Christmas Quiz - the answers
Mon 26th December 2016 | General | By Ian Templeman
A few days ago we posed a Christmas Quiz based around our own League officials, giving people the chance to guess the identity of individuals from a short clue, that revealed perhaps previously unknown information about them.
The mystery men can now be unveiled..........
Number One - Was once a Football League match official, and on two occasions was assistant referee in a First Division game on a Saturday afternoon before running in the London Marathon the following day.
Answer - Geoff Wilkinson, League Vice-Chairman, who was a referee in the NWCFL in the inaugural season of 1982-83 before progressing through the ranks to the Football League. In 1989, Geoff requested that he was allocated to a game in London the day before competing in the London Marathon, and ran the line at White Hart Lane for a game between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. He repeated the feat the following year, this time officiating at a game between Wimbledon and Manchester United at Plough Lane before running in the Marathon on Sunday.
Number Two - Has been Chairman of two current NWCFL clubs within the last ten years.
Answer - Ian Williams, League Management Committee member, who was Chairman at Ashton Town for several years before taking on the same role at Atherton Collieries.
Number Three - Spent two years as an apprentice professional at Leeds United.
Answer - Billy Singleton, League Management Committee member, and Secretary of AFC Blackpool. Billy spent two years at Leeds United just as Don Revie took over as manager, and played alongside several of the players who progressed through to the first team during Revie's reign. Billy also spent a year on the books of Blackpool - but we didn't mention that as it might have given too big a clue!
Number Four - Currently in his third different role on the League Management Committee, having been Assistant Secretary and Fixtures Secretary in the past.
Answer - John Deal, League Secretary, who was League Assistant Secretary in 1986/87 and then Fixtures Secretary between 1987 and 1991. He took over from Geoff Wilkinson as League Secretary in 2007.
Number Five - Was a club official at a Scottish Football League club for seven years.
Answer - Gary Langley, League Development Officer, who first began watching Stranraer FC as a supporter when visiting relatives in Scotland, before taking a place on the club staff and board between 2002 and 2009.
Number Six - Began working on the match programme for a NWCFL club at the age of 13, was writing match reports on their games for the local paper aged 15, and became the club Secretary aged 18.
Answer - Paul Lawler, League Chairman, who first began watching his local club Formby at the age of 10, before serving them for many years in various roles. As well as being one of the youngest ever club officials in our League, Paul kept up the youthful theme when he took over the role of NWCFL League Chairman at the age of 40, the youngest League Chairman in senior football in this country.
Number Seven - Spent 16 years as club Secretary at two different clubs – one of which is now in the Evo-Stik League – before taking on a role on the League Management Committee.
Answer - John Reid, League Fixtures Secretary who paid his first visit to Leek Town in 1975 and went from spectator to roles such as turnstile operator and programme editor before becoming Secretary between 1981 to 1987. Eastwood Hanley then asked him to join them when a number of clubs left the NWCFL to move into the new division of the Northern Premier League that was being set up, and John took on the role there as Secretary for a further ten years until 1997.
Number Eight - Away from football, is involved with another professional sport at international level.
Answer - Ian Templeman, League Media Officer, who has been a member of Scotland Rugby League's media team since the summer of 2013. Since then, he has been on duty for every full Scotland international, including games in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, the European Championship in 2014 and 2015, and most recently in the Four Nations tournament.
Number Nine - In his younger days he followed Manchester United, and met one of his heroes Bobby Charlton while on league duty earlier this year.
Answer - Stewart Taylor, League Management Commitee member. In his younger days, Stewart spent several seasons following Manchester United and met one of his heroes, Sir Bobby Charlton, for the first time earlier this year when he attended the Charity Shield game at Wembley as a guest of the FA. Stewart and John Deal were invited to the game to collect the League's Respect Award, and Sir Bobby was among the guests they met.
Christmas Quiz - the answers
Mon 26th December 2016 | General
By Ian Templeman
A few days ago we posed a Christmas Quiz based around our own League officials, giving people the chance to guess the identity of individuals from a short clue, that revealed perhaps previously unknown information about them.
The mystery men can now be unveiled..........
Number One - Was once a Football League match official, and on two occasions was assistant referee in a First Division game on a Saturday afternoon before running in the London Marathon the following day.
Answer - Geoff Wilkinson, League Vice-Chairman, who was a referee in the NWCFL in the inaugural season of 1982-83 before progressing through the ranks to the Football League. In 1989, Geoff requested that he was allocated to a game in London the day before competing in the London Marathon, and ran the line at White Hart Lane for a game between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. He repeated the feat the following year, this time officiating at a game between Wimbledon and Manchester United at Plough Lane before running in the Marathon on Sunday.
Number Two - Has been Chairman of two current NWCFL clubs within the last ten years.
Answer - Ian Williams, League Management Committee member, who was Chairman at Ashton Town for several years before taking on the same role at Atherton Collieries.
Number Three - Spent two years as an apprentice professional at Leeds United.
Answer - Billy Singleton, League Management Committee member, and Secretary of AFC Blackpool. Billy spent two years at Leeds United just as Don Revie took over as manager, and played alongside several of the players who progressed through to the first team during Revie's reign. Billy also spent a year on the books of Blackpool - but we didn't mention that as it might have given too big a clue!
Number Four - Currently in his third different role on the League Management Committee, having been Assistant Secretary and Fixtures Secretary in the past.
Answer - John Deal, League Secretary, who was League Assistant Secretary in 1986/87 and then Fixtures Secretary between 1987 and 1991. He took over from Geoff Wilkinson as League Secretary in 2007.
Number Five - Was a club official at a Scottish Football League club for seven years.
Answer - Gary Langley, League Development Officer, who first began watching Stranraer FC as a supporter when visiting relatives in Scotland, before taking a place on the club staff and board between 2002 and 2009.
Number Six - Began working on the match programme for a NWCFL club at the age of 13, was writing match reports on their games for the local paper aged 15, and became the club Secretary aged 18.
Answer - Paul Lawler, League Chairman, who first began watching his local club Formby at the age of 10, before serving them for many years in various roles. As well as being one of the youngest ever club officials in our League, Paul kept up the youthful theme when he took over the role of NWCFL League Chairman at the age of 40, the youngest League Chairman in senior football in this country.
Number Seven - Spent 16 years as club Secretary at two different clubs – one of which is now in the Evo-Stik League – before taking on a role on the League Management Committee.
Answer - John Reid, League Fixtures Secretary who paid his first visit to Leek Town in 1975 and went from spectator to roles such as turnstile operator and programme editor before becoming Secretary between 1981 to 1987. Eastwood Hanley then asked him to join them when a number of clubs left the NWCFL to move into the new division of the Northern Premier League that was being set up, and John took on the role there as Secretary for a further ten years until 1997.
Number Eight - Away from football, is involved with another professional sport at international level.
Answer - Ian Templeman, League Media Officer, who has been a member of Scotland Rugby League's media team since the summer of 2013. Since then, he has been on duty for every full Scotland international, including games in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, the European Championship in 2014 and 2015, and most recently in the Four Nations tournament.
Number Nine - In his younger days he followed Manchester United, and met one of his heroes Bobby Charlton while on league duty earlier this year.
Answer - Stewart Taylor, League Management Commitee member. In his younger days, Stewart spent several seasons following Manchester United and met one of his heroes, Sir Bobby Charlton, for the first time earlier this year when he attended the Charity Shield game at Wembley as a guest of the FA. Stewart and John Deal were invited to the game to collect the League's Respect Award, and Sir Bobby was among the guests they met.
