AFC Liverpool from Yesteryear

Going into this match on a horrible windy evening in Manchester, West had not won in five matches.  As for ourselves, we had not won in the league for over three months!  So barring a draw, something would have to give. Our former goalkeeper Stephen Longrigg had returned to the club for this match as a favour to Manager Paul Moore, due to a club goalkeeping crisis, which saw Mooresy himself play at Bacup the previous Saturday.  Unfortunately for the returning Longy, he was beaten within the first few minutes as we fell behind. As the first half progressed, we did settle.  We were awarded a penalty as Steve Williams was judged to have been fouled in the penalty area, after some good work down the right by Josh Purcell.  The penalty decision was a close call, and for me we got lucky.  Sadly, Ryan Cox's penalty was poor. As the penalty was awarded, one of West Didsbury's people came over to Alan the Rattler and myself, and asked us...

This was the first time I think anyone connected with AFC would have made the trip to Alsager.  Prior to our unexpected promotion the previous summer, I can only recall us playing Alsager once in a Valerie Park cup tie during our Division One days.  If my recollection there is wrong, then I can confirm this particular trip sure was the first time I ever set foot in Alsager. It was a good job I got into Alsager with plenty of time to go before the kick off, as I had yet another episode of shall we say misreading directions from google maps.  Despite yet more friction between myself and google maps, I was able catch a bit of Spurs v Chelsea in a pub, and still get to the ground with 25 minutes to spare. Our club announcer Alan Harrison spent much of the first half sitting with us rattlers, and engaged in conversation with us about past family connections with the Liverpool FC hierarchy.  We also chatted to a Liverpool fan who lived in Stoke.  This chap said he ...

Barlick took the lead on 43 minutes, having only had a couple of shots from distance at our goal throughout the first half.  For our part, a Jack Sinnott header was palmed onto the post by the keeper, and Ronnie Morgan missed yet another penalty.  All that happened in the first 10 minutes. During the first half, Barlick also survived a couple of goalmouth scrambles, and at least a couple of shots on goal which went just wide.  Papakuz (our cameraman) said to me at half time that he feared the worst when Jack's header was palmed onto the post.  For the record, I did feel that the challenge which led to the penalty was just outside the area. The second half got delayed a bit due to the ref and his assistants being a bit delayed.  When they did emerge, they did get a rattle and a hoot from the horn.  As the second half did get underway, it seemed AFC's luck would still be out at first.  Suddenly, Ryan Cox's 53rd minu...

When Lee Madin scored his first AFC Liverpool goal inside the first 10 minutes, it all looked so promising.  Madin scored following a Winsford defensive error, and the keeper failing to hold onto a John Lawless shot.  The Winsford announcer credited the goal to Lawless in error. But fast forward an hour and a half later, and the final scoreline was Winsford United 8 AFC Liverpool 1.  I believe it is one of those days when it is important to remember that in life and in football, you certainly have to take the rough with the smooth.  This dramatic reversal happened  as a result of a performance which exposed weaknesses across the team that day.  Following on from the midweek home defeat by Maine Road, Steve Williams' creativity was missing once more.  The AFC defence seemed completely rudderless.  That said, Paul Moore did admit the following day on the forum that he did have to pick a back four entirely of midfielders, due to o...

AFC Liverpool progressed to play landlords Prescot Cables in an historic FA Cup meeting, courtesy of a convincing 6-3 thumping of AFC Blackpool at the Mechanics Ground.  Coincidentally, this was AFC's second 6-3 victory over the Seasiders.  The first 6-3 which was also at the Mechanics Ground, was four years earlier in a league fixture during the Little Reds' inaugural season. The Reds raced into a 2-0 lead within the first quarter of an hour, courtesy of goals from Mukhtar Muhama and John Lawless.  The first goal marked a fine contribution from a player who was to go on and make a big impact during the 2012/13 season.  That player was Shaun Harris, who was deputising for the injured Darren Torpey, and he worked hard down the left to cross.  Although the Blackpool defence initially cleared, the ball fell to Mukhtar to give us the lead. Lawless scored a fairly routine goal to make it 2-0, and I do recall someone on or near the Blackpool dugout throw ...

We were the better side throughout.  But had Bacup skipper Daniel Cocks' reputation not gone before him, the visitors probably would have been awarded a first half penalty.  I still scored him a 5.8 for that dive, as I did throughout the match.  Steve Fraser had arranged for some scorecards to be printed.  A number of us in the stand kept jumping up with our scorecard every time Mr Cocks dived or went over a tackle.  Oh it was very good fun indeed!  We certainly created the chances to win this one at the first time of asking.  However we were generally unable to direct shots anywhere but straight at the keeper, when we did manage a shot on target.  Our number 11 Ryan Wilkinson got into a bit of trouble during the second half.  He got booked, and had to be warned by the referee at one point.  We looked particularly dangerous in the closing stages of the ninety, forcing corner after corner.  Bacup managed to hold on. Our dominanc...

I found my way to the ground in Flixton in plenty of time to watch AFC make a second successive appearance in the North West Counties League First Division Trophy Final.  Having won this trophy a year earlier in our inaugural season, the Reds were bidding to become the first club to ever successfully defend the trophy.  It was a good job I took the earlier train to Flixton, as my internet directions had a few wrong turns which took me in an unnecessary circle. Things did not start according to plan, as Cheadle took the lead against the run of play around the 10 minute mark, when a corner was headed home.  That early setback did not deflate us.  We continued to dominate the first half, as Andy McCoy went close and Karl Gornell hit the bar.  Remarkably, Cheadle could have gone 2-0 up before half time.  Thankfully, Willo in goal came to the rescue. Two set piece headers from Andy Olsen turned things round after the break, and we were suddenly leading...

I will straightaway acknowledge it was definitely not Everton's first team.  That did not matter one jot.  This was a fixture that would actually be played this time, following on from the no-show of two seasons previously, when we couldn't get the game on at Prescot.  On this occasion, the teams came out at College Road after being announced by George Sephton, who was sat by Alan Harrison (AFC's regular matchday announcer). The Blues sure did start nervously, with a few passes going astray.  Their keeper Jindrach Stanek was misfiring on his routine kicks especially.  Inside the first few minutes we worked a good move down our right.  A cross came over and we had a man who headed the ball across the box, but Everton were able to clear their lines. Everton took a couple of chances that came their way to take a 2-0 lead at the interval.  Otherwise, there wasn't really much between the teams.  The first goal was certainly aga...

Welcome to AFC Liverpool from Yesteryear.  In this blog, I will be sharing my recollection of various AFC Liverpool matches I have watched since the club was formed in 2008. I don't claim to be a big time Liverpool fan, at least in terms of how many matches I attended prior to 2008.  That said, I went to Anfield more than enough times to understand that you are not a real fan if you just watch football on the television, or in a pub for instance.  I was fortunate to attend Liverpool v QPR on 28th April 1990.  That was the day the Reds clinched the last of the 18 titles they have won to date.  Our 2-1 victory that day certainly wasn't my first visit to Anfield, and I had quite a number of others since.  For that reason, around 1998 I registered an interest in a Liverpool FC Season Ticket.  Predictably, I did have to go on the waiting list, and I remained on that waiting list for a number of years. In 2008, a group of Liver...