MATCHDAY
PROGRAMME
AVRO vs ATHERTON COLLIERIES
SATURDAY, 28TH FEBRUARY, KICK OFF 3PM
Pitching In NPL Division One West
HISTORY
CONTACT US/ GENERAL INFORMATION
CLUB PERSONNEL (under development)
MEDIA (under development)
INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon and welcome to The Vestacare Stadium for our Northern Premier League West fixture against Atherton Collieries. After a slight pause in fixtures due to a postponed trip to Kidsgrove Athletic last weekend, we are back in action here this afternoon as we welcome the visit of Atherton Collieries. With other sides continuing to fufill their league fixtures, we find ourselves sitting 4th in The Northern Premier League West and seven points away from the league leaders, Bury. However, with three league fixtures in hand we are well aware that there is still everything to play for in both the race for promotion and the race for the play-offs.
In the reverse fixture earlier in the season at The Dreams2Reality Stadium, we claimed maximum points in the dramatic fashion as we claimed a 2-1 victory thanks to a late winner from Joel Igwenwanne. We went ahead early on thanks to the ever-reliable Kyle Hawley. After the hosts levelled the game appeared to be settling for a draw until Joel Igwenwanne met a ball at the far post to head The Ro back ahead. We are hoping for a similar result here this afternoon as we look to make a positive start to the final push at the end of the season.
Your support of The Ro during this time has been much welcomed and appreciated throughout January and during the season. As we continue to tick into the second half of the season, it is more needed than ever as we continue to have the summit of the table firmly in sight, starting this afternoon against Atherton Collieries with this being the first of just five remaining home fixtures here at The Vestacare.
We would like to extend a warm welcome to the visiting players, officials, and fans of Atherton Collieries. Drinks are available in the Lancaster Suite with a new and refreshed food menu available just next door in The Hangar.
NOTE: As always, please be respectful of the stadium rules and staff. They are there for your safety, this includes no smoking or vaping in the ground. Avro FC maintain a zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory or abusive language and remain fully committed to ensuring all supporters can enjoy matches at The Vestacare Stadium in a safe and respectful environment.
Jamie Ross (Head of Media)
They have played at Alder House since their formation, making the ground one of the oldest in the division. You gain a sense of the history when you walk around the facility which keeps its identity and warmth despite being renovated gradually over the past few years.
Colls were founding members of the North West Countes Football League in 1982 and remained there until 2017, when earned promotion to the Northern Premier League for the first time in the club’s history. There have been many memorable moments from the club’s time in the NWCFL, and the club are well known around the region as a result.
PROFESSIONAL PRODUCERS
During the 2006/07 season, Collieries had a future international footballer in their ranks with a young Anthony Pilkington spearheading the Colls attack. Despite being the youngest member of the squad, Pilkington found himself grabbing all the headlines when they beat league leaders FC United of Manchester 3-0 at Gigg Lane. He grabbed himself a hat-trick during this match and soon found himself being transferred straight to the Football League with a move to Stockport County. From there we went on to move to Huddersfield Town and Norwich City in the Premier League before being called up to the Republic of Ireland’s international squad.
Prior to this, Collieries had been known in the local area to produce professional footballers. The famous 1923 FA Cup Final between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United featured two former Colls players as Billy Butler and Bob Haworth helped the Wanderers bring the FA Cup back to Bolton for the first time in their history.
OUR BWFC LINKS
Links between Bolton Wanderers and Atherton Collieries continue to this very day with the two clubs playing each other in an annual pre-season friendly. Recent clashes have seen over 1,500 walk through the Alder Street turnstiles. Matches like this have helped propel Collieries into the limelight in recent seasons and fans of various professional football clubs now consider Colls to be their second club.
Michael Clegg was appointed first team manager in August 2014 and immediately began assembling a young and local side. The club went on to win the NWCFL Division One title and the Bolton Hospital Cup in his first season, as well as reaching the final of the League Cup Final and the Division One Cup Final. Success did not stop there as in his second campaign the Colls went one better and won the League Cup, beating the league champions Colne 5-1 at Fleetwood Town’s Highbury Stadium, whilst finishing fourth on the club’s return to the North West Counties Premier Division.
CENTENARY YEAR
The 2016/17 campaign was a momentous one for Atherton Collieries, as in their centenary year they clinched the NWCFL Premier Division title and reached the last 16 of the FA Vase backed by a large and ever growing local fan base. This was made even more impressive when you consider it was only Colls second season since their return to the Division.
Still with a nucleus of players, coaches and volunteers from Atherton, the club are competing in just their second ever season at Step 4 of the non-league system. With professional football becoming ever increasing, people are slowly but surely now giving non-league football a chance and Atherton Collieries are a club who have embraced this new culture shift with open arms.
The coal miners who founded this club 102 years ago would be proud of how much the Colls have achieved in recent times. Who knows how further Collieries can go, with the support of the local community?
