Tuesday, 14th October 2008

News Archive

30th December 2006
In the First Division, leaders Buxton had a very good holiday and finished it ten points clear.

Even when they looked like being held to a draw by Shepshed Dynamo the fog came to their rescue and they then went on to take maximum points from what they would have considered tricky encounters away at Woodley Sports and at home to one of their leading rivals Cammell Lairds in a match that saw the second best attendance (610) of the First Division campaign.

Lairds had won both their other holiday games at Goole AFC and at home to Colwyn Bay to close the gap on second place Stocksbridge PS to just two points with two games in hand after the "Steels" had been held by in form Gresley Rovers before being rained off on Saturday.

Eastwood Town and Rossendale United also both dropped points over the holidays with drawn games against Ossett Albion and Kidsgrove Athletic respectively but stay in the play-off spots as nearest rivals Bradford Park Avenue and Colwyn Bay fared even worse with both sides picking up just one point over the festive season.

At the bottom Chorley were having a good time with four points from two games until they came across the holiday period's form team Kidsgrove Athletic who put five past them to add to the four they had scored on Boxing Day when almost five hundred watched their 4-3 local derby win against Alsager Town.

Musslewhite Rescues Buxton

The vastly experienced Paul Musselwhite has come to the aid of First Division championship chasing Buxton who were recently forced to use striker Rob Ward in goal for the whole ninety minutes against Bridlington Town. Despite Ward keeping a clean sheet in that game he obviously doesn't figure in manager Nicky Law's plans for a permanent place between the sticks.

Buxton's plans began to go astray when regular goalkeeper Scott Hartley was unavailable due to a back injury and also work commitments in London. To cover his absence Laws signed Harrogate Railway's Liam Sutcliffe but he didn't arrive at Bridlington forcing Ward to go in goal. Laws consequently turned to 38 year old Musslewhite who amassed more than six hundred appearances in the full time game including more than three hundred for Port Vale, two hundred for Scunthorpe United and a century for Hull City after starting his career as an apprentice with his home town club Portsmouth.

McGurk Becomes Number Thirteen

Peter McGurk became the thirteenth managerial change of the UniBond season when he delivered a shock resignation to a meeting of club Directors days before Christmas. McGurk, who had been in charge for just over two years, said he felt he couldn't further his ambitions for the club as regards attracting new players from his contacts.

Taking over in a caretaker capacity is his Assistant Adam Stevens who had to deal with a hectic schedule of five games in two weeks over the holiday period including a daunting trip to league leaders Buxton and two derby games against Gresley Rovers. Stevens, a former player at the Dovecote until injury curtailed his playing days, will be helped initially by Reserve team boss John Warriner but will look to appoint an assistant as soon as possible.

And Whittaker Makes Fourteen

Despite all its festive cheer Christmas didn't manage to bring the UniBond League managerial merry-go-round to even a temporary standstill for hard on the heels of Peter McGurk stepping down came the resignation of Andy Whittaker at Bamber Bridge.

Whittaker called it a day after his side had slumped to a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of neighbours and next to bottom Chorley in their Boxing Day "derby" encounter. A talented striker in his day who played in the 1998 FA Trophy Final for Southport, Whittaker scored 130 goals for "Brig" before taking over as joint manager in November 2004 with Phil Entwistle and then taking overall control of team affairs from the start of 2005/6 with Entwistle as his Assistant. The latter, who has a long association with the club, now takes charge for the foreseeable future.

Lawson Awarded Five Year Contract

A happier manager this Christmas was Skelmersdale United's Tommy Lawson who had his current three year contract ripped up and replaced with a five year deal so happy are the club with the progress made under him since he joined them in the summer. Lawson said "I am very pleased to accept the offer.

I've said on more than one occasion that this was the job I've always wanted and it will more than likely be the last football job I do. It's a fantastic challenge for me to oversee the progress of Skelmersdale United FC and to be handed a deal like this allows me to plan for the future. It is nice to know that the club supports my ambitions and hopefully we can take the club to another level by becoming a leading team in the UniBond Premier Division".

Eastwood's Central Defenders Problems Continues

First Division promotion hopefuls Eastwood Town saw their defensive problems continue over the holiday period when Matt McKenzie, out with injury since last October, was pressed in to service on Boxing Day only to limp off after just thirty minutes. He had been recalled to cover for eighteen year old Marc Stevenson who, after making fifty first team appearances last season, has suffered various nagging injuries this term. Three other central defenders were missing though their absences were more self-inflicted through suspension.

Another absentee has been striker Adam Kerley whose problems with a serious family illness led to internal disciplinary action being taken but this is now being sorted out between the player and manager Paul Cox who continues to strengthen his squad in other areas. He has recruited two nineteen year old wing backs in Jay Smedley, who had a first team squad number at Leicester City, and Lewis Smith who had been a big hit with "Badgers" fans in a short spell last season before going globe trotting.

UniBond Division One "Club Of The Month" Award

First Division award was also being won for the first time by another league newcomer in Alsager Town who put together some very impressive results including away wins at two of the top three clubs in Stocksbridge and Cammell Laird. Indeed, in the case of the latter it was the first time they had lost at home in the UniBond League. They also beat Bridlington Town and Skelmersdale United and held yet another play-off side in Rossendale United with the only real blip coming in a 4-3 derby defeat on Boxing Day at neighbours Kidsgrove Athletic. Alsager's nearest rivals were Gresley Rovers who were unbeaten in five games but had been held to a draw by Stocksbridge who Alsager had beaten.

Lairds Begin Planning Centenary Celebrations

League newcomers Cammell Laird enter 2007 in their highest ever place within football and significantly the year ahead brings the Birkenhead club's Centenary celebrations. Club spokesman Paul McLoughlin said: "2006 has been the most successful year in the club's 99 year history and it is easy to forget that just two and half years ago we were in the West Cheshire League three levels below where we are today. It would be an immense achievement to mark our Centenary Year with further success in the UniBond League First Division. Officially our birthday is in June but our first ever game took place in September 1907 when we played neighbours Tranmere Rovers. Indeed, for the first two years of our existence we shared Prenton Park with Rovers. We are planning several events to mark our Centenary but a match against Tranmere will certainly be the main one".

Laird's visitors on Boxing Day, Colwyn Bay, presented their hosts with a framed commemoration of the Centenary. Bay's manager and former England international Peter Davenport made the presentation to Laird's coach Reggie McGuire. The pair played together for Lairds 25 years ago prior to Davenport being snapped up by Nottingham Forest.

Another UniBond club about to start their Centenary year is Bradford Park Avenue who were formed in May 1907 and the former Football League club are also busy making preparations to mark the occasion. Who knows, both clubs could yet be celebrating in style with promotion.

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