Welcome to issue 4 of the Skelmersdale United AMATEUR CUP WINNERS Review, its great to be able to say we have football on the horizon, with the club being invited to the inaugural St Luke’s Cup, HONOURS BOARD organized by Winsford United, the Tournament features, the hosts, ourselves, Runcorn Town and Sandbach United, with games scheduled to start on April 17th, you can keep up to date on Amateur Cup Winners 1970-71 the club’s website regarding further details. Amateur Cup Runners up 1966-67 Amateur Cup Semi Finalist In this issue we take a look at “Forgotten Grounds” 1968-1969, 1969-70 White Moss Park, taken from the Non League Traveller magazine and the fitting farewell to our Liverpool County Combination spiritual home. League Winners 10 Occasions 2012-13 season saw United beat all before them Liverpool Challenge Cup Winners and were crowned NPL North winners by some 8 Occasions considerable margin, we take a look back at the Lancashire Junior Cup Winners events throughout the historic season. Including 1914-15 the night when mighty Boston United came to “Stormy Corner” and left with their reputation in Lancashire Combination Division Two Winners 1955-56 tatters. Cheshire League Champions Mickey Burns will be a very familiar name to all 1968-1969, 1969-70 Skemmers, a member of the 67 Amateur Cup final Lancashire Challenge Cup Winners side, Mickey went on to play for Blackpool, 1969-1970, 1970-1971, 2008-09 Newcastle United and Cardiff, Mickey looks back at “The Match of His Day” The Anglo-Italian Cup Lancashire Floodlite Cup Winners Final in Bologna. 1969-70 FA Cup 1st Round Proper Another face who maybe not so well know is Frank 1966-67, 1968-69, 1971-72, Ryan, prolific goal scorer in the late 90’s, Frank 2020-21 now resides in Australia but we caught up with him European Amateur Cup a couple of years ago, just to see how he was Winners 1971-72 doing. North West Counties League Plus much more to get your teeth into, I hope you Cup Winners 1999-2000 enjoy your read North West Counties League Cup runners-up 1982-1983, 2004-05 Cheers North West Counties Division Two Kev runners up. 1997-1998 Northern Premier League (North) Champions 2012-13 Liverpool Senior Cup Winners Thanks to all those who have contributed, I 2014-15 apologize if I have not given you credit The West Lancashire town of Skelmersdale, situated about 15 miles south-south west of Preston, has seen great change over the years, being predomi-nantly a coal mining town with up to 20 collieries in the area until closing in the 1920's and 30's. Since being designated a new town in 1961 though, new industries have set up to only magnify its sometimes-bleak backdrop and also new housing estates are a major feature of this town known locally as "Skem". The town's football team also represent change as well since their formation back in 1882 and started off in local leagues such as Lanes Combination and Liverpool County. The club have had its ups and downs over the years and probably their best years were in the late 1960's and early 1970's when reaching two FA Amateur Cup Finals with their 1971 success being the highlight. Crowds used to flock to Skelmersdale in those days, regularly reaching four figures and White Moss Park used to be packed to the rafters especially for big cup ties. The ground had, through years of neglect and lack of cash, started to take its toll by the late 1990's but it was one of those grounds that still had character. The centre-piece of the stadium was the large stand along one side of the ground with its angled roof and 5 steel girders supporting the roof at the front. There were half a dozen steps of concrete terracing which went all along that side including the front of the main stand with a white wall half way up which separated the seating area from the covered terrace. Several rows of seats at the back of the stand were accessed by a set of steps towards the middle of the structure with the dugouts immediately in front of the stand. Entrance was gained from the corner of the ground where a car park was situated and the turnstile blocks proudly displayed the club name above them. The far end of the ground was just flat grass beyond which were trees. It was in October 2002 when a major development announcement was made which would eventually see them relocate to their current site in Selby Place within the Stanley Industrial Estate, about 1.5 miles from White Moss Park. A period of ground sharing was necessary at Burscough until the new stadium was ready. In September 2003 planning permission was finally granted for the relocation with plans to bulldoze White Moss Park to be turned into a luxury housing development although developers Elite Homes did face strong local opposition on traffic congestion charges. The club played at White Moss Park for 45 years and the cost of the new stadium was in excess of £1 million. The move was forced on the club because of the high cost of ground improvements to White Moss Park where £50,000 was needed for major repairs and another £22,000 to replace floodlights. Although other sites were considered including Blaguegate and Chequers Lane it was the Stanley site which won the day where United purchased the land from English Estates. One of their most famous ever players was, of course, Steve Heighway, the former Liverpool winger and he even won a full Republic Of Ireland cap while playing for Skem. The new 1,500 capacity stadium and the crowds nowadays may seem modest by previous standards, but at least the club's future is secure as they try to recapture past glories. ------------------------------------------ A New Stadium for United There had been talk of a new stadium for United and in late May 1993 the following appeared in the local press, it would be another 10 years before the move would be confirmed but not to Blaguegate but to Stormy Corner. In late May 1993, Skelmersdale United unveiled a blue print for the future, a move away from White Moss Park to a new stadium. They want to build it just a few hundred yards away on the council owned shale playing fields at Blaguegate. The move has been prompted by two reasons. The club is around £50,000 in debt, incurred from previous regimes and the need for a modern ground to carry the club into a higher standard of football in the years ahead. writes Geoff Howard. The move will only take place if the finance to build a new ground is raised through the sale of White Moss Park for housing development. The plan is to develop the site over several phases, the first to provide a basic stadium to seat around 600, eventually it would hope to accommodate 10,000 all seated. Dave Tomlinson said “We have not gone as far as obtaining planning permission because the cost is exorbitant, we have already spent £1,300 on a feasibility study but if the move does get the all clear, my hope would be to clear our debts, finance the new stadium and still finish up with money in hand. In February the Skelmersdale Champion announced that United would ground share with Burscough for the 2003- 04 season, with White Moss Park being sold off for housing development. Arthur Gore said “we are looking at three sites to move to. There is one preferred plot of land and the plans are at an advanced stage, and not to far away from White Moss Park”. A month later it was officially announced that the preferred new site would be land on Stanley Industrial Estate “First of all we prefer this site because it is near the fan base and is not far from where we are now “said Arthur Gore. “Skelmersdale United departed White Moss Park with a fanfare, six goals and a resounding send off from the Skem Prize Band. Fittingly, leading scorer Stuart Rudd signed off with a hat trick, including the very last goal to be scored on the famous old ground. Best known Skelmersdale fan of all 69 year old Billy Croft, now wheelchair bound made a sentimental first return in more than 12 months to watch a 6-1 farewell victory over Salford. Ritchie Wade was among the familiar faces of yesteryear who attended for one last look at the White Moss turf”. Rudd’s fitting tribute to White Moss Park Skelmersdale Utd 6 Salford City 1 21st April 2003 “Stuart Rudd’s target of 50 goals for the season remained tantalising out of reach, despite a hat trick in his final appearance of the season. writes Geoff Howard. But with 46, 43 in the league and 3 in the cup he finished the leading scorer in the North West Counties league by a country mile. It was somehow fitting that Rudd should score the first and last goals in the last ever competitive fixture to be staged at White Moss Park. The first after only 11 minutes was typical Rudd, a cross from the right by Mark Ashton which was converted at the far post with an acrobatic “bicycle kick”. 16 minutes after opening the scoring Rudd registered the best goal of the game as he leaned into a Horrigan cross to power a header from 12 yards, up and out of the reach of McVeys despairing reach.