Mariners All At Sea Then Net A Point - Unicorns Soon To Be Extinct

And so to Queen's Terrace, although I prefer its more commonly known name Dimple Wells, to a stadium and a club that effectively cease to exist in 3 weeks' time. It's the home of Ossett Albion AFC, 7 games unbeaten, and the visitors today are South Shields, 5 wins on the bounce, in the Evostik Northern Premier Division One North.

The home club was set up in 1944 during the Second World War for local Grammar School students. The Unicorns rose through the West Riding County Amateur League and West Yorkshire League before joining the Yorkshire League in 1957, where they were Division One champions in 1975.

In 1982 the Yorkshire League joined up with the Midland League to form the Northern Counties East League. Albion were Premier League champions in 1999 but were denied promotion to the Northern Premier League because one of their dressing rooms was too small !!

Two years later the Unicorns finished as runners up to Brigg Town but were promoted instead of the Zebras. That first season in the Northern Premier saw Albion finish bottom and relegation back to the Northern Counties East - but two seasons later the club were promoted as champions on a dramatic final day, pipping Eastwood Town by virtue of goals scored with both teams locked on the same number of points and goal difference.

Fourteen seasons later Albion remain in the same division, but this will be their last. In February it was announced that Ossett Albion will merge with near neighbours Ossett Town this summer to become Ossett United, with the new club playing at Town's Ingfield base under the stewardship of Albion's Andy Welsh.

A few references have been found to the origins of a town football club playing in the 1870s, but the first recorded public appearance of a named South Shields AFC was in 1888. Several other local clubs flickered but it was the South Shields Adelaide Athletic club, set up in 1899, that went on to be elected to the Second Division of the Football League in 1919 as South Shields FC.

Lack of public support meant only the sale of its best players and FA Cup runs kept Shields in business. Inevitably, without money to bail the club out of impending bankruptcy, the only possible viable alternative to closure was to move. In 1930 the club left the town and moved to Gateshead, where it was welcomed. 

A new club was established in 1936, nicknamed 'The Babes', before becoming 'The Mariners' in 1950 on its move from Horsley Hill to Simonside Hall. Shields played in several leagues until joining the Northern Premier League in 1968.

However 'insufficient' match attendances prompted the directors to sell Simonside Hall in 1974 with a view to returning to Horsley Hill. In a controversial and quite disastrous land fiasco both sites were transformed into housing sites. The club was penniless and homeless - and history repeated itself as the team went to Gateshead again, re-emerging as Gateshead United FC and taking Shields' place in the NPL.

A new club, South Shields Mariners FC, was formed immediately, based at the council's Jack Clark Park, and began a 17 year crusade for a home of its own. The club progressed through the Northern Alliance and Wearside League to the Northern League.

In 1992 the redundant and vandalised sports club and ground of Filtrona FC in Jarrow became available. It was purchased by club chairman John Rundle and the Mariners had a new home - Filtrona Park. Rundle was a volatile man, twice publicly threatening the club with closure, and (in)famously locking the gates at Filtrona Park ahead of a home match in 2006.

At the end of the 2012/13 season South Shields were relegated from Northern League Division One, and forced to move to Eden Park, Peterlee after their lease expired. Two seasons with average attendances of 69 and 70 meant the club faced a huge challenge to survive.

After being taken over by new chairman Geoff Thompson in the summer of 2015 he subsequently bought Filtrona Park, now renamed Mariners Park, and the club moved back. Under the captaincy of ex Sunderland and Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca the Mariners won Northern League Division Two title in 2015/16.

Last season saw a famous quadruple - the Northern League Division One title, after a 32 game winning streak, the Durham Challenge Cup, the Northern League Challenge Cup and a 4-0 victory in the FA Vase at Wembley against Cleethorpes Town. Average attendances increased to 1,226.

This season Shields are top of the NPL Division One North, three points clear with two games in hand. Darlington and York City, two steps higher, were both knocked out of the FA Cup.

So on a very wet afternoon it's onto the desperately potholed Washway Road with standing pools of water. Past the new Bake My Day and the old, execrable T & T Pound Plus 'TOILETORIES. ELCTRICAL' - open 7 days but now permanently shuttered, and to the M60.

From there through to the M62, and Saddleworth Moor, Rakehead Viaduct and Windy Hill - the M62 Summit, 'Highest motorway in England 372m (1221 feet)'. Then Scammonden Reservoir, Rainbow Bridge and Stott Hall Farm, the latter parked between both carriageways.

Beyond Hartshead Moor then off at Tingley, ignoring Woodkirk Valley Country Club and Bake 'n' Bites, past Dewsbury Rams stadium to the outskirts of Ossett - a town named after 'A fold of a man named Osla' or 'A fold frequented by blackbirds' depending on your fancy !

The Warehouse Systems Stadium is located through a small residential estate off Queen's Road, flanked on one side by the Ebenezer Particular Baptist Chapel and on the other by Dimple Well Lodge, where a wedding is in progress. A narrow entrance between the houses, one car width only, brings me to some crown green bowling, an AstroTurf pitch where several boys' football matches are coming to an end, the cricket club and then the football club.

£7 admission and inside Dimple Wells is a glorious old fashioned, slightly decaying non-league ground. Immediately to my right is the Tea Bar, rubbing shoulders with the cricket scoreboard and then an incredibly shallow two step terrace, the scene of much congestion during the afternoon. It's worth it for the picturesque views of the distant countryside as the sun beats down - for half an hour at least as the visiting Geordies remove layer after layer of clothing.

At the Orchard End is a small covered terrace behind the goal and across the way the main Barracuda Fisheries stand, with access via a narrow, bepuddled tunnel. Next to this is the Boardroom which resembles a mobile classroom.....

The near end supports more covered terracing, the clubhouse and Peter Eaton Bar, named after club stalwart Peter Eaton who played over 800 games for the Unicorns, plus the dressing rooms and press box. All four sides are taken over by magnificent and vocal away support.

The Unicorns are in gold and black and the Mariners in change white and claret on a pitch with a significant slope from side to side. After a tentative start Albion draw first blood on 13 minutes. A ball inside Shields' left back Darren Lough sees him hesitate, as does keeper Liam Connell, and centre forward Tom Corner nips in to score - although the ball should have been cleared off the line.

Thirty seconds later Mariners' Jon Shaw has a clearance charged down and the ball is played to Gibraltar international Adam Priestley who scores with a glorious finish in the top corner for 2-0. 'That's the game gone, man' is the pessimistic viewpoint from next to me.

As Shields toil, the Unicorns are clearly up for the fight and the game relies less on craft and guile, but rather more on graft and bile. The simmering undercurrent boils over seven minutes before half time. Arca is fouled for the umpteenth time, reacts and an ugly melee ensues, resulting in four bookings. Robert Briggs' scuffed shot wide in injury time is the Mariners' only real opportunity of the half.

The second half sees a rejuvenated Shields side, helped by a goal within the first two minutes. Louis Storey's shot into the ground is glanced home by Michael Richardson, and with Arca now running the midfield further chances follow. Lee Mason is denied by a wonderful fingertip save from Neil Bennett, Dillon Morse has an effort clawed off the line with substitute Graeme Armstrong heading the rebound over, and Storey fires wide.

Inevitably the Mariners equalise at the midpoint - Shaw atoning by heading home Arca's inswinging corner. Albion then soak up the pressure and, in a rare foray forward, Marcus Day shoots straight down Connell's throat. The final opportunity falls to Armstrong who heads wide in stoppage time when he should have done better.....

2-2 at the death then, and a bumper crowd of 502, two thirds from Shields at least, departs.....eventually as the housing estate cannot cope with the parking and traffic, and three supporters' buses clogging up the main road. The local residents probably can't wait for three weeks' time......

Purple Reign and Ashes to Ashes

And so to the TDP Solicitors Stadium in Bootle for this afternoon's North West Counties clash between City of Liverpool and Ashton Athletic.

The first meeting that led to the formation of City of Liverpool FC was in October 2014, and the club was officially established in May 2015. The club chose to play in the colour purple, as it is the civic colour of the city....and a mix of Liverpool red and Everton blue - leading to their nickname 'The Purps'.

The Purps applied to join the NWCFL in early 2016 but their application was rejected by the FA and COL were instead placed in the Liverpool County Premier League. However they took up the option to appeal the decision, especially as vacancies arose due to Northwich Manchester Villa's resignation and Rochdale Town's expulsion from the league. At Wembley Stadium on 8 June 2016 the appeal was successful.

Groundsharing at Bootle's (then) Delta Taxis Stadium, it was an extraordinarily successful inaugural season. Leading the way for much of the campaign, the Purps eventually finished fourth and overcame Whitchurch Alport 1-0 to reach the play off final. Litherland REMYCA were beaten 3-0 on their own turf to secure promotion to the Premier Division.

Added to this, COL beat Sandbach United to lift the First Division Challenge Cup, their first ever piece of silverware. The Purps also won the League Challenge Cup Final at Highbury (Fleetwood rather than Arsenal) on penalties against Barnoldswick Town, in a match soured by crowd violence. No wonder City of Liverpool FC was awarded the title 'Non League Team of the Year' by sports bookmaker Coral.

This season the club have won the Champions Cup against Atherton Collieries and currently lie seventh. Furthermore in their quest for a stadium of their own the Purps have been granted a period of exclusivity on a site at Fazakerley Playing Fields.

Ashton Athletic was founded in 1968 playing in the Wigan Sunday League, winning every Division in consecutive seasons before switching to the Warrington League on Saturdays where similar success was achieved. 'The Ashes' or 'Ash' developed Brocstedes Park and joined the Lancashire Combination at the start of the 1978/79 season.

Initially they struggled and finished bottom, and this struggle continued for three more seasons before The Ashes became founder members of the North West Counties in 1982 - and finished bottom. Having finished in last place twice more, Ash left the league in 1986 after failing a ground grading.

The club joined the Manchester League for the 1988/89 season and, after finding their place towards the bottom of the table, started to gradually improve. In 2006 they finished 4th and, following a two year campaign to reach the required ground standards, the Ashes rejoined the second tier of the North West Counties. A season later the club achieved third place and was promoted to the Premier Division.

This season their home FA Cup Third Round Qualifying tie with Chorley was televised live on the BBC, in front of a record crowd of 610. Currently the Ashes really are midtable, sitting 12th out of 23, but with 17 league games to fit into the final 6 weeks of the season - not a patch on 1874 Northwich who have 22 (half their entire league programme) to play in the same period !!

Through the outskirts of Altrincham, past a plethora of Indian restaurants (Delhi Alley anyone ?) to virtually the same route as last week's trek to watch AFC Liverpool. M56 then M6 via Thelwall, M62 adjacent to Sutton Manor, Griffin Wood and the Dream sculpture (below) and finally the M57 with an upturned armchair in the central reservation and a flatbed truck on fire...

The end of the motorway, PIES graffiti and Switch Island in chaos after an accident. Avoiding the signs for nearby Aintree racecourse, past Copy Lane police station then a left on to Park Lane, right into Bridle Street and left into Vesty Business Park. I park at Crazy Town, the only industrial unit open, and with some crazy parking to match......

This brings me to the TDP Solicitors Stadium, a football ground with its own wind turbine - much in keeping with the spinning wheels on the roofs of the other industrial units. £5 in and a very impressive match ticket which also allows me to claim a free shot at The Slaughter House pub. The vociferous Purps support is much in evidence with their banners 'Hated. Adored. Never Ignored.' 'Halfway Line Head Cases' and 'We Wear The Purple Jersey For The City By The Mersey'. Defiantly a single AAFC flag is hoisted in the opposite corner....

Inside to my left are two balcony areas, bisected by the entrance to a busy clubhouse. To the right is a refreshment bar, Frankie Andys, next to the Dodge Kop, a two step covered concrete terrace. On the opposite side are the dugouts and two mini all weather pitches while the far end holds two small covered stands in either corner.

The Purps are naturally in all purple, Ash in yellow and blue as the match gets underway in hazy sunshine but with an eye stinging wind. There follows a fairly forgettable opening save for an Ashton overhead kick which lands just wide of the post.

Then on 19 minutes Ashes' centre forward Dale Korie-Butler is played in down the left, and with no Purps' defender willing to close him down, advances to calmly pass the ball into the far corner of the net. The same player makes space for himself minutes later but his shot is hacked off the line.

Just before the half hour the Purps win a contentious free kick on the left. The ball is whipped in superbly at pace and Joe Camozzi heads in the equaliser past a motionless Matthew Pearson. 1-1 it stays until the interval.

The second half is a niggly, scrappy affair but the Purps are more up for the fight, and in Jack Hazlehurst, their 'Purple Messi', they have the game's stand out player. Pearson turns one of his efforts past the goalframe, shortly after pushing wide Tom Peterson's curling shot which seemed destined to give COL the lead.

Then with a quarter of an hour left, and with the home crowd still baying for a penalty, Hazlehurst picks up the loose ball on the edge of the penalty box and smashes it into the top corner. He then produces a gem of a cross that substitute John Connolly nods just the wrong side of the post.

A late Ash flurry produces one smart save and, after an inordinate amount of injury time, the Purps emerge victorious to the delight of the vast majority of the crowd of 447 – I count 3 Ashes supporters and, I assume, left back Bram Johnston’s parents….

Another Place - Congleton Do The Bear Necessities...

And so with the mini Beast from the East en route, West is best this afternoon. A trip to the coast and Rossett Park, or The Marine Travel Arena, in Crosby where tenants AFC Liverpool take on Congleton Town in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division.

AFC Liverpool (Affordable Football Club Liverpool) was officially formed in March 2008 as a not for profit organisation by Liverpool FC fans, increasingly frustrated at the cost of and difficulty in obtaining Premier League tickets. The Little Reds were accepted into the NWCFL, ground sharing at Valerie Park, home of Prescot Cables.

The club won the First Division Trophy in its first two seasons and in the 2010/11 season finished 4th in the league. However Rossendale United were expelled from the league and Formby were demoted to the First Division - both clubs are now defunct. Holker Old Boys, who had finished 3rd, declined promotion meaning AFC moved up to the Premier League.

The Little Reds moved to Marine FC's ground at the start of the 2014/15 season and have largely finished mid table, but this time lie in the relegation zone, 21st out of 23. Average crowds have dipped from 316 in their first season to less than half that, particularly with the advent of the new City of Liverpool FC.

Congleton Town FC was formed in 1901, starting life in the Crewe and District League where they were champions in their first three seasons. This prompted a move to the North Staffordshire & District League, and having conquered this in the 1919/20 season they were off again - this time to the Cheshire County League.

45 years later and yet to crack it, there was a brief 3 season foray into the Manchester League before joining the Mid Cheshire League. After winning this three times in 1974, 1976 and 1978, Town reverted back to the Cheshire County League and their last ever season there brought the Division 2 championship in 1982.

The restructuring of the leagues saw Congleton become founder members of the North West Counties League, and they moved up to the newly created Northern Premier League Division One in 1988. Perennial strugglers, Town were finally relegated back to the top tier of the NCWFL in 2001 - and continue to ply their football there, currently just below half way this term.

Congleton Town are known as the Bears, a throwback to the 1620s when bearbaiting was popular in the town and if historic lore is to be believed, in an attempt to attract more spectators, it used money set aside for a Bible to buy a more aggressive bear:

'Congleton Rare, Congleton Rare,

Sold the Bible to buy a bear. '

Consequently the town became known as Beartown....

So with alternating snow flurries and brilliant sunshine, it's motorways all the way. The M56 to the M6 (a becalmed Thelwall with speed restrictions due to the high winds), the M62 (IKEA and massive warehouses) and the M57 (an advertising hoarding for Velocity Ultimate Trampoline Park and elephant signs to Knowsley Safari Park). The end of the M57 sees the legendary 'The Pies The Pies Music Out Soon' graffiti.....

And then it's onward to the coast, past Liverpool Ramblers AFC and Thornton Gardens of Rest, where the traffic is at a standstill too. That leads to Great Crosby, Blundellsands and then into Crosby itself.

A stroll down to Crosby Beach in the glorious sun more than offset by the icy biting wind - Seaforth Freight Terminal to the south, and Formby to the north. I'm surrounded by ugly wind turbines, dog walkers, a passing ferry and Another Place and its Iron Men - the hundred cast iron sculptures of the artist's body facing out to sea, created by Antony Gormley (he of Angel of the North fame).

A quick walk back into town, past Lady Muck, The Lash Lounge and Moose Coffee brings me to the Marine Travel Arena. The stadium is located on a street full of shops with just the one turnstile open.

The other three sides are enclosed by terraced housing - one open raised end and one shallow three step covered terrace by the touchline. The opposite side has the pitch leading right up to back gardens with no spectator access - two dugouts, advertising hoardings and wire fencing, with helpfully house numbers signposted to aid retrieval of lost balls !!

The main Frank McKeown Wealth Management Stand is behind the goal, and supports a bar, The Galley, club shop and some terracing below and to the side. Gone are the dyslexic flags (NOTLOB REDS) and the bellringers chanting 'Bring out your dead', and there are just two old style rattles in evidence.

The Little Reds are naturally in all red with 96, commemorating Hillsborough, stitched into their shirts and Congleton in change yellow with black hoops - more Wasps than Bears !! The Congleton goalkeeper, Daniel Eccles, also has a different shirt sponsor, fieldfisher, to his teammates, Outpost......

The first half is dominated by the vicious wind, bobbly pitch, overhit passes and a real lack of quality. The Bears' Emini Adegbenro lashes wide, and AFC's Harry Avis steers his header across goal but beyond the far post. Billy Hasler-Cregg's curler beats keeper and goal for the visitors, but the first half hour is all about torpor.......

Then on 32 minutes Adegbenro plays in Dylan Bath who reaches the byline and crosses. His cutback hits the trailing leg of AFC's keeper, Jack Cookson, and trickles into the net - the goal incorrectly awarded to Bath by the stadium announcer. Bath has a better opportunity minutes later but dallies and the ball is cleared. Mason Nevitt somehow places the ball the wrong side of the post bang on half time with the Little Reds' best chance.

The second period starts better for AFC with Zach Hardacre's shot bamboozling a statuesque Eccles as it shaves the goalframe. But it doesn't last and just before the hour a ball lofted over the top is missed by the home defence and the pony tailed David Short has the simple job of tapping home to double the Bears' advantage. This prompts a one man walk out - 'Bloody Sh*te' his considered opinion.....

Into the last ten minutes the ball holds up in the wind and lets in AFC's Brad Owens, who beats Eccles but hits the post. The rebound falls kindly for him but he contrives to shoot straight at the man on the line. Hasler-Cregg is then felled in the penalty area, but nothing is given and he limps off, leaving the Bears to see out the remaining time with ten men.

This they do comfortably and substitute Steve Foster has the final chance, rounding Cookson, before missing the open net and poking wide. A thin crowd of 82 departs as the snow sets in, most wishing they were in Another Place....

Whites Hot - Seventh Heaven As Villagers Annihilated

And so to the Halton Stadium, home of Widnes FC and also Widnes Vikings RLFC. This afternoon sees the visit of Barnton FC for a North West Counties Premier Division fixture.

The home team was formed as The Dragons AFC in February 2003, concentrating on grassroots football. In 2012 they began a consultation process with Widnes Vikings RLFC to become part of the brand, and set up a first team that played one season in the West Cheshire League 3rd Division.

Widnes Vikings FC was admitted into the football pyramid and placed in the North West Counties Football League for the 2013/14 season. However, the club moved away from the Vikings brand in March 2014, becoming Widnes FC.

The Whites were promoted as champions of the First Division last May, and they are currently second in the Premier Division this time, on a 13 match unbeaten run.

The visitors, Barnton FC, from Townfield, was established in 1946 and became founder members of the Mid Cheshire League two years later. The Villagers won the league 11 times in total, including seven in a row from 1997 to 2003.

The league was renamed the Cheshire League in 2007 and Barnton were relegated to Division Two in 2009. Having been promoted as champions in 2013 , the Villagers then finished 5th in the top tier which was sufficient to gain election to the North West Counties Football League - their first ever season at Step 6; they did however represent England in the UEFA Regions League in 2004 playing Slovenian and Bosnian opposition.

In 2015/16 the club finished third and won the play off final 2-0 against Bacup Borough after extra time in front of a record crowd of 554 (yup I was there !). 17th last time but bottom by a country mile this campaign, one win, 9 points from 29 games and 107 goals conceded, in the 23 team league - relegation appears inevitable.

And so I set out on a dreadful afternoon, inevitably with rain teeming down - weather that has seen every other fixture in this division postponed because of waterlogging. Past a heated argument outside The Navigation then through Bowdon to Rostherne, 'Home of England's Finest Gardens'.

Onto the M56 then the M6 over Thelwall and into Woolston, site of the Tree of Lost Soles - a tree adorned with shoes and boots that the Council mysteriously chopped down in 2015. Through Warrington and The Hatter pub on Lovely Lane, into Bewsey and then to Fairclough Mill aka The Pink Eye at Sankey Bridges.

At Penketh there's The Teapod Tearooms before reaching Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, and the newly constructed fire station next to it - there's nothing like being prepared !! Then into Widnes, home of the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and No More Kennels. We reach the Halton Select Security Stadium and the pub next door - The Cricketers Arms...... the rain has stopped and there's even a glimpse of sunshine.

The Halton Stadium is a 13,350 all seater stadium with 4 covered stands. The sign in the car park helpfully tells us Widnes FC - Use Turnstiles S1 & S2........ both of which are locked ! After a wander round the ground we enter via Stadium Fitness and I sneak a quick peek of the impressive Legends Bar and Marquee Suite.

Just half of the South Stand is open - more than enough to accommodate the crowd of 72. This in itself is a big improvement on the 47 for last week's home game with Padiham, with today's crowd bolstered by some away fans and the fact that there is no local non league football anywhere else, except St Helens which also has an all weather pitch. But 72 in a ground that holds 13,350 is just nonsensical !!

Widnes are in white shirts with black shorts, The Villagers in change orange and sky blue. Their shirts also feature the club badge which includes a narrowboat referencing the nearby Anderton Boat Lift.

The expected gulf in class is immediately apparent, and the Whites should have led within the first 15 seconds. But their front two, George Lomax and Ben Hodkinson are wasteful, miscuing a hatful of chances. Joint player manager Steve Akrigg plants two free headers from corners over the bar, and winger Danny Laverty fires wide. The Villagers' keeper Rob Cooke makes two smart stops but the breakthrough is a long time coming.

One of the features of the first period is Widnes left back Phil Doran's barnstorming runs but he is involved, bizarrely, in another way in the Whites opener on 38 minutes. He retrieves the ball from the empty Pat Price Stand opposite and takes the throw in from the sixth row. The referee orders him to retake it from the touch line. From this a simple ball over the top beats the offside trap and George Lomax lobs a hesitant Cooke.

Five minutes later Chris Lomax's slaloming run sees the ball ricochet to Hodkinson who sends Cooke the wrong way for 2-0. Barnton's only response is bang on half time with Jack Irlam's 30 yard free kick straight at Richie Mottram.

Not long into the second period Chris Lomax makes it three with a sumptuous finish, and soon after Laverty has the opportunity to make it four but Cooke stands up well in the one on one. Widnes then become sloppy with Villagers' sub Brandon Moores lobbing just over Mottram's bar and Chris Bandell hitting the side netting. Moores is then felled for a Barnton penalty with a cheeky young lad shouting from the stand 'I'll give you a fiver if you miss the pen'.... Irlam scores straight down the middle.

Irlam goes close again and the other joint player manager Kev Towey has seen enough, and brings himself on with a quarter of an hour to play. Within 30 seconds he has scored, heading the ball on to Laverty on the wing and finishing the cross with aplomb.

He then sets up fellow sub Jack Banister with two goals in a minute, the first a one two and run on goal before his shot deflects in, the second from an exquisite back heel. The scoring is completed in the final minute as Stuart Cook produces two outrageous drag backs, dumping defenders on the floor, before smashing in off the post.

 7-1 at the finish to Widnes, and another nail in the Villagers' coffin.....

Town Pay The Penalty As Admirals of The Bleat Avoid Another Trafalgar

And so to The Venue at Park Hall, the home of FC Oswestry Town, who share facilities with The New Saints, for the North West Counties Football League Division One clash with Nelson FC, 'The Admirals' - naturally !!

FC Oswestry Town was formed in 2013 as a successor to Oswestry Lions, which had folded, and took the Lions' place in the Mercian Regional League Division One. The club finished third in their first season and was promoted to the Premier Division.

The following year Town won the Commander Ethelstone Cup, but the 2015/16 campaign saw the club win the quadruple - the Shropshire Challenge Cup, the Mercian Regional League Cup, retaining the Commander Ethelstone Cup and champions of the Mercian Regional League Premier Division.

Winning the latter title earnt the team promotion to the North West Counties Division One, and a 15th place finish in their debut season. 15th is where they currently sit this time too, despite losing 12 of their first 13 matches.

Nelson FC was founded in 1881, joining the Lancashire League in 1889 and becoming champions in 1896. The club folded during the 1898/99 season and was expelled by the Lancashire FA. Having rejoined the League in 1900, the club again closed down in 1916 with bailiffs called in.

Having reformed in 1918 and entered the Central League, the Admirals became founder members of the Football League Division 3 North in 1921. Promotion to Division 2 followed in 1923, and the side embarked on a Spanish preseason tour which saw them beat Real Madrid 4-2 !

Sadly the club was relegated after only one season, and against a backdrop of struggling form, falling attendances and growing debt (even a fund raising carnival lost £20 !) the team finished bottom of the League in 1931. They failed to win re-election and were replaced by Chester City. Having dropped into the Lancashire Combination the Admirals folded once more in August 1936 due to crippling debts.

Hastily reformed as Nelson Town the new club entered the local Nelson & Colne League in which they played up to the start of World War II. After a further reformation in 1946 and rejoining the Lancashire Combination, the Admirals were crowned champions in 1950 and again in 1952, the latter under the stewardship of Joe Fagan, who went on to manage Liverpool.

In 1971 the football club moved from its Seedhill base, home since 1905 and which also hosted the Nelson Admirals speedway team, to Victoria Park. Seedhill became a stock car racing venue, but was all but demolished when the M65 was built.

Nelson FC became a founder member of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 but was evicted in 1988 due to ground grading requirement failures. A four year sojourn in the West Lancashire League ended with readmittance to the NWCFL as Victoria Park, or Little Wembley as the locals christened it, was upgraded. The Admirals resigned from the league in 2010 but after a 12 month 'sabbatical' returned and were promoted to the Premier Division in 2014. Last time around only Cammell Laird finished below Nelson, prompting a return to Division One. This season the Admirals have fared even worse and currently sit rock bottom.

Setting out against a backdrop of gunmetal grey sky it's straight into roadworks, a lane closure and traffic chaos. Then past the giant carved wooden eagle at the dental practice on Manchester Road and through Altrincham town centre with its £16,000 4 metre monolith aka vanity project that tells us Altrincham has been a market town since 1290, complete with spelling mistake.....

On to the M56 with the rain teeming down and Stanlow refinery belching fumes and the wind turbines going like the blazes. Then the M53 which becomes the A55 and a turn onto the A483 before nine miles down the A5 - all surrounded by waterlogged fields.

Beyond Lion Quays, the Lord Moreton and over the Llangollen Canal, past Artillery Business Park and down Burma Road to The Venue at Park Hall. Disappointingly the former Grandad's Cafe advertising 'Ugly Staff, Beautiful Food' has closed :(

The Venue at Park Hall, in Whittington just outside Oswestry is a ten pin bowling and gym complex with a hospitality suite that leads through to a large balcony and seats overlooking the half way line. Next to it is a poor neighbour stand that covers the rest of the touchline, but the Black Hawk Laser Games behind it looks enticing....

At the far end is another stand that begins at the corner flag, continues behind the goal and then stops rather abruptly at the 18 yard line. Bizarrely, opposite the main stand, there is a further narrow mini grandstand that houses the press box on the second tier, the subs' benches on the first tier and the technical area on the ground and, er, that's it. The rest of the ground is flanked by trees - we are in the countryside after all !

Down to the main turnstile which is unmanned, and I find I'm still slim enough to squeeze through, fiver in hand. The crowd is later announced as 54 (plus one non-payer !!) with nine dotted round the ground and 46 on the balcony - 'it's just like being at the races' - which is presumably where I was supposed to pay !!

Town are in blue and white, the Admirals in change green and black, and the near linesman is wearing gloves...and glasses ! The rain, which caused all bar three of today's fixtures to be postponed, has abated as the match gets underway, following tannoy announcements about drinking, smoking and standing.

The first half is one of Nelson's persistent fouling and moaning to the referee. Town, by contrast, try to play football on the AstroTurf but misplaced passing and poor control scuppers much of their play, failing to take advantage of the rear Admirals' leaky offside trap.

Nonetheless Louis Moss is just wide with a drive and Sam Spridgeon's swirling chip drifts just beyond the post, after Admirals' keeper Marcel Wusiewicz makes a complete mess, twice, of stopping a straightforward effort.

Nelson take the lead on 24 minutes from Chris Turner's penalty for a dubious handball, just after Town's appeal for a spot kick is (incorrectly) turned down. Turner has a shot deflected wide, after a Town error caused by overplaying just outside their own area, as we reach the midpoint - and a half time draw of £1 to win a box of biscuits, an offer certainly good enough to refuse !!

A minute into the second half the Admirals win a corner and the inswinging delivery is cleared off the line - just. Five minutes later Oswestry equalise through Moss from a lovely one-two. Thereafter craft and guile, never much in evidence in the first period, are replaced by graft and bile and it's a frustrating watch. Nelson's strongarm tactics, flare ups and some fairly awful football are complemented by atrocious officiating.

So it's a shock when Tse Nan Yue, aka Curtis (??!!), scores with a sumptuous effort into the top corner for the home side with twenty to go. Town hit the outside of the post via a deflection but normal service swiftly resumes.

Oswestry's defending becomes ever more desperate and brainless but they look to have survived until the fourth minute of injury time when the Admirals win another contentious free kick. The ball is swung in and Sam Holt's looping header goes beyond Town's portly custodian and captain Louis Mackin, to level it at 2-2. Judging by the celebrations you would have thought Nelson has won the World Cup - or beaten Real Madrid !! Two minutes later the away team win a corner, and the referee blows for full time.

Next weekend sees the reverse fixture but with drainage problems and the current weather, the Admirals' Little Wembley is likely to be under water.....

Returning Hero Opens The Gate And Makes Hey...

And so to Squires Gate FC and School Road and The Brian Addison Stadium - named after club stalwart Brian Addison, who has progressed from player to linesman to manager to Secretary to Chairman and eventually to groundsman.... Today's visitors in the North West Counties are Abbey Hey.

The home club 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 side 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 - came to naught.

Abbey Hey FC hail from the Abbey Stadium, and not the one in Cambridge ! Their Abbey Stadium is to be found on Goredale Avenue in Gorton, M18. The visitors date back to 1902 when they formed as Abbey Hey WMC, but the club has disbanded and reformed on a number of occasions. The Red Rebels came into their own in the 1960s after it took in the players of the Admiralty Gunnery Engineering Department (AGED).

 

After numerous honours the club was successful in its application to the Manchester League and were promoted from the Second Division in their first season. In 1998 they moved from the Manchester League to the North West Counties and were promoted in that first season to their current level.

 

The club previously played at St Werburghs Road under an arrangement with Lookers, who reneged on the deal two years in. The Red Rebels then moved to Godfrey's, named after local councillor Godfrey Ermen, and after two seasons on the old English Steel site, took up residence at the Abbey in 1984.

So with the sky a grey palette I set out and immediately hit traffic chaos. A roadsweeper, blocking one lane and creating more detritus than it is picking up, is followed by a broken down bus and then a lane closure. T & T Pound Plus and the dreadful 'ELCTRICAL. TOILETORIES' sign and Garvey's still advertising its New Year's Eve celebrations - all before the M60....

The Smart Motorway is now 'operative' although still sticking to a 50mph limit and with more workmen in evidence than during the entire overrunning project. Then the M61 and directly across from 'Incontinence Supplies At Internet Prices' a car with hazards on and its driver vomiting on the hard shoulder.

Past Botany Bay then onto the M6 before I join the M55 with signs screaming at me 'Free Entry at Ma Kelly's'. Off at Marton Fold then past Stan's Mowers and Hollyacres Luxury Cats Hotel, before I park once more at Spirit of Youth FC just beyond The Brian Addison Stadium.

Blackpool Wren Rovers and Squires Gate share the same car park - the Wrens at Coppull United today in the West Lancashire League. The Wrens' ground is to the left with a red door, Gate's to the right with a blue door.

Inside the near end supports a small covered bus shelter arrangement, next to which are the changing rooms named after another club stalwart, Wilf Carr. Outside a chalkboard announces the next home game is against Northwitch (sic) Vics. In the corner is the homely clubhouse and a covered area down the side, part standing, part bench seating.

The top end is open and the other side is the shared perimeter wall between the two grounds. Indeed there is even an interconnecting door to allow access to retrieve wayward ball kicked next door !! The tight covered standing area also has two of the narrowest ginnels where the dugouts and floodlight pylons conspire to minimise access - impossible for some of the more rotund fans to get through..... Beyond the Wrens' Bruce Park is The Shovels public house.

Gate are in two tone blue, the Red Rebels in red and black, and both sides have the club badge woven into their shirts - Gate on the back and Abbey down the front and side. The Red Rebels' keeper Ross Heywood wears a hideous orange and grey concoction. The match gets underway with decent away support, and an Abbey Hey Football Club flag behind the goal.

The first half is a scrappy, messy desultory affair. Gate have one shot worthy of the name - Dave Rossall straight at Heywood - and the major talking points are a lack of pumped up balls and a decapitated corner flag. Then things pick up; Ben Fletcher, in the home goal, at full stretch fingertips a volley onto the post, and shortly after on 35 minutes Red Rebels' captain Andy Smith heads in from a Robert Swallow corner.

1-0 to Abbey at the break, and rather more action from the gliders taking off from nearby Blackpool Airport than on the pitch.....

The Red Rebels continue where they left off, forcing Fletcher into three comfortable saves. Then, on the hour, Gate begin to play. Wing wizardry from Ryan Riley, back after six months out, produces a sublime cross for Gary Pett. His header brings a fantastic reaction save from Heywood but Scott Harries, who re-signed for Gate from Lancaster City in midweek, scores from the rebound, in the act of falling over.

Ten minutes later captain Mike Hall's free kick causes consternation in the Abbey defence. A goalmouth scramble leaves Harries to tap in from virtually on the goal line. Moments afterwards much merriment in the crowd as the linesman is painfully hit by a fiercely struck ball in a sensitive area - and adopts a 'wide' stance thereafter......

With five minutes to go Gate win a free kick in a promising position. Pett's 25 yard thunderbolt is still rising and still travelling as it hits the top corner for a stunning finish. 3-1 to the Gate and surely game over ? Maybe not as within 40 seconds Swallow flies down the wing, dances across the penalty box and curls into the bottom corner for a magnificent solo goal.

Sadly the Reds' Rebellion fizzles out and it finishes 3-2 to Squires Gate at the death.

Where's Wally ? James Suckers The Bloods As Seadogs Bite Back

And so on a cold, sunny January afternoon it's off to Butcher's Arms, the home of Droylsden FC, for this afternoon's visit of high flying Scarborough Athletic in the Evostik Northern Premier League Division One North.

Droylsden FC was originally formed in 1892 at the invitation of Joseph Cropper, the landlord of the Butcher's Arms, to play behind the pub. The club emerged out of World War One as the sole survivor of the village teams, as a member of the Manchester League and with colours of red and white - the inspiration for their nickname 'The Bloods'. The 1930s produced two Manchester League championships with record goalscorer Ernest Gillibrand plundering 275 goals in just 4 seasons (yes 4 seasons !!).

Spells in the Lancashire Combination and Cheshire League followed before the sale of the Butcher's Arms lease to Belle Vue FC, who renamed themselves Droylsden United. The Bloods were forced out to nearby Moorside Trotting Stadium aka 'Pork Park'. The town wasn't big enough to support two teams and eventually a merger was negotiated.

Two decades in the Lancashire Combination ended with a return to the Cheshire League, and Droylsden then became a founder member of the North West Counties in 1982. Gradually the club ascended to the Conference North, and spent one season in the Conference National in 2007/08.

Since then two second round FA Cup adventures have been the highlights. In 2008/09 the Bloods beat League 2 side Darlington 1-0 to set up a four game thriller with Chesterfield. Two matches were abandoned through fog and floodlight failure, there was a 2-2 draw and Droylsden then beat the Spireites 2-1 to earn a third round tie at Ipswich. Except it never happened as double goalscorer Sean Newton was found to be ineligible, and The Bloods were expelled from the competition.

Two years later Droylsden hosted a televised second round tie with Leyton Orient which was drawn. In the replay the Bloods were 2-0 up at Brisbane Road until two late goals drew Orient level, and the league side then went on the rampage in extra time to win 8-2.

Three relegations in six years see Droylsden at their current level. The last of these was the horrific 2013/14 campaign - one win all season, relegated in February and no playing budget whatsoever with the club battling to pay off a £280,000 VAT debt that threatened its very existence. To be fair to club owner, chairman and manager, the irascible Dave Pace, he refused to put the club into administration and vowed to pay it all back.

Scarborough Athletic FC was set up on 25 June 2007 by the Seadog Trust. This was five days after the liquidation of Scarborough FC - £2.5 million in debt and unable to sell the McCain Stadium to a housing developer due to a covenant restricting it to sporting activities.

The Seadogs joined the Northern Counties East League Division One, groundsharing at Bridlington Town's Queensgate stadium. Two seasons in they were crowned as champions and promoted to the Premier Division, with Brian France as manager. In their second season in the top flight France was struck in the face by a ball at Liversedge and suffered a brain haemorrhage - he never managed the club again.

In 2012/13 'Boro clinched the NCEL title and were promoted to the Northern Premier Division One South (bizarrely !!) under their magnificently named manager Rudy Funk. The Seadogs were moved laterally to Division One North after one season.

At the start of this campaign the club, after ten years at Bridlington, finally returned to the town at the new Flamingo Land Stadium at Weaponness. After play off defeat last time, the Seadogs currently lie third with attendances having nearly trebled.

It's Metrostink today, and a tram full of bleary eyed Manchester City fans on their way to the FA Cup tie with Burnley. A tram also held up by a disabled man's wheelchair becoming trapped halfway in the door.

Change at Cornbrook and Metrolink's decision to run single units produces cattle truck conditions. Through the city centre and past the modern apartments in New Islington before it's time to breathe again after most disembark at the Etihad. Then beyond the National Cycling Centre to Clayton Hall, home of Carp Fever, and the aptly named Cemetery Road - and yes there is a funeral directors just round the corner !!

This brings me into the town, past Droylsden Pigeon Corn Supplies and Dumplins Chicken Split Shop - the latter, like several other outlets, appearing to have closed. Butcher's Arms is a five minute stroll from the tram stop, just beyond The Beehive and The King's Head (formerly the Butcher's Arms).

Through two fine wrought iron gates is the grandstand, The William Pace Stand, and a Press Box that remains empty throughout the afternoon. Next to it is the impressive (and warm !) clubhouse whilst to the left is a tidy covered terrace, spoilt by copious amounts of pigeon droppings (I blame that Corn Supplies shop !!) and a strange Aardvark Concrete hoarding. Opposite is some wonky terracing, with the other end an open tarmacked area, bordered by houses.

The crowd of 334 is swelled by at least half supporting 'Boro, in good voice and with several flags ('Seadog Trucker On Tour'). The Bloods are in all red, the Seadogs in change all yellow.

The pitch is an absolute pudding and, along with an icy swirling wind, not conducive to good football. Nonetheless Droylsden's Luke Daly is able to waltz past 5 Scarborough players, all too easily, and smash the ball past Thomas Taylor to give the Bloods an early lead.

Droylsden's intricate passing plays the conditions better compared to the Seadogs' rather flat first half display. The Bloods' strike force of Sefton Gonzalez and Ciaran Kilheeney also poses a more potent threat than the visitors' much vaunted Mike Coulson and James Walshaw.

From a breakaway Kilheeney gets in a shot that Taylor parries but Gonzalez, with the ball behind him, can't keep his shot from clearing the crossbar. The Seadogs can only muster a Lewis Sugden shot wide and, after Bloods' keeper Richie Branagan spills a corner, Max Wright's chip is over.

Very early in the second half Gonzalez is withdrawn with an injury, and the Bloods set out to hold what they have, stifling the Seadogs and playing on the counter. Wright and Coulson shoot over, and Sam Hewitt hits the outside of the post as it becomes an afternoon of frustration for 'Boro.

Then Droylsden lose both full backs to injury and the dismembered defence is suddenly all at sea. But it's still not until the 76th minute when Walshaw is felled in the penalty area and Coulson drills the penalty home. Bloods’ owner Dave Pace becomes ever more animated…..

The home defence is sliced open immediately and Walshaw is through but Branagan smothers. Little matter as in the next break the defence is carved open again and this time Walshaw dinks the ball over Branagan – and the Seadogs lead with ten minutes to go. Four minutes later Coulson plays in Walshaw who finishes decisively for 3-1, the match and second place in the table.