FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE NORTH WEST COUNTIES FOOTBALL LEAGUE & LIVERPOOL COUNTY FA
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
ONWARDS & UPWARDS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAWN MARSHALL
SEASON 2018 - 2019
PRICE - £1.50
HALLMARK SECURITY FIRST DIVISION NORTH Saturday 12/1/19 KO 3pm
ASHTON TOWN AFC V AVRO FC
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ASHTON TOWN AFC The Ashton Town Stadium, Edge Green Street, Ashton in Makerfield, Wigan, WN4 8SL
President - Jimmy Cahill Chairman - Mark Hayes Vice President - Stephen Barrett Secretary - Stefan Ochwat Clubhouse Manager - Clare Peters Committee Member - Peter Williams Committee Member - Keith Peacock Committee Member - Kieran Johnson Committee Member - Nikki Dean Committee Member - Joanne Round Committee Member - Joanne Bourne Catering - Denise Brady Advertising & Programme Editor - Ian Pomfrett All Advertising enquiries - i.pomfrett@yahoo.com Welfare Officer - Gordon Johnson Groundsmen - David Bourne, Jimmy Cahill www.pitchero.com/clubs/ashtontownafc www.facebook.com/ashtontownafc twitter - @ashtontownafc Life Member - Billy Pomfrett Club Photographer - Dawn Marshall
This Club is Unincorporated PHOTO BY JOHN MCKIERNAN
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www.ashtontownafc.co.uk
WELCOME TO OUR CLUB Good afternoon, and welcome to all to this North West Counties First Division North game against Avro. Today's visitors were our opponents on the opening day of the season, and our first game back in the Counties. For me it was a huge eye opener, not only as we were beaten heavily, but also their whole set up was fantastic and it kicked us into gear regarding a few things, and certainly on the playing front. Avro, along with Longridge have been hugely impressive and its going to be interesting how the season pans out and who out of the two end up as Champions. Of course today's game is going to be hard, but we need to go out with great confidence following last weekends performance v Steeton. Like I commented on social media after the game, as equal to the great result was also the great sight of Jack Richards and Edgy returning to the team following long term injuries. Jack playing on Saturday naturally made everyone else step up a level due to his work rate, and it was no coincidence that we won the game and we chased every ball. Thank you for your continued support, it really is noticed by not only myself but also the first team management and players.
Onwards and upwards as always. Mark Hayes Club Chairman 3
@northernpromise
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A FEW WORDS FROM THE MANAGER Good Afternoon, Thank you for coming along today's fixture which sees us compete against one of the table topping sides this season. Avro are sure to provide us with a strong battle and will be an exciting opportunity to go toe to toe with one of the league‟s best. This last week has seen us have a change in fortune beating Steeton FC 5-2. This performance we feel has been long overdue, over the past weeks our lads have worked tirelessly out there and not had the rub of the green finding ourselves on the wrong end of too many score lines. On Saturday we found ourselves 1-0 down after 3 minutes in the game due to a penalty conceded in somewhat of a bizarre decision by the officials. That being said our players rolled their sleeves up and played some of the best football I have seen since being manager her at Ashton Town AFC. We were clinical in our play and scored 3 excellent goals before the turn of the half. The message to my players was ‘keep the tempo high, keep pressing quickly and finish the chances you get’ that message was listened to, we won the ball on the half way line got to the by line and line and Luke Edwards played an excellent lofted cross to the back post for Daley Woods to score his first Hat-trick for the club. This was a great performance and we have now set the standard that we can all expect. As a management team we have been given a head ache or two in terms of picking the squad. We welcomed back Jack Richards last weekend who was instrumental in last week’s win and John Edgerton (Edgy) back from injury making very steady progress from his ligament injury sustained against Chadderton FC in October. We are starting to shape and the squad is growing with more quality that we have been missing it’s great to have these 2 players back! Today we are ready for the challenge ahead and the boys have been working hard at training to be organised and make the most of today’s opportunity. Avro have got some really big threats in key areas and a relative amount of experience high up the pitch in Mike Norton. The boys know exactly what is expected of them in today’s game and we will have to wait and see how we get. One thing is for sure it should be a cracker of a game… Once again thank you for your continued support and we hope our visiting fans, team and committee enjoy the hospitality here at Ashton Town AFC. 5
www.hallmarksecurityleague.com BY DAVE DEMPSEY
HALF TIME QUIZ QUESTIONS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Who was captain for Sunderland in the 1937 cup final? Name the 12 founder members of the Football league in 1888? Which club was founded in 1893 as New Brompton? Who played at Nene Park? There is a bronze bust in the dug out at Derby County of whom? In the sitcom „Gavin & Stacey‟. Gavin was often seen wearing what Club shirt? Can you name Gavin‟s favourite player – Stacey bought him a signed picture of the player as a Christmas present? Which football team did Alf Garnett support? Who is the only player to win an FA Cup winners medal either side of World War II? Record attendance at Old Trafford is 76 962 in 1939. Who were the two teams? Who is “The Preston Plumber”? Who did Jamie Stuart first play for in his career? Who played at Penydarren Park? Which West ham United player was nick-named “The Terminator”? There is a bronze statue of whom outside Craven Cottage? Who was the first England player to be sent off in an International? Which player did an Everton Manager in the 1960‟s describe as “The last of the Corinthians”? Who was the first player to be sent off in an FA Cup Final? Who was the first foreign footballer of the year in England? What was unique about the 1973 FA Trophy Final between Scarborough & Wigan Athletic? 6
By Gordon Johnson
FIXTURES & FORM
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1ST DIV NORTH FIXTURES
HALF TIME QUIZ ANSWERS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Raich Carter Preston, Aston Villa, Wolves, Blackburn, Bolton, West Brom, Accrington, Everton, Burnley, Derby, Notts County & Stoke. Gillingham Rushden & Diamonds Steve Bloomer Tottenham Hotspur Michael Dawson West Ham United Raich Carter (Sunderland 1937 before the war & Derby County 1946 after) Wolves v Gramsby Town Tom Finney Charlton Athletic Merthyr Tydfil Julian Dicks Johnny Haynes Alan Mullery v Yugoslavia 1968 Brian Labone Kevin Moran (Man Utd 1985) Bert Trautmann 1956 It was the first time since the tournament began in 1970 that no Southern League team played in the final. 9
By Gordon Johnson
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SPONSORS JANUARY 2019
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www.ashtontownafc.co.uk
HALLMARK SECURITY Fine wins in the Buildbase FA Vase 4th Round for Irlam and Northwich Victoria were the highlights from the first weekend fixtures in 2019. Northwich Victoria made a storming start to their game up in the North East against Newcastle Benfield, going three up inside 36 minutes through goals from Joel Brownhill, Harvey Whyte and Matthew Clarke. A second half comeback from the home side saw them reduce the arrears to 3-2, but Vics held on to book a place in the last 16. In contrast, Irlam's 4-0 win over Cadbury Athletic was considerably more comfortable, with two goals from Marcus Perry in the opening 16 minutes setting them on the road to victory. Captain Charlie Doyle added a third on the stroke of half time, and Jordan Buckley rounded off the win with a fourth midway through the second half. In the Premier Division, it was a good afternoon for league leaders City of Liverpool whose 3-2 win over Squires Gate coupled with Congleton Town's 3-2 defeat at 1874 Northwich means the Purps lead at the top is now nine points. The league leaders were actually two goals down at one stage, but Craig Cairns, Anthony Brown and Jack Hazlehurst were on target to ensure the three points remained on Merseyside. Meanwhile, it was an equally lively affair at St Luke's Barton Stadium, with Scott McGowan and Taylor Kennerley building an early two goal for 1874 Northwich before a Dean Warburton penalty and a Saul Henderson strike brought Congleton Town back on level terms. But Callum Gardner struck the winner for 1874 Northwich to move them into 11th place. Bootle are now clear in thrid place, two points behind Congleton Town, after goals from Lee Hughes and Connor Millington earned them a 2-0 win at Runcorn Town. Burscough's good run of form continued with a 4-1 win at West Didsbury & Chorlton, with Prince Ekpolo, Connor Finlayson, Jordan Lorde and Chad Whyte all on target. The Linnets are now in 5th place, one place above Barnoldswick Town, who lost 4-1 at home to Hanley Town, a result that moved Hanley level on points with West Didsbury & Chorlton, with West only staying above the drop zone on goal difference. Lee Wilshaw, James Lindop, Joshua Thorpe and Martin Stanyer scored for Hanley, and there was also a 4-1 scoreline at Brocstedes Park where Ashton Athletic overcame Winsford United with goals from Adam Gilchrist, Aaron Cringle, Matthew Reid and Marcus Cusani . Elsewhere, Jacob Higham's 60th minute strike was decisive in Charnock Richard's 2-1 win over Abbey Hey, and Whitchurch Alport's 2-1 win at Silsden was achieved through goals from Alex Hughes and Leon Ashman. 12
BY IAN TEMPLEMAN ww
WEEKEND ROUND UP First Division North is still headed by Longridge Town, who had Ryan McKenna and Thomas Ince on target in the 2-1 win at Shelley. The victory means are now 12 clear of Avro in second place, who won 3-0 at Holker Old Boys thanks to two goals from Jack Turnbull and one from Joseph Rathbone. A last gasp goal from Cory Knight means third placed Prestwich Heys are three points ahead of Carlisle City after a 1-0 win, and it was the same score at the Marine Travel Arena with Rhys Hardacre's goal earning AFC Liverpool the three points against Nelson. Daley Woods was the man of the match for Ashton Town with a hat trick in their 4-2 win at home to Steeton, and Kieron O'Connor goal in the 8th minute saw Garstang through to a 1-0 home win over Bacup Borough. Chadderton moved further away from the bottom end of the table with a 4-0 win over AFC Darwen, Thomas Ward's late winner delivered a 2-1 victory for Cleator Moor Celtic over St Helens Town, and Daisy Hill remain in the relegation zone after Ben Duffield's early goal earned AFC Blackpool the points with a 1-0 win at New Sirs. The chase at the top of the First Division South continues to fascinate, with Rylands, Wythenshawe Amateurs and Abbey Hulton United all level at the top on 50 points. Rylands top the table on goal difference, with Brad Williams scoring four in their 6-0 win over Stone Dominoes, while there were dramatic finishes in the games involving their nearest rivals. Alan Dolan's stoppage time equalsier rescued a point for Wythenshawe Amateurs in a 2-2 draw at Sandbach United, while Abbey Hulton United's hopes of collecting all three points were dashed in by joseph Nield of Cheadle Town, whose equaliser in the 5th minute of stoppage time meant the game ended 1-1. Wythenshawe Town stay in fourth place despite going down 2-0 at home to Eccleshall, and Stone Old Alleynians are now just a point behind in 5th place, after their 7-0 win over New Mills. Jake Vernon and Jack Tomlinson both scored twice for Stone who remain level on points with Vauxhall Motors, for whom Thomas Mitchell and Karl Noon both bagged doubles in the 5-0 win over Alsager Town. Elsewhere, Thomas Keyworth's goal clinched a welcome 2-1 away win for Maine Road at St Martins, Ryan Malone's goal sealed a 2-1 win for Barnton over Stockport Town, and a stoppage time equaliser from Seth Ellis of Ellesmere Rangers meant they travelled home with a 1-1 draw from Cammell Laird 1907, although they remain in the relegation zone. 13
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ASHTON TOWN LADIES 2018/19 - Q&A
Name: Emily Bourne Age: 15 Playing Position:Right wing Fav. female footballer: Toni Duggan Favourite male footballer: David Beckham + Jesse lingard Fav. subject at school: Art + Pe Least fave subject: Chemistry Life after GCSE‟s? Football or solicitor/Barrister Pet hates: people tapping their nails Fave music: Shawn mendes Fave food: £3 meal deal - Duck wraps from Tesco Likes: Netflix + training Dislikes: Exams and Brussel Sprouts Siblings: Joseph n Harry Fav colour: orange
Name: Amy Baker (aka Big Un)
Things that annoy you: My dad Best holiday: Lapland 2012 Best achievement: Doing 800m in 2.36mins What do you think of your manager? Inhumane
Best achievement: Surviving DofE
Age: 15 Playing Position: Centre Back Fav. female footballer: Alex Scott Favourite male footballer: Ali Al Habsi Fav. subject at school: PE Least fav. subject: English Life after GCSE‟s: College Pet hates: Noisy eaters Fav. music: Pop Fav. food: All italian Likes: Art and Playstation Dislikes: Being bored Siblings: 1 brother age 20 Fav. colour: Turquoise Best holiday: Florida 2018 expedition What do you think of your manager? Brutal
Name: Abigail Watkinson Age: 15 Playing Position: Goalkeeper Fav. female footballer: Alex Greenwood Favourite male footballer: Zlatan Ibrahimovic Fav. subject at school: Creative Media Least fav. subject: PE/French Life after GCSE‟s? To go to either Winstanley or Wigan and Leigh college Pet hates: Fickle people Fav. music: Post Malone Fav. food: Pizza Likes: Manchester United, horror films Dislikes: Marmite, my dad Siblings: Megan Fav. colour: Purple Things that annoy you: My dad Best holiday: Dubai 2016 Best achievement: Winning Players Player Award What do you think of your manager? Irritating
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MEET THE LADIES Ashton Town AFC would like to introduce our newest addition to the club, our Under 16’s Ladies!!! The girls are a mixture of Year 10 & 11 students who only formed as a squad at the end of last season. The majority of girls have been playing football from the age of 7 years for various clubs but wanted to be part of a more dynamic outfit as they move towards Open Age and so the girls merged as one team from two other local teams. Managed by Mike Bourne, Andy Watkinson and Georgina Bradshaw, it was decided to split the squad into a First Team and a Reserves Team, with the First Team girls playing in The North Valley & Burnley Unity Youth League and our Reserves in the Liverpool League. After a summer of extremely hard work and very little time off, the girls hit the ground running and have certainly made the impact that was intended in the North Valley League with 13 games played to date, 9 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses and have scored a phenomenal 95 goals!!!! They are currently sitting at the top of the table on 29 points. The future is looking bright for these girls and it is hoped that they can progress to the next level in Women’s Football. Ashton Town have afforded the girls a fantastic opportunity and without a doubt there is every chance that these girls will put the club firmly on the map for girls and women’s football. Watch this space!!! 15
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WHO'S PLAYED AT
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T EDGE GREEN ST?
Set up in August 2012 and based at The Ashton Town Football Club, the Radio Club was formed with a view to promoting the fascinating world of Amateur Radio to the wider community. The club is open for training and is also an Examination Centre, as you will need a licence to transmit on the Amateur Radio Frequencies. As of now our club can boast contacts in the following countries as well as many others: USA, Brazil, the Azores, Falkland Islands and Tasmania
For more information please visit: Website: www.aimarc.co.uk Or contact us on:
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By Gordon Johnson Email: mx0htr@gmail.com
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LEAGUE TABLE 1ST DIV NORTH
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HISTORY OF ASHTON TOWN AFC Ashton Town Association Football Club originally joined the Div 2 of the Lancashire Combination in 1903 and were promoted Div 1 in 1st season. However, relegated back to Div 2 after finishing 16 in first season of Div 1. Towards the end of 1910/11 season club withdrew from league and fixtures taken over by Tyldesley Albion. The Club was reformed in 1953 as Makerfield Mill FC and after a short spell in the Wigan Sunday School League, they played in the St Helens Combination League for three years before joining the Warrington and District Amateur League in 1958. The founder was a persistant man named Derek ‘Mick’ Mycock. In 1962 the Club was forced to move from its original ground at Windsor Road because of land development and it was at this point the Club name was changed to Ashton Town AFC. Home games were played on a public park pitch at Whithill Street Recreation Ground in Bryn until 1964, at which point the Club purchased a piece of land at Edge Green Street, previously the home of Stubshaw Cross Rovers. This became the Club`s new home, and development of the ground began. In 1969 the Clubhouse was completed, and was opened by Liverpool and England star Roger Hunt, and in 1975 the present dressing room facilities were built. During this period the Club joined the Lancashire Combination in 1971, and then in 1978, they left to join the Cheshire County League for four years. The formation of the North West Counties Football League 1982 saw Ashton Town join as founder members, and the Club has remained in the league since then with the exception of season 1985-86, when they played in the Manchester League while essential ground maintenance work was carried out to bring the ground up to stringent ground grading requirements for the NWCF League. Throughout the years there have been many custodians of the club, owned by no-one, powered by volunteers. I’ll surely miss out a host of names here but….Notable is the involvement of Jack Longstaffe, Pat Dooney, Barry & Sandra Longstaffe, Gordon Ellis,, Les Bailey, Len Riley, Malcolm Magrath, Billy Pomfrett and Jimmy Cahill. The latter two who have clocked up over a hundred years service to Town and are still here on a daily basis. In more recent times, Clare and James Horner made a massive boost to the club with the long overdue formation of a Junior section. As did the arrival of our current Chairman, Mark Hayes, who has helped build the profile of the club both locally and nationally. Other volunteers to mention are Steve, Stefan, Denise, Peter, Clare and more recently, Keith (Kitman/Physio) whose dedication and workrate is second to none on quite often a day to day basis. It would go amiss if I didn’t mention at this point Brian Cunliffe, who has on and off, over the years worked behind the scenes painting, digging or mending often without the right resources for the job…..it’s people like this who really make a place what it is. So Many to mention, others to forget, but we are here and that wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for those who give up their time and effort to keep the club alive. Our motto ‘Onwards & Upwards’ sums us up as we now strive for promotion. 20
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HISTORY OF AVRO FC The history of our club begins in the years just before the start of the Second World War. A.V.Roe established an aircraft factory at Chadderton, which was situated in fields at the end of Moston Lane in North Manchester. The factory would become the home of the famed ‘Dambusters’ aircraft – the Avro Lancaster, as well as the famous Cold War ‘V’ bomber - the Avro Vulcan. A.V Roe purchased a smaller factory in Failsworth, where the Lancaster Club was located. 1936 saw the 16th century Lodge purchased by the AVRO works manager Mr Roy Dobson prior to the company opening their main Chadderton factory. In 1950, the Lodge was opened up to all personnel of Avro and took on the Lancaster Club name. The Grade II listed Lancaster Club then became the clubs headquarters for the next 67 years. We joined the Manchester League in 1954/55season and won the Division 1 Championship in 1988/89 and re-established our junior teams, but lasted just three seasons in the Premier Division before being relegated in 1991/92. We again won Division 1 in 2003/04 and promotion to the Premier Division, but we were again relegated after three seasons in 2006/07. We bounced back immediately and were back in the Premier Division in 2008/09, where we have been ever since. There followed a period of success with us capturing the Manchester League Premier Division title in in 2009/10. By this time Oldham Council had bought the Lancaster Club land from Oldham Athletic FC who had purchased it as part of a plan to build a new stadium on the site, which never materialised. After a lot of hard work and lots of meetings on the part of our Chairman Rob Fuller, we were granted a lease on the former Whitebank Stadium in Limehurst Village, Oldham. Again, after an enormous amount of work to bring it up to standard, this has become our new home ground ; The Vestacare Stadium, a hub of the local community and also shared now with Oldham RLFC. In Summer 2017 the new management team of Lee O’Brien and James Hampson took over and along with 1st team coach Paul Armstrong and goalkeeping coach Paul Urbano they led the team to Manchester League Premier Division title, and the Manchester FA County Cup in their first season. The move to the new stadium has allowed the club to pursue its ambitions of Step 6 football in the North West Counties Football League, which finally came about in May as we were promoted into NWCFL Div 1 North on the back of the double win. Honours Manchester Football League Premier Division Champions : 2009/10, 2017/18 Manchester Football League First Division Champions :1988/89, 2003/04 Manchester FA County Cup Winners :(record 10 times ) 1939/40, 1940/41, 1955/56, 1987/88, 1993/94, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2014/15, 2017/18 21
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OUR CHOSEN CHARITY The Joseph‟s Goal charity was set up in October 2012, by Paul and Emma Kendrick, to raise funds for research into NKH, (Nonketotic Hyperglycinemia), the life-limiting genetic condition that their son, Joseph, was born with. NKH is caused by an excess of glycine on the brain. Joseph was given five days to live but reached his ninth birthday in May this year. He is severely disabled and suffers from seizures. But he is resilient and is a fighter, and we, in turn, are fighting to find better treatments and, hopefully, a cure for NKH, which is very rare, with only fifteen children still surviving in the UK, and less than five hundred worldwide. Joseph‟s Goal is a Wigan-based charity, run by a small group of family and friends, who all volunteer their services. No-one is paid. We have received support from Wigan Council, Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic, as well as schools, local organisations and the business community. In four years we have raised over £340,000, largely from charity balls, football matches, bike rides, marathons and 10-Ks, swimathons, spinathons, Xmas jumper days, numerous other fundraising events, and hundreds of donations from generous people. The funds raised have been sent to Dr Johan Van Hove at Colorado University, Denver, USA, and Professor Nick Greene at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health in London. Both have presented their research findings to NKH families at conferences in the North West organised by Joseph’s Goal, and trustees of Joseph’s Goal have twice attended NKH conferences at Harvard University in Boston, USA. The many varied defective genes that have been found in different children/families in the brain that causes NKH have been identified, and the task now is to find a route to replace it with a healthy gene. There is, at last, some light at the end of a very dark tunnel, with real grounds for optimism that better treatments for NKH are not far away. Since Joseph’s Goal began, Joe has become a little celebrity locally: - in 2013, he was the mascot for Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup Final and was carried out onto the pitch at Wembley by the captain, Emmerson Boyce, which resulted in television appearances on BBC NW, Granada, and Sky News; - in 2013, Joseph’s family were the WISHFM ‘Local Heroes Family of the Year’; - in 2014, Joseph switched on the Xmas Lights in Wigan Town Centre; - in 2014, Joseph’s Goal was recognised by Wigan Council as contributing to the ‘Believe in Wigan” campaign; - and in 2016, Joseph’s Goal was a Finalist in the GM Chamber of Commerce Wigan Business Awards. If you are looking for a charity to support, then please consider our charity, and help Joseph to achieve his Goal. 22
www.josephsgoal.org
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PHILIP ARMSTRONG PAUL ARMSTRONG LIAM BENNION JOE BEVAN DANIEL GRIMSHAW JAMES HAMPSON RYAN HANSON VINCENT HOWELL CHRISTOPHER HOWELL CALLUM JACKSON REGAN JARRETT NAT KERR DUNCAN KNOTT JORDAN LATHAM (GK) REECE LYNDON MICHAEL NORTON LEE O’BRIEN JAKE POLLARD LOUIS POTTS JACK POXON JOSEPH RATHBONE SAM RATHBONE (C) NEIL SAGAR MICHAEL SHENTON MICHAEL STOCKDALE JACK TURNBULL KANE WALLWORK
THOMAS GOODWIN (GK) JOHN COURTNEY (GK) GEORGE ATKINSON JACK BROMILOW MICHAEL CUSHION JOHN EDGERTON DYLAN GLASS CHRISTOPHER HILL MATHEW JOHNSON ROBERT LAMONT ALEX NOONAN JACK RICHARDS JAMES SIGSWORTH BRADLEY SMART DYLAN SWEENEY DALEY WOODS ANTHONY SHINKS RHYS BOWERS ALBERTO CANACHE CHARLIE DUKE LUKE EDWARDS Manager: David Dempsey Asst. Mgr & Coach: Lee Bignell Coach: Michael Smith Coach: Lee Thompson Physio: Keith Peacock Colours: Red & White Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks GK: Purple
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Manager: Lee O’Brien & James Hampson Colours: Blue/Black Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks GK: Silver/Grey
Referee: Darren Whitefield, Assistant 1: Peter Sutton, Assistant 2: Alex Smith