v St Helens Town 26/12/18/Atherton LR 29/12/18/Steeton 5/1/19

FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE NORTH WEST COUNTIES FOOTBALL LEAGUE & LIVERPOOL COUNTY FA

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

ONWARDS & UPWARDS SEASON 2018 - 2019

PRICE - £1.50

HALLMARK SECURITY FIRST DIVISION NORTH

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAWN MARSHALL

Wednesday 26/12/18 KO 3pm ASHTON TOWN AFC V ST HELENS TOWN AFC Saturday 29/12/18 KO 3pm ASHTON TOWN AFC V ATHERTON LR FC Saturday 5/1/19 KO 3pm ASHTON TOWN AFC V STEETON AFC

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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 26/12/18 Good afternoon, and welcome to all to this North West Counties First Division North game against St Helens Town.

So as many know I now run a boozer in St Helens, and its literally on the doorstep of today's visitors. This today is the joint biggest game of the season., the other being the reverse fixture at Ruskin towards the end of the season..

Joking aside -ish, a game against today's opponents is a great marker of where we are at as a club. We have been down a division and up again since we last played St Helens and it will be a great marker locally as to where we stand.

Obviously I am sure all of us will join me in welcoming St Helens both committee as friends from our time as ground sharing, but also links with players in both our squads.

Hereâ€&#x;s hoping this game is being played on Boxing Day, and if so I hope you and your families had an excellent festive period, and for me that local bragging rights continue in my boozer come 5pm.

Onwards and upwards as always.

Mark Club Chairman 3

@northernpromise

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WELCOME TO OUR CLUB 29/12/18 Good afternoon, and welcome to all to this North West Counties First Division North game against local rivals Atherton LR. Todays visitors may sit rooted to the bottom of the division, but with a derby, form can simply go out of the window. In saying so, its games like this that we must win, and we must get points on the board to aim for a top half of the table finish.

Dave Dempsey and his team really have put together a fantastic group of lads, quite possibly the best I have seen at the club in my time, and heres hoping now that the points start to come in numbers and that we can start to gather some momentum.

Against a bottom of the table team is not as easy as it looks at times though, if we go back to Malpas away last season we completely fell into the trap of 'presuming' that we would get a result and we didnt. We have grown from that though, and I am sure the right result will be with us come 5pm.

As we turn to 2019 I cant thank people enough as to their efforts. We have now a great set up on paper, with very special people driving it. We have Dave and the reserves complimenting an outstanding first team set up, and then some fantastic people driving the female side of things in Joanne and Mike Bourne.

2019 is certainly a huge opportunity to make our mark in the game, and to be rewarded for the huge progession made within the last 12 to 24 months or so.

Onwards and upwards as always.

Mark Club Chairman 5

www.hallmarksecurityleague.com @northernpromise

HALF TIME QUIZ QUESTIONS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Which former Chelsea manager had his xmas ruined when his dad was sacked on xmas day?

Arsenal made a significant change on Xmas day 1886, what was it?

Liverpool won the UEFA cup in 2001/02, but which member of the squad was born on xmas day?

Where do FC Santa Claus play their home games? And yes they are a real club.

Which team has the lowest ever Premier League points total on xmas day?

Which former Premier League manager described the English football fixture list as „Evil‟?

What happened during Charlton‟s xmas day fixture versus Chelsea in 1937?

What was funny about a xmas day fixture in 1940 between Brighton & Norwich?

Which member of the soccer Saturday team was born on xmas day?

Which Premier League manager was slated by fans for having red decorations on his tree, despite managing a team in blue?

How many times have the team who are top of the Premier League on xmas day gone on to win the title?

When was the last xmas day fixture in England?

Roque Santa Cruz has a very festive name, which club has he played the most games for?

Man Utdwere the last team to win the title in England in 2012/13 having not been top on xmas day. Who were the last time to have done this prior to that year?

Which player did Liverpool sign on Xmas eve 2001?

Patrice Evra&NemanjaVidicwere two of Man Utd‟s best winter signings but which player did they sign on Xmas day?

Which team won the only Premier League game to have been played on Xmas Eve? Which former player now pundit tweeted “Christmas is underrated. Best day of the year by far. #family”?

Which Premier League winning manager celebrates his birthday on New Year ‟s Eve? How many goals were scored on Boxing Day (26 th December) 1963?

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By Gordon Johnson

WELCOME TO OUR CLUB 5/1/19 Good afternoon, and welcome to all to this North West Counties First Division North game against Steeton.

Our last but not least game against one of the new sides into the Counties with today's visitors from Yorkshire.

As we are fully aware, the new teams have all generally come in all guns blazing, and Steeton will be no different.

Sat very comfortable in mid table, the team from Cougar Park started the season fantastically with 4 wins out of 5, but then lost a bit of momentum.

As we turn into 2019 I cant thank people enough as to their efforts. We have now a great set up on paper, with very special people driving it. We have Dave and the reserves complimenting an outstanding first team set up, and then some fantastic people driving the female side of things in Joanne and Mike Bourne.

2019 is certainly a huge opportunity to make our mark in the game, and to be rewarded for the huge progression made within the last 12 to 24 months or so.

Onwards and upwards as always.

Mark Club Chairman 7

@northernpromise

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HALF TIME QUIZ ANSWERS

1.

Jose Mourinho

2.

Changed their name to Arsenal

3.

Gary McAllister

4.

Lapland

5.

Derby County & Aston Villa

6.

Louis Van Gaal

7.

The game was abandoned due to fog but one of the goalkeepers didnâ€&#x;t realise for 20 minutes.

8.

Brighton only had five players and the remaining six were picked from the crowd.

9.

Chris Kamara

10. Ronald Koeman 11. Thirteen 12. 1959 13. Bayern Munich 14. Liverpool 15. Milan Baros 16. NemanjaVidic 17. Leeds United 18. Michael Owen 19. Sir Alex Ferguson 20. 66 9

By Gordon Johnson

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SPONSORS DECEMBER 2018

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www.ashtontownafc.co.uk

HISTORY OF ST HELENS TOWN The original St. Helens Town club was formed in 1901 and played at Park Road, behind the Primrose Vaults public house. Although it was known as the Primrose Ground, the players changed further down Park Road at the Black Horse pub. Playing in the Lancashire League and Lancashire Combination, the team enjoyed some early success, but struggled after the Great War and appears to have folded midway through the 1928/29 season. The club was re-formed by George Fryer and a group of local businessmen in 1946. They took out a lease of the former cricket ground at Hoghton Road, Sutton, adjacent to the St. Helens Junction railway station and, although it entered in the FA Cup in the 1946/47 season, a team could not be raised in time to fulfil its tie with Prescot Cables. Friendly games were played, then local team Derbyshire Hill Rovers were taken over in April 1947, those players forming the nucleus of the team which entered the Liverpool County Combination at the start of the 1947/48 season. St. Helens Town soon began to prosper and early results included a sensational 10-4 win over Everton “A” on 6th December 1947. Former German prisoner-of-war Bert Trautmann joined the club in the Summer of 1948, the strapping goalkeeper helping the team to win its first trophy, the George Mahon Cup, which was secured with a 21 win over Runcorn at Prescot on 7th May 1949. Crowds averaged over 2000 that season, peaking with a league record attendance of 3012 against Burscough in October 1948. The following season, 1949/50, Town entered the Lancashire Combination and, despite losing Trautmann to Manchester City in October 1949, they won the Second Division title in some style the following season, three players, Albert Leadbetter (36), Harry McCann (32) and Terry Garner (31) all netting over 30 goals apiece. An all-time club record attendance of “between 8000 and 9000” witnessed a friendly game against Manchester City, arranged as part of the Trautmann transfer deal, in April 1950 and another 4000 witnessed a second match with City the following season. Although relegated by a slender margin from the First Division in 1951/52, the club continued to look forward, even contemplating Football League status and, in order to further its ambitions, moved to the former St. Helens Recs. rugby league ground at City Road. Initial crowds were encouraging but, despite success, the club decided to move back to Hoghton Road in October 1953, where they remained until April 2000.

Town produced a number of fine players who joined Football League clubs, including Bill Foulkes (Manchester United), John Quinn (Sheffield Wednesday) and John Connelly who joined Burnley, later transferring to Manchester United and who played in the England 1966 World Cup winning squad. More recently, Dave Bamber scored goals in all four divisions of the league with a host of different clubs, starting and ending his league career at Blackpool and in the last few years, Karl Ledsham, who had a productive career at conference level with Southport, Lincoln City, Barrow and Stockport County before moving to the USA. Following a second relegation in 1956, St. Helens Town continued to play in the Lancashire Combination, winning the Championship in 1971/72, by nine points ahead of Accrington Stanley. However, the formation of the Northern Premier League in 1968 led to a gradual drain of stronger clubs from the Combination and St. Helens joined the Cheshire League in 1975, becoming founder members of the North West Counties League seven years later. They held the proud record of being the only club to play in the NW Counties’ top flight every season until they were relegated in April 2015, conceding an injury-time equaliser to Silsden in the last game of the season, a match they had to win to stay up. Town enjoyed a golden era in the late 1980s, just missing out on an appearance in the First Round proper of the FA Cup in 1985/86, losing to Morecambe in a Fourth Qualifying Round Replay, but they obtained ample compensation by winning the FA Vase at Wembley in 1987, beating near neighbours Warrington Town 3-2 (shortened) 12

HISTORY OF ATHERTON LR Laburnum Rovers were founded in 1956 by Joe Riley as an under 14â€&#x;s side and after a difficult first season in the local Briarcroft Junior League, they went on to enjoy much success in League and Cup competitions. Joe was persuaded to carry on into Senior football and after a brief spell in the Leigh League the club joined the Bolton Combination. More success followed, but the ground at Hag Fold prevented further progress so a farmers field was found and despite footpath criss-crossing and duck ponds either side, hard work by everyone at the club turned this unpromising field into a football pitch. In 1966 the club moved into its new ground and were able to take their place in Division One of the Combination. Jack Crilly succeeded Joe as Chairman and worked tirelessly for the club, supervising the erection of new changing rooms (an improvement on the old air raid shelters they had been using) and a small social club. Jack died suddenly in 1980 and as a tribute to the work he did the ground was renamed from Greendale to Crilly Park. In the summer of 1980 the club joined the non-league pyramid when their application to join the Cheshire County League was successful. A stipulation of the League was that the towns name had to be in the clubs title, so links with the past were retained with the new name of Atherton Laburnum Rovers. In 1982 the club became founder members of the North West Counties League, being placed in division two until the league was reorganised in 1987 when ongoing ground improvements saw them placed in division one. 1989 saw floodlights erected and the club enter the FA Cup for the first time, while in 1991 the changing rooms and clubhouse were completely rebuilt. Towards the end of 1990/91 season Dave Morris took over as team manager and it was the start of the best period in the clubs history. In 1992/93 the club won the League title with 106 points from 42 games and also won the League Championship Trophy. Promotion to the Unibond League was denied them because of grading requirements, but undaunted the club repeated their double the following season as well as reaching the semi-finals of the FA Vase.

This time the club was promoted to the Unibond League. Two good seasons saw steady progress, but then financial troubles struck and the club was relegated for the first time in its history. Three seasons of struggle back in the North West Counties League culminated with the relegation to Division Two. However, the appointment of Alan Lord as manager saw a remarkable turnaround in form and nine successive victories helped the club win back promotion to Division One at the first attempt. In November 2002 Tom Foster and Dennis Haslam took over as managers after having to rebuild the team from scratch, they secured Division One football for another season. Dennis moved on in the summer and Ian Street joined the club. A period of stability and success followed but at the end of 2004/05 season Foster and Street left the club to be replaced by Mike Lester and Darren Ford, They set about building a new squad but, in February 2006, Lester and Ford resigned sparking a difficult time for the club on the pitch with no less than six managers at the helm over the next two years. The most successful period came in spring 2007 under Roy Sweeney when the club moved away from the relegation zone after doubling its points total from 21 to 42 in the final two months of the season. Sweeney resigned in December 2007, with Malcolm Anderton taking temporary charge for four months until ex-LR player and Leigh RMI manager Stuart Humphreys was brought in to ensure the club retained its top division status and it was fortunate that 21st place was enough. With changes elsewhere in the pyramid system meaning LR avoided relegation at the end of 07/08 season, the club brought in Dave Hughes as the new manager with a brief to keep the team in the Premier Division while the club was re-organised. (shortened) 13

HALLMARK SECURITY Although Storm Deirdre did its best to affect the weekend fixtures, in the end 21 games were completed across the three divisions.

The stand out match of the day was the top of the table clash in the Premier Division, with City of Liverpool extending their lead at the top of the table to six points after their 2-1 win over nearest challengers Congleton Town. Anthony Brown gave the Purps an early lead but Emini Adgebenro levelled for Town six minutes into the second half. However, parity was restored for only four minutes as Craig Cairns struck his 18th goal of the season to give the Purps a vital win.

Runcorn Town remain in third place but are now 11 points adrift of top spot after being held to a 1-1 draw by Irlam at the Pavilions. Both goals came at the end of the first half, with Charlie Doyle's opener for Irlam being cancelled out by Harry Brazel in first half stoppage time.

The foundations for Bootle's 3-2 win at Northwich Victoria were established in the opening 15 minutes, as the Bucks raced into a three goal lead thanks to two goals from Connor Millington and one from Ryan Cox. But a Joel Brownhill penalty early in the second half gave Vics hope, and when Jordan Darr struck a second with 20 minutes left, an exciting finale was guaranteed, but Bootle held on for a win that keeps them in fourth place.

The highest scorers of the day in the division were Burscough, whose 5-0 win over bottom club Abbey Hey included doubles from Chad Whyte and Connor Finlayson, although Charnock Richard ran them close with a 4-0 win over Litherland REMYCA, with Charnock captain Carl Grimshaw notching his second hat trick of the season.

At the bottom end of the table, Winsford United continued their recent good form with a David Short hat trick being the highlight of a fine 4-1 win at home to Padiham that moved them nine points clear of the drop zone. The Blues are now three points ahead of Hanley Town, who remain third from bottom after going down 1-0 to a Joshua Nicolson goal at Ashton Athletic.

There was better news for West Didsbury & Chorlton, who got off to a winning start in David Powell's first game in charge with a 2-0 win at Whitchurch Alport, although they remain second from bottom of the table. However, the win, secured by first half goals from Jamie Coombes and Lee Gavin, means they are now just six points from safety.

The game between Squires Gate and Silsden was abandoned after 40 minutes due to a power failure at the Brian Addison Stadium.

In the First Division North, with Longridge Town and Carlisle City inactive, the opportunity to narrow the gap on the top two was picked up by Prestwich Heys, who are bnow six points off second place after their 2-1 win at Atherton LR. Two goals from Max White set Heys on the road to victory, although a late consolation from Aaron Rodgers set up an exciting finish.

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BY IAN TEMPLEMAN ww

WEEKEND ROUND UP Michael Douglas was the start man in Lower Breck's win over Shelley, scoring four times in a 6-0 win that keeps Breck in fourth place, ahead of AFC Darwen on goal difference, who came from behind to win 3-2 at Daisy Hill. It turned out to be an exciting second half at New Sirs after a goalless opening 45 minutes, with Ashley Stott and Danny Warburton giving Daisy a two goal lead before Karl Turner, Corey Harrison and Samuel Knowles all struck in the space of ten minutes to give the visitors victory.

Andrew Lewis and Anthony Lyons were on target from AFC Liverpool in the 2-0 win at AFC Blackpool, and a fine second half comeback from Nelson earned them a 4-2 win at home to Cleator Moor Celtic. Two goals from Tom Mahone had given Celtic a half time lead, but two goals from William Harris and one apiece from Mark Sharples and Alexander Grice steered the Admirals to victory.

Bacup Borough were the highest scorers of the day, with Jordan Wilmore scoring twice in the 6-2 win at St. Helens Town.

The First Division South is headed by Rylands after Ste Boothman struck a second half hat trick in their 3-0 win at home to Alsager Town, but with just six points separating the top seven clubs, there are plenty of contenders breathing down the necks of the leaders.

Wythenshawe Amateurs are a point behind in second place, following their 5-2 win at home to Stockport Town. The scoreline doesn't tell the full tale of an exciting game, as two goals from Kiarno Samms had given Town an early lead, before Daniel Egan (with a penalty) and Jordan Burton both struck in first half stoppage time to pull the Ammies level at the break. Joel Aikenhead then gave the home side the lead, but victory was only secured by stoppage time goals from Daniel Egan (another penalty) and Rory Fallon.

A few miles away from Hollyhedge Park, the Ammies local rivals Wythenshawe Town didn't have such a good afternoon, going down 5-0 at home to FC Oswestry Town. David Howarth and Liam Parry both scored twice for the visitors in a convincing win, although Wythenshawe Town remain in fourth place, a point ahead of Stone Old Alleynians who came from behind to earn a draw at St Martins. Two goals from Karl Bailey had given Saints an early lead, but James Lee and Kyle Blake ensured that the visitors picked up a point. Vauxhall Motors lost a bit of ground on those above them, after a last gasp equaliser denied them all three points at home to Cheadle Town.

Rhys Clooney had given Town a half time lead, and it looked like goals from Thomas Mitchell and David Webb would be enough to earn the points for the Motormen but Ben Brooks struck in stoppage time to secure a point from a 2-2 draw.

Late equalisers were also a feature of the other two games, with Edward Driver's 89th minute goal earning New Mills a 1-1 draw at Cammell Laird 1907, and Cheadle Heath Nomads had to rely on an 88th minute leveller from Andrew Simpson to pick up a point from a 2-2 draw at home to Eccleshall, after two goals from Louis Downs had put the visitors ahead.

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WHO'S PLAYED AT Continuing with our theme of ex professional footballers who have played here at Edge Green Street, today we feature a player with a Yorkshire connection, Geral Sibon, as our visitors today Steeton FC themselves hail from the white rose county.

Sibon‟s Yorkshire connection comes from time spent playing for Sheffield Wednesday FC but he first began his professional career when he featured for FC Twente during the 1993–94 season, making his debut as a substitute. Sibon only appeared three times for FC Twente before leaving to sign for VVV-Venlo of the Eerste Divisie the following season. After two successful seasons playing for VVV where he scored 34 goals, he then went on to joinRoda JC in 1996 and impressed with 13 goals back in the Dutch top-flight.

Sibon then moved onto Ajax Amsterdam in 1997 but was frustrated and hampered by a lack of first team action, having been relegated to the bench by the likes of Wamberto, Shota Arveladze, Georgi Kinkladze and crowd favourite Brian Laudrup. An offer by the then English Premiership club side Sheffield Wednesday was too good to ignore and prompted Sibon to transfer to the Yorkshire club in 1999 for the price of £2 million. Joining him at Sheffield Wednesday at this time was Dutch international Wim Jonk and the Belgian Gilles De Bilde.

After spending four seasons with Sheffield Wednesday, where he scored a total of 43 goals for the club and finished as the club's highest goal scorer for three consecutive seasons, whilst also winning two consecutive player of the year awards, Sibon decided to return to the Eredivisie and joined SC Heerenveen in 2002. He featured for Heerenveen in a total of 38 matches and scored 19 goals in two seasons before signing for PSV in 2004.

He won the Dutch Eredivise title in 2004–05, contending with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Robert for a first team spot in the PSV team. In July 2006 he left PSV to join Bundesliga side Nürnberg on a free transfer. After a solitary season in Germany Sibon returned to the Netherlands signing a two-year contract with his old team Heerenveen.

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By Gordon

T EDGE GREEN ST? Sibon left the Netherlands in May 2010, when he signed with Australian A-League club Melbourne Heart for their inaugural season, coached by fellow Dutchman John van 'tSchip. He quickly cemented his position in the starting line-up in Melbourne, playing mainly in a playmaker role, but still managing to show his skills as a striker by scoring seven goals and finishing as Melbourne Heart's second top-scorer for the season. He became a fans favourite in Melbourne for his often-dangerous freekickswhich included a goal from a stunning 20-metre curling free kick, during the second ever Melbourne Derby.

Rather controversially in the week before the Heart's final game of the season, Sibon announced he would not be continuing his career with the club. He had been told by the club that he would not be offered a contract renewal after having stated earlier in the month that he wanted to spend another year in Melbourne.

On 27 June 2011, it was announced Sibon had signed with his former team SC Heerenveen thus beginning his third stint at the club. The final match of his career was the May 2012 defeat by Feyenoord which still confirmed a Europa League place for Heerenveen the following season.

As regards International recognition, Sibon was named in the Netherlands squad for the Beijing Olympics in the summer of 2008. During the tournament he scored a 93rd-minute equaliser in the 2–2 draw against the United States and the winning penalty in the 73rd minute against Japan. This placed him amongst 18 players who scored two goals or more in the Olympic tournament.

Sibon‟s only appearance here at Edge Green Street came in the 2017 Joseph‟s Goal Charity fund raising game where he featured in the second of the Latics Legends versus the Dutch Masters games being part of the Dutch side that avenged the previous year‟s defeat beating the Latics legends team by a 4-3 score line.

n Johnson

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LEAGUE TABLE 1ST DIV NORTH 19/12/18

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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.

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www.ashtontownafc.co.uk

HISTORY OF STEETON AFC The club was founded in 1905 and played for many years at The Oaks, relocating following the construction of Airedale Hospital in 1969 to the current ground at Summerhill Lane. We have secured a groundshare agreement with local rugby league side Keighley Cougars starting from the 2018/19 season.

Steeton entered the West Riding County Amateur league in 1985 and have achieved a highest placing of runners-up, finishing 3rd last season. We won the West Yorkshire County Challenge Trophy in 2001 and were beaten finalists in the West Yorkshire County Challenge Cup in 2014, losing to Field AFC at Elland Road, Leeds. Steeton are part of the Keighley District FA, and this season both First and Reserve teams won their respective Cup Finals.

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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.

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www.josephsgoal.org

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26/12/18

29/12/18

Carl Williams

Jake Ambrose Daniel Ashburner Bradley Aspinall Michael Chesworth Lewis Coleman Jake Dunford Dylan Fitzgerald Aaron Fleming Jordan Grant Nathan Hatton Luke Hincks Callum Jackson Callum Jones Ryan Kirkman (GK) Arnold Nsimbe Brian Potter Connor Smith Yazz Smajic Nathan Strong Kyle Tomlinson

Andrew Presho Paul Cliff Dominic Whelan Andrew Webster Michael Furlong Matthew Smith Christy Devlin Liam Diggle Daniel Greene Neil Weaver Alex Moffitt Alex Hope Oâ€&#x;Connor Scott Lawrence Liam Riley Jesse Robinson

5/1/19 Alfie Stevens-Neale Joe Mash Joe Mason Elliot Scott Stephen Pearson Sam Rooke Alistair Morgan Tom Leach Toby Jeffrey Tim Hird James Grogan Toby Rawcliffe Angus Maney Ben Richardson Ben Clarkson Andy Briggs Aaron Hollindrake Aaron Davis Manager, Roy Mason Coaches: Adam Smith,

Manager: Wayne Harley Manager: Lee Jenkinson

Pete Jeffrey, Adam

Coaches: Russ Hodgkinson,

Assistant: Nick Robinson

Longden

Robb Cropper

Colours: Blue Shirts,

Colours: Yellow Shirts,

Blue Shorts, Blue Socks

Green Shorts, Green

Blue Shorts, Blue Socks

GK: Yellow or Green

Socks

GK: Green

GK: Yellow

Colours: Green Shirts,

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Officials: Andrew Daniels, Lee Berry, Lewis Walters

Officials: Jack Welch, Matt Pope, Tim Eagles

Officials: TBA