West Didsbury & Chorlton v Bacup & Rossendale Borough

2014/15 SEASON / MATCH DAY PROGRAMME £2.00

Official Club Sponsor

NWCFL Premier Division

Bacup & Rossendale Borough Tuesday 24th March – 7.45pm

WELCOME WELCOME

to WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC CLUB CONTACTS

FOOTBALL CONTACTS

Club President

First Team

Brian Cripps

Glyn Meacher 0161 794 5846

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

Monica Creer 0161 881 1135

Treasurer

Rob Madden – First Team Tony Holmes – Goalkeepers Joel Hudson – Reserves

Dave Cooper 07961 063195

Physio Steve Eckersley 07788 112909

Paddy Murphy Magdalena Maria

Community Development

‘A’ Team Manager

Head of Fundraising

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

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC The Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road, Chorltonville Manchester M21 8FE

EDITORIAL

Bacup & Rossendale Borough

Our visitors this evening are Bacup and Rossendale Borough who are fighting for every point to get away from the wrong end of the table and maintain their Premier Division status again next season. Manager Brent Peters has turned around their poor form with a series of much better results in the past two months and the League’s recent form guide shows them in the top 6 over the past 6 games as they battle for safety. A number of the current Bacup squad have also played here at West so there are likely to be a few familiar faces taking the field against us tonight like the Hendley brothers and Sam Dee. During our two seasons in the Premier Division we’ve enjoyed success in our travels to Bacup by winning away 1-0 last season and 3-1 this term when Baird, Settle and Bryson were on target, but in the home game last year we were undone by a late goal from a set piece as Bacup won 1-0.

The form of the visitors has been better than ours in recent weeks and we know we’re in for a tight game tonight. At this stage of the season it’s all about who wants to win the most.

THE FA VASE We have again submitted an entry for the FA Cup, FA Vase and FA Youth Cup competitions for next season, just at the time recent press reports have been circulating about possible controversial changes to prize money which have been mooted by Greg Dyke, the FA Chairman.

The proposal is apparently to cut the prize money for both Non League competitions the FA Trophy and FA Vase, in order to fund 35 new coach educator appointments at grass roots and professional level. National game chairman Roger Burden has apparently written to FA Councilors expressing concern about lack of consultation on the proposals and the impact on non league clubs and so far as we are concerned he is right to do so.

The prize money for winning a game in the early rounds of the FA Vase is less than £1,000 and whilst that sum is not huge in itself it is still a very welcome bonus and a nice incentive to progress in the competition. In each of the past 2 seasons we have won a first round Vase game and the princely sum of £800 prize money. Last season the winnings were virtually wiped out by our travel expenses for the away trips to Rossington Main near Doncaster where we won and then Staveley near Chesterfield where we lost. This year we won at home against Rossington and then lost narrowly to Glossop and shared the gate receipts with both clubs after deducting expenses. At present our fellow league members and FA Vase semi-finalists Glossop North End could win £25,000 if they get to Wembley and win the competition. Even that is not a huge sum particularly when all the games and travel expenses involved are taken into account – Glossop faced an away trip to St Austell in Cornwall last weekend with the second leg to follow at Glossop next Saturday.

We have greatly enjoyed the challenge which comes from entry into a national competition and will continue to compete in the FA Vase. Anything we win is a nice bonus as we do not include possible cup winnings when we set our annual club budget. Various commentators have remarked that the FA approach is effectively saying when you need to make cuts you take it from the bottom and not the top. This revelation comes hard on the heels of the recent news of the incredible increase the Premier League has negotiated for its TV rights, and makes it hard to avoid the conclusion that the decision makers at the FA need to think again and do what they can to protect and encourage the grass roots clubs which compete in The FA Vase. We will need to wait and see.

In the meantime enjoy tonight’s game and we wish everyone from Bacup a safe return journey home.

Thank you to Graham Currey for providing the pictures in the programme today.

Thank you for Programme Contributions to: Rob Turley, Rob McKay and Jonny Keen … Editor

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

From the Dugout…

Good Evening and welcome to Brookburn Road for tonight’s game. As this programme was printed before our game on Saturday against Colne my notes do not reflect that game so my thoughts are very much as in the Colne programme where I reflected on some our recent home games.

In our game against AFC Liverpool we started like a house on fire, took the lead after two minutes, missed a host of chances and dominated the half from start to finish. However we didn’t heed the warning of Ben Simpson’s penalty save just before half time and we started the second half very flat. David Short, who has joined us recently from 1874 Northwich and has made an instant impact with three goals in his first three games, drew us level but we couldn’t learn our lessons and AFC Liverpool made us pay. Despite laying siege to the Liverpool goal in the last 15 minutes we couldn’t find another goal to give us the point with would have deserved.

Unfortunately there were fewer positives to take from our game against Bootle as we were made to pay for too many mistakes. The first half was a forgettable half for both sides as we cancelled each other out. Their goal came from allowing too much space in the middle of the park and they scored a fine goal. In the second half we conceded our customary home penalty and there was no looking back. We gave ourselves too much to do and in chasing the game allowed Bootle to much freedom and they fully punished us.

Against Alsager we needed a reaction and we got that in spades. We were delighted to be able to call up Paul Hughes and Scott Mason back into the side as well as welcome Daniel Russell for his debut. We started slowly but from the quarter hour mark onwards we completely dominated from that point onwards. The first goal took some time in coming after a superb move from ‘Shorty’ and we were a bit lucky with the second when Russell’s cross went in straight over the goalkeepers head but after that we added two and could have added five or six.

Tonight we have a really tough game against Bacup & Rossendale Borough. We enjoyed a superb 3-1 win away to them in September with the debuting Matt Eckersley in particularly impressing that day. However manager Brent Peters has managed to turn his sides fortunes around with impressive wins against AFC Liverpool and Runcorn Town and today will be a tough test. We also welcome back three former players in Tommy & Kyle Hendley and Sam Dee who all started the season with us, they are all terrific young lads with bright futures ahead of them and I’m not surprised that their arrival there has coincided with the turnaround of their fortunes.

I’d like to welcome the players, officials and supporters of Bacup & Rossendale to tonight’s match and I wish them a safe journey home.

Enjoy the game…Andy Nelson

We are pleased to welcome two new players…

David Short, a striker, from 1874 Northwich. Short, who has also turned out for Leek County School Old Boys, made his debut against AFC Liverpool, David has made an immediate impact scoring 3 goals so far.

Daniel Russell, who plays on the right, David made his debut against Alsager Town, scoring our second goal, he joins us from Padiham.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

West 4 Alsager Town 0 match report‌ West recorded just their second win in 11 league games with an impressive 4-0 win over Alsager Town.

Manager Andy Nelson was able to recall Paul Hughes and Scott Mason after extended absences and also handed a debut to Daniel Russell who joined the club from Padiham in the week.

Both sides started the game slowly with Alsager the quicker off the mark launching the ball long through the middle. The only contentious moment of an opening 15 minutes with both sides seemingly content with pumping it long to each other, was when Alsager launched a free kick up to the edge of the penalty area, the catch was well take by Paul Hughes but Alsager’s centre back followed through trying to knock the ball from the West no.1 and rattle him in the process. It had no effect though other than to galvanise the home side and from that moment Hughes was mostly a spectator called upon only once in the game to make a save.

After that Evangelinos created the games first opening when he beat two men on a superb 30 yard run through the middle of the field but his shot was low and well wide. Five minutes later he forced a very good save from the Alsager goalkeeper when the excellent Richmond Botchey picked the ball up on the half way line cut inside and played in Evangelinos who shot from the edge of the area.

Evangelinos gave West a deserved lead five minutes before half time when a ball down the left reached David Short who turned his man and lifted his cross over the goalkeeper for Evangelinos to head home at the far post from a yard out.

In the second half West continued where they left off and were two up on 56 minutes when the impressive debutant Daniel Russell’s cross from the right evaded the goalkeeper and flew in off the post. Immediately from the kick off Alsager were reduced to 10 men as Tom Brown was shown a second yellow for a late challenge having been booked in the first half for a late challenge on Botchey.

Russell almost made it 3-0 soon after he headed a cross wide at the far post following a superb cross in from the left. Kieran Brocklehurst and Tre Baldwin-Willis replaced the hard working Short and Russell and Brocklehurst was immediately involved as he was violently brought down six yards from goal for a penalty. Scott Mason stepped up and dispatched his seventh goal of the season finishing low and to the left past the goalkeeper.

At the other end Hughes made a save one-on-one racing off his line to thwart a rare Alsager attack. West were in full control and Mason came close to adding a fourth from a flowing West move in which every player touched the ball, passing it through the middle, it was played out to the left with the cross finding Mason at the far post who volleyed over what would have been team goal of the season.

It was 4-0 on 82 minutes when Baldwin-Willis cut inside after some lovely build up play, he played it inside to Brocklehurst who curled a low shot into the far corner from 10 yards out for his 6th goal of the season. Brocklehurst immediately came close to making it five forcing a good save from the Alsager goalkeeper before Baird headed a difficult chance wide. Lilley came the closest to adding a fifth with a superb volley whilst on the turn but West would secure three valuable points and a sixth clean sheet of the season.

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

West v Alsager Town match action…

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Callum joins the 100 Club Callum Jones became the second West player this season to join the 100 club making his 100th appearance for West since they joined the North West Counties League in 2012.

Although ‘Jonesy’ joined the club in 2010 with his twin brother Scott, he becomes just the second player to reach the milestone after Anthony Potts did earlier in the season.

Callum was presented with a memento of the milestone by Chairman Glyn Meacher before Alsager Town game.

Callum Jones is already working on the next milestone having now made 104 appearances for the club in league and club scoring 4 goals including the last minute winner that saw West promoted to the NWC Premier Divivsion!

Away travel to Silsden and Blackpool……………………

We have hired a coach for our away games on: March 28 at Silsden and for the final game of the season on April 25 at AFC Blackpool We should have 20-25 spaces on each trip interest is high so don’t miss out… talk to Rob McKay as soon as possible to reserve your seat. (Rob’s mobile: 07706 320397) We will leave from outside the Bowling Green at 12.15 on both days. The cost will be £10

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

History… Bacup & Rossendale Borough Bacup Borough Football Club was established in 1875. Their first match to take place at their current Brian Boys West View Stadium was not until 1889 when one of the founder members of the English Football League Accrington Stanley played there in front of over 1,000 spectators.

Bacup’s proudest achievement was winning the Lancashire Combination Championship in the 1946/47 season, this along with finishing runners up after losing to Marine 2-1 in the Lancashire Combination Cup Final.

1972/73 season the club finished runners up in the League, losing out on goal average despite scoring 101 goals. In 1974/75 they reached the Lancashire Junior Cup Final losing 1-0 against Lancaster City, this despite famous victories against Formby, Wigan Athletic, South Liverpool, and Morecambe. In the last ever Lancashire Combination Challenge Cup Final Bacup were beaten 1-3 by Caernarfon Town in a two-legged Final.

In 1982 Bacup Borough became founder members of the North West Counties League, this following the amalgamation of the Cheshire League & the Lancashire Combination.

In the 1987/88 season Bacup had to apply for re-election following finishing bottom of the Second Division.

In the 1988 /89 season under the Management of Gary Warburton the club finished Runners up in Division Two and also finished Runners Up in the Lamot Pils Trophy, they also the same season reached the Quarter Final of the League Cup and due to the Leagues re-organisation the club started the 1989 /90 season as a First Division Club. However, in the1994 /95 season Bacup Borough were relegated back to the Second Division & did struggle both on and off the field.

In September of the 1997/98 season with no points on the board and following a humiliating 0-10 defeat by Tetley Walker this prompted the Committee to part company with their then Manager.

This then made way for the appointment of the former Doncaster Rovers Assistant Manager, Bury F.C Youth Team Coach, Accrington Stanley Director of Football, & Rossendale Utd & Glossop North End Manager Brent Peters to take over as Manager, a position he has held ever since.

Brent’s early record of achievement saw the club finish the 1997/98 season in 14th position, climbing in 1998 /99 to 11th position before in 1999/00 they finished 5th in the league, the clubs highest league position in over ten years. In Season 2000/01 the club reached the Second Division Cup Final but lost 1-0 to Squires Gate. Brent’s greatest achievement came at the end of the 2002/03 season when he guided the club to the Championship of the North West Counties League Division Two, the first major success for the club in 56 years. This brought Brent Three Manager of the Month Awards and The Manager of The Year Award.

Season 2003/04, Bacup’s first season following the Second Division Championship the club finished 14th in Division One and did win the North West Counties League Challenge Cup at Southport’s Haig Avenue Ground by beating Newcastle Town 3-0.

Other cup runs saw Borough as NWCFL Challenge Cup Quarter Finalists in 2004/05 and Lancashire FA Co-operative Trophy Quarter Finalists in 2007/08. They finished in 8th Position in the NWCFL Premier Division in the 2008/09 Season.

June 14th 2004 brought another land mark for the club when Bacup’s Secretary Frank Manning celebrated not only his 70th Birthday but also 50yrs in the game of which well over 40 years have been spent in administration at his beloved Bacup Borough F.C, This achievement was recognised by Frank being presented with a gold award on behalf of the Football Association by Mr Jim Kenyon the Secretary of the Lancashire Football Association. This achievement brought Frank the position of Chairman of the club, a post he held until accepting the position of President of Bacup & Rossendale Borough FC at the re-branding on June 17th 2013.

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

History of Bacup & Rossendale continued…

It was a sad start to the 2011/2012 season with the sudden passing away of Kenneth Peters on the 15th June 2011 and he was also the club president and father of our manager. On the field of play further success was to come with more silverware, this following a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Maine Road in the NWCFL Challenge Cup Final which was played at the Tameside Stadium Ashton in front of a big crowd, the team was captained by Davey Luker.

The 2012/2013 season proved to be another difficult time at the club following the sad deaths of people dearly close to the club. Four came in the month of October 12 from which the biggest shock was 27 year old player Bryan Herbert. On the pitch the team once again did well by getting to yet another cup final and this time it was the Lancashire FA Cooperative Trophy Final played at the Reebok Stadium at Bolton. Despite playing a team from two leagues above, Bacup gave a very good account of themselves against team from the Evo Stick Premier Division, AFC Fylde ran out 2-0 winners.

June 17th 2013 Bacup Borough officially adopted the title of Rossendale; this came about following the sad demise of Rossendale United FC, thus leaving Bacup Borough as the Rossendale Valley’s most senior football club. They were now the sole flag bearers of the Rossendale Valley and, for the commercial side, it made sense to add ‘Rossendale’ to the club’s name making the club Bacup & Rossendale Borough FC. The new name also brings with it a newly designed crest to form its very own identity, with a plan for progression in place and the words, ‘Prosperity Through Endeavour’ prominently featured.

The 2013/2014 season was a nail-biter right until the last game, but with BARB’s place in the Pemier Division secured the club is ready to progress with its ambitious plans as Rossendale’s number one football club.

Meeting our Match Sponsor…Dave Cooper We are very grateful to Dave for sponsoring tonight’s match against Bacup & Rossendale. Dave is a West man through and through; he joined West Didsbury, as it was then called, in late 1979 just after his 29th birthday. Dave got his big chance as a substitute for the second team at Christie’s playing field. Fortunately the left back was injured and Dave took his place and made it his own. Later that season, he broke into the first team. The next season, West took on a new first team manager who had played with Dave in the past and as a consequence his games for the first team were few and far between. So for most of the next ten seasons, Dave played left back for the seconds. However, players were short one weekend and the second team manager pushed Dave into midfield, on his birthday no less, and he scored two magnificent goals. The second team manager was a certain R.Turley and apparently he doesn’t like people outscoring him so Dave was back to left back the next game. Dave won second team player of the year award. It was presented to him by a new Manchester Utd manager; A. Ferguson.

One of the highlights of Dave’s career was winning the Clubman of the year and having it presented by Bobby Charlton at Old Trafford.

Dave left the club in 1999 after it had relocated and established itself at Brookburn Road but after a few years watching Burnley, decided to return to the now called ‘West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC’ and help out on committee. However, Dave would like to thank all the friends he has made at West for all the enjoyable times he has had with them mainly on Saturday afternoon.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

First Team Stats fixtures – results – appearances – goalscorers

Can YOU Help?

Every little helps so if you are interested in getting involved please talk to a committee member or contact us at: www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk.

This Months 200

Club winners…

£100 winner: Tom Webb £60 winner: Damien Molloy £40 winner: Maurice Thompson

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

First Team Stats fixtures – results – appearances – goalscorers

Next up at Brookburn Road…

Tuesday 31st March 7.45pm - West v Squires Gate Saturday 4th April 3.00pm – West v Silsden Saturday 18th April 3.00pm – West v Runcorn Linnets

Come down and support the team!

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

NWCFL League Table’s… after games on Tuesday 17th March

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Focus on the Reserves Last season, our reserve team did not have the best of seasons, and ended up losing the vast majority of games they played in the since folded North West Counties Reserve League. However, changes have been made this year, and the team is now playing in a new league with new players under a new manager.

James Plowright is the new man at the helm, and at only 23 years of age, he has been given a big responsibility. But despite his tender age, James is by no means inexperienced, having coached Loughbrough University FC, (who compete at an equivalent level to West) as well as holding an assistant coach role at Knutsford FC of the Cheshire League.

James admits it has been a tough task turning the team around after last season's downwards spiral.

“People were expecting to lose every week,” he told us. “Players weren't worried about making mistakes in games. But now we are competitive most weeks. I focus less on getting good results and more on creating a positive culture, where players can develop. For example, I have a strict policy where players must turn up to training if they want to get in the team. At the moment, we are working on the team's character. If we concede early in a game, we struggle to rally and can go on to lose badly. Having said that, if we score early on, that can spur us on and we can score three of four more.”

The team is competing in a new league this season, the third tier of the Cheshire League. West's reserves are currently 7th out of ten teams, with 4 wins and 3 draws from 12 games. The league is newly established and James explained why he thinks the league is of a good standard. “It's a new league full of new teams, so with the exception of Moore United, none of the teams have been relegated to this level. I think it's actually a higher standard than the league above.”

This season, there have been a couple of players graduating from the reserves to the first team, including Keiran Brocklehurst and Nduoma Chilaka. James is optimistic about the future, and says that next season things will progress even further. “There will be a new approach to developing first team players, and we hope to push on from there.”

Thank you to James Plowright for taking the time for speaking to us.

The Hallmark Security Cheshire Football League – Division 2 Table after matches on 14th March

POS

P

W

D

L

GD

PTS

1

Wythenshawe Town

11

11

0

0

43

33

2

Altrincham FC Reserves

13

9

1

3

14

28

3

FC Woodford

15

6

5

4

10

23

4

Irlam FC Res

11

5

3

3

6

18

5

Mersey Valley FC

12

5

3

4

2

18

6

Cuddington FC

11

5

0

6

-1

15

7

WEST Res

12

4

3

5

-5

15

8

Moore United FC

14

3

2

9

-33

11

9

Witton Albion FC Res

7

2

0

5

-7

6

10

Cheadle Town FC Res

16

1

3

12

-29

6

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Appearances and Attendances‌ after Tuesday 17th March

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

Statistics… after Tuesday 17th March

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Recent Results & upcoming Fixtures…

RESULTS Saturday 14th March 2015

Premier League 1874 Northwich 1-4 Colne Bacup & Rossendale Boro 4-3 Runcorn Town Barnoldswick Town 1-5 Runcorn Linnets Bootle 4-2 Abbey Hey Nelson 1-2 Glossop North End Silsden 0-0 Winsford United St Helens Town 1-3 Congleton Town WEST 4-0 Alsager Town

Wednesday 18th March 2015 Premier Division AFC Liverpool 2-2 1874 Northwich First Division AFC Darwen 9-0 Oldham Boro

FIXTURES Thursday 19th March 2015 Mid Cheshire Senior Cup Semi Finals Winsford United v Northwich Victoria

First Division AFC Darwen 2-1 Cammell Laird 1907 Atherton LR 0-3 Barnton Eccleshall 2-1 Chadderton Irlam 0-2 Hanley Town Northwich Flixton Villa 2-1 Ashton Town Rochdale Town 0-0 Holker Old Boys Widnes 0-4 Cheadle Town Wigan Robin Park 0-4 Litherland REMYCA Tuesday 17th March Premier Division Ashton Athletic 0-2 Nelson Winsford United 1-4 Glossop North End First Division Ashton Town 1-2 Hanley Town Atherton LR 0-3 Chadderton Cammell Laird 1907 6-1 Widnes

Saturday 21st March 2015 FA Carlsberg Vase Semi Final 1st Leg AFC St Austell v Glossop North End Premier League 1874 Northwich v Squires Gate AFC Blackpool v Bootle Bacup & Rossendale Boro v Abbey Hey Barnoldswick Town v Maine Road Nelson v Congleton Town Silsden v AFC Liverpool St Helens Town v Winsford United WEST v Colne First Division Ashton Town v Litherland REMYCA Chadderton v Cammell Laird 1907 Holker Old Boys v Barnton Irlam v Atherton LR Oldham Boro v Eccleshall Widnes v AFC Darwen Wigan Robin Park v Hanley Town

Thank you to our Match Sponsor against Colne last Saturday…

Hourigan Connolly is a town planning and development consultancy operating across the UK from offices in Manchester and York.

For further information or to see if we can help, please contact our directors: Telephone on: 0161 300 3476 Email: daniel.connolly@houriganconnolly.com or marc.hourigan@houriganconnolly.com

www:houriganconnolly.com www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

CLUB MERCHANDISE…NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!!!

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!

Club crest scarves £7 (£6 to club or supporter club members) Wrist bands £1 Beanie hats £6 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

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

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.

www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk

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 Tuesday 24th March 2015 – Today’s Squads West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC

Bacup & Rossendale Borough

White Shirts, Black Shorts & Black Socks

All red

G’keepers Ben SImpson Paul Hughes Defenders Callum Jones Scott Jones Anthony Potts Callum Schofield Alex Baird Mark Rogers (Capt) Richmond Botchey Midfield Steve Settle Jordan Poole Gary Lilley Scott Mason Matt Eckersley Danny Summers Forwards Jerome Bryson Kieran Brocklehurst Tre Baldwin-Willis Nic Evanogelinos Lewis Schofield David Short Manager: Andy Nelson Assistants: Steve Settle & Steve Eckersley

Josh Harris (Gk) Callum Jakovlevs (GK) Ussy Zubar Matty Bryan Gareth Wager Davison Banda Junaid Ashfaq Adrian Bellamy (Capt) Wayne Morgan Rami Rahman Martin Ormesher Matthew Maine Daniel Holt Richard Walker Kyle Hendley Michael Gervin Tommy Hendley Dominic Marie

Manager: Brent Peters Assistant:

OFFICIALS

Referee: Martin Woods Assistant Referees: Michael Sutcliffe & Nigel Anderson