Ashton Town AFC V Ilkley Town AFC 7/8/21

ASHTON TOWN AFC PROFILES PARK,

# Onward Onwards s & Upwards

Edge Green Street, Ashton in Makerfield, Wigan, WN4 8SL

COMMITTEE President - Jimmy Cahill Chairman - Mark Hayes Vice Chairman - Gordon Johnson Vice President - Stephen Barrett Secretary - Stefan Ochwat Clubhouse Manager - Clare Peters Treasurer - Peter Williams Committee Members - Kieran Johnson, Joanne Round, Joanne Bourne, Alison Sinnott Catering Manager - Denise Brady Commercial Manager - Jonathan Southward Programme Editor - Ian Pomfrett Welfare Officer - Gordon Johnson Grounds Team - Jimmy Cahill, David Bourne, Keith Peacock, Kit Manager - Keith Peacock Club Covid Officer - Mark Hayes

www.facebook.com/ashtontownafc Twitter - @ashtontownafc This Club is Unincorporated

www.ashtontownafc.com

Welcome to our club Good afternoon and welcome to Profiles Park for this afternoons North West Counties North tie against one of our league newcomers, Ilkley Town.

It's natural that a new season starts with huge expectations and naturally there will be disappointment for last Saturdays result, however the first game of the season is always the hardest. Every single team think the same, all think that they have improved, and all teams will be chomping at the bit to get going.

Blackpool were good on Saturday. They were worthy winners but we finished strong. I personally think that the occasion got to us in the first half sadly, but as we say, it's a marathon and not a sprint.

Not only does it get you a season of football for a wonderful price, but it also helps provide vital funds to our club.

Remember we can still provide season tickets for just £50. Simply contact myself or Jonni our Commercial Manager.

Mark Club Chairman Ashton Town AFC

Thank you so much again to all whom are watching today, your support means a hell Welcome of course to our visitors today. I of a lot to all of us at the club and the am sure that their journey in the Counties players can certainly tell the difference will be a good one. I know very little about with the growing fan base. The twelfth them. However, Demps sent our Assistant man is key at any level, and in any sport.

Manager Belly over to their fixture midweek so we will be prepared.

Stay safe,

@northernpromise

HISTORY OF ASHTON TOWN Ashton Town Association Football Club originally joined the Div 2 of the Lancashire Combination in 1903 and were promoted to Div 1 in their 1st season.

However, quickly relegated back to Div 2 after finishing 16th. Towards the end of 1910/11 season the club withdrew from the league and fixtures were 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.

Street which was 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. Then 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 ever since with the exception of season 1985-86, when they The founder was a persistent played in the Manchester man named Derek League while essential „Mick‟ Mycock. In ground maintenance work 1962 the Club was was carried out to bring the forced to move ground up to stringent from its original ground grading requirements ground at Windsor for the NWCF League.

Road due to land development and Throughout the years there it was at this point have been many custodians the Club name was changed of the club, owned by noto Ashton Town AFC. one, powered by volunteers.

Home games were played on I‟ll surely miss out a host of a public park pitch at names here but….Notable is Whithill Street Recreation the involvement of Jack Ground in Bryn until 1964 Longstaffe, Pat Dooney, when the Club purchased a Barry & Sandra Longstaffe, piece of land at Edge Green Gordon Ellis, Les Bailey, Len

Riley, Malcolm Magrath, Billy Pomfrett R.I.P 5/5/20 and Jimmy Cahill. The latter two who have clocked up over a hundred years‟ service to Town and Jimmy is 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, Ian, Dawn, Peter, Clare, Joanne and more recently, Keith whose dedication and work rate 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.

www.ashtontownafc.com

HERE IT IS !! THE LAUNCH OF THE OFFICIAL JOSEPH‟S GOAL LATICS LEGENDS SHIRT All sizes available. Postage within the UK £3.50 extra.

First order will be going in tomorrow, Sunday 8th August 2021, and it‟s a 14 day turnaround. #wafc #latics #nkh #ProudToBeTown

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HISTORY OF ILKLEY TOWN Open age football in Ilkley has existed since the early 20th century with Saturday and Sunday league teams playing at West Holmes and East Holmes fields alongside the River Wharfe. The post war forerunners of the current Ilkley Town football club were Ilkley Rangers ( c.1947 ) and Ilkley British Legion ( c. 1955 ) before the Ilkley Town club was established in the 1960s competing in the Wharfedale League. In the late 1980s the club struggled to survive in a town where rugby, cricket, tennis, golf and hockey possessed greater social allegiance and better facilities.

After disbanding in the early 1990s the club was re-formed in 1995 as Ilkley AFC and joined the Harrogate & District Senior League gaining promotion to the Premier League in 1997. In 2000 Ilkley AFC underwent managerial and organisational change amalgamating with the highly successful Ilkley Youth & Juniors football club.

Having barely survived in the Harrogate & District Premier League, and financially stretched, the influx of new and younger local players rejuvenated Ilkley AFC. After two seasons of consolidation the club began its climb up the FA Non-League pyramid in 2002-03 by winning the League and Cup double in the Harrogate Senior League. In 2003 the club received FA Chartered Standard status ( combined junior and senior sections ) and in 2004-05 the two senior teams were accepted into the West Yorkshire Association Football League.

Promotion to Division One at the first attempt was followed by a change of name to Ilkley Town in 2006 reflecting the substantial impact the football club was having in the town. 2007 saw the club achieve the newly instigated FA Charter Standard (Senior Club) and it continued to work closely with the Junior sections of the club.

After decades of renting local authority and school pitches Ilkley Town Football Club was accepted into the Ben Rhydding Sports Club in 2009 giving it access to one of the best playing surfaces in West Yorkshire. Promotion to the Premier League of the West Yorkshire A.F.L. was won in 2016.

The senior section of the club benefits from high quality coaching and support staff ( including FA/UEFA Level 3 & 4 coaches, a specialist Goalkeeping coach and FA Treatment of Injury specialist ) and the senior teams have been the recipients of West Yorkshire League Fair Play Awards.

The success of the club led to the formation of further senior teams with u23 and u21 teams now serving as the bridge between youth and senior football.

With the move to a 4G pitch in 2017-18 and the strengthening of the link between junior and senior football the club has gone from strength to strength progressing to Step 6 and further raising the profile of football in the town. The club prides itself on being a club for the community with teams for boys, girls, men, women and veterans with over 650 playing members.

www.ilkleytownafc.co.uk/ilkley-town

Who’s played at edge green st George Riley is a British sports broadcaster from Leeds. He was the copresenter of Channel 5's ‘Football on 5’ between 2015 and 2017 alongside Kelly Cates and then Lynsey Hipgrave.

Riley joined BBC Radio 5 Live in 2004, having previously been at the short-lived TEAMtalk 252 in 2002. He has been the voice of sport on 5 Live Breakfast since 2011. He also presented 5 live Sport for the station, and commentated on rugby league, snooker and darts for BBC TV and radio, until leaving the BBC in 2017.

Riley has reported at major events including the London Olympics and Paralympic Games, Euro 2012 in Ukraine and 2014 World Cup in Rio, the 2013 Ashes, the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, as well as Wimbledon, the Cheltenham Festival, Super League and Challenge Cup finals each year.

He presented the BBC's Late Kick off Football League show in 2013, in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. He was a regular face and voice on the BBC's rugby league coverage, presenting the Super League Show on BBC2, and commentating on all major games for BBC Radio 5 Live.

In July 2015, he was confirmed as one of the presenters of Channel 5's Football League highlights show, Football League Tonight, alongside Kelly Cates. Riley then co-hosted alongside Lynsey Hipgrave during the 2016-17 season before both co-hosts

were replaced by Colin Murray ahead of the 2017-18 EFL season.

Riley also appeared as himself in Armando Iannucci's award-winning political satire „The Thick of It‟ in 2009.

Riley is a charity ambassador for Ashton Town‟s chosen club charity, Joseph's Goal and also the Steve Prescott Foundation for whom he runs regular marathons. His fundraising efforts saw him run 100 miles in 2014 and four marathons in eight weeks in 2015.

He was formally the player-manager for Sunday league team The Quays FC in Manchester, having gained promotion into Manchester and Cheshire Division One but now plays for Mossley Hill Athletic FC who currently field teams in the West Cheshire Football League and the Liverpool Old Boys football League.

Riley played here at Edge Green Street on the 12th March 2017 when those who were present will remember him as the „Combative‟ midfield player in Kevin Davies Celebrity XI that turned out in a fundraising game for and against the GB Deaf Football Team.

By Gordon Johnson

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Match report v afc blackpool 31/7/21 Town began our campaign in the North West Counties League for season 202122 in front of a crowd numbering 125, with a Home game against our friends from the Fylde coast, AFC Blackpool.

The visitors started the strongest and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring after 25 minutes of the game.

Things got worse for Town in the 32nd minute of the game when a needless free kick was conceded just outside the Town penalty area on the right side of the field of play. As the resultant free kick was crossed into the area Town failed to clear their lines and the ball was hammered home to give the visitors a two nil lead.

Town‟s best chance of the half came after 39 minutes when a free kick crossed in from the right was headed just wide by Town‟s Alex Noonan, leaving the score at the half time interval 2-0 to the visitors. With Thomas Grindrod replacing Noah Robson at the interval the second half started very much the same as the first, with the visitors in control.

Manager Dave Dempsey made two more changes introducing Daley Woods and Rustam Stepans as Town tried to claw their way back into the game. After 83 minutes Town came close to scoring as Rustam Stepans cut in from the left and fired a scorcher which narrowly flew over the

visitors cross bar. On 89 minutes the Home fans celebrated what they thought was a headed goal from Alex Noonan to pull one back for Town, but the eagle eyed referee spotted that the Town centre half had used his hand, disallowing the goal & issuing a caution to Noonan for the offence.

Town kept up the late pressure though and were duly rewarded in the 90+3 minute of the game was a fine strike from Stepans to get Town off the mark for the season.

Unfortunately it was too little too late though with AFC Blackpool hanging on to record a 2-1 victory.

By Gordon Johnson

HALF TIME QUIZ Portuguese Premier League Winners 1.

Who was the first ever Portuguese player to win the Premier League?

2.

In total how many Portuguese players have won the Premier League?

3.

How many teams have contained Portuguese players in their Premiership winning squads?

4.

Which Portuguese player holds the most Premier league winners‟ medals?

5.

In total how many Premier League winners‟ medals are held by Portuguese players in total?

6.

Which team has had the most Portuguese players in a Premiership winning squad?

7.

Which was the last Premier League winning side to contain a Portuguese player?

8.

How many Portuguese players have three or more Premier League winners‟ medals?

9.

How many of the Portuguese Premier League winning players have done so only once?

10.

True or False, No Portuguese player has won the Premier League with two different clubs?

ANSWERS True

10.

5 ( Boa Morte, Tiago, Dias, Cancelo & Deco)

9.

5 ( Carvalho, Ferreira, Nani, Ronaldo & Silva)

8.

Man City 2020-21 ( 3 Portuguese players, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo)

7.

Man City 2020-21 ( 3 Portuguese players, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo)

6.

21

5.

Nani (4)

4.

4 (Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd & Man City)

3.

10 (Boa Morte, Tiago, Carvalho, Ferreira, Nani, Ronaldo, Deco, Dias, Cancelo & Bernado Silva)

2.

Luis Boa Morte (Arsenal 1998)

1.

By Gordon Johnson

Joseph’s goal charity Sam Morsy was back in the blue and white of Wigan Athletic on Sunday as the Latics Legends drew 4-4 against the club's Academy stars of tomorrow in the annual Joseph's Goal fundraiser.

Sam took his place in a legends side featuring Emmerson Boyce, Gary Caldwell, Leam Richardson, Gregor Rioch and former CEO Jonathan Jackson.

The Egypt international was given special permission by his club, Middlesbrough, to take part in the game, despite their Championship programme kicking-off on Saturday.

It looked like it would be a long afternoon for the legends - managed from the technical area by England No.2 Graeme Jones - when the youngsters flew out of the blocks and established a 2-0 lead.

But boosted by the appearance off the bench of a few fringe first-teamers, the legends took control and opened up a 4-2 lead.

A magnificent goal from first-year scholar Ruben Grewel - a 30-yard strike that flew in off the underside of the bar - ensured a thrilling finish.

www.wigantoday.net

y event 1st august 2021 All proceeds from the event will go towards funding research into the rare genetic disorder, NKH, from which Joseph Kendrick - Latics' lucky mascot at the FA Cup final - suffers.

The Academy select levelled with the last kick from the penalty spot, after Jackson surely a candidate for man of the match was penalised for a foul in the box.

Latics Legends: Emmerson Boyce, Frankie Bunn, Gary Caldwell, Nick Chadwick, Tom Costello, Matty Daniels, Jonathan Jackson, Kieran Lloyd, Harry McGee, Harry McHugh, Sam Morsy, Peter Murphy, Matt Potts, Leam Richardson, Gregor Rioch, Scott Smith, Matt Williams. Managers: Graeme Jones, Graham Barrow, Tommy Gore.

The game was settled by a penalty shootout, with the legends edging home 6-5 to the delight of a bumper crowd at Ashton Town AFC.

Latics Academy: Tom Watson, Owen Mooney, Sam Campbell, Matty Corran, Steve Sumner, Jack Reilly, Dan Smith, Luca Latona, Kai Payne, Sam Gill, Chris Sze, Ruben Grewal, Arthur Lomax, Adam Brooks, Kristian Knowles, Levi Welsh, Kyle Worsley, Nathan Sandison.

By Paul Kendrick

On this day 7th august 7th August 1968

7th August 1978

While most of us were still

To celebrate their centenary Manchester

preoccupied with

United played Real Madrid on this day in

bucket and spades

1978. Sammy McIlroy and Jimmy Greenhoff

Leeds United were

scored two

on their way to

apiece as the

winning their first

Spaniards

European competition. Leeds entertained

were beaten 4

Ferencváros of Hungary in the first leg of

-0 in front of

the 1967/68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final

a 49,397 Old

held over to the beginning of the 1968/69

Trafford

season and played on this day in 1968. Mick

crowd. The

Jones (right)

only United

scored the only

player in the

goal of the

team who had played in the European Cup

match and with

final ten years

the second leg

earlier, the United

in September

goalkeeper Alex

finishing

Stepney (right), made

goalless the

a penalty save early

trophy went to

in the second half of

Leeds United.

the game.

By Gordon Johnson

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Andrew Gara Ex Ashton Town AFC, Republic of Ireland International Record Holder Andrew Gara was born in Roscommon, Republic of Ireland on 15th August 1878.

He had a relatively short Football League career, encompassing 90 appearances in five seasons. His best spell came with Preston North End where he averaged just short of a goal every other game. His best season, individually at least, was 1900/01 when he topscored with eleven First Division goals, although the club suffered their first ever relegation at the end of that season.

Gara did however impress the Irish selectors while playing in the Second Division and was called into the Republic of Ireland squad for the 1902 Home Nations Championship. He marked his debut against Wales with a hattrick but failed to add to his total in defeats by Scotland and England, his international career ending with the impressive statistic of three games, three goals. Andrew Gara is the only player ever to score at hat-trick on his debut for Ireland which is a record that still stands to this day. Gara could actually have made his international debut two years earlier as he had been selected at outside-left for Ireland's March 1900 meeting with England but was forced to withdraw from the team on that occasion due to injury.

Andrew Gara‟s match worn shirt from his record-breaking International debut (pictured) can be found in the National Football Museum in Manchester.

Gara had arrived at Preston North End from Wigan County after impressing in friendly match between the teams. He moved back to Division One with Nottingham Forest in 1902. Described as an enthusiastic forward, with a powerful right -foot shot, he failed to settle at the City

Ground, and left after just three months for Bristol City.

He regained some of his form back in Division Two, but Gara decided to return to the north-west of England in 1904 which is when he signed for the original Ashton Town AFC, that played in the Lancashire Combination League, as he had previously resided in Ashton-inMakerfield prior to his football career taking off. The record statistics show that Gara had three spells at Ashton Town with short spells at Southport Central (1906) and Eccles Borough (1907) dividing his three stints playing for Ashton Town.

Andrew Gara‟s full international record is as follows: 22-02-1902 Wales. W 3-0 (Scored all 3 goals) 01-03-1902 Scotland L 1-3 22-03-1902 England. L 0-1 Summary: Played 3. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 2.

By Gordon Johnson

OUR CHOSEN CHARITY Joseph‟s Goal is a Wigan-based charity, ran by a small group of family and friends who all volunteer their services. The charity has received support from Wigan Council, Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic, as well as schools, local organisations and the business community.

Joseph‟s Goal have raised most of their funds through 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. Ashton Town AFC now host an annual charity legends football match, after the huge success of the inaugural match in May 2015, with the Latics Legends thumping a Hollyoaks XI 10-0 with a sensational performance.

Town chairman, Mark Hayes was touched by Joe‟s story and has been actively involved in the charity‟s fundraising efforts for several years. This years event is the fifth annual Joseph‟s Goal legends game and is set to be another classic with the likes of Bryan Robson, Emmerson Boyce and Arjan De Zeeuw gracing the Ashton Town turf. Since Josephs story was shared publicly, the 10-year-old has become a little star in the local area and recognised throughout the United Kingdom for his fantastic story in defying all the odds. Joseph‟s Goal has

also received support from multiple football, rugby and television stars over the years including Pep Guardiola, Harry Redknapp and Joe Calzaghe.

lights in Wigan Town Centre.

Joseph‟s Goal was recognised further in 2014 by the Wigan Council for contributing to the “Believe in Wigan” campaign.

In April 2019, Joe returned to his role as Wigan Athletics‟ lucky charm as he featured pitchside at half-time during Wigan‟s shock victory against Leeds United. This was after more than 70 Latics fans heroically walked 58-miles over three days for the charity from Wigan‟s Euxton training ground to Elland Road, In 2013, Joe was the mascot organised by Martin Tarbuck for Wigan Athletic in the FA from the Mudhutter fanzine.

Cup Final and was carried out Joseph‟s story has inspired onto the pitch at Wembley by thousands of people to help skipper, and charity fundraise for NKH and ambassador Emmerson Boyce, contribute to their bid in which led to television finding a cure for the very rare appearances on BBC North condition.

West, ITV, Granada and Sky News. Many Latics fans believe Help us to raise money for that Joe was a lucky charm as further research and hopefully Wigan defied the odds to edge closer to the end goal of beat Manchester City 1-0 and helping Joe and other children claim their first major trophy in with the same condition. the club‟s history, similar to how Joe managed to defy all the odds given by the doctors to reach his 10th birthday on Thursday May 9th 2019. Joe‟s father Paul Kendrick, a life-long Wigan Athletic sup-porter and the Latics correspondent for Wigan Today, was gobsmacked that Joe was given the opportunity to be a mascot. In 2014, Joseph‟s family were the Joseph's Goal is a registered charity in WISH FM “Local Heroes Family England and Wales of the Year” and Joseph Charity number: 1151548 switched on the Christmas

www.josephsgoal.org

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KIERAN ALLEY KIAN BELL JOHN EDGERTON THOMAS GOODWIN (GK) THOMAS GRINDROD CHRISTOPHER HILL CARL LOWNSBROUGH JAMES LUDGATE JAMES MCCLENAGHAN (GK) THOMAS MCNAMARA DAVID MOORE THOMAS PARRY JACK RICHARDS NOAH ROBSON LIAM SMITH JAMES STANLEY RUSTAM STEPANS JAMIE WHITE DALEY WOODS LEON WRIGHT David Dempsey - Manager Karl Bell - Asst. Manager Adam James - Coach Daley Woods - Asst. Coach Richard Eaves - Physio Colours: Red Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks GK: Grey

CALLUM GLADDING MACAULEY SMITH JAMES HUDSON ALFIE HEATON JOE GARSIDE GEORGE PEARSON JOSH BOWERS JOSH PARKER DARREN MUNDAY SCOTT STEIN MATT SWIFT WILL GILES BEN ATKINSON KEVIN GONZALEZ JAMES HUGHES Management Team: Simon Armstrong Sam Dexter Dave Houlston Joe Gannon Colours: All Blue GK: Green

Referee: Bilal Moosa, Asst.1: Henry Naylor, Asst. 2: Robert Adamson

NEXT HOME GAME V PILKINGTON FC - 7:45PM - 17/8/21