WE WELCOME to WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC The​ Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road, Chorltonville Manchester M21 8FE

Club Committee: Glyn Meacher; Rob Madden; Dave Cooper; Rob McKay; Monica Creer; Steve Eckersley; John Churchman; James Doxford; Davy Iredale; Dan Iredale; Tim Manley and Matthew Durrant

Ownership: In accordance with Rule 2.13 Publication of ownership in relation to Step 1 to Step 6 clubs in the Football Pyramid we hereby confirm that the legal status of WEST DIDSBURY AND CHORLTON CLUB is as not for profit private members club. Any gain arising from the carrying on of the Club shall be applied for the benefit of the Club or for some charitable or benevolent purpose or purposes approved by resolution at a general meeting of the Club.

To contact the club please use the club website: www.wdcfc.co.uk ​ ​

Main Club Sponsor:

Ground Safety In the interest of spectator comfort and safety, the following conditions apply at the clubs Brookburn Road ground and must be observed at all times.

● In case of fire or other emergency that requires the clubhouse or ground to be evacuated instructions will be given over the public address system, and we ask that you comply with those instructions immediately. ● The chanting of racist or obscene chanting is strictly forbidden. ● Glasses, bottles, gas canisters, knives, darts, tools, flag poles or any other articles likely to cause injury are not permitted into the ground. ● Alcohol may be purchased and consumed in the bar area only. ● Children are not allowed in the Club House unless accompanied by an adult. ● Encroachment onto the playing area is forbidden at all times. ● Standing is not allowed in front of the seated areas. ● All forms of transport on the clubs car park is at the owners’ risk.

The club reserves the right to remove any person from the ground who is in breach of these rules or whose presence is a source of danger or annoyance to others. We hope you understand the reasons for the above are in order for the game to be enjoyed in safe and pleasant conditions. Thank you, West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC Committee. ​

A welcome to Cheadle Town

The First Division South matches and local derbies keep coming for West, who will chase more valuable points when Cheadle Town make the short journey to Brookburn Road.

Saturday’s win against Abbey Hey in east Manchester lifted West into third, and Tuesday night presents an opportunity to keep the pressure on Oswestry Town and Vauxhall Motors, the two sides still with a 100% record in the division.

Cheadle, whose Park Road ground is four miles away from Brookburn Road as the crow flies, have become part of the First Division furniture and are embarking on their 18th consecutive season at this level. A takeover by Little Sports Group in December 2017 brought with it renewed belief and a rebrand, but Town limped to 16th place last year.

Despite pre-season optimism this time around, Cheadle will feel that their 2019-20 campaign has yet to begin – they are still without a win after four games, with a 2-2 draw at Town their only point so far. They became the latest side to suffer at the hands of free-scoring Oswestry on Saturday as they were hammered 5-1 at Park Road. Last time we met

Saturday 15th December 2012, West 4-0 Cheadle Town There have been a series of pre-season matches between the sides in recent years, Cheadle winning the most recent in 2018, but you have to go some way back for our last competitive meeting. A West side on their way to promotion from the NWCFL First Division eased past the visitors, with Tommy Walsh, Scott Jones, Gareth Thomas and Lee Malkin all scoring before a Brookburn Road crowd of 46. Saturday’s results

Alsager Town 0-0 Wythenshawe Amateurs Att: 72 Barnton 0-2 Cheadle Heath Nomads Att: 54 Cammell Laird 1907 4-1 Att: 73 Cheadle Town 1-5 FC Oswestry Town Att: 46 Ellesmere Rangers 1-2 Vauxhall Motors Att: 75 New Mills 1-2 Stone Old Alleynians Att: 81 St Martins 2-3 Sandbach United Att: 35 Stockport Town 1-5 Abbey Hulton United Att: 142 Wythenshawe Town 3-0 Eccleshall Att: 157

Other fixtures

Monday 19th August Stockport Town v New Mills

Tuesday 20th August Abbey Hulton United v Sandbach United Alsager Town v Stone Old Alleynians Cheadle Heath Nomads v Abbey Hey Oswestry Town v Cammell Laird Vauxhall Motors v St Martins Wythenshawe Amateurs v Barnton Wythenshawe Town v Maine Road

Wednesday 21st August Eccleshall v Ellesmere Rangers

Thank you for visiting Brookburn Road and have a safe journey home

Match Report

Saturday 17th August

Abbey Hey 1 (Regan 89) West 3 (A. Woods 4, 22, Moloney 90+2) Att: 152

Ash Woods inspired West to a gritty three points at Abbey Hey as our unbeaten start to the season continued in east Manchester.

Brad Cooke’s side, who moved up to third after this win, shrugged off a raft of injuries and absences to race into a two-goal lead thanks to Woods’ exhibition of finishing. Abbey came back into the game, though, and West were indebted to Andrew Jones’ penalty save on the stroke of half time.

The second half was much tougher going with West struggling for fluency, and Abbey threatened a comeback when Matt Regan pulled a goal back in the dying embers of normal time. But Dylan Moloney provided an exclamation mark in the second of three added minutes, settling matters with a sumptuous half-volley from the edge of the area.

Though Tuesday night’s win at home to Stockport Town lifted West into the First Division South promotion places, it left its mark in other ways – Zac Cooper, Lee Gavin and Lee Grimshaw were all missing through injuries sustained against the Lions, while Matty Boland, Jake Kenny, James Cottee and Matthew Cook were also absent for the trip to Gorton.

That meant for the first time this season, Cooke was forced into wide-ranging alterations – five in total from Tuesday’s starting 11, with Chris Middleton and Tom Horner asked to operate as full-backs. But West, seeking a third win in four league games, started well and Ash Woods snaffled an opening goal inside five minutes – excellent pressing from Moloney led to the Woods firing a fierce shot beyond Dane Smith in the Abbey goal.

The excellent Moloney, starting for the first time this season, stung Smith’s palms not long afterwards with an effort from the edge of the area, but it was Woods who doubled the visitors’ lead halfway through the first period. Callum Jones’ through pass was met by the West hitman, who threaded the ball past Smith from an acute angle.

Kris Holt had the ball in the Abbey net just after the half hour, but the goal – again crafted by a fine Moloney pass – was ruled out by the linesman. And the

officials played another key role moments before the break as Abbey were handed a lifeline. West couldn’t clear a set piece and the home side won a penalty when a forward was bundled over in the area, but the excellent Andrew Jones flung himself to his left to block the effort and ensure West held a two-goal lead at the interval.

West suffered a further blow when Tom Horner was unable to resume after the break, with Ben Steer replacing him and Ben Woods dropping back to left-back. It appeared that this was one withdrawal too many as West’s momentum stalled in an attritional second period. Abbey went close when a cross to the far post was headed narrowly wide, but the majority of the second half was soporific until West awoke in the final 15 minutes, with Woods twice going close to what would have been a deserved hat-trick.

Abbey halved the arrears in the final minute of normal time when Regan punished West’s failure to clear a corner. But there was barely enough time for the away support to bite their nails before Moloney ensured West’s excellent record at the Abbey Stadium would continue – the former Droylsden man pouncing on a loose ball on the edge of the box and sweeping a half-volley into the corner of the net.

West: A. Jones, Middleton, Horner (Steer ht), Tinker, Forbes, Eckersley, B. ​ Woods, C. Jones, A. Woods (McLaughlin 87), Holt, Moloney (Dale 90+4).

West media man of the match: Ash Woods. ​

Match Action - Abbey Hey 3 - 1 West

Images from our win against Abbey Hey, where West managed a draw against Wythenshawe Town. Images courtesy of Simon Cook.

FA Cup | West to face Celtic (A), Saturday 24 August

Following our victory over Squires Gate, West will play Stalybridge Celtic in the FA Cup Preliminary Round, with the tie scheduled to take place on Saturday 24 August at .

Stalybridge play in the Northern League Premier Division (3 leagues above West) and would represent a major scalp for West – if we were to get there, and pulled off a shock result. Last season, they finished 17th, two points clear of the relegation zone. In last season’s FA Cup, they were eliminated in their first tie, losing 1-0 away to Radcliffe Borough. In their long and storied history, Stalybridge have twice reached the Second Round Proper (1993-94, and 1999-00) when Carlisle United and City eliminated them. In recent times, they reached the 1st round before being knocked out by Doncaster Rovers in 2015-16.

Celtic are yet to kick off their season, but begin with a trip to Mickleover Sports on Saturday 17th. Their pre-season has been hugely successful, however – they have defeated Burnley (3-1), Abbey Hey (1-0), Marine (2-1), Mossley (2-0), and, most recently, Glossop North End (5-0). They’ve also been defeated by Curzon Ashton (3-1) and Barnsley (5-0).

As a result of our progression, our game away at New Mills will now be rescheduled – this was previously due to be played on 24th August. News of the new date will be announced as and when we have it.

FA Vase | Egerton withdrawn from competition, West receive walkover to Second Qualifying

Round

Having originally been drawn against them in the first round of the FA Vase, the club can now confirm that the tie against Egerton has now been cancelled following them being withdrawn from the competition by the Football Association.

This was to be Egerton’s first foray into the FA Vase, but their place was reported by the FA to be subject to a final ground grading visit. Unfortunately, after appeal, the club have now been withdrawn from the competition, meaning West have been given a walkover to the next round. We would like to wish Egerton all the best for the forthcoming season, and hope to be able to welcome them to Brookburn Road in the future.

Draws for the first and second qualifying round were made concurrently: therefore, we can confirm that we will be taking on NWCFL Premier Division side Runcorn Town in the next round of the FA Vase. This will be played at the Viridor Community Stadium, Sandy Lane, Runcorn on the 14th September, and will be the first time the two sides have met following our relegation. Runcorn Town are perennial promotion contenders in the Premier Division, but fell to a defeat to West the last time we played – a 3-1 win as we ended 2018 in style. Brad Cooke will be hoping for the same result this time around, as he looks to replicate the success he had as a player last time out (reaching the semi finals as Northwich Victoria captain) now he’s transitioned to management.

As a result, the fixture previously scheduled for the 14th September – an away trip to Vauxhall Motors – will now be arranged for another date.

History of Cheadle Town

Cheadle Town was rewarded with a bumper 3,227 attendance that formed in 1961 as witnessed a pulsating 3-3 draw. Grasmere Rovers playing in the The club is famous for its legendry foreign tours, Manchester & District having played 96 games in 30 different countries in Sunday Football League front of over 312,000 fans and scoring 111 goals. in their Under 16s Division. As the team developed Playing under their tour name, Manchester AFC, the Under-21 Championship was won in 1968, they have played against SEVEN national sides and followed by the Premier Division title two years once played in front of 65,000 people in Mexico later. City’s world-famous Aztec Stadium. Their epic journeys have taken them just over 210,000 miles In 1972 the club made the significant decision to all over the world. play their football on Saturdays and joined the Manchester Football League. Success on the Alfredo di Stefano, Ronnie Biggs, Brazilian playing field coincided with the arrival of Albert Pike superstar Jairzinho and Rajiv Ghandi have all met as manager in 1978. In Albert’s first, full season he the touring side as exotic locations such as Cannes, led the team to a terrific double of First Division Acapulco, Rio de Janeiro, the Bahamas and Phuket Champions and Manchester Amateur Cup Winners; have mixed with non-exotic places like Dar es this was the prelude to even more success as the Salaam, Haiti and Guangzhou in China. club won both the Manchester & Derbyshire F.A. Cups. The club celebrated its 50th birthday in 2011 and, if the next 50 years are anything like the first, then Grasmere Rovers moved into their own ground at there is a lot of excitement to come. It was at this Park Road Stadium in 1982 and, a year later, time that Cheadle Town made the decision to changed their name to Cheadle Town when they change their kit colours to green which also joined the North West Counties Football commemorated the colours worn by Grasmere League. Membership has mainly been in the Rover 50 years ago. Second Division but in 1996 the club was promoted Cheadle Town are an FA Charter Standard to the First Division. Sadly, relegation back to the Community Club acknowledging the most advanced second tier occurred in 2001, a position they still level of club development and football provision. occupy in the now-named First Division. At the turn of the year in 2018 a new future for the Park Road Stadium itself has a fine history with, club was heralded when it became part of the Little initially, Cheadle Rovers being the owners. On their Sports Group, owned by ex-Cheadle Town player demise Manchester City used it as their training Craig Brennan. ground. Portugal, along with Eusebio trained there during the 1966 World Cup and, in 1993, the In May 2018 we were awarded a £50,000 world-famous Brazilian player, Jairzinho, hosted a improvement bursary from Buildbase that will Soccer School for Cheadle Town. enable us to realise our vision to improve the matchday experience and develop footballing Floodlights were installed in 1995 and Manchester facilities for the surrounding area. United provided the opposition for the official ‘switch-on’ when, on a memorable evening, Town beat United’s youngsters, 3-2 in front of almost 2,000 fans. The biggest gate to watch Cheadle Town on domestic soil came ten years later against FC United of Manchester. Due to the huge interest in the game Town officials moved the fixture to Stockport County’s , and they were

Meet the players...

Matthew BOLAND

Creative midfielder and set-piece specialist who made the short move from Irlam in the summer of 2019. Previously played alongside Brad Cooke at Atherton Collieries.

Matthew COOK

A forward-thinking full-back who signed from Winsford United in the summer of 2019.

Zachary COOPER

Technical left-sided player who was one of the success stories of the 2018-19 season. Signed from Trafford in 2018 and also counts FC United and Abbey Hey among his former clubs.

James COTTEE

Forward player who has moved north after extensive experience of the

Isthmian League, most recently in a goal-laden spell at Ashford Town (Middlesex).

Keiron DALE

Forward who arrives at West after spells at Northwich Victoria and Abbey Hey.

Matthew ECKERSLEY

Long-serving centre-back whose West career has only been interrupted by time in Wales playing for Cefn Druids. Picked up both players’ and manager’s player of the season awards in both 2016 and 2019.

Jamie FORBES

Defender who arrived in M21 in July 2019 via Atherton Collieries, Radcliffe Borough and Atherton LR.

Lee GAVIN

Box-to-box midfielder who has made himself a shed end favourite since his West debut in 2015. Returned to regular action in 2018-19 after a period away from the side.

Lee GRIMSHAW

Wide player who signed for West in 2019 after two successful seasons at Prestwich Heys, where he scored 32 goals.

Jordan HENRY

Young winger who signed for West at the back end of the 2018-19 season after learning the ropes in 1874 Northwich’s youth team.

Kristian HOLT

Another player with experience of playing alongside Brad Cooke at Atherton Collieries, midfielder Holt won promotion with both Colls and Runcorn Linnets before swapping Halton for Chorlton in the summer of 2019.

Thomas HORNER

Defender who moved across the Pennines from East Yorkshire Carnegie halfway through the 2018-19 season and made an immediate impact with a fine debut goal against Silsden.

Michael ITELA

Attacker who started his career at Salford City, scoring twice on his full

Ammies debut in 2016, and most recently spent part of 2018-19 at Prestwich Heys before signing for West.

Andrew JONES

Goalkeeper who signed for West after a lengthy period at , interspersed with spells at Maine Road, Stafford Rangers and Mossley.

Callum JONES

Defensive-minded player who came through the ranks at Altrincham before heading up the A56, appearing for the Robins’ youth, reserve and first teams.

Jake KENNY

Full-back signed on dual registration from Atherton Collieries, with whom he has made over 130 appearances.

Daniel McLAUGHLIN

Forward who has appeared on the wing and through the middle since signing from Mossley, initially on dual-registration, in 2018.

Christopher MIDDLETON

Centre-back who returned to West in 2019 after a one-season stop at Wythenshawe Town. Previously made over 100 appearances for Congleton Town.

Dylan MOLONEY

Attacking player who arrived at West in 2019 after a successful spell at Droylsden.

Ben STEER

Forward whose direct running and eye for a spectacular goal made him a crowd favourite before spending the 2018-19 season at Wythenshawe Town.

Josh TINKER

Versatile player who has been a popular presence, mostly at full-back, since crossing Wilbraham Road to sign from Maine Road in March 2017.

Ash WOODS

Tireless centre-forward with an outstanding goalscoring record. Has extensive experience of the Northern , with Trafford, Atherton Collieries and most recently Colwyn Bay. Winner of the inaugural West supporters’ player of the season award in 2016.

Ben WOODS

Left-sided player who alternated between West and 1874 Northwich before returning to M21 for the start of the 2019-20 season

OUR SPONSORS We would like to express our sincere thanks to our current pitch side board sponsors for their support. Without you we wouldn’t be where we are today. ​ ​

West Cheadle Town

Andrew Jones Aaron Taylor Ashley Woods Andrew Lunt Ben Woods Ashley Curran Benjamin Steer Ashley Woodhead Bradley Cooke Benjamin Brooks Callum Jones Brian Matthews Christopher Middleton Bruno Da Silva Daniel McLaughlin Callum Knight Dylan Moloney Connor Naughton James Cottee Daniel Hopkins Jamie Forbes Daniel Whiting Jordan Henry Denzel Kuzakwawo Joshua Tinker Ebbie Rezayan Keiron Dale Ethan Hennessy Kristian Holt Isaac Graham Lee Gavin Jake Phelan Lee Grimshaw James Handley Matthew Boland Matthew Johnson Matthew Cook Mohamed Rukundo Matthew Eckersley Oliver Hatfield-Banton Michael Itela Patrick Davin Thomas Horner Paul Sunderland Zachary Cooper Rhys Clooney Riley Hamill Ryan Shenton Sikirulahi Hamzat Stephen Piggott (GK) Thomas Clarke Tokia Russell Trevor Kyobe Warren Gaskin Yannick Machado Le Gal

Staff Staff

Brad Cooke William Griffiths Robert Sadler James Brownell Warren Jones Noel Dempsey John Phelan Stephen Piggott

Match Officials Referee - Dave Chisnall Assistants - David Hanks, Christopher Rowles