West Didsbury & Chorlton Pre-Season

2013/14 SEASON / MATCH DAY PROGRAMME £2 Main Club Sponsor:

Pre – Season Friendly matches: 13th July Prescot Cables 17th July Curzon Ashton 20th July Runcorn Linnets

WELCOME to WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC CLUB CONTACTS

FOOTBALL CONTACTS

Club President

First Team

Brian Cripps

Manager: Andy Nelson 07952 567240 Asst Mgr and Coach: Steve Settle Kit Manager: John Barton

Chairman Glyn Meacher 07905 431526

Reserve Team Manager: Robert Madden 07730 655446 Asst Manager: Jim Hines

Club Secretary Rob Turley 0161 448 1838 07891 298441

Club Coaches Steve Eckersley / Kris Mahon

Membership Secretary Monica Creer 0161 881 1135

Physios Treasurer

Rachel Wood and Paddy Murphy

Dave Cooper 07961 063195

‘A’ Team Manager Head of Fundraising

Danny Iredale 07939 392828

Steve Eckersley 07788 112909

Youth Team Manager Ian Depeiaza 07838 232401

Community Development Davy Iredale

Junior Football Co-ordinator Mark Rogers 07841 112903

Publicity and Web John Churchman 07720 508082

Vets Managers Press Officer, Social Media & Web Rob McKay 07706 320397

Chris Smith 07867 171815 Steve Fisher 07956 678937

ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR SPONSOR LIST… Join our growing list of sponsors, we have packages to suit your budget including:

THE CLUB

● Match Day Sponsor ● Player Kit Sponsor ● Pitch Advertising (3-year period) ● Programme Advertising

£100 £50 £250 per season £50 - £100

200

The 200 club is a vital source of income and is open to anyone. A monthly standing order payment of £2 entitles one entry into the monthly £200 of prizes to be won.

If you are interested in joining please contact Brian, Rob or Monica or ask for a form in the club house.

The sooner you complete a form and enter the draw the sooner you could win.

Editorial

Pre-Season Friendlies 2013/14

Welcome to The Recreation Ground for today’s friendly as we look forward to adding new milestones in our 105 year history.

It seems no time since that last thrilling home game at the end of April when the late goal in the 3-2 win over Irlam was enough to secure promotion from NWC Division 1 at the first time of asking. The Cup Final success over Abbey Hey at Runcorn three days later was the icing on the cake on another great night.

After many editorials towards the end of the season when we were cautious about premature celebration, it is only right that we should finally put on record our huge congratulations to Andy and all the players and management team for a really fantastic and successful last season – our best ever!

We now have the NWC Premier Division to look forward to this coming season, entry into the FA Cup for the first time and also the FA Vase.

We are fulfilling our club Vision of playing at the highest level of our abilities whilst remaining as a club owned and run by and for its members.

Promotion means we now must improve our facilities again to meet FA ground grading requirements. We have to develop more covered seating and standing accommodation for spectators and to do this during the course of next season. We will shortly be applying for planning permission for what we need.

WELCOME To Prescot Cables, Curzon Ashton and Runcorn Linnets We are delighted to welcome Prescot Cables, Curzon Ashton and Runcorn Linnets to Brookburn Road for our Pre-season programme. We have produced a single programme to cover these games so we will find additional information on each one of our visitors later on.

NEW RECRUITS We are delighted to announce several additions to the club for next season: STEVE BROCKLEY and NEIL SMITH are both players with tons of non league experience who will strengthen the first team squad and behind the scenes JOHN BARTON joins as kit manager, RACHEL WOODS and PADDY MURPHY who are our new physiotherapists, and last but not least our new youth team manager IAN DEPEIAZA and youth development coordinator MARK ROGERS. All are really enthusiastic individuals and great additions to our club. We look forward to working with them as part of our support teams as we strengthen and develop the club further.

REMAINING PRE-SEASON Programme Please refer to our current Pre-season fixture list and also the games announced for August starting on 3rd August against AFC Liverpool at home later in the programme. … AND FINALLY – ENJOY TODAY’S GAME and your visit to the club.

Thanks to Mike Fryer for providing photos for the club programme and website.

Front Cover: Anthony Potts the ‘Players Player of the Year’ for 2012/13

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

From the Chairman On behalf of the club I would like to offer a warm welcome to all the Officials and players of Prescot Cables, Curzon Ashton and Runcorn Linnets, fans of these clubs and those who follow football at this level, to what is probably the most prestigious series of friendlies the club has ever played in a pre season programme, and this after the game on 10th July against FC United.

It is now a little over two months, from our cup final win against Abbey Hey, and a few weeks from us receiving official confirmation that we had been promoted. Whilst these achievements, ensured that last season will go down as one of the most successful in our 105 year history, the hard work has started on and off the field to ensure that we are in a position to cope successfully with our third promotion in the last three years On the field the reason that we have been able to achieve our consistent success is due to the professionalism of Andy and all his coaching, support staff and players and I would like to take this opportunity to offer thanks to everyone for the last 4 seasons and good luck for the coming one.

Off the field, plans are in place to develop the ground to meet the grading requirements for the NWCFL premier league, and provide additional covered seating and standing and also improved turnstile facilities at the entrance to the ground. In addition, we have secured grant funding for the development of grass pitches at the land to the side of the current pitch, As such, by the start of the 2014/15 season we will have an additional 2 adult and 2 junior pitches to play on, which will help us achieve our objective of ensuring that all our adult teams are able to play here and we develop a junior section to the club Finally, I hope that you enjoy the match and enjoy your visit to Brookburn Road Glyn Meacher Chairman – West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC

August fixtures announced‌ The complete August fixture for West has now been confirmed with West playing 7 league fixtures in the first month of the season in addition to their FA Cup tie against Abbey Hey. After welcoming AFC Liverpool to Brookburn Road West will make the 33 mile journey to Cheshire to face Alsager Town on the first Tuesday of the season, they will then complete the first week of the season with a trip to Bootle where West were defeated last season in the Quarter Final of the League Challenge Cup. The second home game of the season will see Winsford United travel to Brookburn Road before the clubs first ever FA Cup tie against Abbey Hey. West will then complete the months fixtures with a trip to Derbyshire to face Glossop North End, a home tie against Congleton before visiting Ashton Athletic to complete the months league fixtures.

Saturday 3rd August Tuesday 6th August Saturday 10th August Tuesday 13th August Saturday 17th August Tuesday 20th August Saturday 24th August Tuesday 27th August

AFC Liverpool (H) Alsager Town (A) Bootle (A) Winsford United (H) Abbey Hey (H) FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Glossop North End (A) Congleton Town (H) Ashton Athletic (A)

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

View from the Dugout I am delighted to be able to welcome the players, officials of supporters for each of our visitors as our pre-season programme gathers pace.

Firstly we welcome Prescot Cables, of the Evo-Stik 1st Division North, fresh off the visit of FC United and we are in no doubt that they will be just as equal a challenge to get a result. It is early days as we prepare for our 1st season in a new division and we continue to assess the players’ fitness. With the addition of the FA Cup and the extra league games we are preparing to play over 50 games this season meaning the players will have to get used to playing twice a week.

I am also delighted to welcome Curzon Ashton to Brookburn Road as our two clubs enjoy a good relationship. John Flanagan and I go back a very long way and wherever we have been in the past we have always come together for friendly encounters. We have also over the past seasons stood in opposite dug outs with various clubs and many competitive matches, indeed many of the players on view today have played for myself or John at some time, making today's game a very nice occasion for all concerned.

It’s always a pleasure when two clubs share a mutual respect and friendship and we of course thank Curzon Ashton for this opportunity and wish them all the very best of success for this coming season.

The visit of Runcorn Linnets is also very much a friendly, in all aspects, as we welcome my very close friends Joey Dunn, Stu Humphries and James Standing. Joey gave me the opportunity at Trafford F.C. to put together a young developing side that went onto play at the highest levels of semi pro football with various clubs.

Many of those players then followed Stu Humphries and I to Leigh RMI where we survived in the Football Conference with a limited budget. I was delighted when Joey and Stu were given the opportunity at Runcorn Linnets, who are a club with great organisation and structure as well as a terrific history. I was certainly impressed with our visit to the Millbank Linnets Stadium in April. I feel sure that with the management guidance of my two great friends this club will certainly progress to high levels of football which will be great for everyone involved at the club.

Our pre-season concludes with a tour of the Isle of Man at the end of July where we will face St John’s United and the Isle of Man national team. This is another fantastic opportunity for the club and a clear measure of how far we have come so quickly and is sure to be a great weekend for everyone involved.

In addition we are now aware who our first ever opposition in the FA Cup will be as we face Abbey Hey at home. The two clubs need no introduction to each other having met three times last season with ourselves just edging it with 2 victories to their one including the collection of NWCFL 1st Division Trophy. It is sure to be another challenge but one we are confident of succeeding.

Thanks for your continued support throughout pre-season Regards Andy Nelson

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

OUR SPONSORS We would like to express our sincere thanks to our current pitch side board sponsors for their support. Without you we wouldn’t be where we are today.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

CLUB NEWS… We are on the lookout for Club Helpers can YOU help?

Our club is dependent on the time and effort of volunteer helpers who act as club officials, manage and staff the bar and clubhouse on match days, produce the match day programme and undertake a host of other tasks around the clubhouse and grounds. Every little helps so if you are interested in getting involved please contact us at www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton Or contact the secretary, Rob Turley on 07891 298441 or e-mail to: rob.turley@btinternet.com

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Our username is WD_CFC (picture of club badge) http://www.facebook.com/WestDidsburyChorlton

Ground Safety In the interest of spectator comfort and safety, the following conditions apply at the clubs Brookburn Road ground and must be observed at all times. 

In case of fire or other emergency that requires the clubhouse or ground to be evacuated instructions will be given over the public address system, and we ask that you comply with those instructions immediately.



The chanting of racist or obscene chanting is strictly forbidden.



Glasses, bottles, gas canisters, knives, darts, tools, flag poles or any other articles likely to cause injury are not permitted into the ground.



Alcohol may be purchased and consumed in the bar area only.

 

Children are not allowed in the Club House unless accompanied by an adult.

Encroachment onto the playing area is forbidden at all times.



Standing is not allowed in front of the seated areas.



All forms of transport on the clubs car park is at the owners’ risk.

The club reserves the right to remove any person from the ground who is in breach of these rules or whose presence is a source of danger or annoyance to others. We hope you understand the reasons for the above are in order for the game to be enjoyed in safe and pleasant conditions.

Thank you, West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC Committee

CLUB MERCHANDISE Available in the clubhouse…

Mugs at £5, Key rings at £1, Club badges at £3 Club Ties at £12.50 Coming for this season… Bennie hats and new scarves

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

Supporters Club The future of West Didsbury & Chorlton is changing as the club sets to embark on a historic debut season in the NWCFL Premier Division and will compete in the FA Cup for the first time in its history.

We want people who wish to join together to support West and to help the club in any way possible, big or small, and therefore have decided now is the time to form a supporters club.

Records were made last season as West registered their highest placed finish in the clubs history and were rewarded with promotion to the Premier Division. In addition they also collected the 1st Division Trophy thanks to a 1-0 victory of new rivals Abbey Hey. Our aim is to increase the number of regular followers on a match day home or away, get behind the team and have fun doing so.

The 2013/14 season is sure be memorable with visits of FC United, Runcorn Linnets, Prescott Cables and Curzon Ashton in pre-season alone as well two derbies against neighbours Maine Road. The supporters club is open to all who love non-league and wish to come down on a Saturday to a welcoming club and be part of something special.

How to join: Simply fill out the membership form in the club house with £10 pound or send £12.50 to: westdidsburychorltonsc@gmail.com via paypal What are the benefits of joining the supporters club:      

Limited edition pin badge exclusive to members Official West Didsbury & Chorlton wristband Membership card and fixture list Monthly newsletter sent direct to your email Support a volunteer led, community club and their vision of offering youth football and being a community club for Chorlton and South Manchester Plus much more throughout the season.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Our visitors on 13th July‌ Prescot Cables History Prescot Cables joined the Lancashire Combination in 1927-28, taking over the record of Fleetwood who resigned after playing 22 matches. (Until the Northern Premier League was formed in 1968; the Lancashire Combination was the premier league for non-league football in the north-west of England) Cables were runners-up in the Combination on three consecutive seasons from 1930-31 to 1932-33. In 1932 Valerie Park hosted its record attendance (8,122) in a game against Ashton National.

Unfortunately for the Cables, the glory years were not to return for another 20 years.

The years 1954 to 1960 were probably the club's most successful. In 1954-55 they finished Lancashire Combination Division Two as runners-up and were promoted to Division One. Two seasons later (1956-57) they were crowned champions of the Lancashire Combination and for the next two seasons they finished as runners-up. In 1954-55 the Cables registered their record victory in a competitive game (18-3) against Great Harwood. In 1957-58 they fought their way to the FA Cup first round proper for the first time, only to be beaten away at Hartlepool United. They reached the first round proper again in 1959-60; this time they were beaten away at Darlington.

By 1975 fortunes at the club had dipped drastically. The Cables joined Mid Cheshire Football League and finished champions in 1976-77. In 1978-79 they joined Cheshire County League as founder members of Division Two, finished League Division Two Champions in 1979-80 and won promotion to Division One. In season 2004-2005, they started playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, their highest ever division in football. One of the main reasons for their rapid promotion was that the Football Pyramid underwent major changes in 2004. The Cables finished in 5th place that season following the FA's decision to award them 6 points, thanks to the Spennymoor United failing to fulfill two fixtures against Prescot. The club took duly took their place in the playoffs only to lose 3-1 at Workington.

The summer of 2005 saw a change in organisation, with a new football committee formed from the Supporter's Club taking over the reins of the club. Andy Gray took over as manager following the resignation of Tommy Lawson and saw his side finish in mid-table for the following three seasons.

Season 2007-08 saw the club finish in 13th position out of 21 clubs, although they needed a 3-2 success at Lincoln United to avoid relegation from the Premier Division.

The 2008-2009 season has seen the football committee continue to make improvements at the ground and lay solid foundations for the future. In March 2009 the Club was formed into a Community Interest Football Club. Youth and Junior Teams have been created and are flourishing. However the club finished bottom of the league at the end of the season winning just 5 times and conceding 127 goals leaving them relegated to the 1st Division North.

The following 5 seasons have been spent in the 1st Division North as Cables have struggled to adapt to their new division finishing 15th in 09/10, 21st in 10/11, and 16th in 11/12. Current manager Darren Powell arrived from Ashton Athletic at the end of the season and lead the Cables to 17th place in 2012/13.

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Our visitors on 17th July‌ Curzon Ashton Curzon Ashton FC was formed in 1963 following the amalgamation of two clubs, Curzon Road and Ashton Amateurs. The newly formed club joined the Manchester Amateur League, winning the title twice and finishing runners-up in their first three seasons. Curzon became founder members of the North West Counties League (NWCL), in 1983/4 with the merger of the MWCL Cheshire League and Lancashire League, as part of the non-league pyramid. The club was placed in the First Division and in 1986 National Park was "illuminated' following the installation of floodlights, in preparation for what they hoped would be an opportunity to join the Northern Premier League (NPL), a feat which they achieved in 1986 by joining the First Division.

Almost a decade on (1996/7) and problems, on and off the field, beset Curzon. Terry McLean was handed the reins at the start of the season, only to resign in September. Changes in the boardroom brought with it more unrest within the club, and Dave Denby was placed in charge of team affairs, with Ged Coyne as his assistant. Denby remained until just after the New Year. Coyne took charge on a temporary basis (a position which was made permanent at the end of the season) but he was unable to halt the clubs slide and with it relegation.

If relegation wasn't enough, the club received a "double-whammy' when they were placed in the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) following a meeting of the Northern Joint Liaison Committee, a decision which not only shocked officials of the club but many others connected with football in the region. An appeal to the National League System sub-committee, supported by the Northern Premier League but opposed by both the NWCL and NCEL, proved fruitless, and so the club became the first to be moved in this way since the pyramid system was introduced.

The much anticipated difficulties followed, and the club ended the season one place above the bottom club. The mistake was recognised and the NCEL Management Committee assisted the club in supporting their move back to the NWCL for the start of season 1997/8. The club remained in the Second Division until under the guidance of Joe Murty they gained promotion at the end of season 1999/2000, although Murty was relieved of his duties in June 2000, and Gary Lowe was appointed.

Almost a decade of discussions with Tameside MBC officials about a new ground it finally became a realisation when agreement was reached for the club to vacate National Park, spending season 2004/05 at the home of Stalybridge Celtic, before moving into their magnificent Tameside Stadium for the start of season 2005/06. Despite repeated attempts to return to the NPL they had to wait until season 2006/07 to benefit once again from the re-structure of the pyramid system to return from whence they came, a season which also saw them end their NWCL campaign as the "nearly' team, ending the season as runners-up in the League, and reaching the Semi-Final of The FA Carlsberg Vase, only to lose out to the eventual winners, Truro City.

Season 2007-2008, and the first back in to UniBond League, saw the club reach the promotions playoffs after leading the First Division North for most of the season. Unfortunately they were knocked out of the play-offs by Skelmersdale United. In the 2008-2009 season the club reached the Play-off Final but were beaten by Newcastle Blue Star who then resigned from the UniBond League in late June.

The season will be remembered for the clubs magnificent FA Cup exploits when reaching the Second Round Proper of the competition where they were beaten 2-0 away at Kidderminster Harriers after beating Exeter City 3-2 at home in the First Round Proper.

Season 2009-2010 the club reached the Play-offs for the third consecutive season but were again beaten in the semi-finals by the eventual winners Colwyn Bay. Season 2010 Curzon Ashton once again the club reached the Play-offs for the fourth consecutive season and were again beaten by the eventual winners Chorley. This was the final season for manager Gary Lowe who called it a day after eleven seasons at the helm The following season John Flanagan took the club to the Play-off Final where they were beaten by Witton Albion.

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

Our visitors on 20th July… Runcorn Linnets Runcorn Linnets Football Club was born on 28 April 2006, when the fans of Runcorn Football Club, dismayed at the club’s predicament, met at their spiritual home at the Quayside in Canal Street in Runcorn and voted to establish a new club which would continue the proud tradition of non-League football which had existed in the town since 1918. A large group of fans formed an interim committee to set the wheels in motion. A Supporters Trust already existed and this was the vehicle through which the new club would be run. At this early stage, the club existed in name only, and the choice of the name Runcorn Linnets was symbolic in representing where the fans had come from and in keeping those ties with their past, whilst at the same time recognising that a new club needed to be built to re-establish confidence in the local community.

To start a new club from scratch with only 4 months to the start of a new season was a mammoth task, and the newly formed committee drew up business and action plans to attempt to achieve their objectives. Negotiations were opened on many fronts, with the FA, the Cheshire FA, the North West Counties League, Supporters Direct and Witton Albion Football Club. Witton Albion FC extended the hand of friendship and offered a ground share for the season, as no suitable venue was immediately available back in Runcorn. Linnets were supported by local council and MPs in our bid for a place in the league for the start of season 2006/07.

The members of the committee worked tirelessly to achieve their objective and were delighted when they were finally accepted into the league by the member clubs on Saturday 17 June 2006 at the AGM in Buxton. It was a proud day for all and were grateful to be given the opportunity to re-build a nonLeague club representing Runcorn and with the firm aim of moving the club back to its roots at the earliest opportunity. Former manager and player for Runcorn FC Halton, Steve Carragher, agreed to join as manager. The old Runcorn FC started life back in the Cheshire League, so it was perhaps fitting that they had this chance to re-build in the League that was formed from an amalgamation of that league and the Lancashire Combination. Runcorn’s first season resulted in Promotion from the Cheshire League having finished runners up on goal difference behind Winsford.

In season 2007/08 Runcorn entered the FA Vase for the first time, but lost at the First round stage to a strong Salford City team, which ultimately gained promotion and averaged around the 180 mark at home and often had a following of up to 100 fans at away grounds. Thedesire to relocate back into Runcorn was always an integral part of the clubs plans. At the beginning of 2008, the club decided to part with its management team by mutual consent and Linnets appointed Steve Wilkes as our new manager. Steve used the second half of that season to look at players old and new. Overall season 2007/08 was seen as one of consolidation in a higher league, with a better standard of football.

In June 2009 Runcorn were able to announce plans for a new ground had received the support of the Halton Borough Council Executive Board and just before Christmas received the excellent news that they had received a grant of over £93000 from the FSIF. Original plans had been to play at the Riverside College, but now, with the help of the council and the FSIF grants, they developed a site at the Halton Sports complex within the town. Building on the new ground started at the beginning of February 2010 and was completed over the summer. The new ground is known as The Millbank Linnets Stadium and the opening ceremony on July 17th 2010 against Witton Albion attracted a crowd of over 1000 fans and this was followed up on the opening day of the season with a new record league gate for The Linnets of 508 against Colne.

Season 2010/11 was the first back in Runcorn and saw The Linnets part company with the management team of Steve Wilkes and Ian McGarry towards the end of August 2010 and former Linnet Paul McNally was appointed as the new manager bringing in former Atherton LR manager, Dave Hughes, as his assistant and Chris Fitzsimmons as coach. A rebuilding process took place during the season and the Linnets finished the season strongly. The most encouraging feature of season 2010/11 was the tremendous support the Linnets received from their fans. The average attendance at the Millbank Linnets Stadium was 106% up on the previous season and almost 50% higher than the next best supported team.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

From the Terrace …

When the season finished in April I naively believed that was it and it would be a simple case of pulling down the shutters and switching off the lights until the pre-season friendlies began. Things couldn’t have been further from the truth when I found myself, on the hottest Saturday in the history of Chorlton, lying underneath the benching in the away team dressing room paintbrush in hand and paint in the other.

I’ve never failed to be impressed about the commitment that so many people put into the NWCFL to simply ensure that football continues to be played. I discovered early in the summer that clubs put on work days where volunteers will come down to the ground to paint, maintain and complete repairs for the ground before the start of the new season. The pessimists will have you believe its clubs using blackmail for free labour and romantics believe that it will spur the team on in pursuit of success.

Although I’d been intrigued by offers from other clubs but couldn’t commit it was an idea that didn’t really excite me.

When it was brought to my attention that West were hosting their own workday I agreed to come down, but with no real idea if anyone would ever witness my ineffectual painting skills. So how did I come to give up two Saturday’s and a Thursday evening to paint the dressing rooms and toilets for the grand sum on nil? Well I don’t think for one minute that any FC United player went to use the away team gents last Tuesday and noticed my exquisite brush work around the cistern.

It was all down to the terrific environment that the club has created and their vision of becoming a leading place for football in South Manchester for all ages. I had expected to be there with a few other hardy souls who’d also felt that they couldn’t say no, I had heard of one work day where no one did anything but spend three hours on a bouncy castle, but instead I was surprised that not only were the clubs committee dividing up the brushes and giving every nook and cranny a fresh coat of paint but the even members of the coaching staff came straight from training to lend a hand and ensure that the facilities were in top condition for the first games of the season.

One club official, who shall remain nameless, defied strict instructions from his wife not to do any painting, managed to paint a whole wall of the home team dressing room without so much as a splash of paint on his clothes so as not to incur the wrath of his wife.

It was a real testament, and a humbling experience, to the affection and affinity that people feel for this football club that they want to do as much as possible to give it the best possible chance of success.

My respect for the people of this club was further strengthened when Reserve Team manager Rob Madden invited two of his young team down to help us hand out flyers in Chorlton town centre before the FC United game. The two lads spent their Saturday morning handing out flyers and discussing football with the people of Chorlton. Their enthusiasm and politeness to the task in hand, especially with a day at the Trafford Centre on hold to do so, nothing but a credit to the club they represent.

As for the painting who is to say that when that 97th minute winner is headed home in the middle of December it wasn’t thanks to the terrific paint job in the home team dressing room?

Rob McKay

NWCFL 2013-2014

Premier League Opening day Fixtures - Saturday, 3rd August Abbey Hey v Runcorn Linnets AFC Blackpool v Congleton Town Alsager Town v Silsden Barnoldswick Town v Maine Road Bootle v Colne Glossop North End v Ashton Athletic Runcorn Town v Bacup & Rossendale Borough St. Helens Town v Norton United Stockport Sports v Squires Gate West Didsbury & Chorlton v AFC Liverpool Wigan Robin Park v Winsford United WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Action Shots…

Officials for the friendlies…

13 July v Prescot Cables 17 July v Curzon Ashton 20 July v Runcorn Linnets

Referee - A Worthington Referee - M Brown Referee - A Worthington

Assistants: P Rapaport and L Lever Assistants: P Bell and T Howarth Assistants: P Rapaport and P Gibbons

NWCFL Division One Table Final League Table P

W

D

L

F

A

GD Pts

1.

Formby (C)

34 28

2

4

117

42

75

86

2.

Abbey Hey (P)

34 26

3

5

88

25

63

81

3.

West Didsbury & Chorlton (P)

34 22

4

8

79

43

36

70

4.

Atherton Collieries

34 21

6

7

78

47

31

69

5.

AFC Darwen

34 20

3

11

79

57

22

63

6.

Ashton Town

34 18

8

8

77

43

-4

49

7.

Cheadle Town

34 14

7

13

61

65

5

30

8.

Oldham Town*

34 15

5

14

59

50

9

47

9.

Rochdale Town

34 12

9

13

54

60

-6

45

10. Nelson

34 11

9

14

64

76

-12 42

11. Leek CSOB

34 10

9

15

52

68

-16 39

12. Chadderton

34 10

9

15

52

69

-17 39

13. Atherton LR*

34

8

11 15

37

55

-18 34

14. Irlam

34

9

6

19

47

72

-25 33

15. Eccleshall

34

7

7

20

44

79

-35 28

16. Daisy Hill

34

7

6

21

55

81

-26 27

17. Holker Old Boys

34

7

2

25

31

74

-43 23

18. Northwich Villa

34

6

4

24

38

106 -68 22

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

West Pre-season fixtures Our busy pre-season schedule will see the 1st team host a string of non-league heavyweights at Brookburn Road before they take to the skies for a tour of the Isle of Man to take on the national team before the big kick off on August 3rd.

  

Saturday 13th July Wednesday 17th July Saturday 20th July

Prescot Cables (H) 3.00pm Curzon Ashton (H) 7.30pm Runcorn Linnets (H) 3pm

The following weekend the 1st team squad is off for a brief weekend tour to the Isle of Man when we have 2 fixtures:

 

Friday26th July Saturday 27th July

St John’s United (A) 7.30pm Isle of Man national team (A) 4pm in The Bowl, National Stadium in Douglas.

The reserve team will also have a busy schedule with fixtures against a range of teams at different levels ranging from the Evo-Stik Premier to West Lancashire League.

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Saturday 20th July Wednesday 24th July Tuesday 30th July

Curzon Ashton (A) 3pm Prestwich Heys (H) 7.30pm Tempest United (A) 7.30pm

West seek multiple roads to Wembley The Football Association have released the draw for the early qualification rounds of the 2013/14 FA Cup with Budweiser and FA Vase with Carlsberg.

In the FA Cup, in which West will compete for the first time in their 105 year history, West will entertain familiar opposition at home. West will renew their rivalry with Abbey Hey on Saturday 17th August at Brookburn Road. West and Abbey Hey were both promoted from the NWCFL 1st Division last season winning once game each, both by a 2-1 score line. The two sides then met for a third time in Runcorn with West emerging victorious with a 1-0 win and lifting the 1st Division Trophy.

The winners of the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Qualifying Round will then face Burscough at home in the Preliminary Qualifying Round on Saturday 31st August. Burscough finished 11th in the Evo-Stik Division One North last season and were the inaugural NWCFL 1st Division Champions in 1983.

Whoever emerges victorious from that will face the winners of Alsager Town or Atherton Collieries v Radcliffe Borough at home in the 1st Qualifying Road on Saturday 14th September.

In a much simpler format for the FA Vase West will travel to the winners of Penistone Church v Rossington Main in the 2nd Qualifying Round on Saturday 21st September. Penistone Church, who are entering the FA Vase for the first time, competed in Sheffield and Hallamshire County Premier Division, a feeder league for the Northern Counties East League. Rossington Main compete in the Northern Counties East League 1st Division in which they finished 18th last season.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

WHAT’S OUR

STORY?

Newly elected North West Counties League side West Didsbury and Chorlton FC, have come a long way in their 105 year history which began back in 1908 when the club was founded as Christ Church A.F.C. by Mr R F Hartley, a Sunday School Superintendent at the church on Princess Parkway, West Didsbury.

West first played in the Manchester Alliance League until the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918). After the War the club joined the Lancashire and Cheshire League for the 1920/21 season and had to change its name to West Didsbury AFC, as the League did not permit association with any other body. The club was placed in Divisions 1 and A and stayed in the top flight for 25 seasons. The first honours were double runners up in Div 1 and Rhodes Cup in 1922/23, and the club remained in that league until 2006, winning many honours and providing 4 League Presidents along the way. Many of the current committee were players in that league.

The club played at Christie Playing Fields from before 1914 but had to relocate when given notice to quit by the Playing Fields Society in the mid 80’s when that body decided to sell the land for commercial gain. After several years nomadic existence the club kicked off the 1997-98 season at their splendid new home at The Recreation Ground at Brookburn Road, and began to develop a vision for a community club.

This was down to the hard work of a core of players and Committee who refused to let the club fold and secured the new facilities via a Lottery grant, new sponsors and fundraising, but without a penny of help from the Playing Fields Society proceeds.

Further name change followed in 2003 to reflect our new location in Chorlton and we were elected to the Manchester League in 2006. In 2007/8 Season West won Manchester League silverware for the first time, lifting the Murray Shield in the last game of our centenary year.

That team was the nucleus of the previously successful junior team and the following season West just missed promotion to the Premier Division and again reached the Murray Shield Final.

With a new management team led by Andy Nelson, who had previously managed at Leigh RMI, the 2009/10 season was very successful and honours spread throughout the club. The 1st team won the Murray Shield, (the third consecutive year we have been in the final) and finishing runners-up in the league. The second team won the Bridgewater League Cup and the U17 Youth team won their League. In 2010/2011 the 1st team won the Manchester League First Division title in style with a fantastic points total (65 points out of 72 possible). This ranks as one of the highest points totals per game in the history of the Manchester League dating back over a century. The clubs reserve team and youth teams also had terrific seasons, resulting in promotion and for the second year reaching the Bridgewater Cup Final.

The clubs ‘A’ team finished and the Youth team reached yet another final where they were just pipped to the trophy by New Mills. The Veterans were runners up in the Premier Division of the Cheshire Veterans League and then started a second veterans team such was the interest in the club.

Plans were also made to formally integrate junior football as the club Vision is to be a FA Charter Standard Community Club in every sense. In recent seasons several players who started at West have been signed by top non league clubs, but such is the spirit of the club that many players return to what they see as a family club.

The club now looks forward to fulfilling its ambition to play at the highest possible level it can whilst continuing to be run as a community club and transition to the NWCFL. The ground and facilities have been further improved and floodlights erected to meet grading requirements and West competed in the FA Vase for the first time in 2011-2012 as a Step 7 club.

The club was duly elected to the NWCFL at the AGM on 16th June 2012.

MATCH DAY‌

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

CLUB INFO To contact the club please use the club website.

West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC The Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road, Chorltonville, Manchester, M21 8FF

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http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/