Friday, August 7 – 1970
Three Cheshire League clubs from this area – Ellesmere Port, Rhyl and Marine – have given a big “Thank you” this week to Manchester United. And no wonder – for against these non-Leaguers, United have paid them the compliment of turning out teams containing a number of prominent First Division players.
At Ellesmere Port last Saturday, they had half-a-dozen on view, among them Nobby Stiles. Result: Port’s biggest gate in years. Much the same thing happened at Rhyl on Wednesday. Now it is Marine’s turn. United have named 14 players for their game at Crosby to-morrow (3,0), and included in the list are such well-known figures as John Aston, Carlo Sartori, Alan Gowling and Steve James – all with considerable first team experience. The rest of the side are regular Central League performers.
Marine manager Harry Boyle has yet to choose his team but it’s likely he will include new men Len Allen (St. Helens), Andy Allinson and Denis Eastwood (Prescot).
Southport have obliged four non-leaguers with pre season friendlies – Formby, Skelmersdale, Wigan Athletic and Ormskirk at Town Green next Tuesday.
To-morow’s game at Wigan is Athletic’s third in six days and one likely to pull in another 3,000 crowd. Magnet for the Wigan fans is Derek Temple for whom the club paid Preston a £2,000 fee. The ex-Everton star has already been on the target a couple of times for his new club.
Derek Temple.
Runcorn have signed 20-years-old amateur centre half Peter Duff who played fairly regularly last season with Manchester City’s Central League side. A university student, Duff turned down offers by City to turn pro.
Stuart Houghton and Alan Ryan have returned to Runcorn and are in the side to entertain Ormskirk (ex.Guiness Exports) at Canal Street to-morrow.
Ormskirk’s team contains recent signings Frank Goodwin (Skelmersdale), Paul O’Donnell (Marine and Northwich Vics) and Peter Jackson and Derek Hughes (Marine).
Former Southport and Wigan forward John Fielding makes his debut for South Liverpool against New Brighton at Holly Park. Rakers have ex-Tranmere players Byrne and Wilson as debutants in the attack.
Four former Tranmere men are in Ellesmere Port’s line-up to meet Pwilhell at Thornton Stadium – Storeton, Casey, Pritchard and Scott.
Planning a comeback, Eddie Moss, one-time Liverpool, Southport and Runcorn, has been training at Burscough and travels with a party of 15 players to Great Harwood. Newcomers to Burscough are full back Webb (Lancaster) and centre half Rennison who has been an amateur with Preston for the last three seasons.
For their final practice match against Stockport County at White Moss Park to-morrow. Skelmersdale have Dave Muir from Sandbach at centre forward, Alan Swift, who broke his leg last April, has resumed light training but it will be another month before he is 100 per cent fit.
(Liverpool Echo, 07-08-1970)
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"Play Up, Liverpool" 