And so to the Seashell Trust, formerly the Royal Schools For The Deaf, on Stanley Road in Cheadle Hulme for a Manchester League Division One derby between Manchester Central FC and East Manchester FC.
Manchester
Central FC was formed in 1928 by Manchester City director John Ayrton and the
owner of Belle Vue stadium, John Iles. Ayrton founded Manchester Central
because he felt that East Manchester needed a League side - City having
moved out of the area in 1923.
The Outcasts
played at the Belle Vue Athletics and Speedway Stadium, joining the Lancashire
Combination in its first year (1928). With Billy Meredith as coach, the Magpies
finished seventh of 20, and applied to join the Football League for the 1929/30
season - which was knocked back.
Central
finished runners up the following year, but another attempt to join the League
failed. 1930/31 was less successful - 7th and another fruitless League
application. However Wigan Borough resigned from the Football League in October
1931 and Central applied to take their place.
This was
initially accepted but a formal complaint was lodged jointly by Manchester City
and Manchester United, on the grounds that Manchester could not support a third
League side. The Football League backed the existing sides, United receiving
hugely critical media coverage, and Central were denied, subsequently resigning
from the Combination, continuing in the Manchester Amateur League for a few
years before becoming defunct.
The club was revived in 2016, joining the Manchester League Division One, and promoted to the Premier as runners up in 2018 - a season culminating in Murray Trophy and Terry Wood cup successes. Despite finishing second in the top tier the Outcasts chose to opt out at the end of the 2018/2019 campaign, before rejoining in Division Two in 2021 and earning promotion to Division One - five wins and a draw from 10 matches leaves the Magpies mid table (8th of 14) this term.
East
Manchester FC, from the Wright Robinson College in Gorton was formed in 1960 as
the works team of the Ferranti engineering factory and initially competed in
the local Chorlton League, which they immediately won. A switch to the South
East Lancashire League brought about several changes of name from Ferranti to
ICT to ICL and finally to East Manchester in 1985.
Success in
the South East Lancs prefaced The Blues joining the Manchester League in 1981,
and a ground move from Mellands to the GMB club, both in Gorton. Winning the
second tier title saw the club promoted to the Premier Division of the
Manchester League, and a league and cup double arrived in 1992.
East moved
venue again to Kirkmanshulme Lane, then settling at Dave Pace's Butchers Arms
in Droylsden until 2006. A short return to the GMB ground and then the Blues
took up residence at the Wright Robinson College in 2008. The club was relegated
in 2015 but promoted back as champions the following season. However another
demotion, in bottom place, in 2019 sees East playing, next to bottom this time
with 9 points from 13 games, in the First Division.
Belatedly
onto Park Road, delayed by roadworks, past a pony being led in a pink coat then
De Luxe Chicken (still no sign of opening !) and Beauty by Peaches & Cream.
Thereafter the Moss Trooper, Hare and Hounds, Al Khans, Cheshire Dog Spa and
Bowdon Rugby Club on Clay Lane. All these intertwined with numberplates 123 ANY
and JU51 BOX (a greengrocer) and a van emblazoned with 'The Rutland Fox'... and
another with Willow Goat Crafts....
To Roaring
Gate Lane, Hale Top Farm, Etrop Grange and the Manchester Airport Relief Road -
thankfully not flooded today.... Off at the Handforth turn and Little Acorns
Nursery - Fun Frogs in the opposite direction - and then right at the Waggon
and Horses into Stanley Road.
The vast
complex is on the left, tree lined, bounded by the Relief Road, construction
works aplenty and a mix of residential housing (Sir Norman Stoller Way) and the
Academy. Problems with the electric gates, both in and out, lead, eventually,
via a pot holed access road to the car park, changing rooms and astroturf
pitch. Confusion regarding kick off time but it's finally clarified as 3pm
under the floodlights.
Central are in white and black with single back and red hoops, sponsored by iMap, East in all blue and a mix of Greystones and National Debt Support sponsored shirts. The referee is wearing gloves before a crowd of 12, with light rain turning to blustery winds and a leaf strewn (but not leaf logged !!) pitch.
The Magpies are sluggish in the first period, incohesive and lacking any real threat. No real surprise that the Blues take the lead just after the quarter hour - a clumsy challenge in the box, and the penalty comfortably converted. 90 seconds later it's 2-0 as a left wing cross is adeptly flicked into the far corner.
Finally the Outlaws get going and their best chance sees Gabriel Wiwoloku turn and fire, but it is deflected just wide. But it could be worse - East's right full back shoots from 25 yards, a minute before half time, and his sweet strike smacks the foot of the post before coming out.
A quadruple substitution for Central at half time sees no change as East hit the side netting - but then the substitutions start to make a difference... On 49 minutes sub Ruben Abreu receives the ball, beats his man, pulls back and scores to halve the deficit. Seven minutes later Abreu shows sublime skill to square to Kaine Martin who taps in, virtually on the goal line, and it's 2-2.
Just beyond the hour Abreu finds Junior Silva and his shot is blocked, desperately, on the line - East immediately counterattack for a two on one, which ends in a disappointing finish wide. Half an hour of end to end entertaining football follows, the crowd enthralled as to which (if any) side will poach the winner...
Then in the 90th minute the Blues break and, at the third attempt, their left back shoots into the roof of the net despite shotstopper Dan Whiting's vain attempts to save. East take the points from their 3-2 win, moving up to 11th, whilst the Outcasts reflect on 10 weeks without a home league win.....
