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The Lancashire Sunday League has launched an initiative to persuade their ex-footballers to take up refereeing and continue their involvement in the game.

The League intends to supply those ex-players who take up the whistle with a discounted referee kit, whistle & Assistant Referee flags, referees’ notebook and cards. They also offer a reimbursement of 50% of the cost of the referee course on completion of 10 fixtures plus a year’s membership of Preston Referees Society.

For decades, ex-players were the main source of referees for local football leagues and countless ex-players turned to refereeing when their playing careers were over and went on to enjoy many years of added involvement in the game. Several of them progressed to higher leagues, most notably Neil Swarbrick who took up refereeing after finishing playing for Bamber Bridge Wanderers in this league and he went on to spend 7 year as a Premier League referee before retiring in 2018.

More recently the Football Association and County FAs have embarked on a successful recruitment programme resulting in a significant increase in the number of new referees, albeit only a small number are ex-players. To ensure all new starters are given the best opportunity to enhance their knowledge, experience and skill set the LSFL operates a mentoring and coaching system by aligning newly qualified referees with the more experienced referees within the league so they can learn their trade.

This initiative has the full support of the Lancashire Football Association (LFA) and Preston Referees Society. League Chairman Eamonn McNamara said, “This is a great opportunity for some of our ex-players to keep an active involvement in football and at the same time put something back into the game”.

Anyone interested in taking up refereeing is asked to contact the Lancashire Sunday League Referee Manager Mark Moore on 07765 668045 or e-mail Mark here.

Eamonn McNamara.

Acregate Lane Labour Club were crowned League Champions after beating Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs 2-1 in a terrific title decider at Bankfield Lane, Southport.

Southport & AA, who have already won the Challenge Cup went into the game with a one point lead so a draw would have been enough for them to complete a remarkable double-double, having won the Presidents Cup and the Division 1 title last season.

The game was played on a lovely May morning on an excellent pitch at Southport in front of at least 200 spectators who were entertained with some first class football by both sides. As expected, the opening exchanges were fast and furious with both goals under siege, but it was Acregate who drew first blood in the 13th minute when the precocious Paul Turner slotted home his 29th league goal of the season.

Twelve minutes later saw Southport level when Kev Edgar created an opening for himself in the box and rifled the ball into the net. The teams changed ends with score at 1-1. Southport piled on the pressure in the second half, but the Acregate defence held firm and their keeper Paul Howson turned in a Man-of-the-Match performance which included one extraordinary save which drew applause from all present.

The longer the game went the more we all thought that the game would end in stalemate, but all that changed in the 72nd minute when Acregate were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area and their talisman Paul Turner blasted the ball into the Southport net. After that was all hands to the pumps for Acregate until the final whistle which was the cue for wild celebrations from the Acregate players, management team and supporters.

There are few who would deny Acregate Lane FC their moment of glory. This club has been an integral part our League since they joined us 48 years ago in 1971. They have been in the premier division since 1980 and this is their first major trophy. The past 39 years has seen them suffer their fair share of setbacks but today they can hold their heads high as Champions of the Lancashire Sunday League. Many people have contributed to their success, none more than club secretary Alex Ross and their management team of Gary Duboulay and Shaun Cromie.

Bearing in mind what was at stake, the game was played in an excellent sporting manner by both sides with just one caution and that for a technical offence and it was well handled by referee Bob Roberts and his Assistants Joe Hind and Jamie Law.

The League’s first title play-off went the way of Cadley FC who beat Garstang FC 3-1 at UCLan Sports Arena to win the Youth Division White title after both clubs had completed their season with 43 points.

Cadley opened the scoring through David Marley on 20 minutes and it took Garstang till the 50th minute to draw level when Tom Ruston pounced on a misplaced goal kick to hammer home from just outside the area. David Marley scored his and Cadley’s second on 75 minutes and the keenly contested match was put to bed in the 87th minute when Cadley’s Rob Burrows hit a low hard drive from 25 yards into the bottom corner.

The sportsmanship and respect between these two superb clubs was highlighted at the end of the game when the Garstang manager Steve Smith presented Cadley’s manager David Botes with a congratulatory bottle of champagne.

Report and photos by Eamonn McNamara.

Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs will host Acregate Lane LC on Sunday 12 May when both clubs play their last game of the season with the League Championship at stake. This game should be an absolute cracker as there is plenty of interest in the outcome.

Both teams have played 17 games out of an 18 game season and Southport & Ainsdale have a slight edge with 41 points compared to Acregate’s 40 points. This season’s premier division has been the most competitive in recent memory which has seen AFC Ingol, Hunters & Ingol Rangers, Ribbleton, Acregate Lane and Southport & Ainsdale lead the table at various points since Christmas, but it is now all down to one game.

From Preston take the A59 towards Southport. Keep straight on at the Tarleton traffic lights and continue to the big roundabout. Bear left at the roundabout into Rufford Rd (B5244) and continue over the old railway bridge into Bankfield Lane. The ground is on the left between houses number 50 & 52, opposite Verulam Rd. Postcode: PR9 7NJ.

Eamonn McNamara.

For further details about the physical training sessions please contact Paul Marsden here.

Lancashire Sunday Football League is always happy to accept new referees to its list of officials. If you have any enquiries about refereeing on the League or would like to be added to the list of officials, please contact the League’s Referee Manager Mark Moore here.

Mid Lancashire Football League operates on Saturday afternoons for Open Age clubs and they are also happy to accept new referees to its list of officials. If you have any enquiries about refereeing on the League or would like to be added to the list of officials, please contact the League’s Referee Secretary Tony Hawkes here.