The Wall oper PRESCOT CABLES V TADCASTER ALBION | BETVICTOR NPL NORTH / WEST DIVISION | 31 AUGUST 2019, 3:00PM | ISSUE 4
A view from the
Press Box
The challenges of providing a running commentary
Managing a
tricky start Steve Pilling reflects on the season so far
PRINCIPAL CLUB SPONSORS TODAY’S MATCH & BALL SPONSOR: BOB NICHOLSON
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From The Editor Good afternoon and welcome to Hope Street for today’s match in the BetVictor Northern Premier League North/West Division. It is always a pleasure to welcome the players, officials and supporters of Tadcaster Albion to Prescot and we hope that everyone connected with the Brewers enjoys their time in our company. Greetings, too, to the match officials. We offer a warm welcome to Messrs Young, Johnson and Chisnall and hope that collectively they have a good game.
PRESCOT CABLES
COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY LIMITED Company Number: 05540352
We are grateful to club stalwart and Vice President Bob Nicholson for sponsoring both today’s match and the match ball. It is very much appreciated.
Directors: Michael Corless, Ken Derbyshire, Joe Gibiliru, Peter Kneale, Doug Lace, Norman Parr, Mike Rice, Matt Roberts, Jamie Weston, Robbie Williams.
The last time we were here, I expressed the opinion that the North / West Division was probably the strongest in the country at Step 4. Nothing that has happened since I wrote those notes has altered my opinion, although I didn’t expect Trafford to start as slowly as they have.
Vice Presidents: Phil Blundell, Bob Nicholson Chair: Peter Kneale Vice Chair: Joe Gibiliru General Manager: Ken Derbyshire Club Secretary: Matt Roberts Match Secretary: Paul Goodwin Treasurer: Norman Parr Bar Manager: Lynda Derbyshire First Team Managers: Steve Pilling & Roy Grundy Coaches: Garry Williams & Dom Finnigan Physio: Tony Carroll Kit: Vicky Tigwell Hospitality: Harry Boydell & Sandra Williams Head Groundsman: Vacant Ground Maintenance: Alan McNally, David Hill, Paul Watkinson Programme Editor: Gareth Coates Match Reports: Paul Goodwin & Richard Tigwell Regular Contributors: Mike Rice, Roy McDonald, Paul Goodwin, Matt Roberts, Richard Tigwell Club Shop Manager: Kath Conway Club Photographers: John Hendry & John Middleton
This afternoon’s visitors won handsomely on Monday, so Tadcaster Albion will have crossed the Pennines with a spring in their collective step. However, the Brewers have enough experience in their set up to know that we will provide a very different challenge to that posed by Pickering Town. With almost half the division locked together after three matches, the next couple of weeks are an important period in terms of setting the tone for the months that follow. Once mid-September comes around, the numbers tend to stretch out a little and while it is unusual for one club to be streets ahead, it is far from impossible that there may be one or more at the bottom who are starting to see a gap in their points total and the teams around them. I’m certain that neither of the teams you are watching today will be anywhere near the foot of the table but both sides will be looking to lay down a marker and demonstrate just how ambitious they are to be fighting at the summit come April. With this in mind, I anticipate a full-blooded and extremely close contest. It promises to be a fascinating game. Thank you for your support this afternoon. Enjoy the match!
Gareth Coates
The opinions expressed within this programme are those of the individual contributors and may not represent the official view of the club.
Chief Editor Johnny Dollar
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Our Visitors Today: Tadcaster Albion Our guests tonight have played many times against Prescot Cables over the years, in the Lancashire Combination, North West Counties League and Northern Premier League.
T
he club is believed to have been formed in 1892 as John Smith’s FC. It wasn’t until 1923 that the Tadcaster Albion AFC name was adopted. In the early years, the club played in the local York League, which they won in 1948. They continued competing in the York League during the 1950s and 1960s. In addition to competing in the York League, the club has also played in the Barkston Ash League, the Yorkshire League and the Northern Counties East League.
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ner flags, buckets, oranges, players and officials trekking through the town. Football continued on the Ings ground until 1960, when the club moved 100 yards up river to its present home at the Park. In 1973, the club joined the Yorkshire League Division Three and won promotion in 1975 and 1977 to reach Division One, although relegation was to follow in 1979 and 1980.
In the early days, Tadcaster Albion played home games on the site of the cricket ground on Station Road, before moving to the Ings ground, near to where the present Samuel Smith Brewery Packaging Block now stands.
In 1982-83, Albion became a founding member of the Northern Counties East League (NCEL), originally in NCEL Division Two North before league reorganisations placed the club in Division One in 1991. They rarely finished in the top half of the league during the 1990s and finished bottom in 2001-02 and 2003-04.
Changing facilities were in the town, at the rear of the Falcon Public House on Chapel Street, and it was a common Saturday afternoon sight to see nets, cor-
At the start of 2004-05, Jim Collis became manager and at this point fortunes on the pitch started to improve dramatically. In his first season, Albion
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New friends Cables’ first League meeting with Albion came on 19th November 2016; Prescot won 1-0 thanks to a Dominic Marie goal
finished fifth in the NCEL Division One and in the following year a third-place finish saw Tadcaster miss out on promotion by one point. Jimmy Reid took over as manager in 2006, but his time in charge was blighted by off the field problems. An attempted hostile takeover by dissident committee members took a massive amount of money to fight. Then in November
2007, an attempted arson attack on the clubhouse caused a lot of damage. Paul Marshall took over at the start of 2008-09. In that first season, Marshall relied mostly on local players; the team struggled and finished 17th. In 2009-10, helped by an influx of a few new key players, Albion won the NCEL Division One title. In 2010, Rob Northfield took over as Chairman of Tadcaster Albion (2010) Ltd, and the club became a company limited by guarantee. Albion finished fourth in their first season in the
NCEL Premier Division and won the NCEL President’s Cup, beating Farsley AFC 5-1 in the Final. That was followed by an 8th place finish in 2011-12 and 6th place in 2012-13.
Tadcaster Albion were Northern Counties East League Champions in 2015-16
Rob Northfield resigned a few days before the start of the 2013-14 season and i2i Sports Ltd agreed to effectively take control of the club and company, with Matthew Gore becoming the new chairman. In 2014-15 the Brewers led the NCEL Premier for most of the season, but a poor run of form in March led to them finally finishing
There have been four NPL meetings between the two clubs. Prescot have won three of the previous matches (all by a single goal) and the other ended in a draw.
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Please make any donations by placing products into the Red Box next to the Real Ale Bar.
Thank you!
in third. An excellent run in the FA Vase saw Albion make history by making it through to the Quarter-Final of the national competition, where they drew a record-breaking crowd of 1,307 but were narrowly beaten by Highworth Town. At the end of the season, the club opted not to renew the contract of manager Paul Marshall and two weeks later former Harrogate Railway boss Billy Miller was unveiled as his replacement. The following season saw the Brewers once again lead the NCEL Premier for most of the campaign, but this time they held their nerve and finished as Champions, clinching the title with a 2-1 home win over Armthorpe Welfare. They also made it to the League Cup Final but were beaten in a thrilling 3-2 game against Cleethorpes Town. So, 2016-17 marked the Brewers’ started their first ever season in the Northern Premier League First Division North. With a mix of old and new players at his disposal, Billy Miller was back in his old stomping ground and his
experience and knowledge of this division was needed. The Brewers started the season well and were in the play-off positions before injury problems hit the team and the season seemed to run away from them. Albion eventually finished 19th in the league. The Brewers had a great chance to mark the season with silverware by reaching the West Riding County Cup Final, only to lose 4-2 on penalties to Farsley Celtic after a 1-1 draw. At the end of the campaign the Directors made the tough decision to change the management team from Billy Miller and Matt Heath to Michael Morton and Simon Collins. The new-look management team took a couple of months to adapt to the League and mould the squad that they wanted. However, it didn’t take them long to find their feet as the fortunes took a turn for the better after the new year with Michael and Simon steering the club to its highest ever finish reaching the promotion play-offs after a dramatic final day. This generat-
ed massive excitement within the club and around the town but unfortunately the Brewers were beaten 2-1 at Bamber Bridge despite taking the lead and putting in a valiant performance. The 2018-19 season saw the Brewers move into the new East Division of the Northern Premier League, which had moved away from a North/ South split of its second tier. The campaign was another positive one for the club, which finished just outside the play-off places in 7th having been in the top six for most of the season. At the end of the season, manager Simon Collins decided to step down and several players moved onto new clubs. Former professional footballer and boxer Curtis Woodhouse has taken charge of Albion and although he has brought several new faces to the squad, six of the 2018-19 squad have stayed with the club, which has been further boosted by several exciting players moving up from the Under-21 side.
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INTRODUCING... TADCASTER ALBION Photos by
Keith Handley The Brewers have enjoyed a successful couple of seasons and will be looking to build on their recent achievements this season
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Curtis Woodhouse: Manager Curtis is a former professional footballer turned professional boxer and football manager. His career in the Football League spanned across nine seasons and he earned four England Under-21 caps He played for Sheffield United, Birmingham City, Peterborough, Hull City and Grimsby Town. Curtis also has extensive experience in non-league having played for Rushden & Diamonds, Mansfield Town, Harrogate Town and Eastwood Town. He has managed at Sheffield
FC, Goole. Hull United and Bridlington Town, before becoming Tadcaster Albion manager in June 2019. Martin Foster: Assistant Manager Martin started his playing career with Leeds United he also represented Doncaster Rovers, Forest Green Rovers, Halifax Town, Oxford United , Rushden & Diamonds, Tamworth, Eastwood Town and Harrogate Town. Martin has also had a spell playing in the Scottish leagues. Since retiring from playing he has been joint manager of Matlock Town and more
recently assistant manager at Gainsborough Trinity. Martin has linked up with Curtis Woodhouse on several occasions previously and he jumped at the chance to join him at Tadcaster. Steve Waide: First Team Coach Steve answered a request for help in pre-season. He has, amongst many qualifications, a UEFA ‘B’ Coaching Licence and a Full FA Youth award. Added to that, he has an MA in Physical Education. Before joining Tadcaster Steve was Head Coach and w w w. p re s cotca b le s a fc. co m
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Assistant Manager of Pontefract Collieries Under-19. Prior to that, he held the position of Head Coach at the Harrogate Town Academy. He has added a new dimension to Curtis’s team and will now be with us for the whole season. Neil Sanderson: Goalkeeping Coach ‘Nelly’ Sanderson was a successful goalkeeper playing with both York Railway Institute and York City (198486). Nelly set up City Football Development (CFD) and has overseen the coaching of hundreds of youngsters across Yorkshire. Dozens of his players have since progressed to professional clubs with many also representing their national youth teams. CFD merged with i2i in 2015. Michael Ingham: Goalkeeper Michael is a former professional goalkeeper who has made over 400 appearances for clubs such as Sunderland, Stoke City and York City. His career spans over 20 years and he has won two trophies. During his 9 years at York City, Michael kept an extremely impressive 116 clean sheets in 326 games. Michael has 21 caps for Northern Ireland at U18s and Senior level. Arron Burn: Goalkeeper Arron joined The Brewers from National League North side Darlington in January 2019. The promising young stopper has been a regular feature for the club’s U21 side as well as representing York City and North Yorkshire whilst coming through the i2i Football Academy. Josh Barrett: Defender Josh began his football career
at Leeds United before moving to York City FC, where he remained until he was 16. Josh started out as a striker before switching and becoming a pacey winger. Josh has gradually moved further and further back and now he is an extremely strong centre-back. Jack Walters: Defender Jack joined Tadcaster at the end of the 2017-18 season from North Ferriby United. The 22-year-old left-back equipped himself well in the National League North after joining from Bridlington Town in December 2017. Ioan Evans: Defender A former Welsh international at Under-16 and Under-19 levels, Ioan has vast experience for somebody still so young. He is dominant in the air, comfortable on the ball and reads the game really well. Having come through the Newport County Academy, Ioan joined Sheffield United in 2015 before a loan spell at National League North Boston United. He was transferred to Gainsborough Trinity in 2016. Iwan Healey: Defender/ Midfielder Iwan was a pivotal member of the Brighouse Town team that had a fantastic 2018-19 season and was an early signing for Curtis Woodhouse during the summer. A natural leader, Iwan is a tough tackling, allaction defender and midfielder who also likes to get on the ball and make the team tick. Andy Milne: Defender / Midfielder The vastly-experienced Andy was signed by the Leeds United Academy at just nine years of age and went on to represent Scotland at Under-18 level in 2007. His foot-
ball career has also seen him represent Darlington, Barrow, FC Halifax Town, Ossett Town and Scarborough Athletic. He was Albion’s Player of the Season in 2014. Kain Rogerson: Defender / Midfielder After a couple of years playing for the i2i Football Academy, Kain has now made the step up into Non-League Football. He is a cultured, left-footed player who can operate in several different positions including attacking midfield, central midfield and left-back. His corners have become a speciality. Jake Rose: Midfielder Jake is a combative, toughtackling midfielder who has been blighted with injuries throughout his short career. However, he has regained full fitness and has been instrumental to Tadcaster’s early successes, such is his skill and commitment. This season has been a long time coming for Jake. Alex Wiles: Midfielder Alex is a former Rotherham United, Buxton, Gainsborough Trinity and Stocksbridge Park Steels midfielder and joined Albion in the close season. He is a creative central midfielder with an eye for the killer pass. He has the ability to ghost past people in tight areas and is both strong and energetic. A box to box player, Alex has been reunited with assistant manager Martin Foster with whom he worked closely at Trinity. Lebrun Mbeke: Midfielder Lebrun is a tall midfielder joined Tadcaster during the close season, having played against the Brewers last sea-
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son for the newly formed Ossett United. Prior to that, Lebrun had been one of the rising stars at Ossett Albion. He brings with him a real physical presence. Full of energy and athleticism, he is a constant threat in the final third. Donald Chimalilo: Midfielder / Forward Donald is an electrifying winger and another graduate from the i2i Football Academy. After impressing at Barton Town in his first year in semiprofessional football, he now has a chance with the Brewers. Equally effective in midfield or attack, he has impressed in pre-season.
Casey Stewart: Midfielder / Forward Casey is an exciting forward who broke into the First Team in January 2018 and has never looked back. He is a fans favourite who won Young Player of the Year despite playing only half of last season’s games. At the end of the 201718 campaign he went on trial with National League side Harrogate Town but he’s happy to be back for another season at Tadcaster. JP Vass: Midfielder / Forward JP is a young and pacey winger who plays predominantly on the left side but can use both flanks. He is another product of the i2i Football Academy. JP
has featured regularly for the Club’s youth teams in recent years and is now ready to step up into the First Team. Jake Day: Forward Former Bridlington Town striker Jake has linked up again with boss Curtis Woodhouse. Jake, who also had a spell with Scarborough Athletic, scored 85 goals in 107 games for Brid where he was dubbed ‘The Beast from the East!’ Jake still has plenty of scope to develop his game but has attributes that are a real asset to any team. Standing 6 feet 3 inches, Jake is strong, quick and an excellent finisher.
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THE VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT Steve Pilling
The First Team’s new Joint Manager gives us an insight into the work that has been done to prepare for the new campaign, as well as discussing some of the challenges that have arisen since the season’s start.
I
t is an absolute pleasure to be sharing these notes with you, four games into the new season. Roy and I were delighted to be offered the chance to take the reins when Brian left. We were, of course, left with a major rebuilding job as half of last season’s squad decided to move on. We successfully invited 20 new players to join the eleven who chose to stay with the club. It was a tough few weeks and I have to say the players worked exceptionally hard. As a manager, playing preseason games is important because you get a better idea as to which players are right for this level and which are not. As more
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matches were completed, players were released quickly until by the last two games we had almost decided who we wanted in our squad. This is the worst time of the season and any manager will tell you the hardest thing to do is to tell good lads who have given everything that they aren’t going to make it into the squad. We’ve had a few of those conversations with players in the last two weeks and they can break your heart. It’s such a tough thing to say, “You’re not good enough”. We learned a massive amount from the friendlies and there were some mixed results, I think the biggest tests, against Warrington and Market Drayton would’ve turned out quite differently with
better finishing. Although the team performances in both games were fairly pleasing, we felt a few more players with Northern Premier League experience were needed. We worked hard to add that to the group of 19 players. We went into the match at Kendal confident that our squad would prove competitive in a very challenging division. The team came home with a 1-0 win that should’ve been more. I have a feeling that this will come to be seen as a very good three points on the road. We expected a tougher test at home to Clitheroe and they didn’t disappoint. Clitheroe dominated the first 20 minutes, albeit
without creating many chances due to some very pleasing resolute defending. We then got ourselves in front thanks to a James Edgar penalty. Very disappointingly, for 15-20 minutes after the break we just didn’t come out. We were very sloppy in our play and found ourselves 2-1 down. At that point, we could very easily have folded but the most pleasing aspect for us is that we didn’t. Quite the opposite, in fact; we took the game to Clitheroe, equalised and pushed on for a winner that just wouldn’t quite come. Apart from the sloppy start to the second half, it was an encouraging evening and a very good point in the end. I’ve had some bad days as
a manager and sometimes you wonder why you even do the job, but the Bank Holiday weekend that we’ve just had has tested us as managers like never before. I can honestly say I’ve never faced a harder weekend in football. First up was the FA Cup game at Northwich Victoria. Injury problems within the group had been building from the end of the first game at Kendal and came to a head for the trip to Cheshire. We had 6 players either injured or ill and three of those players who were unavailable developed problems overnight, leaving us with no time to try to bring in new faces. Unlike for League matches, the registration deadline for the FA Cup is noon on a Friday, so we
had to go with what we had. As a result, we had to travel to a very good side on a boiling hot day with only two substitutes. I have to say that I thought we completely failed to execute our game plan. This led to our resorting to a long ball game that is foreign to us despite leading 1-0 and probably being the better side. We hadn’t created many chances which left Northwich something to fight for. Sure enough, they hit us in the second and fourth minutes of stoppage time to win the game. I don’t think I’ve seen a dressing room as gutted. The lads knew they’d blown it and I genuinely believe not having a bench
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Blackburn before travelling to the game. Welcome to a day in the life of a manager! Having successfully signed two good players and having an existing player recover sufficiently from injury to go on the bench, the panic was over but only at 11:00am on Monday morning.
and being able to change things cost us that game. Even worse was the fact that we picked up another two injuries and an unforseen work problem which left us even shorter for the derby match at Marine on Monday. Roy and I spent Sunday frantically working to bolster the squad. Roy went to meet and sign a player in Manchester then on Monday morning met another in
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The Marine game was a concern because for a second consecutive match we lacked options on the bench but apart from the first 10 minutes the lads were magnificent. Their 90 minute pefromance was the best we’ve played under our management. Although ultimately we lost the game 2-1, we thought that on the whole we outplayed and outworked them. There was not a dry patch on any shirt; the lads put a major shift in, playing some great football and but for a saved penalty we could and should have at least had a share of the points.
Although the weekend was stressful and ultimately unsuccessful, oddly enough it ended on a high because I’m certain that if the lads play like that every week we won’t be far away from where we want to be. As disappointing as it is to be out of the FA Cup and have won one, drawn one and lost one in the League, no trophies are won in August. A performance like Monday’s leaves us very optimistic for the season! Finally, I couldn’t compile a set of programme notes without mentioning our fans. The new players in our squad can’t believe the level of support we have. I believe our fans are second to none, always singing and supporting the lads. The fans are definitely our 12th man, so what more is there to say but CAAAYYBULLS? Thanks for your support. Enjoy the match.
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HOW MARINE SAW MONDAY’S MATCH
M Monday 26 August BetVictor NPL North/West Marine Travel Arena
Report & Photos by
Tom Clarke & John Hendry
Marine were 2-1 winners of an entertaining contest with Prescot Cables at the MTA on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.
The home side had the best of the chances early on as they searched for the first goal, Francois Antoine and Niall Cummins both going close to getting it with solid efforts. Cables threatened through new striker Mosopeoluwa Awe, but Germano Mendes was equal to it every time, as well as a couple of vital blocks from Scott Lycett. Niall Cummins scored the opener after half an hour, the home captain converting after much early pressure from his side. The lead lasted just six minutes though, as a penalty was awarded to the visitors following a push in the back from Anthony Miley. James Edgar duly converted from the spot to equalise.
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Josh Solomon-Davies then made two more crucial blocks for Marine, before Mendes was injured following a clash of heads with Awe. The goalkeeper stayed down for several minutes and seemed to be in some discomfort, but eventually got back up and played on. Marine went up the other end of the pitch in first-half stop-
page time and went in front through Steve Irwin with a fine effort from the central midfielder.
chances as substitutes Ethan Devine and James Barrigan looked to put their stamp on the game.
Cables won another penalty in the second half after Mendes was booked for a high foot, but the stopper saved Edgar’s second spot-kick of the afternoon even after his head injury.
Mendes was forced into an excellent one-on-one stop in the closing minutes after coming off his line to meet Steven Yawson.
Marine has several more
The game finished 2-1 though, as Marine continued their strong start to the season.
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BetVictor Northern Premier League North West Division As of 26/08/19 Workington Ramsbottom United Marske United Marine Tadcaster Albion Clitheroe Runcorn Linnets Widnes Colne PRESCOT CABLES Dunston Mossley Pontefract Collieries Brighouse Town Droylsden City of Liverpool Ossett United Kendal Town Trafford Pickering Town
MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2019
P 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3
Clitheroe (0) 0-2 (0) Colne [524] Droylsden (1) 2-1 (1) Mossley Kendal Town (0) 0-0 (0) Widnes [91] Marine (2) 2-1 (1) Prescot Cables [585] Marske United (1) 2-1 (0) Dunston [366] Ossett United (0) 1-2 (1) Brighouse Town [461] Ramsbottom United (0) 1-0 (0) Trafford [254] Runcorn Linnets (2) 4-2 (1) City of Liverpool [546] Tadcaster Albion (5) 5-0 (0) Pickering Town [338] Workington AFC (1) 2-1 (0) Pontefract Collieries [631]
SATURDAY 31 AUGUST 2019
Brighouse Town v Droylsden City of Liverpool v Workington Colne v Ossett United Dunston v Runcorn Linnets Mossley v Kendal Town Pickering Town v Marine Pontefract Collieries v Ramsbottom United Prescot Cables v Tadcaster Albion Trafford v Clitheroe Widnes v Marske United
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W 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
D 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0
L 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3
GF 7 6 4 6 7 4 6 5 6 4 3 3 3 2 6 6 1 2 1 2
GA 2 3 1 3 2 5 5 4 6 4 3 3 3 2 7 6 3 7 4 11
GD 5 3 3 3 5 -1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 -2 -5 -3 -9
Pts 9 9 9 7 6 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 1 0 0
TUESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2019
Droylsden v Prescot Cables Kendal Town v Trafford Marske United v Pontefract Collieries Ossett United v Pickering Town Workington AFC v Colne
TUESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2019 City of Liverpool v Prescot Cables Dunston v Brighouse Town Marine v Trafford Marske United v Tadcaster Albion Pickering Town v Mossley Pontefract Collieries v Colne Ramsbottom United v Clitheroe Runcorn Linnets v Droylsden Workington v Kendal Town
WEDNESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2019 Widnes v Ossett United
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MARINE SNEAK THE WIN Photos by
John Hendry Bank Holiday Monday saw Prescot Cables travel to Marine for a BetVictor NPL North/West Division match. It was a hard-fought game, eventually won by the home side, whose superior game management helped them to subdue the young Cables side. Here are some of the photos from Monday afternoon; you can find a full gallery at prescotcablesafc.com.
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Match and Ball Sponsorship Date
Opponents
223/07/19
Everton (Pre-Season Match)
03/08/19
Warrington Town (Pre-Season Match)
21/08/19
Clitheroe
31/08/19
Tadcaster Albion
14/09/19
Dunston
24/09/19
Widnes
19/10/19
Brighouse Town
09/11/19
Ramsbottom United
30/11/19
Colne
07/12/19
Pickering Town
21/12/19
Kendal Town
01/01/20
Marine
11/01/20
Droylsden
18/01/20
Trafford
01/02/20
Workington
22/02/20
City of Liverpool
14/03/20
Mossley
28/03/20
Pontefract Collieries
13/04/20
Runcorn Linnets
25/04/20
Ossett United
TBA
Marske United
Match Sponsor
Ball Sponsor
Michael Corless Soccer Schools Emilia, Matthew, Karen and Dean Edwards Prescot Cables Supporters Club
Harry Molyneux
Bob Nicholson
Enid Harding in memory of Dave Harding
Peter Healing
The Town of Larvik, Norway
We are again inviting businesses and supporters to sponsor our home fixtures and the match ball for each game. Match Sponsorship costs £175 and includes pre-match and half-time hospitality, extensive promotion within The Walloper and during the pre-match stadium announcements. Match Ball Sponsorship costs £75 and includes pre-match and half-time hospitality, extensive promotion within The Walloper and during the pre-match stadium announcements. The club also offers a Gold Sponsorship option for £350. This entitles the sponsor to hospitality for up to six people, including a free bar with priority service. w w w. p re s cotca b le s a fc. co m
To find out more about any of these opportunities, please contact Mick Flaherty ot Jamie Weston.
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First Team Appearances & Goals Up to and including 26th August 2019. Maximum number of appearances: 4
2019-20 Season Sub. Apps. Goals Apps. 4 0 0 4 0 1 4 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 2 4 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
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Player James McCulloch Lloyd Dean Valter Fernandes Matthew Hamilton Josh Gregory Steven Yawson Reece McNally James Cooper James Edgar Marcus Burgess Sean Myler Ollie Taylor George Hassall Martyn Jackson Will Avon Jack Grimshaw Rodrigo Schmitdinger Mann Mosopeoluwa Awe Rio Gill Douglas Nyaupembe
Cables Career Sub. Apps. Goals Apps. 360 20 23 130 37 51 97 3 2 31 13 7 4 0 0 4 0 0 51 0 0 36 3 1 152 35 21 82 0 0 25 0 3 18 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
♠️ Cocktails ♥️ Beer & Craft ♣️ Brunch ♦️ Sunday Roast Served in the heart of the historical town of Prescot.
2 Leyland Street, Prescot, L34 5QP Find us on Facebook and Instagram for our forthcoming live music events
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2019-20 FIXTURES, RESUL Date
Opponents
Res.
1
2
3
4
5
6
17/08/19
Kendal Town
A BVNW
Comp. Att. 102
1-0
Burgess
Fernandes
McNally
McCulloch
Avon
Gregory
Ham
20/08/19
Clitheroe
H BVNW
390
2-2
Burgess
Fernandes
McNally
McCulloch
Cooper
Gregory
Ham
24/08/19 26/08/19
Northwich Victoria Marine
A FACp A BVNW
247 585
1-2 1-2
Taylor Taylor
Fernandes Mann
McNally Fernandes
McCulloch McCulloch
Cooper Cooper
Hamilton Gregory
31/08/19 03/09/19 10/09/19
Tadcaster Albion Droylsden City of Liverpool
H BVNW A BVNW A BVNW
14/09/19 21/09/19
Dunston Pickering Town
H BVNW A BVNW
24/09/19 05/10/19
Widnes Trafford
H BVNW A BVNW
19/10/19 02/11/19 09/11/19 16/11/19 23/11/19 30/11/19
Brighouse Town Mossley Ramsbottom United Pontefract Collieries Ossett United Colne
H A H A A H
07/12/19
Pickering Town
H BVNW
14/12/19 21/12/19 26/12/19 01/01/20
Workington Kendal Town Runcorn Linnets Marine
A H A H
04/01/20
Clitheroe
A BVNW
11/01/20 18/01/20 25/01/20
Droylsden Trafford Marske United
H BVNW H BVNW A BVNW
01/02/20
Workington
H BVNW
15/02/20
Dunston
A BVNW
22/02/20 29/02/20
City of Liverpool Widnes
H BVNW A BVNW
14/03/20 21/03/20
Mossley Brighouse Town
H BVNW A BVNW
28/03/20 04/04/20 11/04/20
Pontefract Collieries Ramsbottom United Tadcaster Albion
H BVNW A BVNW A BVNW
13/04/20 18/04/20
Runcorn Linnets Colne
H BVNW A BVNW
25/04/20
Ossett United
H BVNW
TBA
Marske United
H BVNW
BVNW BVNW BVNW BVNW BVNW BVNW BVNW BVNW BVNW BVNW
Players marked in bold are goalscorers; players marked in italics indicate substitutions. Yellow and red cards are also shown, as follows: Caution Dismissal
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7
Greg Yaw
LTS & TEAM SELECTIONS
7
milton
8
9
10
11
12
14
15
16
17
Myler
Hassell
Dean
Yawson
Cooper
Edgar
Gill
Jackson
Mann
milton
Myler
Hassell
Dean
Yawson
Avon
Edgar 2 (1p)
Gill
Jackson
Mann
gory wson
Jackson Hamilton
Edgar (p) Awe
Dean Dean
Yawson Edgar (p)
Avon Nyaupembe
Flood Hassall
Gill Myler
Turner Jackson
Mann Flood
We have a number of opportunities for pitchside advertising here at the Cables. Taking a board at pitchside doesn’t just get your company’s brand noticed by match-going spectators; we will also provide good coverage across our social media channels. Prices start from £375 for the first season and £300 for subsequent seasons. For more information, send our commercial team an email, talk to one of the Directors on a matchday or call Jamie Weston on 07367 284803.
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MORE YOUNGSTERS JOIN THE HERD OF PESKY BULLS Bank Holiday Monday saw two young men with bright futures make their debuts for the club
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s Joint Manager Steve Pilling mentioned in his column on pages 14-16, the squad has been strengthened by two new arrivals. Mosopeoluwa Awe (or Sope for short) went straight into the starting line-up at Marine and led the line well. Sope (pictured, right) is a promising young player who has been signed on dual-registration from Chorley where he has been a regular in the Magpies’ U21 team, Sope has represented Lancashire in both football and athletics and also spent some time with Kendal Town last season. He is both physically strong and good technically.
Douglas is 19 years old and progressed through the Youth system at Bury FC, for whom he made two First Team appearances in addition to captaining the Shakers to the 2017-18 Lancashire Senior Cup. Douglas made 15 appearances in the NPL Premier Division last season; one for Hyde United and 14 for Stalybridge Celtic. A skilful, predominantly rightsided player, Douglas can also play on the left when required. We are delighted to welcome both players to the club. We hope they enjoy their time with us.
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K-Bull is going on a Summer Holiday before the new season starts, but he has left his bucket and spade behind.
WHAT GAME ARE YOU WATCHING?
Can you help him find them so that he can make a sandcastle once he gets to the beach?
Gareth Coates
Ever wondered why when you watch highlights of football on TV the commentator seems to be seeing things differently to you? Our Editor things he might know...
f you’re a football fan, you’ve probably had this experience at least once in your life.
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You attend a match which happens to be covered by a highlights show later in the day. Having settled down to watch the potted version of a game you’ve already seen, you are mystified that the commentator, or the talking heads in the studio, seem to have drawn entirely different conclusions to those you took away with you. The longer the footage plays, the more annoyed you get and eventually, you explode, bellowing at the TV: “what game were you watching, pal?”. I mention this because on Bank Holiday Monday I found myself asking the same question… the difference being that I was asking it of myself! This was, at least in part, because of
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my summary at the end of a testing 100 minutes of talking about Cables’ defeat at Marine. I could recall saying that Prescot couldn’t really complain about losing the game, because when it came to the ‘fine margins’ that often decide sporting fixtures, Marine had enjoyed an advantage. Yet most of the post-match conversation suggested that Cables had deserved something from the game and had probably been the better team. Further doubt was placed in my mind by the steady stream of Marine fans nominating their Goalkeeper as Man of the Match. Had I, in fact, watched a different game than the rest of the 585 spectators had witnessed? Was my on-thewhistle assessment entirely wrong? Probably not. However, the
more I thought about it, the more I concluded that, yes, I had watched a different game. Or, to put it more accurately, I had watched the same game in a very different way. The challenge of commentary – especially radio commentary – is that you must paint a mental picture for the listener; to try and make them feel like they are at the game with you. That’s a tricky thing to do in a game as quick as football, especially if the decision to broadcast was made late in the day, as it was on Monday. Ideally, I would have like to do some pre-match preparation, to have some statistics ready to fill airtime in the event of a long stoppage. When I’m on commentary, I find myself ‘ball watching’ in a way I never have before, because the position of the ball is the one thing
the radio listener wants to know, above all else. What is happening to the ball once it gets to where it is going is almost incidental. That meant that, on Monday, I couldn’t tell which team was playing better football because all I was focussed on was where the ball was and who had possession. By contrast, a long time ago, I helped a non-league club to reach the First Round Proper of The FA Cup by acting as their Opposition Scout. Before each round, I watched the other club in the tie and made detailed notes about their tactical shape, set pieces, style of play and players with the potential to cause problems. When you watch a game like that, you tend to follow players, more than you do the ball. Because you’re not
emotionally invested in the result, you can observe the match in an analytical way that is, in many ways, the opposite of being a fan. Another factor that can affect both the quality of and approach to commentary is where you watch the game from. At this level, there is no such thing as the perfect Press Box. For instance, I love the fact that, here at Hope Street, the media seats are properly enclosed. However, the problem we do have is that, because of the sheer size of the seating deck, the nearside touchline is obscured, especially in the corners. At Marine, you get an unobstructed view of the pitch, but from behind the goal. There’s nothing the club can do about that, of course, but it does make reporting on a game much more difficult. You get a much nar-
rower view of the play, which makes it harder to spot player movement and it goes without saying that one end of the pitch is a very long way away, particularly for people like me who don’t have 20:20 vision. The final challenge for a commentator is that you have to say what you see. There’s no script when delivering live commentary and a lot of the time you don’t fully appreciate what you’ve said until the words have been uttered. With this in mind, I’d say that the one thing I remember saying that I have pondered a great deal in the 24 hours since – that Marine just about deserved the win because they were better in the ‘fine margins’ – holds true. From staying sufficiently focussed to score on the
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break in the seventh minute of first half stoppage time, through to frustrating Cables in the final minutes by keeping the ball in areas that prevented Prescot from building attacks, I’d say that Marine just showed a little bit more experience than Cables did on the day. Given how young the Pesky Bulls squad is at the moment, that’s understandable. So, I’ll give myself some credit for putting the commentary out
there and try and watch televised football in a slightly kinder way from now on. It might be a while before I return to the airwaves, but I will. I’ve had some good feedback about the couple of games where I’ve sat in for Harrison Hall. However, I have just been winging it, so apologies in advance if the next time I do the commentary it makea you scream at your laptop, or if my witterings make
you want to hurl your phone across a room… Oh, and now I’ve thought about it, I think we did deserve to get something out of that game. The team played more fluently than in the last game I saw, against Clitheroe and if the squad keep going in that vein, there will be quite a few points on the board by season’s end.
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Reserve Team Fixtures & Results Date
Opponents
H/A
Comp.
Result
Scorers
10/08/19
Mallaby
H
WCL2
3-1
OG, Perry, Sinclair
17/08/19
Maghull Reserves
H
WCL2
3-0
R. Dean, Sinclair, OG
20/08/19
Cheshire Lines
A
WCL2
2-4
Sinclair 2
24/08/19
South Liverpool Reserves
H
WCL2
-
-
07/09/19
Mossley Hill Athletic Res.
H
WCL2
-
-
21/09/19
South Sefton Borough
A
WCL2
-
-
28/09/19
Litherland REMYCA Dev.
H
WCL2
-
-
The Reserves suffered their first defeat of the West Cheshire League season on Tuesday 20th August, slipping to a 4-2 defeat at Cheshire Lines. The Railwaymen are among the favourites for promotion this season but were caught cold by the Backup Bulls, who were 2-0 up after 36 minutes. Both Cables goals were scored by Ben Sinclair (left), who has found the net four times in three matches. Having finished fourth in West Cheshire League Division Two for the last two seasons, Lines are a good side with a nucleus of experienced players. They used all of that experience and difficult weather conditions to wear down Jonathan Sproston’s young team and scored four times without reply during the second half. Having been without a game last weekend, the second string entertain South Liverpool Reserves at Prescot Soccer Centre this afternoon.
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Youth Team Fixtures & Results Date
Opponents
H/A
Comp.
Result
11/08/19
Chorley
H
NWYA
1-1
18/08/19
Curzon Ashton
A
NWYA
1-5
02/09/19
Ashton Athletic
A
FAYC
-
08/09/19
Stockport County
A
NWYA
-
15/09/19
Ashton Athletic
H
NWYA
-
22/09/19
Atherton Town
A
NWYA
-
06/10/19
Southport
H
NWYA
-
20/10/19
Hyde United
H
NWYA
-
TBA
Egerton
H
NWYA
-
PESKY CALVES START FA YOUTH CUP ADVENTURE Prescot Cables’ Under-18 team will travel to Ashton Athletic on Monday evening in the First Round Qualifying of the FA Youth Cup. Kevin Jones’ side will head to Brocstedes Park hoping to follow in the footsteps of the 2017-18 squad, who reached the First Round Proper of the tournament before bowing out at Carlisle United. The tie brings together two members of the North West Youth Alliance Premier Division and will be played at Brocstedes Park, Brocstedes Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, WN4 0NQ. Kick-off is 7:30pm and there must be a winner on the night, with extra time and penalties if required. Because the FA Youth Cup match has been scheduled for Monday, the North West Youth Alliance match at home to Egerton which was due to take place tomorrow has been postponed.
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Raising Awareness Saves Young Lives
Cardiac Risk in the Young Every week in the UK at least 12 young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions. Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) aims to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD). CRY supports young people diagnosed with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions and offers bereavement support to families affected by YSCD. CRY promotes and develops heart screening programmes and funds medical research. CRY publishes and distributes medical information written by leading cardiologists for the general public. CRY funds fast track referral, screening and cardiac pathology services at leading UK hospitals. Address: Unit 1140B The Axis Centre, Cleeve Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7RD Telephone: 01737 363222 Email: cry@c-r-y.org.uk Web: www.c-r-y.org.uk 40
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/CardiacRiskintheYoung
@CRY_UK
Reserve & Youth Team League Tables West Cheshire League, Division Two As of 24/08/19 Aintree Villa South Sefton Borough Mersey Royal Cheshire Lines Heswall CABLES RESERVES Mallaby Mossley Hill Athletic Reserves Poulton Royal South Liverpool Res. Ashville Res. Maghull Res. Rainhill Town Res. Litherland REMYCA Dev. West Kirby
P 3 4 4 4 3 3 4 3 3 4 3 4 2 3 4
W 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0
D 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
L 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 3 1 3 4
GF 9 15 11 12 16 8 15 9 4 8 5 6 6 4 3
GA 3 10 6 6 5 5 15 7 5 10 6 8 10 12 16
GF 15 10 5 4 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0
GA 1 4 2 2 1 3 1 6 0 3 4 18
GD 6 5 5 6 11 3 0 2 -1 -2 -1 -2 -4 -8 -13
Pts 9 9 9 8 6 6 6 5 4 4 3 3 3 0 0
North West Youth Alliance, Premier Division As of 18/08/19 Curzon Ashton Egerton Chester Ashton Athletic AFC Fylde Hyde United Chorley CABLES U18 Altrincham Stockport County Southport Atherton Town
P 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 0 1 1 2
W 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
D 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
L 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 2
GD 14 6 3 2 1 0 0 -4 0 -3 -4 -18
Pts 6 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0
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VALTER REACHES HIS CENTURY The popular Portugese marked a personal milestone at Marine earlier this week
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ongratulations to Valter Fernandes, who made his 100th First Team appearance for Prescot Cables on Monday. The Portugese defender was one of Brian Richardson’s first signings and made his debut for the Pesky Bulls on 12th November 2016. That match was here at Hope Street and ended in a 2-2 draw with Clitheroe. It didn’t take long for Valter to establish himself as the first choice right-back and he has become a firm fans’ favourite. Given the amount of squad rotation that was deployed during Brian Richardson’s time in charge, it is particularly impressive that just three of Valter’s 100 appearances for Cables have been as substitutes. To have started 97 times (out of a maximum of 135 42
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League and Cup fixtures) is very impressive. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Valter has only scored two goals for the club, both of which were during the 2016-17 season. However, it is his defensive prowess, coupled with lung-bursting charges up and down the touchline which has made him so popular with supporters. In the almost three years that Valter has played for Cables, the Pesky Bulls have reached four Finals, of which he played in three. The exception was last season’s penalty shootout defeat in the Liverpool Senior Cup. Valter is the fourth member of the current Prescot squad to reach this landmark, joining James McCulloch, James Edgar and Lloyd Dean in the 100+ Club.
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TAKING THE CABLE CARS (OR MAYBE THE TRAM) The Pesky Bulls play away on each of the next two Tuesday evenings, taking on Droylsden and City of Liverpool
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lthough Cables have been left without a game next Saturday, the First Team will still play twice before our next home match, which is a fortnight today. On Tuesday 3rd September, the Pesky Bulls will travel to Droylsden. The Bloods’ Butchers Arms ground will hold happy memories for Lloyd Dean who came off the bench and scored his 50th Cables goal in the 3-2 win that ended last season. It is a venue that offers plenty for spectators too. The club rose as high as Step 1 and the facilities available for fans reflect that. Droylsden have, like Prescot, played three matches so far and won one, drawn one and lost one. Because of the relatively
short distance being travelled, there is no coach running for this match. However, Droylsden FC is 10 minutes by car from Manchester City Centre and is well served by both bus services and the new Metrolink tram. The Metrolink stops right at the main junction in Droylsden with the ground only a minute’s walk up Market Street, just past the Kings Head pub on the left. There is a frequent bus service between Droylsden and Manchester City Cenre. Admission prices for this match are as follows: Adults: £8.00 Concessions: (OAP, students, 16/18 year old) £5.00 Children Under 16: £1.00 Seven days later, we face City of Liverpool at Bootle FC’s Berry Street Garage
Stadium. This will be the first ever League meeting of the two clubs. The NPL newcomers have won one and lost two of their opening three matches. For obvious reasons, there is no coach running to the game and for those not driving, the most reliable public transport option is probably Merseyrail. Aintree station, which is on the Northern Line is approximately 10 minutes walk from the ground. Admission prices for this match are as follows: Adults: £8.00 Concessions: (65+, 16-17, Impaired) £4.00 Children Under 16: (accompanied by an Adult) FREE.
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DEAD AND BURYED Gareth Coates
The state of two of Greater Mancherster’s EFL clubs speaks volumes about the problems the game has with money and club ownership and how Cables can help clubs to find an alternative to the game’s traditional business models. he chaos inflicted upon Bolton Wanderers and Bury by financial mismanagement and inertia at the EFL has had football fans up and down the country rooting for the clubs and perhaps thinking to themselves “there but for the grace of God, go us”.
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Our own club has experienced its share of difficulties over the years but has survived periods of homelessness and uncertainty over the future of Hope Street to become what it is today; a fan-owned Community Interest Company with a support base which is growing year-on-year. We feel the pain that supporters of the two Greater Manchester clubs are going through; most football fans would rather lose a limb than their club. Even so, the idea that a
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founder member of the League, the club who gave the game the ‘Lion of Vienna’ might disappear was simply impossible for most. However, the situation worsened significantly shortly after 11:00pm on Tuesday, when the EFL issued a statement giving the Administrators of Bolton Wanderers “14 days (that is, until 11.59pm on 12 September, 2019) to meet all outstanding requirements of the League’s insolvency policy or its membership in the EFL will be withdrawn. “In respect of the situation at Bolton Wanderers, the administrators now have this period of time to successfully conclude a change of control with a preferred purchaser or provide sufficient evidence that they are in a position to fund the Club for the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign.”
The Administrators issued their own statement just before midnight on Tuesday indicating that efforts were continuing to try to save the club: “We note the statement from the EFL lifting the notice of withdrawal of suspension and giving 14 days to find a solution and complete a deal for the sale of the club. “All parties have been in continuous dialogue throughout the day and are working closely together this evening in order to bring a deal to completion. We will continue to work through the night if necessary.” The news was even worse for Bury, who were expelled from the Football League on Tuesday night. In a separate statement, the EFL indicated that “having fully considered all available options, including a number of late expressions of interest pro-
vided to the EFL, the EFL Board has unanimously determined with enormous regret that Bury’s membership be withdrawn.” In the Clitheroe programme, I made the observation that the rules that apply to nonleague clubs are often much tougher than those applied to clubs in the EFL and Premier League. Ordinarily, that would be a cause of complaint for me but when it comes to safeguarding clubs from financial ruin, I am glad that clubs at our level have to abide by a stringent set of regulations. The death of Bury FC – a club formed just a year after the original Prescot FC and a member of the EFL for 125 years – is a scandal, made possible by lax regulation, disaster capitalism and the rampant wage inflation that the Premier League’s wealth has inflicted upon the rest of
the game. This is not a sudden occurrence; the seeds of the Shakers’ demise were sown years before, when the club’s then Chairman, Stewart Day, poured money into the club via his property companies. When those began to fail, Day mortgaged the ground to a firm from Crosby, who are now owed £3.7million. As Day’s other businesses collapsed, he sold the club for £1. Enter Steve Dale, a man who has held directorships at numerous companies which have been dissolved. Mr Dale was fond of going on the radio and stating repeatedly that he had “saved” the club by setting up a CVA that would see creditors receive 25p in the pound. What he tended not to mention was that a company formed by his daughter’s partner had bought the debt allegedly owed to Stuart Day’s company for £77,000 (or 1p in the
pound). This company thus became the largest creditor, which helped the CVA proposal to be approved, despite the opposition of HMRC. Recovering a quarter of a £7.7million debt would net this brand new business around £1.75million for very little effort. Mr Dale also tended not to mention that the club’s promotion-winning players hadn’t actually been paid in full since January and what money they had received had been lent to the club by the PFA. A separate company – Bury Heritage Ltd – was formed by Mr Dale, so as to place the club’s trophies and memorabilia in its ownership for “safekeeping”. The question of whether a man who didn’t know that Bury even had a football club until he’d bought it was the right custodian either for the club or its
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historical artefacts has, to this day, never been answered by the EFL. They allowed Mr Dale to assume control of Bury FC despite the fact he had not completed the Owners & Directors Test; a test so straightforward, I have passed it twice. However, any credibility the Owners & Directors Test (ODT) might have ought to be shredded by the fact that the erstwhile owner of Bolton Wanderers, Ken Anderson, appears to have passed it despite having been banned from being a Director of any company in the UK for a period of eight years. The disqualification had expired before Mr Anderson took control of the club, but ought to have resulted in an immediate failure of the ODT. Yet Mr Anderson was not only able to become Chairman at Bolton, but to pay himself more than £500,000. It was apparently the terms of his release from obligations to the club that caused an earlier takeover deal to collapse. So, what next? For Bury, at least, a phoenix club playing in non-league football next season. However, where that new club will play is shrouded in mystery. Not only will Gigg Lane have to be sold by the liquidator of the old club, there’s no certainty as to where any ‘AFC Bury’ club would be placed within the Pyramid. This is because of a clause in the National League System regulations covering phoenix clubs which states, “Where the Former Club was a member of Premier League or EFL then the Committee shall at its absolute discretion determine in which League the New Club shall be placed for the following Playing Season and will set out at its complete discretion the require-
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ments to be met by the New Club.” Given that Bury were in League One at the time they lost their status, it would seem unlikely that they would be placed in the National League, but we will have to wait and see about that. There was a happier outcome for Bolton Wanderers, whose administrators announced on Wednesday evening that the sale of the club had been completed. However, when confirming this, Joint Administrator Paul Appleton pulled no punches: ““At times, some of the hurdles appeared insurmountable and the frustration felt has been immense, not least by the supporters who have had to endure too many weeks of uncertainty. “I would like to pay particular tribute to the Eddie Davies Trust and their legal team who, throughout this whole process, have been willing to do everything in their power to ensure Eddie’s incredible legacy was maintained and not sullied. “Even at the 11th hour when other parties were content to renege on their agreements, the Trust realised the very existence of Bolton Wanderers was at stake and were willing to find a compromise to save the club. It is a testament to their unflinching determination to do what was best for Bolton that we are able to complete the deal today. “The Trust were forced to constantly compromise their position in the face of circumstances and demands which were wholly unreasonable. This says much about their deter-
mination not to allow Eddie’s beloved Bolton Wanderers to suffer any longer at the hands of Ken Anderson. “Sadly, Mr Anderson has used his position as a secured creditor to hamper and frustrate any deal that did not benefit him or suit his purposes. Thankfully, with the assistance of the Trust and others, we were able to overcome this obstacle.” Perhaps, next season, Cables will be preparing for a match against a new, debt-free club from Bury. If we are, it is to be hoped that those who set it up look carefully at the fan-owned clubs which have gone before them. AFC Wimbledon, Enfield Town FC United of Manchester and yes, even Prescot Cables may just be able to help Shakers fans to recover from their loss and create something new, sustainable and that they can be proud of. We can’t be taken over by asset strippers and the club’s long-term future can’t be gambled by a single person with an overdraft as big as their ego. Fan ownership is not a panacea for the many issues facing clubs in non-league football or the lower tiers of the EFL. But what it does offer is a safeguard against asset strippers and fantasists. It also roots a club firmly within its community, thus ensuring that the club’s soul is safe for evermore. Whichever League a phoenix club is placed in and whether they are playing at Gigg Lane or elsewhere, I hope Bury’s supporters will embrace the journey they are about to make. I’m certain that they will find lots to love about nonleague, especially if they own their club while they’re playing at this level.
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MANXMEN MAKE A MOVE Hugo Varley
This week’s column from The Non-League Paper looks at a potential new addition to the National League System.
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his season has heralded the news that yet another island team are hoping to enter the Non-League pyramid. Following in the footsteps of Guernsey, who play at Step 4 and the newly formed Jersey Bulls, who are currently competing in Step 6, a group from the Isle of Man have unveiled plans to create their very own football
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club, with ambitions to play in the Northwest Counties League in time for the start of next campaign. This is brilliant news both for the Non-League system and players and fans living on the Isle of Man. Last year I went to visit Guernsey, where I thoroughly enjoyed watching a match and have subse-
quently interviewed their manager Tony Vance on a number of occasions. It was brilliant to see how the island’s community had really embraced the team and the atmosphere on matchday was a superb thing to be a part of. When speaking to Vance it quickly becomes clear just how much pride he has
taken in the project and the importance that it has had in developing young players on the island. Whereas before, making the jump into the professional ranks was extremely hard for young footballers on the island, they now have the opportunity to showcase their talents in England throughout the year. One of the big drawbacks of starting an island team is the high costs involved, which include having to pay for the travel of both themselves and their opponents, however both Guernsey and
Jersey Bulls have demonstrated how, with the support of their local communities, these steep financial commitments can be managed.
week I was immediately struck by his immense passion for football on the island and his determination to see the project through
The fact that Jersey Bulls were able to attract almost 1000 fans for their very first fixture at the start of the month shows both how island clubs can develop revenue and help to cultivate a special following across the community.
There have been plans in the pipeline to start a team on the Isle of Man for almost 15 years but for one reason or another the project has never come to fruition, until now
The Isle of Man bid is being led by National Team manager Paul Jones. When interviewing him last
I wish Paul and his colleagues the absolute best of luck in creating a club because these island teams have the potential to unite their communities in such a unique way.
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K-Bull’s Kids Korner Spot the Difference There are 10 differences in the two pictures below. Can you find them all?
Hi everyone! A warm welcome to all you Pesky Calves. It is brilliant to be back Hope Street. Hello, as well, to any young travelling supporters who have come over from Tadcaster. I The results didn’t go our way over the Bank Holiday weekend but it is still very early in the season and there were plenty of positive signs, especially on Monday at Marine. We always want to win, of course, but sometimes it doesn’t happen, no matter how hard we try to make it happen. When we don’t win, that gives us an opportunity to learn about ourselves and work on things that might make the difference next time. There has been some learning since we were last here and I hope it will make the difference. Whatever happens, I hope you enjoy the game.
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See you soon!
K-Bull
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Today’s Squads
Prescot Cables v Tadcaster Albion Saturday 31 August 2019, 3:00pm
Prescot Cables
Tadcaster Albion
Amber & Black Striped Shirts, Black Shorts, Black Socks
Navy Blue Shirts, Sky Blue Shorts, Navy Blue Socks NUMBER
GOALS
NUMBER GOALS
Marcus Burgess (GK)
Michael Ingham (GK)
Ollie Taylor (GK)
Arron Burn (GK)
Will Avon
Josh Barrett
Mosopeoluwa Awe
Jack Walters
James Cooper
Ioan Evans
Lloyd Dean
Iwan Healey
James Edgar
Andy Milne
Valter Fernandes
Kain Rogerson
Danny Flood
Jake Rose
Rio Gill
Alex Wiles
Josh Gregory
Lebrun Mbeke
Jack Grimshaw
Donald Chimalilo
Matty Hamilton
Casey Stewart
George Hassall
JP Vass
Martyn Jackson
Jake Day
James McCulloch Reece McNally Sean Myler Liam Riley Douglas Nyaupembe Rodrigo Schmitdinger Mann Aaron Turner Billy Whittle Steven Yawson
Steve Pilling & Roy Grundy
MANAGERS ASSISTANT MANAGER
Dom Finnigan & Garry Williams Tony Carroll
COACHES PHYSIO / SPORTS THERAPIST
REFEREE: Matthew Young ASSISTANT REFEREES: Micheal Johnson & David Chisnall
Next First Team match at Hope Street:
Cables v Dunston
Saturday 14 September 2019, 3:00pm BetVictor NPL North/West Division
Curtis Woodhouse Martin Foster Steve Waide & Neil Sanderson Abbey Halliwell