OFFICIAL PROGRAMME £2.00
Emirates FA CUP - Extra Preliminary First Round
AFC Liverpool WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Saturday 6 August 2016 3.00pm
WELCOME to WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC The Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road, Chorltonville Manchester M21 8FE CLUB CONTACTS
FOOTBALL CONTACTS
Club President Brian Cripps
Director of Football: Andy Nelson
Chairman Glyn Meacher
First Team Manager: Steve Settle Head Coach: Steve Brockley Assistant: Steve Eckersley (admin) Assistant: Rob Madden Goalkeeping: Dale Newbrook Match Secretary: Rob McKay
Club Secretary Rob McKay Mob: 07706 320397 e-mail: robmckay86@gmail.com Membership Secretary Monica Creer Treasurer Dave Cooper Sponsorship John Churchman 07720 508082 Community Development Davy Iredale
Reserve Team Managers: Jim Hines & Danny Iredale Physio Winston Luke Paddy Murphy Youth Team Joint Managers: Nick Storey & Chris Haines
Publicity Team Rob McKay John Churchman
Programme contributors: John Churchman; Rob McKay and Jonny Keen Match Photographer: Graham Currey 07768 763209 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.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk
Main Club Sponsor:
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Welcome to AFC Liverpool A warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters of AFC Liverpool to Brookburn Road for the opening fixture of the 2016/17 season. Emirates FA CUP It’s a break from tradition that we kick start the season with an FA Cup tie; this is due to the ever increasing number of teams who enter. Everyone at this stage dreams of reaching the later stages and drawing a big team and we’ve seen examples of this in recent seasons when Runcorn Town beat Barrow to reach the 3 rd qualifying round whilst former NWCFL champions Norton United reached the 1st Round Proper one year after winning the league. This being just the fourth time we’ve entered the competition we obviously need to take this one step at a time and we face a tough task against an AFC Liverpool side that’s had a superb pre-season and recruited well in the summer. The winners will face the winners of Squires Gate or Maltby Main at home in the next round so at least there is a strong possibility that a NWCFL side will reach the 1 st qualifying round; let us hope that we are the ones to do that. The FA Cup tie means a real baptism of fire with the game closely followed by a trip to Atherton Collieries on Monday night before we head to Runcorn Linnets next Saturday. It’s as tough a start to the season as anyone will ever face but challenges are like this are why we and so many other people are in football. The fixtures for the entire season have now been released and we’re sure everyone’s first look was the check when the South Manchester Derby against Maine Road would be held and we’ve been given the honour of the Boxing Day home fixture. Our attendance for the fixture in April was an amazing 405 for a Friday night. This was surpassed by the visit of FC United in pre-season so we at the club have set ourselves the target of surpassing the 500 barrier for the first time. As for Friday night football we’ve an informal agreement to reciprocate with our friends at newly promoted Irlam to play on Friday. Currently we travel to Silver Street on October 8 th whilst they visit us on April 8th; subject to permission from the league committee we hope to bring both these fixtures forwards 24 hours so that we might enjoy another feast of Friday football. Season Tickets We are delighted to confirm that we’ve trebled our season ticket sales from last season which just shows that the club is going in the right direction and we’d like to thank everyone who purchased one. Season tickets can still be purchased from the bar for those wishing to do so. In addition, we are also looking for match day sponsors now that the fixtures have been released, if you and friends or your business would like to enjoy an afternoon’s hospitality with the club then please sign up on the poster in the clubhouse, ask behind the bar or anyone of the committee. Nic Evangelinos On the playing side we’d like to wish Nic Evangelinos all the best at his new club AFC Rushden & Diamonds in the Evo-Stik First Division South. Nic had a week-long trial in pre-season with League One side Fleetwood Town where he impressed in their development side playing 90 minutes, scoring one, assisting one and forcing an own goal in a 7-0 over Longridge. He has since returned to his home near Rugby and has now signed with the Northamptonshire Phoenix club; we’re delighted that a player of Nic’s calibre has been given the opportunity to demonstrate what he can do at a higher level and we wish him well at his new club. Enjoy the game, and a safe journey home to all our after the game. WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
Message from the Chairman On behalf of the club I would like to offer a warm welcome to Officials, players and fans of AFC Liverpool our visitors today together with our fans and to those who simply follow football at this level to the Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road for start of the Emirates FA CUP. Looking back over last season it was clear that we continued our significant progress of the last few years, both on and off the pitch and can consider it to have been an unqualified success. Highlights are:
Finishing in our highest ever position fifth in the Premier Division Gaining national media coverage after our 15-1 victory over Dinnington Town in the FA Vase The opening of Hardy Farm providing a base for our Junior Teams Seeing our fan base steadily grow Seeing our volunteer base increasing.
Delivering these achievements is down to the support given to the club by a significant number of people and I would like to give particular thanks to:
Steve Settle, and all his coaching and support staff Steve Brockley, Steve Eckersley, Rob Madden, Dale Newbrook and Rob McKay whose skill, commitment and professionalism has enabled us to make this our best ever season at Step 5. The First Team squad for their immense efforts over the season to ensure we finished 5th in the NWCFL Premier Division. Jim Hines, Danny Iredale, Davy Iredale, and the other coaches, volunteers and players from our Reserves and A Teams. All the managers and coaches in our Junior Football Section. The Clubs Committee for providing the drive to see us to continue to progress as a club year on year Our ever growing band of sponsors and spectators.
Hope you all enjoy the matches.
Glyn Meacher
The 200 Club is a key source of revenue for club, would you like the chance to be winner. Why wait? For a monthly subscription of just £2 you will be in the next draw. Please ask in the clubhouse for more detail.
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Today’s Match Sponsor: Dave Cooper We are very grateful to Dave for sponsoring todays’s match against Barnoldswick Town. Dave is a West man through and through; he joined West Didsbury, as it was then called, in late 1979 just after his 29th birthday. Dave got his big chance as a substitute for the second team at Christie’s playing field. Fortunately the left back was injured and Dave took his place and made it his own. Later that season, he broke into the first team. The next season, West took on a new first team manager who had played with Dave in the past and as a consequence his games for the first team were few and far between.
game. Dave won second team player of the year award. It was presented to him by a new Manchester Utd manager; A. Ferguson.
So for most of the next ten seasons, Dave played left back for the seconds. However, players were short one weekend and the second team manager pushed Dave into midfield, on his birthday no less, and he scored two magnificent goals. The second team manager was a certain R.Turley and apparently he doesn’t like people outscoring him so Dave was back to left back the next
Dave left the club in 1999 after it had relocated and established itself at Brookburn Road but after a few years watching Burnley, decided to return to the now called ‘West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC’ and help out on committee. However, Dave would like to thank all the friends he has made at West for all the enjoyable times he has had with them mainly on Saturday afternoon.
One of the highlights of Dave’s career was winning the Clubman of the year and having it presented by Bobby Charlton at Old Trafford.
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
History of AFC Liverpool AFC Liverpool was formed in 2008 by 1,000 Liverpool FC fans who had become increasingly frustrated at the cost and difficulty in obtaining tickets for Premier League matches. The mooted ‘39th game’, in which Premier League fixtures would be played in different parts of the world, proved to be the final straw as it clearly highlighted that those who ran top flight football were more concerned with money than its fans. A website was created and, with the response being positive, work began to move to the next stage and create a steering group to make the club a reality. At the beginning of March 2008, AFC Liverpool was officially formed and it was made clear that the club was not in any way a response to the contentious ownership issue at Anfield or as a protest against Liverpool Football Club. It was a response to issues at the top end of football in general. The new club's spokesman, fomer Radio Merseyside commentator, Alan Parry explained: "This has nothing to do with the ownership issue (at Liverpool FC), it's about affordability. I've been going to Anfield since the late Seventies when I was six years old. A season ticket in the Kop cost £45 in 1985, today it's £650, which I know is a lot cheaper than some other Premier League clubs, but in inflation terms Eighties prices should equate to £98 today.” Parry added: "Far from wishing to be estranged from the club, we are hoping that Liverpool will look upon us as a little brother." By May, AFC Liverpool had appointed its first manager in Derek Goulding. The following month the club arranged a ground share with Prescot Cables and had been accepted into the North West Counties Football League. On 16th July 2008 the club played its first game at the home of Ashton Town, a 1-1 draw in a friendly with St Helens Town. Mark Crowder
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scored the Reds first goal with a well taken penalty and a crowd of nearly 600 augured well for the season ahead. The club began its first league season extremely well, beating AFC Darwen 5-0 in their opening competitive game which heralded a run of ten wins in the first eleven games. However, they failed to keep this momentum going, eventually finishing a creditable fourth in the league. The season did prove fruitful though as a 1-0 victory over Padiham in First Division Trophy Final at Ashton Athletic provided the club’s first piece of silverware. The 2009/10 season began with three successive victories but after this became indifferent at best. After a 5-2 home defeat to Atherton Collieries on Easter Monday, Derek Goulding left the club and ex- assistant and goalkeeping coach Paul Moore was appointed caretaker manager. Under Moore’s stewardship the club had a strong end to the campaign, winning five out of their last seven league games and achieving a fifth place finish in the league. They also retained the First Division Trophy, coming from behind to beat Cheadle Town 2-1 in the final at Flixton. In doing so, AFC Liverpool became the first club to win the Trophy twice and to successfully defend it. The 2010/11 began in promising fashion with the Reds going on a ten game unbeaten run after an opening day loss at AFC Darwen. However, despite amassing their highest ever points total, promotion never looked likely because of the form of would be champions AFC Blackpool and second placed Runcorn Town. The Reds eventually finished fourth, narrowly missing third place on goal difference. There was further disappointment in the First Division Trophy when they reached the final for a third successive season only to lose to Atherton Collieries 3-2 after extra time. In the FA Vase, steady progress was made to the third round, where their dreams of Wembley were dashed by a defeat at holders and eventual winners, Whitley Bay.
AFC Liverpool History continued
However, at the League AGM in July 2011, there was a surprise when Rossendale United were expelled from the league and Formby were demoted to the First Division. Holker Old Boys, who finished above AFC Liverpool on goal difference, were offered but declined an invitation to take up a place in the Premier Division. The Reds were invited to take the place and duly accepted, meaning they would play Premier Division football the following season. The 2011/12 season started badly in terms of results as the club had to wait until November for their first League victory, a 7-0 demolition of Winsford United. Indeed the result proved to be something of a turning point as the club, who had been rooted to the foot of the table, began the steady climb out of relegation danger, ultimately finishing in nineteenth place. The 2012/13 season saw the club consolidate its position in the Premier Division with an eleventh placed finish, accumulating sixty points in the process. As the season progressed, manager Paul Moore built a core squad of players, which played some of the most exciting, attractive football in the league and, post-Christmas, won fifteen and drew five of twenty eight games, including a defeat of eventual Premier Division champions Padiham on their home patch. The performances were rewarded in the final game of the season as the Reds beat recently crowned champions of the Evo-Stik NPL First Division North, Skelmersdale United, 3-0 in the Liverpool Senior Cup semi-final to book an all North West Counties League clash with Bootle in the final. In 2013/14 the Reds started the campaign at a pace, topping the early tables. They fell just short of being the youngest club to claim the Liverpool Senior Cup, losing the final to Bootle on penalties, and remained among the league’s pacesetters until November and
December when they began to drop away. Paul Moore’s side regained their consistency though and eventually achieved their highest ever league finish, ending up seventh with a total of seventy points. In 2014/15 AFC Liverpool managed to record their highest ever win with a 9-0 victory against St Helens Town before eventually finishing ninth in the Premier Division. They also reached their second Liverpool Senior Cup final, beating Ashton Town, Everton and Bootle along the way. In an exciting final, which saw both teams score in the opening two minutes, the Reds were unable to claim the trophy, losing 5-4 to NPL side Skelmersdale United. The Reds started the 2015/16 season in fine form, winning five out of their first six games, including a 9-2 away win at Chadderton in the FA Cup and a 3-2 win against NPL side Radcliffe Borough in the following round, sending them through to the First Qualifying Round for the first time. At the end of September 2015 though, manager Paul Moore decided to move on and his place as taken by former midfielder Joe Gibbons, who had been on Moore’s backroom staff firstly as coach and then assistant manager since July 2013. However, after a good start to his tenure, a string of poor performances and results saw Gibbons resign after just nineteen games in charge. First team coach Kevin Dally was then appointed as the interim manager and with most of the players also having departed, Dally had just five days to bring in almost an entirely new squad before his first match in charge at Alsager. The Reds came from two goals down to secure a creditable 2-2 draw. Dally’s appointment was made permanent in March 2016. With the luxury of a secure league position Dally was able to use the remaining fixtures to embed his style of play and try out players almost in preparation for the following season. As a result the club finished 17th in the league but were in a much stronger, much more stable position from which to move forward.
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2016 – 2017 First Team Fixtures
Tel: 0161 428 5101 Unit 2, Ashurst Drive, Lawnhurst Trading Estate, Bird Hall Lane, Cheadle SK3 0SD www.printonuk.co.uk
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CLUB MERCHANDISE…NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!!! Support your local club and show your support with our latest official club merchandise! New for this season at £6 (£5 for club members and supporters’ club members) we have beanie hats and a club crest scarf. There are now more ways than ever to buy club merchandise as in addition to being able to purchase on match days our new online club shop is open. Simply log on to www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk today to purchase what you want and have it delivered straight to your front door! Wrist bands £1, Mugs at £5, Key rings at £1, Club badges at £3 Club Ties at £12.50 Programme Back Issues
Follow News Updates on West via Twitter and Facebook! Can’t make it to the game and want live match updates? Wanting the very latest news from the club on the move? Make sure that you log onto our Facebook page for all the latest news, views and updates on all things West Didsbury & Chorlton by clicking on www.facebook.com/WestDidsburyChorlton Alternatively you can follow on the very latest goings on the club with exclusive content by logging onto Twitter and following us @WD_CFC (picture of club badge)
Ground Safety In the interest of spectator comfort and safety, the following conditions apply at the clubs Brookburn Road ground and must be observed at all times.
In case of fire or other emergency that requires the clubhouse or ground to be evacuated instructions will be given over the public address system, and we ask that you comply with those instructions immediately. The chanting of racist or obscene chanting is strictly forbidden. Glasses, bottles, gas canisters, knives, darts, tools, flag poles or any other articles likely to cause injury are not permitted into the ground. Alcohol may be purchased and consumed in the bar area only. Children are not allowed in the Club House unless accompanied by an adult. Encroachment onto the playing area is forbidden at all times. Standing is not allowed in front of the seated areas. All forms of transport on the clubs car park is at the owners’ risk.
The club reserves the right to remove any person from the ground who is in breach of these rules or whose presence is a source of danger or annoyance to others. We hope you understand the reasons for the above are in order for the game to be enjoyed in safe and pleasant conditions. Thank you, West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC Committee.
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2015-16 First Team Stats results – appearances – goalscorers
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2015-16 First Team Stats results – appearances – goalscorer
WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
West 2 FC United 2 match report… West and FC United shared the inaugural Rob Turley Memorial Trophy after an absorbing 2-2 draw in front of a club record crowd of 463 at Brookburn Road. A strong West side lined up with just two changes from the 6-3 defeat at home to Bamber Bridge as Scott Mason and Mark Rogers were handed their first starts of the season. There was also a place on the bench for Rob’s son Mark Turley in honour of his late father. West started brightly and almost led on four minutes as Michael Simcock whipped in a cross to the near post which Ash Woods headed just wide of the far post with Ben Steer also stretching to reach it. A young FC United side responded quickly and almost had an early chance of their own as, a superb pass through the middle released Jack Hartley oneon-one but he was denied by a superb challenge from Simcock. Ash Woods and Steer continued to threaten the FC United defence only to be thwarted by the linesman flag on more than one occasion. The first half remained a tight affair with both sides keen to impress their respective managers as the next chance took until 22 minutes to arrive as FC United’s Sam Baird rose highest at the far post to meet a corner but could only head over.
Half time saw FC United make wholesale changes to their already young squad and immediately lifted the tempo of the match. However it was West who created the first chance of the second half as Joe Shaw forced a good stop from substitute goalkeeper Adriano Basso. West made several changes themselves as the flow of the match became distorted allowing FC United to increase their influence of the half. Their second half dominance was rewarded from a set piece on 61 minutes as Tom Greaves headed home strongly at the near post from a superbly whipped in corner. The two teams were level for just three minutes as Jonny Poizer scored a goal against his former club when Mark Rogers played a superb pass through to Georgi Whyment; the young winger played in Jonny Poizer on the left who kept his cool to slide his shot under the keeper into the bottom left hand corner. West continued to make changes including Steve Settle giving Mark Turley the last 15 minutes to much applause from his watching family and the home support. West came closest to securing the win on 75 minutes when Whyment received the ball at the edge of the area, turning rapidly and firing his shot just wide of the post with much of the ground thinking he’d scored.
It would prove a costly miss as two minutes later West won a corner of their own after a Simcock free kick had been deflected off the wall. Steer found himself in space at the far post and was able to head the ball home from close range from Simcock’s corner.
FC United didn’t give up without a fight and were level just three minutes from time as the impressive Osebi Abadaki fired a low shot from 18 yards out which just creeped inside the near post to earn his side a fair draw and a share of the trophy.
The rest of the half remained a tight affair but FC United should have levelled just before half time when West gifted George Thompson a clear run on goal but he fired wide from inside the penalty area giving West the lead at half time.
Following the match Rob’s wife Isobel presented both Captains with the Trophy whilst Rob’s daughter Laura presented Ben Steer with the man of the match award.
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West 2 FC United 2 match action…
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Message from the Turley Family… Following the Rob Turley Memorial match Tuesday 12th July 2016 will always be a special day for the Turley family to remember. The oasis of good weather in an otherwise miserable week made it a beautiful evening: the pitch in amazingly good condition for the end of season, and the green of the fields and trees with the soft evening sun made it a truly magical setting for the match. The wonderful buffet and hospitality laid on by Monica and the team, the kind speeches and flowers given to us, and of course the extra large crowd – (a club record of 463 I believe), made it such a touching and moving event. We are so grateful to FC United for agreeing to play this friendly match and for their sportsmanship. The match itself was fast paced, played fairly but with vigour and with the extra poignancy of our Mark playing for the last 10 minutes wearing a shirt with his dad’s name and number on it. There was even a very satisfactory final score of 2-2 to make it a perfect evening, and I was delighted to present the Rob Turley Memorial Trophy to the captains of each team. Laura also enjoyed the honour of picking man of the match, and Chloe (the dog) enjoyed another moment of fame featuring on Non-League Dogs!
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We cannot thank enough all those involved in organising and those attending the match and for making it a truly special occasion which would have left Rob speechless and very very touched if he had known about it. We were all left feeling simply overwhelmed by the kindness and thoughtful gestures shown by those at club, and we are also thrilled that the proceeds have been donated to Betel UK whose Manchester Hardy Farm centre overlooks the playing fields and whose valuable work Rob and the family are proud to support.
History of West… book launch! Last year West Didsbury & Chorlton enjoyed a record breaking season including a highest ever league position and phenomenal 15-1 win. To celebrate, we are releasing a brand new history book covering our club’s amazing 108 year long history, from humble beginnings as a casual church team to the club we have become today. In our new book, you’ll be able to read about all this and more, including anecdotes, interviews, photographs and press clippings from throughout our history. Only within these pages will you be able to get the full story on…
The great West Didsbury lime heist…
How our club nearly became “West Didsbury & Chorlton Metro”
And what the match report meant when it told us that “West Sizzle Bacon!”
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NWCFL Final League Table
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Club news snippets… West confirmed for 2017 Groundhop After a fair bit of planning over the last six months, we are delighted to confirm the dates and clubs to be visited by the 2017 Groundhop. In association with the UK leader in this field - GroundhopUK, are delighted to announce the host clubs for the first Groundhop of its kind in our League which will be held on Easter Sunday and Monday, 16 & 17 April 2017. On Easter Sunday, 16 April, the host clubs are planned to be: Ashton Athletic St Helens Town Runcorn Town Easter Monday, 17 April, sees the Hop visit: West Didsbury & Chorlton Maine Road Atherton Collieries Kick off times and order of the games will be decided at a later time. Speaking today, League Development Officer Gary Langley said “I am absolutely delighted with this line-up. These are six fantastic clubs who I know will be excellent and welcoming hosts, and everyone is excited about the prospect of the first Groundhop to be held around our League.” Chris Berezai from GroundhopUK said “The League have come up with an excellent choice of host clubs that will prove very popular with groundhoppers. Having a fairly recent addition to the League in West Didsbury & Chorlton, and a brand new ground at Ruskin Drive marking the return home for St Helens Town will be added attractions! It’s a very popular League, and we are very much looking forward to working very closely with the Hallmark Security League to make sure it’s a fantastic event”
Further hop weekends are planned in following seasons, including a massive Easter weekend in 2018/19. The Six Hallmark Security League matches will boost the GroundhopUK 2017 Easter weekend to a massive thirteen matches, running from Maundy Thursday to Easter Saturday with the Northern Counties East League before the North West Counties League takes over on the Sunday and Monday.
WEST v FC United – 19th July On the Tuesday evening West were joined by the boys from Cambridge Rules1848 Podcast as they spoke to several members of the clubs committee and supporters about their involvement at West. The podcast has been set up in conjunction with Cambridge City Council to commemorate a project to honour football’s first ever set of rules written back in 1848 as they seek to understand why football is the phenomenon that it has become. Featured in the piece are Club Secretary Rob McKay, Committee Member James Doxford, volunteers Matthew Britton and Pete Jones as well as supporters Peter Broadhead and Stephie Parker. The Podcast is 20 minutes in length and you can listen by clicking the following link. http://www.cambridgerules1848.com/written -stone/cambridge-rules-podcast-2-12-june2016.
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The Magic of the Cup… The oldest cup competition in the world. The pinnacle of the domestic season. The FA Cup. Despite what the detractors say, those with dreams of something bigger, there is still magic in the cup. The competition is 145 years old this year. 145 years! That is slightly younger than the Fire Brigade, slightly older than the telephone, or the lightbulb. It's about the same age as Germany. The FA Cup was founded in 1871 as a prize for the 50 member clubs of the Football Association to compete for. Only 15 took up the offer, the most famous of whom, Wanderers, would go on to win the very first final, at the Oval in front of a crowd of 2000 people. They had made it through the semifinal as fancied Queen’s Park had been forced to withdraw from a replay, and defeated Royal Engineers to lift the trophy. Clapham Rovers’ Jarvis Kenrick had the honour of scoring the very first FA Cup goal, while Morton Betts scored the last goal that season, the winner in the final, to go down in history. Wanderers would go on to win 6 of the first 9 competitions. Kenrick transferred to Wanderers and scored in the 1877 final and two in the 1888 final as they retained the title three times. The FA Cup is the constant ever-present in a game constantly trying to reinvent itself. Maybe the magic has been lost somewhere, there are no Jarvis Kenricks to write themselves into folklore for winning the trophy. Jesse Lingard may have ended Man Utd’s trophy drought in May, but his manager still got sacked, and the immediate questions were about his Champions League potential. For Man Utd, the FA Cup isn't magic, it's a distraction. Even for Crystal Palace, it's painful to have lost but it wouldn't have defined their immediate future. Well, no more than finishing midtable in the league, at any rate. But when the magic does shine through, it often flies in the face of the detractors. Who could forget the outcry that the 2013 final would be held before the end of the season? An abomination to those who love the grand old competition, further reduction of it’s importance in a world of mega TV deals and four supposed ‘champions’ in Europe’s elite competition. And the cup responded with its biggest shock for a quarter of a century, as little Wigan with their tiny attendances and who would be relegated the following week, won their first ever major trophy against the oil-rich superstars of Manchester City. Just as the competition seemed at its most vulnerable, it conjured up a match to embody it's enchanted spirit, and we all remembered just why we love it. But it's more tangible the lower down the league you go. The magic is still very real, very possible. If
you paid attention, you could see it just last season. Exeter heading to the home of European giants Liverpool in the Third Round, that is where the magic lies. Carlisle hosting Everton. Oxford beating Swansea. The terraces so packed you can barely breathe, the hope and expectation seared into the faces of an entire town or village, as the big boys come to play. In the immortal words of Paul Daniels, that's magic. But even further than that. Sporting Khalsa went six rounds in the 2015/16 edition, beginning in the Extra-Preliminary Round and just missing out on a tie against a league side. Didcot Town came in a stage later, and made it into the First Round, losing to the Exeter side that carried the magic to Anfield. Northwich Victoria went one better, starting in the Preliminary Round and reaching the Second Round Proper. They suffered the heartbreak of a late winner from Northampton. Try telling these teams that the cup has lost its magic. Try telling them that it doesn't mean anything anymore. And what about the players? Jarvis Kenrick may have been the first FA Cup hero, but what of the lower league journeymen who are just like you and me during the week, but for whom one perfect moment could launch them to national acclaim. Over 10,000 players could take part this season's FA Cup. Which of them is going to be the next Roy Essandoh, who answered an ad in the paper to play for Wycombe Wanderers, a week before knocking out Leicester City? Or Mark Bryant, who when Yeovil were playing in the 8th tier, put out ‘Bank of England’ Sunderland, the Man City of their day? Or Matt Hanlan or Tony Rains, who helped Sutton Utd to put holders Coventry City out? Who will be this year’s Ronnie Radford? All it takes a single goal to remind us of just how special the cup is. Whether it be to national attention like Ronnie Radford’s launching the career of John Motson in the process, or just a curiosity that a few will cherish in their memories like Holbeach United goalkeeper Ricky Drury’s overhead kick in the final minute against Worcester City, three divisions above them (seriously, find it on YouTube), the FA Cup gives every single player the chance to be a hero for a day. What isn't magical about that? Think about all of that and then ask yourself again: is the magic of the cup really in danger of running out? Our view: not likely. Enjoy the game. Martyn & Tom Please follow our progress at www.acrossthepark.org.uk or on Twitter @acrossparkblog
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Please sign up on the poster in the clubhouse! www.westdidsburychorlton.co.uk
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.
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Saturday 6 August 2016 West Didsbury & Chorlton
AFC Liverpool
White Shirts, Black Shorts & Black Socks
Red Shirts, Red Shorts & Red Socks
Emini Adenbengro Connor Belger Kieron Brislen Jason Carey John Cheetham Josh Essery Brandon Gaskell Jack Hont Mark Kirby Kevin Leadbetter Andrew Miller Marvin Molyneux Callum Morrison Lewis Moynes Joshua O’Connell Emil Pelka Charlie Saunders Francis Smith Paul Speed Jonathon Swatton Mark Tooney Shaun Tuck Michael White Conor Wright Jake Young
Hayden Buckley-Smith (G) Dean WIlliams (G) Callum Jones Scott Mason Mark Rodgers © Anthony Potts Paul Socha Gary Lilley Rick Gleave Matty Kay Jonathan Poizer Lee Gavin Matt Eckersley Georgi Whyment Ashley Woods Joe Shaw Ben Steer Rob Black
Manager: Steve Settle Assts: Steve Brockley & Steve Eckersley
Manager: Kevin Dally Assistant:
OFFICIALS Referee: Dave Croft Asst. Referees: Ryan Barker & Lee Bull
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Ass