Gate's Open For On Song Linnets ...

And so to the Community Stadium (New Victoria Park) in Burscough for an Easter Monday North West Counties Premier League fixture. Burscough FC, 'The Linnets', take on Squires Gate this afternoon.

The first Burscough AFC was formed in 1880 but folded in 1900. It was re-established as Burscough Rangers in 1905 and moved to Mart Lane in 1908, before also folding in 1935. The present Burscough club was founded in 1946 and worked its way up the Liverpool Leagues, Lancashire Combination and Cheshire County League before becoming founder members and first champions of the North West Counties Football League in 1982.

In 1998 they were promoted to the Northern Premier League, and in 2003 became the smallest ever club to win the FA Trophy against Tamworth under the management of Sean Teale - his reward was to be sacked 6 weeks later......

In 2007 the Linnets won the Northern Premier and spent two seasons in the Conference North, their highest ever position. Thereafter three relegations in 2009, 2012 and 2017 and an abortive half season ground share with Skelmersdale United brought them both home and to their current status, North West Counties Premier - which they are in real danger of being relegated from - seven points adrift with only four games left....

The story continues - Burscough sold the old Victoria Ground which was demolished in 2020, and built the Community Stadium adjacent incorporating an all weather pitch, which immediately flooded, and installed the old main stand from Stormy Corner (Skelmersdale's old ground), which was swiftly condemned and then removed. NWCFL refused permission for the new stadium to be used for matches, resulting in games being switched, until matters were finally resolved.

The club's owner at the time was universally reviled in Skelmersdale. Turns out that he also owned Stormy Corner and gave the Blueboys two hours notice of eviction - I was shown a picture of a 'Wanted Dead or Alive - For Money Making' poster that Skem fans produced at the time.

Squires Gate FC from School Road and The Brian Addison Stadium are the visitors - named after club stalwart Brian Addison, who has progressed from player to linesman to manager to Secretary to Chairman and eventually to groundsman.... 

 

The away side was formed in 1948 as Squires Gate British Legion, having accepted an offer from Blackpool Council to take a lease on a new ground on the site of a former tip. The Gate competed in the Blackpool & District Amateur League, changing their name to Squires Gate FC in 1953, and winning the League's First Division in 1955/56 and 1956/57.

 

Having spent one season in the Fylde District League the Gate moved to the newly reformed West Lancashire League in 1961. This proved a sterner challenge, with the Blues eventually promoted as Division 2 champions in 1980.

 

After much soul searching the club applied for membership of the North West Counties Football League and joined Division 2 for the 1991/92 season. In 2003 the Gate missed the runners up spot on goal difference, but were promoted to the top tier following the demise of champions Stand Athletic FC.

 

There they have remained ever since, reaching the FA Vase quarter final in the 2005/06 campaign. Calls for a merger between the 3 non league clubs situated within a 300 yard radius - Gate, Blackpool Mechanics (now AFC Blackpool) and Blackpool Wren Rovers -  have come to naught. The Blues are currently 19th, of 22, and seemingly safe.

It's a wet, murky Bank Holiday lunchtime as I set out past the Co-op Starship robots, the Vegetarian Society (relocating apparently), and into filthy driving conditions on the M6 across Thelwall Viaduct - teeming rain, spray and mist and, yes, imbeciles with no lights on..... Numberplates today are SU51 SAY, SKH4N and R1LEY and a firm advertising a dog grooming business - Short, Bark & Sides....

Past Enigma Industrial Solutions and Movianto I ignore the attractions of Haydock Park, Martin Mere Wetland Centre and Wigan Pier, and exit at Junction 27 and a sign 'We've Got It All In West Lancashire' - well definitely rain and surface water !! Taking in the striking Christ Church in Parbold with The Stocks pub nearby, and the villages of Newburgh (twinned with Newburgh, Indiana !) and historic Lathom, hosting Tawd Vale Adventure Centre, brings me to the outskirts of Burscough. There's no longer The Blue Mallard at Burscough Wharf but The Hop Vine survives in the town centre, before I turn into Tesco for free parking - there is limited parking at the ground.

New Victoria Park is behind Tesco and the Fitness and Racquets Centre, up Bobby Langton Way, past the vandalised, derelict 'The Barons' club, and with new housing on the old Victoria Park, with the original developer having gone bust. Inside there's a snack bar and on the near side the covered all seater stand - the changing rooms are in a separate building set back alongside.

Other than that it's just a walkway round the other three sides with banking and signs, ignored, stating 'Do Not Stand On The Mound'. The surprisingly busy (for a Bank Holiday) train line is at the top end but the other two sides lead onto mud and fields. Sadly the advertising hoarding offering exotic mushrooms is no more, and disappointingly the 'Burscough FC We Are L40' banner is also absent.

£6 in to a cold, exposed, windswept Community Stadium but thankfully the rain has abated, although the temperature is only 8C, feeling like 5C because of the icy wind. The Linnets are in all green, the Blues, strangely, in change red and white, and a solitary cry of 'You're just a bus stop in Ormskirk' greets a crowd of 75. 

As expected Gate start the better and take the lead on 10 minutes. Winger Alex Ralph cuts in from the right and hits a left yard screamer into the top corner.

 

But on 17 minutes a wind assisted cross sails into the far corner from Harry Middlehurst and the Linnets are level. Then eight minutes later a sloppy pass across the box is seized on and Laurence Cant is played in and he comfortably strokes home - Burscough lead 2-1 at the break.

 

Five minutes after half time good work by the corner flag sees the ball laid back to left back Morgan Kinsella and he finishes top bins for 3-1 ☺ On 54 minutes the ball is caught on the wind, drifting over the centre back and Christopher Sang takes advantage with an accomplished strike low into the corner - 4-1.

 

Ten minutes on Xenon Bahula is barged over in the box and Kinsella obliges with the spot kick to leave the Linnets 5-1 up - to some disbelief....

 

Burscough continue to create chances but Gate, belatedly, close the gate and there is no more scoring. However still incident as on 79 minutes Blues' sub Theo Ball is shown a straight red for a late, unnecessary lunge on home keeper Charles Monks.

 

Then on 87 James Boyd is released by Ralph, and he is cleaned out just outside box by Monks, who surprisingly only receives a yellow card. To add insult to injury Monks then makes a fine save from Ralph's free kick - Gate's only effort worthy of mention in the second period, and it finishes 5-1 to the Linnets.

 

However results have gone against Burscough and they are still 7 points adrift, but now with only three games left....