Y R U B S D I D WEST FC A & CHORLTON
MFL - Premier Divison March 3rd - Springhead 2011/2012
SEASON
PROGRAMME £2
E M O C WEL to
C F A N O T L R O H C & Y R U B S D I D WEST First Team Manager: Andy Nelson 07952 567240 Asst Mgr and Coach: Dave Conlon
Chairman Brian Cripps 01625 260094 Vice Chairman Glyn Meacher 07905 431526
Reserve Team Manager: Robert Madden 07730 655446 Asst Managers: Jim Hines & Paul Rowell
CEO Rob Turley 0161 448 1838 07891298441
Physio Winston Luke
Club Secretary Monica Creer 0161 881 1135
Club Coaches Steve Eckersley / Kris Mahon
Treasurer Dave Cooper 0161 434 8181
‘A’ Team Manager Chris Argent 07962 352619
Head of Fundraising Steve Eckersley
Youth Team Manager Mike Lewandowski 07796 690879
1st Team Match Day Secretary Richard Waring 07919 057655
Vets Manager Sam Hickey 07980 521988
ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR Join our growing list of sponsors, we have packages to suit your budget including:
THE CLUB
200
SPONSORS LIST
● Match Day Sponsor ● Player Kit Sponsor ● Pitch Advertising (3-year period) ● Programme Advertising
£100 £50 £250 per season £50 - £100
Contact Details
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.
For up-to-date information visit; www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
EDITORIAL
3 March 2012 – Springhead AFC
Welcome back to Brookburn Road for our second home game in successive weeks when we are all hoping to build on the momentum of a hard earned and vital 3 points last week against a very determined Dukinfield side scrapping to avoid relegation problems. This result has kept us maintain our position in 7th place and within a point of Old Alts who are 5th but also have a game in hand. There is now a cluster of clubs outside the top 3 with our visitors today Springhead in this group on level points with us but having played a game more. We have a number of games coming up against those around us so today is another key fixture as we aim to secure a high finish. After last weekend the top 3 are Hindsford [23 - 53pts] lead East Manchester [22 - 47 pts] with AVRO [18 - 38 pts] some points behind but with several games in hand. The title increasingly looking like being a 2 horse race given the 9 point gap between the top 2 and the remaining contenders despite AVRO’s 4 games in hand on East Manchester. With 9 games remaining and 27 points to play for we need to maintain a consistent run of results and maintain the excellent team spirit in the squad. There is still a lot to play for. WELCOME TO SPRINGHEAD Today we welcome Springhead to Brookburn Road for the first time and they arrive hard on the heels of an impressive 1-0 away victory over East Manchester last weekend. They have been putting together an impressive sequence of both league and cup results of late and have climbed alongside us in the table albeit having played a game more. We were disappointed to return from our away trip there empty handed after taking an early lead before we were undone by some poor performances and a couple of late second half goals. We have no illusions about their strength of character and resilience and expect another tough test this afternoon. Finally can I also say thank you to all our spectators who bought programmes last Saturday when the walk down the touchline resulted in virtually every spectator buying a programme to aid club funds. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE CLUB AND ENJOY THE GAME. Rob Turley WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
FROM THE DUGOUT… After the number of cancellations we experienced in January and February, it’s good to get to the time of year where you are pretty certain the games will be on! We now face our fourth home game on the bounce having had some away games cancelled, and look to secure our third consecutive win, following on from the Old Alts and Dukinfield Town games. I was pleased to get maximum points from these two fixtures which were close run affairs, although we ran out with some breathing space last Saturday we had to battle to keep a clean sheet and Ben Simpson certainly played his part with a number of great saves including one from a well struck penalty. We are looking forward to the run in and are determined to give our best as we aim to secure the results required to achieve our aim of further progression this season. It won’t be easy by any means as we have games against all the top teams to come in the coming weeks. We look forward to your continued support this afternoon. Andy Nelson
Action shots from our recent game, above Alex Baird and Andy Levendis ensure there is no way through and right Ashley Farlow ready to pounce.
www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
First Team - Fixtures and Results Date AUGUST Sat 6 Sat 13 Wed 17 Sat 20 Tues 23 Sat 27 Wed 31 SEPTEMBER
Opponent
H/A
Comp
Result
Rochdale Sacred Heart Prestwich Heys Walshaw Sports Manchester Gregorians AVRO Springhead Old Alts
H A A H H A A
Cup L L L L L L
7–2 3–0 0–5 2–1 0–5 1–3 2–1
Sat 3
Wyre Villa
A
Sat 10 Sat 17 Sat 24
Prestwich Heys Wythenshawe Amateurs Ashville FC
H H A
LFA Cup L L FA Vase
2–2 (4-5 pens) 3-0 0-1 0-2
A H H A H
L L L L L
2-1 2-2 1-0 2-0 0-3
A H A A
L L L Cup
0–2 1-4 1-4 1-3
H
L
1-1
A H
L L
4-3 0-3
H H
L L
2-1 2-0
H A A H
L L L L
A
L
OCTOBER Sat 1 Manchester Gregorians Sat 8 Stockport Georgians Sat 15 AFC Bury Sat 22 AFC Monton Sat 29 Hindsford NOVEMBER Sat 5 Dukinfield Town Sat 12 Royton Town Sat 19 AFC Bury Sat 26 Walshaw Sports DECEMBER Sat 3 AFC Monton 2012 JANUARY Sat 7 Wythenshawe Amateurs Sat 14 Walshaw Sports FEBRUARY Sat 11 Old Alts Sat 25 Dukinfield Town MARCH Sat 3 Springhead Sat 10 AVRO Sat 24 East Manchester Sat 31 Heywood St James APRIL Sat 7 Stockport Gregorians
Please check the club website at www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com and www.manchester-league.co.uk as fixtures change.
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Club development and fundraising… Over the last few years you will have seen the remarkable developments at the club particularly the clubhouse extension and new floodlights, last week’s programme showed the ongoing work with a short feature on the new parameter fencing. We are planning a series of further and hopefully final improvements to the ground including new dug outs and a new entrance gateway and turnstile. This all puts additional pressure on our finances which is why we have a new Head of Fundraising…Steve Eckersley, Steve isn’t alone! a number of other committee members are supporting Steve in initiatives to increase our funding streams, a target list of local businesses has been developed to explain our sponsorship options to, this has already started with discussions underway on a number of fronts. Additionally all our teams have signed up to helping by organising fundraising events. Sports Quiz Night The inaugural event a sports quiz night was organised by the first team and lead by quiz master Steve Eck and featured a number of sports questions… football questions were held back and resulted in a football quiz guru brought in by the reserve team manager having to leave before they started! The evening was a great success, special thanks to Steve for the time taken to sort this out, thanks also to all who attended and well done to the winning team Danny Summers, Ben Simpson, Matt Eck (!!!) and Tom Waring. Race night The second event takes place after today’s game, organised by the reserve team, starting at 5pm. The evening will include four races with points accumulated for 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions, and the winner on the night receiving £50. You can also sponsor a horse for £2 with each winning owner receiving a bottle of wine. Please support these events and if you are aware of any other potential sponsors interested in supporting the club then please pass their details to Steve Eckersley, Rob Turley or John Churchman, additionally we would be pleased to welcome anyone prepared to join the fundraising team onboard. We are indeed fortunate to have so many sponsors who have supported us in recent years by kit sponsorship, pitch board sponsorship, programme adverts and programme sponsorship a number of who continue to do so this season.
www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
OUR SPONSORS We would like to express our sincere thanks to our current sponsors for their support. Without you we wouldn’t be where we are today.
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Results & fixtures - Reserves Date AUGUST Sat 20 Thurs 25 Sat 27 SEPTEMBER Thurs 1 Sat 3 Sat 10 Sat 17 Sat 24 OCTOBER Sat 1 Sat 15 Sat 22 Sat 29 NOVEMBER Sat 5 Sat 19 Sat 26 DECEMBER Sat 3 JANUARY 2012 Sat 7 Sat 21 Sat 28 FEBRUARY Sat 18 MARCH Sat 3 Sat 10 Sat 24 APRIL Sat 7
Opponent
H/A
Comp
Result
Stockport Gregorians Res Wythenshawe Amateurs Res Rochdale Sacred Heart Res
A H H
L L L
3–4 2–3 4–0
Old Alts Res AVRO Res Walshaw Sports Res East Manchester Res Old Alts Res
H H A A A
L L L L L
2–3 0–1 0-7 2–2 3-0
Elton Vale Res Prestwich Heys Manchester Gregorians Res Dukinfield Town Res
A A H A
L L L L
3–3 6-2 2-0 3-1
Leigh Amateurs Res East Manchester Res Beechfield United Res
H H A
L L Cup
3-4 2–2 4-0
Wythenshawe Ams Res
A
L
1-5
Springhead Res Leigh Ath Res Prestwich Heys Res
A A H
Cup L L
3–4 3-2 4-2
AFC Monton
H
L
2-2
Rochdale Sacred Heart Res Walshaw Sports Res Stockport Gregorians Res
A H H
L L L
Elton Vale Res
H
L
The reserves had a blank Saturday last week, but continue again this week with an away game at Rochdale SH where they will be looking for a repeat result to the home game in August, when they had a convincing 4-0 home win.
This month the 200 Club winners are: £100 Dave Wright £60 Nathan Wakelam £40 Sam Hickey
www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
A Team Our first outing in 2012 resulted in a good 2-1 win against Royton Town A at home, followed by two away games which resulted in a 0-3 defeat to Stockport Georgians and a 2-1 win at Atherton Town before a thumping 4 -0 win at Walshaw SC. As the season progresses we continue to climb up the table. Chris Argent Date Opponent SEPTEMBER Sat 17 Prestwich Heys A Sat 24 Dukinfield Town A OCTOBER Sat 1 Springhead A Sat 8 Stockport Georgians A Sat 15 Walshaw SC A Sat 22 Leigh Athletic A Sat 29 Atherton Town A NOVEMBER Sat 5 Hollinwood A Sat 12 Dukinfield Town A Sat 19 Royton Town A Sat 26 Springhead A 2012 JANUARY Sat 14 Royton Town A Sat 21 Stockport Georgians A FEBRUARY Sat 18 Atherton Town A Sat 25 Walshaw SC A MARCH Sat 3 Leigh Athletic A
H/A
Comp
Result
H H
L L
1–4 5–0
H H H H H
L L L L L
4–7 3–2 4–3 1–1 6–2
A A A A
L L L L
1–2 3–2 2–0 1–2
H A
L L
2–1 0–3
A A
L L
2–1 4-0
A
L
KIT MANAGER WANTED… We have a vacancy for a volunteer kit man to take overall charge of playing kit and equipment and be available to attend first team games home and away. If you would like more information on what this involves then please contact: Rob Turley on 07891 298441
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
How our teams stand… Manchester League – Premier Division 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Hindsford East Manchester AVRO Walshaw Sports Old Alts Springhead West Didsbury & Chorlton Stockport Georgians Royton Town Wythenshawe Ams Manchester Gregorians AFC Monton Dukinfield Town AFC Bury Heywood St James Prestwich Heys
P 23 22 18 22 20 22 21 18 18 21 23 20 18 22 19 19
W 16 15 12 11 10 8 10 8 8 7 8 5 6 3 4 3
D 5 2 2 3 3 8 2 4 3 6 1 6 1 7 1 4
L 2 5 4 8 7 6 9 6 7 8 14 9 11 12 14 12
W 13 12 11 10 9 9 8 7 7 6 6 7 2 2
D 3 3 3 5 1 1 3 4 3 4 3 0 4 3
L 4 4 3 5 5 7 7 8 11 9 9 14 12 11
GD 34 25 29 19 -1 6 -11 -2 3 -3 -11 -6 -7 -19 -30 -26
PTS 53 47 38 36 33 32 32 28 27 27 25 21 16 * 16 13 12 *
*Adjustment made
Manchester League – Division 2 (Reserves) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
P Stockport G Res 20 Wythenshawe Ams Res 19 Walshaw Res 17 Manchester Gregorians Res 20 AVRO Res 15 Old Alts Reserves 17 AFC Monton Res 18 West Didsbury & Chorlton Res 19 E Manchester Res 21 Prestwich Heys Res 19 Leigh Ath Res 18 Dukinfied Town Res 21 Elton Vale Res 18 Rochdale SH Res 16 *Adjustment made
www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
GD 19 27 28 15 8 -4 0 -1 -8 -1 -15 -23 -27 -18
PTS 42 39 36 35 28 28 27 25 24 21 * 21 21 10 9
Manchester League – Division 4 (‘A’ Teams) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Springhead A Royton Town A West Didsbury & Chorlton A Stockport Geo A Hollinwood A Leigh Ath A Dukinfield Town A Prestwich Heys A Walshaw SC A Atherton Town A
P 16 14 15 17 12 15 15 12 14 16
W 14 9 9 8 8 5 4 3 3 1
D 1 2 1 3 1 3 1 3 2 1
L 1 3 5 6 3 7 10 6 9 14
GD 31 24 9 8 22 7 -13 -13 -18 -57
PTS 43 29 28 27 25 18 13 12 11 4
Cheshire Veterans Football League – Premier Division 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Flint Town West Didsbury & Chorlton Sale Town Grappenhall Sports Bollington Cheadle Star Old Boys Bedians Hursts
P 10 9 7 9 10 9 8 10
W 7 6 4 3 3 3 2 1
D 2 2 1 3 3 2 1 0
L 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 9
GD 20 18 5 5 -5 -3 -10 -30
PTS 23 20 13 12 12 11 7 3
GD 22 10 1 1 -4 -1 -29
PTS 16 16 13 10 10 5 1
Cheshire Veterans Football League – Division 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Moore United Barnstoneworth United Grappenhall Sports B West Didsbury & Chorlton B MCYA Burtonwood Albion Old Boys Stepping Hill Presidents XI
P 7 7 8 7 8 5 8
W 5 5 4 3 3 1 0
P 12 13 9 12 8 10 13 7 12 12
W 8 7 6 6 5 4 4 4 2 1
D 1 1 1 1 1 2 1
L 1 1 3 3 4 2 7
Altrincham Youth Football League 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Wythenshawe Amts West Didsbury & Chorlton Cleavleys JFC Cheadle & Gatley Athletic NJ Wythenshawe FC Medlock Rangers FC Flixton Juniors FC Leigh Genesis FC Lostock Rangers FC Broadheath Central
D 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 0 0 0
L 2 5 1 4 1 3 7 3 10 10
GD 33 -1 20 15 47 0 -1 -2 -82 -29
PTS 26 22 20 20 17 15 14 12 6 3
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Youth Team … Despite the inclement recent weather the Youth team have managed a few outings, turning in some great performances to climb up the League, further reports will capture our last win, against Cleavleys JFC who we replaced in second spot. 22-1-12 Cheadle and Gatley 1 v West 2 Despite going a goal behind West managed to turn the game around with goals from Josh Dawkins and Louis Sanghera. Played on a very muddy pitch West kept trying to play football and deservedly came out on top against the league leaders. 12-2-12 Flixton 1 v West 2 Another 3 points for West in a game of few chances played mainly in midfield. Danny Griffiths and Josh Dawkins were the pick of the players for West and both got on the score sheet giving us a 2-0 lead. Deep in 2nd half Flixton pulled a goal back making it an anxious last few minutes for the team. 19-2-12 Wythenshawe Amateurs 3 v West 0 West’s good run came to a crashing end losing 3-0 to Wythenshawe. Played on a very big pitch at Wythenshawe Cricket Club the match was highly entertaining with the play going end to end. Wythenshawe are probably the best side in the league so it was no disgrace losing to them. The difference was Wythenshawe took their chances whilst West didn’t. The normally prolific Josh Dawkins, Danny Griffiths and Louis had an off day missing a number of gilt edged chances. However, West will get the chance for revenge in a couple of weeks in a return match at Turn Moss. Mike Lewandowski Date SEPTEMBER Sun 25 OCTOBER Sun 2 Sun 9 Sun 16 Sun 30 NOVEMBER Sun 6 Sun 13 Sun 20 JANUARY 2012 Sun 15 Sun 22 FEBRUARY Sun 12 Sun 19 Sun 26 MARCH Sun 04 APRIL Sun 01 Tues 10 Tues 17 MAY Tues 01
Opponent
H/A
Comp
Result
Medlock Rangers FC
H
L
1-1
Lostock Rangers FC Cheadle & Gatley Athletic Flixton Juniors Cleavleys JFC
A H H A
L L L L
2-4 1-3 5-3 0-4
Broadheath Central Leigh Genesis Medlock Rangers FC
H A A
L L L
1-0 1-5 4-3
Lostock Rangers FC Cheadle & Gatley Athletic
H A
L L
9-2 2-1
Flixton Juniors Wythenshawe Amts Cleavleys JFC
A A H
L L L
2-1 0-3 3-2
Wythenshawe Amts
H
L
N. J. Wythenshawe FC Broadheath Central N. J. Wythenshawe FC
A A H
L L L
Leigh Genesis
H
L
www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
Results and Fixtures - Vets and Vets B Cheshire Veterans League – Premier Division 4th Sept 11th Sept 25th Sept 9th Oct 30th Oct 13th Nov 27th Nov 15th Jan 22nd Jan 29th Jan 26th Feb 4th Mar 11th Mar 25th Mar 1st Apr 29th Apr
Hursts (h) Grappenhall Sports (a) Bedians (h) Flint Town (h) Cheadle Star Old Boys (a) Burtonwood Albion Old Boys (h) CUP Flint Town (a) Mobberley (h) CUP Bollington (h) Bollington (a) Hursts (a) Sale Town (a) Bedians (a) Timperley (a) CUP Cheadle Star Old Boys (h) Grappenhall Sports (h)
6-0 1-0 4-2 2-2 3-2 9-2 1–3 5-0 8-2 2-2 6-1
Cheshire Veterans League – Division 3 4th Sept 11th Sept 25th Sept 16th Oct 30th Oct 13th Nov 15th Jan 22ndJan 26th Feb 4th Mar 11th Mar 15th Apr 29th Apr
MCYA (a) Stepping Hill President’s XI (h) Barnstoneworth United (a) Burtonwood Albion Old Boys (a) Grappenhall Sports B (h) Mossley Hill Athletic Wanderers (a) CUP Stepping Hill President’s XI (a) Moore United (h) MCYA (h) Grappenhall Sports (a) Burtonwood Albion Old Boys (a) Barnstoneworth United (h) Moore United (a)
1-3 4-0 1-2 4-2 2-1 2-4 2-2 2-5
NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING: Monday 5th March at the clubhouse starting at 6.30pm
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
OUR SPONSORS We would like to express our sincere thanks to our current sponsors for their support. Without you we wouldn’t be where we are today.
www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
Our Visitors – Springhead AFC The Club was formed in 1922 as Lees Amateurs, and became members of the Saddleworth District League, playing games on the same ground as is used today, but then known as Phoenix Park, Manor Farm, the forerunner of the present Ashfield Crescent ground. From the Saddleworth League, the Club moved through the Ashton and District League and the South East Lancashire League before joining the Manchester Amateur League in 1960. Being affiliated to the West Riding County FA, and due to Huddersfield Cup rules, the Club changed its name to Springhead AFC in 1962. The Club progressed through the Manchester Amateur League, and in its earlier years, the top honours came Springhead's way, culminating with them winning the Premier Division Championship and the Pettitt Cup in the penultimate season in the league. Springhead entered the Manchester League in 1987, and won the Premier Division title for the first time in 1998. LAST WEEKS RESULTS IN THE MANCHESTER PREMIER LEAGUE AFC Monton AVRO East Manchester Hindsford Old Alts Prestwich Heys West Didsbury & Chorlton
Cup
Walshaw Sports
1-2 6-0 0-1 3-1 2-0 0-1 2-0
Royton Town Wythenshawe Amateurs Springhead Heywood St James AFC Bury Manchester Gregorians Dukinfield Town
3 - 4 Stockport Georgians
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
Proposal for Change… Extract from North West Counties Football League website A proposal has been submitted to the League Management Committee, which will be voted on by member clubs at the AGM in June, regarding the number of teams promoted from Division One to the Premier League at the end of each season. The proposal is the brainchild of Atherton Collieries Secretary Emil Anderson, and his suggestion is that three teams should be promoted to our Premier Division from Division One, with three obviously coming back down in the opposite direction, interestingly West are mentioned in this article, note we have only copied the relevant paragraphs.
The full article can be read on the NWCFL website News Archives dated February 15th ‘Over the last couple of seasons our League Management Committee has been actively seeking newcomers to the league and I am certainly in agreement with that approach. New teams mean new faces and with this, new ideas and enthusiasm. In some cases the new teams coming into the league have the resources to match their ambition. We have seen clubs like FC United, Cammell Laird and AFC Fylde pass through the NWCFL into the Northern Premier League with the minimum two years of membership. FC United were a new club and had the backing of thousands of fans. Cammell Laird and AFC Fylde, nee Kirkham & Wesham, had been perennial trophy winners further down the pyramid, and once they decided to take the plunge and have a go at the Counties, success was instantaneous. Other newcomers like Wigan Robin Park and Irlam have made rather more steady progress, but have certainly made a mark at this level and are looking to push on in the run in to the end of this season. We have two applications for next term, West Didsbury & Chorlton seem to be a knocking bet this time, after their move up was blocked a couple of years ago, and reading a recent NWCFL website article it seems South Sefton Borough are quietly confident of getting their ground grading in time.’
Wishing West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC a successful season Parrs Wood High School and 6th Form Proud printers of the Match Programme
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Manchester Football League – Premier Division Saturday 3rd March 2012
Today’s Teams West Didsbury & Chorlton Ben Simpson Mike Kennedy Scott Jones Mike Byrne Dave Conlon (Capt) Alex Baird Josh Ford Andy Levendis Danny Summers Tom Waring Tommy Walsh Dean Thurston Lee Shilito Matt Eckersley Ashley Farlow Lewis Childs Lewis Schofield
Springhead AFC Steve Szlanki Dale Jackman Dave Ashworth Joe Cunningham Mark Ashworth Scott Owen Paul Stevenson Rick Massey Richard Bennett Ant Cortlett Adam Monks Josh Walker Matt Dell Adam Nuttall John Pauley Mark Hopwood
Manager: Andy Nelson
Manager: Lee McAllister
Assistant: Dave Conlon
Assistant: Andrew Revill OFFICIALS:
Referee: Steve Cundall
Assistant Referees: Ken Davis and Martin Fletcher
NEXT HOME GAME:
WEST Res v Walshaw Sports Res Saturday, 10th March 2012 – Kick-off: 2.00pm Please check the club website weekly at www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com and www.manchester-league.co.uk as fixtures will change.
www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com
WHAT’S OUR
STORY?
The story of West Didsbury began 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.
This was down to the hard work of a core of players and Committee who refused to let the club fold and the new facilities were secured without a penny of help from the Playing Fields Society who sold the land for commercial development.
West then joined the Manchester Alliance League where they competed until the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918).
In 2007/8 season West won Manchester League silverware for the first time when they lifted the Murray Shield with the nucleus of our previously successful junior team. The following season West just missed promotion to the Premier Division and again reached the Murray Shield Final.
A further name change followed in 2003 to reflect our new location in Chorlton and we were elected to the Manchester League in 2006.
After the War the club joined the Lancashire and Cheshire League for the 1920/21 season and changed its name to West Didsbury AFC. The club was placed in Divisions 1 and A and stayed in the top flight for 25 seasons. The first team were double runners up in League and Rhodes Cup in 1922/23. In 1927, West lifted the Rhodes Cup by beating Davenport 2-1 in the final, and by the early thirties the club had finished runners up in 1931/32 for the fourth time. It was third time unlucky for West Didsbury (West) as they were beaten in the final of the Rhodes Cup by South Salford, who then won the cup for six consecutive years - a feat unequalled by anyone since. The first team succumbed to relegation for the first time in 1952, losing a play-off 3-1 to Rusholme, but bounced back as second division runners up the following season, remaining in the top division for another 5 years, before relegation again in 1959/60 meant a 6 year wait to regain top flight status. Indeed during that period, relegation to the third division was narrowly avoided in 1963/64. West finished runners up in 1965/66 and were back in the top flight for another spell before relegation again in 1968/69. In 1969/70 West won the Rhodes Cup for only the second time. They faced a Monton Amateurs side that had dominated the league for a number of years, yet against the odds West equalised twice and scored the winner in extra-time for a famous 3-2 victory. Current Chairman Brian Cripps skippered the side that day and received the trophy in near darkness. In 1970/71 West were promoted to Division 1 after securing runners up spot, before relegation in 1972/73 and 1974/75 meant that the team were playing in the third division. In 1976/77 West beat Heywood GSOB from the first division 2-0 in the Whitehead Cup Final. Rob Turley scored both goals. The club then had another hard period before promotion in successive seasons, from 1987-89, clinching both divisional championships and losing only once in two seasons. The second team were unbeaten champions of Division B in 1987/88 and the club won the Aggregate Trophy for the best club in the Lancashire and Cheshire League for the first time in 50 years. After several years of uncertainty when our former ground at Christie Playing Fields was sold off, the club were boosted when, in 1997/98, they kicked off the new season at their splendid new home at Brookburn Road, and began to develop a vision for a community club.
With a new management team, the 2009/10 season proved to be very successful. Honours were spread right through the club with: The first team winning the Murray Shield, (the third consecutive year we have been in the final) and finishing runners-up in the league. The second team winning Bridgewater Office Supplies League Cup and the U17 Youth team winning their League. Last Season 2010/2011, the First team won the First Division title in style this season with a fantastic points total (65 points out of 72 possible). This must rank as one of the highest points totals per game ever in the history of the Manchester League dating back over a century. It was also one of the best and proudest seasons in the club’s history and CONGRATULATIONS to ANDY NELSON and ALL THE PLAYERS for their commitment to the club throughout the season. Our thanks must also go to Dave Conlon, Steve Eckersley, Kris Mahon and physio Ronnie Cook, who have been integral to the management team, and to Rick Waring for his support week in week out as match day secretary for the 1st team. Congratulations also to the Reserves for a terrific season under the guidance of Jim Hines and Paul Rowell, resulting in promotion and for the second year they contested the Bridgewater Trophy Cup Final, this time finishing runners up in a game they really should have won. The A team have also performed well this year finishing in 3rd place and manager Chris Argent has done a great job in maintaining a squad this season, resulting in a complete turnaround in results and league placing. Rob Madden and Barry Isaacs have steered the Youth team to yet another final where they were just pipped to the trophy by New Mills. Finally, the Veterans finished 2nd in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division and were runners up in the Cup Final. This is another great achievement as this league has expanded in recent years to 4 very competitive divisions, comprising 30 clubs and finishing as one of the top teams is great credit to the efforts of Sam Hickey and Phil Bairstow. In summary, 5 teams, 5 top 3 finishes and 3 cup finals to add to the League Championship. So a great 2010/2011 Season – we look forward to what 2011-12 has in store.
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
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T C To Contact t t th the Cl Club b please l use tthe club website. West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC W TThe Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road, Chorltonville, Manchester, M21 8EH www.westdidsburychorltonfc.com