Cammell Laird 1907 vs Alsager Town - Sat 03/12/22 - Matchday programme #16

Club history

Cammell

1907 FC can trace its history back to 1899 when a team from the Upper Boilers Shop of Laird Bros played in Birkenhead Park, before turning to the rugby code. It was not until June 1907 that the Cammell Laird Institute AFC was established, with its first fixture taking place on 2nd September 1907 against Tranmere Rovers, finishing 9th in the West Cheshire League in their inaugural season (1907/08).

In the early years, the Club played at a number of grounds and won their first trophy, the Shipley Cup, in April 1921, before in the summer of 1922 they moved to St Peters Road (which still remains their current home) as Kirklands FC. They disbanded in 1939 but reformed in 1946. The Club had their most successful period during the 1970s and 80s, winning the West Cheshire League on a regular basis. 1994/95 saw the club reach the FA Vase quarter finals before losing to Arlesey Town.

The 21st Century

The early part of the new millennium saw the Club reach new heights. They started the rise through the pyramid, making history by becoming the first

Having fought relegation battles successfully, the Club finished bottom of the Evo Stik Division One North in 2011/12, but were reprieved, and bounced back the following season by finishing league runners up before losing on penalties in the play off final against Trafford.

Season 2013/14 saw Lairds finish 11th, but the decision was taken to resign from the Evo Stik NPL and form a new Club: Cammell Laird 1907 FC. New club, new era

The new Club was formed on 28th May 2014 and entered the NWCFL Division One for their inaugural campaign in 2014/15. In October, the Club lost manager Tony Sullivan to Witton Albion, and appointed Paul McNally in the same month. He ably guided the team to promotion, which was achieved on Saturday 4th April. In the end, Lairds finished 21 points clear of 3rd placed AFC Darwen.

2015/16 saw the Club finish 15th in its first season in the NWCFL Premier Division. Early on, Lairds didn’t get the results that their performances deserved, drawing or even losing games that they largely dominated. However, they soon found their feet in the Premier Division. Their best result was an emphatic 4 0 victory against eventual champions Colne in October. In February, Tony Sullivan returned to replace Paul McNally as manager, and the Club ended the campaign with a solid mid table finish.

At the end of the season, Sullivan departed and was replaced by former Prescot Cables and AFC Darwen manager Neil Prince. The new man in charge made an excellent start, two fine performances deservedly seeing off the challenge of AFC Darwen in the FA Cup. It is fair to say that luck was not on the side of Prince’s team at the start of the league campaign, with several fine performances not getting the results that they deserved. However, after the 3 1 defeat to Squires Gate in September, Prince resigned on good terms with the Club, who were very appreciative of his efforts, and both parties wished each other well for the future.

Prince was replaced by former Lairds striker Mick McGraa, who had taken

Laird

Club to win the championship of the Second and First Divisions of the North West Counties League, which they achieved in 2004/05 and then 2005/06. In the same year as that First Division triumph, the club reached the FA Vase semi finals, losing to eventual winners Nantwich Town, and two years later, the Club gained promotion to the Unibond Premier League. However, they were relegated after just one season due to ground grading.

over the Reserve Team in the summer. McGraa has worked tirelessly to assemble a very promising young side, and again with a tad more luck in games that Lairds dominated, they could have picked up more points. Everything finally came together on Saturday 18th March 2017, as a brilliant performance saw Lairds beat AFC Darwen 4 1 to record their first league win of the season, which they followed up three days later with a 2 1 victory against in form Hanley Town. Ultimately, results elsewhere consigned Lairds to relegation by the end of March, but the Club was now in a much stronger position ahead of the Division One campaign to follow in 2017/18.

The rebuild commences

That season started off perfectly, the 4 1 win against a higher ranked Maltby Main side in the Emirates FA Cup a sign of things to come! Lairds were eliminated from that competition despite a valiant effort at Evo Stik League outfit Leek Town, but after a slightly shaky start, they went from strength to strength in the league. From 5th September to 21st April, they dropped just two points at Kirklands, also defeating Premier Division Congleton Town with ten men on their own patch in the Macron Cup. Lairds initially struggled on the road, but also improved on that front after the turn of the year. They finished the regular campaign as one of the division’s form teams, securing the final play off place courtesy of a sensational 4 1 victory over champions elect Silsden. The Cammells also enjoyed a run to the final of the LWC Drinks Cup, recording a notable 4 0 triumph at fellow top six challengers Alsager Town along the way. In the final against Prestwich Heys at Runcorn Linnets FC, Joe Malkin’s header drew Lairds level at 1 1 just before the hour mark. Despite hammering at the Prestwich door for much of the second half, there was a sucker punch as a brilliant late strike from John Main, followed by an even more incredible save by Heys’ Russell Saunders, saw McGraa’s men on the wrong end of a 2 1 scoreline. However, Lairds responded brilliantly in the play off semi final just three days later, stunning the division by going to a Prestwich side, who had hammered them 3 0 on the opening day and finished the season on 91 points, and coming from behind to win 4 1. That set up an all or nothing midweek play off final away at Whitchurch Alport. There was to be more heartbreak as a nightmare start saw Lairds fall 2 0 behind within ten minutes. It just didn’t click for the visitors on the night, and despite Charlie MacInnes giving them hope late on, it was a case of so near yet so far. Two defeats in finals were a horrible ending to what was an outstanding campaign which saw McGraa’s team restore the pride around Kirklands, and deliver long lasting memories.

opportunity to compete in the Wirral Senior Cup Final, which they had reached courtesy of victories over Poulton Royal, Ellesmere Port Town and Mersey Royal.

For the 2020/21 campaign, the club’s home at Kirklands was renamed the Prabhu Ventures Ltd Arena as part of a new sponsorship deal, while former player Stuart Humphreys was appointed as Director of Football. After a solid start to the delayed season, the North West Counties Football League was suspended from the start of November until mid December as lockdown restrictions were re imposed. During that time, Phil Burton and his backroom staff resigned after two and a half years in charge. The season briefly resumed in December, but the season was soon curtailed due to Covid 19 after Lairds had played just seven league matches, with them team placed 13th in the table.

Silverware returns to CH42

With Lairds unable to play competitive football until May 2021, the club took their time before making a permanent managerial appointment. Stuart Keir was chosen as the man to take the club forward, the former AFC Liverpool boss’ CV impressing the committee as well as his strong reputation for developing youth players.

The Cammells finished 14th after a mixed season in the First Division South, but their exploits in the cup competitions were astonishing and made it a campaign to remember. A 3 0 victory over Heswall in the Wirral Senior Cup Final on 23 April 2022 clinched the first team’s maiden piece of silverware under the 1907 name, which was an afternoon to remember for all concerned. However, their season did not finish there, and an astonishing set of results sent them into the cup finals of both NWCFL cups. A famous comeback win in the A41 Derby at Vauxhall Motors was secured in the last minute by Jay Harvey, and featured in a successful Macron Cup run. Two semi final wins in the space of four days against Ilkley Town on penalties in the First Division Cup and Premier Division outfit Congleton Town in the Macron Cup ensured that Lairds’ campaign would finish with two cup finals. The Macron Cup represented a remarkable feat for Keir’s team given that it included all 60 NWCFL clubs, but sadly the final against Charnock Richard, played at Chorley FC, proved a bridge too far as their opponents ran out 5 0 winners. The First Division Cup Final proved a more closely fought affair away to promoted FC Isle of Man. Despite matching their opponents throughout, the Cammells unfortunately went down to a 1 0 defeat and they had to settle for finishing as runners up. However, the incredible end to the season and appearance in three cup finals provides strong evidence that Keir’s team are on the right track going into the 2022/23 campaign.

Cheshire Senior Cup history makers

An eventful close season saw McGraa depart for Vauxhall Motors, who re joined the Hallmark Security League. The majority of the squad followed the manager to Rivacre Park, but the Committee acted swiftly and made a very exciting appointment in Phil Burton. He guided the club to a solid 15th place finish in the new First Division South, two cup quarter finals, and extraordinarily Lairds became the lowest ranked team ever to reach a Cheshire Senior Cup Final, where they lost out to Nantwich Town. The 2019/20 campaign started off brightly for Burton’s team, and they were just outside the promotion places at Christmas, but their form then dropped off and only began to pick up shortly before the league was suspended in March due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Lairds were 13th after the final fixtures were played, but the decision was made by the FA to null and void the season. The premature end to the season meant that Lairds missed the

A new clubhouse facility opened in July 2022 also provides a welcome boost to the club. It will be open throughout every matchday, and significantly improve the experience of visitors to the renamed KR Couriers & Transport Ltd Stadium.

Good afternoon, and a warm welcome back to the KR Couriers and Transport Ltd Stadium for tonight’s game against Alsager Town. We hope that the players, staff, officials and supporters from our visitors enjoy their stay with us here.

It is yet another home game for us today, after a disappointing evening on Wednesday which saw us go down 3 0 to Abbey Hey. We were unable to find a foothold in the game against very good opposition, and succumbed to defeat against a team who are a real bogey side for us. Let’s hope we can bounce back from that one today against an Alsager Town side who are just one point and one place behind us in the table with a game in hand. The Bullets have been performing well of late, picking up wins at Rocester in the league and at home to a Cheadle Town side faring well this season in the Cheshire Senior Cup. They have also suffered slender 1 0 defeats to high flying Brocton and Stockport Town, so we can expect a tough challenge today. Our 2 1 victory at Woodpark Stadium in October was a crucial one in our season in moving us up the table, and it could well be a similarly tight affair this afternoon. The visitors added former Lairds goalkeeper Mike Langley

to their backroom staff earlier this week. Lango was an incredibly popular figure when he played here, and it’s fair to say he used to be the first voice you’d hear outside the ground turning up on a matchday! It’s a great move for Alsager to have him on board, and we look forward to welcoming him back today.

We are again in midweek action this week, travelling to Sandbach United on Tuesday—always a tough place to go. We then return for back to back home games against Higher Bebington Kelma in the Wirral Senior Cup next Saturday, and Barnton in the league on the following Tuesday, before a trip to Foley Meir for our final match before Christmas.

Many thanks for your valued support, without which we as a club could not survive and thrive. It has been brilliant to see good crowds at our recent home fixtures making the most of our clubhouse facilities.

I hope you enjoy today’s issue and the game. Up them Cammells. All the best, Patrick Burke

Photo credit: David Blackwood (Twitter: @David_JB_1965)

Cammell

Waring, Stephens ››, Hulley ©, Smith, Sat 27 Aug Wythenshawe Amateurs

A Isuzu FA Vase First Qualifying Round W 1 1* 160 Davidson, Kerr, Rodgers, Hulley ©, Kubwalo, Waring ›, Mon 29 Aug (3pm) Stockport Georgians

Sat 03 Sept Stafford Town

A NWCFL First Division South L 3 0 212 Davidson, Kerr, Rodgers, J. Wood, Kubwalo, Jones ›, Smith

H NWCFL First Division South

L 0 3 52 Davidson, Downey ›››, Rodgers, Waring, J. Wood, Kuwablo, Galt

H NWCFL First Division South D 3 3 55 Davidson, Waring, Bolton, J. Wood, Kubwalo, Jones, Rubin, Tues 13 Sept Ellesmere Rangers

Tues 06 Sept Cheadle Heath Nomads

H NWCFL First Division South L 0 5 38 Davidson, Hulley ©, Frost, Waring, Stephens, Kubwalo, Downey, Sat 17 Sept Brocton

H NWCFL First Division South D 2 2 78 Davidson, Hulley © ››, Rodgers ›, Waring, Humphreys, Stephens, Sat 24 Sept Retford

H Isuzu FA Vase Second Qualifying Round W 1 1** 102 Davidson, Kerr, Rodgers ›››, Hulley ©, Doran ››, Kubwalo, Sat 01 Oct Alsager Town

A NWCFL First Division South W 1 2 42 Davidson, Kerr, Rodgers, Hulley ©, Doran, Waring, Rubin

H Edward Case Cup Second Round South L 1 2 90 Robson, Kerr, Rodgers ››, Hulley ©, Doran ›, Waring, Rubin, Sat 15 Oct Ashville

Sat 08 Oct Abbey Hey

H Macron Cup First Round W 2 1 176 Davidson, Hulley ©, Frost ›, Stephens, Doran, Cain, Jones Sat 22 Oct Squires Gate

A NWCFL First Division South L 1 0 83 Davidson, Kerr, Hulley ©, Stephens, Doran ›››, Cain, Waring

A Isuzu FA Vase First Round L 2 1 75 Davidson, Hulley ©, Frost, Stephens, Doran ›››, Cain, Waring, Tues 25 Oct Abbey Hey

Sat 29 Oct Stafford Town

A NWCFL First Division South W 1 2 87 Davidson, Kerr, Hulley ©, Stephens, Doran, Cain, Waring Sat 05 Nov Foley Meir H NWCFL First Division South W 5 1 67 Davidson, Kerr, Bolton ››, Stephens ››, Doran ©, Cain, Waring Tues 08 Nov Wythenshawe Amateurs H NWCFL First Division South L 0 1 109 Davidson, Kerr, Frost ››, Stephens, Doran © ›››, Cain, Waring, Sat 12 Nov Maine Road H NWCFL First Division South W 4 3 85 Davidson, Kerr, Frost ››, Stephens, Doran ©, Cain, Waring, Sat 19 Nov

Laird 1907 2022/23

Kick off times are 3pm for Saturday games and 7:45pm for midweeks unless stated

Substitutions indicated by ›/‹ arrows

Goal times as per the NWCFL website  Man of the Matches as awarded by the opposition

* = won 4 3 on penalties

** = won 3 1 on penalties

Goals for • Goals against MOTM

Kelly, Carr Lowe ›, Hamm, McGregor, B. Wood ›› • Koura ‹‹, Philpott ‹, B. Kelly, Hughes • 25’ Kubwalo Edwards, Galt ›, J. Kelly ››, Hamm, B. Wood • Carr Lowe ‹, Koura ‹‹, Doran, Hughes Hamm (15’) • 39’, 58’, 87’ Edwards Smith, Carr Lowe ›, Hamm, B. Wood ››››, Koura ›› • Doran ‹‹‹, J. Kelly ‹, Frost ‹‹, Waring ‹‹‹‹, Hughes Kubwalo (51’), Frost (65’), Doran (78’) • 13p, 18’, 28’ Smith Kubwalo ›, Smith, Edwards, Hamm ››››, B. Wood, Waring • Doran ‹‹‹, Bolton ‹‹, Hughes, Frost ‹, Koura ‹‹‹‹ • 36’, 64’, 85’ Waring Smith ©, Edwards ››››, J. Kelly ›››, Downey, Koura › • J. Wood ‹‹, B. Wood ‹‹‹, Bolton, Frost ‹, Galt ‹‹‹‹ J. Kelly (4’), Rodgers (53’), Smith (61’) • 39p, 64’ Kerr Smith, Edwards ›››, Koura ›, Downey, Frost ›››› • J. Wood ‹‹, B. Wood ‹, Galt ‹‹‹, Philpott ‹‹‹‹, Hughes B. Wood (55’) • 31’, 41’ Smith Smith, Rubin ›››, B. Wood ››, Downey, Frost • J. Wood ‹, King, Jones ‹‹‹, Koura, Hamm ‹, Hughes Frost (34’) • 76’ Smith © ››››, Rubin, Hamm ›››, Downey ›››››, Frost ›› • Galt ‹‹‹‹, Edwards ‹, B. Wood ‹‹, Koura ‹‹‹, Carr Lowe ‹‹‹‹‹ • 75’, 82p, 84’ Rubin Galt ›››››, Jones ››››, Lyons, Hamm © ››, B. Wood › • Bolton ‹‹‹, Frost ‹‹, Rubin ‹‹‹‹,, Koura ‹, Carr Lowe ‹‹‹‹‹ • 5’, 44’, 67’ Waring Rubin, Downey, Hamm ©, B. Wood ›, Frost • Carr Lowe, Koura ‹, Philpott, Hughes Frost (3’), Rubin (12’), Hamm (72’) • 39’, 45+5’, 79’ Downey Downey, Bolton ›, Hamm, B. Wood ›››, Koura ›› • J. Wood ‹, Carr Lowe ‹‹, Rodgers ‹‹‹, B. Kelly, Hughes • 8’, 65’, 79’, 88’, 90’ Stephens Stephens, Downey ›››, Bolton ››››, Koura, B. Wood, Frost • J. Wood, Kerr ‹‹, King ‹, Carr Lowe ‹‹‹, B. Kelly ‹‹‹‹ Koura (10’), Bolton (18’) • 36’, 89’ B. Wood Kubwalo, Waring, Bolton ›, Koura, B. Wood, Downey • Smith ‹‹, King ‹‹‹, Carr Lowe, Rubin ‹, Stephens B. Wood (87’) • 33’ Rubin ›, Downey, Koura ››, B. Wood, Harvey • Cain, Jones ‹‹, Carr Lowe ‹, B. Kelly, Hughes

Koura (11’), Rubin (21’) • 17’ Hulley Rubin, Jones ››››, Koura ›››, Downey, Harvey • Cain, Stephens ‹‹, B. Wood ‹‹‹‹, Bolton ‹, Hamm ‹‹‹ Harvey (5’) • 51p, 76’ Jones ››, Bolton, Hamm, Downey, Harvey ››› • Kerr ‹, Waring, B. Wood ‹‹, Koura ‹‹‹, Dineley Hamm (38’), Koura (90+4’) • 79’ Waring, Bolton ›, Hamm ››, Downey, Harvey • Kerr ‹‹‹, Smith, B. Wood ‹, McGregor, Koura ‹‹, Rodgers, Dineley Hamm (20p) • 41’, 81’ Waring ››, Downey, Koura, Frost ›, Harvey • Rodgers, Smith ‹‹, B. Wood ‹‹‹, McGregor ‹, Hughes • 38’ Doran Waring ›, Downey ››, Hamm ›››, B. Wood, Harvey • Smith ‹, McGregor ‹‹, Frost ‹‹‹, Koura ‹‹‹‹, Dineley Hamm (52’), Harvey (74’) • 82’ B. Wood Waring ›, Downey, Hamm ››››, McGregor, Harvey • Smith ‹, Jones ‹‹, Frost, Koura ‹‹‹‹, Rodgers ‹‹‹ Harvey (18’), Hamm (31’, 68p, 70p), Doran (60’) • 22’ Hamm Waring, Downey ›, Koura, Smith, Harvey • Bolton, McGregor ‹, B. Wood, Rodgers ‹‹‹, Ogiugo ‹‹ • 73’ Harvey Waring, McGregor ›, Harvey ›››, Smith ›››››, B. Wood ›››› • Downey ‹, Jones ‹‹‹‹‹, Hamm ‹‹‹, Koura ‹‹‹‹, Ogiugo ‹‹ B. Wood (8’, 31’), Harvey (60p), Downey (90’) • 20’, 32’, 47’ B. Wood Smith, Waring ›››, Hamm ›, B. Wood, Koura ›› • Bolton ‹‹‹‹, J. Kelly ‹‹‹, Frost ‹, McGregor ‹‹, Dineley Hamm (12p) • 24’, 66’, 73’, 90+2’ , Jones ››, Harvey, B. Wood ›››, J. Kelly ›››› • Smith ‹‹, McGregor ‹, Hamm ‹‹‹, Galt ‹‹‹‹, Davidson Harvey (26’, 74’) Waring, Jones ›, Hamm ››, Smith, Harvey • McGregor ‹, J. Kelly ‹‹, B. Wood, Frost ‹‹‹, Galt • 13’, 31’, 90+3’

Alsager Town

Club factfile

Year formed: 1968

Nickname: The Bullets

Ground: Woodpark Stadium

Record attendance: 606 (vs Whitley Bay, 14 November 2009)

Chairman: Terry Greer Secretary: Chris Robinson

First team managers: Dean Jones and Dom Johnson

Twitter followers: 5,843 (@alsagertown_fc)

2021/22

NWCFL First Division South: 18th/20, 29 points. Reprieved from relegation. FA Vase: First qualifying round Macron Cup: Second round Cheshire Senior Cup: Second round

2020/21: 12th/20, 7 points. Curtailed after seven games 2019/20: 19th/20, 25 points. Curtailed after 28 games

Record vs Lairds Lairds wins: 11 Draws: 4 Alsager Town wins: 5 Aggregate score: Lairds 48 30 Alsager Town

Lairds have tasted victory in the last four meetings with Alsager Town, but the visitors arrive hoping to leapfrog them in the table and in decent shape under the management of Dean Jones and Dom Johnson.

Recent seasons

Alsager were relegated from the NWCFL Premier Division in 2015/16, and enjoyed two strong campaigns in which they fell just short of the play offs in the First Division. Since being placed in the First Division South in 2017/18, they have had to be content with bottom half finishes, and last term finished third from bottom but were reprieved from relegation.

The campaign so far

After an opening day defeat at leaders Wythenshawe Amateurs, the Bullets enjoyed some strong early results, including an impressive 2 1 win at Abbey Hey, 5 0 thrashing of Cheadle Heath Nomads and 1 0 triumph at Maine Road. However, a run of six consecutive defeats led the club to part company with manager Josh Shepherd at the end of October. Under Dean Jones and Dom Johnson, the team have suffered some narrow defeats against high flyers Brocton and Stockport Town, but progressed in the Cheshire Senior Cup by beating Cheadle Town and picked up three points at Rocester.

Ones to watch

Sam Madeley is the man in form for Alsager, scoring both goals in their win at Rocester and putting them in front in an eventual 3 1 defeat at Brocton and picking up the Man of the Match award at Stockport Town. Lukas Jacobsen Murphy and Sam Latham have also impressed in recent games.

Alsager Town club history

Town were placed into the Unibond League Division One South. Another 14th place finish was the outcome, but the club fell foul to the ground grading regulations, and with required work not completed in the required time given by the League, they were relegated back to the North West Counties League Premier Division.

After this set back the management team resigned, and former chairman Peter Clegg stepped in to take control of the club. Former Witton Albion Reserves coach Neil Gill was appointed as manager and for two seasons he kept Alsager Town in the NWCFL Premier Division, but in early 2011 with finances tight the players’ expenses budget was cut and then later stopped completely. This was followed by the news that there were to be major changes at the club at the end of the season. Neil Gill, his assistant, the players and the committee all resigned.

Alsager AFC were competing in the Crewe League at this stage. In the early 1970s the club took the decision to enter the Mid Cheshire League, in which they were successful following work to bring the ground up to a higher standard. They remained in the Mid Cheshire League for a number of years, and in 1985/86 finished as runners up before folding due to a lack of support and funds.

However, the club reformed with just a youth team, which competed in the Crewe Premier League for two seasons. In 1991/92 the club regained entry to the Mid Cheshire League Division Two, where they remained until 1998/99, when the Committee took the decision to enter the Springbank Vending League, where most of the Potteries teams were based.

Steve Booth built a strong squad which was able to challenge for the title in their first season, but unfortunately Alsager were pipped at the post by Norton FC. The team were competing well and the committee took the decision to apply to join the North West Counties Football League. After a lot of hard work, Alsager AFC successfully passed the criteria necessary to gain entry, and a second place finish in the Staffs County Senior League was enough to gain promotion for the 1999/2000 season.

Bad form after Christmas 1999 and the decision by Steve Booth to leave the club saw a new management team step into the fold, and Greg Clowes and his assistant Dorian Garner were welcomed to the club. They were in charge for the remaining ten games of the season and managed to finish in a creditable 12th position. Their first full season in charge saw them achieve 7th place in the league and, along with Warrington Town, they kept the most clean sheets.

Floodlighting was erected in August 2001 and then the addition of a new stand by the end of the season saw Alsager in prime position to challenge for promotion. During the summer of 2001, it was decided to change the name of the club back to Alsager Town and to run a side in the Springbank Vending League under the name of Alsager AFC.

A runners up spot in the 2001/02 season was enough to see Alsager Town FC promoted to the NWCFL Division One. During the close season, resurfacing of the pitch, decoration of the clubhouse and changing rooms and a new toilet block and tea bar gave Alsager Town an air of aristocracy as they aimed for success in the NWCFL.

The club remained in NWCFL until the end of the 2005/06 season, when they finished in third place and, due to the changes being made by the FA to the non league pyramid system, were invited to step up to the Northern Premier League Division One. The club’s first season saw them finish in a creditable 14th place. With further changes to the Northern Premier League, Alsager

Acting Chairman Mike Cross acted very quickly and the remaining committee members voted for change. Terry Greer, the former chairman of Biddulph Victoria, was elected to become the new chairman of Alsager Town FC. Terry’s first job was to appoint a new management team, and Damian Grocott and Andy O’Connor stepped into the position. They signed a new squad of players and began the job of securing Alsager Town’s place in the NWCFL Premier Division. They worked hard to secure the status of the club, and achieved their goal with three games of the season remaining.

For the 2011/12 season the club looked to move forward run by a new committee which was installed at the AGM in the May, their aim being to improve the club in all aspects both on and off the pitch. The changing rooms and showers were upgraded, some of the clubhouse had been re decorated and the ground in general had been given a face lift. On the night of Monday 11 July 2011, a catastrophic fire destroyed the office and part of the dressing rooms and clubhouse. The whole building had to be demolished due its asbestos construction and the electricity was cut off due to the damage caused to the switch boxes and other equipment.

Following the disaster, the committee worked very hard to get things in to place so that football could return to Wood Park. The committee of the NWCFL provided much needed support, switching fixtures for the Bullets and nearly all of their games were played away from home until the November. A rebuilding programme immediately got underway and things went well, both on and off the pitch. Massive help from BAE Systems and their contractors followed and they had helped to rebuild the changing rooms so that football could return. A new manager former coach John Brown was appointed to take the team forward.

At the end of the season John Brown resigned, as did the reserve team manager. Chairman Terry Greer soon had replacements, with former Tottenham Hotspur player Andy Turner taking over the reins of the first team, and Andy Ratcliffe, Congleton Town’s former reserves’ manager, taking over the Bullets’ reserves, who had just been promoted by invitation to the Staffs County Senior League Premier Division.

Terry’s gang (‘the Workers’) set about completing work around the new changing room complex, and planning permission was granted to build a new clubhouse. In October 2012 the club received the news that they had been granted a massive £85,860 from the Football Foundation to help renew the clubhouse. Work commenced on building a new car park and clubhouse, with the modular building delivered just nine days before Christmas 2012, and the contractors and Alsager’s committee worked tirelessly to get the club open for the Boxing Day game of 2012.

The merger of Alsager Institute and Alsager United led to the formation of Alsager AFC in 1965, the merger arising due to a lack of pitches in the village. They acquired Wood Park in 1967, and with the pitch seeded in time for the following season, the club made their bow in 1968/69.

The season went quite well for the new management, the team finishing in 15th place with 50 points, and provided strong foundations on which it was hoped to build. A number of key players remained at the club, and a host of new players arrived, but things didn’t go as hoped, and Andy Turner unexpectedly resigned in the New Year. Former Nantwich Town player Phil Parkinson stepped into the breach, bringing in his own team, and they managed to evade relegation by winning the last three games of the season.

Prior to the start of the 2014/15 season, Parkinson stepped down and his two assistants Danny Griggs and Craig Dove were entrusted to take the team forward. Towards the end of the campaign, both Griggs and Dove left the club, and chairman Terry Greer and coach Callum Carey took charge of the team on a caretaker basis. As the 2014/15 season was drawing to a close, a new management team of Will Ryder and Steve Harper were appointed. At the end of the season they began the big job of trying to improve the Alsager squad in readiness for his first full season in charge.

After a disappointing start to the 2015/16 campaign, the Bullets parted company with Will and Steve towards the end of October, with NWCFL Premier Division title winner Scott Dundas stepping into the breach.

After a difficult start to his time at Wood Park, Scott steadied the ship and brought in a number of experienced players which led to a great improvement in results. Indeed, during the final months of the campaign, the Bullets were one of the Premier Division’s form teams. However, it was not enough, and they were relegated on the final day of the season as the club paid the price for their disastrous start to the season.

Wayne Brotherton took the reins at the end of the 2015/16 campaign and quickly set about rebuilding in readiness for a first season in the First Division. The 2016/17 season started very well for the Bullets as they quickly established themselves at the top end of the table. However, a disastrous end to the season saw them tumble down the table and miss out on the play offs. It was a similar story in 2017/18.

In 2018/19, Andy Turner guided the Bullets to a 17th place finish, with his move to a role in Bangladesh seeing Lee Bennett and Dan Davies take over as joint managers the following summer.

Alsager placed 19th and 12th in 2019/20 and 2020/21 at the time of their curtailment.

Last season, the Bullets finished 18th in the NWCFL First Division South, but were reprieved from relegation.

Off the pitch, the club continues to explore the potential of securing new or improved facilities, which they hope will secure the long term future of the club should they be successful.

Next up

Lairds are back on their travels for the first time since October on Tuesday night, travelling to seventh placed Sandbach United in the league.

Sandbach have been a side who are there or thereabouts since they joined the NWCFL in the First Division in 2016/17 and are pushing for the play offs again this season, sitting seventh and only three points behind Stockport Georgians in fifth. Declan Swan’s side have been in good form of late, and won six of their nine home league matches this season.

Lairds have had mixed fortunes on their visits to the Sandbach Community Football Centre, earning a 3 3 draw in a thrilling encounter there last season.

Distance to the Sandbach Community Football Centre: 50.3 miles

Directions: Leave the M6 at junction 17 and turn onto the A534 towards Sandbach. Travel to thetraffic lights and go straight across the lights, travel to the roundabout and take the second exit. Travel to next roundabout and take first exit onto Crewe Road. Stay on this road for one mile and turn right at the traffic lights into Hind Heath Road. The ground is on the right hand side opposite the cricket club.

Nearest train station: Sandbach

Distance travelled so far 2022/23: 953.0 miles

The squads

Elsewhere in the NWCFL First Division South

CAMMELL LAIRD 1907

Manager: Stuart Keir

Assistant: Jordan Scott

Colours: Royal Blue

Players No. Gls Notes

Nathan Davidson (GK)

James Dineley (GK)

Conor Robson (GK)

Ellis Bolton

Dominic Cain

Ben Carr Lowe

Jake Doran

Joseph Downey

Kieron Frost

Ethan Galt

Kieran Hamm

Jay Harvey

Benjamin Hughes

Jake Hulley ©

Michael Jones

Ben Kelly Jack Kelly Ben Kerr

John James King

Kalif Koura

Gabriel Kubwalo

Cameron McGregor

Joel Ogiugo

Lee Rodgers

Regan Rubin

Ryan Smith

Daniel Stephens

Ross Waring

Ben Wood

Jack Wood

ALSAGER TOWN

Managers: Dean Jones and Dom Johnson

Colours: Black and white

Players No. Gls Notes

Martin Blain (GK)

Richard Barnes

Thomas Brookes

Callum Collinson

Max Giani

Thomas Hassall

Amaar Hussain

Jonathan Jones

Joshua Jordan

Adrian Kandeke

Sam Latham

Sam Madeley

George McGready

Harlan Rogers Morris

Myles Wady

George Ward

Brad West

Basit Yusuff

Today: Foley Meir vs Eccleshall (1:30pm); Rocester vs Ashville (2pm); Maine Road vs Stockport Georgians; New Mills vs Abbey Hulton United; Sandbach United vs Wythenshawe Amateurs; Stafford Town vs Barnton; Stockport Town vs Ellesmere Rangers