AFC Liverpool from Yesteryear

After leaving my volunteer duties to enter the Rattlestation and get into the match, it was clear that there was too much of a gap between our midfield and attack.  Jason Carey was so quiet, you wouldn't have known he was even playing! Skipper Jon Swatton was not at his usual sharpest, and the whole defence was full of errors.  Goalkeeper Ross Dalton (on loan from AFC Fylde) was not coming across as the best commander of his box.  Within the first twenty five minutes, Abbey Hey had taken a two goal lead. Jason Carey suddenly came to light, and pulled one back with a looping header from a corner.  That goal meant it was 2-1 to the visitors at half time. Mini Adegbenro came on at half time, and our whole offensive movement had seemingly been transformed.  He got fouled in the area nine minutes into the second half, and we had a penalty.  The Abbey Hey player involved was booked, and the spot kick was duly ...

As the coach approached Worksop, I saw signs for Dinnington and Tickhill.  Dinnington Town were AFC Liverpool's first ever FA Vase opponents in 2009, and played them again a year later in 2010.  For the record, Tickhill is where one of my Uncles had lived once upon a time. We lost this FA Vase tie against Handsworth Parramore by the only goal to nil. Following the goal, there was a controversial moment which poisoned the whole atmosphere.  Handsworth's number 10, who scored the goal in the first half, marked his celebration by aiming some anti-scouse sentiments at some of our supporters.  This prompted Steve Fraser to walk out! As for the rest of the match, it was a game in which we could and should have played better.  Before the goal, they did have a penalty saved by Ryan Jones in the sixth minute.  And not long after the goal, we gifted them a good opportunity, which was thankfully squandered. Our first half exploits saw us attempt a few shots from dist...

After five years at the helm, Paul Moore had become Director of Football.  Having been away camping the previous weekend in the Lake District, this was my first match of the Joe Gibbons era.  Joe's first match in charge was a 4-2 defeat at Ashton Athletic that previous weekend.  The managerial change also meant Jay Forshaw was back in the dugout as Assistant Manager.  This was something I welcomed, and Alan Williams always liked his influence. The old Club Shop had not yet been knocked down.  That meant my pre-match duty was selling programmes from the doorway.  Subsequently, I missed Franny Barry's opener.  Apparently it was a chip over the keeper from distance.  AFC Blackpool's twitter account described the goal as a fluke.  Not so, according to Alan Harrison! No sooner had I taken my seat in the Rattlestation, Franny Barry was turning their right back inside and out, before teeing up Ste Jones to belt it for 2-0. Franny and Stev...