Emil's Blog
Fri 19th December 2014 | Atherton Collieries | By Emil Anderson
Headquarters
Last week saw the #almost famous black n white stripes of Atherton Colls go where we have never been before – the last four of the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy.
Rarefied air indeed, oxygen required definitely. In my time we have never reached the quarters even. We usually enter the competition and hopefully win a first round tie, and then draw a so called glamour club away in the next round in the hope of making a bob or two.
Invariably this never happens, the bob or two that is – the away tie is usually a nailed on bet. Unfortunately the competition doesn’t attract mega gates and once you have totted up the expenses for the turnstile operator, stewards and the odd doctor, there isn’t much money to be shared out.
We reached the quarters with a wins over regular cup foes Ashton Athletic and Radcliffe Borough (on penalties) and faced off against erstwhile contemporaries Ramsbottom United.
United have shot past us in recent years under the canny leadership of Harry Williams and youthful (ish) enthusiasm of joint managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley. They are a club we look up to, and in time hope to emulate, and just playing them was an honour.
To win the game 2-1 against a team three divisions higher, and deservedly so according to Rammy’s management, was a spine tingling moment. It was like the Alamo in our defence in the last 10 minutes or so, but that is what you should expect when you are playing the best team you have faced in years.
Granted our opponents left a few players on the bench, given they were playing Stockport County in a prestigious FA Trophy game a few days later, but we were also missing or didn’t start with players who had rattled up 64 of our 109 goals scored to date. The management and players knew the club were so proud of them.
The semi finals are to be played at the LFA HQ at Leyland and all my previous appearances there haven’t been throwaway occasions. A truly wonderful set up it is, but my sojourns have been for disciplinary hearings or dropping of caution money at the eleventh hour, so it will be nice just to attend a football game in our Association’s flagship stadium win lose or draw.
Who would we drawn against? The other semi finalists are Chorley (Conference North), Clitheroe (Evostik North) and Holker Old Boys from our division. We played Chorley last year at their joint and felt unlucky to lose 3-2. Clitheroe are a team I don’t think we have ever beaten. Games against Holker are always hard fought and wins are shared out evenly.
Manager Michael Clegg and I expected Chorley, a fatalistic approach maybe or mere mind games to cushion the blow if it occurred. We have actually drawn Clitheroe FC.
We go into the game on Tuesday 24 February as underdogs, given we play a couple of levels below. Clitheroe have never been my favourites because of our thoroughly dismal record against them in the NWCFL.
In one of their programme articles, they said we only had ‘one’ fan who wore a cowboy hat. I recognised that as my dad and he got respect from the writer for standing his corner whatever the circs. He has since lost the cowboy hat.
My dad and I once spent an evening sat next to Clitheroe’s Chairman at a Counties fundraiser and we bonded right well. The bloke was Dave Burgess and he is now Chief Executive of the LFA.
We are geared up for this game at HQ and would be really disappointed if we didn’t add at least a couple of nought’s to our ‘one’ watching us on the night. It’s going to be a momentous evening come what may!
Emil
Emil's Blog
Fri 19th December 2014 | Atherton Collieries
By Emil Anderson
Headquarters
Last week saw the #almost famous black n white stripes of Atherton Colls go where we have never been before – the last four of the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy.
Rarefied air indeed, oxygen required definitely. In my time we have never reached the quarters even. We usually enter the competition and hopefully win a first round tie, and then draw a so called glamour club away in the next round in the hope of making a bob or two.
Invariably this never happens, the bob or two that is – the away tie is usually a nailed on bet. Unfortunately the competition doesn’t attract mega gates and once you have totted up the expenses for the turnstile operator, stewards and the odd doctor, there isn’t much money to be shared out.
We reached the quarters with a wins over regular cup foes Ashton Athletic and Radcliffe Borough (on penalties) and faced off against erstwhile contemporaries Ramsbottom United.
United have shot past us in recent years under the canny leadership of Harry Williams and youthful (ish) enthusiasm of joint managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley. They are a club we look up to, and in time hope to emulate, and just playing them was an honour.
To win the game 2-1 against a team three divisions higher, and deservedly so according to Rammy’s management, was a spine tingling moment. It was like the Alamo in our defence in the last 10 minutes or so, but that is what you should expect when you are playing the best team you have faced in years.
Granted our opponents left a few players on the bench, given they were playing Stockport County in a prestigious FA Trophy game a few days later, but we were also missing or didn’t start with players who had rattled up 64 of our 109 goals scored to date. The management and players knew the club were so proud of them.
The semi finals are to be played at the LFA HQ at Leyland and all my previous appearances there haven’t been throwaway occasions. A truly wonderful set up it is, but my sojourns have been for disciplinary hearings or dropping of caution money at the eleventh hour, so it will be nice just to attend a football game in our Association’s flagship stadium win lose or draw.
Who would we drawn against? The other semi finalists are Chorley (Conference North), Clitheroe (Evostik North) and Holker Old Boys from our division. We played Chorley last year at their joint and felt unlucky to lose 3-2. Clitheroe are a team I don’t think we have ever beaten. Games against Holker are always hard fought and wins are shared out evenly.
Manager Michael Clegg and I expected Chorley, a fatalistic approach maybe or mere mind games to cushion the blow if it occurred. We have actually drawn Clitheroe FC.
We go into the game on Tuesday 24 February as underdogs, given we play a couple of levels below. Clitheroe have never been my favourites because of our thoroughly dismal record against them in the NWCFL.
In one of their programme articles, they said we only had ‘one’ fan who wore a cowboy hat. I recognised that as my dad and he got respect from the writer for standing his corner whatever the circs. He has since lost the cowboy hat.
My dad and I once spent an evening sat next to Clitheroe’s Chairman at a Counties fundraiser and we bonded right well. The bloke was Dave Burgess and he is now Chief Executive of the LFA.
We are geared up for this game at HQ and would be really disappointed if we didn’t add at least a couple of nought’s to our ‘one’ watching us on the night. It’s going to be a momentous evening come what may!
Emil
