Five Things We Learned 2023/24 - Gameweek 41
Thu 9th May 2024 | Five Things | By Jay Cooper
1. Wythy Town are up!
After pushing right to the play-offs in 2022/23, and watching their newly promoted local rivals Wythenshawe FC win the Premier Division this season, Wythenshawe Town have finally got over the line and earned promotion to the NPL for next season.
They fought past Padiham in the play-off semi finals to set up a date with destiny against Bury FC at home in the final. They took a 1-0 lead thanks to a fantastic Sam Sheridan strike from the edge of the box, but were pegged back by a Dean Pinnington equaliser. In the end, it took a tense sudden death penalty shootout to secure their aim, but they did it, and deserve all the plaudits for doing so!
2. Bacup Borough are ECC Champions AGAIN!
As illustrated by a very handsome and eloquent man in a recent summary article that you can read here, Brent Peters' Bacup Borough have won their second consecutive Edward Case Cup final, beating fellow First Division North side Euxton Villa in a match that went from 0 to 100 real quick towards the end.
It was 2-0 to Bacup right up until added time, when Villa pulled one back and all hell broke loose on the goal line, and Borough keeper Mason Walker saw red for his part in a bit of a melee. Despite ending the game with 10 men, the OL13 side held on for the win, and for the silverware.
3. Alsager Town wanting a new face in the dugout
After a season that saw Alsager Town finish 12th in the First Division South, despite some early-to-mid season hopes of a play-offs push, it was announced last week that the managerial team of Dean Jones and Dom Johnson would be leaving for fellow NWCFL side Winsford United.
This announcement was made before last week's "Five Things" list, and you can read the original announcement made by the league here. Just two days ago, however, the club posted a gif of a contract being signed on their official X account, so watch this space.
4. The Skembonda train stops here
Another managerial change that caught a few eyes recently was the removal of former Tottenham Hotspur and France defender Pascal Chimbonda from his role as Skelmersdale United's first team manager. It was the former Premier League player's first role in management.
The 45-year old was appointed to the dugout at Skem in October 2023, in a headline-attracting move, but his aim to save the club from a second successive relegation was unfortunately not met, with the club dropping out of the NWCFL Prem as the bottom side in the table in 2023/24. Skem will look elsewhere ahead of the new campaign.
5. All eyes on Saturday's Macron Cup Final
In the last competitive fixture of the NWCFL season as a whole, Premier Division sides Chadderton and Barnoldswick Town will duke it out at Accrington Stanley's Wham Stadium for the chance to win the Macron Cup. Chadderton were given a reprieve in the competition after Droylsden were found to have fielded an inelligible player in the semi-final clash between those two teams.
Last season's final saw Congleton Town (no longer a part of the NWCFL) face Bacup Borough (eliminated by New Mills in the first round) in a match that the former won. From 60 teams, only 2 remain, and only 1 will add to their trophy cabinet on Saturday.
Five Things We Learned 2023/24 - Gameweek 41
Thu 9th May 2024 | Five Things
By Jay Cooper
1. Wythy Town are up!
After pushing right to the play-offs in 2022/23, and watching their newly promoted local rivals Wythenshawe FC win the Premier Division this season, Wythenshawe Town have finally got over the line and earned promotion to the NPL for next season.
They fought past Padiham in the play-off semi finals to set up a date with destiny against Bury FC at home in the final. They took a 1-0 lead thanks to a fantastic Sam Sheridan strike from the edge of the box, but were pegged back by a Dean Pinnington equaliser. In the end, it took a tense sudden death penalty shootout to secure their aim, but they did it, and deserve all the plaudits for doing so!
2. Bacup Borough are ECC Champions AGAIN!
As illustrated by a very handsome and eloquent man in a recent summary article that you can read here, Brent Peters' Bacup Borough have won their second consecutive Edward Case Cup final, beating fellow First Division North side Euxton Villa in a match that went from 0 to 100 real quick towards the end.
It was 2-0 to Bacup right up until added time, when Villa pulled one back and all hell broke loose on the goal line, and Borough keeper Mason Walker saw red for his part in a bit of a melee. Despite ending the game with 10 men, the OL13 side held on for the win, and for the silverware.
3. Alsager Town wanting a new face in the dugout
After a season that saw Alsager Town finish 12th in the First Division South, despite some early-to-mid season hopes of a play-offs push, it was announced last week that the managerial team of Dean Jones and Dom Johnson would be leaving for fellow NWCFL side Winsford United.
This announcement was made before last week's "Five Things" list, and you can read the original announcement made by the league here. Just two days ago, however, the club posted a gif of a contract being signed on their official X account, so watch this space.
4. The Skembonda train stops here
Another managerial change that caught a few eyes recently was the removal of former Tottenham Hotspur and France defender Pascal Chimbonda from his role as Skelmersdale United's first team manager. It was the former Premier League player's first role in management.
The 45-year old was appointed to the dugout at Skem in October 2023, in a headline-attracting move, but his aim to save the club from a second successive relegation was unfortunately not met, with the club dropping out of the NWCFL Prem as the bottom side in the table in 2023/24. Skem will look elsewhere ahead of the new campaign.
5. All eyes on Saturday's Macron Cup Final
In the last competitive fixture of the NWCFL season as a whole, Premier Division sides Chadderton and Barnoldswick Town will duke it out at Accrington Stanley's Wham Stadium for the chance to win the Macron Cup. Chadderton were given a reprieve in the competition after Droylsden were found to have fielded an inelligible player in the semi-final clash between those two teams.
Last season's final saw Congleton Town (no longer a part of the NWCFL) face Bacup Borough (eliminated by New Mills in the first round) in a match that the former won. From 60 teams, only 2 remain, and only 1 will add to their trophy cabinet on Saturday.
