Issue #02 - v AFC Blackpool (27/08/2022)

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

THE STAG

SATURDAY 27 AUGUST 2022 NWCFL First Division North vs AFC BLACKPOOL KO 3:00PM

FREE

ISSUE #02

WHAT’S

INSIDE?

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KEVIN WATKIN JOSH WOODEND PARTNER FOCUS A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE EYES ON THE OPPONENT CLUB NEWSROOM PLAYER SPONSORS SQUADS

Produced and Edited by Glen Ritchie Official Club Photography by Ian Allington Other Photos Adam Gee Photography

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To advertisie in this programme please email commercial@hobafc.co.uk All editorial content within this programme is the copyright of Holker Old Boys AFC and can only be used with the club’s permission. The views in this programme don’t necessarily reflect those of Holker Old Boys AFC.

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“AFC BLACKPOOL ARE A SUPERB SIDE, AND I EXPECT THEM TO BE FIGHTING FOR THE PLAYOFFS ALONG WITH US.” 4

THOUGHTS FROM

G

THE DUGOUT

ood afternoon, and welcome back to Rakesmoor Lane for our fixture against AFC Blackpool.

We come into this game on the back of an away win last week at Ilkley Town, where the team responded well after two poor performances at the start of the season. We are starting to look stronger defensively, better organised, and more solid as a team. We conceded poor goals against Daisy Hill and Chadderton; however, I feel we still had the tools to have got something from those matches.

I believe we are still gelling as a team. We’ve lost some solid players this season, including a goalkeeper and a team captain, but the determination from the team is as strong as ever. With the likes of Nathan Reid coming back from his spell at Lancaster and Sam Joel coming back from a long-term injury, we are re-shaping an assertive attack. Supplement this with the wealth of experience from ex-Barrow AFC player Jason Walker (who is in fine form; scoring 4 in 4, might I add), and I’m sure we will only continue to develop. I must add that our new recruits have also impressed us so far.

We know this is going to be a very tough game. AFC Blackpool are a superb side, and I expect them to be fighting for the playoffs along with us.

As always, thank you for your fantastic support at Rakesmoor Lane.

DAVE ROUND

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“WE WANT TO BE UP THE TOP END OF THE TABLE AND FIGHTING TO WIN THIS LEAGUE.”

JOSH

WOODEND I

t’s been quite a mixed start to the season this year; similarly to last season, we faltered in our opening two games and have had to put those behind us quickly. Still, we feel we’ve turned a page after the last two results. We needed to make sure of getting off the mark at home, and after that Garstang game, we were really pleased with the performance and how we controlled the game.

Away at Ilkley was a different style of game. We struggled to find any fluency for spells during that match, but as a squad, we’re solid. The substitutions made the difference when coming on to get us back in front and see us over the line.

Next is a tough challenge in AFC Blackpool. After two very testing games against them last season, we’re well aware of their quality and that we’ll need to be at the top of our game to come away with the result.

This is the start of 3 games at home for ourselves, and we’re keen to put a stretch of results together and start to climb up the table. The target is the same as last year; we want to be up the top end of the table and fighting to win this league.

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GOLD

PARTNERS

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SILVER

PARTNERS

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A TRIP DOWN

MEMORY LANE

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MATCH FACTS vs Competiton Venue Date Result

Ashton Town Edward Case Trophy (QF) Rakesmoor Lane Saturday, 30th April 2022 4-3 11

EYES O

OPPO FACTSHEET COLOURS Orange & White NICKNAME The Mechanics GROUND NAME The Mechanics CAPACITY 2,000 RECORD ATTENDANCE 770 (vs AFC Bury - 5th February 2022) LAST TIME OUT 2-1 (Rakesmoor Lane - 26th February 2022)

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ON THE

ONENT THEIR HISTORY

T

he club was formed as Blackpool Metal Mechanics in 1947 before changing its name to Blackpool Mechanics.

Walter Jepson, after whom Jepson Way is named, was the founding member and long-serving club secretary.

The club started playing at the Stanley Park arena before moving to its current home in 1949.

The club started playing in the Fylde District Football League, Division Two. They won the Division Two title in the 1950-51 season and were promoted to Division One, where between 1953-54 and 1957-58, they were champions twice and runners-up three times in five consecutive seasons.

The club also won several local cup competitions, including the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield in 1957-58.

As First Division Champions in 2010-11, the club was promoted to the Premier Division in the club’s most successful season. With a record-breaking 28 wins, three draws and only three losses from all 34 league matches.

They also reached the semi-finals of the First Division Cup and League Cup. The Junior section also saw notable successes. The under 16’s achieved the League and Cup double. The under 10’s and 11’s won their respective leagues. The under 14’s won promotion.

Long-term player Martin Baird took over from Dave Worthington, looking to push the club back towards the Premier Division. Baird led Mech’s to a playoff finish, but his side lost out on penalties to eventual winner Golcar United.

In 1959, the club decided to move up the leagues and joined the West Lancashire League. In their first season, 1959-60, they were runners-up. The following season, they were champions, winning the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield again. In the next season, 1961-62, the team won the West Lancashire League Championship once again.

In 1962, the club joined the Lancashire Combination and were placed into Division Two. This division was disbanded in 1968, with the league becoming a single division.

The 1971-72 season saw a third-place finish. The following season, the team won the Lancashire Combination Bridge Shield and, in the 1974-75 season, finished runners-up in the league, just one point behind champions Darwen.

In 1982 the Lancashire Combination merged with the Cheshire League to form the North West Counties Football League. The club were placed in Division Three and finished sixth overall in their first season, 1982-83. They were promoted as champions to Division Two in 1985-86 and made a one-season visit the Division One in 1991-92 before being relegated back to Division Two. In May 2005, Lytham St. Anne’s FC, former West Lancashire League Champions, merged with the Mechanics after resigning from the league and in May 2008, the club merged with Squires Gate Junior FC, with the club being renamed AFC Blackpool.

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CLUB

NEWSROOM

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

A

fter two years of preparation, the club’s new training area has finally opened to junior and adult teams. The new area was created by levelling the ground and resurfacing, which took up most of the time.

This is a great step forward for Holker. We hope this new training area will help us continue to grow as a club and enable better player development, and we look forward to its prolonged use.

Continuous improvement is at the heart of what we do, and we always look for ways to build on our fantastic facilities.

If you have any suggestions, please drop us an email - info@hobafc.co.uk

CONNECT WITH US...

Facebook - @OfficialHOBAFC Twitter - @OfficialHOBAFC Instagram @OfficialHOBAFC

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2022/23

PLAYER SPONSO

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PATRICK ALLINGTON

JOE AMISON

JAY BARKER

BRANDON COLLINS

TOM DAWSON

CALLUM FAWCETT

JAMIE HODGSON

SAM JOEL

HAKAN MCCRACKEN

SEAN PATERSON

NATHAN REID

GARETH SMITH

ORS SAM STEPHENS

KEVIN WATKIN

JASON WALKER

TYLER WOOD

JOSH WOODEND

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SPONSORSHIP

PACKAGES IN STADIUM MATCHWEAR PLAYER PROGRAMME & PRINT DIGITAL MEDIA AND MORE...

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MANAGER KEVIN WATKIN & DAVID ROUND

MANAGER MARTIN BAIRD

Patrick ALLINGTON Joe AMISON Jay BARKER Callum BAYNES Brandon COLLINS Reece CRESSWELL Tom DAWSON Max DIXON Callum FAWCETT Jamie HODGSON Sam JOEL Ross LIDDICOTT Finley MARTIN Hakan MCCRACKEN Joe MCGLADDERY Will MCGLADDERY Luke MITCHELL Sean PATERSON Daniel PATTINSON Jamie PATTINSON Nathan REID Gareth SMITH Tyler SPENCE Sam STEPHENS Jason WALKER Robbie WALLACE Kevin WATKIN Tyler WOOD Josh WOODEND

Shakil ALI Martin BAIRD Liam BIRCHALL Conah BISHOP Liam BLEEKER Joseph BOOTH Charlie CARPENTER Adam CHIPPENDALE Jake DARNELL Josh DOLBY-ARMSTRONG Francis DONAGHY Benjamin DUFFIELD Jacob GREGORY Daniel HALL Kyle HIGHAM Connor MCAULEY Callum MCHALE Billy MCKENNA Alexander MCLOUGHLIN Tarren MOXON William RIDING Joseph ROBINSON Michael RODDY Richard SEEAR Thomas SHUTTLEWORTH Matthew SILLETT Lewis SIMMONS Ethan SMYTH Sam STAUNTON-TURNER Adam SUMNER Maine WALDER Ryan WHITE Regan WHITTAKER Joshua WINDER