Grimmy's Heyday Makes Celtic Cross

And so to deepest darkest West Cumbria and JBV Park on Birks Road in Cleator Moor for the North West Counties Division One North fixture between Cleator Moor Celtic and Prestwich Heys.

Cleator Moor Celtic FC was established in 1909, starting out in the Egremont Divisional League, although a forerunner, Cleator Moor United, won the Cumberland County Cup in the 1903/04 season. The village itself was substantially populated by immigrants from the North Eastern counties of Ireland in the latter half of the nineteenth century, leading to the colloquial title of Little Ireland. In the 1871 census 36% of the local population were recorded as being Irish, which no doubt had a bearing on the origins of the club’s name and emblem.

Celtic reached the First Round of the FA Cup in the 1950/51 season, where they lost 5-0 to Tranmere Rovers in a game played at Workington. The club have also played in the West Cumbria Football League and the Cumberland County League.

In recent years the team have had two spells in the Wearside League – seven seasons from 1988 and rejoining for the 2004/05 campaign. Their best finish turned out to be runners up last season and was followed by a successful application to join the North West Counties League – a journey that will see Celtic travel 4,465 miles for their 19 away games…..in fact it will be more than this after the abortive attempt to play St Helens with the match postponed after the team coach broke down.

The Heys’ origins can be traced to February 9th 1938 when a meeting was called at the Music Room of the Heys Road Boys School with the idea of forming an Old Boys Association - the football arm becoming Heys Old Boys AFC. The Heys gradually progressed through the Bury Amateur League and South East Lancashire League, changing their name to Prestwich Heys AFC in 1964. The team joined the Lancashire Combination for the 1968/69 season.

Thousands flocked to see the Heys play in the FA Amateur Cup, with the victory over Sutton United in 1969 attracting nationwide coverage, coming a week before their opponents were due to meet Leeds United in the FA Cup. Truly the Heys' heyday !!

The club became a founder member of the North West Counties League in 1982 but were demoted to the Manchester League in 1986 due to ground grading issues. Under manager Adie Moran the Heys were champions for three successive seasons between 2005 and 2007. Tragically Moran was killed in a swimming accident in Sri Lanka at the age of 43 in June 2007 which left the club reeling.

After relegation battles, the club renamed the ground to Adie Moran Park in honour of their late manager and in 2016 won the Manchester League Premier Division - thereby returning to the North West Counties Football League after a 30 year absence. An 8^th place finish on their return was followed by third last season and play off elimination by Cammell Laird.

After the embarrassment and triple sending off at Longridge last month, Heys lost at home to Radcliffe Borough in a live BBC streamed FA Cup tie and this is the third of a ridiculous schedule of away matches – Holker Old Boys last Saturday, Carlisle City on Wednesday and Cleator Moor today.

So on a filthy September Saturday morning it's past Cheshire Retreat and onto the M56 and M6 for just under 100 miles of motorway driving. The weather and road conditions are vile with incessant heavy rain, spray and the car trying to aquaplane - but that still doesn't stop some morons from driving without lights.

En route I pass a Bonney Pigeon Transfer Specialist van, several motorway bridges and a lorry trailer skirting with 'CANED' graffiti near Preston and a Land Rover towing a pop up Co-op. This week's car numberplate is W111 SHE - will she, won't she indeed but with no lights and erratic driving 'nuff said I think !!

The weather is at its bleakest at Shap and I'm glad to come off the motorway at Penrith. Signs for Ullswater Steamers and an Alpaca Centre, then beyond Flusco Landfill and hoardings advertising 'Woodlands for Sale'. I bypass Keswick, travelling next to the vast Bassenthwaite lake and, as the rain starts to ease, begin to appreciate the Cumbrian landscape.

I take the Egremont road, through Deanscales and its Old Posting House and then to the Lamplugh Tip - an aptly named disused pub that has been flytipped on..... Then to Rowrah, home of The Stork Hotel, Ennerdale Craft Brewery and, infamously, Cumbrian taxi driver Derrick Bird who went on the rampage killing 12 people and injuring 11 others in one day in July 2010.

Straight through to Arlecdon and The Hound Inn and to Frizington with its pretty coloured houses, Frizington White Star FC on the main street and then Eskett Quarry.

By this time I am following a driver with Manchester plates who is clearly unsure about the roads. When he turns left down a country lane to Cleator Moor I am certain he and his 'navigator' are Prestwich Heys fans - which they are !! The ground is on the right again the Health Centre down a heavily rutted, muddy and puddle strewn track - the Heys team coach, which arrives shortly after, sets down in the altogether much better surfaced and out of bounds NHS car park.

There isn't much to Cleator Moor and most of what there is seems to be closed - both pubs in the village centre are boarded up, and the only signs of activity are at Greggs.

£3 on the gate and inside all the action is on the popular side. There is a 4 step covered terrace which goes all of 10 yards, named Britain's Energy Coast Stand. Next to it, with McGrath Park over the entrance, is the clubhouse and a very noisy bar. Three large windows look out onto the playing surface and these are fully occupied throughout the match – not surprising when you see the view (pictured below).

Behind the stand is housing, chickens squawking in their coops, and across are glorious views of the Cumbrian fells. There is a walkway around the pitch which comes abruptly to an end at each dugout, the end to my left ending in woods, and more housing to the right. The netting and fencing behind the goal to the left is a little optimistic - a club official spends the entire first half retrieving balls from the overgrown wasteland and rough, and not always with success !!

Celtic are naturally in green and white hoops and green shorts, Heys in red shirts and white shorts. The rain has given way to patchy sunshine but the pitch remains greasy underfoot, as the linesman across the way finds out to his cost with a full length dive. The referee books him for simulation .... no I made that last bit up :-)

Celtic look the sharper team to begin with, their young centre forward Callum Birdsall providing a real physical presence and charging down Prestwich keeper Callum Jakovlevs' clearance as the home side go close. Closer still when Brad Tatton's swerving shot just dips too late and clears Jakovlevs' bar.

So it's something of a surprise when Heys take the lead on 26 minutes. A pinpoint cross from Max White is met with a crashing header from Lee Bruce and finds the net through Celtic stopper Craig Rule's legs. Birdsall's header swirling past the post is the best that Cleator Moor can conjure up, and the half ends in niggly fashion.

In the second period the sun disappears and so do Celtic who seem devoid of ideas and, with Birdsall drifting onto the wing, lack a focal attacking point. Lee Grimshaw heads White’s corner high into the net at the near post to double Heys' lead on the hour.

Two minutes later he is played in by Bruce and shoots from an acute angle. Rule saves but the ball spins up and away and trickles in at the far post, part of the net being demolished in the process.

Jakovlevs makes a good save from Stuart Shaw's free kick, diving full length to tip the ball past the post and that is that as far as Celtic pressure is concerned. Grimshaw has the chance for his hat trick in injury time but, to the astonishment of the away contingent in the 103 crowd, slices horribly wide when unmarked from six yards out. But Heys still run out comfortable and worthy 3-0 winners.