West Didsbury & Chorlton v FC United Matchday Programme

2013/14 SEASON / MATCH DAY PROGRAMME £2 Main Club Sponsor:

Pre – Season Friendly Wednesday, 10 July 2013

v FC United

WELCOME to WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC CLUB CONTACTS

FOOTBALL CONTACTS

Club President

First Team

Brian Cripps

Manager: Andy Nelson 07952 567240 Asst Mgrs: Steve Eckersley & Steve Settle (coach) Kit Manager: John Barton

Chairman Glyn Meacher 07905 431526

Reserve Team Manager: Robert Madden 07730 655446 Asst Manager: Jim Hines

Club Secretary Rob Turley 0161 448 1838 07891 298441

Club Coaches Steve Eckersley / Kris Mahon

Membership Secretary Monica Creer 0161 881 1135

Physios Treasurer

Rachel Wood and Paddy Murphy

Dave Cooper 07961 063195

‘A’ Team Manager Head of Fundraising

Danny Iredale 07939 392828

Steve Eckersley 07788 112909

Youth Team Manager Ian Depeiaza 07838 232401

Community Development Davy Iredale

Junior Football Co-ordinator Mark Rogers 07841 112903

Publicity and Web John Churchman 07720 508082

Vets Managers Press Officer, Social Media & Web Rob McKay 07706 320397

Chris Smith 07867 171815 Steve Fisher 07956 678937

ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR SPONSOR LIST… Join our growing list of sponsors, we have packages to suit your budget including:

THE CLUB

● Match Day Sponsor ● Player Kit Sponsor ● Pitch Advertising (3-year period) ● Programme Advertising

£100 £50 £250 per season £50 - £100

200

The 200 club is a vital source of income and is open to anyone. A monthly standing order payment of £2 entitles one entry into the monthly £200 of prizes to be won.

If you are interested in joining please contact Brian, Rob or Monica or ask for a form in the club house.

The sooner you complete a form and enter the draw the sooner you could win.

Editorial

10th July 2013 – FC United

Welcome to The Recreation Ground for tonight’s friendly as we look forward to adding new milestones in our 105 year history.

It seems no time since that last thrilling home game at the end of April when the late goal in the 3-2 win over Irlam was enough to secure promotion from NWC Division 1 at the first time of asking. The Cup Final success over Abbey Hey at Runcorn three days later was the icing on the cake on another great night.

After many editorials towards the end of the season when we were cautious about premature celebration, it is only right that we should finally put on record our huge congratulations to Andy and all the players and management team for a really fantastic and successful last season – our best ever!

We now have the NWC Premier Division to look forward to this coming season, entry into the FA Cup for the first time and also the FA Vase.

We are fulfilling our club Vision of playing at the highest level of our abilities whilst remaining as a club owned and run by and for its members.

Promotion means we now must improve our facilities again to meet FA ground grading requirements.

We have to develop more covered seating and standing accommodation for spectators and to do this during the course of next season. We will shortly be applying for planning permission for what we need.

WELCOME TO FC UNITED Tonight we welcome FC United, another members club, with a shorter but proud history of recent achievement having progressed from the NWCFL Div 1 when the club started to the verge of promotion to The Conference North for the past 3 seasons. FC United also have their own ground development plans with planning permission granted for a new stadium in Moston and their own fundraising efforts for that.

That’s why the gate receipts from tonight’s game will be split equally between our two clubs so rest assured every penny that is raised will be going to help improve grass roots football facilities in Manchester in Chorlton and Moston.

We are grateful to FC United for agreeing to visit us tonight and hoping for a fine evening and a good crowd to equal or break our previous record attendance against Altrincham set 10 years ago in July 2003. We had agreed to play FC United a few years ago but the summer drought meant our pitch wasn’t ready in time and we had to postpone. However, FC United remained true to their word to come and visit and we are all looking forward to an enjoyable game tonight.

NEW RECRUITS We are delighted to announce several additions to the club for next season: STEVE BROCKLEY and NEIL SMITH are both players with tons of non league experience who will strengthen the first team squad and behind the scenes JOHN BARTON joins as kit manager, RACHEL WOODS and PADDY MURPHY who are our new physiotherapists, and last but not least our new youth team manager IAN DEPEIAZA and youth development coordinator MARK ROGERS. All are really enthusiastic individuals and great additions to our club. We look forward to working with them as part of our support teams as we strengthen and develop the club further.

REMAINING PRE-SEASON PROGRAMME Please refer to our current Pre-season fixture list and the opening game of the season on 3rd August against AFC Liverpool later in the programme.

Remember to keep checking www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton for latest news at this busy time of year. … AND FINALLY – ENJOY TONIGHT’S GAME and your visit to the club.

The front cover picture: John Deal the NWCFL Secretary presenting the Cup to Mike Aston, copied from the NWCFL website.

Our thanks to Mike Fryer for providing photos again this season for the web and programme.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

From the Chairman On behalf of the club I would like to offer a warm welcome to the Officials and players of FC United, fans of both clubs and those who follow football at this level, to what is one of the most prestigious friendlies the club has ever played and one where we hope out club attendance record will be broken.

It is now a little over eight weeks ago, from our cup final win against Abbey Hey, and five weeks from us receiving official confirmation that we had been promoted. Whilst these achievements, ensured that last season will go down as one of the most successful in our 105 year history, the hard work has started on and off the field to ensure that we are in a position to cope successfully with our third promotion in the last three years On the field the reason that we have been able to achieve our consistent success is due to the professionalism of Andy and all his coaching, support staff and players and I would like to take this opportunity to offer thanks to everyone for the last 4 seasons and good luck for the coming one.

Off the field, plans are in place to develop the ground to meet the grading requirements for the NWCFL premier league, and provide additional covered seating and standing and also improved turnstile facilities at the entrance to the ground.

In addition, we have secured grant funding for the development of grass pitches at the land to the side of the current pitch, As such, by the start of the 2014/15 season we will have an additional 2 adult and 2 junior pitches to play on, which will help us achieve our objective of ensuring that all our adult teams are able to play here and we develop a junior section to the club Finally, I hope that you enjoy the match and enjoy your visit to Brookburn Road Glyn Meacher Chairman – West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC

Match Sponsors‌Pennant We are pleased to welcome Pennant again as our match sponsors, Pennant have been a partner and support us with a lot of our publicity material.

For further information contact John Churchman on 0161 947 6942

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

View from the Dugout I would not only like to welcome FC United to Brookburn Road this evening but also some very close personal friends and it is therefore a delight to host this fixture.

FC United's first ever game all those years ago was against Leigh RMI at Hilton Park, whom I was the manager of at the time, and Karl was the newly appointed manager of FC United.

It was a particularly nice occasion because I had previously worked with 'Margy' in community based football and was also very friendly with Andy Walsh who initiated much of this first historic event.

I have also stood in opposing dug outs to 'Margy' in a number of competitive fixtures over the years with Warrington Town, Chorley and Witton Albion, but today will be very much a friendlier occasion.

I have been delighted to witness the continued development and success of FC United because I am well aware of their enormous drive and dedication behind the scenes and I am personally delighted for all that 'Margy' has achieved for it has been a credit to the man and to the club.

West have many friends and connections with FC United and their supporters and we are therefore particularly pleased to welcome all concerned to our club.

Regards Andy Nelson

Our Cup and promotion winning team of 2012/13 http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

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.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

CLUB NEWS… We are on the lookout for Club Helpers can YOU help?

Our club is dependent on the time and effort of volunteer helpers who act as club officials, manage and staff the bar and clubhouse on match days, produce the match day programme and undertake a host of other tasks around the clubhouse and grounds. Every little helps so if you are interested in getting involved please contact us at www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton Or contact the secretary, Rob Turley on 07891 298441 or e-mail to: rob.turley@btinternet.com

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Our username is WD_CFC (picture of club badge) http://www.facebook.com/WestDidsburyChorlton

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.

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The chanting of racist or obscene chanting is strictly forbidden.

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Glasses, bottles, gas canisters, knives, darts, tools, flag poles or any other articles likely to cause injury are not permitted into the ground.

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Alcohol may be purchased and consumed in the bar area only.

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Children are not allowed in the Club House unless accompanied by an adult.

Encroachment onto the playing area is forbidden at all times.

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Standing is not allowed in front of the seated areas.

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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

CLUB MERCHANDISE Available in the clubhouse…

Mugs at £5, Key rings at £1, Club badges at £3 Club Ties at £12.50 Coming for this season… Bennie hats and new scarves

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

Supporters Club The future of West Didsbury & Chorlton is changing as the club sets to embark on a historic debut season in the NWCFL Premier Division and will compete in the FA Cup for the first time in its history.

We want people who wish to join together to support West and to help the club in any way possible, big or small, and therefore have decided now is the time to form a supporters club.

Records were made last season as West registered their highest placed finish in the clubs history and were rewarded with promotion to the Premier Division. In addition they also collected the 1st Division Trophy thanks to a 1-0 victory of new rivals Abbey Hey. Our aim is to increase the number of regular followers on a match day home or away, get behind the team and have fun doing so.

The 2013/14 season is sure be memorable with visits of FC United, Runcorn Linnets, Prescot Cables and Curzon Ashton in pre-season alone as well two derbies against neighbours Maine Road. The supporters club is open to all who love non-league and wish to come down on a Saturday to a welcoming club and be part of something special.

How to join: Simply fill out the membership form in the club house with £10 pound or send £12.50 to: westdidsburychorltonsc@gmail.com via paypal What are the benefits of joining the supporters club:      

Limited edition pin badge exclusive to members Official West Didsbury & Chorlton wristband Membership card and fixture list Monthly newsletter sent direct to your email Support a volunteer led, community club and their vision of offering youth football and being a community club for Chorlton and South Manchester Plus much more throughout the season.

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Our visitors… FC United Formation Formed in 2005 in protest to Malcolm Glazers takeover of Manchester United, FC United of Manchester are the model club held up by others who envisage a democratically run supporter-owned football club. The supporters wished for a club they could call their own a member owned democratic, not-for-profit organisation, created by Manchester United fans, a club accessible to all of the Greater Manchester community, dedicated to encouraging participation of youth whether it be playing or supporting and to providing affordable football for all. More than 1,000 people financially pledged towards the club ensuring that the formation of a new club would be viable. The club’s original name FC United was rejected by the FA for being too generic. Those who had pledged money were asked to vote on a name and chose FC United of Manchester from FC Manchester Central, AFC Manchester 1878 and Newton Heath United with 44% of the vote.

The club was only a month old when they played their first game at Hilton Park on July 16, 2005 in front of 2,552 against Leigh RMI. A 0-0 draw, led by manager Karl Marginson, was greeted with jubilation and a testament to the amazing job done by the people involved at the club in such a short space of time. Marginson had selected a team from over 900 applicants for trials of which 200 were selected and 17 chosen to make up the first ever squad. The following week they faced AFC Wimbledon, a club in which FCUM modelled themselves in the wake of their original clubs moved to Milton Keynes. By the time the first game had been played more than 4,000 people had pledged more than £100,000 to the club.

North West Counties Years FC United secured a ground share with Bury FC at Gigg Lane and successfully applied for membership of the North West Counties Football League. Taking their place in the 2nd Division their first fixture was played away to Leek CSOB in front of a NWCFL record of 2,590 who witnessed FC United record their first ever victory as they ran home 5-2 winners. The Rebels first home victory came a week later as they edged out Padiham 3-2 at Gigg Lane before finishing August undefeated with a 71 home win versus Eccleshall and a 2-2 draw at Winsford United. Their early form continued throughout the season as they collected the league title amassing an incredible 87 points and scoring 111 goals from 36 games, including a still club record league win 10-2 v Castleton Gabriels, and being crowned non-league club of the year. They averaged an as yet never repeated 3,056 at home throughout the season, as well as record attendances on their travels, culminating with the collection of the Division 2 League Trophy, and promotion to the 1st Division, in front of 6,023 against Great Harwood Town, a NWCFL record.

FC United’s second season was even more successful than their first on the field as they collected 112 points and scored 157 goals from their 42 league games beating Curzon Ashton to the title by 13 points; themselves having amassed an amazing 99 points to claim runners up spot. The Rebels lost just twice in the league all season as they recorded a league high average attendance of 2,581. Away from the league, FC United also collected the League Challenge Cup and reached the 3rd round of the FA Vase before being defeated by Quorn after finishing the game with 9 men and falling to a last minute winner.

FC United have spent the last five years in the Unibond/Evo-Stik league where they were promoted from the 1st Division North at the first attempt via the play offs but have been Premier Division play-off runners up in the last three consecutive seasons.

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

From the Terrace …

It’s been a long summer…In hindsight I was probably wrong when I convinced my girlfriend to watch the Champions League final, instead of taking her out somewhere nice on a Saturday night, and I told her, “Don’t worry this is the last game of the season”.

When the season is coming to end and you face the prospect of an endless summer without any football and every televised game becomes an event and an excuse for a get-together with tasty beverages. I was already being quizzed about the supposed season’s end when I informed her of my trip to the pub to watch England take on Ireland the following week but I reassured her it was just the end of season internationals. “Don’t worry”, I said, “that’s the last of the football…after they face Brazil on Sunday night.”

This went on throughout the summer as they were followed by the Under 21s European Championships, the Women’s U17 tournament (it doesn’t count if it’s on Eurosport 2), the U20 World Cup and the Confederations Cup. Quizzed about why I was watching men from Tahiti playing Nigeria in South America at 10pm on a Sunday night in June: “It’s the warm up for the World Cup…only without the obligatory wall chart. It’ll be over soon” I lied as I convinced her to join me on a day out to the Isle of Man in July (I can’t think who might be playing that weekend). In between time hours were spent online and pestering committee members (not just at West) looking for the latest NWCFL news and counting the days until the new season began.

Then late one Sunday night at the back end of June after a Brazil side had defeated Spain in the Confederations Cup final I turned to her and said “That’s it season’s over! No more football ‘til next season.” The next day I sent her a message: “July 1st, new season starts today!” She was not impressed!

Rob McKay

NWCFL 2013-2014 Premier League Opening day Fixtures Saturday, 3rd August Abbey Hey v Runcorn Linnets AFC Blackpool v Congleton Town Alsager Town v Silsden Barnoldswick Town v Maine Road Bootle v Colne Glossop North End v Ashton Athletic Runcorn Town v Bacup & Rossendale Borough St. Helens Town v Norton United Stockport Sports v Squires Gate West Didsbury & Chorlton v AFC Liverpool Wigan Robin Park v Winsford United WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Action Shots‌

Tre battling for the ball (above left) and (right) Mark and Callum celebrate the final goal of the season, just minutes from the final whistle, which took us to third place and promotion.

NWCFL Division One Table Final League Table

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Formby (C) Abbey Hey (P) West Didsbury & Chorlton (P) Atherton Collieries AFC Darwen Ashton Town Cheadle Town Oldham Town* Rochdale Town Nelson Leek CSOB Chadderton Atherton LR*

P 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34

W D 28 2 26 3 22 4 21 6 20 3 18 8 14 7 15 5 12 9 11 9 10 9 10 9 8 11

L 4 5 8 7 11 8 13 14 13 14 15 15 15

F 117 88 79 78 79 77 61 59 54 64 52 52 37

A 42 25 43 47 57 43 65 50 60 76 68 69 55

GD 75 63 36 31 22 -4 5 9 -6 -12 -16 -17 -18

Pts 86 81 70 69 63 49 30 47 45 42 39 39 34

14. Irlam

34 9

6 19

47

72 -25 33

15. Eccleshall

34 7

7 20

44

79 -35 28

16. Daisy Hill

34 7

6 21

55

81 -26 27

17. Holker Old Boys

34 7

2 25

31

74 -43 23

18. Northwich Villa

34 6

4 24

38

106 -68 22

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

West Pre-season fixtures Our busy pre-season schedule will see the 1st team host a string of non-league heavyweights at Brookburn Road before they take to the skies for a tour of the Isle of Man to take on the national team before the big kick off on August 3rd.

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Saturday 13th July Wednesday 17th July Saturday 20th July

Prescot Cables (H) 3pm Curzon Ashton (H) 7.30pm Runcorn Linnets (H) 3pm

The following weekend the 1st team squad is off for a brief weekend tour to the Isle of Man when we have 2 fixtures:

 

Friday26th July Saturday 27th July

St John’s United (A) 7.30pm Isle of Man national team (A) 4pm in The Bowl, National Stadium in Douglas.

The reserve team will also have a busy schedule with fixtures against a range of teams at different levels ranging from the Evo-Stik Premier to West Lancashire League.

  

Saturday 20th July Wednesday 24th July Tuesday 30th July

Curzon Ashton (A) 3pm Prestwich Heys (H) 7.30pm Tempest United (A) 7.30pm

First League Fixture confirmed We are also happy to confirm that our first game of the season will be played at home on Saturday August 3rd and the visitors will be AFC Liverpool. We previously welcomed AFC Liverpool to Brookburn Road last pre-season and look forward to meeting them again on equal terms.

Please check our website or @WD_CFC on twitter for latest updates.

STOP PRESS: FA CUP Draw – Extra Prelim Round – WESTS home to Abbey Hay – 17th August winners then play Burscough at home on 31st August.

The team celebrate winning the Cup after the Abbey Hey game, photo from NWCFL website.

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC

Pre Season Friendly Wednesday 10th July 2013

Tonight’s squads

West Didsbury & Chorlton

FC United

White shirts, black shorts & socks

Red shirts, white shorts, black socks

Ben Simpson (GK) Callum Jones Scott Jones David Kilbride-Ratcliffe Anthony Potts Steve Brockley Mike Aston (Capt) Danny Summers Mark Woodcock Gareth Thomas Steve Settle Lee Malkin Lee Shillito Lewis Schofield Tommy Walsh Tre Baldwin Willis Mark Rogers Neil Smith

Manager: Andy Nelson Assistants: Steve Eckersley Steve Settle Referee: C Hope

Oliver Banks Dave Birch Liam Brownhill Greg Daniels Rhodri Giggs Tom Greaves Stephen Johnson Adam Jones Astley Mulholland Lee Neville Mike Norton Charlie Raglan James Spencer (GK) Dean Stott Matthew Tierney Matthew Walwyn Matthew Wolfenden Chris Worsley Jon Worsnop (GK) Jerome Wright Manager: Karl Marginson First Team Coach: David Brown

OFFICIALS: Assistants: J Shepherd & P Shacklady

NEXT HOME GAME: Saturday, 13th July, 2013 – Kick-off: 3.00pm

WEST v Prescot Cables Please check the club website or www.nwcfl.com for up to date information http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

WHAT’S OUR

STORY?

Newly elected North West Counties League side West Didsbury and Chorlton FC, have come a long way in their 105 year history which began back in 1908 when the club was founded as Christ Church A.F.C. by Mr R F Hartley, a Sunday School Superintendent at the church on Princess Parkway, West Didsbury.

West first played in the Manchester Alliance League until the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918). After the War the club joined the Lancashire and Cheshire League for the 1920/21 season and had to change its name to West Didsbury AFC, as the League did not permit association with any other body. The club was placed in Divisions 1 and A and stayed in the top flight for 25 seasons. The first honours were double runners up in Div 1 and Rhodes Cup in 1922/23, and the club remained in that league until 2006, winning many honours and providing 4 League Presidents along the way. Many of the current committee were players in that league.

The club played at Christie Playing Fields from before 1914 but had to relocate when given notice to quit by the Playing Fields Society in the mid 80’s when that body decided to sell the land for commercial gain. After several years nomadic existence the club kicked off the 1997-98 season at their splendid new home at The Recreation Ground at Brookburn Road, and began to develop a vision for a community club.

This was down to the hard work of a core of players and Committee who refused to let the club fold and secured the new facilities via a Lottery grant, new sponsors and fundraising, but without a penny of help from the Playing Fields Society proceeds.

Further name change followed in 2003 to reflect our new location in Chorlton and we were elected to the Manchester League in 2006. In 2007/8 Season West won Manchester League silverware for the first time, lifting the Murray Shield in the last game of our centenary year.

That team was the nucleus of the previously successful junior team and the following season West just missed promotion to the Premier Division and again reached the Murray Shield Final.

With a new management team led by Andy Nelson, who had previously managed at Leigh RMI, the 2009/10 season was very successful and honours spread throughout the club. The 1st team won the Murray Shield, (the third consecutive year we have been in the final) and finishing runners-up in the league. The second team won the Bridgewater League Cup and the U17 Youth team won their League. In 2010/2011 the 1st team won the Manchester League First Division title in style with a fantastic points total (65 points out of 72 possible). This ranks as one of the highest points totals per game in the history of the Manchester League dating back over a century. The clubs reserve team and youth teams also had terrific seasons, resulting in promotion and for the second year reaching the Bridgewater Cup Final.

The clubs ‘A’ team finished and the Youth team reached yet another final where they were just pipped to the trophy by New Mills. The Veterans were runners up in the Premier Division of the Cheshire Veterans League and then started a second veterans team such was the interest in the club.

Plans were also made to formally integrate junior football as the club Vision is to be a FA Charter Standard Community Club in every sense. In recent seasons several players who started at West have been signed by top non league clubs, but such is the spirit of the club that many players return to what they see as a family club.

The club now looks forward to fulfilling its ambition to play at the highest possible level it can whilst continuing to be run as a community club and transition to the NWCFL. The ground and facilities have been further improved and floodlights erected to meet grading requirements and West competed in the FA Vase for the first time in 2011-2012 as a Step 7 club.

The club was duly elected to the NWCFL at the AGM on 16th June 2012.

MATCH DAY‌

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/westdidsburychorlton/

CLUB INFO To contact the club please use the club website.

West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC The Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road, Chorltonville, Manchester, M21 8FF

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