All of the latest news from the club
January Preview
Happy New Year to everybody! Here's what January 2016 has in store for our First XI....
The tough-looking December was reduced to just two games thanks to the weather but we came out of those with a 100% return on league points.
Should the storms keep their distance a busy January awaits....
Saturday 2nd
Ashton Town (home)
NWCFL Division One
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
The reverse fixture back in mid-September proved to be a bit of a turning point for all the wrong reasons.
In absolute control of the game at 2-0 despite being down to ten men (thanks to a controversial red card), we inexplicably collapsed in the last ten minutes, allowing Ashton Town to snatch all three points at the death.
That result sent us into a bit of a tailspin and we weren't to win another game in all competitions for another month.
Ashton Town are still well-placed to make a challenge for the play-off places. Can we keep our good form going and start 2016 with a bang?
Last five seasons at Park Road:
2014-15: lost 1-2
2013-14: drew 1-1
2012-13: drew 1-1; drew 2-2 (LC1)
2011-12: drew 2-2
2010-11: won 5-1
Tuesday 12th
Tranmere Rovers (home)
Cheshire Senior Cup 2nd Round
What a fantastic draw we've landed here.
The Cheshire Senior Cup, draw pending, gives us the chance to pit our wits against higher-ranked opposition and so it has proven this time around.
There has already been a short article on our draw in this competition so there is nothing much more to say here, except to remind people of the slight change of date to Tuesday 12th (from the original date of Wednesday 13th).
Saturday 16th
Daisy Hill (away)
NWCFL Division One
Another re-arranged game. Of sorts.
This was due to be our final match of the season at the end of April but, assuming it is to assist Daisy Hill with a fixture backlog, has been brought forward.
Expect goals. As you can see from the previous five seasons' visits to New Sirs we haven't been shy of finding the net there.
That said, this still could prove testing as Daisy Hill have improved a little bit since we shovelled them aside by four goals to nil towards the start of the season.
Previous five seasons at New Sirs:
2014-15: lost 3-4
2013-14: won 2-0
2012-13: won 3-1
2011-12: won 2-1
2010-11: won 5-4
Saturday 23rd
Litherland REMYCA (home)
NWCFL Division One
Goals aplenty in this one last time around as we ran out 4-3 winners in a hectic match.
REMYCA are one of only three teams to have inflicted a league defeat on us this season as Chris Sherrington's goal wasn't enough to claim a result in the away fixture back in Autumn.
Previous five seasons at Park Road:
2014-15: won 4-3
2013-14: did not meet
2012-13: did not meet
2011-12: did not meet
2010-11: did not meet
Saturday 30th
St Helens Town (home)
NWCFL Division One
January 2016 ends with another home match, with St Helens Town making the trip to Park Road.
St Helens, having been relegated from the Premier Division last season, might have been most people's favourites to make the instant return but it hasn't worked out that way for them thus far. At the time of writing they are in mid-table and on a bad run of form.
No visits to Park Road in the last five seasons but yours truly does remember them coming at the start of the 07-08 season in the FA Vase and leaving with a 0-1 defeat. The same outcome will be welcome.
September Preview
A full rundown of what September has in store for our First XI.
In writing this preview to our fixtures in September it has dawned on me that one wasn't written for August, for which we apologise.
September is traditionally when the FA Vase kicks in, and that's where we start....
Saturday 5th
Staveley Miners Welfare (away)
FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round
The road to Wembley starts here.
Find Chesterfield on a map, run your finger north-east on the page and you'll very quickly come across Staveley, home to our opponents in this years' FA Vase campaign.
As the team's moniker would suggest, Staveley's history lies heavily within the mining industry with several pits situated around the area. Staveley Miners Welfare is also the name of a building on Market Street so, should you ever find yourself in Staveley looking for a football game, specify which "Miners Welfare" you're looking for as you may be directed to the old market hall!
The "other" Miners Welfare in Staveley
The football club was founded in 1962 as a Sunday League outfit with their history in the Northern Counties East League starting only as recently as the 1996-97 season.
We find them in the Premier Division which technically puts them one level higher than us in the pyramid system, so we're expecting a testing afternoon at Inkersall Road.
SMWFC's Inkersall Road ground
What we're also expecting - and what we have been promised by those at SMWFC via a series of tweets - is a warm welcome, good playing surface and quality food and ale.
Pies and pints at the ready!
Hopefully what sounds like a good away-day already will be complemented by a win and a place in the next round at Handsworth Parramore or AFC Liverpool.
Wednesday 9th
Eccleshall (home)
NWCFL First Division
Assuming that no replay will be required we will then be in action at Park Road against Eccleshall. We haven't faired too well against our Staffordshire opponents at Park Road of late (see below) with them running out winners by the odd goal in four of their last five visits here. Can we put that right on Wednesday 9th?
Last five seasons at Park Road....
2014-15: lost 2-3
2013-14: won 3-1
2012-13: lost 1-2
2011-12: lost 1-2
2010-11: lost 1-2
Saturday 12th
Ashton Town (away)
NWCFL First Division
Towards the start of last season we travelled to Edge Green Street and were defeated by a single, late goal thus prolonging our stuttering start.
We've started much better this time around...and so have Ashton Town at the time of writing so this should be an interesting contest.
Last five seasons at Edge Green Street....
2014-15: lost 0-1
2013-14: lost 1-4
2012-13: won 2-0 (LC1 replay), drew 3-3
2011-12: drew 0-0
2010-11: won 2-1
Saturday 19th
St Helens Town (away)
NWCFL First Division
At the time of writing St Helens Town are just above us in the league table so by the time this fixture comes around the result could mean a swap-of-positions. One of the relegatees from the Premier Division last season this could prove to be another testing away day.
We haven't faced St Helens away in recent seasons (not since the turn of the century) but it will mean a first return to Brocstedes Park - where they groundshare with Ashton Athletic - since the end of the 2007-08 season.
Brocstedes Park
Saturday 26th
Stockport Town (home)
NWCFL League Cup 1st Round
Aren't cup draws wonderful? There's always a nice little local issue in there somewhere and the First Round of the NWCFL League Cup has delivered.
This will see the return of Nathan Neequaye, our top scorer from last season who now wears the red-and-white stripes of our geographical neighbours.
A tie away at Premier Division Alsager Town awaits the winners.