not coping too well with what had occurred but that first night brought them close together as a group. Sam was a quiet reassuring young man but once he crossed that white line he sure knew what he wanted to achieve and how to play the game. Sam always tried to thank everyone as he was leaving the clubhouse whether it be the bar man, the ladies that provided the after match food or any volunteer at the club. Sam’s legacy will always live on at Ashton Athletic in one way or another. His Dad Colin is starting to get involved with us and personally I have to say it’s a pleasure to have him around. We will at some point have a permanent memorial at Ashton Athletic for Sam when Colin and myself decide what that is going to be. Sam will always be remembered fondly & missed sorely by everyone in the Ashton Athletic family for many years to come. RIP Sam Harding Onceayellowalwaysayellow Jimmy Whyte Ashton Athletic Chairman A Message from the Chairman F O O T B A L L L E A G U E T H E N O R T H W E S T C O U N T I E S nwcfl.c m For the latest League & Club News & Info, Fixtures, Results, Cup Info, Stats & Archives Follow us on social media Search ‘North West Counties League’ on Twitter and Facebook Official Website of The North West Counties Football League Sam Harding Sam joined the club in December 2021 and although he was only with us a short time he made a big impact on and off the pitch. From the first conversation I had with Sam I knew he would fit the club perfect and I wasn’t wrong. His passion, enthusiasm, desire, work rate and enjoyment of football was infectious which showed in results when he played. He always played with a smile on his face and just loved being on a pitch showcasing his talent. He was a quiet, well mannered young man who always thanked management, committee, fans and volunteers especially the women who put the food on after the game. He was destined to move up the leagues and had already attracted attention from a few clubs further up the non league pyramid. Sam will be sorely missed but will never be forgotton. Fly high mate! Once a yellow always a yellow. Jay Foulds A Brief History... Ashton Athletic Football Club was founded in 1968 and playing in the Wigan Sunday League – winning every Division in consecutive seasons and many cup competitions before switching to the Warrington League on Saturdays where similar success was sustained. The Club developed Brocstedes Park and was admitted to the Lancashire Combination, before becoming a founder member of the North West Counties League when the Combination merged with the Cheshire league in 1982. Unfortunately, financial constraints prevented the required ground improvements to be completed, and the Club was relegated into the Manchester league Division One in 1986. The drop of two leagues resulted in the majority of the playing staff moving to other club’s and for numerous years the club endeavored to re-build. Players came and went, lacking the Club loyalty that had brought success to the Club in the 1970’s and early 80’s until the Committee embraced an ambitious youth development policy in 1999. The Club is now at the end of a ten-year development plan to enhance its recreational facilities and expand the Club, in particular its junior section. Eight years ago, the Club had two teams, 50 members, one mediocre pitch with dilapidated clubhouse and changing rooms. Since then the Club members have worked tirelessly to progress the Club within its means, and with some help from external grant sources. Assistance from the Football foundation, Awards for All programme, and Wigan Council enabled a series of improvements to be completed. The main pitch was re-drained, a second pitch acquired/improved, new changing rooms and Clubhouse built, disabled access provided and other improvements made to the grounds. More recently the ground has been brought up to the necessary Ground Grading for re-entry into the NWCFL, in time for the start of the 2006/7 season and further inprovements have provided additional seating. The 2008/09 season also saw further progression of the Club, having been promoted to the Premier Division of the Vodkat North West Counties League. We were again able take to the national stage, having been accepted in the FA Cup competition after last season’s debut in the FA Vase which proved very lucrative for the Club, progressing through 3 stages and beating 2 teams from higher leagues in the process. The previous season also saw cup success for the Club retaining the Atherton Charity Cup at the end of the season. Following an impressive 6th place finish in the 2008/09 season, the Yellows struggled in the league for the next 4 seasons, finishing in the bottom three of the league in three of the next four seasons. 21st (09/10), 22nd (10/11), 14th (11/12) and 20th (12/13). Jimmy McBride, who took over the reins midway through the 12/13, left the club when the season ended and the club took the unusual step in bringing in a trio of managers, Jay Foulds, Ben Kay and Dougie Pitts. Jay and Ben were brought in from Wigan Robin Park and Dougie came in following a break from the game. The trio needed to completely rebuild the squad for the 2013/14 season and made an excellent start to their managerial careers creating club history with a 6th place finish and beating Maine Road 1-0 to win the League Challenge Cup at Curzon Ashton. More club history was made in the 2014/15 season with a highest ever 5th place finish in the league, conceding only 38 goals and losing only 7 league games that season and the Yellows were successful in the Wigan Cup, beating Newburgh Harrock United 5-1 in the final at Brocstedes Park. The 2015/16 season saw the retirement of Jay Foulds and he was replaced in the Ashton Athletic goal by Martin Pearson. Unfortunately, there were no cup heroics in that season but there was a solid 7th place finish in the league. The 2016/17 saw another top 10 finish with the club ending the season in 9th place, but the club made history in the cups reaching the 2nd qualifying round for the first time ever, losing 5-0 against Halifax Town and winning the Lancashire Cup for the first time, coming from a goal down to win 2-1 against Radcliffe Borough. Lee Vaughan scoring the winner in the final minute of the game. With the impact the management trio have made at the club in the 4 seasons that they have been in charge of the first team, the success was noticed from clubs at a higher level and following the 2016/17 season, Ben Kay left his role as joint manager to take up the role as assistant manager to Simon Howarth at Clitheroe FC, where he will link up again former Yellows captain, Ian Rowlands. A new vision for the Club is under discussion to further develop the Club and these will include plans for improvements to the access road, new junior changing rooms, additional playing fields for the junior section and a proposed girls/ladies section. The main ground is also scheduled for enhancement works with additional covered spectator areas. The Club is a voluntary organisation run by a Committee of 14 alongside approximately 25 coaches and managers. Any money raised by the Club has been ploughed back into improving the facilities and developing the youth section. The Club now has a total membership of more than 400. We have 9 junior teams consisting of approximately 160 children who take advantage of the improvement of our now excellent facilities, whilst hundreds of children and adults from opposition teams also benefit from the continually improving facilities. The Club is keen to maintain the pace of development of the club and future plans will enable increased activity at the Club, additional Junior teams and a much safer and secure environment in particular for spectators and Children. The Club was awarded the FA Charter Standard in 2013. The club set up in protest to Malcolm Glazer’s takeover of Manchester United’ is a statement often used to describe FC United. But while there is no doubt that FC would not have happened without the American invasion, it was the catalyst, the final straw, but not the sole reason. The material theft of a Manchester institution, forcibly taken from the people of Manchester, was the tip of a pyramid of destruction, with changing kick off times for the benefit of television, soulless all-seater stadia full of ‘new’ supporters intent to sit back and watch rather than partake in the occasion, heavy handed stewarding and ridiculously priced tickets propping it all up. By May 2005 some supporters had had enough. The failure to prevent Glazer and repeat the successful repulsion of Rupert Murdoch in 1998 resurrected a ‘last resort’ idea from that previous campaign and the FC United wheels were put in motion. A group of individuals determined to continue the fight formed a steering committee and FC United of Manchester was delivered. Critics of the idea argued that if supporters were disgruntled with the Premiership then why didn’t they go and support other local cash-strapped clubs instead of setting up their own? But that wouldn’t have been theirs would it? It wouldn’t have been United and it wouldn’t have been right to takeover another club after they had just been taken over themselves. Nor could they drift off in various directions and be lost to each other and maybe football forever. They wanted to maintain the momentum of the protest, to stick together, to sing United songs, to reminisce and bring back the good bits of the good old days. They wanted Our Club, Our Rules and they got just that, a member owned democratic, not-for-profit organisation created by Manchester United fans. A club accessible to all of the Greater Manchester community, dedicated to encouraging participation of youth whether it be playing or supporting and to providing affordable football for all. Honours 2005-06 North West Counties Division Two - Champions 2006-07 North West Counties Division One - Champions North West Counties League Challenge Cup - Winners The Supporters Direct Cup - Winners 2007-08 The UniBond League, 1st Division North Play-off - Winners The UniBond League President’s Cup - Winners The Jimmy Davis Memorial Cup - Winners 2010-11 EvoStik League Premier Division - Play Off Final - Runners Up 2011-12 EvoStik League Premier Division - Play Off Final - Runners Up 2012-13 EvoStik League Premier Division - Play Off Final - Runners Up 2014-15 EvoStik League Premier Division - Champions 2016-17 The Frank Hannah Manchester Cup - Winners 2017-18 The Frank Hannah Manchester Cup - Winners Our Opponents Today No words could ever express our appreciation for the love and support we have received since the sudden and tragic passing of our son, Sam. We are eternally grateful. Two fantastic community clubs who have shown the true meaning of the football family. Knowing that Sam’s memory and legacy will live on is a huge comfort to our family. We know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories. Col, Liz and Amy xx A Message from Col, Liz and Amy Ashton Athletic Manager: Jay Foulds FC United of Manchester Manager: Neil Reynolds Joe Smith Harrison Waddington Robel Kesete Nathan Carnell Yannick Machado Le Gal Chris Cardios-Soares Sam Houghton Calum Wilson George Coleville Jack Dark Zach Conway Hogan Ako Richard Brodie Louis Haddock Max Lewens Rahuf Mak James Farro Dylan Wood MATCH OFFICIALS REFEREE TBC ASSISTANT TBC ASSISTANT TBC Dan Lavercombe Adam Dodd Curtis Jones Jan Palinkas Josh Askew Michael Donohue Paul Ennis Luke Griffiths Jack Bennett Alex Wollerton Regan Linley Jack Anderton Sandro da Costa Edy Maieco Toby Humphriess Harry McGee Tom Murray Jonathan Smith Christopher Taylor James Vincent Andy Halls Curtis Obeng Clive Smith Ryan Hamer NEXT UP AT BROCSTEDES PARK Saturday 30 July 2022 Kick-off 3.00pm West Didsbury and Chorlton