Lairds Of The Manor - Camels Give Cassies The Hump.....

And so to the Brinsford Stadium on Brinsford Lane in Coven Heath, near Wolverhampton, for a North West Counties Division One South match between Wolverhampton Casuals FC and Cammell Laird 1907 F.C.

Wolverhampton Casuals FC was established in 1899 as Wolverhampton Old Church FC, becoming Wolverhampton Amateurs before World War One. The club changed name again to Staffordshire Casuals, as part of a merger with Old Wulfrunians after World War Two.

The retitled Wolverhampton Casuals joined Division Two of the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1982. The Cassies were promoted to Division One in 1984 and then to the Premier Division in 1988.

However the Casuals were demoted in 1991, but won the Division One title in 1994/95 to go back up to top tier status. The club had to relocate to the Aldersley Stadium due to a lack of floodlights at Brinsford Stadium, but this was rectified in 1998 and Wolves moved back.

Based on their performances in the Covid seasons the Cassies were placed in the Premier Division of the Midland League in 2022. But relegation last term, in bottom place, means they start this season in North West Counties Division One South, after a failed appeal to stay in the Capelli Sport Midland Football League. Four points from five games leaves the Casuals in 13th (of 19).

Cammell Laird's, 'The Camels', history dates back to 1899 when a team from the Upper Boilers shop at Laird Bros played in Birkenhead Park, before switching to rugby. Cammell Laird Institute AFC was established in 1907, playing in the West Cheshire League at Prenton Park in Tranmere.

After World War I the Cammell Laird company faced cutbacks due to reduced government spending on ships and the football team was taken back in house. In 1922 a team was entered into the Birkenhead & Wirral League under the name of Kirklands FC coinciding with the move to their current ground at St Peter's Road, now rebranded as The OWS Engineering Ltd Stadium in Rock Ferry, from two previous homes - Birkenhead Park and Bebington Oval.

The side was disbanded at the outbreak of World War II and reformed in 1946 as Cammell Laird AFC. The Lairds rejoined the Birkenhead & Wirral League before moving up to the West Cheshire League, where they were 19 time champions, including 15 titles in 20 seasons between 1975 and 1994.

The Shipyarders joined the North West Counties in 2004 and back to back promotions took them to the Northern Premier League Division One North. A sideways move to Division One South a season later brought promotion to the Premier Division as runners up, but the Camels were relegated at the end of their first campaign after failing ground grading criteria.

The club disbanded at the end of the 2013/14 season, and a new club, Cammell Laird 1907 F.C. went into the North West Counties Division One, earning automatic promotion at the first attempt. However the 2017 season produced only three league wins, all after relegation was confirmed, and a bottom placing with a goal difference of -100...... and the Lairds still remain in the bottom rung of the NWCFL - Division One South, consistently finishing below middle, epitomised by last season's 10th place finish (out of 18) after a good start 🤔. This time Laird have an identical record to the Cassies - four points from five matches - but sit 16th by virtue of goal difference. Both sides exited the FA Vase last weekend.

Overrunning roadworks, no surprise there, preface numberplates B16 AXE, 6OYA and N1NYT. I reach Roughley's Monumental Stonemasons before hitting the M6.

Then it's JENGR Bridge graffiti and a raft of advertising billboards - Cloudy2Clear Windows, Nitrous Competitions, BadRhino and Spooktacular Halloween. This amidst a proliferation of England and Union Jack flags plus an ancient vaudeville Crosville coach....

We leave the M6 at junction 12 and join Watling Street. There's Elefant Gratings and Laserkut at Calf Heath before the now sadly shuttered Four Ashes pub.

Then Jurassic Creek, 3 Hammers Golf Complex and a sign for Moseley Old Hall... That brings us to Brinsford Stadium, also home to Brewood Juniors FC (1975).

We pay £6 admission and drive the car into a capacious parking area - no problem today with a crowd of only 45. Beyond the car park lie an abandoned caravan and two forlorn lorry trailers...

The ground itself is tree-lined and thrums from the adjacent A449 and West Coast Main Line. Inside is a warm up pitch and on the near side a burger van, clubhouse, The Cass Bar and trophy cabinet plus a covered 4 row benched stand - much needed in the sheeting rain and stiff wind...

Opposite are the dugouts and in the corner is a small covered standing area. The rest of the 'Stadium' consists of a walkway and inaccessibility...

Cassies are in all green, sponsored by Vogue Ceramics. The Camels are in a horrific psychedelic away strip of grey, yellow and blue, sponsored by CB Accounting.

The match is delayed whilst dog mess is removed from the pitch. Cassies start well and on 9 minutes Owen Hesketh's free kick is tipped onto the bar by Ben Cadman; the resultant corner is headed wide.

Another chance arrives on 18 but Josh Simcox's shot is deflected wide. Then the Shipyarders berth - captain Joe Downey hits the bar on the half hour and Haydn Cooper sees his shot pushed aside by Chad Oseland.

No matter as a Camels' shot on 34 is palmed onto the bar by Oseland and Daniel Stephens mops up to put the Lairds 1-0 up. Half time arrives with the visitors still leading by the only goal.

On 53 minutes Cadman saves with his feet from a rare Wolves' attack, but normal service is resumed as Camels' Ben Wood sidefoots wide. Cassies' Kyri Kourouyianni has his header saved just after the hour.

Then on 69 minutes the game is wrapped up. Joel Whalley scores the second goal for the Shipyarders, curling into the corner, after a sublime dummy by Wood.

The Casuals hit the bar again with a quarter of an hour left, and the Camels respond with sub Thomas Davies clipping the post three minutes later. But ultimately it turns out to be a routine 2-0 away victory which pushes Cammell up to 11th and leaves Wolves 15th 😀

Daisies Cut Back To Size - Tega Earns His Stripes !!!

And so to the North Field on Jericho Lane in Otterspool, in the Liverpudlian district of Aigburth. Today's North West Counties Division One North match is between MSB Woolton FC, their first ever NWCFL home fixture, and Daisy Hill F.C.

MSB Woolton FC traces its roots back to 1930 as Woolton Boys' Club, with the modern formation in 1994. The club is based at Camp Hill and The Simpson Ground in Woolton, South Liverpool. 

The Woo joined the Liverpool County Premier League in 2014 and back to back promotions took them to the Premier Division in 2016. A change of name to MSB Woolton followed through sponsorship by MSB Solicitors at the same time; and that remains to this day 😀

The club was crowned as Premier Division champions in 2023 and 2025. However a groundshare with South Liverpool FC at the North Field on Jericho Lane in Otterspool was required to achieve promotion to the North West Counties, after previous failed attempts due to ground grading issues. The club have started with away defeats 2-1 at Darwen and a 5-0 drubbing at Maine Road which sees Woolton bottom.

 The Daisies, or The Cutters, were established in 1894 playing in the Wigan & District League. By the time of World War 1 the club had moved to the Leigh & District Senior Sunday School League and then the Westhoughton League, playing at New Sirs - now the Ginge Power Stadium. The club folded before World War 2, reforming in 1951 playing again in the Westhoughton League but now based at (the adjacent) St James Street & Cricket Ground - they moved back to New Sirs in 1957.

The Daisies then joined the Bolton Combination, which they won four times, before moving to the Lancashire Combination for 4 seasons and then becoming founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982.

The club was renamed Westhoughton Town during the period 1989-94, thereafter reverting back to Daisy Hill FC - they have never been promoted or relegated from the North West Counties, but only escaped demotion in 2014 because Leek CSOB and Formby resigned from the league, and again in 2018 because of a league restructuring, having finished bottom of the pile.

Two abandoned Covid campaigns then an 8th place finish in 2022 preceded three lower season finishes. However last term saw social influencer Aaron Hunt take over as chairman and a monster crowd of 857 (normal gates are about 50) against Atherton Laburnum Rovers for the first home game under his watch, also attended by Angry Ginge and TikToker Steve Bracknall. This time a 1-0 loss at home to Ashton Athletic, a 2-2 home draw with Garstang and a 2-1 away defeat at Ashton Town leaves the Daisies 15th of 18.

The afternoon begins in bizarre circumstances with a woman lighting a cigarette on a petrol station forecourt..... Past the Armenian Grill House and glorious floral colour at Denzell Gardens in 26C heat it's another motorway bonanza - the M56, M6 and the M62. Beyond Orange Spa Massage, the Pink Eye, Fiddler's Ferry, Griffin Wood and the Dream sculpture at St Helens, with curious motorway bridge graffiti of End Speciesism....

Then we come to Tarbock Island and Symmetry Park. The M62 finishes at junction 4, in a failed attempt to reach Liverpool city centre; after that it's left at The Rocket with Brazilian Jujitsu at Aspire Combat and the Tiffin Indian restaurant. Numberplates today are PH16BOG (Phil Higgins Plumbing) and CHE35Y - a black Porsche, plus a BJS removal van 'Coals To Newcastle'.

But, via Childwall Fiveways and Mossley Hill, I reach the outskirts of Aigburth, before hitting Jericho Lane and the Community Football & Fitness Hub. This is now home to South Liverpool FC, Liverpool Feds Women FC and, from today, MSB Woolton FC.

Opposite is the glorious vista of Otterspool Promenade, looking onto the River Mersey - at the hub there is plenty of parking, and £6 admission; the crowd is 122 with good away support and an Ultras banner 'No Pies Are Safe' 👏

The ground has two small seated stands, one behind the goal and the other on the popular side, with only three sides open. There is a walkway and a covered area opposite the dugouts, and the astroturf surface is surrounded by small sized pitches. After a fourth heatwave cloud and warm sunshine greets the game.

Woolton, 'Fire In The Belly, Ice In The Veins', are in all white, with pale blue pinstripes on their sleeves, sponsored by Vesey, and the Cutters in all blue, sponsored by Star401.

It's a scrappy start to the match - not helped by the artificial surface and the heat. However on 17 minutes MSB's goalkeeper captain Dan Jennings spills a Kaiden Barlow free kick and Lee Grimshaw follows up to sidefoot home and put the Daisies 1-0 up.

Needless handbags just before the half hour result in two yellow cards. But five minutes on the Cutters' Joao Soares impressively volleys home a cross and the visitors lead 2-0.

That remains for only four minutes as Woolton's number nine, Tega Okeregha, comfortably outpaces Hill captain Nathan Bartram-Conway and slots in across Morgan Newns on 37. Newns makes a super reaction save on half time to preserve the Daisies' 2-1 lead.

The second period is all Whites as Newns produces a fine save from a corner and Joe Harvey's long range curler just drifts over. All the Cutters can deliver is hitting the post on 65, from a Jennings fumble.

Newns again excels, denying Harvey and Shea Currey. But with 12 minutes to go there is a clear shove by Okeregha and both sides stop. However nothing is given by the referee and Tega feeds the ball down the wing, and the resulting cross is deftly headed in by Daniel Ventre for 2-2.

Woolton hit the bar in the closing stages and apply significant pressure, but ultimately cannot find a winner. The spoils are shared leaving the Woo 16th and Daisy Hill one place higher in 15th.

Josh's Ams Dram Puts Ramblers On The Wrong Trail....!

And so to the DRM Aggregate Arena in Oakengates in Telford for a North West Counties Division One South fixture between Telford Town FC and Sandbach United FC.

The home team was established in 1950 as Old Wellingtonians by former pupils of Wellington Grammar School. However it changed name to Wellington Amateurs FC when the Head Master discovered that the club had started accepting players who were not former pupils....

After 31 years in the Wellington League the Ams joined the Shropshire County League Division One in 1981, which they won in their first season. The Premier Division was championed in 1983 and 1989 and Wellington moved up to the West Midlands (Regional) League Division Two in 2007, which they bested in their first campaign.

Division One champions three times in four years Welly was eventually admitted to the Premier Division in 2012 after undertaking ground improvements. Relegated in bottom place in 2018 to Division One, the division was renamed the Premier Division for the 2024/25 season.

In February 2024 the team was taken over by former Hednesford Town owner Hayden Dando and rebranded as Telford Town FC. Town won the Premier League last season with 23 wins, 4 draws and 1 defeat, scoring 94 goals and conceding only 15 - and this brought about promotion to the North West Counties Division One South. The Ams have started with a 2-2 draw at Foley Meir, a 3-0 home win against Haughmond and an Alsager away victory - 1-0 - to lie third.

Sandbach Albion, formerly known as Hays Junior FC, was founded in 1994. Sandbach Ramblers Youth Football Club was reformed in 1995 to provide access for schoolboy football for the youth of Sandbach and the surrounding area.

Sandbach United was established in 2004 when Sandbach Ramblers and Sandbach Albion joined forces in their quest to improve football facilities in Sandbach. The club badge reflects the union, featuring R and A in its design.

 

United originally competed in the Staffordshire County Senior League, before moving to the Cheshire League in 2011 where they were promoted to the Premier Division in 2014. The Ramblers were accepted into the North West Counties in 2016 and have consistently placed upper half, with three consecutive failed play off attempts - last season culminating in a 5-4 defeat at Stafford Town. This time a 1-0 home defeat to New Mills before beating Shawbury United 2-1, again at home, they sit 11th of 19.

Numberplates today are BE10VED and K11ODD and a BJS Removal Van 'Setting The Canterbury Pace'.... 

It's a sunny, breezy afternoon as I set off past the soon to be closed George and Dragon. Then the M6 at Juniper Farm followed by Jenga motorway bridge graffiti.

Overtaking Han's Hands and plenty of trailer advertising, including BadRhino, we are held up by a 'stranded vehicle'. We turn off to the A5, Watling Street, and bypass Gailey Pottery and White Pump Farm. The return journey is via Eccleshall and Buttercup and Daisies With Love.

Then it's beyond Weston-under-Lizard, Crackleybank and into Telford and Wrekin, with its hedgehog friendly new builds. That brings us to Oakengates, the Coalport Tavern and the DRM Aggregate Arena on School Grove - although the advertising hoarding inside is for DRM Aggreate 🙄

£6 in and there is a crowd of 135, including several Ramblers' fans. We sit in the Wednesday Crew Stand, opposite the Army & Spud covered terrace and the Dave Gregory Clubhouse.

The ground is bordered on three sides by residential housing and minimal parking. The near end bookends a small industrial estate, including Torton Bodies: the far end is cordoned off.

The Ams are in all red, the Ramblers in change yellow with blue lines.

A bone dry pitch and a capricious wind make for an inauspicious spectacle. However, in the first five minutes, Ams' centre forward Josh Hesson, with a super turn, creates a chance smartly held by United's keeper Craig Ellison.

Then an even better opportunity sees Hesson shoot just wide. For Sandbach Joe Bevan has a shot saved by Jack Boswell on 17 minutes.

Finally the deadlock is broken on 32 from a Kyle Jordan long throw. Town's Jack Howse nips in to head over a floundering Ellison and Telford lead 1-0.

It stays that way until the break, but not before Hesson is sinbinned for dissent a minute from the interval....

As expected the Ramblers, with a man advantage, and prompted by Stanley Tatters, launch an all out assault on the Ams' goal at the start of the second period. However a tremendous rearguard action means United create only one meaningful chance - Bevan denied superbly by Boswell.

Restored to 11 men Telford turn the screws. On the hour there is a fine double save from Ellison, but he is beaten on 69 by a magical individual goal from Hesson, beating three defenders in the penalty area and then slotting home.

After a double miss the Ams wrap up the points 3-0 with nine minutes to go; a messy corner arrives at Harry Dear's feet and he stabs home. Telford stay third but Sandbach drop to 14th, albeit with a game in hand.