Eccleshall FC vs Wythenshawe AFC

Eccleshall vs Wythenshawe AFC

Eccleshall FC Matchday Programme 2022/23

NWCFL Division One South Fixture

WEDNESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 2023

KICKOFF 8:00 PM

Issue 18

Eccleshall Football Club - Season 2022/23

Pershall Park, Chester Road, Eccleshall, Staffordshire ST21 6NE

Telephone 01785 851351 (match days only)

Legal Entity: Company limited by shares - Eccleshall Football Club Limited (c/n 13365015). Subsidiary of Eccleshall FC Sports Foundation Limited (c/n 13359263) - company limited by guarantee.

Club Officials:

Chairman: Neil Washington

Vice-Chairman: Antony Johnson

Secretary: Jim Tunney

Treasurer: David Heelis

Programme Editor: Shaun Rogers

Clubhouse Management: Bill Grinham

Club Welfare Officer: Jim Tunney

Commercial Manager:

Media Officer: Shaun Rogers

Directors

Neil Washington, Antony Johnson, Paul Cox, David Heelis, Bill Grinham, Richard Marsh, Jim Tunney.

Committee

Fundraising Sub-Committee

Neil Washington, Antony Johnson, John Martin, Jim Tunney, Colin Leese

First Team Management:

Liam Kelly, Nathan Wilkes, Russell Rowley, Harry Pickering, Laura Machin

Junior Section

Chairman: Andy Gough

Secretary: Gareth Davies

U10s Kieron Healey

U13s Dave Hislop, Gaz Davis

U14s John Edensor, Nick Mobley

U16s Paul Heler, Mark Croxton, Henry Taylor

Members of the North West Counties League, Midland Junior Premier League, North Staffs Junior Youth League, Mid Staffs Junior League.

THE DUGOUT VIEW THE DUGOUT VIEW

Good evening and welcome to what will be a tough test against second played Wythenshawe Amateurs.

I’m sure you’ll all remember last year's home fixture against the ammies (my first real game back in charge) was a 6-4 thriller and I’m sure you’d all want to see more of the same tonight.

Saturday was a disappointing afternoon but I do think the scoreline was particularly harsh. At 1-0, we had a perfectly good goal disallowed before Oli gets a daft red card. Two huge game changing moments but credit to Sandbach who were clinical and punished us. It was a frustrating afternoon as I was hoping the lads could build on what was a hard-earned 3 points on the road away at Stockport Georgians on the Tuesday night before.

We’re not far away from being the team we want to be and competing toward the top end of the league. It’s about fine tuning the small details and making sure all the lads buy into what we want to do here. Consistency is something we need to work on as a group.

Enjoy this evening's game and thank you for your continued support.

Eccleshall FC

Club Honours

1973-74 Mid Staffs Div.3 Cup Winners

1973-74 Mid Staffs Div.3 Runners-up

1975-76 Mid Staffs Div.2 Cup Winners

1980-81 Staffs County (N) League Div.2

Champions

1981-82 Staffs County League (N)

Premier Division Champions

1981-82 May Bank Cup Finalists

1982-82 May Bank Cup Winners

1982-83 Mid Staffs Div.2 Cup Winners

1983-84 Staffs County League (N)

Premier Division Champions

1983-84 May Bank Cup Winners

1983-84 Staffs FA Vase Finalists

1984-85 Staffs FA Vase Finalists

1986-87 May Bank Cup Finalists

1987-88 Mid Staffs Borough Cup Finalists

1989-90 Staffs Senior League Champions

1999-00 Springbank Vending Midland

League Runners-up

1999-00 Staffs County League Champions

2001-02 Springbank Vending Midland

League Champions

2002-03 Springbank Vending Midland

League Champions

2002-03 Staffs FA Vase Winners

2002-03 Staffs County League Champions

2002-03 Sentinel Cup Winners (under 18s)

2002-03 Sentinel Shield Winners (u/16’s)

2002-03 Leek Cup Finalists

2005-06 Staffs FA Vase Finalists

2017-18 Staffs FA Youth Cup Winners (Under 18s)

2017-18 Potteries Junior Youth Cup Winners (under 18s)

Reformed 1971

Nickname The Eagles Ground

Pershall Park

Chester Road

Eccleshall ST21 6NE

Telephone 01785 851351

(Matchdays Only)

Record Attendances: League - 2,011 vs FC United 5.11.05 Cup - 475 vs Stoke City - Staffs FA

Senior Cup 16/10/2019

Previous Leagues

Mid Staffs League

Staffs County League (N)

North Staffs Alliance

Midland League

(formerly known as Staffs Senior league, Refuge Assurance Springbank Vending)

Proud members of

WYTHENSHAWE AFC

Originally founded in 1946 as Wythenshawe Lads' Club by Reg Gauntlet, a local window cleaner, gathering together a group of kids kicking a ball about in the street, started playing friendlies, held meetings with parents in a wooden hut in the grounds of Cringlewood House, Yew Tree Lane. They then set up home by hiring a room in an old farmhouse in Daine Avenue, Rackhouse. A couple of years later Noel Timpson, of Timpson Shoes, purchased two ex-WW2 Nissen huts and sited them within the farmhouse grounds.

Wythenshawe, their first kit being white shirts, black shorts, black socks, first manager Bob Collins, progressed through the Manchester Federation of Lads' Clubs League 1946-49.

In 1949 as the lads grew into maturity and no longer eligible for Lads Club football Harry Dalton developed them into 'The Ammies', changing their name to Wythenshawe Amateurs, managed by Jim Cooper, to provide football for all ages. Dalton was a Sheffield Wednesday supporter hence the Ammies royal blue & white striped kit.

They became members of the South Manchester and Wythenshawe League 1949-53 racing through the lower divisions, top goalscorer being Bob Halliday with an incredible 72 goals in season 1951-52, before securing the First Division Championship in 1953.

They then entered the Altrincham and District League 1953-54.

In 1956 Wythenshawe played Manchester United, including Bobby Charlton, in the Altrincham District FA - Whitaker Cup Final. This was a great day for Wythenshawe because not only did they hold a very talented United team to a draw but according to press reports at the time were quite as good as their opponents. After two lots of extra time the score was 1-1, the cup was shared with each team holding it for six months.

Climbing the football pyramid they were accepted into the Lancashire and Cheshire League 1954-72 winning the double in their first season, the Third Division 'A' and Hellawell Shield. Between 1955-57 they achieved the distinction of promotion in three successive seasons, 1955 Third Division 'A' champions, 1956 Third Division runner-up, 1957 Second Division champions. Also First Division champions 1962 and three time winners of the Rhodes Cup (1958, 1961, 1972). rs (7) of the Gilgryst Cup (1986, 1987, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2009, 2018) twice finalist (1980, 1988).

Three time winners of the Lancashire Amateur Cup (1976, 1990, 1996) finalist six times (1982, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1994)

The senior section alone have won over 50 trophies. Arguably one of their most successful seasons came in 1989-90 when the first team, managed by Ray Mallalieu, achieved the treble by winning the Lancashire Amateur Cup, Manchester League Premier and Gilgryst Cup, whilst the reserves added the second division title and the Sunday team winning the Wythenshawe and District Sunday League Challenge Cup.

Although youth teams have sporadically existed since the Lads' Club days, In 1989 Stephen Hall and Jim Roberts formalised a Junior Section at the club, entering one team, Under 9’s, in the Timperley and District Junior League. In 2019 the youth team entered the FA Youth Cup for the first time. In 2022 the youth development squad became the clubs first team to win a regional league division, champions of the North West Youth Alliance Development Division, and were also finalist in their respective cup in their first season

The club led a somewhat nomadic existence, playing their games at Cleveland playing fields 1946-49, Wythenshawe Park 1949-58, The Christie playing fields 1958-61, Federation of Lads' Club Ground Chorlton, later called Harry Dalton playing fields 1961-83, then in 1983 they became tenants at Wythenshawe Cricket Club, Longley Lane, albeit when the football and cricket seasons overlapped the club had to find alternative venues, Flixton FC 2015, St Paul's High School 2016-17, settling at Hollyhedge Park in 2017.

From season 1967-68 the first team took part in the FA Amateur Cup, which in 1974 became the FA Vase, in 1985 they reached the 5th round narrowly losing 2-1 away to the eventual winners Halesowen Town The previous round saw the Ammies win 6-0 at home to Rushall Olympic before its then largest attendance of 255, tenfold their average, and producing their first ever match programme.

Due to a change to the FA's ground grading requirements in 1996 they were no longer eligible to enter the FA Vase, on top of that they could not seek promotion in the National League System from the Step 7 Manchester League to the Step 6 North West Counties League

Wythenshawe were not deterred by this setback and planning permission was granted by Manchester City Council in October 2007 to build a 150 seater floodlit stadium in Hollyhedge Park Raising sufficient funds to build this facility, even to simply fence in the ground, was an on-going problem, being adversely affected by a recession

In 2009 a Ladies team was formed, managed by Paula Mercer, in 2011 became champions of Cheshire & Manchester Women's League Division Two East and finalist in their respective cup, then transferring to the Cheshire Women’s & Youth League In 2018 they finished runner-up in the CW&YL and promoted to the North West Women’s Regional League, also entering the Women's FA Cup for the first time, beating Accrington Stanley at home 5-1 in the preliminary round then bowing out in the 1st Qual.Rd v. Accrington Girls & Ladies at home 1-3 before the women's then record attendance of 142

In June 2011 the club changed its legal entity from an unincorporated association to that of a private limited company by guarantee, with charitable status. The company dissolved in November 2019.

The Sunday team was reintroduced in 2012, managed by Paul O'Keefe, immediately winning the double in the Altrincham Sunday League 2013, they joined the Stockport Sunday League, becoming Division Four champions in 2015, Division Three champions in 2016 with 100% win record, latter two seasons scoring 359 goals.

In July 2013 Committee member John Cotton noticed an article for a Budweiser £50,000 regional grant he felt the club could win, he passed the article to then Vice-Chairman Carl Barratt who took up the mantle. Fortune struck on Halloween that year, which changed the future of the club forever, when Barratt received the news that he was successful in winning the grant, this also enabled the club to compete against seven other clubs nationwide for an additional £100,000 in a public Facebook vote during February 2014, they obtained the most votes and secured the additional funds

The club in 2015 introduced the 'John Walker Tournament', an annual nationwide summer festival of football for children and youths aged 7-15, attracting over 100 teams with over 1,000 players. A further honour bestowed upon ‘Mr Wythenshawe Amateurs’ was the naming of the main stand ‘The John Walker Stand’ in 2020

The football and cricket clubs workable relationship, in its latter years, became strained and subsequently the Ammies were rendered homeless when evicted by the cricket club in May 2015 after 32 years use

The Hollyhedge Park Project was now, more than ever, an increasingly important chapter in the clubs future. Whilst the project was coming to fruition games were played at Flixton FC and St. Paul's High School, with hospitality at the Winston Conservative Club and Northenden Social Club.

The penning of this crucial chapter recommenced in July 2016 when the club secured funding of £812,000, which included £382,317 from the Premier League & The FA, the £150,000 from Budweiser, £146,000 from the National Lottery, building work began in earnest in February 2017 for a clubhouse, new pitch, drainage, car park and fencing when a new long term lease was finally agreed with Manchester City Council

In March 2017 the club became a Community Benefit Society, its first Board of Directors being Basil Kabbani (Chairman), Carl Barratt (Vice-Chairman), Peter Andrews, John Cotton, Stuart Furnival, Ray Gibson, Stephen Hall, Neil Owen.

The stadium was completed in September 2017, the first match was played on 30th, drawing 1-1 v Hindsford in the Manchester League, the 32 year old record attendance was broken with 277. Further improvements brought the ground up to Step 6 standard and was officially opened on 6th May 2018 by former England & Manchester United captain Bryan Robson

Promotion was gained in May 2018 when the FA allocated the first team to a restructured North West Counties Football League. This meant that the club was competing at semi-professional level for the first time, whilst retaining their amateur status they finished a creditable fourth in the First Division South in their first season

In 2019 the first team returned to the national stage when they re-entered the FA Vase

The following season 2020-21, they were accepted, for the first time, into the FA Cup, in the Extra Preliminary Round beat Shelley at home 4-2 in a memorable penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in 90 mins, exited in the Preliminary Round v Trafford at home 1-4

The first full season, 2021-22, following two coronavirus pandemic hit seasons, they reached the playoffs, losing to FC Isle of Man in the semi-finals.

The first team have never been relegated in its 77 year history

After the Edward Case Cup defeat at Abbey Hey, Eccleshall returned to league action for a midweek visit to newcomers Stockport Georgians. Striker Chris Boast returned to the starting line-up and recent signing Joel Jones was on the bench as manager Liam Kelly looked to boost their points total.

Straight from the kick-off, Boast was testing the home defence, and then Luke Lewis set up Lucas Green-Birch, but he couldn’t capitalise on the chance. In reply, Samuel Hind fired in from distance, but his shot was well over the bar. Both Eagles strikers were causing early problems for the Georgians defence before Kyle Wych brought a decent save from Eagles keeper Aaron Woolrich. On 23 minutes, Eagles took the lead when a Jordan Darlington cross was punched clear by home keeper James Hodges to Lewis who fired through a crowd of players to find the net. A minute later, a Darlington run down the right flank found Lewis and he laid the ball across the box to Boast, who had the easiest of chances to score and double Eagles’ lead. Eccleshall continued to press, and Boast turned in the box and had his shot deflected but Lewis was unable to apply the finishing touch. The home side then went close when a corner from the left went across the box and there was no-one there to complete the chance. At the interval, Eccleshall were good value for their lead.

HT: Stockport Georgians 0 Eccleshall 2

With the second half under way, a poor tackle on Lewis led to the game suddenly getting a bit feisty and referee Hussain had a few issues to sort out. Georgians were looking to get back on terms and Darlington was on the end of a very poor tackle which put him over the touchline. This went unpunished when it really warranted a red card. Darlington was unable to continue and was replaced by Callum Feeney. For Georgians, a cross by the pacy Oliver McFadyen found Wych in the six-yard box but he blasted over. Another McFadyen cross was cleared by Ryan Pickup before Green-Birch cut across the edge of the box and his shot was just wide of the post. Another home move led to Samuel Marshall firing over. Kelly rang the changes, bringing on Aidan Blaise, Jones and Mitch Glover before another Georgians effort from a corner led to Paul Connor heading over the bar. George Woodroffe came on for Boast, who had run himself into the ground, before Georgians pulled one back well into added time. A high cross from the right appeared to be claimed by Woolrich before Callum Campbell barged into the keeper, bundling the keeper and the ball into the net and classed as an own goal. To Eagles’ amazement, the referee allowed the goal to stand but it was too little, too late for the home side.

FT: Stockport Georgians 1 Eccleshall 2

This was a good, battling performance from Eccleshall, who fully deserved the points on the evening against a side in the higher reaches of the division. They now face two tough matches against top four opposition, starting with the visit to Sandbach United on Saturday.

Eagles: Woolrich, Darlington (Feeney), Dunn, Flattley, Hickman (Blaise), Pickup, Lewis (Glover), Stanton, Boast (Woodroffe), Benton, Green-Birch (Jones)

Referee: Mr Jahangir Hussain

Attendance: 98

SPONSORSHIP SPONSORSHIP 22/23

AVAILABLE TO AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR SPONSOR

Aaron Woolrich Aiden Blaise

Callum Feeney

Daniel Taylor

Alexander Atton Luke Lewis

Lewis Dunn

Ethan Stanton

Jordan Darlington Ryan Pickup

Ollie Hickman

Mitchell Glover

sponsored by Terry & Dorothy Steele sponsored by RICHARD MARSH

sponsored by Tony Woolrich & Andy Withey

Jordan Benton George Woodroffe

SPONSORSHIP SPONSORSHIP 22/23

Ant Malbon

Louis Downs

Lucas Green-Birch

Mark Groom

Jordan Flattley

Ryan Jay Malbon

Liam Kelly

Nathan Wilkes

Harry Pickering

Harvey Colins

Management

sponsored by Gough Landscapes Mayflower Control. Cuttlestones.

Howsons is a firm of chartered accountants with a refreshingly forward-thinking outlook informed by our active involvement at the forefront of the profession. Our enthusiastic and dedicated teams in audit, tax, agriculture and general practice blend experience of our directors with the vitality of our trainees to deliver high levels of service that is bespoke to each and every client. As proud as we are of our history, we are true to our mission, vision and values. It is part of what makes us different.

www.howsons.com

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN PLAY AS ECCLESHALL IN FM?

2 0 2 2 / 2 3 P L A Y E R S T A T S

STAFFORD TOWN (A)

RUGBY BOROUGH (H) FA VASE 1Q ALSAGER TOWN (H)

Eccy Fixtures

FOLEY MEIR (A)

STAFFORD TOWN (H)

ELLESMERE RANGERS (H)

MAINE ROAD (H)

STOCKPORT TOWN (H)

ABBEY HEY (H) ECC3

ALSAGER TOWN (A)

ABBEY HEY (H)

STOCKPORT GEORGIANS (A)

ABBEY HEY (A)

SPORTING KHALSA (H) SSC

CHEADLE HEATH NOMADS (H)

EDWARD CASE CUP 2S

CHEADLE HEATH NOMADS (H)

MACRON CUP 1

STOCKPORT TOWN (A)

NEWENT TOWN (A)

FA VASE RD 1

ROCESTER (H)

MAINE ROAD (A)

FOLEY MEIR (A)

COVENTRY SPHINX (H) FA VASE R2

BARNTON (A)

ABBEY HULTON (A) MACRON CUP R2

SANDBACH UNITED (H)

ABBEY HEY (H) EDWARD CASE CUP 3S

SANDBACH UNITED (A)

WYTHENSHAWE AFC (H)

FOLEY MEIR (H)

CHEADLE HEATH NOMADS (A)

BROCTON (A)

CHEADLE TOWN (H)

BARNTON (H)

CAMMELL LAIRD 1907 (A)

ABBEY HULTON UNITED (A)

STOCKPORT GEORGIANS (H)

WYTHENSHAWE AMATEURS (A)

ELLESMERE RANGERS (A)

NEW MILLS (H)

AARON WOOLRICH (GK)

ALEXANDER ATTON (GK)

OSCAR FITTON (GK)

CALLUM FEENEY

LEWIS DUNN

MAX RAINE

ETHAN STANTON

MITCHELL GLOVER

AIDEN BLAISE

LUKE LEWIS

OLI HICKMAN

DANIEL TAYLOR

JORDAN DARLINGTON

JORDAN BENTON

LUCAS GREEN-BIRCH

GEORGE WOODROFFE

LOUIS DOWNS

MARK GROOM

ASHLEY COLCLOUGH

JORDAN FLATTLEY

RYAN PICKUP

RYAN MALBON

ANT MALBON

CHRIS BOAST

JOEL JONES

TIMOTHY TURNER

BRUNO DA SILVA (GK)

SAMUEL GOODWIN (GK)

KYLE HASLAM (GK)

SAMUEL ADEWUSI

JOEL AIKENHEAD

JOSEPH BEVAN

EDWARD BROWN

JNAI BUTTERFIELD-STEEDE

OSCAR CAMPBELL

JOHNATHON CAVANAGH

MATTHEW CLEARY

CRAIG COATES

KIERAN CURTIS

JARDEL DEPEIAZA

SAMUEL DICKOV

CHARLES DUKE

JAMES GREEN

AMIR HAJRI

SAUL HENDERSON

ARRON HEVINGHAM

LEWIS HILL

CHRISTOPHER HOWARD

XAVIER JASPER

KEITH KANAKULYA

DECLAN LAMB

BRYAN LY

DYLAN MOLONEY

ARTHUR OKONKWO

JAKE POLLARD

PAUL RILEY

SAMUEL TAMAKLOE

RAJWINDER UPPAL

RONALDINHO VAZ MENDES

RONALDO VAZ MENDES

DYLAN WALKER

TOM WOOD

LUKE WORTH

ASHLEY CRITCHLOW

Manager : Liam Kelly

Manager : Shane Goldrick