Saturday 26 February 2022 - Kick-off 3.00pm v Litherland REMYCA The North West Counties Football League Premier Division Official Matchday Programme ASHTON ATHLETIC ASHTON ATHLETIC HELP KEEP THE FANS AT THE GAME, FOLLOW THE RULES TO ENSURE WE CAN ALL ENJOY FOOTBALL www.nwcfl.com HOW YOU CAN HELP: WASH HANDS REGULARLY STAY HOME IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS SOCIALLY DISTANCE & MASK ON REQUEST 1m+ MATCH DAY 15:00 AFC Liverpool v Charnock Richard 15:00 Ashton Athletic v Litherland REMYCA 15:00 Avro v Wythenshawe Town 15:00 Burscough v Winsford United 15:00 Longridge Town v Squires Gate 15:00 Northwich Victoria v Prestwich Heys 15:00 Padiham v Lower Breck 15:00 Runcorn Town v Macclesfield 15:00 Skelmersdale United v Irlam 15:00 Vauxhall Motors v Barnoldswick Town 15:00 Ashton Town v Nelson 15:00 Campion v Atherton LR 15:00 Chadderton v Bury AFC 15:00 Daisy Hill v AFC Darwen 15:00 Garstang v Steeton 15:00 Holker Old Boys v AFC Blackpool 15:00 Ilkley Town v Golcar United 15:00 Pilkington v Cleator Moor Celtic 15:00 South Liverpool v Bacup Borough 15:00 Abbey Hey v Stafford Town 15:00 Abbey Hulton United v Ellesmere Rangers 15:00 Brocton v New Mills 15:00 Cammell Laird 1907 v Alsager Town 15:00 Eccleshall v Barnton 15:00 Maine Road v Stockport Town 15:00 Sandbach United v Cheadle Heath Nomads 15:00 Wythenshawe Amateurs v St Martins 18:30 FC Isle of Man v West Didsbury & Chorlton Premier Division First Division South First Division North JOIN OUR 300 JOIN OUR 300 CLUB! CLUB! Raise money for our club! Win Cash Prizes In the first week of October our first prize won £200! Saturday 26 February Welcome to Brocstedes Park Year Formed: 1968 Life President: Jimmy Witherington Club President: Bill Bohannon Club Chairman: Jimmy Whyte Club Secretary: Jimmy Whyte Club Treasurer: Brad Reid First Team Manager : Jay Foulds Assistant Manager: David Tickle Physio: Amy Benson Development Squad Manager: Paul Piert Under 18’s Manager: Carl Vieri 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 Daz Mullen A warm welcome to all of our friends from Litherland REMYCA. I hope you enjoy your afternoon at Brocstedes. This afternoon we face bottom of the table Litherland REMYCA, but despite a difficult season our opponents have had some improved results lately and inflicted a 3-1 defeat on us back in September. We approach the game with plenty of confidence after an excellent win against high flying Skelmersdale United but we must recognise, it’s only 1 game and 3 points. Every game is vital now and despite the 9 point gap to the relegation zone we cannot afford to be complacent. On Tuesday night we finally delivered what we are capable of, when a hat trick from captain Josh Nicholson gave us a superb victory. We were 2-0 up at half time after a pealty from Josh was followed up with a peach of a goal for our second. Such was our dominance in the first half it could have been many more. Our visitors did threaten in the second half but the defence held firm. This was a real confidence boost for us as we now enter a period of seven very important games for us, starting against our visitors this afternoon. The future’s bright, the future’s yellow. Jay Saturday 15 March 2022 Kick-off 3.00pm v Burscough The North West Counties League Premier Division Premier Division P GD Pts 1 Macclesfield 33 37 73 2 Skelmersdale United 35 36 69 3 Wythenshawe Town 32 32 61 4 Charnock Richard 31 33 60 5 Avro 34 17 59 6 Burscough 34 9 52 7 Northwich Victoria 33 7 50 8 Irlam 32 -3 49 9 Congleton Town 34 8 47 10 Longridge Town 32 2 45 11 Vauxhall Motors 33 -22 43 12 AFC Liverpool 32 3 41 13 Lower Breck 35 -18 41 14 Winsford United 31 -3 40 15 Squires Gate 32 -4 37 16 Padiham 32 -8 37 17 Prestwich Heys 31 -15 37 18 Barnoldswick Town 31 -7 36 19 Ashton Athletic 33 -28 34 20 Runcorn Town 34 -34 25 21 Litherland REMYCA 32 -42 20 NEXT UP at Brocstedes Table as up to Wednesday 23 February 2022 To book an award winning mental fitness session at your club, email Elaine.Prendergast@stateofmindsport.org www.stateofmindsport.org STATE OF MIND SPORT IS PROUD TO BE THE official CHARITY PARTNER OF THE NORTH WEST COUNTIES FOOTBALL LEAGUE. State of Mind Sport is a charity that harnesses the power of sport to promote positive mental fitness, to improve performance among our sportsmen and women, fans and wider communities, AND to ultimately prevent suıcide. State of Mind Sport raise awareness of the issues surrounding mental fitness and deliver education on the subject to all levels of sport, business, education and community groups. 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. 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 oFFICIAL GoALKEEPING PARTNER oF THE NoRTH WEST CouNTIES FooTBALL LEAGuE. prouD SpoNSor oF THE GoALKEEpEr oF THE MoNTH AND GoALKEEpEr oF THE YEAr AWArDS www.reusch.com www.facebook.com/ReuschUK www.twitter.com/ReuschUK For more information, visit Litherland REMYCA FC began life in the Seaforth area of Liverpool as St Thomas F.C. (1959). Players were recruited mainly from Seaforth and Bootle, and the team later became known as Bootle C.L.B. (Church Lads Brigade). Links were formed with Bootle YMCA which provided a club base and facilities to train. In 1967, a local working-man’s club offered to finance the running of the club. One year later, REMYCA UTD F.C. came into being, the name deriving from connections with both REM Social Club and Bootle YMCA. The team, after successive championships and earning a reputation for playing attractive football, were accepted into the I Zingari League. The founder members of REMYCA Utd, Bill and Ken Edwards, acted as managers having recently given up their playing careers. The I Zingari Challenge Cup was claimed in the 1975/76 season as REMYCA Utd began to establish itself as a force within amateur football on Merseyside. The formation of a Premier League led to the club being invited to become inaugural members. This demanded improved playing facilities and the club left its spiritual home at Moss Lane, Litherland to move to Maghull High School. A former player, Steve Smith, became manager and began building a squad capable of competing with the best amateur sides in the region. REMYCA Utd became the I Zingari League Champions in the 1987/88 season and in 1991 became one of the few Merseyside Teams to win the all Lancashire FA Amateur Cup. The 1990’s was a significant period in the club’s history, and the most successful, as both Premier League and Cup doubles were achieved in seasons 1993/94, 1994/95 and 1995/96 followed by again winning the Challenge Cup in the 1998/99 season. This period of dominance and success resulted in REMYCA Utd seeking entry to the Liverpool County Combination League to test itself at a higher level again. REMYCA are now based at Litherland Sports Park. Our mid-long term aims are to work with local councils to identify a site and build a community facility for all sides under the REMYCA banner as well as the local area. In 2013, the Management Committee of REMYCA began exploring the potential to grow and develop the club. The aim is for a sustainable club - a community based model offering football opportunity with good coaching to all ages from seven years upwards. The first stage of the new development plan was to add Litherland to the club name so as to identify with the local area and enhance the community ethos of the club. A key appointment was Colin Begbie as head of youth development, who’s experience and network of football contacts has proven invaluable. The club then applied, and secured a league position worthy of promotion to the NWCFL in 2014. In their first season, the club finished 9th and reached the semi final of the Reusch Cup, only to be beaten by Atherton Colls. A first ever appearance in the LCFA Senior Cup saw the club beaten by Skelmersdale United. REMYCA went on to reach the semi final in three consecutive years after this defeat. In 2015, Phil Stafford was given the job as first team manager following a successful stint at Maghull. In his second season, he led the club to a thrilling battle for promotion, which culminated in defeat at the final hurdle - the playoff final. That game holds the attendance record in NWCFL history, with 1303 supporters flocking to LSP. In March 2016, the quarter final of the LCFA Senior Cup saw Everton travel to LSP and fall to a solid, containing REMYCA by a goal to nil. This game put the club on the map, and boosted their profile and reputation. Ultimately, at the end of that season, Stafford decided it was time to move on along with Andy Olsen, and, after a search for a new gaffer, Paul McNally was handed the task of leading REMYCA from the beginning of the 2017/18 season. McNally put his own stamp on the team, and under huge expectations, guided the club to its first ever promotion and the highest level of football in the history of Litherland REMYCA. Along the way, REMYCA made their first ever appearance in the FA Cup, beating AFC Liverpool 2-0 in a game live streamed across the BBC iPlayer. Our Opponents Today Litherland REMYCA Current Position 19th P W D L F A Pts 33 9 7 17 53 81 34 Current Form 7th P W D L F A 6 3 1 2 10 8 LAST SIX MATCHES Date Opponent Score 22/02/22 Skelmersdale United (H) W 3-0 05/02/22 Lower Breck (A) W 4-1 01/02/22 AFC Liverpool (H) L 0-5 29/01/22 Congleton Town (H) L 0-1 25/01/22 Northwich Victoria (H) D 1-1 22/01/22 Vauxhall Motors (A) W 2-0 Current Position: 21st P W D L F A Pts 32 6 2 24 41 83 20 Current Form: 14th P W D L F A 6 2 1 3 7 7 Last Six Matches: Date Opponent Score 22/02/22 Padiham (A) D 1-1 15/02/22 Runcorn Town (A) W 1-0 12/02/22 Burscough (H) L 0-1 04/02/22 Longridge Town (N) W 3-1 28/01/22 Irlam (N) L 2-3 22/01/22 Northwich Victoria (A) L 0-1 Form Guide In a shock turn of events, McNally left the club by mutual consent at the end of 2017-18, and left the club manager- less for the second straight summer. James Olsen was chosen to be the man to take over in the summer of 2018 and lead the club in its first ever season in the NWCFL Premier Division, however departed midway through the season. Former manager Phil Stafford returned to guide the club to consolidation within the division. With Staffo’ having departed for a second time, former AFC Liverpool, Burscough and Bangor City Manager Derek Goulding was appointed in 2021 as the man to consolidate The Remy in the Premier Division for going forwards. Date Opponents H/A KO Score Goalscorers Sat 31/07/21 Wythenshawe Town H 15:00 0-1 Tue 03/08/21 Burscough A 19:45 1-3 Houghton Sat 07/08/21 Squires Gate (The Emirates F.A Cup EP) H 15:00 0-2 Sat 14/08/21 Charnock Richard A 15:00 1-9 Brown Tue 17/08/21 Winsford United A 19:45 0-3 Sat 21/08/21 Vauxhall Motors H 15:00 4-5 Brown, Joe Nicholson, Bandell (2) Sat 28/08/21 Congleton Town A 15:00 2-1 Bandell, Josh Nicholson Mon 30/08/21 Lower Breck H 15:00 1-0 Beckford Sat 04/09/21 Macclesfield H 15:00 1-1 Beckford Tue 07/09/21 Runcorn Town H 19:45 2-4 Korie-Butler, Boyd Sat 11/09/21 Abbey Hey (The Buildbase FA Vase 1Q) A 15:00 0-1 Tue 14/09/21 AFC Liverpool A 19:45 2-2 Boyd, Korie-Butler Sat 18/09/21 Prestwich Heys H 15:00 3-4 Boyd, Nicholson, Beckford Sat 25/09/21 Squires Gate A 15:00 4-2 Beckford, Weaver, Nicholson, Korie-Butler Wed 29/09/21 Litherland REMYCA A 19:45 1-3 Beckford Sat 02/10/21 Skelmersdale United A 15:00 1=3 Beckford Sat 09/10/21 Avro H 15:00 4-0 Beckford (2), Boyd, McDermott Sat 16/10/21 Padiham H 15:00 3-2 Korie-Butler, Nicholson, Beckford Sat 30/10/21 Irlam H 15:00 2-0 Beckford 2 Sat 06/11/21 Northwich Victoria A 15:00 1-7 Nicholson Sat 13/11/21 Barnoldswick Town A 15:00 2-2 Ellis 2 Wed 17/11/21 Longridge Town (Lancashire Challenge R2) A 19:45 4-2 Ellis, Nicholson, Boyd, Brough Sat 20/11/21 Runcorn Town A 15:00 1-1 Boyd Sat 23/11/21 Burscough H 19:45 2-2 Wilson, Brodie Sat 27/11/21 Squires Gate H 15:00 0-1 Tue 14/12/21 Longridge Town H 19:45 2-2 Brodie (2) Sat 18/12/21 Avro A 15:00 1-5 Brodie Wed 05/01/22 Longridge Town A 15:00 2-3 Nicholson (2) Tue 11/01/22 West Didsbury & Chorlton (LCT QF) H 19:45 2-5 Nicholson, Brodie Sat 15/01/22 Charnock Richard H 15:00 0-3 Tue 18/01/22 Wythenshawe Town A 19:45 0-4 Sat 22/01/22 Vauxhall Motors A 15:00 2-0 White, Servuts Tue 25/01/22 Northwich Victoria H 15:00 1-1 Own Goal Sat 29/01/22 Congleton Town H 15:00 0-1 Tue 01/02/22 AFC Liverpool H 19:45 0-5 Sat 05/02/22 Lower Breck A 15:00 4-1 Bendell, Ako, Brown, Moran Sat 12/02/22 Prestwich Heys A 15:00 P-P Sat 19/02/22 Winsford United H 15:00 P-P Tue 22/02/22 Skelmersdale United H 19:45 3-0 Nicholson(3) Sat 26/02/22 Litherland REMYCA H 15:00 Sat 05/03/22 Padiham A 15:00 Sat 12/03/22 Macclesfield A 15:00 Tue 15/03/22 Burscough (Macron Cup R1) H 19:45 Sat 26/03/22 Barnoldswick Town H 15:00 Sat 02/04/22 Irlam A 15:00 Fixtures and Results Appearances Goals Cards MOM Player Start Sub Start Sub Red Yellow Tosin Abioye * 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 Charles Akande 3 2 0 0 0 0 1 Hogan Ako 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 Ben Ascroft (GK) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 James Aspinall (GK) 25 0 0 0 0 0 7 Christopher Bandell 10 4 4 0 0 1 0 Ethan Beckford * 10 3 11 0 0 0 4 Lewis Boyd 16 12 6 0 0 1 0 Richard Brodie 7 5 5 0 0 3 1 Ethan Brough 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 Millen Brown * 4 0 2 0 1 0 0 Regan Brown 10 1 1 0 0 0 1 Thomas Carr 8 2 0 0 0 0 0 Brandon Carrington 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 Ben Cartwright * 12 1 0 0 0 1 0 Michael Conlon * 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ryan Cook 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tom Douglas * 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Dylan Dunne 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 Matthew Edwards (GK) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Gabriel Ellis * 7 2 3 0 0 0 0 Jason Foulds (GK) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jamie Frost * 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Declan Gallagher * 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 Samuel Harding 9 1 0 0 0 2 3 Brian Hatton 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Oliver Hawkins (GK) * 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Charlie Holland 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Samuel Houghton 11 8 0 0 1 1 0 Adam Hughes 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ahmed Ibrahim * 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bram Johnstone 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 Harry Jones * 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Oredi Kibombo * 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Anthony Knowles 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 Dale Korie-Butler * 14 3 4 0 0 2 0 Daniel Lever (GK) 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 Andy Mandjoba 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 Cian McDermott 8 0 1 0 0 2 1 Charlie Middlemore 12 7 0 0 0 1 0 Niall Moran 21 0 1 0 1 4 1 Joseph Nicholson * 10 1 1 0 1 2 2 Joshua Nicholson 36 1 13 0 0 1 2 James OHara 17 4 0 0 0 7 0 Martin Pearson (GK) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Marcus Perry * 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 Fenton Reeves * 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Matthew Reid 6 1 0 0 1 1 0 Ryan Schofield 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Edward Servuts 4 0 1 0 1 1 0 Andrew Thomas 9 5 0 0 0 0 1 Neil Weaver * 2 2 1 0 0 1 1 Nathan Whalley 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 Joe White 26 4 1 0 0 6 3 Harvey Whyte * 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 Dimeji Willan (GK) * 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Calum Wilson 26 2 1 0 0 3 3 Dean Winnard 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Sean Yeldrem 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gregor Zabret 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Player Appearences Ashton Athletic Manager: Jay Foulds Litherland REMYCA Manager: Colin McDonald James Aspinall Regan Brown Dylan Dunne Niall Moran Joe White Charlie Middlemore Hogan Ako Samuel Harding Michael Conlon Edward Servuts Joshua Nicholson James O’Hara Richard Brodie Samuel Houghton Christopher Bandell Lewis Boyd MATCH OFFICIALS REFEREE TBC ASSISTANT TBC ASSISTANT TBC NEXT UP AT BROCSTEDES PARK Saturday 15 March 2022 Kick-off 3.00pm Burscough Ryan Jones Jack Riley Jamie Clark Jamie Hay Carter Costello Ashton Clements James Hammill Paul Speed Johnny Foy Oscar Billington Adam Hammill Paul Foy Ryan Cox Daniel Murphy Karl Clair Marios Avram