2014/15 SEASON / MATCH DAY PROGRAMME ÂŁ2.00
Official Club Sponsor
NWCFL Premier Division
Ashton Athletic Saturday 9th August - 3.00pm
WELCOME WELCOME
to WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC CLUB CONTACTS
FOOTBALL CONTACTS
Club President
First Team
Brian Cripps
Glyn Meacher 07905 431526
Manager: Andy Nelson 07952 567240 Asst Mgr: Steve Settle (coach) Asst Mgr: Steve Eckersley (admin) Match Secretary: Rob McKay 07706 302397
Club Secretary
Reserve Team
Rob Turley 0161 448 1838 07891 298441
Manager: James Plowright 07900 332825 Asst Manager: Jim Hines
Membership Secretary
Club Coaches
Chairman
Dave Cooper 07961 063195
Kris Mahon – First Team Rob Madden – First Team Tony Holmes – Goalkeepers Joel Hudson – Reserves
Head of Fundraising
Physio
Steve Eckersley 07788 112909
Paddy Murphy
Community Development
‘A’ Team Manager
Monica Creer 0161 881 1135
Treasurer
Davy Iredale
Danny Iredale 07939 392828
Publicity and Web
Youth Team Manager
John Churchman 07720 508082
Press Officer, Social Media & Web Rob McKay 07706 320397
Ian Depeiaza 07838 232401
Junior Football Co-ordinator Mark Rogers 07841 112903
Vets Manager Chris Smith 07867 171815
Ownership: In accordance with THE Football Association Rule 2.13 Publication of ownership in relation to Step 1 to Step 6 clubs in the Football Pyramid we hereby confirm that the legal status of WEST DIDSBURY AND CHORLTON ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB is as not for profit private members club. Any gain arising from the carrying on of the Club shall be applied for the benefit of the Club or for some charitable or benevolent purpose or purposes approved by resolution at a general meeting of the Club.
CLUB INFO… To contact the club please use the club website
http://www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC The Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road, Chorltonville Manchester M21 8FE
EDITORIAL
Ashton Athletic
WELCOME TO ASHTON ATHLETIC Our visitors today are Ashton Athletic who we played home and away last season with nothing to separate the two teams in a 2-2 draw at Ashton and a 1-1 draw back here towards the end of last season. Ashton are a very good side who maintained a place in the upper half of the table virtually all of last season and who also enjoyed cup success in lifting the League Challenge Cup by defeating our near neighbours Maine Road in the final in May. We have always enjoyed our contests with Ashton as they play the game in the right spirit and we look forward to a good and sporting contest today. A BETTER START Last Saturday we got off to a better start than last season and recorded a good 4-2 away victory at Barnoldswick to erase the memory of our trip there last season. We played very well, apart from two blips, and fully deserved the 3 points in a game where we had the chances for an even greater margin of victory. On Tuesday night our first home game of the season against Winsford United was an eventful affair for all the wrong reasons. The game was fiercely contested in midfield from the start and the first half became increasingly disjointed and full on niggles as we moved into a 2-0 interval lead with goals from a Scott Mason corner and an opportunist effort from Lee Malkin – nice to see him back on the score sheet. The opening minutes of the second half saw Mark Rogers flattened by a poor challenge which resulted in a 15 minute delay as Mark received treatment before being taken to hospital. As we go to press the latest is that he has a fractured cheek bone and broken nose and faces an operation early next week when the swelling has subsided. Our best wishes to go to Mark over the coming weeks and our thanks to Paddy for his excellent work as physio on the night. As the second half progressed Winsford huffed and puffed but made no impression on our rearranged defence and then a further altercation saw Rick Gleave dismissed for a reflex reaction to being punched in the face, which also saw the dismissal of the Winsford’s offender, Tierney. Lewis Schofield sealed the 3-0 win with a quality strike 18 minutes from time, but at the end of the night the victory for composure was tempered by our concerns about the extent of injury suffered by Mark. We wish him well and trust he will soon make a full recovery. NEXT WEEK We are at home again on Tuesday night at 7.45pm when our visitors are Runcorn Town. Next Saturday the first team have no game and the reserves will be at home to Ashton Town for their first home game in the Cheshire League. THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT today and we look forward to seeing you again next week...ENJOY THE GAME. Rob Turley Cover picture: Scott Mason in action
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk
From the Dugout… Hello and welcome to today’s game between West and Ashton Athletic. We’ve had an excellent start to the campaign with wins against Barnoldswick Town and Winsford United. At Barnoldswick, the heavens opened just before kick off and we thought that that might make conditions difficult but the pitch held up perfectly and they were even playing cricket on the field next door by the time we kicked off in beautiful sunshine. It was an almost perfect start to the season as we were excellent going forward and but for the woodwork and some poor finishing no-one would have argued if we’d have scored 8 or 9. I say, it was almost perfect, as we were sloppy at the back and conceded two poor goals in the first half. However we came out second half and stepped up our game and ensured that we got the result. Scott Mason scored a wonderful free kick to get us on our way and Ricky Gleave’s second was wonderful in its build up, On Tuesday night we faced a tough and physical challenge in the form of Winsford and we stood up to the test when, last season, we might not have done. We scored directly from a corner to give us a deserved lead before they gifted us a goal but Lewis Schofield’s goal was as good a finish as I’ve ever seen. To have the ability on the run to look up and chip a ball over the goalkeeper from almost 40 yards was simply astonishing and an early contender for goal of the season. Unfortunately it wasn’t all positive as it looks like we’ve lost our captain Mark Rogers for the season after he suffered a horrific injury. Mark is the leader of this team, a terrific player, in addition he’s the clubs youth development officer and we’ll have a huge loss in his absence. I, all the coaching staff, the players and everyone else involved at the club wish him a speedy recovery. Today we welcome Ashton Athletic back to the Recreation Ground for what will be our toughest game to date. Ashton surprised a few people last season with a top 6 finish whilst collecting the League Challenge Cup and were one of the most quietly impressive sides in the division. We had two tough games against them and worked hard to collect a pair of draws. After today we have three of our toughest games of the season against Runcorn Town, Glossop North End and Runcorn Linnets respectively. All three sides will expect to be in the top three come the end of the season and it’s sure to be three great occasions for our club. Your support is invaluable to us and it was great to see so many here on Tuesday to get behind us and we hope that you can get out in force for the forthcoming games. I would like to welcome the players, officials and supporters of Ashton Athletic this afternoon and everyone a safe journey home after the game. Enjoy today’s game. Andy Nelson
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Barnoldswick 2 West 4 … match report West got their season off to a flying start with a comprehensive 4-2 win away to Barnoldswick Town. West squad featured three debutants in Jerome Bryson, Jonathan Poizer and Jordan Poole with Lee Malkin, Jordan Hitchen and Lee Hendley returning to the club from Glossop North End, Styal and 1874 Northwich respectively. The visitors were out of the starting blocks quickly with Bryson and Lewis Schofield putting the Barnoldswick full backs under pressure from the off. Lee Malkin had the first chance of the season firing a shot just wide from the edge of the area. West took a deserved early lead on eight minutes when Scott Mason curled a stunning free kick into the top left hand corner from 25 yards. West continued to dominate with Mason, Schofield, Malkin and Bryson all forcing the Barnoldswick keeper into saves. However it was Barnoldswick who scored with their first attempt as they forced home a corner at the near post. It took West just three minutes to re-take the lead when they were awarded a penalty after Rick Gleave was adjudged to have been shoved off the ball for which the Barlick no.2 was shown a second yellow card. Gleave stepped up and fired his shot down the middle to restore their advantage. However, again West couldn’t hold onto the lead as the defence was disposed of the ball on the edge of their own penalty area and Joel Melia fired his shot past Hitchen to ensure that the 10 men of Barnoldswick reached half time level. West might have ended the half ahead again as Bryson had the ball in the net after the Barlick goalkeeper had failed to hold a Scott Mason shot following another flowing West move, but he was adjudged to be narrowly offside. West came out for the second half looking to make their extra man advantage count and Steve Settle had the half’s first chance blazing over from a good position. Malkin was the next to miss, un-marked from 6 yards he headed over after a good run and cross from Bryson. Bryson, was a thorn in the side of Barlick all day and he got the break through after he was on the end of a magnificent cross field ball, cutting inside and finding Gleave who poked it home for 3-2 on 52 minutes. The flowing football continued with Callum Schofield forcing a wonderful save from the Barlick keeper down low to his right after a wonderful move which the big centre back started. Gary Lilley, who had an excellent game in the heart of the midfield, then went close with a beautiful 25 yard curling shot that the keeper had to tip onto the bar before Bryson finally made it 4-2 racing onto a ball curled over the top of the defence and finishing between the keepers legs. Man of the match Mark Rogers then hit the bar whilst sub Jordan Poole had another great chance as West looked to reverse the 5-2 scoreline from when the two sides met in April. It finished 4-2 and West Assistant Manager Steve Settle was delighted with the performance; “I’m delighted with the way that we’ve started the season, we lost our first 5 games last season and we were playing catch up all season. Several players today have put in a terrific performance and we only scratched the surface of the levels we can reach. If we can continue to play like this we are going to be in for a great year.” Hitchen, Settle, Baird, C.Schofield, Rogers, Lilley, Bryson (Poole), Mason, L.Schofield (Potts), Gleave, Malkin (Poizer). Subs: Potts, Poole, Poizer, L.Hendley, Summers www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk
‘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 MERCHANDISE…NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!!! Support your local club and show your support with our latest official club merchandise! New for this season at £6 (£5 for club members and supporters’ club members) we have beanie hats and a club crest scarf. There are now more ways than ever to buy club merchandise as in addition to being able to purchase on match days our new online club shop is open. Simply log on to www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk today to purchase what you want and have it delivered straight to your front door! Wrist bands £1, Mugs at £5, Key rings at £1, Club badges at £3 Club Ties at £12.50 Programme Back Issues
Follow News Updates on West via Twitter and Facebook! Can’t make it to the game and want live match updates? Wanting the very latest news from the club on the move? Make sure that you log onto our Facebook page for all the latest news, views and updates on all things West Didsbury & Chorlton by clicking on www.facebook.com/WestDidsburyChorlton Alternatively you can follow on the very latest goings on the club with exclusive content by logging onto Twitter and following us @WD_CFC (picture of club badge)
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
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History‌
Ashton Athletic
Ashton Athletic Football Club was founded in 1968 and played in the Wigan Sunday League - winning every division in consecutive seasons and many cup competitions before switching to the Warrington League on Saturdays where similar success was sustained. The club developed Brocstedes Park and was admitted to the Lancashire Combination, before becoming a founder member of the North West Counties League when the Combination merged with the Cheshire League in 1982. Unfortunately, financial restraints prevented the required ground improvements to be completed, and the club was relegated into the Manchester League Division One in 1986. The drop of two leagues resulted that the majority of the playing staff moving to other clubs and for numerous years the club endeavoured to re build. Players came and went, lacking the club loyalty that had brought success to the club in the 1970's and 80's until the committee embraced an ambitious youth policy in 1999. The club is now at the end of a ten year development plan to enhance its recreational facilities and expand the club, in particular its junior section. Eight years ago the club had two teams, 50 members, one mediocre pitch with a dilapidated clubhouse and changing rooms. Since then, the club members have worked tirelessly to progress the club within its means, and with some help from external grant sources, assistance from the Football Foundation, awards for All Programme and Wigan Council enabled a series of improvements to be completed. The main pitch was re-drained and a second pitch acquired/improved, new changing rooms and club house built, disabled access provided and other improvements made to the ground. More recently the ground has been brought up to the necessary Ground Grading for re entry into the NWCFL in time for the 2006/07 season and further improvements have provided additional seating. The 2008/09 season also saw a further progression of the club having been promoted to the Premier division of the North West Counties League. We will again take to the national stage having been accepted into the FA Cup competition after last season’s debut in the FA Vase which proved to be very lucrative for the club, progressing through 3 stages and beating 2 teams from higher leagues in the process. Last season also saw cup success for the club retaining the Atherton Charity Cup at the end of the season. A new vision for the club is under discussion for the further development of the club and this includes improvements to the access road, new junior sections and a proposed girls/ladies section. The main ground is also scheduled for enhancement works with additional covered spectator areas. The club is a voluntary organisation run by a committee of 14 alongside approximately 25 coaches and managers. Any money raised by the club has been ploughed back into improving the facilities and improving the youth section. The club now has a total membership of over 400. With 9 junior teams consisting of approximately 160 children who take advantage of our now excellent facilities, whilst hundreds of adults and children from our opposition also take advantage of the facilities. In addition to the 2 open age teams, the occasional run out for the veterans team providing a further 20 members, the highlight being the now annual challenge match against the Past Players of Wigan Athletic. The club is keen to maintain the pace of development and future plans will enable increased activity at the club. Additional junior teams and a much safer and secure environment in particular for spectators and children. The club achieved its FA Charter Standard award in 2013 to complete its Holy Grail.
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
West 3 Winsford United 0… match report West kicked off their home season opener with a excellent 3-0 win against Winsford United. The game was a physical affair played at a terrific pace but the home side had the best chances with Scott Mason having a free kick deflected over for a corner and Lewis Schofield had a header from a corner clip the top of the bar. It was Scott Mason who made the breakthrough on 15 minutes when he whipped in a corner which evaded everyone, including the Winsford goalkeeper, and nestled inside the far post. It should have been two just minutes later when Lee Malkin, chasing a back pass, dispossessed the keeper inside the 6 yard box, he squared to Lewis Schofield but with the whole goal at his mercy his shot cannoned off a desperate Winsford defender on the line. On 31 minutes It was 2-0 as Winsford proved their own un-doing when the Winsford goalkeeper played a short goal kick out to the Winsford centre half, he hesitated and Lee Malkin had an easy tap in for his first West goal since the 1st Division Trophy Final winner in May 2013 giving West a deserved 2-0 lead at half time. There was a long delay following the immediate resumption of the second half following an incident between the two sides captains Mark Rogers and Kyle Riley resulting in Roger’s being taken to hospital in an ambulance with a fractured cheekbone in four places and a broken nose. When the game resumed Anthony Potts replaced Mark Rogers as Winsford looked to find their way back into the game, however the West defence held firm with excellent performances across the back and in particular from Callum Schofield who dominated the game with class and composure whilst ‘Pottsy’ immediately settled the side winning several key headers. The best moment of the game was reserved for the 80th minute when Lewis Schofield received a pass from the excellent Gary Lilley on the half way line, with room to run he spotted the keeper off his line and wonderfully chipped him from almost 40 yards to the wild celebrations of the home support. That wasn’t the end of the incidents as, in stoppage time, Rick Gleave was given his marching order for retaliating to provocation from Winsford’s Matthew Tierney who also received a red card for his actions before the referee blew whistle for full time. The win meant not only 6 points from their first two games but also gaining six points from the equivalent fixtures last season when West lost to both sides. Team: Simpson, Dee, Baird, C.Schofield, Rogers (Potts), Lilley, Bryson (Summers), Mason, L.Schofield, Gleave, Malkin (Poizer). Subs: Potts, Poizer, Summers, Poole, Gallagher, www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk
Recent Match Action
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
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Monton AFC 2 West 2 … our last friendly match report West reached the final stop in their preseason schedule before the weekend’s big kick off with a 2-2 draw at AFC Monton. After some confusion over the kick off time with the game eventually kicking off a 6:40pm the two teams were immediately out of the starting blocks with AFC Monton hitting the inside of the post in the early minutes. Monton continued to create chances but West had the lions share of the possession in the opposition territory before finally making their pressure count just before half time when a deflected Lewis Schofield shot snuck in between the goalkeeper and the right hand post. At half time the first team coach rang the changes with the weekend’s trip to Barnoldswick Town in mind as West looked to extend their lead. It was the home side who levelled thanks to a long punt from a goal kick splitting the defence and firing past Ben Simpson in the West goal. West pressed for a winner with Jerome Bryson threatening down the right hand side and got one, in freak circumstances, when a through ball from Callum Jones took a wicked bounce over the head of the helpless Monton keeper allowing Mark Rogers to tap into an empty net. The lead wouldn’t last though as Monton immediately levelled from a un-marked header from a corner and should have won it at the death when a low cross was fired wide from yards with the whole goal to aim for. The referee blew for full time seconds later and a draw was a fair result in a hard fought game. Team: Simpson, C.Jones, S.Jones, Halliwell, Mason, Potts, Bryson, Lilley, Mitten, Gleave, L.Schofield. Subs: Summers, Baird, Rogers, Poizer, Botchey
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
First Team Stats fixtures – results – appearances – goalscorers
In the League Challenge Cup West were drawn away in the second round at either Ashton Town or Chadderton to be played on Saturday 25th October. The two sides will meet at The Hardwick Group Stadium on Saturday 20th September.
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First Team Stats fixtures – results – appearances – goalscorers
The next 3 games at Brookburn Road… First Team games: Tuesday August 12th - 7.45pm v Runcorn Town Tuesday August 19th – 7.45pm v Glossop North End Reserves game: Saturday August 16th – 3.00pm v Ashton Town Res WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Reserve Team Pre-Season Round-up Pre-Season has been hectic as they always are, with this season in particular with myself being new to the club. However, It hasn’t taken me long to settle in and all the players and management staff have been particularly friendly and welcoming, particularly assistant coaches Jim Hines and Joel Hudson. Pre-season has gone well for the most part, we have generally had good attendance at most sessions and the lads appear eager to learn and push for a place in the side. For those who don’t know, the reserves have now moved into the newly created Division 2 of the Cheshire League. Well respected North West clubs such as Witton Albion and Altrincham FC both have their reserve teams in the league, as well as many other quality teams. However, a tough league is exactly what we want, the smaller the jump in standard from reserve team football to first team football is, the better for the players when they get their opportunity and that is one of my main goals, to bring players through to the first team. So far in pre season we have had one big win 6-0 at Tempest against a side who had beaten St Helens Town the Saturday before we played them. Endo Chilaka had a brilliant game scoring twice before Kieran Brocklehurst scored a hat-trick and Chris Wadsworth scored a brilliant 30 yarder. We kicked off our pre-season with a 5-2 loss to Styal at Chorlton High School as we looked to gain early fitness, we lost away to FC Woodford 2-1 and Curzon Ashton 3-0. Of course the results could have been better, but I have always thought you learn more about your team when they lose. However, I can’t knock the lads for is giving effort, and they have done so in abundance during the last few weeks. If the team continues to show their strong work ethic then I see us steadily improving over the duration of the season. I have always said to the players, if I am doing my job well then I should be seeing a lot less of you as you’ll be playing first team football. Our season kicks off as you read this with a trip to Lostock Gralam FC to take on Witton Albion before we welcome Cheadle Town to Brookburn Road on Wednesday night, 6:30pm KO. James Plowright
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WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
From the Supporters Club… First of all…apologies about the lack of a monthly newsletter…or even a quarterly one. I started with good intentions, I managed one and I envisaged sending all you fine individuals out a monthly update of what was happening at the club. Unfortunately, between the programme and the website about a quarter of a million words were written ahead of it. Throw in the social media and the ability to remain both entertaining and engaging was well out of the door (some say will say they never walked in). I did start issue two, I promise, but it is still, to this day, a work in progress so I’ve christened this end of season special edition the supporter’s club yearbook. Hopefully between each programme becoming available online, that was for your enjoyment too, and the website being updated each day you know that we’ve finished a respectable 12 th place and advanced past the first round in both the FA Cup and Vase. It is a miracle of an achievement when you consider we lost the first five league games and only came off the bottom because Wigan Robin Park were beaten 8-0 by AFC Liverpool. I had a few Atherton Collieries fans texting me that night I’ll tell you! It’s been a good year with visits to dozens of new grounds, meeting hundreds of new people, witnessing some special performances and even performing the odd upset here and there. Best of all it has been great to see so many faces come down for the first time and then come back! That means that we are doing things the right way when it comes to being both friendly and welcoming. As for next season the good news is that I have brought on board two new people to share the load and assist (take over from) me in the running of the supporters club. I cannot confirm any details yet but there are plans in place to ensure that you get even better value for your money than you did this season (I’m hoping it’s going to be Richmond Botchey iphone cases for everyone!) In the meantime if you wish to lend a hand or get involved please let me know at westdidsburychorltonsc@gmail.com I hope everyone has a great summer, keep your eye on the website for pre-season friendly announcements and I hope to see you there in July for the first one. Thanks, Rob McKay
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WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
FA Cup, Vase and Youth Cup draws - 2014/15
The Roads to Wembley begin for another year at West as the draws for first qualifying rounds of both the FA Cup and the FA Vase. In addition to West’s Youth Team will enter the FA Youth Cup for the first time ever.
FA Cup In the FA Cup West will face reigning NCEL Champions Brighouse Town at home on Saturday 30th August. Brighouse were crowned champions of the NCEL amassing an incredible 101 points and scoring 138 goals and now reside in the Evo-Stik First Division North. The winner will receive £1,925 form the FA Prize Fund. The winners of that tie will then face Ashton United in the 1st Qualifying Round at home on Saturday 13th September with the winner receiving £3,000 in prize money.
FA Vase In the FA Vase West receive a bye into the second qualifying round of the competition where they will face the winners of Rossington Main v AFC Blackpool. Rossington Main, of the NCEL First Division, and AFC Blackpool, NWCFL Premier Division, will face each other on Saturday 6 th September before West take on the winners at Brookburn Road on Saturday 4th October. West previously faced Rossington in the Vase year with West scoring a late Lewis Schofield winner to secure a 2-1 victory and West’s first ever FA Vase win.
FA Youth Cup For the first time in their history West have entered a team into the FA Youth Cup and will face Wrexham away in the First Qualifying Round to be played in the week commencing Monday 22nd September 2014. This comes hot on the heels after the club’s youth team were accepted in the first division of the North West Youth Alliance.
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WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Early Premier League Table after games on Tuesday 5th August
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Statistics 06.08.2014
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Statistics 06.08.2014
The 200 Club is a key source of revenue for club, would you like the chance to be winner. Why wait? For a monthly subscription of just £2 you will be in the next draw and could win up to £100. Please ask in the clubhouse for more details.
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The NWCFL joins forces with Prostate Cancer UK Prostate Cancer UK will be the first Official Charity Partner of The North West Counties Football League from the beginning of the 2014/15 season. The League, which covers the north west of England, from as far north as Barrow, east into Yorkshire and south into Staffordshire, will link up with the charity for the forthcoming campaign with all 41 member clubs pledging their allegiance to Men United. The new campaign kicks-off on Saturday, August 2nd, and clubs in the Premier Division and Division 1 – steps five and six of the non-league pyramid - will play their part. The partnership will see captains of both teams take on the traditional pre-game coin toss wearing Prostate Cancer UK T-shirts, and clubs will be encouraged to host special match days, in which they will collect money and raise awareness for the charity, and supporters will be encouraged to sign for Men United. In a busy summer of grass roots activity, Prostate Cancer UK has launched a charity partnership with Football Conference Premier side Kidderminster Harriers and will also be partnering Non-League Day on Saturday, September 6th. The continued success of the ‘Men United v Prostate Cancer’ campaign has seen the charity build an important relationship with The Football League and its member clubs. Indeed, from the beginning of the 2014/15 campaign, Prostate Cancer UK’s distinctive Man of Men symbol will be included on every single Football League player’s kit as part of his individual squad number – the first time ever that a charity’s logo has been included by a domestic league on every player’s strip. Paul Lawler, Development Officer for The North West Counties Football League, said: "The North West Counties Football League is delighted that Prostate Cancer UK has accepted our invitation to become our first ever Official Charity Partner for the forthcoming season. “The charity’s Men United v Prostate Cancer campaign has really helped drive awareness of the serious issue of prostate cancer with men of all ages. "The League wanted to support the campaign to help raise awareness on a local level throughout the North West and we are looking forward to working closely with Prostate Cancer UK to promote the Men United campaign through our member clubs and supporters and fund raise for a worthwhile cause." Prostate Cancer UK’s Director of Fundraising, Mark Bishop said: “Up and down the country our work within football is really gathering momentum and hot on the heels of announcing a partnership with Non-League Day and Kidderminster, this is a great opportunity to work with a close regional network of clubs. “Through our ever-expanding work in grass roots football, it’s inspiring to see clubs rooted in their community striving to make a difference to men’s health, not just on behalf of their own fans but actually on behalf of all men across the country. “This partnership with The North West Counties Football League will allow us to further galvanise our efforts in the region. And as more clubs at all levels come together under the banner of Men United we can truly make a lasting difference to men’s health.” Prostate Cancer UK are targeting football fans across the terraces up and down the country, raising awareness of the disease which affects 1 in 8 men sometime in their life and kills over 10,000 men a year. More than 180,000 people have signed for Men United by doing a simple online test. If you have concerns about prostate cancer please call Prostate Cancer UK's confidential Helpline on 0800 074 8383 or visit www.prostatecanceruk.org. The helpline is free to landlines, staffed by specialist nurses, and open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday with late opening until 8pm on Wednesdays. WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Join the action and support your local team‌ Please sign up on the poster in the clubhouse to get the number you want, there are only 16 shirts so don’t hang around! Already some numbers have been taken!!
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A Brief History… 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 played friendlies at first and then in the Manchester Alliance League until the First World War 1914. 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 that League did not permit a name suggesting association with any other body. The club was placed in Divisions 1 and A, staying 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 the L+C League until 2006, winning many honours and providing 4 League Presidents along the way. The home ground from before 1914 until the mid 1980’s was Christie Playing Fields, and then the owners, Manchester and Salford Playing Fields Society, gave the club notice to quit having decided to sell off the land for commercial development – now ironically called ‘Christie Fields’ office park. After several years’ nomadic existence searching for a new home, the club acquired the redundant and overgrown Recreation Ground at Brookburn Road in 1996, and began to restore this to active use and 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. Work was completed in time to start the 1997-98 season using excellent new changing rooms and clubhouse facilities aided by a Lottery grant, new sponsors and members’ fundraising, but without a penny from the Playing Fields Society sale proceeds. Further name change followed in 2003 to reflect the new location in Chorlton and the club was then elected to the Manchester League in 2006. In 2007/8 West won its first Manchester League silverware 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 2008/09 West just missed promotion to the Premier Division and again reached the Murray Shield Final. won their League. With a new management team led by Andy Nelson, 2009/10 was very successful and honours spread throughout the club. The 1st team won the Murray Shield (the third consecutive year in the final) and was league runners-up. The reserves 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 65 points out of 72 possible. This ranks as one of the highest points totals per game in Manchester League history 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 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, playing at the highest possible level it can whilst remaining financially viable. Further improved saw floodlights erected in 2011 to meet FA requirements and West competed in the FA Vase for the first time in 2011-2012 as a Step 7 club. Election to the NWCFL followed in June 2012 and the club had an incredible first season winning the Div1 Trophy, finishing in 3rd position after an amazing run in during March and April to secure promotion and also winning a guaranteed FA Cup place. The over 45’s team again chipped in with Cheshire Veterans league silverware. 2013-14 saw the club meet a number of challenges on and off the field by recovering from a series of early season setbacks and defeats in August to consolidate with a very creditable 12th place league finish. Two new stands were installed to improves the spectator facilities, new grass pitches and youth teams were added as part of the long term development plan, whilst remaining as a volunteer run, ‘not for profit’ club. The other historic milestones achieved during the season were the 2-0 home victory over Abbey Hey in the club’s first ever appearance in the FA Cup followed by a 2-1 first ever FA Vase victory away at NCEL Rossington Main near Doncaster in mid September. This season the club hosts Brighouse Town from the Evo Stik league in the FA Cup at the end of August having been given a walk by the FA against NWCFL new club Cammell Laird 1907.
NWCFL Premier Division Saturday 9th August 2014 – Today’s Squads West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC
Ashton Athletic
White Shirts, Black Shorts & Black Socks G’keepers Ben Simpson Jordan Hitchen Defenders Callum Jones Scott Jones Richmond Botchey Sam Dee Anthony Potts Callum Schofield Midfield Mark Rogers Alex Baird Danny Summers Mike Taylor Jordan Poole Gary Lilley Lewis Schofield Steve Settle Scott Mason Rick Gleave Forwards Sam Mitten Jerome Bryson Lee Malkin Kyle Callagher Lee Hendley Jonathan Poizer
Yellow Shirts, Yellow Shorts & Socks Jason Foulds (GK) Danny Lever Louis Edwards Andrew Mawdesley Adam Howard Ian Rowlands (Capt) Luke Holden Mike Wood Paul Casey Ben Kay Ryan Small Mike Downing Richard Livingston Sam Bailey Dean Callaway Jamie Harrison Dean Midgley Aaron Cringle Adam Storey Ben Graham Adam Gilchrist Mitch Leece
Manager: Andy Nelson Assistants: Steve Settle & Steve Eckersley
Joint Managers: Jay Foulds, Ben Kay & Dougie Pitts Coach: Darren Mullen
OFFICIALS Referee: Aaron Jackson Assistant Referees: Kieran Johnson and Neil Reflarsen