Welcome Back Prestwich Heys
Tue 24th May 2016 | General | By Ian Templeman
Everyone at Prestwich Heys is gearing up for their first NWCFL campaign in 30 years, following their promotion from the Manchester League as champions.
The club were founder members of the NWCFL in 1982, and last competed in the League in 1986 before ground grading issues at their old Grimshaws ground on Heys Road forced them to withdraw from the league.
Since then the club have competed in the Manchester League, and have moved to their current base at Sandgate Road.
The ground was renamed Adie Moran Park last year after their former player, manager and Chairman who was instrumental in so much of the development of the ground before his untimely death in 2007.
They actually applied to join our League last season but despite plenty of effort right up to the deadline, they just failed to get the required ground grade. However, as Heys Secretary Tony Greenhouse explained, they regrouped and were ready to have another crack this season.
“Missing out last time just made us all the more determined to get in this time”, he said.
“We have three directors who are all former players and managers of the club, and they have put a lot of time and money into making sure the ground is up to standard. As of now, the floodlights are not in place, but the plans are well under way and they will be there for the start of the season.
“We've just upgraded the kitchen, we'll be getting a 50 seater stand in place, and we are starting work soon on upgrading the clubhouse”.
The club come into the league on the back of a tremendous season, and Tony is hoping that the good form will continue in to the new campaign.
“We've had a great season - we've won the Manchester League, the Gilchrist Cup, and the Bolton Hospital Cup when we beat Atherton Collieries in the final at the Macron Stadium.
“Our reserves have had a great season too - they need four points from their last three games to win the league and that would put them in Division One of the Manchester League. We have really good strength in depth throughout the club.
“We are hoping to make a good impression, as we have always given a good account of ourselves whenever we have faced North West Counties teams in the past, in pre-season games.
“Obviously we beat Colls recently in the Bolton Hospital Cup, and we beat FC United 1-0 in a pre-season friendly last year, so we feel we will be able to offer a good challenge”.
The club has a number of people involved who still remember their days when they last played in the league, but inevitably, Tony says there is a tinge of sadness too, knowing that the achievement of returning to the league won’t be seen by former Chairman Adie Moran, who always had the target in mind before his sudden death nine years ago.
“It means a lot to us to finally get back in to the North West Counties”, said Tony.
“We still have a number of former players, managers and people involved with the club who were around when the club was last in the League.
“Our current Chairman Neil Gilmore used to go to our games with his dad, and Martin Johnston, who is now our club President, was also there in the old North West Counties days.
“It was always Adie's aim to get us back and also John Carroll, our former Chairman who died a couple of years back. They put a lot of effort into the club, as did some old supporters who aren't with us anymore.
“When Adie was alive it was always his dream to see the club play in the FA Cup. Obviously we won't do that this season but we will be in the FA Vase, and we are really looking forward to that.
“Not long before Adie died, I bought a new car, and when he passed away I said to myself that I wouldn't get rid of the car until it had done a few trips to North West Counties games.
“The car is a bit like me now, it's creaking a bit but still going, and I am looking forward to taking it to a few of the grounds that we've been looking forward to visiting”.
Welcome Back Prestwich Heys
Tue 24th May 2016 | General
By Ian Templeman
Everyone at Prestwich Heys is gearing up for their first NWCFL campaign in 30 years, following their promotion from the Manchester League as champions.
The club were founder members of the NWCFL in 1982, and last competed in the League in 1986 before ground grading issues at their old Grimshaws ground on Heys Road forced them to withdraw from the league.
Since then the club have competed in the Manchester League, and have moved to their current base at Sandgate Road.
The ground was renamed Adie Moran Park last year after their former player, manager and Chairman who was instrumental in so much of the development of the ground before his untimely death in 2007.
They actually applied to join our League last season but despite plenty of effort right up to the deadline, they just failed to get the required ground grade. However, as Heys Secretary Tony Greenhouse explained, they regrouped and were ready to have another crack this season.
“Missing out last time just made us all the more determined to get in this time”, he said.
“We have three directors who are all former players and managers of the club, and they have put a lot of time and money into making sure the ground is up to standard. As of now, the floodlights are not in place, but the plans are well under way and they will be there for the start of the season.
“We've just upgraded the kitchen, we'll be getting a 50 seater stand in place, and we are starting work soon on upgrading the clubhouse”.
The club come into the league on the back of a tremendous season, and Tony is hoping that the good form will continue in to the new campaign.
“We've had a great season - we've won the Manchester League, the Gilchrist Cup, and the Bolton Hospital Cup when we beat Atherton Collieries in the final at the Macron Stadium.
“Our reserves have had a great season too - they need four points from their last three games to win the league and that would put them in Division One of the Manchester League. We have really good strength in depth throughout the club.
“We are hoping to make a good impression, as we have always given a good account of ourselves whenever we have faced North West Counties teams in the past, in pre-season games.
“Obviously we beat Colls recently in the Bolton Hospital Cup, and we beat FC United 1-0 in a pre-season friendly last year, so we feel we will be able to offer a good challenge”.
The club has a number of people involved who still remember their days when they last played in the league, but inevitably, Tony says there is a tinge of sadness too, knowing that the achievement of returning to the league won’t be seen by former Chairman Adie Moran, who always had the target in mind before his sudden death nine years ago.
“It means a lot to us to finally get back in to the North West Counties”, said Tony.
“We still have a number of former players, managers and people involved with the club who were around when the club was last in the League.
“Our current Chairman Neil Gilmore used to go to our games with his dad, and Martin Johnston, who is now our club President, was also there in the old North West Counties days.
“It was always Adie's aim to get us back and also John Carroll, our former Chairman who died a couple of years back. They put a lot of effort into the club, as did some old supporters who aren't with us anymore.
“When Adie was alive it was always his dream to see the club play in the FA Cup. Obviously we won't do that this season but we will be in the FA Vase, and we are really looking forward to that.
“Not long before Adie died, I bought a new car, and when he passed away I said to myself that I wouldn't get rid of the car until it had done a few trips to North West Counties games.
“The car is a bit like me now, it's creaking a bit but still going, and I am looking forward to taking it to a few of the grounds that we've been looking forward to visiting”.
