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Barney Daniels (centre in glasses) at the 2012 Hyde United reunion

Barney Daniels 1950 - 2025

IF you picked up a winter copy of the old Ashton-under-Lyne Reporter in the early 1970s, it's a pound to a penny the back page headline would have featured Barney Daniels. And the by-line on the accompanying story would have read "by DCN Jones".

Dai Jones, the crusty but likeable Welshman who was group editor at the time, had covered Ashton United since their pre-war days as Hurst FC. Right until the end of his long life, there was always a sparkle in his eye when he talked about the goalscoring feats of Barney Daniels.

But he wasn't alone in that. Back in my radio days I did an interview with another Robins veteran, Ronnie Thomasson, who has spent a lifetime serving the club in every capacity from groundsman to chairman. Now in his early nineties, he's what might be termed an elder statesman.

"In all the years you've been watching Ashton United, who's the best player you've ever seen?", I asked him. Without a moment's hesitation he rapped back "Bernard Joseph Daniels".

Ronnie, in yet another of his Hurst Cross roles, played a key part in getting Barney to join the Robins at a time when Ashton were a struggling Cheshire League outfit

Anyone who saw Barney playing at Hurst Cross 50-odd years ago would have similar memories Blond-haired and powerfully built, he was a striker supreme. You couldn't miss him on the pitch and he rarely missed the goal. He was the kind of player everyone looks for — the one who guarantees goals.

You won't be surprised to learn that I was quite excited when Les Sutton signed him for Hyde United in the summer of 1981. At Ewen Fields he formed part of a lethal strike trio alongside Peter Coyne and George Oghani which was to realise 71 goals as the Tigers won the Cheshire League treble.

Despite being named as sub (there was only one in those days) on 19 occasions — leading to the popular shout of "get Barney on" from the Ewen Fields terraces — he finished with the highly impressive record of scoring 17 times in 25 appearances.

Four of these came in a late burst as Hyde closed in on the title in April. The final one came in the 4-1 victory at Formby where they clinched the championship they had so narrowly and heartbreakingly missed out on the previous year.

Barney left Ewen Fields at the end of the season as the Tigers prepared for a return to the Northern Premier League. The last I heard of him as a player was around 35 years ago when I was told he had been seen turning out as a goalkeeper in the Salford Sunday League.

The final time I saw Barney was at a Hyde United reunion in 2012. Sadly, his health deteriorated soon after leading to a bad stroke and I believe he was affected by dementia. It all led to his untimely recent death at the age of 74.

Of course, as with so many footballers, there are plenty of "what ifs" associated with Barney's career.

What if he had made it at Manchester United where he was a youth player from 1967 to 1969? What if he had been able to build on that fantastic start at Manchester City when he scored two goals in a 4-1 defeat of Leicester in 1974? What if it had worked out at Stockport County or Chester?

As it stands, Barney will have to be remembered as an Ashton United player. But what a player and what a favourite. His goalscoring ability certainly warmed up some cold nights.

Listen closely, and you can probably still hear his name being cheered by the ghosts that lurk at Hurst Cross.

RIP Barney Daniels, an old-fashioned star and a true non-league great.

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My Memories of Mike McKenzie

WHEN Hyde United were looking for a new manager in the spring of 1994, I have to confess I was more than a little concerned when it became clear they were seriously thinking of appointing Mike McKenzie.

Over the years, I had heard on the grapevine that Mike could be difficult to deal with. And then the calls started coming in. “You won’t like him”, “he never answers his phone”, “be careful you don’t get on the wrong side of him”, “he’s an angry man”. He was frequently accused of having a chip on his shoulder.

The prospects didn’t sound promising. But in those days it was essential I had a good working relationship with my local football bosses. As sports editor of the old North Cheshire Herald I used to ring all seven of my managers every week for previews, team news, pose questions asked by fans, and take a look at what had happened in weekend and midweek matches.

In those pre-internet days, when there were no websites to copy from, and when club media teams lay many years in the future, most people bought the newspaper for its sports coverage. It was the only way they could keep up with what was happening on the Tameside and Glossop football scene. And, unlikely as it may sound today, it was pretty much the only place they could see league tables.

Finally, in May, Tigers secretary Alan Slater let me know the club would be announcing Mike’s appointment in the social club one Friday, and I set off wondering what he would be like. On a fine afternoon he arrived smartly dressed and we went through the usual procedure – comments from the club about their hopes for a long and prosperous relationship, the new boss briefly outlining his plans, and then we had the usual scarf pictures.

I managed to grab a few words with Mike and bought him a bottle of pils as a bridge-building gesture. I have a feeling he had been primed about my supposed disinclination to spend money as he said something about framing the bottle rather than drinking from it. He even had his picture taken with it to save the moment for posterity. So far, so good. On the basis of a couple of hours in Hyde United Social Club, Mike had proved to be affable and helpful. He hadn't come across as the ogre I had been led to expect.

As the weeks and month passed, I found that he did answer his phone although it often took me several attempts to reach him. I still recall his chirpy message to callers: “Hello, I’m sorry I can’t come to the phone right now, but if you’d like to leave your name and number, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you.” I heard it so many times I can remember it after 30-odd years.

We had our ups and downs, as was the case with all the managers I dealt with. Mike could be sensitive to perceived criticism or unfairness, and very occasionally would refuse to answer questions, labelling them as stupid. But on the whole we had a good relationship, and he was by no means the most difficult boss I had to deal with in my days as a professional journalist.

What you had to do was convince Mike you were taking him seriously and you could be trusted. When he signed Prince Moncrieffe, he was not amused when I asked if the player's father was a king. "You don't understand West Indian culture, do you?" he replied. Lesson learned.

Mike also made me laugh when he fed me stories that were patently untrue. During the FA Trophy runs of 1994-95 and 1995-96 he regularly told me some key player was injured, only for that player to trot out of the tunnel at 3 o’clock. I took it was a compliment he thought clubs like Telford were seeking out the North Cheshire Herald for previews of important ties.

The received wisdom is that Mike McKenzie walked into Hyde United and immediately put together an exciting squad that steamrollered its way to the first round of the FA Cup and very nearly to the NPL championship and FA Trophy final. Actually there was a little more to it than that. When Mike arrived at Ewen Fields, both he and Hyde United were at a crossroads.

After making his name as manager of the all-conquering Astro Sunday side, at a time when the final of the Manchester champion of champions competition drew huge crowds, he had led Winsford United to second place in the NPL premier division and to the first round of the FA Cup.

That led to him taking charge at Witton who were ostensibly a rich club having sold their old Central Park ground to Sainsbury’s. Yet, by the time Mike got to Wincham Park, Albion had spent their windfall on a run to the FA Trophy final and in a vain attempt to establish themselves as a National League set-up. His stay was brief and unhappy.

Hyde had struggled since Pete O’Brien’s decision to join Runcorn at the end of 1990. Graham Bell, Cliff Roberts and Ged Coyne had all failed to turn the club’s fortunes round, leading to O’Brien’s return in October, 1993. After a promising start in which the Tigers reached the league cup final, he then staggered the Ewen Fields faithful by turning his back on the club where he had spent so much time as a player and manager to join "lowly" Droylsden who had been acquired by a highly ambitious owner called Dave Pace.

At the same time the ground had deteriorated badly and was bereft of atmosphere. The Baspograss pitch was worn out and a great deal of terracing had been ripped out rather than repaired.

But Mike McKenzie did prove to be the shot in the arm Hyde United needed. Fielding players like Ged Kimmins, Billy Garton, George Switzer, Colin Little and Tony Carroll, he assembled a squad that was arguably the most exciting in the club’s history and which reached its zenith with an FA Trophy quarter-final victory over a Stevenage side heading for the Conference title and featuring Barry Hayles and Efe Sodje.

McKenzie’s Marvels really should have won more silverware but they were victims of their own success in making progress in just about every competition and then having to grapple with huge fixture pile-ups. Stunning FA Trophy runs both ended at the semi-final stage. One, against Kidderminster, very unluckily. The second, against Northwich, spoiled by injuries.

Even so, Mike racked up an impressive list of trophies including the Cheshire Senior Cup which was taken after an impressive performance against Macclesfield.

Sadly, the steam eventually ran out of Mike’s side. By the time he left Hyde in 2001 he had fallen out of love with football and the performances showed it. But he departed as the Tigers’ longest-serving manager, narrowly surpassing Les Sutton’s seven-year reign from 1976 to 83.

And what of my relationship with the man I was so uncertain about? Despite the usual ups and downs of any press-managerial relationship we got on well. We exchanged greetings at Christmas, he would occasionally ring me. On his many visits to Ewen Fields there was always a hearty handshake. When I once asked him for help with an issue, it meant the world to me when he replied “anything for you Pav”.

In short, forget the shoulder-chips and sensitivity, Mike McKenzie was solid gold. we can only imagine the obstacles he must have faced in establishing himself as a respected manager in the world of 30 and 40 years ago. Even today, in 2025, black bosses are conspicuous by their absence.

If you were straight with Mike, he’d be straight with you. And once you’d made a friend of him, he was your friend for life, showing great loyalty.

Non-league football has lost a jewel.

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Peter Wragg: A Personal Recollection

WHEN Peter Wragg resigned as Hyde United manager in March, 1986, he described his three years at Ewen Fields as a marriage that had never been consummated.

Taken at face value, it was one of the quick-witted comments for which Wraggy was known. He always had a wise crack whatever the question or occasion. But it summed up his situation perfectly. He had never been taken to heart by the Tigers fans.

Perhaps it was a result of the way club chairman Peter Pluck had summarily sacked — sorry, failed to renew the contract — of Wraggy's popular and very successful predecessor Les Sutton. Or it could have been because he was a former Stalybridge Celtic boss. Whatever the reason, the relationship was always tepid rather than warm.

Yet, while it's true Wraggy failed to win any trophies during his time at Hyde United, he did supply one of the most memorable moments in the club's long history by leading it to the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in 29 years.

For those who experienced it, that journey, and the incredible afternoon at Turf Moor in November, 1983, will never be forgotten.

Hyde lost 2-0 but third division (league one) Burnley — managed by former Manchester City boss John Bond and including names like million-pound man Kevin Reeves — were played to a standstill. The gap between Football League and Northern Premier League evaporated.

The run had begun in straightforward fashion at Darwen, but in the second qualifying round the Tigers destroyed Runcorn who were arguably the best non-league club in the country at that time. They may have won the National League (Conference) title and cup in consecutive seasons but they had no answer to George Oghani whose dazzling skills set up a 3-0 victory.

Arch-rivals Stalybridge Celtic were disposed of in the next round, setting up a clash with Northern League powerhouse Blyth Spartans who had a tremendous record in the FA Cup, having got as far as the fifth round in 1977-78.

The chance of glory seemed to have gone when Hyde could only draw 1-1 at home. Absences were such that Wragg had to name himself as substitute for the replay, yet the Tigers surprised everyone, perhaps including themselves, by winning 4-2. Wraggy celebrated by pouring the trainer's bucket over his head.

It was a moment of madness but it was pure Peter Wragg. You never knew what he might do or say in any given situation. He could be hilarious company or in a complete sulk. During a match, with his hand against his head — often giving the appearance he was sucking his thumb — his face would go through all the colours of the rainbow.

Looking back, it would have been interesting to have fitted him with one of those monitors used on Sam Allardyce in 2002. The BBC found that during a match against Leicester, Big Sam's heart rate reached 160 beats per minute — four times his normal resting pulse. Judging by the depth of purple, puce and blue seen in Wraggy's complexion, I'll bet he could have beaten that.

Perhaps it was his desire to win, that competitive instinct we hear so much about these days? His record proves he was a winner.

Away from Hyde United, he led Stalybridge Celtic to the Cheshire League title in 1980, took Chorley into the NPL, won a never-to-be-repeated NPL treble with Macclesfield (league, cup and President's Cup), led the Silkmen to the 1989 FA Trophy final, and in 1994 achieved what was possibly his greatest feat by saving Stalybridge from what appeared to be certain relegation from the Conference. To recall Syd Waddell's famous darts commentary, it was the greatest comeback since Lazarus.

He was no mean player either, filling the number-ten role extremely effectively.

Various stories sum up Wraggy for me. When Hyde United Social Club hosted a team v fans pool competition, Peter found himself playing a lad of about 15 who potted the white. Believing he had won, the jubilant manager celebrated in typically over-the-top fashion by holding the cue above his head, swivelling his hips and singing.

Wraggy was mortified when he was informed he hadn't won, but actually had two shots. He could still have taken the game easily but instead he chose to argue, then smashed the balls around the table. Throwing his cue to the ground, he turned to the young lad - in front of his mother - and snarled into his face "I hope you're happy you little bastard". He then slumped into a chair and sulked, hand against face. His mood only brightened when he started to win at table tennis.

In the summer of 1994, in my sports editor days, I was asked to visit Bower Fold to see how improvement work was progressing. When I arrived, Wraggy was rolling the pitch. Waving to me from the centre circle, he shouted: "Brilliant isn't it Pav? Well brilliant in the main stand. It's shit on the pitch."

For some reason Wraggy had an issue with Colin Darcy, and in the last home game of the 1984-85 season rushed out of his dug-out — then in front of the main stand — to scream at the goalkeeper to come off his line, adding something to the effect of "carry on like that and you can forget your testimonial".

What Wraggy may not have realised was that Colin was a very popular player who would always chat to fans. In those days the last home game of the season meant the player of the year awards took place after the final whistle and supporters could vote until half time.

I'm sure Wraggy's antics led to a late surge of votes for Darcy and when he was announced as the winner, the manager's face was a picture. He stood at the bar top, staring into his pint, mumbling "the bastards have done this to get at me".

And when I announced in the programme that the next match would be Steve Johnson's 500th appearance for Hyde United he was inexplicably dropped, and Steve was never dropped. He was Mr Dependable and able to fill pretty much every position including goalkeeper. When I asked Wraggy about it, he claimed he had no idea of the game's significance.

Possibly, some of this may sound a little nasty. But it was just Wraggy. He was as daft as a brush as my mother used to say. You never knew what he might do, but judging by his record the vast majority of it must have been good.

After leaving management, Wraggy teamed up with a PR company and would often be seen at Sir Alex Ferguson's elbow, handing him the Premier League Trophy. He moved away from his native Droylsden to live in East Anglia for several years, returning, so he told me, to reconnect with his family.

It was only when Wraggy proved unable to make his wise cracks that I slowly came to realise something was wrong. At one time he was in high demand as a speaker or MC on the sportsman's dinner circuit. His catalogue of cracks and tales would have everyone falling about although at one awards event the band failed to appreciate his style of humour and threatened to walk out.

He seemed a guaranteed hit when I suggested him as a speaker for one of Willow Wood Hospice's football evenings, yet when he got on stage he froze. The pages in his encyclopaedia of funny stories and reminiscences were unexplainedly blank. He had to be rescued by Karl Marginson.

Wraggy's decline gradually accelerated but he always remembered me. He'd give me a hug and we'd chat. The last time I saw him was after the 2023 FA Youth Cup final. As I was leaving Old Trafford I found him standing by a turnstile. He told me Sky TV had brought him but was struggling to contact them to pick him up. Sadly, he had his phone the wrong way round in his hand and was tapping the back of it. My son James was able to sort him out.

As would be expected, the tributes have poured in. Steve Burr, who was a part of Peter's great Macclesfield side and followed him as a Stalybridge Celtic manager, told me: "He was a fabulous guy and a great man-manager. He trusted his players, knew their strengths and was able to get average footballers to perform above their ability.

"He was a real character who gave me memories that will live forever. I loved every minute of my time playing for him."

Perhaps being eccentric, being a character, is one of the essential qualities of being a top-class manager. I don't know if Peter Wragg knew one end of a coaching manual from the other, but he certainly knew how to get the best from a team. He also knew how to entertain and how to be a good friend.

I'll miss the fun I had watching his sides and the fun I had in his company. God rest you Wraggy.

Picture: Peter Wragg and the Hyde United Burnley squad of 1983 Back row (from left) David Holt, Mark Deaville, Charlie Pawsey, Brian Hart, Colin Darcy, Garry Blore, Steve Johnson, Peter Coutts, Peter Wragg. Front: Kevin Glendon, Barry Howard, Tony Steenson, Peter Coyne, Terry Cook.

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RIP Harry Twamley

I ALWAYS like to tell people that Harry Twamley was responsible for my first rollocking when I became sports editor of the old Ashton Reporter Group.

It was back in 1987, and while I'd like to say I was given the job because I was so good, the truth was I was the only member of staff with any interest in sport. So, with barely four months' experience as a sub-editor under my belt, I was promoted.

Of course Harry didn't know I was struggling badly, and duly rang to give me a broadside because he felt his beloved Curzon Ashton weren't getting enough coverage. Worse than that, Ashton United were getting more because their stuff was written by former group editor DCN Jones, a man who had been covering events at Hurst Cross since 1929.

There wasn't much I could say as Harry barked at me before signing off with: "We've had enough of people seeing the world through red winders. We need somebody with blue specs."

When I was appointed sports editor, I was warned Harry would be difficult, and I did have some experience of him. Back in the Seventies, as a callow youth, I was there when he made his opinions very clear to a linesman at Ewen Fields one Monday night.

But we gradually became good friends, and especially after I started to cover Curzon games in the 1987-88 season. It was a job I was to keep for ten years, following them all over the country.

There are all sorts of stories I could tell about him. Where do I start?

At one point his employers, Friedlands, a doorbell manufacturer, vetted his calls as they worked out 90 per cent were about Curzon rather than their business.

He once sold an advertising board and had the new client's information painted on the back of an old hoarding. Then, as the previous information was still visible inside the stand, tried to negotiate a payment from the former advertiser.

Harry also saw things in a game no one else did. He was terrible to stand with. When Curzon conceded a late goal against Whitley Bay in the FA Vase he was bereft. "But Harry, you're winning 7-1". "Yes, but the scoreline's ruined".

However, the story that sticks most in my mind occurred 29 years ago. It took place when Hyde United were using National Park while the Baspograss at Ewen Fields was being replaced with real turf.

The Tigers were due to face Winsford United one miserable Monday, and despite the referee saying the pitch was playable, Harry decided it wasn't. This led to an argument with the official and while it went on the crowd were left standing in the drizzle on Katherine Street in scenes reminiscent of a 1920s mill lock-out.

Harry insisted the game couldn't be played and said he would refuse to put the nets up. When the ref said he'd go ahead without nets, Harry promptly locked the cabinet that held the floodlight switches and asked the referee if he fancied playing in the dark.

The match did eventually kick off, and it's easy to laugh at Harry, but he did what he did because he was devoted to Curzon Ashton. He would do anything to protect his beloved club.

In the same way, Harry was renowned for being a bit careful with money. In the National Park boardroom, there was a battered sideboard that held a bottle of White Horse Scotch. Written on it in thick black marker was "guests' whisky" and there were marks down the side so no one dared take a crafty nip.

On one famous occasion, Alan Butterworth from Ashton United decided he'd try to drain the bottle. "I want to break Twamley's heart," he told me.

Yet for all that, I never remember Curzon going through the financial problems so many other clubs have experienced.

And he could also be extremely generous. For me, he was the friend who was there for me when times were hard. When I was ill, when my marriage broke up, and when I was made redundant, Harry Twamley helped me and I'll always be grateful for that.

What Harry achieved at Curzon was incredible. Curzon Amateurs was formed barely 60 years ago as an amalgamation of Hurst Wesleyans (Curzon Road Methodists) and Assheton Amateurs sharing Hurst Cross. Yet by 1980 they were in the semi-finals of the FA Vase and had their own ground at National Park. In 1987, they were founder members of the NPL first division.

And now, despite all the predictions they wouldn't last five minutes at the level, they have established themselves as a force in National League North and genuine play-off contenders. They regularly reach the first round of the FA Cup and, thanks to Harry's negotiating skills, have a first-class ground that is at the centre of the community.

I dislike using clichés and "legend" is a much, much over-used term in football. Yet Harry Twamley was a legend. He was Mr Curzon Ashton in every sense of the word. He and the club were effectively one, and he served it in just about every role: chairman, secretary, treasurer, president. It's good to know that his son, Richard, a director, will continue to carry the flame.

Perhaps Curzon will name the main stand after Harry. It's an honour he deserves. All I can be sure of is that I've lost a good friend and Curzon Ashton, and non-league football in general, have lost a colossus.

God rest you Harry. Thanks for everything.

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1970s-90s Cricket Reunion

ANYONE who played for or against Hyde CC in the Lancashire and Cheshire, Central Lancashire and Cheshire County cricket leagues in the 1970s, 80s and 90s is invited to a nostalgia evening at Werneth Low Road on Friday, September 13.

Supporters, club officials and even umpires are welcome too. The starting time is 7 for 7.30pm.

Organiser Mike Greaves, who played for and captained Hyde, said: “It’s going to be an informal get-together for people to have a couple of pints, swap cricketing memories and stories, and meet old friends and adversaries.

"All are welcome and we’d love to see ex-players from Stalybridge, Dukinfield, Denton St Lawrence, Denton, Denton West and all our other local clubs.

"If you intend to come, please invite a friend (or several) and let’s make it a night to remember while we still can.”

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Droylsden's Comeback Worth More than a Little Coverage

DROYLSDEN may no longer be the non-league powerhouse they once were, but there’s no disputing the fact that the Bloods are back.

Reports of the their death were exaggerated. After three years in suspended animation they have confounded the doom-sayers by not only returning to the field of play, but by enjoying a highly respectable first season.

And to make sure I didn’t overlook the fact — as if I dared — chairman/manager Dave Pace stopped me recently, pointing out: “A cup final, a cup semi-final and the play-offs in our first season back. I thought that might have been worth a little Pav?”

However, in another change from the old days, my offer to do an interview was declined. All I got was “I prefer to let the football do the talking these days”.

Time was when Dave Pace had a comment on anything and everything. Much of it was tongue-in-cheek, but if his intention was to hog the headlines he certainly succeeded.

He bought Droylsden FC from Dave Sterling in 1992 and spent his first four years signing and sacking a string of top-class managers. Then he decided to run the team himself. After 28 years in post, he has a claim to being one of the longest-serving managers of all time.

Back in 1997 his picture appeared beneath the back-page banner headline “promotion or I’ll quit”. He stormed: “I always said in the first instance I would only take on the job until the end of the season. If I decide to stay on, which is more than likely, I’ll make this promise — I’ll either take the team up or resign.”

It’s no wonder he used to be a popular guest on BBC Radio Manchester.

I attended the Bloods’ last NPL game, on the Saturday before lockdown was declared in March, 2020, and watched them lose 4-0 to Clitheroe. That was a club in serious decline, losing and conceding heavily, week after week. The only good thing about the day was the crowd of 350, but it was artificially swollen by the dearth of football that weekend.

Soon after, when Dave announced he was suspending operations and Droylsden resigned from the Northern Premier League most people must have thought that was that. How long would it be until the Butchers Arms was sold off and built on?

But somewhere in the darkness, Pace kept the flame flickering and it sparked back into life last summer.

Okay, the Bloods are now in the North West Counties League first division south rather than the Conference where they plied their trade less than 20 years ago. It could be many years until they’re playing another Football League club in the FA Cup. But the Bloods have made a more than promising start. The club has a future.

A cup final and a play-off spot offer a great deal of hope. Crowds are much higher than they were in 2020 and often around double the 350 of that drab March afternoon. That used to seem unthinkable.

So hats off to David Pace. Despite his well-earned Marmite status — you either like him or you hate him — his dedication to Droylsden has never been in doubt. Thanks to him they have lived to fight another day.

And having lost in the play-offs and the semi-finals of the Edward Case Cup, who’s to say the club won’t make it third time lucky in the final of the Macron (league) Cup on Saturday, May 11, when they face Barnoldswick Town at Accrington Stanley (3pm)?

A piece of silverware would be a great way to celebrate their rebirth. It would show that the Bloods are not only back. but back to stay.

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The Twists and Turns of Curzon Ashton's 60-year Journey

WHEN I think back to the Curzon Ashton I first encountered, and compare them with the club that has just qualified for the National League North play-offs, I struggle to comprehend the change. 

It's been a long, long journey with many setbacks, but over the best part of 40 years the Nash have established themselves as Tameside's senior side and with one foot in what is still known among fans as the Conference.

My own association with Curzon was somewhat accidental. My intention, when I took over as the Ashton-under-Lyne Reporter Group sports editor in 1987, was to carry on watching Hyde United. However, I found myself "forced" to cover Curzon Ashton.

The lad who had been my Nash correspondent was, to put it bluntly, useless. And as successor to the infamous Martyn Torr I had to establish some personal credibility with the public and indeed my colleagues at the paper. I also dreaded another angry phone call from Harry Twamley, complaining that Ashton United received preferential treatment thanks to the venerable DCN Jones.

All seven of the paper's senior sides needed to be properly covered, so the only thing to do was to do the job myself.

I was confronted with a club that was struggling badly. Curzon's application for the new NPL first division had proved successful when those of more established neighbours such as Stalybridge Celtic and Ashton United had failed. But it was looking as though they had over-reached themselves.

They had tried to operate at the higher level with the same Sunday school/Sunday league methods that had served them so well in the Manchester League and Cheshire League, and taken them to the semi-finals of the FA Vase in 1980.

Players still paid subs and managers — men like Ronnie Capstick and Kevin Bryan — were promoted from within. 

In the NPL, which was a true semi-professional competition, that didn't work. Curzon started badly and there was little improvement after Dave Noble was summarily sacked and replaced with Steve Waywell. They finished the season second-bottom of the table.

Their ground at that time was National Park (also known as Brush Electric) the home of defunct inter-war Cheshire League club Ashton National. There was minimal cover and the clubhouse was a former RAF cadets drill hall.

Having decided to follow Curzon's fortunes I threw my heart and soul into it and reported on them home and away. This level of dedication from the local rag must have been something of a surprise. When I walked into Bootle's ground to watch an FA Vase tie in November, 1988, goalkeeper Ian Senior, who was warming up, gave me a look of amazement and shouted: "Pav, what the hell are you doing here?"

For some years things did gradually improve. Curzon started to look like promotion candidates (there were no play-offs then) and reached the quarter-finals of the Vase. But you would never have seen them as a potential National League club, only as an established NPL side. And then disaster struck.

If Harry Twamley has a failing — beyond his reluctance to spend money — it's that he has occasionally put his faith in people who have let him down. That happened in the mid-Nineties when Blackpool businessman Stuart Kerr was invited to join the board. 

Kerr's tenure, which started with great promise, ended in bitter recriminations and caused a huge split. Relegation followed, not to the North West Counties League, but to the Northern Counties East League. 

Curzon spent a season playing over the Pennines in Yorkshire and it didn't end well. They finished second-bottom of the table and were relegated again.

At least this time they were back in Lancashire, but it was still the NWCL second division. The Nash were so far behind their Tameside rivals that they needed binoculars to see them. There appeared to be no prospect of catching up on a highly ambitious and reputedly free-spending Ashton United, or newly-promoted Droylsden, let alone Hyde United or Stalybridge Celtic.

The one thing about hitting rock bottom, however, is that the only way is up. Curzon acquired a new ground, leaving National Park for the Tameside Stadium, and appointed two first-class managers in Gary Lowe and John Flanagan.

Within ten years they were not only back in the NPL, thanks to vacancies created by the reorganisation of the Northern Premier and National leagues, but had hit the national headlines as FA Cup giantkillers by beating Exeter City.

Yet the Nash were still regarded as plucky underdogs. They'd had their five minutes of fame and were expected to fade back into the shadows as quickly as Gary Lowe's phone had stopped ringing after they lost their second round tie at Kidderminster.

Even after they were crowned NPL first division champions at Harrogate Railway Athletic in 2014, Niall Cummins rising high to head a late winner, no one could have known what lay ahead. Within only 12 months they had won promotion to National League North via the play-offs, and in that first season finished one place above Stalybridge Celtic to claim bragging rights as Tameside's best.

Each summer, the prediction was that Curzon would be relegated. They were too small, too weak, and too poor to prosper at such a lofty level. They were punching far above their weight. Yet year after year, and with relatively little money at his disposal, John Flanagan did the seemingly impossible and Curzon not only survived but impressed.

Far from returning to the NPL, Curzon actually seemed to get better every season. When Flanagan was surprisingly sacked in 2018, it was thought the Nash might falter at last, but each succeeding manager has kept the blue flag flying. 

Most recently, Craig Mahon has proved a more than worthy successor. He manages as he plays, showing wholehearted commitment and effort.

It's hard to know what some of Curzon's founders would have made of their club's rise up the pyramid. Surely people like Pete Booth, Terry Spruce, Derek Lees, Ronnie Capstick, Glynn Wright, Maurice Rubin and even Harry Twamley could never have imagined it in their wildest dreams? 

Or maybe they could. After all, the Curzon Amateurs side that was created in 1963 — an amalgam of Curzon Road Methodists (Hurst Wesleyans) and Assheton Amateurs — was effectively a bunch of mates looking for a game. Did they see beyond those humble beginnings to the creation of an established semi-professional club?

Of course, I don't expect Curzon to achieve promotion this year. They're too small, too poor and too weak. They're punching too far above their weight. They'll never get through the play-offs.

But then considering how many times they've proved me wrong over the last 40 years, I'd be a brave man to bet against them doing it again.

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“The Ridiculous Life of a Non-League Chairman”

WRITING a successful funny book on football is no easy task, as I know only too well. Something that raises a lot of laughs when it happens, or when recounted at the bar top over a few beers, often draws looks of total indifference sometime later when it appears in print.

And you’ll inevitably find it compared with the magnum opus that is Fred Eyre’s “Kicked into Touch”.

"Nowhere to Run", the new book by Ashton United co-chairman Jonathan Sayer, differs from the traditional style. Rather than being a collection of humorous anecdotes, it's a novel based on funny stories, many of which, by the author's own admission, have been embellished and exaggerated.

Names, on the whole, have been changed "to protect the innocent" but anyone who's familiar with Ashton United, or the Tameside non-league scene, should be able to work out who they are, even though the author insists none of his characters are faithful representations.

First-team manager Jamie Benshaw — a free-scoring striker with a mop of blond hair — has to be Jody Banim. Harry "Robbo" Roberts — a tall ex-police officer — chimes with Steve "Hobbo" Hobson. Club president Reginald Timpkins is the legendary Ronnie Thomasson. Tony Liverstout must be an amalgam of Terry Hollis and Terry Liversidge. You can work the rest out for yourself.

Interestingly, Mike Clegg gets his real name. His successor Steve Cunningham becomes Jamie Cunningham. I suspect the book was pretty much complete by the time Ashton changed managers at the start of the year

"Nowhere to Run" is a tale which does exactly what it says on the tin - well, cover. It recounts the ridiculous life of the chairman of a semi-professional football outfit. It's not uproariously funny, but it does make you smile and want to turn over the next page.

Its greatest success is how it allows the average supporter see a club through the eyes of owners. As fans, we know how we feel, and we have, or at least thinke we have, a good idea of the management and players. But what of the chairmen, the people so often viewed as inept and responsible for creating problems rather than solving them?

Jonathan gives us more than a peep behind the curtain. And he accepts the low-esteem in which directors are held. The book starts with a quote from Bill Shankly: "At any football club there's a holy trinity: the players, the manager and the supporters. The directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign cheques."

I'd often wondered what it was like to sack a manager. "Nowhere to Run" supplies a blow-by-blow account not only of what happens when the axe falls, but also the dilemma owners face when coming to their decision. Should they show faith and give the boss time to turn things round? Or should they act before things get even worse and it's too late?

Jonathan even admits to being scared of how the manager might react — something I've often wondered about considering some of the managers I've dealt with over the last 40-plus years.

We also get an inside view of the appointment process, which is something clubs tend to keep very secret in these days where they release news through anodyne social media statements rather than through a dedicated reporter from the local rag.

"Nowhere to Run" shows it really is true that people will askfor a job fully believing their success at the Football Manager video game is ample qualification to lead a Northern Premier League side. Sorting through dozens of applications is no easy task. The book also confirms that former Curzon boss John Flanagan was interviewed. He has to be Jim Finnigan who managed local rivals.

All the bitter disappointments and euphoric highs of running a non-league outfit are laid bare: buying (too much) kit, placating stroppy long-time supporters, dealing with the council, and the chaos that passes for wages and finances. The constant stream of phone calls, texts and WhatsApp messages, each on a different topic.

"Nowhere to Run" is a warm, gentle and funny read that underlines the Burke family's love for Ashton United and their genuine desire to see the club do well.

Anyone with knowledge of the semi-professional game should enjoy it. If you don't have knowledge, believe me, the stories are based on fact. I have personal experience of the mayhem that passes for everyday life in non-league land. I still bear the scars from meetings that have featured long, long arguments over buying an extra dozen pies for Saturday's derby match.

Whether Jonathan really drove to Bashley in Hampshire rather than Basford in Nottinghamshire, is another matter entirely.

"Nowhere to Run" by Jonathan Sayer, published by Bantam Books, will be published on August 10. 20 per cent of all proceeds will go to Ashton United in perpetuity.

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Stability Not the Spectacular at Celtic

LOOK after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves. Give that old saying a football twist, and it pretty much sums up the philosophy of Stalybridge Celtic's new co-majority shareholders Nigel Jones and Paul Bowden.

There are no grandiose statements to win the attention and approval of supporters, no plans to win Football League status within ten or 15 years, and no huge infrastructure projects. Instead, there's plenty of talk of incremental progress starting with winning promotion from the Pitching In first division west back up to the premier division.

Mr Jones equates it all with what would be called the discovery phase in business — finding out what works, what doesn't work, and what could be done better.

"It’s a journey of continual improvement. You don’t get everything right at once but if you keep steadily improving things will follow from there. It’s all about improving the squad, governance, the matchday experience and the relationship fans. That’s how we’ll drive things forward," he explained.

"First of all we need to get the right squad in place and time is against us. We have to hit the ground running and although we've been co-owners less than a week we've already made some moves such as a fans' forum on Monday, June 5. The rest will come over the next few weeks and months.

"Paul and I believe the fans are ready for a change. It's been a difficult few years culminating in last season' relegation. Rob Gorski was at the club a long time and we need to show that the change people are demanding is taking place. They need to see we’re not just following the status quo.

"We’ve started the process by appointing a new manager. That’s no reflection on Chris Willcock’s abilities – I don’t actually know him at all – but Stalybridge Celtic needs a fresh start. We also need to maximise revenues. By doing that we’ll have more money for players. We need to have the best team we can.

"First and foremost we’ll look at the more straightforward things like sponsorship and increasing matchday revenues. Let's take things one step at a time, focus on the little things first and gradually build up."

After going through seven managers in ten years (eight including the Paul Phillips's partner Steve Halford), plus many other comings and goings, the new owners also believe the club craves and indeed requires a period of stability.

In James Kinsey, who was with Mr Jones at Wythenshawe Town, they believe they have a manager who can provide it. Their intention is to have him in charge for a lengthy period.

"We need stability 100 per cent. I know James well and have worked with him. We're looking for him to be with us for many years and that's something I think is very important at this level," said Mr Jones.

"He'll be given a budget and he’ll have full control of that. James can consult us if he feels he needs to but we’re more than happy to let him get on with it.

"James is young and he has that energy and drive that goes with youth. That energy he brings is fantastic and it will make a big difference, especially if we can get the fans with us."

One of the charges often levelled at Rob Gorski was that he treated Stalybridge Celtic as a hobby rather than a business. It was an accusation he utterly refuted, and Jones and Bowden insist it's the same with them.

Although Mr Jones willingly talks about fun and getting a buzz, he adds that he and his co-majority shareholder are determined to change the club's fortunes and turn it into a success.

He said: "We’re deadly serious. We accept it’s going to be very tough to take Celtic into profit but we want to win. I run a business that employs 500 people and that’s a challenge. There are good times and there are bad times.

"While Paul lives in Bristol, I live in Sale and represent the local face of our partnership. I’m planning to be at Bower Fold every week and we're going to put some good governance in place. We really want to do this properly.

"Stalybridge Celtic has a good name in the North West and that's why we were interested in buying it. There are also some good people at the club who put a lot of time in for no financial reward – just for the love of it."

And what of the much talked-about state-of-the-art 3G pitch and new social club Celtic have chased for so long? Mr Jones added: "Every non-league club will have researched 3G pitches and know the money they can bring in from things like midweek five-a-side leagues.

"There may be grants available from bodies such as from the Football Foundation, but these things take time and are a big commitment.

"We’re not going to promise A, B and C or say we'll suddenly transform Bower Fold. We’re going to start by concentrating on what happens on the pitch. Hopefully, we should be able to achieve promotion quite quickly – maybe even in the first season. We'll move on from there."

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In an exclusive interview, Rob Gorski reveals that his majority shareholding in Stalybridge Celtic has finally been sold and he believes better days lie ahead for the club.

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A Future for Celtic Fans to Embrace — Gorski

ROB GORSKI has issued the following statement regarding the collapsed sale of his majority shareholding in Stalybridge Celtic FC to Ian Whittaker:

"I have read, with great interest, the statement issued by either Mr Ian Whittaker or his representative. I would like to take this opportunity to correct a few comments.

“However, I have no interest in escalating matters and this will be my final statement on the issue.

"Separately, in a statement that will be exclusively forward-looking, I hope that there will be a second, wonderfully positive, announcement early this week with regard to the future of the club.

"For the record, I have absolutely no issues whatsoever with Ian. We communicated amicably throughout the whole process and I certainly wish him well in his future endeavours.

"1. I have been told that a member of Ian’s staff has claimed that I tried to change the contract near conclusion by including potential add-ons for me, should players ever get sold on, post the selling of my shares. Categorically, I refute such a suggestion. I have never, once, taken a solitary penny out of the club. Furthermore, as those on the ‘inside’ know, the reality is that I continually invested in the club — for two decades. 

"2. I vigorously deny any suggestions that I tried to force anybody’s hand. I was advised that Ian had decided to change his mind with regards to an email he sent me on February 7 with regard to a certain character being involved at the club. The board notified me of this change and they stated that there would be resignations should Ian proceed with that proposal. I agreed wholeheartedly with the board on this issue. 

"3. Moreover, without going in to somebody else’s personal finances, I was asked whether I could offer Ian financial assistance on our agreement as a financial transaction he was pursuing had fallen through. At that stage, I had thoughts about this whole deal. "In the interim, I was informed that a certain third party had expressed interest in acquiring my shares. I had an initial meeting with that party and discussions developed from there. I cannot say anymore at this stage, however, the two people involved are highly successful, highly intelligent, businessmen who I sincerely believe would be a fabulous fit for the football club.

"The chairman-elect is a football man, understands non-league football, and they both want to drive the club forward. These could be extremely exciting times for the club and its fans.

"Contrary to certain suggestions, I wish to make it very clear, that I personally shall not receive anywhere near as much for my shares as I would have under the previous agreement. However, it has been, remains and always will be, my strong desire to do what is best for Stalybridge Celtic Football Club.

"Consequently, despite my own financial ‘hit’, and purely for the benefit of the fans and the club, I have chosen to sell to people who I personally believe will be able to take the club where all the fans want it to be. 

"We all hope that an announcement can be made within the next 72 hours. It will be one that Celtic fans should embrace wholeheartedly and give the club the necessary backing everyone craves. Once contracts are signed, an announcement will be made.

“I’m sure that the new owners will then arrange a meet the fans forum where everyone can learn more about them and their ambitions."

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Bid to Buy Celtic Collapses

LAST week I was contacted by the office of Stalybridge businessman Ian Whittaker saying he had negotiated a deal to buy the majority shareholding in Stalybridge Celtic from Rob Gorski and asking me to write a story.

I was told the sale would be formally announced after the weekend, after which I would be free to publish.

His office has been back in touch this afternoon to say the deal has fallen through, that Mr Gorski has found a potential new buyer, and issuing the following statement.

Rob Gorski has been contacted for his comments.

"As was known publicly, Ian Whittaker and Rob Gorski were in talks for Stalybridge Celtic Football Club and the sale of Mr Gorski’s shares. This deal had been discussed at length by both parties over the last three months.  

"An agreement was reached a month ago for a substantial six-figure sum, which was going to secure Stalybridge Celtic’s future. Mr Whittaker and his team have worked around the clock for the last month or so, organising plans for the football club going forward. The aim was to turn the club into a self-sustaining business that would eventually be profitable and not rely on anybody pumping endless amounts of money in an unsustainable fashion.

"A draft contract had been prepared and was being finalised by the legal teams of both parties. However, a number of issues cropped up in the last seven days. At the last minute Mr Gorski tried to add conditions to the contract which  Mr Whittaker could not agree to.

"Yet, while we waited for the contract to get to an agreeable stage, Mr Gorski had allowed Ian Whittaker and his team to introduce themselves to the board to outline plans and how the future looked for Stalybridge Celtic.

"The board were keen to work with Mr Whittaker and have him as the chairman once all was signed but were unhappy about one of his team being given a role. A plan was outlined in terms of a clean slate and that changes would be happening within the club, on and off the pitch, which it is believed some members of the current board may have had issue with and then informed Mr Gorski of what the plans were.

"Mr Whittaker was told that he should not have this team member involved or there would be resignations from the board, presumably to try and force his hand on this issue.  

"In hindsight, the meeting between the board and Mr Whittaker’s party should never have happened until the deal was agreed and signed but with Mr Gorski saying that he was happy for it to take place, as the sale would be announced as soon as the contract was signed, there appeared to be no issue, especially as it was believed at that time that agreed terms had been reached.

"Mr Gorski didn’t want to announce the sale until the contract was signed in case Mr Whittaker pulled out, which is ironic as Mr Gorski has now withdrawn from the deal and it is believed the reason for this is that he may have taken exception to the proposed amendments required to the contract documentation that would have been required to enable it to reflect the terms that had initially been agreed.

"The stated reason given for the withdrawal by Mr Gorski is that the buyers missed a purported deadline to exchange agreements of Monday, 15 May. Such a deadline date was never notified to Mr Whittaker or his solicitors and again the irony is that Mr Gorski’s solicitors had sent over Version 3 of the contract on Tuesday, 16 May, the day after the purported deadline.

"Further, the original documentation had only been provided on the afternoon of Thursday, 11 May, so there had certainly not been any delays on the part of the buyer. "We are extremely disappointed this has happened, and that Mr Gorski has gone elsewhere for a deal after Ian Whittaker and his team worked for three months to get the club into a position where the business was running smoothly and not on the verge of insolvency as we are led to believe it was or indeed it currently is.

"We couldn’t wait to work with the fans and the community of Stalybridge to restore the former glory of Celtic after the apparent decline of recent years. We had plans in place to triple the turnover of the football club and for a 4G pitch to be put down before the 2024-25 season. Work was meant to begin this week to knock down the old social club and build a new two-storey venue with a classroom to bring the academy on site. This was all part of a redevelopment of the ground which has been left to ruin for years.

"We had proposed to offer board seats to the supporters' association to build the link with the fans and we were keen on working with Stalybridge Celtic Juniors and all the schools in the Stalybridge area to make it feel like everybody’s club.

"It's fair to say that the dealings of Mr Gorski and a limited number of the current board members have left a bitter taste in many people’s mouths. We hope they don’t regret the way this has turned out.

"We would just like to thank all the people that have helped us in this journey and supported our bid."

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What does the future hold for Stalybridge Celtic?

PEOPLE have been on at me over the last week, asking me to pen some thoughts on Stalybridge Celtic’s relegation.

Here goes . . .

THE pictures show thousands of people in Armentieres Square. They've gathered to salute their heroes — players like Steve Pickford, Martin Filson, Kevin Parr and Matty McNeill — who have just stepped off an open-top bus after a triumphant tour of the town.

In their hands, being proudly shown to the vast crowds, are the the Cheshire Senior Cup and the Northern Premier League championship trophy and President's Cup. A couple of months later a fourth piece of silverware will be added, the Peter Swales Shield.

That was 2001. Move forward 22 years and it's a completely different scene. Stalybridge Celtic have gone from being Tameside's most successful club, and membership of the National League, to relegation to the NPL's first division west — the lowest level of foot ball they have experienced since their North West Counties League days 40 years ago.

Ostensibly, Celtic's decline mirrors that of Mossley in the 1980s. However, while the Lilywhites collapse was sudden — two NPL titles and three runners-up spots followed by a plunge to bottom place in 1983-84, Stalybridge's decline has been much more gradual and painful.

As recently as 2008 they were facing Barrow, now members of EFL League Two, in the National League North play-off final. Four years later they spent the first half of the 2011-12 season vying for the championship with Hyde United who ultimately won it. In 2015 they reached the first round of the FA Cup.

At the same time, Celtic's slick commercial operation was the pride of the area. Every match seemed to be preceded by a packed sponsors' lounge. The club exuded professionalism from the moment you stepped through the doors and saw the trophy cabinets and team pictures. Other clubs could only look on with envy.

In my BBC Radio Manchester days I would regularly describe Celtic as among the most successful of sides. And then I'd get a phone call from my late friend Keith Trudgeon who would point out that Bridge hadn't actually won anything since 2001.

So what went wrong? Or should that be what didn't go right?

There have been plenty of false dawns, such as the plan to move the stadium to the town centre, which collapsed almost as soon as it was announced. The squad briefly went full time, and there have been personalities who arrived at Bower Fold promising great things and then quietly departed.

Many, perhaps even most, people would lay the blame for Bridge's steady decline at the feet of one man. Indeed an ex-manager I asked about Celtic's problems actually answered: "You can sum it all up in two words — Rob Gorski."

But not every former boss is of the same opinion. Another commented: "Whenever the resources were provided to bring good players in, it was down to Rob Gorski.

"At any level, if you have a big budget, you should be able to push for the top. The board all worked tirelessly to make it a great club.

"It's a long road back. Those days can return but without the money, and leadership on and off the park, the club will struggle. Hopefully they can bounce back."

I know from personal experience that when things aren't going well people fall out at non-league football clubs. Jobs that would normally be taken care of without fuss can be ignored or become the cause of arguments and ill-feeling. People are constantly quitting or threatening to.

The departure of one or two key people can also leave huge gaps to fill. At Hyde United, Steve Johnson is constantly mocked as a silly old duffer, but when he stands down in ten or 15 years' time, who will replace him?

Will there be another person waiting in the wings who wants to spend their every waking hour at Ewen Fields working in the tea bar and doing a host of other jobs from accounts to emptying bins, and for no payment? Such people are extremely difficult to find.

With any luck relegation will prove to be a catharsis and Celtic will indeed start to bounce back. It is possible.

In 2009, Hyde United were wound up in the High Court for a week. After their two seasons in the National League they suffered three consecutive relegations. Now, they're among the serious candidates for promotion from the Northern Premier League.

Curzon Ashton, Tameside's only National League North outfit, had a terrible time in the mid-1990s, falling from the NPL first division north into the Northern Counties East League and then the NWCL second division.

As Bridge manager Chris Willcock stated in his message to supporters, Celtic are at a crossroads but one where the club has the power to choose its path forward. The massive setback it has just suffered can be a catalyst for positive change. Energy needs to be channelled towards creating a brighter future.

At some point soon, the majority of fans will get what they want. Rob Gorski will find a buyer for his shares, he'll cut his links, and Stalybridge Celtic will have a new owner with a new broom and a new plan. Whatever people may think of Rob Gorski, and his methods and motives, he wouldn't risk the club's future by selling to a swindler. He genuinely loves Celtic.

There could be a bigger role ahead for the supporters and all manner of other possibilities.

While those who fail to learn history's lessons are doomed to repeat them, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, it's equally true that you can't fixate on the past. You have to look to the future and that's what Stalybridge Celtic need to do now as they pick themselves up off the canvas.

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Hyde's place in the history of the penalty

IT'S amazing what sometimes makes its way into your inbox. Recently, and thanks to Mike Smith who is better known as Mossley Smiffy, I was alerted to the fact that the first penalty in the history of football was scored by a former Hyde player.

The man in question was James McLuggage who spent a season with the Victorian Tigers in 1889-90. He played at least 20 matches, scoring a dozen goals.

At the time Hyde FC were a very ambitious club, in fact one with ideas above their station, and it was this attitude that led to the famous FA Cup tie with Preston North End (who were quite a lot bigger).

In common with the Invincibles and other Football League clubs they began to talk of importing talent from Scotland — something that wasn't cheap. But the Athletic News said Hyde had a free purse and there was even talk of signing a player from Glasgow Rangers Reserves on wages of £3 a week (which would equate to about £270 in today's money).

That may even have been McLuggage, who made at least one appearance for the Ibrox first team, but he joined Hyde from Accrington.

Hyde spent lavishly in other ways too. They paid clubs like Belfast Athletic to come and play them. J Fairbrother and Son (Grange Road North was then called Fairbrother Street) started erecting a grandstand. They joined the Lancashire League and even sold photographs of the players.

Of course they couldn't afford it, and by the mid-1890s the original Hyde FC had folded. A new club was established by Charlie Barber, landlord of the Gardeners, Lumn Road.

But back to the famous Jim McLuggage. Here's how his historic penalty exploits are recorded on scottishsporthistory.com:

"One of the cornerstones of football was born in 1891, out of frustration at cynical fouls which prevented a goal. The penalty kick was launched at a meeting of the International FA Board, held in the Alexandra Hotel, Glasgow, on June 2, 1891.

"It was one of the most momentous changes to the laws of the game, and while it was intended for the following season it did not take long to make an impact. The first award of a penalty took place just four days later, on June 6, 1891, at Mavisbank Park, Airdrie.

"Larkhall side Royal Albert defeated Airdrieonians 2-0 to lift the Airdrie Charity Cup and one of their players made history. Around 2,000 fans witnessed 'what is in all likelihood the first case of a referee granting a foul under the new law for tripping, holding, or handling the ball within 12 yards of goal'.

"Few people, least of all the players, knew what to expect: 'That the new law was a puzzle to the players was evident, all appeared to think they could stand in front of the ball as of old, but imagine the astonishment of both players and spectators when Connor alone was left between the sticks, while his ten companions had to go six yards behind the ball along with the Royalists.

" 'In simple, the new law means that but two men settle such infringement, the kicker and opposing goalkeeper, and a goal is a moral certainty with half-good management'.   "The main protagonists in this little scene can all be identified. The referee was James Robertson of 5th King's Royal Volunteers, who lived in Partick and represented the Southern Counties on the Scottish FA committee. The goalkeeper was the veteran James Connor, who had a Scotland cap to his name.

"And most importantly, the scorer was James McLuggage.

"Born in Ireland around 1865, James and his family moved to Scotland when he was a small boy and at some stage dropped a letter from their original name of McCluggage. He started his football career with Cowlairs, and was good enough to be selected for Glasgow against Sheffield in 1886.

"When he moved to Larkhall he turned out for Royal Albert and the Motherwell Times in 1888 described how a howl of joy and triumph arose from the Larkhall supporters’ when he took the field.

"McLuggage also recorded occasional appearances for Third Lanark and Rangers before turning professional with Accrington in 1889. However, although he played in eight Football League matches, it was not a success.

"By the end of the year he had joined Hyde and he was back in Scotland with Royal Albert in 1891, where he remained for at least four years.

"His sole claim to football fame is that momentous penalty. He died in Larkhall on November 18, 1949."

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Cunny’s aim is to build not bolt

STEVE CUNNINGHAM made an explosive return to the Northern Premier League on Saturday.

Barely three days after taking over at Ashton United, he led a demoralised side that had conceded ten goals without reply in two Christmas games to a 3-0 victory at play-off chasing Warrington Rylands.

But Cunningham — who won last season's championship with Buxton — doesn't want to be known as a flash in the pan and spurns any suggestion of new-manager bounce. His intention is to construct a squad that conforms to his footballing philosophy. One that makes progress this season ready to become promotion challengers in 2023-24.

"Since I left Buxton last May I've been watching two games a week at various levels, building my network, reflecting and learning so that I could hit the ground running when the right job became available," said Cunningham.

"I was very honoured to be offered four roles but turned them down as they weren't what I was looking for.

"While I'll admit Ashton hadn't been on my radar, when they rang me I liked what they said and what they were building. It was soon clear we were on the same page. They want to attract fans into Hurst Cross by playing entertaining football which is something I believe in and have achieved elsewhere.

"I realise there are people who say Buxton should have won last year's championship considering the resources they had. What I'd say to them is that despite those resources, Buxton had never managed it before and they had to finish ahead of South Shields. I know what it takes to win the Northern Premier League. "

The Robins' side at Rylands included four signings — André Mendes, Nathan Lowe, Jason Gilchrist and Jack McKay — and Cunningham promises more will soon follow. While he accepts that loans have their uses, he wants players who are committed to Ashton United rather than staying a week or two purely with the aim of putting themselves in the shop window as he puts it.

He explained: "I had to make signings as some players had reached the end of their loan spells and some had been approached by other clubs. For whatever reason things didn't work out but good players will always attract interest. That happens in football.

"What I want to do is create a sense of togetherness in the dressing room. That comes from having consistency in the squad and that's something we badly need if we're going to achieve things next season.

"I have to make changes to do that so we're going to have what you could call a bit of a mini pre-season.

"Regularly bringing in six or seven players won't work. I've got to sign players who accept my philosophy and the way I want to play.

"As for the Rylands game, it was important we won. Happy as I was with the way the new signings played, I was delighted for the lads who had suffered the defeats by FC United and Hyde.

"We were in a position in the table where if we lost a couple of games while those around us won, we could have been dragged into a relegation battle. If we can win again, we could move nicely up the table.

"But I've been put under no pressure by the co-chairmen, Dave and Jonathan. There's been no talk of hitting the play-offs. They want me to build a team."

Firm as he is about his commitment to Ashton United and his belief that he can do well at Hurst Cross, Cunningham is equally insistent he has nothing to prove to the Robins' neighbours, Curzon Ashton, who sacked him almost 18 months ago.

"There's absolutely no malice. I've been to the Tameside Stadium a few times to watch games and we all got on well. But I don't really care about Curzon. I'm solely focused on Ashton United," Cunningham commented.

"Wherever I've managed — Colne, Curzon or Buxton — I left them in a better place than I found them."

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Selling to the "real fans" would be my Utopia — Gorski

ALL those fans who wanted owner Rob Gorski to leave Bower Fold have got their way. He has resigned as chairman and Stalybridge Celtic is up for sale.

The question now, is who will buy? Is anyone able to put their money where their mouth is?

In the midst of an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, who has the funds to buy the controlling interest in a Northern Premier League club that is bound to come with an expensive price tag?

Will it prove possible to put together a supporters' co-operative? As you'll see below, that would be Rob Gorski's preferred option, but could it happen. My own experience suggests that while many people might be prepared to buy a single share for £10 or £20, far fewer would be willing to invest the kind of much sums needed for a realistic bid.

So what does the future hold? What are Rob Gorski's plans? What does he think of Celtic's current situation? Below, is a series of questions I asked him and the replies I received.

If someone wants to buy Stalybridge Celtic, how do they register an interest?

I haven't started to officially market the club externally, yet I’ve already had three parties showing an interest. I'll be asking all parties to submit their formal bids via the club’s accountants, David Lever at Warr and Co of Denton*. If they can't find his details they can also contact me directly.

In the past you've said you were prepared to consider selling Stalybridge Celtic but only to someone with the club's best interests at heart. Do you have some sort of fit-and-proper persons test lined up?

I'll perform my own due diligence on each interested party.

Most fans won't be aware of this, but I had a potential buyer from Singapore express interest about a year ago. For Rob Gorski personally, it was potentially a very tempting financial option. However, my research uncovered someone who had his own pure financial gain as his motive and he had taken over two other football clubs before only for him to close them both and capitalise on the land.

As a Celtic fan, notwithstanding potential large sums of money, I simply could not have lived with myself and so I closed that particular door.

I'll be vetting all potential new buyers to ascertain what they can bring to the club and what their motives and goals are. I'll then balance that with their financial proposal.

Do you have a price in mind? Are you looking to recoup what you've put in over the last 20 years or just a "serious" amount?

I do have figures in mind. However, I’ve already alluded to the fact that it will be an overall “package" and the intentions of the buyer that will also play a major role.

With national government changing housing legislation on building developments, I need to ensure that a potential buyer is not just going to take a 970-year lease on land worth maybe £7 to 8 million, and leave the club hoping to ground share with a Tameside neighbour.

I'll ensure there are some guarantees with regard to Celtic’s future. That will be written in to any legal document. 

While you look for a buyer, will you remain in charge or day-to-day affairs or have you stepped down and passed on the baton? If so to whom? A person, the board as a whole?

I have stepped down due to ill health. I need to have more tests and then maybe medical procedures, and that's why I stepped down, with immediate effect, a fortnight ago.

In fact, I have not been at a game for over two months now. I miss it terribly, but I have to look after myself.

Keith Smart has been taking care of everything in my absence and will continue to drive the club forward. Keith is simply an outstanding man. Professional, diligent and utterly honest.

Fans have no idea how difficult it is to run, (practically as well as financially), a non-league, part-time, football club. People like Keith and Gordon Greenwood are worth their weight in gold. I hope that other directors, who have been "less visible" step up to help them and others.

Has there been any sign of the much-talked-about fans' co-operative?

Not a word. Conceptually, that would be my Utopia — that the fans, the real fans, own Stalybridge Celtic. However, back on planet earth, Stalybridge, the town I love, is truthfully a town entering a depression that would be socially graded as D or E. Sadly, I suspect  I won’t be hearing much back on that.

In your time as chairman/owner you put a lot of blood and treasure into the club and appointed a string of managers who came with an impressive pedigree. Why do think you were never able to achieve any success?

That's a question I've asked myself many times.

Jim Harvey’s kids were technically outstanding, but sadly lacking in physicality. Liam Watson was a major disappointment — his football was 20 years out of date — and Simon Haworth was shockingly negative.

So really, only Steve Burr brought good times the first time he was at Bower Fold in 2007-2011. The quality of football was a real joy with Dave Hankin burning down one wing and Steve Torpey down the other, with a really strong 16-man squad. It very nearly got us back up punching above our weight in National League North.

However, we’ve seen more and more clubs come through the pyramid with money I simply couldn't compete with. Not just Salford, Harrogate, Fylde and Fleetwood, but ones that came and went like Shaw Lane Aquaforce. All paying simply stupid money.

Stalybridge Celtic does not have an asset like Ashton United’s Cross Bar Club, which is effectively one of Hurst's pubs, or Hyde United’s 3G pitch, so the club relied on directors putting their hand in their pocket or an ever diminishing fanbase that was no longer attending due to Premier League lunchtime/early evening screenings.

Then there was covid, and of course the lack of a challenging team, which brings us back to the fact we simply couldn’t compete financially.  

Will you remain a fan or are you stepping away from football for good?

I will always remain a Stalybridge Celtic fan. I was a fan in the Seventies, I was when I lived in London and abroad, and I shall be until I die.

I remember telling Pete Dennerly, my predecessor as chairman, that I had some bad news for him back around 2007 when Ken Bates had invited me to join the Leeds United board. Pete fell silent, only for me to tell him the bad news was that I would only ever be a Celtic director and that he was stuck with me.

I respect other people who have been a director at different clubs. However, personally, I could never relate to that. It was Celtic or nobody for me. I need to look after my health first and foremost, but nothing will give me greater pleasure than buying Chris Willcock (a top man by the way) or Keith Smart, a beer after a great win on a Saturday afternoon next year.

Will Celtic avoid relegation?

I desperately hope so. When you see or hear about wages up and down the Northern Premier League, it makes you wonder how clubs stay afloat.

Without an asset to milk, or hugely disproportionate fan bases, clubs rely on directors and fans to cover ever-increasing costs and because Celtic have struggled financially off the field, it makes achieving success on it, much more difficult.

I think Chris Willcock has now got a much better quality squad than he had early doors. He effectively had to build it from scratch and he quickly realised he’d have to make a number of changes to ensure we could compete.

I’ve not been well enough to attend of late, so I've missed recent performances. However, I gather they are much improved and I sincerely hope and believe the lads can continue to improve and that they'll get that little rub of the green that will see them start to climb the table. 

*Warr and Co, 76 Manchester Road, Denton, M34 3PS — 0161 336 2222 — https://warr.co.uk

[pavspatch]

Lakeland determined to add shine to dull FA Cup record

SUNDAY'S clash with Cambridge United is much more than a high-profile match against League One opposition for Adam Lakeland, it's a chance to prove himself as an FA Cup manager.

Speaking to Curzon Ashton's in-house media team on Tuesday, Lakeland revealed that a lack of cup success is something he views as a monkey on his back, and one which he plans to remove this weekend.

"As a manager you have your own aspirations and you’re self-critical and you want to be successful," he explained.

"I’m 38 soon, but I’ve been managing for quite a few years. In that time I've had quite a bit of personal success but I’ve always been rubbish in the FA Cup. That’s been one massive regret of mine as a manager. In fact when it comes to the clubs I’ve been at in the past, I feel like I’ve let them down a little bit by not getting them far."

Curzon have two doubts going into the tie — midfielders Connor Hampson and Devon Matthews. But Lakeland believes the extra 24 hours' rest offered by the game being played on a Sunday rather than a Saturday could prove crucial in their recovery.

He said: "They’ll be eager to play and that extra 24 hours will help us. In terms of the squad as a whole, we'll also benefit from having no midweek game and I'd like to thank the National League for their co-operation.

"I’m confident and optimistic we’ll have a full bill of health but we’ll have to assess the lads."

Cambridge go into the tie without striker Fejiri Okenabirhie who faces three months on the sidelines after tearing a hamstring against Wycombe Wanderers last month in his first start of the season.

Centre-back and skipper Greg Taylor, who was ruled out with possible concussion a fortnight ago was a substitute in last week's 1-0 defeat by Peterborough United.

Although uncomfortable with the suggestion his club are giants — at least in terms of facing a National League North club — U's manager Mark Bonner is well aware that Sunday's match has huge potential for embarrassment.

He told the Cambridge Independent: “We were giant-killers last year. I’m not for one moment suggesting we’re a giant but I understand that a non-league side against us is a big occasion. The atmosphere will reflect that.

“These games are always really challenging, really tough, but it’s a nice pitch and a really good environment up at Curzon and we’re looking forward to it. It’s one we’ve got to really relish and try to get the right side of because ultimately for us it’s about progressing in the competition. As much as they want to, we want to equally.”

“We’ve been able to get some good information and footage from people we know who have played Curzon recently. I believe we've got a basic understanding of what we can expect from them and players we think are a threat.

"But at the same time we’ve got to go there and take the game by the scruff of the neck. We have to make sure we find the very best of our competitive level, make it a really hard for Curzon, and make it difficult for them to be what they want to be in the game.”

Both clubs have an impressive FA Cup pedigree in recent times. Twelve months ago, Cambridge defeated Newcastle United while the Nash have twice reached the second round in the last 14 years. In 2008 they beat League Two Exeter City before losing at Kidderminster. In 2016, they were home to Wimbledon and ten minutes' from the third round before imploding and squandering a 3-0 lead.

Lakeland commented: "The benefits of a game like this for the club are massive.There's huge exposure and we should have a big gate and a good crowd. It pulls everyone in the community together, and it’s just great for pulling all the sections of the club together.

"It’s been a great ride so far and we’ve said to the players from the start of our journey that we wanted to create our own little chapter in the history of the club and try and do everything we could to get to the first round.

"We’ve managed to do that even though we’ve had really difficult draws along the way. But the lads have given everything to get here and now I think it’s important that they enjoy it although we’ll certainly be giving it absolutely everything.

"It’s going to be difficult for us playing against a team from League One but it’s a great challenge for myself, my staff, my players, and it’s one that we’re eagerly anticipating.

"Maybe I’ve got a little bit of a monkey off my back by having a half-decent FA Cup run but we’re not ready for it to end just yet."