THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
We would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support. It is very much appreciated. Enjoy the match!
To view all of our available sponsorship opportunities, flick to page 14 or email our Head of Media James Ashton at jamesashton2000@icloud.com for any additional queries. Squires Gate FC Entity Status: Unincorporated
CLUB DIRECTORY President: Brian Addison Club Secretary: John Maguire Committee: Brian Addison, Steve Bellamy, Ian Moore, Micky Farrer, John Maguire Head of Media: James Ashton Social Media Manager: Dan Hayden Club Photographer: Ian Moore Media Officer: Jay Hayden Media Assistant: George Moore KIT SPONSORS Shirt Sponsors: Central Insurance, Open Recruitment, Taylors Fish & Chips, Global Football Network, Short Sponsor: Marsden Plastering
CLUB MANAGEMENT Manager: Luke Evans Assistant Manager: Andy Baker First Team Coach : Liam Robinson Club Physio: Rhys Daly U23’S Manager: Josh Strachan
WELCOME
FIND US HERE...
Good afternoon all, and welcome to today’s NWCFL Premier Division match between Squires Gate and Winsford United. A warm welcome to our visitors from Winsford, as well as all of our loyal home fans. Being back at home this afternoon of course means the next instalment of our Matchday Magazine. Issue 12 already, time is flying by. Today’s issue features a Q&A with our cover star Ryan Riley, 60 seconds with James Boyd, an insight into our visitors, a review of our recent away trip to Irlam and much more.
@squiresgatefc
@squiresgatefc
Gate go into the match in good form, winning our last four games, but Winsford will be a tough test today - Come on Gate!!!
squiresgatefc.co.uk
Thank you for attending today’s game, and for purchasing your programme! Like what you see? Tag us on Twitter @TotG_SG with your thoughts on today’s edition of Talk Of The Gate!
TALK OF THE GATE Editors; James Ashton Dan Hayden Jay Hayden Front Cover: Chris Stewart @kitforbrains Printing: Moulton Printing
Squires Gate FC
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WHAT’S INSIDE
CLUB CONTACT Website: www.squiresgatefc.co.uk Twitter: @squiresgatefc Instagram: @squiresgatefc Email: squiresgatefc@hotmail.com
4
THE GAFFER
22
MATCH-UP
8
RYAN RILEY
24
AWAY DAYS
10-13
ACTION REPLAY
26
7 WC PREDICTIONS
15
60 SECONDS
28
WC PENALTIES
16 20 #WeAreGate
WANT MORE?
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FIXTURES/RESULTS 30-31 WINSFORD UTD @squiresgatefc
03
32 Squires Gate FC
QUIZ CORNER THE TEAMS @squiresgatefc
Good afternoon, and welcome to todays match between Squires Gate and Winsford United.
second half but we got the deserved three points. We were excellent against Irlam too, and were even more pleased that we got a clean sheet to go alongside what was another big three points.
We go into today’s game in some good form, with four wins on the bounce including excellent league wins over Avro and Irlam. It’s only about a month It’s great to see what is since our reverse fixture such a young group of against today’s oppoplayers really starting to nents Winsford. We had play as well as I know to wait for a 98th minute they can. There’s such equaliser to come away confidence and buzz in with a point, so we the squad and around know today will be the club, and it’s begin- another tough game, ning to show out on the but we’re confident that pitch. we can make it five wins Our win against Avro in a row! probably saw us at our very best in the first half and should’ve been more than 2-0 up. We had to dig in and defend a bit more in the
Thank you for all your support, enjoy the match! Gaffer #WeAreGate
THE
LUKE EVANS #WeAreGate
squiresgatefc.co.uk
@squiresgatefc
04
Squires Gate FC
@squiresgatefc
FIRST-TEAM SQUAD & MANAGEMENT SPONSORSHIPS // SQUIRES GATE FC 2022/23
LUKE EVANS (Manager)
AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR
NATHAN PENNINGTON
LIAM ROBINSON (First Team Coach)
SPONSORED BY DENISE GIBSON
RHYS DALY (Physio)
AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR
JOSH WESTWOOD (Captain)
LUKE HOLDEN
NATHAN BARTRAM
ALEX WELSH
AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR
ISAAC ABANKWAH AVAILABLE TO
AVAILABLE TO
SPONSOR
SPONSOR
HARRISON LUKE HOLDEN WEBSTER
DAN SMITH
LOUIS ALEX SHIELDS WELSH AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR
JAMES HUGHES
DAN GRAY
CHRIS WEBSTER
FIRST-TEAM SQUAD & MANAGEMENT SPONSORSHIPS // SQUIRES GATE FC 2022/23
ROWAN CHAMBERS
AVAILABLE TO
AVAILABLE TO
SPONSOR
SPONSOR
OLLIE BURGESS
WILL EASTHAM
AVAILABLE TO
AVAILABLE TO
AVAILABLE TO
SPONSOR
SPONSOR
SPONSOR
HARRISON KAY
SAAD MEKKAOUI-ABOUZAID
RYAN MOORE
AVAILABLE TO
SPONSOR
RYAN RILEY
JAMES BOYD
OLLY HESFORD
AVAILABLE TO
AVAILABLE TO
SPONSOR
SPONSOR
GARY PETT
AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR
PRINCE YELEGON
THEO BALL
NATHAN CLIFFE
SEAN ALUEBHOSELE
Q&A Q&A WITH RYAN RILEY // #WeAreGate
RYAN RILEY Ry! You’re our ‘Cover Star’ for The squad’s done decent this today’s programme! Are you season, progressing well in looking forward to the match? cup competitions and sitting Yeah we had a good contest last around mid table in the league time out with a late equaliser so - are you happy with how the hopefully we can take 3 points season’s gone so far? today! We face a tough test in Winsford United this afternoon, what are you expecting from our visitors? They always keep going for the 90 minutes so we will need to be on our game. We’re on a good run at the moment so hopefully the momentum continues and we can get the win.
I think we can be happy with what we’re doing but we have definitely got more to achieve! With us doing well in the cup competitions it does give us a chance to have a proper go and you never know how far we could go! With the league I do think we have got more to offer and really push for a top half or top 6 finish. We have real quality in the changing room with some experience but also with some young lads this season doing really well and giving us another dimension to the way we want to play.
You’ve been a huge part of the team in your time at Gate, what’s it been like to be such an important part of the squad Something a lot of people over the last few seasons? might not realise is how big a It’s great to be able to help the part you play off the pitch as team and bring something to the well as your contributions on table. We have a great squad it, you’ve helped the club where everyone brings move forward a lot. Talking on something different and I believe the club as a whole, how do you feel it has progressed in I’ve got more to offer just need to the time you’ve been here? be more consistent in my performances.
Squires Gate has always been a great club to play for and being local to area is always been a great opportunity to play here. It’s got a great family feel around the place with people who have been here for along time like taddy, magsy, Roy to name a few who really keep things going behind the scenes. Since Luke has come in he has brought his own ideas and really took the club forward to another level. With the passing of the old chairman Tony Jo he has really stepped up and made sure Gate keep going in the direction Tony was trying to take us and keep his memory alive. In recent years we have more volunteers with fresh ideas and bringing a lot to Squires off the pitch like the award winning programme and the boys with the social media, Helen behind the bar and Ian taking the photos we have a lot of people which really want to see Squires Gate do well which is great to see as a player! #WeAreGate
26.10.2022 // SQUIRES GATE 2-1 AVRO // THE BRIAN ADDISON STADIUM
#WeAreGate
squiresgatefc.co.uk
@squiresgatefc
10
Squires Gate FC
@squiresgatefc
ACTION
PICTURES BY COSTA CHATZIKONSTANTINOU // @COSTACPHOTO
REPLAY
SQUIRES GATE 2-1 AVRO The visitors had the ball in the net in the opening stages, although the whistle blew early for a clear foul on Gate keeper Nathan Pennington.
Gate had the first shot of the second half, with Boyd slicing an effort off target from distance after being well picked out by Harrison Webster.
It was Gate though who took the lead, with Nathan Cliffe opening the scoring inside just seven minutes. Theo Ball did superbly to hold up the ball and find Cliffe in behind , and the striker finished clinically into the bottom corner. The Avro goalkeeper had to be at full stretch to deny Cliffe and Gate a second goal just five minutes later.
Webster was then needed at the other end, with the left-back clearing a header off the line after the visitors bundled an effort towards goal after a dangerous cross.
Gate went even closer to a second goal on 21 minutes, with Dan Gray hitting the post with an audacious lob from distance after the Avro keeper hit a clearance straight to Gray well off his line.
2. ABANKWAH
The visitors missed a good chance to get a goal back on 79 minutes, hitting wide from just inside the box after a clever cut back from the right.
3. H. WEBSTER
Gate were reduced to ten-men a few minutes later, with Harrison Webster shown a second yellow card. Avro had the ball in the net from the following free kick, but the offside flag was up to keep the score at 2-0.
6. WESTWOOD ©
Evans' men deservedly doubled their lead on 40 minutes, with Cliffe scoring his sec- Avro did get a goal back though on 89 ond of the night. A well-worked move led to minutes, with a ball across goal by Sutcliffe Moore spraying a superb pass in behind for Cliffe who rounded the goalkeeper and tapped home at the back post by Southworth. tucked it away from a tight angle. #WeAreGate
1. PENNINGTON
squiresgatefc.co.uk
@squiresgatefc
11
Squires Gate FC
4. GRAY 5. WELSH 7. MOORE 8. C. WEBSTER 9. BALL 10. CLIFFE 11. BOYD
@squiresgatefc
29.10.2022 // IRLAM 0-3 SQUIRES GATE // THE RG3 DIGITAL STADIUM
#WeAreGate
squiresgatefc.co.uk
@squiresgatefc
12
Squires Gate FC
@squiresgatefc
ACTION
PICTURES BY IAN MOORE // @OLDBLUEFOX // @FYLDEFOX
REPLAY
IRLAM 0-3 SQUIRES GATE Skipper Josh Westwood had to be switched on inside the first five minutes to make an important clearance at the back post, before Hughes had Gate’s first effort of the game at the other end on 13 minutes, with his volley from the edge of the box deflecting off target.
Ryan Moore had Gate’s first shot of the second half, firing an effort wide after Yilmaz did well to lay him off on the edge of the box.
Gate doubled their lead on 55 minutes, with Nathan Cliffe bagging his 13th goal of the season. An Irlam goal kick was won in the air by Dan Gray, with his brilliant header finding Gate broke the deadlock on 17 minutes Cliffe in behind who was as clinical as ever through Dan Gray’s first goal of the season. with his finish. A sliced clearance from the Irlam goalkeeper after good pressing from the Gate attack Mekkaoui-Abouzaid and Harrison Kay entered fell to Gray, who did superbly to volley into the action for Gate in place of Yilmaz and the net from distance. Moore, as Gate began to control the game professionally. Gate almost got a second goal in similar fashion just four minutes later, with Hughes Ryan Riley was next to come on for Gate in the man to intercept a poor clearance from place of Cliffe, with an Irlam man and Nathan the goalkeeper, but his shot from even fur- Bartram both receiving yellow cards a few ther out landed just wide of the top corner. minutes apart with Gate frustrating the hosts. Young striker Yilmaz played an excellent ball across goal that Cliffe could only stab wide at full stretch on 31 minutes as Gate searched for a second goal before the break. #WeAreGate
Gate sealed their win on 87 minutes, with James Boyd tapping into an empty net after pressing the Irlam keeper into another poor mistake.
squiresgatefc.co.uk
@squiresgatefc
13
Squires Gate FC
1. PENNINGTON 2. HUGHES
3. H. WEBSTER 4. GRAY 5. BARTRAM 6. WESTWOOD © 7. MOORE 8. CHAMBERS 9. YILMAZ 10. CLIFFE 11. BOYD
@squiresgatefc
SPONSORSHIP DEALS // GET INVOLVED // @SQUIRESGATEFC For more information, or any questions regarding commercial deals, email our Head of Media James Ashton at jamesashton2000@icloud.com
SOCIAL MEDIA SPONSOR (£1000 for 2 seasons)
DIRECTORS & SPONSORS STAND SPONSORSHIP (2500 for 2 seasons)
PITCH-SIDE ADVERTISING BOARD (£300 first season, £200 p/season thereafter)
MATCH SPONSORSHIP (£150 per game)
MATCHBALL
SPONSORSHIP (£75 per game)
> Your business logo will be on every single graphic we put on our social media pages > Your business will be mentioned, tagged or displayed in every single post the club puts on social media. > Regular social media posts directing our followers to your website. > A free advertising board worth £300. > 2 Free 2022/23 season tickets (includes matchday hospitality). > A Matchday Sponsorship Package for a game of your choice.
> Your business name & logo proudly displayed across our Directors & Sponsors Stand. > Five Free 2022/23 Season Tickets (worth £400). > Unlimited Social Media inclusion across all of our platforms. > Free room hire of our function room. > Free Match Sponsorship Package (worth £150). > Your business logo, company name and any message or contact details displayed on a 8ft x 2ft Alu Panel Board (All costs included) > Exposure for your business in the local newspaper, media highlights and nationally through visiting fans and the non-league community including FA Cup games. > A Matchball Sponsorship Package > 2 Free 2022/23 Season Tickets (inc. hospitality) > Inclusion on our Sponsors section in our match programme and club website. > Social Media post directing over 10k followers to your website / company > Your business logo will be on every single graphic we put on our social media pages leading up to and during your match. > Your business will be mentioned or tagged in every single post the club puts on social media leading up to and your match. > A social media post directing our followers to your website. > Double Page spread on your business in our Matchday Programme. > 6 Free Tickets including free food, drinks, programmes and hospitality. > Choose the Man Of The Match, with a picture taken and shared with your business tagged on social media.
> Your business logo will be on every graphic we put on our social media pages on your matchday > Your business will be mentioned or tagged in every post the club puts on social media on your matchday. > A social media post directing our followers to your website. > A Page on your business in our Matchday Programme. > 4 Free Tickets including free drinks, programmes and hospitality.
60 SECONDS // PART TWELVE // JAMES BOYD
Your perfect meal deal? (Butty, You can listen to one album snack & drink) on repeat. Which do you Ham & Cheese, Flame Grilled pick? Steak McCoys, Galaxy and Night Innocent Smootie.
Visions by Imagine Dragons, or Scorpion by Drake
JAMES BOYD
Your go-to Maccies order? 20 Chicken Nuggets, Large Fries Who would be in your alland a Sprite.
time Gate 5-a-side?
Penni, Westy, Boothy, Riley, and Gal Pett.
Ry
Which movie can you quote by heart?
Step Brothers
Roll/Cob/Barm etc - What do you call it?
If all the lads were on Love Island, who would win?
I call it a roll. Haven’t a clue what a cob is!
Hmm no idea, easier to say that Theo would be first out - more chance of pulling his hammy on a night out.
Worst dresser at the club?
Worst Banter in the squad?
Rowan or Cliffy, very close. Raincoats on a night out - say no more.
Rhys Daly - you know, our physio, who’s worked in the football league, and had trials at Man United when he was younger. Keeps that to himself... @squiresgatefc
15
Squires Gate FC
@squiresgatefc
FIXTURES & RESULTS // LEAGUE TABLE // 2022-2023 DATE
VS
KO / RESULT
ATT.
1
2
3
4
5
30 July 22 AFC Liverpool
1-4
68
Pennington
Abankwah
Welsh
Gray
Bartram
2 Aug 22
Charnock Richard
3-1
220
Hogarth
Abankwah
Welsh
Gray
Bartram
6 Aug 22
Northwich Vics (FA CUP E.P.)
1-2
136
Pennington
Abankwah
Shields
Chambers
Welsh
10 Aug 22 Irlam
3-3
68
Pennington
Hughes
Shields
Chambers
Welsh
13 Aug 22
0-2
69
Pennington
Hughes
Welsh
Chambers
Holden
17 Aug 22 Padiham
0-2
118
Pennington
Hughes
Welsh
Chambers
Holden
20 Aug 22 Longridge Town
4-2
104
Pennington
Hughes
Welsh
Chambers
Abankwah
27 Aug 22 Easington Collieries (FA V Q1)
2-1
62
Pennington
Gray
Welsh
Chambers
Bartram
30 Aug 22
Bury AFC
2-1
1140
Pennington
Hughes
Welsh
Chambers
Bartram
03 Sep 22
Wythenshawe Town
1-3
113
Pennington
Hughes
H. Webster
Gray
Bartram
07 Sep 22
Ashton Athletic
2-1
78
Pennington
Hughes
H. Webster
Chambers
Bartram
14 Sep 22
Barnoldswick Town
3-0
80
Pennington
Hughes
H. Webster
Gray
Bartram
17 Sep 22
Vauxhall Motors
1-3
115
Pennington
Hughes
H. Webster
Gray
Bartram
20 Sep 22
Prestwich Heys
3-1
137
Pennington
Abankwah
H. Webster
Chambers
Welsh
24 Sep 22
West Allotment Celtic (FA Vase Q2)
2-2(p)
105
Pennington
Hughes
H. Webster
Gray
Bartram
01 Oct 22
Winsford United
1-1
192
Pennington
Hughes
H. Webster
Chambers
Bartram
08 Oct 22
Wythenshawe Town
6-0
211
Pennington
Hughes
H. Webster
Chambers
Bartram
15 Oct 22
Cleator Moor Celtic (MACRON R1)
1-3
82
Pennington
Hughes
Gray
Chambers
Bartram
22 Oct 22
Cammell Laird 1907 (FA VASE R1)
2-1
75
Pennington
Hughes
H. Webster
Chambers
Bartram
26 Oct 22
Avro
2-1
83
Pennington
Abankwah
H.Webster
Gray
Welsh
29 Oct 22
Irlam
0-3
125
Pennington
Hughes
H.Webster
Gray
Bartram
05 Nov 22
Winsford United
15:00
09 Nov 22
Charnock Richard
15:00
12 Nov 22
Emley AFC (FA VASE R2)
15:00
19 Nov 22
Garstang (MACRON R2)
15:00
26 Nov 22
West Didsbury & Chorlton
15:00
30 Nov 22
Northwich Vics
19:45
03 Dec 22
Congleton Town
15:00
10 Dec 22
Kendal Town
15:00
17 Dec 22
Ashton Athletic
15:00
20 Dec 22
Bury AFC
19;45
26 Dec 22
Burscough
15:00
07 Jan 23
Barnoldswick Town
15:00
14 Jan 23
Lower Breck
15:00
21 Jan 23
Congleton Town
15:00
28 Jan 23
FC Isle Of Man
15:00
04 Feb 23
Northwich Vics
15:00
11 Feb 23
Avro
15:00
18 Feb 23
Longridge Town
15:00
25 Feb 23
Litherland Remyca
15:00
04 Mar 23
West Didsbury & Chorlton
15:00
11 Mar 23
AFC Liverpool
15:00
18 Mar 23
Kendal Town
15:00
25 Mar 23
Prestwich Heys
15:00
01 Apr 23
Vauxhall Motors
15:00
10 Apr 23
Burscough
15:00
15 Apr 23
Lower Breck
15:00
22 Apr 23
Padiham
15:00
Litherland REMYCA
YELLOW CARD
RED CARD
SUB 1
SUB 2
SUB 3
SUB 4
SUB 5
HOME FIXTURES IN BOLD
6
7
8
9
10
11
SUB
SUB
SUB
SUB
SUB
Westwood
Riley
Webster
Ball
Chambers
Yelegon
Holden
Boyd
Burgess
Powell
Hughes
Westwood
Riley
Webster
Pett
Chambers
Hughes
Cliffe
Yelegon
Burgess
Hesford
Ball
Westwood
Riley
Webster
Ball
Pett
Hughes
Cliffe
Eastham
Burgess
Kay
Powell
Westwood
Riley
Webster
Ball
Cliffe
Boyd
Smith
Eastham
Kay
Powell
Hesford
Westwood
Riley
Webster
Ball
Cliffe
Boyd
Smith
Yelegon
Kay
Abouzaid
Powell
Westwood
Riley
Abouzaid
Ball
Cliffe
Boyd
Abankwah
Gray
Kay
Pett
Yelegon
Westwood
Riley
Abouzaid
Pett
Cliffe
Gray
Smith
Burgess
Kay
Robinson
Yelegon
Westwood
Riley
Abouzaid
Pett
Cliffe
Boyd
Shields
Powell
Eastham
Ball
Yelegon
Westwood
Riley
Abouzaid
Ball
Cliffe
Boyd
Gray
Eastham
Yelegon
Powell
Yilmaz
Westwood
Riley
C. Webster
Pett
Chambers
Boyd
Kay
Yelegon
Abouzaid
Cliffe
Ball
Westwood
Abouzaid
C. Webster
Pett
Cliffe
Boyd
Kay
Yelegon
Riley
Gray
Ball
Westwood
Riley
Kay
Pett
Cliffe
Boyd
Chambers
Yelegon
Eastham
Abouzaid
Ball
Westwood
Riley
Chamber
Yelegon
Cliffe
Boyd
Abankwah
Kay
Welsh
Webster
Ball
Bartram
Kay
Abouzaid
Ball
Cliffe
Boyd
Westwood
Riley
Hughes
Gray
Pett
Westwood
Riley
Chambers
Pett
Cliffe
Boyd
Abankwah C. Webster
Welsh
Eastham
Ball
Welsh
Riley
C. Webster
Pett
Ball
Gray
Abankwah
Yelegon
Abouzaid
Kay
Cliffe
Welsh
Yelegon
C. Webster Aluebhosele
Cliffe
Boyd
Shields
Riley
Abouzaid
Kay
Ball
Welsh
Riley
C. Webster Aluebhosele
Cliffe
Boyd
Shields
Kay
Abouzaid
Yelegon
Ball
Westwood
Gray
C. Webster
Yelegon
Cliffe
Boyd
Abankwah
Welsh
Abouzaid
Aluebhosele
Moore
Westwood
Moore
C.Webster
Ball
Cliffe
Boyd
Bartram
Hughes
Chambers
Yilmaz
Yelegon
Westwood
Moore
Chambers
Yilmaz
Cliffe
Boyd
Welsh
Jungo
Riley
Kay
Abouzaid
NWCFL Premier Division Table P
W
D
L
F
A
GD
PT
1
Vauxhall Motors
17
14
2
1
36
12
24
44
2
Wythenshawe Town
16
13
3
0
50
11
39
42
3
AFC Liverpool
17
12
2
3
38
16
22
38
4
Prestwich Heys
16
10
0
6
32
16
16
30
5
Avro
15
10
0
5
28
12
16
30
6
Northwich Vics
14
9
2
3
31
18
13
29
7
West Didsbury
15
6
3
4
36
23
13
27
8
Congleton Town
16
8
1
7
27
20
7
25
9
Lower Breck
17
8
0
9
20
22
-2
24
10
Irlam
16
6
4
6
32
29
3
22
11
Charnock Richard
15
6
4
5
34
32
2
22
12
Bury AFC
11
7
0
4
19
11
8
21
13
Padiham
17
6
3
8
31
32
-1
21
14
Squires Gate
16
6
2
8
26
34
-8
20
15
FC Isle Of Man
17
5
2
10
27
44
-17
17
16
Barnoldswick Town
15
4
4
7
29
38
-9
16
17
Kendal Town
15
5
1
9
28
38
-10
16
18
Winsford United
17
4
3
10
19
38
-10
15
19
Litherland REMYCA
16
4
1
11
18
33
-15
13
20
Longridge Town
15
3
3
9
18
39
-21
12
21
Ashton Athletic
16
2
1
13
16
42
-26
7
22
Burscough
17
2
1
14
21
58
-35
7
WINSFORD UNITED LAST SEASON Premier Division: 11th FA Cup: Extra Preliminary Round FA Vase: 2nd Qualifying Round
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WINSFORD... Winsford United have a long and proud history, having been formed way back in 1883. In those early days, the club was called Over Wanderers and competed in the Welsh Combination Football League. After a few seasons, the club changed to its present name and its present ground - Barton Stadium - although it was called Great Western Playing Field at the outset. The club brought on many good players during this period and after losing several players to Football League clubs, they experienced a somewhat unsuccessful spell that resulted in the club folding. The Blues finished second to Southport and their points total is a record for the most points accrued without winning the title. Winsford United have a pedigree of producing fine players who have gone on to perform at a higher level. The likes of Wayne Collins and Andy Oakes have come through the ranks, netting the club transfer fees and sell-on clauses which have been used to improve the infrastructure of the club amongst other things. A period of consolidation in the 2000’s was ended with relegation to Division Two, and
#WeAreGate
squiresgatefc.co.uk
with it, a change of policy to concentrate on recruiting and developing local talent. To this end Dave Twite was brought in as Manager in 2003 and three successful seasons followed, however, promotion was missed each season by just a single point.Ian Street in charge. The club finished the season in a creditable third place. A memorable night at the end of the campaign saw a 1-0 victory in the League Challenge Cup over promoted and hot favourites New Mills 2012/2013: There followed a season with Ian Street in charge and the end of the campaign saw the team finish in a creditable seventh place. 2013/2014: In close season Lloyd Morrison took over the reins coinciding with plenty of good news off the pitch. Winsford Town Council became the club’s main sponsor, a relationship that promised to last for many years. The season was one of the most successful for years with the club finishing 5th in the league and defeating Northwich Vics in the Mid-Cheshire Senior Cup final.
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20
However, with things on and off the pitch seemingly going so well the club was rocked when two weeks before the start of the season Lloyd Morrison announced he was going to Mossley AFC and he expected to take sixteen registered players with him. This led to an acrimonious situation between the two clubs with Mossley unable to register the players and Winsford refusing to allow their dual registration. Eddy Haslam took over the hot seat and incredibly cobbled together a side to begin the campaign well, including runs in the FA Cup and FA Vase. However, a poor run of results saw Eddy leave by mutual consent paving the way for Rob Byrne to take charge of The Blues. There was also a satisfying end of season victory over Congleton Town in the Mid-Cheshire Senior Cup. The summer of saw a frenzy of activity off the field with much work being undertaken on the pitch in the hope of resolving the problems with flooding that blighted much of the previous season, particularly important with 1874 Northwich agreeing to stay at the Barton Stadium for a further two seasons. The new season also saw two important developments within the community with an Under-21’s team being entered in the Cheshire Under-21’s League.
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FROM THE AWAY END:
THE NUMBER CRUNCHER 2021/22 STATS
Q&A WITH RON BOGUE
W
D
L
GF
GA
15
9
16
73
73
What are your expectations for the rest of the season?
YEAR FORMED
YEARS IN PREM DIV
TWITTER FOLLOWS
I expect Winsford to push on, try for a top 10 finish and hope to get a good run in the cups.
1883
14
4.9K
A 1-1 draw last time out, did the score reflect the game, and what are you expecting today?
3rd
2-6
1.4K
I feel it was 2 points dropped last time out, and I expect Winsford to get all three points today.
HIGHEST PREMIER DIVISION FINISH
THE AGGREGATE SCORE BETWEEN THE TWO CLUBS LAST SEASON
INSTA FOLLOWS
What do you enjoy most about non-league?
The togetherness, the family feel, mixing and talking with opposition fans and of course the football.
Do you have a matchday routine when visiting grounds? Normally scran a pie and have a brew. (Best pie at Ashton Town!)
What do you know about Squires Gate? All I know about Gate is that you’re based in Blackpool and have been a bit of a bogey team over the years.
Give us an interesting fact that people may not know about Winsford United. John Bishop once played for us. Your score prediction?
A 2-0 win for Winsford
GATE RECORD VS WINSFORD
P
W
D
L
F
A
33
7
11
15
38
63
MEDIA MEMOIRS
MATCH-UP RREEWWI NI ND D Gate hosted Winsford back in February, with the two sides playing out a goalless draw. Evans’ men dominated the match, but tough conditions and an in-form Winsford keeper meant Gate had to settle for a point.
HEAD-2-HEAD
RECENT FORM SQUIRES GATE THE LAST THREE
WINS
GOALS SCORED
7
W - 0-3 vs Irlam (A)
38 15
W - 2-1 vs Avro (H)
63
W - 2-1 vs Cammell Laird (H)
WINSFORD UTD THE LAST THREE W - 2-2(p) vs Stockport Georg. (A)
- 1-2vs vsAvro Padiham LW3-0 (A) (A) Town (A)(A) L -- 3-1 2-1 vs vsKendal Skelmersdale
ONES-2-WATCH NATHAN CLIFFE
DANNY BODEN
Words by Dan Hayden Another edition of our away days, as we travelled to Irlam last weekend. The last away day before the clocks went back, and we had darkness at 5pm. Winter is definitely the worst time of the year and I won't hear no different. I was the driver again this week in my reliable Peugeot 107, and another week without Jay as he was in the Blackpool-wannabe Scarborough for the weekend. So it was just me James and Helen for the journey down. Surprisingly, James was on time for our arranged meet up at midday. I was also on warm up kit duty this week as Ian couldn't make the game. The journey down was a pretty smooth one, with a playlist of Vaccines, Courteeners, Oasis, Sea Girls and a brief plan of how we are planning to run the media over Christmas. Before we knew it, we had arrived in Irlam, and James was pretty buzzing about the drive thru Greggs but
unfortunately we had to give the Onto the game, and it was Gray sausage rolls a miss this time who latched onto a stray ball out round. from the keeper to fire home into an empty net from a similar range that he hit the post against Avro. We arrived at the ground in Cliffe doubled our lead with one plenty of time and we picked up of his iconic finishes, and Gate a programme before heading into were looking comfortable. the bar where we met up with Carl. A quick flick through the programme which was well put This Squires Gate side have together; however, a bit low on been playing some great football, the content side of things. and I’d chose to go to Irlam instead of watching Watford at Wigan. As kick off approached, we headed back out and had a quick scan of “The Shack” where they The Irlam gifted Boyd one of the were serving the hot food and easiest finishes he will ever get, drinks. As pictured above, I and at the same time Watford opted for a meat and potato pie, had scored an 87th minute chips and peas. I did ask for winner against Wigan - what a some gravy; however, as my moment! mum isn’t a fan of chips and gravy (I know, right!!!) and she wanted to share, I had to have it There was a controversial end to plain. One of the better “footy the game as an Irlam player got a scran” I have had this season, head injury, with the referee not and if there was a peppered stopping play. However, it was a steak pie available it would have superb win for Gate as we made it 4 wins in a row. Get in! got 10/10 from me.
AWAY DAY
REVIEWS STADIUM
FOOD & DRINK
An enjoyable ground to visit, with the pitch in decent knick too. There was an excellent clubhouse just as you enter which gains Irlam an extra point for this one!
The clubhouse had a good selection of both bottled drinks and draught lagers. Meanwhile the outside shack offered a good variety of hot food, I opted for what was a decent sausage roll while Dan had a very tasty looking Pie, chips and Mushy Peas!
SCORE: 7/10
SCORE: 8/10
PROGRAMME
HOSPITALITY
Irlam’s programme had a decent design and most A fairly standard hospitality offering from Irlam, with of the required content, but £2 for what was a solid selection of hot drinks and snacks. essentially a booklet of adverts was a little pricy. Dan was fuming that all the ham butties had mustard in, however.
SCORE: 5/10
JOURNEY While it wasn't too long of a journey, big congestion on the motorway made it a bit of a frustrating one. Not to mention that Dan didn’t let us go into the Greggs Drive-Thru.
SCORE: 6/10
SCORE: 6/10 1
Vauxhall Motors
37
2
Bury AFC
34.5
3
Prestwich Heys
33
4
Irlam FC
32
5
Cleator Moor Celtic
30
6
Litherland REMYCA
29
7
Charnock Richard
28
8
West Allotment Celtic
27
9
Winsford United
25
RATING: 32/50
7
WORLD CUP
PREDICTIONS
The 2022 World Cup begins this month, and the fact that the Qatar tournament has been pushed into the (northern hemisphere) winter means that this is the longest the planet has waited to witness one since 1950. The 2018 edition in Russia saw France become world champions for the second time and was the fourth edition in a row won by a European nation, extending the longest ever run of victories by a single confederation. The dominant clubs and players of club football reside in Europe, but could 2022 be a chance for the rest of the world to remind everyone why football truly is the global game?
defenders smartened up and adjusted their behaviour. No-one is saying that there won’t be any VAR drama in the 2022 World Cup but the penalty high water mark of 2018 will surely never be breached. Group Position Is Massively Important Qatar are the only World Cup debutants in the 2022 edition and most expect them to struggle to get out of Group A, not least our famous supercomputer, which makes them 36.2% favourites to come bottom. The only previous World Cup host nation to fail to progress past the group stage were South Africa in 2010, and Qatar’s form coming into the finals doesn’t suggest they can outperform Bafana Bafana 12 years on.
There Will Be Fewer Penalties Than There Were in 2018 Here in late 2022 we are well acquainted with VAR and almost everyone has adopted a position More importantly for the tournament from which they will not be shifted. is the trend that since the introduction of the round of 16 at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, the subsequent But four and a half years ago the winner of each edition has always world was a different place, and no finished top of its group at the more so than in how much VAR tournament. That’s right, no secondaffected the initial stages of the place side (or third, back in the 24 2018 World Cup. Defenders who team-era) has ever gone on to win had hitherto enjoyed an unofficial the World Cup that same year. green light to manhandle opponents in the box were suddenly hit by a wave of justice that threatened to For England, It’s Quarter Finals derail the entire tournament. Just the At Best group stage alone saw 24 penalties, which was more than any previous Four years ago England matched tournament had seen in total, and it their best ever result in an overseas seemed like the spot-kick fever World Cup by finishing in fourth place, despite somehow managing would never stop… until it did. to lose to Belgium twice in the same tournament. For Italia 90 read The knockout stages saw just five Russia 2018. World Cup progress that leads to raw optimism that more penalties as teams and congeals into disappointment.
England – thanks to Graham Taylor’s dire qualification campaign – didn’t even get to play at the 1994 World Cup so 2022 represents an improvement there, but let’s be honest here, England have never got past the quarter-finals in a World Cup held outside of Europe. The last eight in Mexico 1970 and 1986, along with Japan/Korea in 2002 is the best the Three Lions have performed outside their home continent, and, heading into the 2022 edition in dire form, we can’t see that record improving in December. Even 2010, which was an actual winter World Cup, given it was pretty chilly in South Africa at that time of year, didn’t coax any decent performances from England. And England’s 2022 group containing Wales, Iran and the USA has similar vibes to the 2010 line-up of Slovenia, Algeria and the USA once more. England scraped second place in that group and had to face Germany in the second round. Come second in Qatar and they are likely to play the Netherlands in the second round, many peoples’ dark (orange) horse. Harry Kane Will Become England’s Top Tournament Scorer So England won’t be world champions in 2022, but Harry Kane will end the year as the nation’s top-scoring player in international tournaments. It was one of the quirks of Wayne Rooney’s career that he was cursed to be a generational talent who, other than his brief teenage starburst at Euro 2004, always flattered to
deceive once the jamboree started. He only added three more tournament goals to the four he scored in Portugal in 2004, but that’s still the fourth-highest total, behind Kane, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer. Once it was Nat Lofthouse on three goals, then briefly it was Bobby Charlton on four before he was overtaken by Geoff Hurst on six. Lineker matched Hurst’s total by winning the 1986 Golden Boot before overtaking him with his strike in the dismal game between England and the Republic of Ireland in 1990, before adding three more in Italy to end his tournament career with 10 goals (Lineker played in Euro 92 but is more remembered for being subbed off by Graham Taylor than any onpitch output). Kane has followed the Lineker path by winning a World Cup Golden Boot by scoring six goals, then scoring four more in a subsequent tournament. But while Lineker had to wait until the subsequent World Cup to add more, Kane did in Euro 2020 what Lineker could not in Euro 88: score. All of which means that – barring injury – captain Kane will score at least once in Qatar and be installed as his country’s greatest ever tournament goalscorer. It’s not a trophy but it is a significant marker. Messi and/or Ronaldo to Score a Knockout Goal Between them Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have mopped up pretty much everything there is to achieve in football goalscoring terms. Yes, Messi has still never scored a goal in the opening two minutes of a game in his entire career, but between them they have well over 1,500 career goals. There’s not a single format of football that can foil them… except there is: the World Cup knockout stage. Neither man has scored beyond the group stages so far in their careers and 2022 surely represents the last opportunity for them to do it. Can they emulate the likes of Matt
Upson, Harry Maguire and Emile Look at their shorts, and see how Heskey by scoring a goal in the lat- the clattered man just gets up from a ter stages of a World Cup? vicious tackle even though he’s bleeding. How pure, how authentic. The Golden Boot Winner Will Score Exactly Six Goals Six goals seems to be the glass ceiling in the Golden Boot race. Since Mario Kempes top-scored with six in the 1978 World Cup, that has been the leading total in seven of the subsequent 10 editions. Ronaldo bagged eight for Brazil in 2002 but that only ushered in an era of five-goal Golden Boot winners in 2006 and 2010, via Miroslav Klose and Thomas Müller respectively. Normal service has since been resumed, though, with James Rodriguez and Harry Kane winning the Golden Boot in 2014 and 2018 respectively thanks to six goals. Even in 1994, when the award was shared, six was the maximum number of goals scored, despite five of Oleg Salenko’s total coming in one game against Cameroon (the last time he ever played an international). Modern players are becoming more clinical, reaching the statutory six-goal total via fewer shots, but with a maximum of seven games in the current format, breaking that six-goal mark seems unlikely once again. We have come a long way from Eusebio having 66 shots in 1966 and can be confident that most teams in 2022 that won’t match him (in 2018 only seven did). The Game Hasn’t Gone Football constantly evolves and there’s no better place to observe this than during World Cups. Just Fontaine, the man, scored 13 goals in 1958 but only came third with France. Spain, the team, scored eight goals in 2010 and won the entire thing. There are innumerable social media accounts devoted to looking back to a time when football was supposedly better, but what exactly does that mean? Witness a series of classic goals from vintage games and it can look like, yes, all football in the olden days was incredible.
But take the time to actually watch an entire game from another era and it’s far less engaging than a game from 2022. Defenders being empowered to maim opponents and litter games with stoppages was just not much fun. Take, for instance, the game between Mexico and Paraguay at the 1986 World Cup. In little over 40 minutes of ball-in-play time, there were an astonishing 78 fouls. The referee (the Englishman George Courtney) was the busiest man on the pitch. Is that a good thing? No it is not. What makes it worse was that Mexico and Paraguay finished first and second respectively in the group. This sort of casual brutality worked and the fact that it doesn’t any longer is something that should be remembered more often.
The most fouled player in a single World Cup (1966-2018) was Diego Maradona in 1986, followed by Diego Maradona in 1990 and then Diego Maradona in 1982. Sure, wear your retro Napoli merchandise with pride, but also stop to imagine how good he could have been in a world where skill was protected.
WORLD CUP PENALTY Words by Matt Furniss There have been a host of penalty shootouts at World Cup tournaments since they were introduced ahead of the 1978 FIFA World Cup as a tiebreaker, but which countries have had the best shootout record and what nation is right to have the fear factor about the dreaded matchdecider? We look at the facts around World Cup penalty shootouts ahead of this year’s tournament in Qatar.
How Many Penalty Shootouts Have There Been in World Cup History?
There have been 30 penalty shootouts in the World Cup, with the first of those coming on 8 June 1982, when France eliminated West Germany 5-4 in a shootout to progress to the final. The game had ended 3-3, with four of those goals coming in extra time, and is best remembered for Harald Schumacher’s horrendous challenge on Frenchman Patrick Battiston. To rub salt into the French wounds, Schumacher was to be the German hero in the shootout, saving two penalties before Hrubesch scored the winning penalty. Four World Cup tournaments have seen as many as four penalty shootouts to decide matches, with 1990, 2006, 2014 and 2018 all producing that tally.
The only World Cup without a single penalty shootout was 1978 – the first tournament following their introduction as a tiebreaker. Argentina have been involved in the most penalty shootouts in World Cup history, with their five across four tournaments – the 1990 quarter-final and semi-final, 1998 round of 16, 2006 quarterfinal and 2014 semi-final. They progressed in all of these except the 2006 quarter-final tie against Germany in Berlin. Which Country Has the Best Record in World Cup Penalty Shootouts? If there’s one nation you don’t want to face in a World Cup penalty shootout, it’s Germany. The Germans have won all four of their World Cup shootouts, both as West Germany and as a unified nation.
West Germany’s semi-final shootout win against France in the 1982 semi-final – the first penalty shootout in World Cup history – started their run, which was followed by shootout victories against Mexico in 1986 (quarter-final), England in 1990 (semi-final) and Argentina in 2006 (quarter-final).
That shootout victory in 2006 was the only one that Argentina have lost, with the South American nation winning the same number as Germany overall in the World Cup, a record four shootout victories (80% success). Croatia are the only other nation to have been involved in more than one shootout and to have a 100% progression rate – they won against both Denmark (round of 16) and Russia (quarter -final) at the 2018 World Cup on
SHOOTOUT: THE FACTS the way to the final, where they victory over France in the final. What Penalty Shootout Has eventually lost against the French These shootouts are the only two Been the Longest in World Cup in Moscow, Russia. ever seen in World Cup finals. History? Italy’s other two penalty shootout Only two World Cup penalty shootouts have seen as many as Other nations to have participat- defeat at the World Cup came in 12 penalties taken – one of those ed in just one World Cup penalty the 1990 semis versus Argentina was in the first shootout ever shootout and win it are Belgium, and the 1998 quarter-final seen in the competition: Bulgaria, South Korea, Paraguay, against hosts France. Germany’s win over France in Portugal, Sweden, Ukraine and the 1982 semi-final. Uruguay. Spain’s last two penalty shootout defeats have both come against Nine penalties were scored in that 12-penalty shootout, which Which Country Has the Worst a host nation – in the 2002 quarstill hasn’t been beaten to this Record in World Cup Penalty ters versus South Korea and in the 2018 round of 16 against day (but equalled on three Shootouts? occasions since). Three nations have lost as many Russia. They lost their first ever as three penalty shootouts at World Cup penalty shootout against Belgium in the 1986 World Cup finals. quarter-finals, before picking up The only other penalty shootout their only shootout victory in the to see 12 penalties taken was at England lost each of their first competition versus the Republic USA ’94, when Romania and three at the World Cup – in 1990 of Ireland the round before that Sweden took six each and the shootout ended in a 5-4 win for in the semi-finals versus West defeat to South Korea in 2002. after Swedish ‘keeper Thomas Germany, in 1998 in the round of Ravelli crucially saved Miodrag 16 against Argentina and in 2006 versus Portugal in the quarter- Mexico and Romania have Belodedici to win their quarterfinal. England finally ended their currently been involved in the final tie. terrible shootout run with a 4-3 most World Cup penalty victory over Colombia at the 2018 shootouts without never winning World Cup in Russia in the last one (two each), while other The longest World Cup penalty 16. nations to only participate in a shootout in terms of time came in June 1990 when the Republic of single shootout in the competition and lose are Chile, Ireland defeated Romania – Italy and Spain have also both Colombia, Denmark, Ghana, David O’Leary’s famous winning lost three of their four World Cup Greece, Japan, Switzerland and penalty came after nine minutes and 12 seconds of shootout shootouts. Yugoslavia. action. In 1994, Italy became the first team to ever lose a World Cup final via a penalty shootout following a defeat to Brazil in the tiebreaker. However, they went on to get some form of redemption in 2006 following a shootout
The only other nation to have a record of losing more penalty shootouts than they have won in World Cup history are the Netherlands (lost two, won one).
Which Premier League season are these shirts from?
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Tad-Stad Trivia 1.
Match The Manager
Who scored Leeds’ winning goal in their 2-1 win over Liverpool last week?
……………………………….. 2.
What score did Brighton beat Chelsea by last week? ………………………………..
3.
Which team Ivan Perisic join Spurs from this summer? ………………………………..
Spot The Ball
ANSWERS Shirt Season: 2013/14 Wordle: Defoe & Seaman Spot the Ball: B Trivia: 1. Crysencio Summerville 2. 4-1 3. Inter Milan Managers: Mourinho - Roma Xavi - Barcelona Nagelsmann - Bayern Ancelotti - Real Madrid Allegri - Juventus
SQUIRES GATE
WINSFORD UNITED
Manager: Luke Evans
Manager: Lee Duckworth
Colours: Blue shirt, blue shorts, blue socks
Colours: Yellow shirt, black shorts, yellow socks
Nathan PENNINGTON
Ryan LIVESEY
Josh WESTWOOD (C)
Arran LYONS
Isaac ABANKWAH
Richard PETERS
Nathan BARTRAM
Dylan MCMAHON
Luke HOLDEN
Kevin EXELL
Louis SHIELDS
Steven JENYONS
Dan SMITH
Sean SHERWOOD
Alex WELSH
Richard WINCER
Dan GRAY
Jack HART
Chris WEBSTER
Ashley WOODS
Will EASTHAM
Nathan COTTERELL
Rowan CHAMBERS
Gabriel MOONEY-MUNOZ
Harrison KAY
Niall BUTCHART
Saad MEKKAOUI-ABOUZAID
Samuel KEENAN
Ryan RILEY
Lee DUCKWORTH
James HUGHES
Adam BARLOW
Nathan CLIFFE
Perry BIRCUMSHAW
James BOYD
Daniel BODEN
Sean ALUEBHOSELE
Kallam BOYLE
Theo BALL
Matthew COUGHLAN
Olly HESFORD
Max DAVIDSON
Gary PETT
Mauel DIOP-PARRA
Ryan POWELL
Samuel MARSHALL
Prince YELEGON Harrison WEBSTER Ryan MOORE #WeAreGate
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