Tuesday 23 August 2022 - Kick-off 7.45pm v AFC Liverpool The North West Counties Football League Premier Division Official Matchday Programme ASHTON ATHLETIC ASHTON ATHLETIC 1. Entry to the Ground shall constitute acceptance of these Ground Regulations and the Rules and Regulations. All persons entering the Ground must have paid the relevant admission charge. Proof of age, where an age concession is claimed, and proof of identity may be re- quired and must be supplied on demand. 2. Notwithstanding possession of any ticket the Club, any police officer or authorised steward may refuse entry to (or eject from) the Ground any person: 2.1 who fails (or in the Club’s reasonable opinion is likely to fail) to comply with these Ground Regulations or any reasonable instruction issued by a police officer or authorised steward; and/or 2.2 whose presence within the Ground is, or could (in the Club’s reasonable opinion), consti- tute a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to any other person. 3. On no account will admission be granted to a person who is the subject of a current Ban- ning Order under the Football Spectators Act 1989 (as amended) or has been convicted of ticket touting offences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (as amended). 4. The Club excludes, to the maximum extent permitted by law, any liability for loss, injury or damage to persons and property in or around the Ground. Nothing in these Ground Regula- tions shall exclude the Club’s liability for death or personal injury caused by the Club’s negli- gence. 5. No guarantees can be given by the Club that a Match will take place at a particular time or on a particular date, or at all, and the Club reserves the right to reschedule or cancel a Match without notice. 6. In the event of the postponement, cancellation or abandonment of the Match (or if the Match has, for any reason, to be played out of the view of the public), refunds (if any) will be made in accordance with the specific ticket terms and conditions applicable to your ticket pur- chase. The Club will have no further liability whatsoever, including (but not limited to) liability for any in direct or consequential loss or damage, such as (but not limited to) loss of enjoyment or travel costs. 7. All persons seeking entrance to the Ground acknowledge and agree to the Club’s reasona- ble right to search any person, and their belongings, entering the Ground and to refuse entry to or eject from the Ground any person refusing to submit to such a search. 8. Further, you may not bring into the Ground any sponsorship, promotional or marketing materials save in respect of official club merchandise and/or other football related clothing nor may you offer (either free or for sale by any person) any goods (including literature) of any nature without the express written approval of the Club. 9. The following articles must not be brought within the Ground – knives, fireworks or any other pyrotechnics, smoke canisters, air-horns, flares, weapons, dangerous or hazardous items, laser devices, glass bottles, glass vessels, cans, poles, any articles that are prohibited by the Rules and Regulations, and any article that might be used as a weapon and/or compromise public safety. Any person in possession of such items will be refused entry to (or ejected from) the Ground. 10. The use of threatening behaviour and/or foul or abusive language is strictly forbidden and may result in arrest and/or ejection from the Ground. The Club may impose a ban (including, but not limited to, a ban for one or more Matches) and/or the removal of season ticket(s) for any such behaviour. 11. Any act of victimization as defined in the Equality Act 2010 or any act of discrimination by reason of ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, gender reassign- ment, sexual orientation, disability age, pregnancy, maternity, marital status or civil partnership, or other forms of harassment is strictly forbidden and will result in arrest and/or ejection from the Ground. The Club may impose a ban (including, but not limited to, a ban for one or more Matches) and/or the removal of season ticket(s) for any such behaviour. 12. Nobody may stand in any seating area whilst play is in progress. Persistent standing in seated areas whilst play is in progress is strictly forbidden and may result in ejection from the Ground and, in addition, the Club may impose a ban (including, but not limited to, a ban for one or more Matches) and/or the removal of season ticket(s) for any such behaviour. 13. The obstruction of gangways, access ways, exits and entrances, stairways and like places is strictly forbidden. Nobody entering the Ground shall be permitted to climb any structures within the Ground. 14. With the exception of the designated smoking areas, smoking (including the use of elec- tronic cigarettes) is not permitted in any part of the Ground and will result in ejection from the Ground. 15. Mobile telephones, smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices are permitted within the Ground provided that they are used for personal and private use only (which, by way of example only, shall not include the capturing, logging, recording, transmitting, playing, issu- ing, showing, or any other communication of any Material for any commercial purposes). 16. Alcohol may only be consumed within the Ground if purchased from the Club’s own facili- ties and in accordance with the Club’s licensing conditions. Under the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 (as amended), the following are offences for which a person can be arrested by a police officer and conviction could result in a Banning Order being made under the Football Spectators Act 1989 (as amended): 16.1 Attempting to enter the Ground or being inside the Ground whilst drunk; 16.2 Being in possession of any intoxicating liquor, or bottle, can or other portable container which could cause damage or personal injury, when entering the Ground or in a public area of the Ground from which the event can be directly viewed. 17. Under the Football (Offences) Act 1991 (as amended) the following are offences for which a person can be arrested by a police officer and conviction could result in a Banning Order being made under the Football Spectators Act 1989 (as amended): The list is non-exhaustive. 17.1. The throwing of any object within the Ground without lawful authority or excuse; 17.2. The chanting of anything of a racist, homophobic or discriminatory nature; and/or 17.3. The entry onto the playing area or any adjacent area to which spectators are not gener- ally admitted without lawful authority or excuse. 18. Any individual who has entered any part of the Ground designated for these of any group of supporters to which he does not belong may be ejected from the Ground either for the purposes of his own safety or for any other reason. 19. Save as set out in Condition 15 above, no person (other than a person who holds an appropriate licence) may capture, log, record, transmit, play, issue, show or otherwise com- municate (by digital or other means) any Material in relation to the Match, any players or other persons present in the Ground and/or the Ground, nor may they bring into the Ground or use within the Ground (or provide to, facilitate or otherwise assist another person to use within the Ground) any equipment or technology which is capable of capturing, logging, recording, transmitting, playing, issuing, showing or otherwise communicating (by digital or other means) any such Material. Copyright, database rights and any other intellectual property rights in any unauthorised recording or transmission is assigned (by way of present assignment of future rights) to the Club and the relevant Football Authority responsible for the Match. You further agree (if and whenever required to do so by the Club) to promptly execute all instruments and do all things necessary to vest the right, title and interest in such rights to the Club and the relevant Football Authority responsible for the Match absolutely and with full title guarantee. 20. Tickets are not transferable and may not be offered for sale without the prior written per- mission of the Club or otherwise as set out in the express terms and conditions of such tickets. Any tickets offered for sale in breach of the terms and conditions thereof may be confiscated by any steward or officer of the Club or any police officer. The Club reserves the right to refuse admission to or eject from the Ground, any person who has transferred his/her ticket in contravention of the relevant ticket terms and conditions (and/or the holder of any ticket that has been transferred in contravention of the relevant ticket terms and conditions). In the event of any refusal of admission or ejection from the Ground no refund shall be payable. Tickets remain the property of the Club at all times. 21. By entering the Ground, all persons acknowledge that photographic images and/or video recordings and/or stills taken from those video recordings may be taken of them and may also be used by the Club for marketing or promotional purposes. Entry into the Ground is confir- mation that all persons have consented to such use of their image unless the Club is notified in writing to the contrary. If any images should feature an individual prominently the Club will make reasonable efforts to gain the consent of that person before publishing such image. If such person is under 18 years of age, the parent, guardian, responsible adult who is accompa- nying them into the Ground shall be deemed to have provided consent on their behalf. 22. CCTV cameras are in use around and in the Ground and the Club may itself use or trans- fer to the police or any Football Authority any recordings for use in any proceedings, or for health, safety or security purposes. By entering the Ground, you consent to such use and transfer of CCTV footage. 23. At all times whilst present in the Ground, persons must comply with any and all reasona- ble instructions and directions of any steward or officer of the Club, any police officer or any officer of any other safety or security service. Failure to comply with any such instruction or direction may lead to the refusal of entry to, or the immediate ejection from, the Ground. 24. Any person found damaging or defacing the Ground may be prosecuted. 25. No re-entry to the Ground is permitted unless permission is given by an officer or a stew- ard of the Club. 26. The Club reserves absolutely the right to refuse entry and eject from the Ground any person that fails (or in the Club’s reasonable opinion is likely to fail) to comply with any of the Ground Regulations or the Rules and Regulations or whose presence within the Ground is, or could (in the Club’s reasonable opinion), be construed as constituting a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to any other person. This could lead to further action by the Club including, but not limited to, the withdrawal of any Club membership and or match ticket and/ or season ticket (without reimbursement) and other benefits. 27. The Club reserves the right to make changes to any of these Ground Regulations from time to time. GROUND REGULATIONS These Ground Regulations shall apply to each Match taking place at the Ground. Entry to the Ground shall constitute acceptance of these Ground Regulations and the Rules and Regulations. These Ground Regulations incorporate the Club's Customer Charter (if any). Definitions: "Club" means this football club. "Football Authorities" means the Football League, the Premier League, The Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, the league of which the Club is in membership from time to time, FIFA, UEFA and any other relevant governing body of association football. "Ground" means this football stadium and all locations owned, oc- cupied or utilised by the Club. "Ground Regulations" means these ground regulations, as amended from time to time. "Match" means any association football match (or any part or aspect of such a match) taking place at the Ground. "Material" means any audio, digital, visual or audio-visual material or any information or data. "Rules and Regulations" means each of the rules and regula-tions of the Football Authorities that may be relevant to the Match, the Club and/or the Ground from time to time. By order of The Football Association INSERT CLUB NAME HERE JOIN OUR 300 JOIN OUR 300 CLUB! CLUB! 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Win Cash Prizes MATCH DAY 19:45 Ashton Athletic v AFC Liverpool 19:45 Avro v Bury AFC 19:45 Barnoldswick Town v Charnock Richard 19:45 Burscough v Kendal Town 19:45 Longridge Town v Litherland REMYCA 19:45 Northwich Victoria v Lower Breck 19:45 Padiham v FC Isle of Man 19:45 Prestwich Heys v Squires Gate 19:45 Vauxhall Motors v Winsford United 19:45 West Didsbury & Chorlton v Irlam 15:00 Euxton Villa v Darwen FC 15:00 Holker Old Boys v AFC Blackpool 15:00 Nelson v Cleator Moor Celtic 15:00 Abbey Hey v Sandbach United 15:00 Alsager Town v Stockport Georgians 15:00 Barnton v Rocester 15:00 Foley Meir v Ashville 15:00 Maine Road v Stafford Town Premier Division First Division South First Division North Tuesday 23 August ASHTON ATHLETIC Saturday 27 August 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 A warm welcome to all of our friends from AFC Liverpool. I hope you enjoy your evening at Brocstedes. Three away games within a week has started to take a toll on us and it will be good to get back to Brocstedes tonight for our fixture against our high flying opponents. Two of our three away games saw promising performances as we matched our opponents and at times had the momentum to go on to win both games. However, crucial late goals again saw us come away from both games with nothing to show for it. Unfortunately Saturday’s match against Litherland Remyca was a setback for us. With both teams looking for that all- important first win of the season, it was the home team that went away with the spoils. Ironically we suffered a similar fate last season to them when we provided the hosts with their first win of that season. However, after that match we went on a run of good results as we pulled away from the relegation zone. Hopefully that bodes well for our future matches and that we can start to earn the points that so many of the performances from our young team have deserved. Special mention and thanks gp to local firm ‘Blinding Blinds’ who have kindly sponsored our new training kit. The future’s bright, the future’s yellow. Jay Sunday 28 August 2022 Kick-off 3.00pm v Hallam (Away) The Isuzu FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round Premier Division P GD Pts 1 Avro 5 11 15 2 Vauxhall Motors 5 8 15 3 AFC Liverpool 5 11 12 4 Prestwich Heys 4 7 9 5 Wythenshawe Town 3 6 9 6 Bury AFC 4 2 9 7 West Didsbury & Chorlton 5 2 8 8 Charnock Richard 4 0 7 9 Squires Gate 6 -3 7 10 FC Isle of Man 4 0 6 11 Barnoldswick Town 4 -1 6 12 Lower Breck 5 -1 6 13 Longridge Town 4 -3 6 14 Congleton Town 4 2 4 15 Northwich Victoria 3 1 4 16 Irlam 5 -4 4 17 Padiham 5 -5 4 18 Litherland REMYCA 5 -4 3 19 Burscough 4 -8 3 20 Winsford United 4 -6 1 21 Ashton Athletic 5 -8 1 22 Kendal Town 3 -7 0 NEXT UP for the Yellows Table as up to Saturday 20 August 2022 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. AFC Liverpool was formed in 2008 by 1,000 Liverpool FC fans who had become increasingly frustrated at the cost and difficulty in obtaining tickets for Premier League matches. The mooted ‘39th game’, in which Premier League fixtures would be played in different parts of the world, proved to be the final straw as it clearly highlighted that those who ran top flight football were more concerned with money than its fans. A website was created and, with the response being positive, work began to move to the next stage and create a steering group to make the club a reality. At the beginning of March 2008, AFC Liverpool was officially formed and it was made clear that the club was not in any way a response to the contentious ownership issue at Anfield or as a protest against Liverpool Football Club. It was a response to issues at the top end of football in general. The new club’s spokesman, fomer Radio Merseyside commentator, Alan Parry explained: “This has nothing to do with the ownership issue (at Liverpool FC), it’s about affordability. I’ve been going to Anfield since the late Seventies when I was six years old. A season ticket in the Kop cost £45 in 1985, today it’s £650, which I know is a lot cheaper than some other Premier League clubs, but in inflation terms Eighties prices should equate to £98 today.” Parry added: “Far from wishing to be estranged from the club, we are hoping that Liverpool will look upon us as a little brother.” By May, AFC Liverpool had appointed its first manager in Derek Goulding. The following month the club arranged a ground share with Prescot Cables and had been accepted into the North West Counties Football League. On 16th July 2008 the club played its first game at the home of Ashton Town, a 1-1 draw in a friendly with St Helens Town. Mark Crowder scored the Reds first goal with a well taken penalty and a crowd of nearly 600 augured well for the season ahead. The club began its first league season extremely well, beating AFC Darwen 5-0 in their opening competitive game which heralded a run of ten wins in the first eleven games. However, they failed to keep this momentum going, eventually finishing a creditable fourth in the league. The season did prove fruitful though as a 1-0 victory over Padiham in First Division Trophy Final at Ashton Athletic provided the club’s first piece of silverware. The 2009/10 season began with three successive victories but after this became indifferent at best. After a 5-2 home defeat to Atherton Collieries on Easter Monday, Derek Goulding left the club and ex- assistant and goalkeeping coach Paul Moore was appointed caretaker manager. Under Moore’s stewardship the club had a strong end to the campaign, winning five out of their last seven league games and achieving a fifth place finish in the league. They also retained the First Division Trophy, coming from behind to beat Cheadle Town 2-1 in the final at Flixton. In doing so, AFC Liverpool became the first club to win the Trophy twice and to successfully defend it. The 2010/11 began in promising fashion with the Reds going on a ten game unbeaten run after an opening day loss at AFC Darwen. However, despite amassing their highest ever points total, promotion never looked likely because of the form of would be champions AFC Blackpool and second placed Runcorn Town. The Reds eventually finished fourth, narrowly missing third place on goal difference. There was further disappointment in the First Division Trophy when they reached the final for a third successive season only to lose to Atherton Collieries 3-2 after extra time. In the FA Vase, steady progress was made to the third round, where their dreams of Wembley were dashed by a defeat at holders and eventual winners, Whitley Bay. However, at the League AGM in July 2011, there was a surprise when Rossendale United were expelled from the league and, in a travesty of justice that still rankles today, the legendary Formby were demoted to the First Division. Holker Old Boys, who finished above AFC Liverpool on goal difference, were offered but declined an invitation to take up a place in the Premier Division. The Reds were invited to take the place and duly accepted, meaning they would play Premier Division football the following season. The 2011/12 season started badly in terms of Our Opponents Today PYROTECHNICS* PRESENT DANGERS TO SPECTATORS, PLAYERS AND OFFICIALS. The North West Counties Football League takes a zero tolerance approach to the use of pyrotechnics in its stadiums. It is a criminal offence to enter a stadium carrying pyrotechnics, or set them off. Anyone found carrying, or setting off pyrotechnics will be reported to the authorities and banned from attending matches. * Pyrotechnics include flares, smoke bombs & fireworks. Scan to Report AFC Liverpool results as the club had to wait until November for their first League victory, a 7-0 demolition of Winsford United. Indeed the result proved to be something of a turning point as the club, who had been rooted to the foot of the table, began the steady climb out of relegation danger, ultimately finishing in nineteenth place. The 2012/13 season saw the club consolidate its position in the Premier Division with an eleventh placed finish, accumulating sixty points in the process. As the season progressed, manager Paul Moore built a core squad of players, which played some of the most exciting, attractive football in the league and, post-Christmas, won fifteen and drew five of twenty eight games, including a defeat of eventual Premier Division champions Padiham on their home patch. The performances were rewarded in the final game of the season as the Reds beat recently crowned champions of the Evo-Stik NPL First Division North, Skelmersdale United, 3-0 in the Liverpool Senior Cup semi-final to book an all North West Counties League clash with Bootle in the final. In 2013/14 the Reds started the campaign at a pace, topping the early tables. They fell just short of being the youngest club to claim the Liverpool Senior Cup, losing the final to Bootle on penalties, and remained among the league’s pacesetters until November and December when they began to drop away. Paul Moore’s side regained their consistency though and eventually achieved their highest ever league finish, ending up seventh with a total of seventy points. In 2014/15 AFC Liverpool managed to record their highest ever win with a 9-0 victory against St Helens Town before eventually finishing ninth in the Premier Division. They also reached their second Liverpool Senior Cup final, beating Ashton Town, Everton and Bootle along the way. In an exciting final, which saw both teams score in the opening two minutes, the Reds were unable to claim the trophy, losing 5-4 to NPL side Skelmersdale United. The Reds started the 2015/16 season in fine form, winning five out of their first six games, including a 9-2 away win at Chadderton in the FA Cup and a 3-2 win against NPL side Radcliffe Borough in the following round, sending them through to the First Qualifying Round for the first time. At the end of September 2015 though, manager Paul Moore decided to move on and his place as taken by former midfielder Joe Gibbons, who had been on Moore’s backroom staff firstly as coach and then assistant manager since July 2013. However, after a good start to his tenure, a string of poor performances and results saw Gibbons resign after just nineteen games in charge. First team coach Kevin Dally was then appointed as the interim manager and with most of the players also having departed, Dally had just five days to bring in almost an entirely new squad before his first match in charge at Alsager. The Reds came from two goals down to secure a creditable 2-2 draw. Dally’s appointment was made permanent in March 2016. With the luxury of a secure league position Dally was able to use the remaining fixtures to embed his style of play and try out players almost in preparation for the following season. As a result the club finished 17th in the league but were in a much stronger, much more stable position from which to move forward. Despite much optimism around what the 2016/17 season would bring, due in no small part to the quality of players Dally had convinced to join the club, the Reds endured an inconsistent campaign. An early exit from the FA Cup at the hands of West Didsbury & Chorlton and a humiliating 6-0 home defeat to local rivals Bootle in the FA Vase meant the Reds could concentrate on the league. For much of the season they were in the top six but a dreadful final two months of the campaign saw them finish 12th, having had three points deducted for fielding an ineligible player earlier in the season. At the beginning of June 2017 Kevin Dally offered his resignation as first team manager, a decision the Board reluctantly accepted. After a rigorous recruitment process former first team coach Chris continued on page 15 Fixtures and Results Date Opponents H/A KO Score Goalscorers Sat 30/07/22 West Didsbury & Chorlton H 15:00 1-1 Conway Tue 02/08/22 Congleton Town A 19:45 0-4 Sat 06/08/22 Prescot Cables (The Emirates F.A Cup EP) A 15:00 1-1 Brodie Tue 09/08/22 Prescot Cables (The Emirates F.A Cup EP) R H 19:45 1-2 Reid Sat 13/08/22 FC Isle of Man A 18:00 1-2 Houghton Tue 16/08/22 Charnock Richard A 19:45 2-3 Brodie, Lewens Sat 20/08/22 Litherland REMYCA A 15:00 0-2 Tue 23/08/22 AFC Liverpool H 19:45 Sat 27/08/22 Hallam (The Isuzu FA Vase 1Q) A 15:00 Mon 29/08/22 Kendal Town H 15:00 Sat 03/09/22 Padiham H 15:00 Wed 07/09/22 Squires Gate A 19:45 Sat 10/09/22 Avro H 15:00 Tue 13/09/22 Prestwich Heys A 19:45 Sat 17/09/22 Northwich Victoria H 15:00 Tue 20/09/22 Vauxhall Motors H 19:45 Tue 27/09/22 Lower Breck H 19:45 Sat 01/10/22 Barnoldswick Town A 15:00 Sat 08/10/22 Prestwich Heys H 15:00 Sat 15/10/22 Longridge Town (The Macron Cup 1) H 15:00 Sat 22/10/22 Avro A 15:00 Wed 26/10/22 Litherland REMYCA A 19:45 Sat 29/10/22 Bury AFC A 15:00 Sat 05/11/22 Longridge Town H 15:00 Sat 12/11/22 Padiham A 15:00 Sat 19/11/22 Burscough H 15:00 Sat 26/11/22 Wythenshawe Town H 15:00 Sat 03/12/22 Longridge Town A 15:00 Sat 10/12/22 West Didsbury & Chorlton A 15:00 Sat 17/12/22 Squires Gate H 15:00 Mon 26/12/22 Irlam A 15:00 Sat 07/01/23 Winsford United H 15:00 Sat 14/01/23 Wythenshawe Town A 15:00 Sat 21/01/23 Bury AFC H 15:00 Sat 28/01/23 Vauxhall Motors A 15:00 Sat 04/02/23 Barnoldswick Town H 15:00 Sat 11/02/23 AFC Liverpool A 15:00 Sat 18/02/23 FC Isle of Man H 15:00 Sat 25/02/23 Lower Breck A 15:00 Sat 04/03/23 Congleton Town H 15:00 Sat 11/03/23 Winsford United A 15:00 Sat 18/03/23 Litherland REMYCA H 15:00 Sat 25/03/23 Charnock Richard H 15:00 Sat 01/04/23 Burscough A 15:00 Mon 10/04/23 Irlam H 15:00 Sat 15/04/23 Northwich Victoria A 15:00 Stammers accepted the job and with it the responsibility for taking the Reds forward into the new season. Despite some signs of promise in the opening weeks, the Reds went on a catastrophic twelve match losing run lasting from mid-September up until early November. The nadir was a 4-5 defeat at Squires Gate, a team on a worse losing run and managed by their Chairman on the day. It was already then apparent that a relegation battle was a real possibility. That unacceptable losing run ended with a deserved, if unlikely, 1-1 draw at local rivals City of Liverpool. Stammers’ side continued to stutter along beating relegation rivals AFC Darwen and Abbey Hey, but losing to promotion chasing Widnes. Defeat at home to Burscough on 23rd December proved to be the last straw for Stammers, who resigned shortly after, bringing his deeply disappointing tenure to an end. He was followed out of the door by a host of players whose motivation clearly wasn’t playing for the shirt. The Board were now left with the task of appointing a second Manager in six months. Stammers’ assistant Stuart Keir and reserve team manager Ben Williams were appointed joint managers on an interim basis. They marked their first match with a dogged 0-0 draw at home to Squires Gate and were eventually appointed as permanent managers. The final weeks of the season saw some encouraging performances from a team the fans were proud to turn out and support. Keir and Williams had ensured that the Reds’ fate was in their own hands on the final day of the season; victory over Charnock Richard would ensure Premier Division status. Despite taking the lead in the opening ten seconds, we eventually lost 2-1 confirming relegation to the Hallmark Security League First Division North. Despite the disappointment of relegation, Keir and Williams ensured the core of players who gave us hope were retained for the 2018/19 season. Our opening game away at Longridge Town started well as we cruised into a 2-0 lead but we ended up losing 5-3 to the eventual champions. Another 5-3 defeat followed four days later at home to Chadderton then we were eliminated from the FA Cup by Premier Division Ashton Athletic after a replay. Victory over Ashton Town, achieved with a last minute penalty, started a run of seven straight league wins. However we were knocked out of the FA Vase by Barton Town. Three more league wins followed before a heavy defeat away at Carlisle City started a run of inconsistent results and performances. We were eliminated from the League Cup by Sandbach United and beaten at home by bottom of the league Holker Old Boys. Three days after the Holker defeat we were about to set off for Cleator Moor Celtic when we received the tragic news that Ben Williams had passed away. The club needed a week or so to take stock before returning to the field of play, winning 1-0 at Litherland REMYCA in the Liverpool Senior Cup. With Stuart Keir now in sole charge of playing matters and coach Chris Anderson promoted to Assistant Manager, the team won six of their next eight games. However, further sad news followed over the Christmas period when popular supporter and club statistician Don Steele unexpectedly passed away. The team continued to build on their pre-Christmas form reaching the quarter finals of the Liverpool Senior Cup and First Division Trophy and losing only one more league game to secure a third place finish in the First Division North. Indeed the 2018/19 season turned out to be our best yet in terms of points gained. It was especially satisfying to have our efforts rewarded by the League as Callum Schorah won the First Division North Player of the Year Award and the club won the Division’s FA Fair Play Award. Stuart Keir stepped down as manager at the end of the season because of family commitments so Assistant Manager Chris Anderson was given the opportunity to take charge of the first team. Without a genuine consultation process, the FA declared season 2019/20 “null and void.” because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The club were active participants in the ultimately unsuccessful legal challenge against the FA’s decision. The global pandemic meant no football was played at our level until September 2020. The North West Counties Football League decided that the unfinished cup competitions from 2019/20 could be played to a conclusion. We drew 3-3 with Runcorn Town in the Macron Cup semi-final but lost on penalty kicks. Our next game was the First Division Trophy Final against Prestwich Heys. A hard fought 2-2 draw ended with another defeat on penalties. After four league games had been played, the uncertainty caused by the pandemic saw the 2020/21 season suspended in December. Having lost two seasons but needing to implement a restructure of the football pyramid, the FA used a points per game formula and invited those clubs with the best ratios to apply for promotion. Our application was successful so we began the 2021/22 in the NWCFL Premier Division. continued from page 12 Ashton Athletic Manager: Jay Foulds AFC Liverpool Manager: Matt Potter 1. Joe Smith 2. Hogan Ako 3. Nathan Carnell 4. Yannick Machado Le Gal 5. Andy Thomas 6. Robel Kesete 7. Sam Houghton 8. Calum Wilson 9. Louis Haddock 10. Matty Reid 11. George Colville 12. Richard Brodie 13. Mark Corbett 14. Mike Donohue 15. Joe White 16. Max Lewin 17 Zach Conway 18 Nathan Salisbury 19 Max Rogers MATCH OFFICIALS REFEREE Alex Beeley ASSISTANT Aron Shatwell ASSISTANT Calum Scott Jack McGovern Finlay Heath Lee McConchie Sonny Parr Luke Stephens Ben Cartwright Tom Douglas James Howell Elliot Hughes Oliver Sanderson-Rigby Richard Wincer Zak El-Beshri Scott Evans Adam Brooks Anthony Lyons Aaron Robertson Lucas Allen(GK) Phil Heron Dale Korie-Butler William McCarthy James McGrane Jordan Monthe Bradley Owens Kyle Scohrah Richard Wincer NEXT UP AT BROCSTEDES PARK Tuesday 30 August 2022 Kick-off 7.45pm Kendal Town