OFFICAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME OF SOUTHPORT FC • ISSUE 15 • £2.50 Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year v CHESTER THURSDAY 26/12/2019 • KICK OFF 7.45PM NOTESMANAGERS SOUTHPORT Good afternoon everyone Trophy. It will be a good test for us FOOTBALL CLUB and welcome back for this all and a game to look forward to afternoon’s game against and I hope as many of you will The Pure Stadium, Haig Avenue, high flying Chester. travel as is possible to the game to Southport, PR8 6JZ It promises to be a real support the lads. Tel: 01704-533422 Christmas cracker with both sides I’m doing these notes ahead of Fax: 01704-533455 in the play off places and in good our game at Blyth to tie in with the Website: www.southportfc.net form and in front of what we hope Christmas print deadlines so I’m Twitter: @southport_fc will be a bumper Boxing Day obviously hoping we bagged the crowd it should be a good three points from that game as Directors: Ian Kyle, Liam Watson & atmosphere. well. Steven Porter Please get behind the lads at all Since I last wrote my notes we have had a good win against times in the games, I’m sure you President: Sam Shrouder Gloucester, not pretty buy a very respond better to encouragement, In accordance with paragraph 2.13 of rules of The they do too. Have a go at me as National League, the Club makes the following welcome three points and then statement: against South Shields we knew it much as you want but for 90 Southport Football Club is a Company, limited by was going to be tough up there minutes when the lads are out on shares, registered in England and Wales with and so it proved but the lads kept the pitch you really can play a part registered number 01486711. in setting the right positive The following individuals hold a significant interest battling away and well deserved in Southport Football Club (defined as being more the replay. atmosphere. than 10% of the voting rights): Ian Kyle Rob reliably It was great to Manager: Liam Watson see the hardy tells me it is my 399th league game Assistant Manager: Jon McCarthy bunch that had made the trip up in charge here Secretary: James Tedford 01704-533422 today as long as [email protected] to South Shields on what was a the Blyth game Head Of Commercial: Steve Brown 07809 freezing cold day. went ahead. No 489 370 [email protected] doubt he will be A 356 mile round Community Development: Darren trip in December rolling out all the Wildman [email protected] stats (Ed…see the shows a lot of Events Manager: Claire Kyle commitment, York programme [email protected] Liam!) thank you all. Physio: Dan Gabrielson As for the I hope to see as many of you as Club Chaplain: Paul Taylor replay after going behind against a strong side in possible at Kit: Hamish Morton Altrincham on Saturday and in the great form, the lads showed great Groundsman: Paul Brookes character and once we got the return leg at Chester on New Years Day, the lads really appreciate the Programme Editor & Sales: Rob Urwin equaliser with another great finish contact [email protected] from Brad I felt it would only be a support home and away. 077900-41514 matter of time before we scored All that remains is for me to wish you all a Happy New Year and Programme Design: Simon Cooper with Ryan and Jack getting their Excel Print Ltd heads on set pieces to give us a let’s all stick together and make 2020 a special year for Southport Website: Rob Urwin relatively comfortable win in the end. Football Club. Press Officer: Alan Jones The draw has been kind in Media Assistants: Amos Wynn & James Houghton terms of geography. Once you get Liam Technical Services: Les Rooney to the second round you have the prospect of a long trip south to the Managers notes sponsored by Club Shop Manager: Christine Classon likes of Torquay etc but we have Club Shop Matchday: Christine Classon, probably drawn one of the closest Kerry Hartwell & Michael Hopkins clubs we could with a trip to Fylde. Matchday Announcer: Nicola Cave We do seem to get more than our fair share of away draws in the Photography Julia Urwin #ONEPORT03 WITH IAN KYLE BOARDROOM BRIEF Good afternoon, and welcome to The Pure need to look at where we were this time last year, Stadium for this afternoon’s National League after having spent the majority of the season at North fixture against Chester. the wrong end of the table. We are now, by First and foremost, I would like to take this contrast well positioned in the play off positions, opportunity to wish everyone associated with the after recent “steady” victories against Club, fans, staff, volunteers, and players, a very Kidderminster away, and Gloucester home. We are merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. certainly proving difficult to beat at present, and if This has been very much a year of change, but I we are able to continue to improve in the final hope everyone can see why Steve, Liam and I third…….we fully intend to be at the right end of believe we are heading in the right direction. I gave the table at the conclusion of the season. a couple of interviews during the summer during I am writing these notes after a hard fought which I discussed our three objectives for the replay victory against a very strong South Shields season. These centred around improving the clubs side. A day out at Fylde now awaits and hopefully a standing in the community, adopt a policy of living run to as close to Wembley as we can get. The within our means, with a view to character shown in the two away making the club self-sufficient, and games in this competition, at Colne improving performances on the and at a very cold, wet and windy pitch. In respect of community South Shields really does show the projects, Darren has been a great character that this team possess. appointment for the Club and is It would also be remiss of me, making great strides in re- when discussing character not to establishing links with all different give a huge thank you to the support aspects of the local community. The (usually very vocal) that we have projects that he has initiated can received this season, particularly regularly be seen on the Club’s social away, and particularly when we have media, with more to come in the new lost the more local away games at year. Chorley, Stockport and FC United, to In respect of the financial state of be replaced by the likes of Gateshead! A good away the club, we have reduced unnecessary expenses Southport following is one of the few certainties in and “streamlined” to help towards achieving our the league so far this season. goal of making the club self-sufficient. Despite Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to this, we have of course still been able to get the welcome fans, staff and Directors from Chester. pitch levelled and a new playing surface laid, We certainly look forward to the return fixture in a despite some concerns on social media that it week or so’s time! might not be ready until October! We have Once again, Merry Christmas and a Happy New maintained the majority of the squad on full time Year from Steve , Liam and I, along with all the salaries and we are looking to start the work on the staff and volunteers at SFC. toilets in the new year. Much of this is due to the continued sponsorship that we receive from mainly local companies (new and old in respect of Ian continued support for the club) but also due to how much hard work is going on behind the scenes Our Boardroom Notes in growing the events and hospitality side of the are Sponsored By Club. If any of you have been to an event at the Cobra Frames Club recently hopefully you will have seen how hard the staff work and how professional the whole experience is. In respect of the on the pitch situation we only 04#ONEPORT A PROGRAMME DILEMMA A page to fill when somebody lets suffered for the most innocent of posts during you down after the printing the General Election I’m not sure if Twitter is the way forward so on second thoughts I think deadline. “Panic, what can I fill the I will pass on that one as well. page with? Easy, put in another You are going to have to come up with page of adverts and take the easy something, Simon needs the programme to be with him for 6am in the morning so you have way out? Nooooo, I complain that got to send it this evening or you will miss the we have too many ads as it is but as deadline. is always being pointed out to me “ Come on, you are never short of words surely you can come up with these bring the money in Rob” something???????? I know, the decade is coming to an end, why Simple then, use a load of Julia’s photos to not do a feature on the highs and lows of fill the page up, yes but people like something 2010-2019! That is a great idea but that’s to read at half time.