Well here we are with the second edition of the AMATEUR CUP WINNERS Skelmersdale United review, I hope that you found the first issue interesting with something to read to keep you occupied during the lockdown, HONOURS BOARD keeping the name Skem Utd in the spotlight whilst giving readers a chance to catch up with the clubs History and articles that you may have not seen from the world of football. Amateur Cup Winners 1970-71 Amateur Cup Runners up In this issue we look at United’s success in the Anglo 1966-67 Italian Cup and a bit about the competitions History. Amateur Cup Semi Finalist 1968-1969, 1969-70 Two years either side of WW2 was dominated by 1 man Tommy Tindsley, we take a quick look at those Liverpool County Combination years the man scored 214 goals in 4 years. League Winners 10 Occasions Dan Sanderson and Alex Wormald, of Mundial Liverpool Challenge Cup Winners Magazine covered a number of Skelmersdale games 8 Occasions at Prescot over the Christmas period of 2017. Their Lancashire Junior Cup Winners excellent assessment appears in full in this issue. 1914-15 Harry McNally is mostly associated with Chester and Lancashire Combination Division Wigan but Harry started his Managerial Career at Two Winners 1955-56 United in 1974, an unconventional manager to say the least. Jim Green takes a look back at his career. Cheshire League Champions 1968-1969, 1969-70 There is more but will let you read and find out, enjoy Lancashire Challenge Cup Winners and all comments are appreciated, good or bad and if 1969-1970, 1970-1971, 2008-09 there is anything you think we can cover, any old photos then let me know and I will see what we can Lancashire Floodlite Cup Winners do 1969-70 FA Cup 1st Round Proper Happy reading 1966-67, 1968-69, 1971-72, 2020-21 Kev European Amateur Cup Winners 1971-72 North West Counties League Cup Winners 1999-2000 North West Counties League Cup runners-up 1982-1983, 2004-05 Thanks to Lensmeister North West Counties Division Two extraordinaire runners up. 1997-1998 John Driscoll Northern Premier League (North) for the front Champions 2012-13 cover shot Liverpool Senior Cup Winners 2014-15 I recently received an email from Italian Marco Parmigiani, well I presume he is Italian, requesting information regarding the Skelmersdale United Anglo Italian Cup game against Monte Belluna. I was only happy to oblige with what details I had and seeing the details were to hand, here they are. I know most of you will have seen articles in the Match Day Magazine and in the club History book “The Boys in Blue from 1882” but a number of our newer supporters might not be aware that we, Skelmersdale United were Champions of Europe. The Coppa Ottorino Barassi was a competition named after Ottorino Barassi that was contested from 1968 until 1976. The competition was contested by the English FA Amateur Cup winners and the Italian Coppa Italia Dilettanti winners and was played over two-legs, one at each participating club's stadium. Leytonstone F.C. were the first champions of the competition in 1968, winning on the away goals rule following a 1–1 draw in the first leg at home, and a 2–2 in the return away fixture. The 1974 tournament was not played, and following the abolition of the FA Amateur Cup that year the English representative became the champions of the Second Division of the Isthmian League. The last instalment of the competition was in 1976, when Unione Sportiva Soresinese won following a penalty shootout. This was the only time an Italian team won the competition. United's bonus for last seasons Amateur Cup Triumph was to take part in the Non- League European Cup Winners Cup and a game against Northern Italy's Monte Belluna. So on Wednesday 29th September United took to the field Crosbie, Allan, Austin, Owen, Swift, Poole, Brackpool, Spencer, Dicken, Windsor, Woodward Sub Lucas, as nearly 1,400 saw United win by two goals to nil courtesy of Spencer and the ever reliable Andy Windsor. But not before a humorous moment just prior to kick off, “Go and find the music to the Italian National anthem, Wal” was the instruction from Chairman Bill Gregson to director Walter Giller. Wal duly obliged, but in the dark at the back of the stand, using a record player, all went awry. As the needle went down on the wrong tune, a bemused Italian team stood to attention with the strains of “The Teddy Bears Picnic” blaring round the ground. PHIL PLOTS SLIDE RULE VICTORY Skelmersdale Utd 2 Monte Belluna 0 1st leg Wednesday 29th September 1971 In a truly international setting Skelmersdale United’s stand in midfield man Phil Spencer served notice to make the position his own. Spencer a second team player until the injury crisis struck captivated the 1,400 strong crowd with a one man show of brilliance and it is due to his individual flair that United travel to Italy for the second leg two goals ahead. The 20 year old planning clerk plotted the downfall of the Italian champions with slide rule precision and found chinks in the iron curtain defence which few of his collegues thought existed. He scorned attempts by Monte Belluna to throw a huge red cordon around goalkeeper Semenrim, probed almost non stop to find a path to goal and was eventually rewarded when the first half seemed certain to end with a blank scoreline. Ghosting through to the right edge of the penalty area, he fastened on to a through pass and although the keeper got his hands to the fiercely hit shot, he found it to hot to handle and the ball sped into the back of the net. It was the breakthrough that Skem had fought for from the start but despite Spencer they were unable to crack the Italians man for man marking system until the final minutes. Then centre forward Andy Windsor, who makes a habit of snatching last gasp goals struck. He leapt to meet a right wing cross and although the header struck the crossbar, his powers of recovery was so swift that he had lashed the ball into the back of the net before the Italians could say “spaghetti” It was a goal that could prove invaluable when the return clash is played next Wednesday. Monte Belluna will have to score three to win and prevent United from scoring According to Geoff Howard the Advertisers Chief sports writer, after the game Gigi Peronace from the Italian FA, the man who lured John Charles and Dennis Law for the Lire, spent a night in Liverpool Road he’ll never forget. It took place in the Engine Hotel, pork pies, sandwiches on the top of a pool table and no room to swing a cat, United certainly showed how to push the boat out. The return leg two weeks later saw 6,500 supporters watch the Italians win by just the 1 goal and United were now Champions of Europe. The after match celebrations held by the Italians were a far cry from those a fortnight earlier, a magnificent banquet under chandeliers, no expense spared. The flight together with overnight accommodation would have cost any supporters wishing to travel the princely sum of £35. UNITED HOLD ON TO CUP Monte Belluna 1 Skelmersdale Utd 0 Wednesday 13th October 1971 Another famous trophy now adorns the boardroom table at White Moss Park. More than 6,500 frenzied and near hysterical Italians failed to shatter the cool and calm of Skelmersdale United as they held on to snatch the Barassi Cup. A 10th minute goal by Tessatu was a boost the Italians Amateur cup holders needed as they fought to wipe out a two goal deficit but they failed to make any further impression on a rock like United defence. They attempted every conceivable trick in the book in their bid to out smart a business like defence but found their task even harder the longer the game went on. The fans screamed their disapproval when referee failed to award a penalty after Austin had tackled the Montebullana winger, the ref rightly ruled the foul had occurred outside the box and awarded a free kick which came to nothing. To have conceded a penalty at such a late stage, a second goal would have forced extra time, would have been an injustice to United who battled gamely throughout. Few players excelled more than keeper Peter Frankish and pivotal Alan Swift both who thwarted the Italians time and time again with their undoubted skills. The closest United came to scoring was in the 63rd minute when a tremendous drive from Alan Wolfe thudded against the woodwork and bounced clear. United team: Frankish, Allen, Poole, Wilkinson, Swift, Lucas, Austin, Spencer, Windsor, Wolfe, Birtwhistle, Subs Woodward and Telfer. Coppa Ottorino Barassi Finals Year Home team Score Away team Leytonstone 1–1 Stefer Roma 1968 Stefer Roma 2–2 † Leytonstone Leytonstone won on away goals North Shields 2–0 Almas Roma 1969 Almas Roma 2–0 North Shields Trophy shared Enfield 3–0 Ponte San Pietro 1970 Ponte San Pietro 2–1 Enfield Enfield won 4-2 on agg Skelmersdale United 2–0 Montebelluna 1971 Montebelluna 1–0 Skelmersdale United Skelmersdale Utd won 2-1 on agg Hendon 2–0 Unione Valdinievole 1972 Unione Valdinievole 1–1 Hendon Hendon won 3-1 on agg Walton & Hersham 4–0 Jesolo 1973 Jesolo 0–2 Walton & Hersham Walton & Hersham won 6-0 on agg Banco di Roma 0–1 Staines Town 1975 Staines Town 2–0 Banco di Roma Staines Town won 3-0 on agg Tilbury 1–1 Soresinese 1976 Soresinese 1–1 * Tilbury Soresinese won on pens TOMMY TINDSLEY For the first game of the 1938-39 season United faced newcomers to the league, Wigan Athletic Reserves going down 2-1 United’s team; Holt, Daniels, Wilson, Ashurst, Stephenson, White, Welding, Hicks, Fairclough, Pilling and making his debut Tommy Tindsley, having previously played for Wellington Town in the Cheshire County League.