Ethan Hoijord

West Kirby were comprehensively defeated away to Cheshire Lines on Saturday afternoon. They will be hoping that they can experience victory soon as they’re on a tough run of form at the moment.

Lines opened the scoreline early on, a cross from the right wing was parried by the visitors keeper and fell to the feet of Connor Portues who was unmarked just inside the box. It was a relatively easy finish for him to put his side in front.

Their lead was doubled after a ball from the right hand side was half cleared by the defence, Ste McGarry’s effort was a great half volley that left little chance for Aedden Jones.

Goals kept coming for the hosts, Nathan Brooks’ team getting off to the worst possible start. McGarry scored his brace as his attacking teammate pounced on a bouncing ball before taking it past Kirby’s backline. The shot was fired low, forcing the visiting keeper into making a good save; McGarry getting his second from a rebound.

West Kirby would soon get themselves back into the game, a clever ball was sent over the hosts’ defence and Sam Parker beat the keeper to latch onto it. His effort was neatly placed into the far corner.

For Brooks’ side to get something out of this fixture, they would need to keep hold of a good period of momentum and score one more relatively soon. However, sloppy play between two defenders saw a striker nip in to play Danny Mulvihill through for a one-on-one finish.

The lead was extended, meaning the game was won before the final whistle blew, with two goals that took the scoreline to 6-1. A corner was sent in from the right before being deflected in off the post by Mark Barnes. Mick Hindley got the sixth, a comfortable finish.

Man of the match was awarded to Ste McGarry who took his goals well and kept the hosts looking dangerous in the final third.

West Kirby FC manager Nathan Brooks gave his thoughts on the game shortly afterwards.

“We let our standards drop today. On more than one occasion we made poor decisions, which impacted the game and made it difficult for us to recover. As a group we expect better, but it’s important that we draw a line under this match now and look forward to the upcoming fixtures”.

West Kirby FC squad: Aedden Jones, Jordan Chwalko, Patrick Carpenter, Dave Hird, Adam Chwalko, Sam Parker, Cameron Kneen, Callum McCaffrey, Sam Haley, Callum Hassall, Harrison Hindley, Lewis Boardman. 

Newport County – meeting the opposition.

Tranmere travel to South Wales on Saturday afternoon looking for their first win in four games, having blown a lead late on last weekend against Port Vale. They seemed to be in control of that fixture until a late header stopped the game finishing 1-0, after defeats on the road to Walsall and Hartlepool.

Newport go into the fixture on the back of a harsh run of form themselves, drawing their last two with the two previous encounters ending in defeats. However, the goal scoring ability that they possess has been made evident in their last two home games – scoring four goals, three coming against Oldham Athletic two weeks ago.

Ahead of the game, I spoke to @1912Exiles about County and their podcast in general. I asked them about the 2019 League Two Play Off Final, they made sure to move the conversation swiftly on.

What were your expectations going into the season and what are they now as we’ve just entered the second half of the campaign? 

Boss James Rowberry was appointed last year, how would you describe his time at the club so far and are you optimistic about the future with him at the helm? Touching on managerial matters slightly away from Newport, do you think Michael Flynn will be a success at Walsall following his time at County?

It’s been a funny season for County. We started with a hangover from May’s playoff defeat to Morecambe, and rumours that Michael Flynn was unhappy in his role as manager and would depart. Despite a solid start to the season on the pitch, Flynn departed at the beginning of October, having apparently served his notice period and seeking a fresh start elsewhere (he has now taken the reins at Walsall, winning his first game at the weekend against Forest Green Rovers). The relationship between Flynn and the Newport fans feels a bit like that between a jilted lover and an ex – we say we’re over him and have moved on, but we’re keeping a close eye on how he does and most of us want him to succeed. It was probably the right decision for both parties, and hopefully County and Flynn can go on to be successful without the other.

Having lost one home-grown local legend, County promptly went out and recruited a direct replacement in James Rowberry – formerly a coach at Cardiff City, but more to the point ‘a proper Newport boy’ who grew up in the area and has strong connections to the club. It’s early days, but he has got us playing exciting, attacking football and results have been solid. There’s a feeling that the disruption of the managerial change, combined with defensive frailties, may put promotion slightly beyond us this season – but you wouldn’t rule out having a late surge. Either way, we’re great to watch and most of us are just enjoying the ride.

Who are the owners of The Exiles and what is their current relationship with the fanbase like? Are there any current projects worth keeping an eye on from neutrals?

We are! As a fan-owned, fan-run club, County are living the dream. True, we can’t rely on a rich sugar-daddy to fund signings and bankroll promotion, but virtue brings its own reward as they say, and most of us are very proud to be a sustainably-run side living within our means. On the pod, we recently ran a three-part series exploring club ownership, dodgy financing in football and how clubs can be run in the fans’ interests, and it really drove home the point that ultimately it is only the fans who can be trusted to have their team’s long-term interests at heart. As for projects, most of us would say that the priority has to be securing a stake in Rodney Parade so that it can be a home in perpetuity for both County and the Newport Gwent Dragons rugby clubs, with both teams having an equal share. That may take some doing.

Who would you say are your side’s stand out players and where will the key battles be on Saturday afternoon?

Only one answer to this: Dom Telford! The man is a machine, netting 23 goals in the league already this season, having barely got a game last year. It’s come out of nowhere, and no doubt he’ll be plying his trade at a higher level than Div 4 next year, but he’s on fire. Behind him, our trio of “fizzy midfielders” have been exceptional – loanees Ollie Cooper (from Swansea), Finn Azaz (from Aston Villa) and Jake Cain (from Liverpool) are all confident and comfortable with the ball at their feet and have given us the creativity we lacked at times last season. Defence is more problematic.

How do you see the upcoming battle panning out, score prediction etc, and do you believe this game will pose different questions than the previous encounter (A 1-0 victory for the visitors at Prenton Park in August) did? If so, why?

County come into this with just two points from 12, and it feels like we’re playing all of the form sides in the division at the same time. If we can keep ourselves in the mix, things get easier for us from mid-March onwards, but at the moment it’s hard going. A gutsy draw with Mansfield in our last game showed character – they’ve been the best side at Rodney Parade so far this season, but once we figured them out we gave them a good game. Tranmere will be a different proposition, but at this stage I’d take a point. Tranmere always bring a good crowd, and I hope you have a great day apart from the result!

What starting eleven will be selected by Rowberry and what do you believe will be his opted style of play for the ninety minutes?

We’ve tended to play a 5-3-2 with wing-backs, although we’ve switched successfully when required (sometimes mid-match) to a 4-4-2. Either way, we tend to play a holding midfielder in front of the back line to try and get the ball to those “fizzy midfielders” who will then seek to set up Dom Telford. Watch out also though for our No 10, Courtney Baker-Richardson, who has an incredible workrate and will cover half the pitch to win the ball back for his team.

I normally ask, in these features, for the stand out games between the two sides. However, I think the most obvious mention will be the 2019 League Two Play Off Final. What sort of impact do you think this game had on Newport? Also, are there any other games/moments that you’d like to mention?

Sorry, still can’t talk about that playoff final defeat! You edged it on the day, but it was an insipid game and not a memory on which I’d want to dwell. As for other matches, I might have mentioned it when I did our last preview, but for me the most memorable game between the sides was when we came to yours in September 2018 and won 1-0. Fraser Franks scored early on and then we defended for 85 minutes solid – it was like the Alamo back there, and a thoroughly undeserved three points, but exactly what you want from a long away trip! Afterwards, Tranmere fans were surprisingly gracious, and my eldest son and I stayed in a camping pod on a llama farm in the Wirral to cap a memorable weekend!

Touching on the transfers that The Exiles were able to complete in the January transfer window. Would you say that you’re happy with the incomings and outgoings overseen by the recently appointed manager during his first transfer window?

Most of the transfer window was stripping out the dead wood. We’d over-recruited in the summer, so we shipped out some players who were surplus to requirements and sent a crop of young players off to get loan games in non-league. In terms of players in, the pick of the bunch has been centre-half Josh Pask, on loan from Coventry City, who looks like he has potential. If we were able to keep hold of him, he looks like he could be a quicker option than many of our existing defenders and someone who can bring the ball out from the back. The summer window will be much more important for us, as Rowberry stamps his mark on the side.

Rodney Parade is where the game this weekend will be played out, a stadium that is owned and operated by the Welsh Rugby Union.

Vauxhall Motors v Macclesfield report.

Tuesday 22nd February 2022, 745pm ko. 

VanEupen Arena.

Motors returned to NWCFL action, following a win that saw them progress to the Cheshire Senior Cup Semi Final, with a blow as Macclesfield Town showcased the quality that they possess. 

Danny Whitaker’s side showed that they were going to make the evening uncomfortable for the hosts at the VanEupen Arena as they forced Mick McGraa’s goalkeeper into making an early save. Claims for a penalty were dismissed too in the opening stages, the referee claiming that the attacker with eyes for goal was not tripped up. 

It wouldn’t take too long for the scoreline to change however, Tom Clare netting from close range as The Silkmen opened up the defensive backline with a string of great forward passes.

The second came shortly after, the visitors countered as an attack from the hosts came to nothing. Former Tranmere midfielder, Neil Danns fired the ball past Michael Dixon with a powerful strike into the bottom corner when he was exquisitely passed to.

Goals kept coming for the visitors as they attacked relentlessly, a corner being cleared to the feet of Danns who was able to get his brace in a cool and calm manner. There could be no doubts as to whether they were worthy leaders as they made their spells on the ball count. 

Vauxhall, aiming to get one back to be in contention of starting a comeback, threaded the ball through a strong backline. That strength being epitomised by a tackle that took the ball off the forward who would’ve been through on goal. 

Motors needed to not concede any more if they were to have a memorable night and a pass into their box seemed to be going nowhere. However, a defensive mistake saw the ball end up into the feet of James Berry who slotted past the keeper in a 1 v 1 situation. 

Dixon, although he was conceding, should be proud of some elements of his performance on the night that Macc came to Ellesmere Port. He made a great save, one of an excellent few, the rebound falling to Berry who made no mistake in the penalty box. 

Macclesfield were 5-0 up at half time and were showing their quality, they have some brilliantly skillful players and they’ve made the league (Certainly Motors now, if not already) know about that. Danns and Mark Duffy’s EFL pedigree was made evident with their intelligence on the field in particular. The latter being subbed at the break. 

With the game already won, you could’ve had a strong guess at how the second half would pan out. Whitaker’s team started strong, putting a few good crosses into the box but they weren’t able to create anything that was as bothersome as it was earlier. 

Motors thought that they had found their consolation goal when a tame effort from the edge of the box brought a spillage from the travelling keeper. However, to the amusement of the Macclesfield fans, the man who found the ball at his feet was flagged by the linesman as being offside. 

With the game already being won, The Silkmen still had an eye for goal. Harry Freedman crossed the ball into the box to Kielen Adams who managed to squeeze his effort into the net. 

The game finished with an extensive 6-0 scoreline. Danny Whitaker should be pleased with his team’s performance, the hosts will look to forget about the result moving forwards as they play Barnoldswick Town on Saturday.

Man of the match for the hosts was chosen by club legend Steve Hylton, Micheal Burkey took on the immense centre half Laurent Mendy (the overall man of the match) thus he was named. 

TEAMS.

Vauxhall Motors: Michael Dixon, Ethan Gouldbourne (Ben Dufton-Kelly), Joseph Heath, Simon Thelwell, Thomas Mitchell, Haydn Cooper, Michael Burkey, Leo Riley (Jordan Deer), Craig Cairns (Harvey Sample), Sean Moscrop, Ben Holmes.

Unused subs – Greg Drummond, James Eaton. 

Macclesfield: Daniel Wallis, Jacob Hanson, Samuel Grimshaw, Lewis Fensome, Lee Jackson (Aaron Dwyer), Laurent Mendy, Harry Freedman, Neil Danns, Tom Clare, Mark Duffy (Sidi Sanogo Fofana), James Berry-McNally (Kielen Adams). 

Unused subs – Braulio Valera Pinto Maieco, Andrew Owens. 

South Liverpool Reserves 8 West Kirby 0

West Cheshire League Two

Saturday 19th February 2022

On a crushing afternoon for West Kirby F.C, South Liverpool Reserves scored eight against them to highlight the areas in which they need to improve on if they are to be successful going forwards.

The first half would finish 3-0 to the hosts as the visitors fell short to some well worked goals around the box. However, Nathan Brooks’ side did show the level of effort required for success as they worked hard off the ball to track runs and attempted to force the opposition into less dangerous areas of the pitch.

West Kirby had to get a goal in the opening stages of the second half if they were to threaten South Liverpool’s status on the day as winners. However, in a half that was played at a fast pace the hosts began to dictate the game. The movement off the ball, decision making in possession and ability to create 1 v 1s in wide areas were too much to control for their opponents.

Man of the match was awarded to South Liverpool Reserves captain, Kevin Martin, who was first to every second ball and broke on multiple occasions with well weighted passes.

Goal scorers for South Liverpool.

– Mason Nevitt x2

– Josh Bridge x2

– Louis Gorman x2

– Owen Hough

– Bobby Murphy

West Kirby F.C manager Nathan Brooks spoke after the final whistle on what was a really disappointing afternoon for his team. 

“A difficult day for myself and the players. Although the scoreline shouldn’t be ignored, there were some positives to take and at times it was enjoyable pitting our wits against that level of opposition.  In the last 20 minutes the difference in fitness levels between the sides really took its toll, but overall our lads should be happy with the effort that they put into the match. Our season won’t be defined in situations like today and we are looking forward to the coming weeks”.

Port Vale meeting the opposition.

Tranmere will aim to return to the form that saw them placed so high up the table this weekend after losing on the road to Walsall and Hartlepool United respectively.

A victory against Darrell Clarke’s side won’t come easy though as they arrive at Prenton Park unbeaten in five with two wins and three draws. Promotion is on the cards for both sides in three months’ time and Saturday afternoon may prove vital in either’s pursuit of success.

Ahead of the game, I spoke to Port Vale supporter Scott Challinor about the Valiants’ campaign so far and how he expects the upcoming fixture to pan out. 

What were your expectations going into the season and how do they compare to those that you have now as we enter the second half of the campaign?

Going into the season I was hoping for us to qualify for the playoffs and maybe have an outside stab at a top three spot. At this stage in the campaign, we’re pretty much on course for that. An automatic berth may be slightly too tall an order, but we’re in touching distance of the playoff spots and nine or ten wins from our last 18 games should see us there. So, we can certainly look at making the playoffs as a very realistic target at this point. 

Darrell Clarke is Vale’s manager, how would you describe his time at the club so far and are you optimistic about the future with him at the helm?

It’s never a dull day under Darrell Clarke and I truly believe he’s the best manager we’ve had at the club in some time. He arrived at Vale Park with the playing side of the club in turmoil and in partnership with Director of Football, David Flitcroft, he transformed us from struggling at the wrong end of the table to realistic playoff contenders. He’s also helped orchestrate a lot of changes behind the scenes to help move the whole club forward. Despite a lot of overhaul in the summer transfer window as well as in January, and an injury crisis or two in the equation, Clarke and his Vale side have overcome a lot of adversity and are within touching distance of the top seven, so I’m very confident he’s the right man to take us up, whether it’s this season or next when maybe we might have a bit more luck on our side. 

What are your thoughts on the ownership at the club and who are they?

I couldn’t be happier with Carol and Kevin Shanahan as owners. Both are supporters of the football club and they live and breathe the local area. The couple already owns successful IT security business Synectics Solutions which is based just next door to Vale Park. They also paid well over the odds for the club to take us out of Norman Smurthwaite’s hands and since then it has largely been a period of steady improvement.

They’ve turned us into a community club that does our bit locally, but aren’t content with just “existing” as that “nice club” and chugging along in League Two. They live and breathe success in their business culture and they’re bringing that winning mentality into Port Vale. They want promotion and they’ve made their long term ambitions very clear. Hopefully with all off the pitch going so well, it shouldn’t be long until we start seeing success on it.

Who would you say are your stand out men and who do you believe are Tranmere’s? What will the key battles be over the course of the ninety minutes?

In the forward positions, James Wilson is the one to watch for Vale. A product of the Manchester United youth academy, the natural finisher has scored eight goals for the Valiants this season despite missing two months of the season with injury. He also brings an injection of pace to the frontline and boasts a fantastic work rate. When he hits his stride he can breeze beyond defenders effortlessly, and hopefully he’s at his potent best at Prenton Park.

Defensively, 6ft4 Connor Hall has been a revelation since signing from Harrogate in January and is a rock in the centre back position. He is not only aerially dominant but capable of playing out from the back and has an exceptional range of passing. He’s played a major part in the Vale’s recent run of keeping three clean sheets in their previous five games. 

As for Tranmere, I’m very conscious of the threat posed by Kane Hemmings. The experienced striker has hit the ground running since arriving from Burton and is capable of causing any defence problems at this level. I expect Nathan Smith or Connor Hall to be tasked with marshalling him and that will be a key contest over the 90 minutes. 

Kieron Morris is another whose creativity can unlock defences and loves a snapshot from distance, and we’ll have to be switched on at the back to mitigate that threat. I expect the energy & tenacity of Ben Garrity in midfield may be tasked with keeping Morris in check and that will likely develop into a key duel. At the other end of the pitch, the evergreen Peter Clarke always seems to have a good game against the Vale. It will be interesting to see whether we opt to deploy the pace of Wilson against old legs, or the height of Proctor or Edmondson to draw Clarke into an aerial battle.

How do you see the upcoming battle panning out, score prediction etc, and do you believe this game will pose different questions than the previous encounter (0-0 at Vale Park in August) did? If so, why?

With both sides very much building from the back at the present time, I’m expecting a battling encounter with few clear chances and much of the action taking place in midfield. I’m going for a 1-1 scoreline and expect the game to be far less open than the return game at Vale Park which although 0-0 was an end to end encounter. I say more goals in this one because with both sides having clicked going forward, I can see both capitalising on fewer chances created compared to the return game way back in August. 

What starting eleven do you think Clarke will select and how would you describe the playing style he’s implemented on the squad?

I’m expecting a 3-5-2 formation with Tomas Holy in goal; Nathan Smith, Aaron Martin & Connor Hall in the back three; David Worrall and Chris Hussey as right and left wing backs respectively; Brad Walker operating as a defensive midfielder with Tom Pett and Ben Garrity playing further ahead of him; then James Wilson and Jamie Proctor as the forward partnership. 

As for playing style, it’s very much built from the back. He’s drilled the Vale to be hard to beat but also to endeavour to play football, with the midfield and wingbacks pushing high up the pitch, plenty of balls going into the box for the two strikers, but also plenty of runners off the front two when the opt to hold up play in the final third. It’s direct and positive as a game plan at its best, but when the wingbacks sit deep and the back three becomes a back five, it can quickly become tedious when under a bit of pressure. Getting the balance right at Prenton Park will be critical. As much as we will need to be defensively organised, we don’t want to be inviting too much pressure for 90 minutes. 

Thinking of the previous encounters between the two clubs, what games/moments stand out as being memorable for you?

There are three that stick out for me. Firstly a 2-0 win in the EFL Trophy in the 2012/13 season. Tranmere were runaway League One leaders at the time and Vale were second in League Two. Former Rovers man Jennison Myrie-Williams scored a free kick for Vale to help secure the win, with Micky Adams’ men going on to win promotion that year. This game felt like an early sign of what that team could go on to achieve.

The following season (2013-14), the Valiants were also victorious 1-0 at Prenton Park in what was my first visit to Tranmere. Despite Tom Pope missing a first half penalty, a peach of a free kick from Chris Lines was enough to secure the win. Later that same season, Vale completed the double over Rovers with a 3-2 victory at Vale Park. Tranmere would go on to be relegated to League Two just weeks later but made a go of it as Vale were seemingly cruising to victory at three-up on the hour mark, before Tranmere scored two in quick succession to make for a nervy finish. The Super White Army were in fine voice that day and it made for a fantastic atmosphere. 

As the January window has now finished (this being a few weeks ago now), how would you describe the business The Valiants were able to complete and the impact the incomings have had on the team’s performances?

There has been a lot of talk about the number of signings made during the January transfer window and maybe we’ve had to do more business than the manager would’ve liked. That’s been down to a combination of moving on deadwood and having to cover for injury problems, but we managed to get quality bodies in and the recruitment team did fantastically well to be able to do that. The players that have left – bar Dennis Politic and the injury enforced loss of on-loan Newcastle defender Lewis Cass – wouldn’t have featured regularly in the matchday squad. Coming into the building, the likes of Connor Hall and former Cheltenham skipper & League Two winner Chris Hussey are excellent signings that have helped shore up the defence and added an extra creative element with the latter’s deliveries and set plays, and the loan additions of Ryan Edmondson (Leeds) and Kian Harratt (Huddersfield) have given us an extra bit of bite up front. With the level of  overhaul we’ve had at the midway point and having gone most of December without playing due to Covid enforced postponements, it has taken a run of games for the side to click into shape again. However, with our unbeaten run now stretched to five games, the signs are there that the Vale are starting to hit their stride once more this season and hopefully we’ve saved a good run of form for just the right time. Overall, I think we’re stronger than we were going into the transfer window, it’s just all about consistency now. 

Tranmere Rovers v Vauxhall Motors. 

Wednesday 16th February 2022, 745pm ko.

@Prenton Park.

Cheshire Senior Cup, Quarter Final.

Mick McGraa’s Motors progressed through to the Cheshire Senior Cup Semi Final with an impressive performance which resulted in a 2-0 victory against Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday night.

It was a lightning start by the visitors as they scored through Michael Burkey, a fantastic finish as he cut in from the left following a strong tackle by a hosting player in the lead up.

The first half was very much dominated by The Motors, some brilliant passes taking the ball into promising areas as an experienced front line came up against inexperienced defenders. This was typified when McGraa’s men should’ve been awarded a penalty, claims dismissed to the bewilderment of many. 

Craig Cairns blew an amazing opportunity to double the lead as he pounced on a poor back pass to the keeper, Mateusz Hewelt making another impressive stop as he stood up well to deny a certain goal. 

The half grew to be a little bit more balanced. Rovers were awarded two free kicks in promising positions, both causing a small amount of trouble to The Motors shot stopper.

Showing that they were still in the tie, Alan Morgan’s side looked promising on the counter attack. Max Fisher had the best chance of the opening stages. However, the first yellow card would soon be given to a Rovers man and no goal would be scored by them on the night. 

Finally doubling their lead, to make the game comfortable, Haydn Cooper netted after a scramble in the box. The goal brought on a rendition of ‘Que Sera Sera’ from the visiting fans sitting in the main stand.

Fantastic in both attack and defence throughout the game, a strong tackle was put in on Ryan Stratulis as the playmaker had the goal in his sights. Stratulis was then subbed off, looking hurt.

There could be no doubt as to who the deserved winners were when the final whistle came, Motors winning 2-0. They will now go on to face Stockport County away from home in a highly anticipated Semi-Final.

Man of the match: Motors captain Thomas Mitchell. 

Tranmere Rovers Team, managed by Alan Morgan: Hewelt, Capps, Cain, Haley, Dwyer, Fisher (Mills), Jones, Bamgbose, Stratulis, Timlin, Taylor. 

Vauxhall Motors Team, managed by Mick McGraa: Dixon, Gouldbourne, Heath, Thelwell, Mitchell, Cooper, Knapper, Riley (Drummond), Cairns (Sample), Holmes (Scarisbrick), Burkey (Kelly). 

Jord Scott Interview.

Jord Scott has had some great experiences in football at his young age and his love for football and the components that surround footballers and coaches behaviours is something that he also has a passion of understanding that little bit better as he continues his own great work.

I caught up with the manager at Poulton Royal’s first team to discuss his time in the game so far and the steps that he is taking to improve the skills that he has already built. 

Hi Jord, just to start our chat off, would you be able to talk about your love of football? When did you first start to watch the sport, did you grow up in a sporting environment and when did you make the decision to start coaching?

Hi Ethan, thank you for having me, I have been keeping tabs on the good work you’re doing with our West Cheshire friends at West Kirby. As a club we wish Nathan and all of the lads at West Kirby all of the best for the rest of the season.

I was the same as most young kids who walked on muddy, long grassed parks after school, dreaming of scoring that winning goal at Wembley for your club, wheeling away to celebrate with your fans. My youngest memories of football were playing heads and volleys at Flynns piece in Wallasey with my brother and a few of my friends. The routine would be the same most days, in from school, out to the park, in for tea, game of FIFA, bed and then start it all over again the next day. 

My very first memories of being coached how to play football was at Belvedere fields in Wallasey. From the age of around 4/5, every Saturday morning my brother and I would go to a coach-led session where we learnt the key fundamentals of the game; running, jumping, kicking, throwing, shooting etc. These fine motor skills are vitally important to be learnt at a young age as it gives a player the foundations to be able to then develop their skills and progress. 

I was always football mad as a child. I’d be pestering my dad most days to go to the shop to buy football stickers and cards to go into the Panini book. One season I remember going to the lengths of buying a Ricardo Gardiner card off Ebay to complete all of the cards for each club that season. The Tranmere squad used to be pinned up on my wall in my bedroom with a signed Ian Goodison shirt every season until I was a teenager, cliche, I know but they were the best days of my childhood. 

In regards to coaching, it was cricket where I had my first experience of coaching. My brother and I played for New Brighton Cricket Club where I was fortunate enough to be the captain of my age group from 12 all the way up to 16. Within that time, I helped the coach, Kev Bowe who has sadly passed now, with the sessions. Helping carry and set up the equipment for the session, gaining key organisation and leadership skills through helping Kev. When I was 15/16 I was asked to lead the sessions, ensuring that the key components of the session were directly linked to our next game to better our opponents. I really enjoyed coaching our group of players and would always ensure small details were seen as important to the group. For example, we would look at our next opponents and discuss their league position, points, runs, wickets etc so we all, as a group, had the best possible knowledge and understanding going into the game. These experiences from New Brighton Cricket Club was one of the main, if not the biggest influence on my decision to study a teaching degree at University and currently teaching at a secondary school.

When you made that decision, how long did it take you to get your coaching badges and a little bit of recognition in the game? Did you have some good contacts and what do you think are the key ingredients to being a good coach? How would you describe your playing style?

The decision to go into football coaching was again unconventional. Until the age of 21, I had never considered doing my coaching badges. I was still playing full time. I played for Manor Football Club when I was a child and from 15 played for an open aged Tranmere Rovers side. I also played for my University team, Edge Hill, until the age of 21. In my final year of University, whilst playing an away game in London I sadly got injured which resulted in a grade 3 tear of my Anterior Cruciate Ligament and a grade 2 meniscus tear in my knee. This, in effect, ended the training every night, injury free player and entered a much more cautious and calculated player. As many people who have had the same injury, you’re in the unknown. Some players never play again, some partially recover and a smaller number make a full recovery. 

The specialists and physios told me I was looking at an absolute minimum recovery period of 8 months but a more realistic timeline of 10-12 months to make a full recovery. With it being a double injury, ACL and meniscus, I had to wear a leg brace from my hip to the middle of my shin for 3 months, with the degree and movement of the brace turning by 5 degrees every week. This was the first time I had been injured for more than 3/4 weeks. After the operation, I had a decision to make. Do I mope around for the next 12 months or do I try to make the best out of a bad situation and enhance my knowledge of the game? As a player, you do see the game in a completely different light than when you’re coaching and managing. As a player, you turn up to training and matches, play and go home, which is fine, as a player you know no different. Managing and coaching is completely different and for me, more enjoyable and I always advocate for young players to do their coaching or refereeing badges to see the game from a different angle. 

I was fortunate enough as a post graduate in my first teaching job to work in a school where the headteacher understood the key values of sport and physical activity. This allowed me to coach the school football side and plan fixtures for the team to play. Through my sport and physical activity work at the school, I networked and moved to another school which allowed me to become in contact with Symon Stanley, head of PE at the school and the manager of West Kirby Youth Team. I asked if I could come down and watch the games and then eventually was asked to become a coach on his management team. The team was in the West Cheshire Youth League, a good, competitive division which is the feeder to most West Cheshire sides. The majority of the players in Symons Youth side would play at 11 on the Saturday morning then be playing in West Kirby Reserves team, in West Cheshire Division 2, at 3 o’clock that same day. This allowed the players to gain vital men’s team appearances at a good level, being competitive in every game which enhanced their game knowledge and experience at a young age. 3 of the players who were in that Youth side still play regularly for me now in my first team; Ben Wagstaff, Luke Brady and Nathan Quest. All 3 of them players now are at the age of 21 having 60/70 appearances within a covid stricken couple of years and have become experienced in this league at such a young ages. 

With me still recovering from my operation, it was a great experience for me to be at a good, stable West Cheshire Football Club in West Kirby coaching a really exciting young side. By being at West Kirby, it allowed me to complete my FA Level 2 coaching badge which I found informative and set a good foundation for me to potentially have a career in football. I always want to thank Roy (Chairman of West Kirby), Symon Stanley (Youth team manager) and Austin Daulby (assistant manager) for the opportunity to coach at West Kirby Football Club. 

Who were the first team you managed, what lessons did you learn as time passed by and what were your initial ambitions for yourself as a football manager?

At the end of the 2017/18 season we decided, as a management team, to leave West Kirby to become the management team at Heswall Reserves. It was a no-brainer for us at the time, Heswall has a rich history in West Cheshire with good players and great facilities. My role was the assistant manager, with Symon Stanley being the manager. We were fortunate that the majority of players from the West Kirby Youth team came over to Heswall with us with the additions of experienced West Cheshire players such as Ian Collinger and Jonathan White. Again, a cliche but that season was a massive learning curve for our young players as well as Symon and I who had never coached or managed in the West Cheshire mens divisions before. I remember our first away game of the season was away to Maghull Reserves. Anyone from the Wirral, who is in football knows the difficulty of playing away to Liverpool sides. Maghull had 2 yard dog centre halves, quick wingers and an old school centre forward who was a 6 yard merchant goalscorer. We lost 3-1 and I definitely think the lads slept well that night and the forwards woke up with lumps and bruises on their shins on Sunday morning. 

We finished fourth to bottom that season with a stronger end to the campaign. Heswall, being a big and ambitious club, wanted a change of personnel at the end of the season. This did leave the players and I club-less as well as Symon deciding to hand up the clipboard and retire from managing. I had around 3/4 months left of my rehab so I was at a bit of an in-between stage of carrying on coaching / managing at a different club or continuing with my rehab and being a player again. I knew the players would go wherever I did if I did want to continue coaching. I knew these players were good enough to play in West Cheshire and made the decision to continue as a player coach / manager. Jonathan White and I met with Tommy Carroll, the player / manager / secretary of Poulton Royal Football Club (West Cheshire Division 2) about the possibility of becoming their reserve team for the next season. Poulton Royal had been successful in previous years, gaining promotion from West Cheshire Division 3 and trying to stabilise themselves as a division 2 side. 

I explained to Tommy that we were a young side who enjoyed playing football and the ambition for me, in the next season was to give our lads more experience of this division as well as aiding the first team with good, young players who were in-form from the reserves. The discussions were positive with Tommy who shared the same ideas as I and ultimately became an easy decision to move to the club. 

We gained a good relationship with Jimmy O’Gorman and Manor Club JFC in the pre season leading up to the campaign, playing them as well as offering some of their young lads minutes for us in friendlies which we then later signed. Jimmy’s son, James as well as Jacob Howard and Kyle Evans all joined the club from Manor. The three were all 16 at the time and with discussions with Jimmy, felt they had outgrown their youth division and were ready to train with adults. At Royal we train twice a week so the lads got up to speed pretty quickly and have been fantastic for us since being at the club. Jacob, becoming the Football Clubs youngest ever scorer at 17, James playing for the first team in that season and Kyle eventually joining the Steven Gerrard Academy and travelling to Spain to play for Alicante City FC. This relationship was key for us, as it provided a natural feeder of players into the reserve side which was important for us as the season went on. These young players, added together with experienced players at the level, Jonathan White, Steven Casey and Jon Christiansen provided our young players a good platform to develop and learn as young footballers. 

The season became condensed due to COVID-19 so we only played 16 games in the 2020/21 campaign. Still, even though it was condensed, our objectives were still met, to give our young players experience of the division to ultimately progress in the 2021/22 season. We reached the quarter final of the league cup and the semi final of the Wirral Amateur Cup, losing in the last minute against a very experienced Ellesmere Port Town side. We were proud of our efforts that season and knew we were in a good position to progress in the following season. 

At the end of the season, Tommy approached me and offered me the first team manager’s role. The committee had made a decision for the club to go to West Cheshire Division Three and create a solid foundation for the club and build from there. I gladly accepted the role and never looked back. We merged our good, young players with more experienced players from the previous 1st team to form the squad we currently have. 

Management in sport brings a lot of success, but what for you (results and trophies aside) constitutes success in the lower leagues?

There are many variables to each football club with many different opinions on what success is. If you asked any supporter or player they will say to gain promotion and win all of the trophies available come May is a successful season but realistically each club will have their own targets and objectives on what they deem success to be. Success to Poulton Royal last season was to integrate good, young, local footballers into the West Cheshire Division to hopefully have long and sustainable careers at this level and above. This objective was met last season. To be successful, you always have to evaluate all aspects of an organisation, look at what is working and look at what could be improved, we are not different. At the end of the season, the committee, the first team and reserves were all in agreement that the club had underperformed on the pitch this season but had significantly improved off the pitch. 

We were proud to give 15 players under the age of 20 a minimum of 10 games between the two sides across the 2020/21 West Cheshire season. Personally, of course I would have liked more points on the board but speaking for my reserve side last year, I viewed the 2020/21 season as a success. I am extremely proud of how inclusive and diverse we are as a Football Club, we will never say no to a player to come and train with us no matter what level of ability they are, we believe that there are many skills outside of footballing ability that can be taught and learnt in a football club. A football club/ team should allow players to have a sense of belonging and a group of friends they can see on a regular basis and have support from. We are proud to have a player in our squad who is in a same sex relationship and we have furthermore supported the LGBT+ community with our captains armband being rainbow, showing our support as a Football Club. 

We are just over the halfway point of the 2021/22 season with us sitting 2nd in the division with a very realistic chance of gaining promotion to West Cheshire 2. We currently have 41 points from 18 games, winning 13, drawing 2 and losing 3. In terms of success, we are a financially stable Football Club who train twice a week with a squad of players who have won over 75% of their games this season so far. We are 36 points better off than the whole of last campaign with our young players who we integrated into the division last season, being key first team regulars this season who have had an enormous impact to the success of our season so far. 

The committee and management staff are ambitious and will not allow the club to stagnate, our vision is to expand the Football Club to ensure there is always a natural feeder into the reserves and first team and become a solid football foundation for younger players, no matter of their ability to be involved within a club where they can call home. 

When did you first get involved with Cammell Laird F.C and Poulton Royal F.C? Were these clubs that you had always known of throughout your footballing journey and why did you want to go to both clubs?

In November 2021 I was put in contact with Stuart Humphreys, the Director of Football at Cammell Lairds 1st team who allowed me to go and observe training sessions and as of recently, been active in doing bits of coaching with them. Cammell Lairds are currently 10th place in the North West Counties Division One South with the ambition of the club this season is to cement their place in the top 10 of the division at the end of the campaign. Cammell Lairds has a great foundation in the heart of local Wirral football, with them being most Tranmere fans’ second team. The majority of the players at Lairds are young, Wirral based players who ‘get’ the club. Lairds don’t have the luxury to have an extensive budget and do fantastically well with the resources they have at the club. 

With both clubs; Cammell Lairds and Poulton Royal training twice a week, it is allowing me to be near enough full time in football (in the evenings), outside of my teaching job. I thoroughly enjoy being in the football environment and this is a realistic route I have looked at for a future career. I am currently studying a MSc, Masters in Mental Health at Edge Hill University and soon to enrol on to the SENCO award for my current occupation. As much as these qualifications were originally catered towards my teaching job, there have been many aspects of my masters which overlaps with football and has really helped my thoughts around players, staff and volunteers at both clubs. 

In terms of football, my next badge to complete is my UEFA B licence which I am looking to enrol on in the near future. Gaining experience as a manager at Poulton Royal as well as observing and learning of the management staff at Cammell Lairds, Stuart Keir, assistant manager Josh and Director of Football Stuart Humphreys has enhanced my knowledge of the game at a higher level. I am really enjoying my time at Cammell Lairds and can’t thank them enough for the support they are currently giving me. 

Focusing on 2021/22 in comparison to years gone by, how would you say this season is going for both clubs and what do you see as realistic aims for the future?

As stated previously, our objective for last season at Poulton Royal was to allow our young players to gain experience and give them vital minutes throughout the season. However, like all managers will tell you, it is a results business and you’re ultimately judged on results. We knew as a management team and a squad of players that the model of bringing through and developing young players would only take them so far if we had a similar season in the 2021/22 campaign and our aim was to finish on a higher points total to the previous season. 

I gave the players the option in the summer if they wanted 2 or 3 weeks off before beginning pre season with a unanimous decision of 2 weeks. It was really pleasing to see the lads were chomping at the bit to get going again which allowed us to have a 7 week pre season which included training twice a week plus a game. We had a great pre season, being unbeaten, winning 6 and drawing 1 out of the 7 games we played. I appreciate it was pre season and some people disregard pre season games as, ‘just for fitness’ but I do feel you set the standards in pre season which takes you through the season. 

We began the 2021/22 campaign away at Capenhurst Villa, a good football club at this level and you always know you’re going to have a tough afternoon there. We lost 4-2, we were really poor and gave needless sloppy goals away. We came away from the game and reflected as a group, we knew the performance wasn’t good enough and we were miles off the pace of where we needed to be. Thankfully, in the first month of the West Cheshire season games came thick and fast and we got the chance to redeem ourselves on the bank holiday Monday away at Heswall. We gave a debut to our new right back Alex Lowe and also saw the return of injured Jonathan Pom, a Poulton Royal legend who averages a goal every 2 games for the club. At half time we were 1-0 due to great play from 17 year old Anthony Evans who tricked his way into the box to eventually being hauled down by the Heswall defender. Dan Lamara stepped up to convert. Similarly, in the second half, Anthony was at it again, driving at the defence to be brought down again in the box for penalty number 2. It was a similar result from the spot as Dan Lamara scored and we came away from Heswall with all 3 points. We went on to win 10 out of the next 11 games which springboarded us into second place with a real ambition of promotion. There is now a collective aim at the Football Club to gain promotion to a league which we feel, at a minimum, we should be in. 

Since you’ve been at the clubs you’re at, they would’ve started off with aims on and off the pitch and some changes would’ve happened since your initial involvement. Where do you see those initial ambitions being now? Have the clubs exceeded or are they close to matching what they set out to do? 

As a management team we are really fortunate to have such a good relationship with Tommy Carroll (secretary) and the committee, meeting regularly to review and discuss all matters of the club. From the first day we walked through the door there has never been any pressure on us to win a certain amount of games or be in a certain position in the league. You hear of management teams having really bad experiences at clubs due to unrealistic expectations from the committees and we are really fortunate that we have a family approach at our club. Of course, there is an expectation to compete in every game and look to gain the maximum points every time your team walks on to the pitch but there is a realistic approach at Poulton Royal. We do not have the finance to be offering players large amounts of money to play for us but we do what we can to cover expenses and ensure that the culture is that we play for the badge and not for the back pocket notes. 

I have not long turned 26 and this is my first full season in management. I am fully aware that throughout this season I have/ am going to make mistakes due to my lack of experience but I always try to ensure that I am doing more right and wrong. Having the experience of my assistant manager, Jon Christianson and 1st team coach Jonathan White, both having over 15 years experience at this level is a huge help as well as my younger cousin, Benjamin Hughes who is a brilliant person to have around the club as well as being our goalkeeping coach. 

My personal aim is to complete my UEFA B badge as well as gaining more experience as a manager and coach at Poulton Royal and Cammell Lairds and manage at the best possible level I can. I do believe that I am capable of managing in the North West Counties and beyond but fully appreciate that to be at that level I will need to continue with the degree of hard work and be successful at my current club. 

How would you say that both clubs operate, in terms of training time and the finances that they have at their disposal? What are some of the difficulties that are encountered in part time football that may not even be contemplated higher up the footballing pyramid?

We are really fortunate at Poulton Royal that we have a squad of 26 players who will always get involved in fundraising events to help the club. I believe it is important for the players to have a purpose when fundraising and can see that the money goes directly back into the club. For each of our fundraisers we ensure that there is a goal and objective for the event, whether that be to buy more training gear or going towards training costs, equipment etc. We have 3 fantastic sponsors in WV construction, Wirral Gas and the Saddle Inn who have supported the Football Club for many years and we can’t thank them enough for the sponsorships they give us. 

Of course, all football clubs would like to have a bigger finance wallet as there are always things you would like to do and would like to buy. Since my time at Royal, I have always ensured that the Football Club comes first before requesting funds and we are really astute with the things we buy. We ensure that the equipment has longevity and the culture at the club is to respect all of the equipment at our disposal. 

If people are reading this interview and didn’t know about Poulton Royal or Cammell Laird beforehand, why should they come to a game and where can they get any of the latest updates? Who are some of the names to look out for when watching either team?

Another great question, Ethan. I think if you’re at a loose end on a Saturday afternoon and you love your football then please support your local Football Clubs. The money generated by buying a coffee or a chocolate bar goes directly into the club to support them. 

I am obviously biassed to us at Royal, we are an attacking, fit side who presses from the front and score goals. As said previously, we are second in the division with a real chance of promotion, hopefully this is enough to persuade people to come down and watch us. With this interview taking place mid season, I am going to keep the names of our best players on the down low but we are a good side with fantastic young players. Similarly, Cammell Lairds are in a good run of form too, winning the last 4 league games on the spin and have stabilised them in the top 10 of their division. I am really pleased to be part of two football clubs who want to develop young players. 

Finishing our chat off, focusing on the women’s and children’s set ups at both clubs. How would you say the women’s teams are doing, if there is one, and how would children get involved with the clubs if there were ever spaces for them to join?

At Royal, we currently only have one adult mens team, the 1st team with the potential of having a reserve team in the 2022/23 season. The ambition of every Football Club is to have as many children, women and men playing and being associated with your club and we are no different. Our medium to long term plan of the club will be to add children’s, women and community sides to the club. I personally believe that when a child comes to the Football Club aged 5 that their ambition should be to want to be in the 1st team when they are an adult. That creates ambition and a sustainable model as a natural feeder from youth to adult football to the reserves and 1st team. The women’s game is growing rapidly and it is great to see so many female teams on the Wirral. As a teacher, I see first hand the work that the FA are doing to try and enhance the women’s game and I do hope it continues to grow.

Ollie Stockdale – Audio Description at Cardiff City F.C.

I spoke to LJMU Sports Journalist Ollie Stockdale who is part of Cardiff City’s Football Audio Description team about the need for what he does. He also explains his love for the game, goes into depth about his upbringing in a sporting environment and describes how he believes Cardiff City F.C’s season has been so far.

Hi Ollie, to start our chat off, could you tell us a little bit about yourself? How long have you been a football fan? What are some of your earliest footballing experiences that helped you fall in love with the sport?

Being born in Cardiff, it won’t surprise you to hear that my first sport was rugby! I played at my local rugby club Pentyrch RFC from the age of six. I had kicked a football around before that, but I do remember very well playing football in the school playground with a sponge ball every breaktime! I particularly loved the summer because that was the only time the school field was dry enough for us to play on a full scale pitch with actual goals! I fell in love with the game then and pestered my dad until he let me join the local team.

What is Audio Description?

Audio description is a specialist form of commentary. It is a much more descriptive form of commentary compared to standard radio or television commentary.

It is sometimes found in theatres and museums but in the past decade, audio description has also been introduced into some football grounds.

Audio description exists to enable blind and partially sighted people to access sporting and live action events more fully by providing all the significant visual information that a blind or partially sighted person may need.

At a football match this could include clothing, emotions, players’ body language, position on the pitch, action off the ball and even information about what is happening in the crowd!

When did you first get involved with description commentary and how did this opportunity come about? Has the football media always been of interest to you?

I have always been interested in football and the discussions and disagreements on and off the field, as well as being an avid watcher and player of the game. I had started to do some live commentaries of Liverpool games on my YouTube channel which were gaining quite a few followers. One of them sent me Cardiff FC’s advert looking for new audio describers and I decided to apply. I was only 16 at the time and didn’t hold out much hope but I was lucky enough to be selected for ADC training. I’ve never looked back.  

Do you believe that Audio description is important in sport and have you had much praise in terms of people telling you how much it helps them get closer to their club?

Making sport accessible to people with disabilities is hugely important and I’m very proud to be part of a service that does that. We’ve had excellent feedback from fans from clubs across the country who appreciate the service that is run by Alan March Sport. We try to bring fans closer to the action and bring the game alive and I think we do that pretty successfully. But there’s still work to be done – only a few football clubs currently offer audio description service as standard so the uptake needs to be much greater if we are to give blind and partially sighted fans a better experience.

What are the AD team like at Cardiff City and who are the other clubs that have an AD team?

The audio description team at Cardiff City FC is fantastic. It’s run by Andrew and overseen by Alan. The team consists of Jez and Ivan who are both a delight to listen to, I could listen to Jez for years and Ivan has a scarily good memory about Cardiff. There are many other clubs that provide audio description, clubs like Southampton, Leicester and Wolves in the Premier League and clubs like Nottingham Forest and Cardiff in the Championship and again with lower league clubs like Mansfield and Wrexham. However, audio description isn’t solely limited to football clubs, Alan March Sport provides audio description across a wide variety of sports and activities and events.

Now focusing solely on Cardiff City, how can people find your written work about the club as well as your audio description work?

Most of what I do is on my Twitter feed ‘@OllieStockdale1’; there’s stuff on there about audio description but also articles I’ve written for Dai Sport and All Out Football relating to Cardiff City.

Also, how would you describe The Bluebirds’ season so far?

It’s been pretty dreadful to say the least. They are way off the play offs and battling against relegation.  It’s been a season with glimpses of promise like the wins over Forest and Peterborough and with the FA Cup run that ended with a creditable effort at Anfield. But it’s also been a season full of frustration for Cardiff fans, like the hammerings given out by West Brom and Blackburn in September and the frustrating losses to Bristol and Swansea. Further frustration from Cardiff fans as they saw beloved Welsh striker Kieffer Moore leave on a fee of £3.78 million to close rivals Bournemouth, after initially being priced around £10 million when clubs showed interest earlier in the year. Hopefully for Cardiff they can avoid relegation and start a fresh next season.

• ‘Audio description is a specialist form of commentary. It is a much more descriptive form of commentary compared to standard radio or television commentary’.

West Kirby 3 Marshalls Reserves 1 – The Match Report. 

West Kirby won 3-1 against Marshalls Reserves on Saturday afternoon, they now hope to gather some positive momentum going forwards in their league campaign.

The hosts were able to be in control throughout the first half and when they managed to bring the ball into attacking areas they looked dangerous instead of wasteful. 

The first goal came on the 15th minute mark after James Harris beat two men in the box before squaring the ball to Harrison Hindley who fired past the two defenders that were standing on the line.

A quarter of an hour later, the scoreline was doubled. Carl Murphy laid a through ball to James Harris, involved in the build up once again, on the left of the box. Harris’ accurate cross found the head of Sam Haley, his glancing header sailing into the far side’s top corner.

The visitors managed to get themselves back into the game on the stroke of halftime, netting a penalty before the whistle blew.

It became a more balanced showing in the second half as the Marshall Reserve players were tasked with finding the equaliser. Both sides would create chances and passion was shown in the form of strong tackles. 

West Kirby would seal the game off with a goal with fifteen minutes left, Jordan Chwalko the scorer. However, the visitors continued to push hard in their search for a goal and were arguably unlucky not to find the back of the net through their efforts.

Man of the match: James Harris. The debutant looked a threat throughout the game as he managed to assist two goals.

The victorious manager, Nathan Brooks, spoke after the final whistle of the commitment and dedication that he has seen from his players since his appointment.

“The players have worked incredibly hard since we arrived at the club, especially over the past few weeks in some tough situations. So, I am really pleased for them today as they fully earned our first three points. We competed all over the pitch, in particular Ciaran Gregory, Carl Murphy & Harrison Hindley who I felt won most if not all of their individual battles. However, in all honesty every player can be proud of their contribution, they were a credit to the club”.

West Kirby F.C team:

Lewis Burrows, Dave Hird, Dan Smith, Lewis Boardman, Adam Chwalko (c), Ciaran Gregory, Connor Eccles, Harrison Hindley, James Harris, Carl Murphy, Sam Haley, Jordan Chwalko, Josh Sutton, Patrick Carpenter, Sam Parker.

Hartlepool United meeting the opposition.

Following a poor afternoon away at Walsall, where Micky Mellon’s Tranmere lost 1-0, The Whites are back in action as they travel to the North East where they will come up against Hartlepool United this Tuesday night.

It’s vital that Rovers start winning on the road as they have dropped points in their last two games, games in which they probably expected to win against opposition that are further down the table. Tonight brings a relatively similar challenge and if Mellon’s side are to occupy the three automatic promotion places they need to show what they’re capable of producing in these fixtures.

Hartlepool United currently sit 15th and are in good form. 

The two clubs have met many times before with a certain play-off game that Tuesday’s visitors won’t want to remember but to find out more about the hosts, I spoke to Dan Patton who made sure to mention it!

How long have you been supporting Hartlepool United and what were your initial reasons for doing so?

I’ve been supporting Pools since I was a bairn, my dad took me to a game when I was very young and I fell in love with the club since then. Falling in love with Pools is not good for your health though that’s the issue.

What were your expectations going into this season and how do they compare to those that you have now as we’re a few games into the second half of the campaign?

I wouldn’t say expectations were very high amongst the full fanbase, but personally I was optimistic coming into this season, knowing the quality we had in certain areas of the squad. 

Now I think there’s a lot more optimism and confidence in the full fanbase, after promising performances and a great January transfer window. The majority of people think we can really push on now.

Graeme Lee is Hartlepool manager after being appointed in December 2021. How would you describe his time at the club so far and are you optimistic about the future with him at the helm?

So far he’s done well, given the circumstances. We’ve had cup runs in the FA Cup and Papa Johns, while the league form has been lacking. However, I think a turn around in league form is inevitable, with our recent system change and January additions.

Who would you say are United’s stand out players? Where will the key battles be on Tuesday night?

Timi Odusina. As of late the Centre Half has been exceptional, his pace and power make him very difficult to play against, and I’d imagine your forward players will have a hard time on Tuesday. Also Luke Molyneux, when played on the wing, he’s a very effective player, with a great left foot and an eye for goal.

How do you see the upcoming fixture panning out, score prediction etc, and do you believe this game will pose different questions than the previous encounter (A 1-0 win for 6. Tranmere at Prenton Park in early September) between the two clubs? If so, why?

To be honest I think we dominated the reverse fixture in September, just couldn’t get the ball in the onion bag. I think realistically a draw is likely but I’m hopeful for a 2-1 win.

We will more than likely set up differently too, playing a 4-3-3 formation, instead of 5-3-2. This frees our forward players and allows us to be much more dangerous in attack, we will definitely take the game to Tranmere that’s for sure.

What starting eleven do you believe will be selected by Lee and how would you describe the playing style he’s managed to implement on his side so far?

Killip, Sterry, Byrne, Odusina, Ferguson, Morris, Crawford, White, Molyneux, Bogle, Grey.

I think since GL has been appointed we’ve played some really good stuff, especially in our most recent league game against Barrow. We keep the ball on the deck when we can and I think we’ve looked much better defensively since he was brought in.

Thinking of the previous meetings between Hartlepool and Tranmere, what games/moments stand out as being memorable for you?

The obvious answer to this would be the League One Play Off Semi Final in 2005. We won on penalties in the second leg to book our place at the Millennium Stadium. Unfortunately, we didn’t go on to win the final, but that is definitely the most important game between the 2 clubs. 

I also remember Nicky Deverdics scoring a beauty of a free kick in 2017 against Tranmere, ultimately a season to forget for us though.

As the January transfer window has now finished, were you happy with the business that The Pools were able to complete in terms of incomings and outgoings?

Very happy with the recruitment, with the additions of Omar Bogle, Bryn Morris and Joe White in particular, we’ve brought real quality into the squad. 

Omar Bogle will, without a doubt, score plenty of goals for us over the next 2.5 years and Bryn Morris is seen as a perfect replacement for the ageing Pools legend Nicky Featherstone.

Additions like this are the reason why I believe we can push up the table in this second half of the season and leave ourselves in a respectable league position, giving us momentum going into next season.