TT No.35: Mike Latham - Sat 19 December 2015: NWCL Div 1: Northwich Manchester Villa 2-1 Litherland REMYCA; Attendance: 27; Admission: £5; Programme: £2 |
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It was another Saturday when heavy rain was
forecast but it was unusually mild. I again decided to tick off Rylands in the
Cheshire League but for the second successive Saturday the game was postponed.
Last week the rain came early and the deluge meant the pitch was waterlogged.
So when I again arrived in good time, this time to find the nets up and the
corner flags in place I was in confident mood, especially as the pitch looked
in good condition. The lack of activity concerned me especially when
at 1-30pm a group of what appeared to be footballers walked behind my car in
fancy dress on their way to the local pub. It looked as though the Christmas
celebrations had started early. It transpired visitors Gamesley had broken down
in their mini bus en route, the game was off. A quick re-route, or rather not so quick given
Christmas traffic and road-works, not to mention Manchester United being at
home, up the M62 and over the Mancunian Way and an hour later I arrived at the
Manchester Regional Arena where Northwich Manchester Villa were entertaining
Litherland REMYCA. The ground is reached off Rowsley Avenue (Gate 13)
in the shadow of the Etihad Stadium and you can park by the turnstiles. The Manchester Regional Arena was originally
developed as the warm-up track for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and remains an
important athletics centre, its facilities used by many athletes throughout the
year. It also doubles up as a soccer stadium and was the home of Manchester
City's reserves side until they re-located to Hyde in 2010 and also the Ladies'
side until their move to the magnificent Academy Stadium within the Etihad
Campus in 2014. These days it is the home of Northwich Manchester Villa and an
amateur rugby league side, Manchester. Villa's history is somewhat confusing. I remember
seeing them in their original guise as Woodley Sports when they enjoyed
considerable success ten years or so ago. They developed links with Northwich
Vics, joined the North West Counties League in 2011 and relocated to Flixton,
changing their name to Northwich Flixton Villa in 2013. In the summer of 2015,
the club was renamed again, to Northwich Manchester Villa. Next season, I
understand it is their intention to become Manchester Diamonds. Chairman Bill Prendergast, a former Crewe Alexandra
academy director runs a coaching academy called Diamond Soccer and is the
driving force behind the club. His ethos and plans for the future were set out
in a two page article in the programme. He states that no club on the league
can offer what Villa do, fine training facilities at Manchester College,
Ardwick, an impressive stadium that would be the envy of many clubs far higher
in the pyramid and have two A Licence UEFA coaches among their staff. What they do lack is a fan base and groundhoppers
formed the majority of the meagre crowd. I enjoyed the game, not least because
I watched most of it in the company of an old friend from Derbyshire. We both
agreed that football at this level is far different than it was 20 years or so
ago with the age profile of the players far lower and their fitness standards
far higher. I wish Villa well in their bid to develop roots
here and build up the club. They produce a 16 page programme and a friendly
lady operates a tea bar. The playing pitch at the arena coped well with a
second half deluge and the floodlights were superb while the slant of the seats
made you soon forget that there was an athletics track in front of you. I must
also once again state that in my opinion the NWCL website is the best of any
football league I've seen; easy to navigate, colourful, informative and varied
and, most of all, kept up up to date on a wet Saturday. A great effort by all
involved |
contributed on 19/12/15 |
