WEST c
West Didsbury & Chorlton Official Matchday Programme - £2
Saturday 15 February – 3.00pm
West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC v New Mills
WELCOME to WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC The Step Places Stadium, Brookburn Road, Chorltonville Manchester M21 8FE
Club Committee: Steve Eckersley; Rob McKay; Glyn Meacher; Rob Madden; Dave Cooper; Monica Creer; John Churchman; James Doxford; Davy Iredale; Dan Iredale; Tim Manley and Matthew Britton 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.
To contact the club please use the club website: www.wdfc.co.uk Main Club Sponsor:
Ground Safety In the interest of spectator comfort and safety, the following conditions apply at the clubs Step Places Stadium, 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.
-2-
Welcome to New Mills Good afternoon and welcome to today’s North West Counties League Division 1 South fixture against New Mills. We welcome their officials, players and supporters to the Step Places stadium here at Brookburn Road and we hope they enjoy our hospitality today. New Mills arrive here in 14th place in the league having recovered from losing their first 7 games of the season in all competitions. We have already met twice this season, a 3-3 draw in the league at Church Lane back in September, a game in which we looked like taking all 3 points until conceding a last minute penalty, and here at Brookburn Road in the Macron Cup in October when we managed to run out 3-1 winners. After last week’s Cup distraction, it is now back to the matter of continuing to pick up league points towards our goal of a top 4 finish. While we were involved in cup action other league results have seen us fall to 6th place albeit we have games in hand over 3 of the teams above us. Today is the first of 3 consecutive home games which we really need to take advantage of to put pressure on the other sides competing with us for the 4 promotion places. Last week’s Playermatch.com Cup tie saw us fall to a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Sandbach Utd. A game in which we never really got going until late in the 2nd half saw our visitors progress to the Semi Final with goals in injury time at the end of each half. We were surprised and delighted to see our Norwegian fan club at last week’s game. They usually manage to visit us once or twice a season and last Saturday was their first visit since the Abbey Hey away game last season. We have now designated the game against Barnton on 29 February as our official Ground Naming day. We look forward to welcoming Harinder Dhaliwal and everyone at Step Places to Brookburn Road and we thank them for their ongoing support. Hopefully the weather will finally cooperate on the day as we have had to postpone this event a couple of times already. Our outstanding home league game against Sandbach has still to be rearranged, so our next home game is next Saturday 22 February when we welcome 2nd placed FC Oswestry Town for another vital game. As mentioned we entertain Barnton here on 29 February. All before our next way game on March 7th against Wythenshawe Amateurs which forms part of the NWCFL Groundhop weekend and kicks off at 11am. Thank you for visiting Step Places Stadium and have a safe journey home.
Cover picture: Zac Cooper in action before his ankle injury, we hope to welcome Zac back to full fitness soon.
-3-
From the Dugout‌ Good afternoon and welcome back to The Step Places Stadium to all the West fans. I’d also like to welcome New Mills; we hope everyone connected with our visitors receives a warm welcome for this game. This is an important fixture for the club, as we embark on an important phase in our league campaign. New Mills are in good form, avoiding defeat in their last three matches (with two wins and a draw). As ever, it is good to be playing in front of our home supporters and we are looking forward to what will be another great atmosphere. The PlayerMatch.com Cup loss against Sandbach was obviously a disappointing result last Saturday, especially as we played so well in our previous two fixtures against Cheadle Heath and Eccleshall. At that point, we had four wins and one draw from six matches, which took us into the top four league positions. We did have factors that played a part in the problems we encountered. With a number of the first team squad unavailable, we were forced to use players recovering from illness and/or injury which is clearly not ideal. Still, these are not excuses, and we must continue to be positive and focus on the fact that we are in a good position to fight for promotion this season. Overall, we have been on a very good run since the beginning of January and I know we have the quality to get that back on track today. We also have some players returning from absence and that will help to make us stronger. Our mentality must remain the same. To be fully committed at all times, to approach every match with the intention of winning and playing well, and to challenge for promotion come the end of the season. I have belief that the players will respond in the right way today and, with your fantastic support, we will be doing everything we can to secure another memorable victory at The Step Places Stadium. Come on West! Craig Malbon Assistant Manager
-4-
NWCFL Division One South Results and Fixtures
-5-
Match Report… 8 February, 2020 West 0 Sandbach United 2 (Garner-Knapper (45), Saxton (90+2) Att: 245
Coley and Moloney made their first appearances in a number of weeks but were unable to break the game from the torpor into which it settled. Sandbach, not needing to chase the game, simply chose to manage out as much of the remaining time as possible. These street smarts worked out, draining the game of any colour and running down the clock. West, for their part, obliged – nothing tackles turning into 5 minute quarrels as they got drawn into the games being played by the visitors. The nadir perhaps came when one Sandbach player used a West corner to sit down in the middle of the pitch, and spend several minutes adjusting a shinpad. The ploy worked, as the corner was squandered.
West’s hopes of silverware at the end of the season were dashed on a chilly day in Chorlton, as Sandbach continued their fine run of form in the Playermatch Cup. A crowd of 245 – most wrapped up warm, others underdressed having been tricked by a sunny spell earlier in the day – showed up to the Step Places Stadium, but only experienced a game that flowed in fits and starts. The early pressure was all West’s – the opening 10 minutes weren’t quite blistering in their intensity, but at least hinted at a team warming up with a semifinal place on offer. The biggest opportunity would fall to James Hooper, slipped past the last man but only able to find the onrushing keeper’s torso with a powerful drive. It would arguably be the closest that they would come all afternoon and marked the end of the home side’s fluidity.
West did apply some pressure, but there were nothing more than half-chances for supporters to get excited about: Billy Matthews, energetic all game, might’ve had a penalty on another day (though in truth, it looked like the referee made the correct call), and the Sandbach goalkeeper had to pull off an acrobatic save when a free-kick from deep eluded everyone and almost bounced in at the far post. However, it was the visitors who would find the net again: a mix-up at the back as West were trying to forge a last roll of the dice left Will Saxton with an open goal having taken the ball away from Jones and a defender. He slotted home, starting the celebrations for Sandbach in a game that, on the balance of play, they deserved to win – though perhaps not by such a generous scoreline.
On the stroke of half time, Sandbach took the lead. With either side unable to get a grip in midfield, and no real pattern to the play of the game, the majority of the first half slipped away. However, the fractured nature of the game meant that either side were at the mercy of chance and fortune. Unfortunately for the vocal home support, it was they who were to be victims of a bad bounce: Sandbach pressure around the area was unable to be cleared, and a bobble presented an opportunity for the ball to be put through to Garner-Knapper. He was unerring in front of goal, leaving Andrew Jones with no chance and the visitors with a half time lead.
West: A. Jones, Cook, Westall (Coley 51), Tinker, McLellan, Heathcote ©, Ryan, C. Jones, Matthews, Hooper, Argent-Brown (Moloney 60). Not used: Dale, Clark
Half-time talk of West being a second-half side of late slowly but surely turned into wanting to concentrate on the league.
Report: Matt Durrant
-6-
-7-
NWCFL Division One - South Saturday 15th February fixtures:
Abbey Hey v Stone Old Alleynians Alsager Town v Barnton Sandbach United v Wythenshawe Town St Martins v Cammell Laird 1907 Vauxhall Motors v FC Oswestry Town WEST v New Mills Wythenshawe Amateurs v Cheadle Heath Nomads
-8-
First Team Appearances…
-9-
History of New Mills Mills achieved promotion to The Evo-Stik League
New Mills AFC, based in the High Peak of Derbyshire, have continually been at the forefront of organised football in the area. The Club's home ground is regarded as one of the most picturesque in non-league football.
The debut season in The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League was tough after being placed in Division One South, but the eventual position of ninth represented a respectable finish. After a mixed start to the 2012/13 campaign, Pickering was replaced by assistant Roy Soule, who guided them to a play-off position, losing to Trafford in the play-off semi-final.
Football has been played in New Mills since 1886. The Club first played in friendlies before joining The North Cheshire League and The Manchester League. The Club moved to their present home of Church Lane in 1922.
2013/14 was a difficult season with a wet winter producing the inevitable March/April fixture backlog. The Club eventually ended in a mid-table position in Division One North.
After moving to The Cheshire League in 1974 the club struggled and by the early 1980's were forced to cease football activity. Local side Birch Vale and Thornsett FC were looking for a ground and soon they adopted the name of New Mills AFC and started progression via The Lancashire and Cheshire League and the Manchester League.
2014/2015 proved tough for New Mills AFC. They finished in a relegation position but gained a reprieve. Soule resigned in the summer and was replaced by Keith Briggs who left the Club three weeks later replaced by his Assistant Andy Fearn.
New Mills re-joined The North West Counties League in 2004 (they were founding members in 1982). Under Tony Hancock the club enjoyed success, beginning with the NWCFL Second Division Trophy in 2007. The following season they won Division Two by ten points. 2008/09 saw them win the League Challenge Cup, but after a twenty one game winning run, promotion to The EvoStik League was denied by a last day defeat at AFC Fylde.
Fearn remained for seven games before resigning, being replaced by Garry Brown and assistant Paul Williams. Despite their previous success at Wythenshawe Town, they were unable to make the step up and the club mustered just three draws in the season gaining national media attention. The club found themselves back in the North West Counties League for the 2016/17 season but despite improvement Brown resigned early in the season, with Williams taking over. Williams was unsuccessful in making the step up from Assistant Manager and he was to leave the club before Christmas in 2016.
2009/10 saw The Millers finish runners-up to Newcastle Town who gained promotion to the Evo-Stik League after which Hancock resigned, former Mossley boss Ally Pickering taking over as caretaker. Pickering became full-time manager and 2010/11 proved third time lucky as New
Calum Sykes was appointed the new Manager and clinched the signings of a
- 10 -
History of New Mills continued‌
After another disappointing season which only saw the club mathematically safe from relegation after the penultimate match of the 2018/19 season, Paul Riley was appointed as Manager along with Darren McConnell and Nehru McKenzie as his management team for the 2019/20 season.
number of players that he had worked with at previous clubs giving the club solid foundations to build from moving forwards. Home form was good at the end of 2016/17 but away form remained disappointing and the club were relegated. Callum Sykes resigned in mid-November of the 2017/18 season to be replaced his assistants, Gareth Cross and Nick Dowse and the club finished in 14th position.
Seven defeats at the start of the season saw Paul Riley’s team replaced by Mike Norton and David Birch in early September 2019.
Daniel McLaughlin pictured playing for WEST
- 11 -
League Table On 8th February
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
P 25 28 27 27 24 26 28 27 26 28 27 24 25 26 24 28 26 27 25 26
Vauxhall Motors FC Oswestry Town Stone Old Alleynians Abbey Hey Wythenshawe Town WEST Eccleshall Cheadle Town Maine Road Stockport Town * Cheadle Heath Nomads Wythenshawe Amateurs Cammell Laird 1907 New Mills Sandbach United Abbey Hulton United Alsager Town Barnton Ellesmere Rangers St Martins
- 12 -
W 21 19 16 15 14 14 14 12 11 12 9 9 8 8 9 9 6 8 6 4
D 1 3 5 5 5 5 3 4 5 4 5 4 6 5 0 0 7 1 5 3
L 3 6 6 7 5 7 11 11 10 12 13 11 11 13 15 19 13 18 14 19
F 68 65 58 52 60 51 54 47 53 52 38 36 52 46 34 36 30 27 35 31
A 26 36 28 40 23 32 45 44 45 51 48 32 53 61 42 73 57 55 69 65
GD Pts 42 64 29 60 30 53 12 50 37 47 19 47 9 45 3 40 8 38 1 37 -10 32 4 31 -1 30 -15 29 -8 27 -37 27 -27 25 -28 25 -34 23 -34 15
Today’s Mascots… James Team: West Didsbury & Chorlton: U8’s Orcas Supports (other than West!): Liverpool Favourite West player: Dylan Maloney
Toby School: Chorlton Park Primary Team: West Didsbury & Chorlton: U8’s Supports (other than West!): Liverpool Favourite West player: Making my mind up!
- 13 -
2019-20 First Team Stats results – appearances – goalscorers
- 14 -
2019-20 First Team Stats results – appearances – goalscorers
- 15 -
Recent Action…
Photo’s courtesy of Graham Currey
- 16 -
January winners of the draw are:
Tel: 0161 428 5101 Unit 2, Ashurst Drive,
£100 Robert Madden *
Lawnhurst Trading Estate,
£60 Laura Turley *
Bird Hall Lane, Cheadle
£40 Maya Germain
SK3 0SD
*Returned to the club
Don’t miss out…
www.printonuk.co.uk
Sign up in the Clubhouse - 17 -
- 18 -
Juniors Sponsors We are grateful for the support of the many local businesses and organisations who support WD&C Juniors. If you are interested in joining them then please contact Tim Manley, Junior Chairman on timjohnmanley@gmail.com
OUR SPONSORS Chorlton Electric are your local electricians for all domestic and light commercial work. We are delighted to be sponsoring WD&C Under 8s.To contact us, please visit www.chorltonelectric.co.uk, email admin@chorltonelectric.co.uk or call 0161 881 8162
Mosquito are delighted to sponsor the Under 9 Hawks and Under 9 Harriers. Mosquito is an award-winning creative digital brand communications agency based in Manchester and Cheshire. Langscapes, with 20 year’s experience, are Indian stone specialists for your new patio or driveway. We also provide a range of services for the design of your garden. We are delighted to sponsor the Under 10 Owls. For more information, contact Alan on 07961200362
AIS Alarms have been providing Manchester with effective security solutions for over 30 years and we are delighted to be supporting WD&C Under 10 Eagles. For more information see our website www.aisalarmschorlton.co.uk
Beech Road is a laid-back mix of gift shops, independent outfitters, restaurants and pubs in Chorlton. Beech Road Traders are delighted to sponsor WD&C Under 10 Kestrels.
GetARoom are South Manchester’s specialists for loft conversions and extensions and are delighted to sponsor the WD&C u11s. Email getaroomloftsextensions@gmail.com to find out how you can “get a room”.
RAB Cleaning of Chorlton are proud to sponsor WD&C under 12s.
Batteries Support International are delighted to support the WD&C under 13s.
- 19 -
Vectos are the leading transport planning and infrastructure design consultancy for the development industry across the UK and are proud to support the Under 14 Badgers. Find out more at www.vectos.co.uk
OpenMoney are delighted to sponsor the Under 14 Magpies. OpenMoney offer low-cost online financial advice and tools helping you manage, save and invest your money. Financial advice for all. Visit www.open-money.co.uk, email hello@open-money.co.uk or call 0161 204 3200
NetVu Ltd is an innovative technology and video surveillance company and are delighted to sponsor WD&C u15s. www.netvu.org.uk
South Manchester Credit Union offers financial services to all who live or work in South Manchester. It is a co-operative with deep roots in the community and we are proud to sponsor WD&C under 16s. For more information visit www.smcreditunion.co.uk WD&C under 16 Girls are proud to be supported by the Football Association’s Grow the Game Fund.
The Property File have been established for over 20 years and specialise in Student and Professional lettings and Landlord Property Management in South Manchester. See www.thepropertyfilelettings.co.uk, ring 0161 448 1800 or email info@thepropertyfilelettings.co.uk for more info. The Property File are delighted to support WD&C under 18s
- 20 -
- 21 -
Berlin Football Weekends to run West fans trip to Berlin Set-up by West fan Paul Musco since he relocated to Germany, Berlin Football Weekends are running a West fanexclusive trip for the Bank Holiday weekend of Friday 8th – Sunday 10th May
From Bank Holiday Friday 8 May to Sunday 10 May, we’ll be taking West fans around Berlin, with three matches, a stadium tour, and a brewery visit to give you a perfect taste of what it means to be a fußball fan in Germany. There will be time for your own adventures into the bars of the city too.
With the North West Counties season entering the business end of the season, Berlin Football Weekends are pleased to offer fellow West fans a perfect way to celebrate the end of a (hopefully promotion) winning season – with an exclusive offer for a football-focussed few days in Germany’s capital city for the Brookburn Road faithful.
Find out more on the Berlin Football Weekends website, or get in touch with Berlin Football Weekends by emailing willkommen@berlinfootballweekends .com with the subject “WDCFC v BFW”
Berlin is a footballing hotbed with in excess of 50 teams playing at every level, from Hertha and Union in the Bundesliga, through to the likes of Tennis Borussia in Oberliga Nord, and below. Berlin Football Weekends are curating 3 days that will be a perfect way to round off the 2019-20 campaign.
- 22 -
Sponsoring our remaining 7 home games: Can you or your business support the club in this way? 22nd February
FC Oswestry Town
29th February
Step Places ceremony - Barnton
14th March
Vauxhall Motors
4th April
Ellesmere Rangers
11th April
St Martins
18th April
Abbey Hey
TBC
Sandbach United
Please discuss with John or add your name to the poster in the clubhouse
NWCFL – Attendances‌
- 23 -
January's Macron NWCFL Club of the Month Awards The North West Counties League's Macron Club of the Month Awards for January have today being confirmed, and it was a close run thing in all three divisions. PREMIER DIVISION - The Premier Division saw four teams register an average of over three points in the monthly calculation for club of the month, the first time this season that so many teams have had such a high score.
They started the month with a 1-0 loss at Prestwich Heys, but followed it up with two successive away wins, scoring eight goals as they picked up maximum points at both Ashton Town and AFC Blackpool. This was followed by a 5-3 home win over Nelson, and they completed the month with their fourth win from five games with another five goal haul, this time beating St Helens Town 5-0.
Runcorn Town won five out of six games in the month with one loss, whilst Ashton Athletic also won five out of six games, their other being a home draw with Congleton. 1874 Northwich meanwhile won all four of their games, three in the league and one in the Cheshire Cup at home to Cheadle Heath Nomads.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH - Like the First Division North, the First Division South award saw five teams register an average of over 2.5 points in the monthly calculation for club of the month. However one team stood out as with just one of the five teams recording an average points of over 3 points.
Topping the averages though and just pipping the above to the Club of the Month award though is BOOTLE. They started the month in style with a 7-3 win over Squires Gate at home, followed up by a 40 midweek win at home over Runcorn Town. The Berry Street Garage was not the only place they won though as they followed this up with a 3-0 away win at Congleton Town, and after a two week break they made it four wins out of four in the month with a 1-0 away win at Whitchurch Alport.
Vauxhall Motors won four of their six games in January but defeats to Hebburn Town and Wythenshawe Town saw their average reduced. Speaking of Wythenshawe, they also won four of six games, but a draw and a loss in ther other two home games proved costly. Wythenshawe Amateurs and West Didsbury & Chorlton both had a great month, winning four of their five games including three on the road, but losses to Sandbach and Stone reduced their average.
FIRST DIVISION NORTH - The First Division North award saw five teams register an average of over 2.5 points in the monthly calculation for club of the month, with the winners taking it by a very fine margin.
Out in front though was CHEADLE TOWN, who had an unbeaten month with five wins and a draw from six games.
Holker Old Boys won three out of their four games with Shelley winning five out of six games, but both of those suffered losses in the month that proved crucial. Emley were unbeaten in four away games in the league, but their loss at Worsborough Bridge was costly. And Prestwich Heys had an unbeaten month with three wins from five games, but draws in the other two reduced their average.
They started the month with a 1-0 win at home to Sandbach United, followed by a 2-1 win at New Mills. Two midweek games followed, with a 2-1 home win against West Didsbury & Chorlton followed by an 3-1 away win at Abbey Hulton United. Their fifth win of the month came on the final Saturday when they won the Derby match against Stockport Town 2-1. They completed the month unbeaten as they dropped points for the first time in the month, drawing 2-2 away at Maine Road.
Holding off the challenge though to win their first Club of the Month award since joining the league is GOLCAR UNITED.
- 24 -
Women’s Team Fixtures & Results
- 25 -
Due to cancellations as 26th Jan.
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.
- 26 -
A few facts about Step Places‌ Step Places’ core philosophy is to create places which are focused on people.
Step Places were founded in 2008, originally under the name First Step Group, and the business has evolved to become an award winning developer with a growing portfolio of residential and mixeduse schemes across the North West and beyond.
Their aim is to think creatively and collectively, which means they are passionate about their products and their people. Their team aspires to inspire, focusing on quality and innovation; harnessing nature and utilising cutting-edge technology.
As part of the company’s ongoing growth strategy, in 2018 they changed their name to Step Places to reflect better the work we do.
- 27 -
West
New Mills
Andrew Jones (GK) Ashley Woods Billy Matthews Callum Jones Dontai Gabidon Dylan Moloney George Blackwell Jack Ryan James Cottee James McLellan James Sigsworth Joel Smith Joshua Tinker Keiron Dale Reece Coley Rhian Davis Lee Gavin Matthew Cook Matthew Eckersley Matty Argent-Barnes Sam Heathcote Morgan Newns Steve Hall Zachary Cooper
David Carnell (GK) Tommy Lent Mason Fallon Harry Norris Nathaniel Kerr Kyle Oakes Will Ozono James Neild Benito Lowe Daniel McLaughlin Jake Pollard Elliot Cooke Michael Norton Adam Gardiner Joseph Riley Michael Norton Nathan Webb Darrhyl Mason Kenna Ngoma Sam Watson Cavell Donaldson Alex Fowell (GK)
Manager: Chris Rowley Asst Manager: Craig Malbon Coach: Lennie Sullivan Goalkeeper Coach: Ian Parkinson Physio: Lee Cleaver
Joint Manager: Dave Birch Joint Manager/Player: Michael Norton Coaches: Simon Heaton, Neil Jackson Physio: Stephen O’Hearns or Lee McDonagh or Lorraine Baker
Officials Referee: Tim Eagles Assistant Referees: Kyle Lord & Paul Watson
Come on, West!