20.Welcome T'North West Counties League Division 1 North

 

 Welcome To The North West Counties League Division One North

So let me clear something up. Although Morley are in Yorkshire, the English pyramid system has thrown us slightly west to go up through the North West Counties Leagues in Lancashire/Cumbria, as opposed to The North East Counties League where many of the non-league Yorkshire teams play. I am slightly disappointed that I will not be taking on the likes of Harrogate Railway, Frickley, Selby Town, Hall Road Rangers and other Yorkshire non-league teams, because in the interests of this story, my knowledge of Yorkshire football teams and the  places they represent are far greater than the Lancashire ones. However thinking about it makes some kind of sense. Morley is nearer the Lancashire border than it is to York or the East Coast, so geographically it is fairly accurate. There are also a handful of other West Yorkshire teams there as well, such as Albion Sports (based in Farsley) and Bradford based, Campion, which will provide us with some local derbies. (although not as big as The Asquith Avenue one) At least it is realistic and the game has not shoved us randomly somewhere down south which would have been far worse.... Credit to Dan who creates the English Lower League databases, he has done his research. In real life Keighley based Route One Rovers are in the North West Counties Leagues having been promoted from the Yorkshire Amateur Supreme Division, so if this is the path in real life, then it is good enough for me!

As always here is a guide to the teams and locations we will be travelling to this season!

AFC Blackpool (Blackpool)

Albion Sports (Farsley, Leeds)

Ashton Town (Ashton in Makerfield nr Wigan)

Atherton Laburnum Rovers (Atherton nr Bolton)

Bacup Borough (Bacup nr Burnley)

Campion (Bradford)

Chadderton FC (nr Oldham)

Chester Nomads (Chester)

Daisy Hill (Westhoughton, Greater Manchester)

Holker Old Boys (Barrow in Furness)

Longridge Town (nr Preston)

Nelson FC (Nelson)

Pilkington FC (nr St Helens)

Prestwich Hays (Greater Manchester)

Ryburn United (nr Ripponden somewhere in t'Pennines)

South Liverpool (Liverpool)

Squires Gate (Blackpool)

Board Expectations

 

The board expect a top half finish in The North West Counties League Division 1 North and to reach the 2^nd round of The First Division Cup. This will be the first cup competition that we will be involved in. Yet another milestone ticked off!

Players & Staff In

As the transfer window swung open once more for the summer, me and my recruitment team set to work recruiting new players to strengthen the squad for the new campaign.

Morley Town sign Ed Hall (GK)

I make my first foray into the transfer market by bringing in goalkeeper, Ed Hall from local rivals, Ossett United, where he was surplus to requirements. He will become my number 1 first choice keeper with Ben McLachlan providing able back up. He cost me just £10.. 

Dempsey Paley (GK)

I’ve snapped up this promising goalkeeper., who started out as one of my youth team candidates, but showed enough promise to earn a contract.

Morley sign Jake Croft (DRC)

I make another foray into the transfer market by signing Jake Croft from Midland Football League Premier Division oufit Lye Town. He is actually coming home because he started his career at Leeds United and was born in the city, so is familiar with West Yorkshire. Welcome Home Jake!

Fraser Pappril (DC) free transfer from Emley

I have further bolstered my back line with the signing of Fraser Papprill from local rivals, Emley as a backup player.

Callum Schorah (MC/AMC/DL)

I’ve signed utility man, Callum Schorah on a free from Selby Town. Although primarily an attacking midfielder he can play left back and left midfield as well, so will be a more than useful addition to the squad. 

New U18s Assistant Manager

New  U18s assistant manager Daryll Hall will be looking to make Morley Town’s U18s footballing dreams come true. We offered him the U21s job but he replied “I Can’t Go For That..No Can Do” so took on the Under 18s team instead. Welcome to Morley Daryl Hall..

 

New U18s Coach-

Phil Doughty, who older FMers may remember was once a promising left back at Blackpool back in the day, has joined my team to coach the U18s team. Welcome to Morley Phil! 

Morley Sign Luis Lacey (DL/WBL)

A real coup for the club. Luis Lacey is the first Morley player to have a proper picture. Secondly he joins us after being released by League 1 Barnsley

Morley Town Sign Jean Claude Makiessi

Once again, Barnsley’s loss is Morley’s gain as this young talented midfielder joins our ranks. Welcome to Morley Jean Claude!

 

Ticket Prices

Here’s something to get Yorkshire folk excited, ticket prices have been frozen at £5, while the cost of a season ticket to stand at the side of the Glen Road pitch for 90 minutes in the freezing cold has gone up a quid to £14.

New Fixtures Released

Morley will start their campaign with a long trip away to Barrow in Furness to take on Holker Old Boys, who have Majed Alasttal in their ranks and will finish away at Nelson on the final day in April. 

Friendly 1 – Morley Town v Morley Town U21s

We start our pre-season campaign with the annual kickabout against the U21s. This should be a fiercely competitive affair, with many of the U21s trying to catch my eye for promotion into the first team.

Team: Hall, Croft, Clappison, Nyame, Barzey (trial) Wright, Scorah, Grantham, Ellis, Smith, Dias (trial)

U21s: Whing, Thornton, Aremu, Brooksby, Lamplough, Worsnop, Davies, Brett-Wildsmith, Haylock, Pamment, O’Connor

We dominate the opening few minutes. Wright finds Smith who lays it left to trialist, Dias, who dribbles into the box and is upended for a penalty. It was a soft penalty and I think Dias went down a bit too easily.... Grantham sends Whing the wrong way. 1-0. Wright then finds Dias on the left who cuts infield and plays in Aaron Smith. The deep lying forward twists and turns before smacking the ball into the top bins on the angle for 2-0. The kids hit back though. Davies, who has impressed in midfield, plays in Brett-Wildsmith, who runs forward and finds the bottom corner with a great finish form a tight angle. 2-1. Then from a Thornton free kick, O’Connor latches onto the ball in the right channel before squaring the ball for Kane Worsnop to sweep home. 2-2! On the stroke of half time, Barzey does well to tackle Wosnop and then finds Sam Wright. The midfield general plays a lovely slide rule pass to the imperious Smith who is clean through on goal. He lashes the ball home for an unconvincing 3-2 lead. Into the second half and Joe Lamplough’s boys look up for this. A fine move started at the back with the Assistant manager results in Pamment receiving the ball. He sends it on to De Martin in the left channel. He slides the ball across to O’Connor in the penalty area who lifts the ball over the onrushing McLachlan. Aaron Smith swings a corner in. Paprill wins the first header to Sam Wright who leans forward and finds the corner with a powerful downward header. 4-3. A win is a win, but the real winners were the U21s who played brilliantly too and left me with a selection headache. Well done boys!

Final Score Morley Town 4-3 Morley Town U21s

Grantham 5 (pen                         Brett Wildsmith 33

A Smith 10,45                              Worsnop 38

Wright 71                                     O’Connor 66

Friendly 2 Morley Town v Whitby Town

The first of a few friendlies against higher ranked opposition, as I aim to test my squad ahead of the new season.

Team: (4-4-1-1) McLachlan, Croft, Lacey, Clappison, Pappril, Hudson, Wright, Grantham, Smith, Ellis, Preston

Match Action

We can’t get the ball off Whitby as they attack. MacLachlan is forced into a fine tip over the bar. Another shot is flailed away by a sprawling McLachlan. Nil Nil at half time, We’ve defended well, but not had the ball once.. A forgettable 45 minutes of football. Into the second half and we finally have the ball. Can we use it to good effect? It travels the length of the back four before being played to sub Haylock in midfield. He passes to sub Dias who jinks infield and plays a superb ball for the onrushing Callum Schorah. The former Selby Town man doesn’t disappoint and fires it past the keeper. Whitby come back strongly and a block on the line prevents an equaliser. We then spurn a great chance to double our lead. A mistake at the back is intercepted by Rowe who squares it to O’Connor who fires an inch wide of goal with just the keeper to beat. At the other end, Whitby hit the inside of the post. We hang on and record a famous victory over a team who are three divisions above us. Well done boys! Also a big shout out to the 16 Whitby fans who made the two and a half hour trip from the east coast to West Yorkshire for a friendly.

Friendly 3- Garforth Town v Morley Town

We make the short trip across the city to East Leeds, remembering to avoid the annoying roadworks on the A1/M1 link road. Garforth are in the North East Counties Premier and once famously had the late Brazilian legend, Socrates on their books..

I give a couple of new trialists a run out as we are in need of extra numbers at the back.

Team: McLachlan, Haylock, Pappril, Bentley (trial) Croft, Gill (trial) Makiessi, Grantham, Rowe, Ellis, Preston 

Match Action

We dominate the opening eight minutes, but then fall behind when a near post corner is headed in by Holmes.. Then another attack results in Danny Cliftton receiving the ball in the area. He turns sharply and belts the ball goalwards. McLachlan can only palm the ball into the roof of the net... 2-0 Garforth. More loose defending by us allows Petrie in to lash home number three. What the hell is going on?

Somehow we respond. Courey Grantham gets down the right and plays the ball into Louis Rowe, He is upended Penalty! The Irishman grabs the ball and sends the keeper the wrong way. 3-1. We attack again. Trialist Sam Bentley wins an important header at the back and finds Kevin Preston who has ghosted into midfield from the left. His pass is cut out but deflects fortuitously to Louis Rowe who fizzes a shot in at the near post. 3-2. Ellis has a shot well saved and at the other end Petrie forces a brilliant fingertip save from McLachlan. 3-2 at the break. Into the second half and we start brightly. On 56 minutes Lacey finds Brett-Wildsmith, who lays it infield to Aaron Smith. Calum Scorah makes a lung bursting run from midfield and Smith slips him in. Scorah scores, with a deft finish into the corner 3-3 from 3-0 down! Aaron Smith then misses a sitter by his standards after a fine move involving him and Barry Woods. Garforth though can almost score when they want. A poor clearance is seized upon by Shuttleworth. His cross deflects into the path of Fergus McAughtrie who tucks the ball home past Ed Hall. 4-3. We attack searching for an equaliser. Barry Woods forces two fine saves from their keeper. Then, the best player on the park, Aaron Smith has the final word. Young O’Connor plays him in and as the deep lying forward approaches the edge of the area he screams a shot straight into the top corner for a deserved equaliser. What a game!

Final Score: Garforth Town 4-4 Morley Town

Holmes                                       Rowe

Clifton                                         Scrorah

Petrie                                          Smith

McAughtrie

Friendly 4: Morley Town v FC Halifax Town

This is the big one, as we host Conference Premier side, FC Halifax Town. The Shaymen are officially semi professional, but some of their players are on over £1000 per week and making a decent amount of money through football. What must they think of visiting Glen Road which is just a football pitch at the side of a housing estate, surrounded by hills, old mills and a farm which overlooks the ground. No stands, just a white painted fence and a tree behind one of the goals.. Anyway this is a great occasion for us and will hopefully raise some much needed readies for the club.

I go in with a 4-2-3-1- formation. Hall, Busfield, Clappison, Bentley (trial) Lacey, Wright, Leedham, Smith, Grantham, Rowe, Preston

Match Action

Amazingly we have the first attack and a well worked free kick sees Rowe blaze over when he should have done better. However their class begins to tell and when a Green far post cross is met with a downwards header from Jamie Hall, the inevitable happened. 1-0 to Halifax. Tyler Golden crosses from the right and Williams powers a header past Ed Hall. Two nil at half time. Into the second half and we can’t get the ball off the Conference Premier side. A long passing move ends with Freddie Bell 25 yards out who lets fly and the ball spears into the top corner. To our credit we are not disheartened. I put several pairs of fresh legs on and this pays off. Callum Schorah runs at the Halifax defence before slipping in Jean Claude Makessi, who fires the ball low into the bottom corner for probably the goal of the game. Halifax had further chances to increase their lead but McLachlan made a string of fine saves. However football was the winner today and although we lost, we far from disgraced ourselves against opposition who are borderline professional. A bumper crowd of 369 piled into Glen Road, with 210 making the trip down the M62 from Halifax. The money raised from this game has enabled the club to buy a team coach, which will be much needed for all those trips across the Pennines. Even icecream and burger vans turned up to feed the crowd. 

Morley Town Sign Bentley

Young defender, Sam Bentley joins the club on a free after impressing on trial and in the last two friendlies. He is a local boy, having started his career at Bradford City. 

Sam Wright Chant

The lyrical geniuses that the Morley ultras are have come up with this unusual song for our midfield maestro, Sam Wright.

Every Day and Every Night

We've got Sam Wright

In darkness and light

We've got Sam Wright

In the middle of a fight

We've got Sam Wright

When money is tight

We've got Sam Wright

And when everything's sh**te

We've got Sam Wright!

Sam Wright! Sam Wright! Sam Wright! Sam Wright!

Friendly 5: Morley Town v Wakefield

The largest city never to have a football team in the football league make the short trip to Glen Road. They have former Morley striker, Sanchez Payne in their ranks.

Team: McLachlan, Busfield, Bentley, Papprill, Haylock, Brooksby, Makiessi, Woods, Ellis, O’Connor, Gutzmore

The visitors dominate and after a fine passing move take the lead, when Johnson is set free in the area by ex-Morley striker, Sanchez Payne and he lashes it home. We can’t get a foothold in the game and are lucky when their striker Saunders has a goal ruled out for offside. Then, suddenly we click into gear. Makiessi runs at the Wakefield defence before spreading the ball out to Barry Woods ont he right. He lays it back to Eddie Busfield whose cross is met with a super downwards header from O’Connor to equalise. Johnson though has been a constant threat and he fires Wakey ahead after good work from the colourfully named, Jaylan Purple. We can play though and when Jean Claude Makiessi does a brilliant block tackle and then runs forward with the ball, the break is on. He lays it left to O’Connor who runs down the left channel. He finds a low cross to Gutzome, whose instant pass finds Makiessi 8 yards out to fire home the equaliser. Two each. Into the second half and we are undone again by a Purple header at the far post to spare their blushes and make it 3-2 to Wakey. On the hour we show our class. Callum Scorah receives the ball on the edge of the area and curls a beauty into the top corner for 3-3. Another great game against higher ranked opponents.

Friendly 6: Morley Town v Gomersal & Cleckheaton

This one is purely for the kids. I’m keen to look at the full depths of my squad from an old pro like the 34 year old Joe Lamplough to Michael Francis, a 15 year old young right back. At this level it is far easier to put your faith in youth because they don’t have to be world beaters in order to do well. Kevin Preston played most games of last season after catching the eye in matches like this, so let’s see who can do the same and put themselves in my thoughts. Gomersal & Cleckheaton are a local side who play in the West Yorkshire League Division 1 and located in that sort of no man’s land between Batley and Bradford..

Team: Pailey, Francis, Aremu, Thornton, Haylock, Brooksby, Bett-Wildsmith, Worsnop, O’Connor,Caffrey, Gutzmore

The kids look well up for this. A lovely move starting at the back with Aremu,  through midfield results in Kain Worsnop playing in Oscar Caffrey, who takes the ball into the area and blasts the ball into the top corner for a brilliant goal. We create a few more chances, with Oscar Caffrey having a goal disallowed and O’Connor had a shot tipped round the post. One nil at the break. In the second half, the visitors start strongly and are rewarded with a dubious penalty when Brooksby was adjudged to have fouled the wonderfully named, Lawson Challenger. Up steps Abdullaihi Olanrewaju.. who sends McGovern the wrong way. We re-assert dominance, but cannot find a way through. Oscar Caffrey has a couple of long range efforts which go agonisingly close, but otherwise this game peters out into a disappointing draw.

Final Score: Morley Town 1-1 Gomersal & Cleckheaton

Caffrey 8                                                    Olanrewaju 54 (pen)

Friendly 7: Southport v Morley Town

Our final friendly sees our first team take a jolly boys trip to Haig Avenue in Southport. The Sandgrounders have fallen on harder times recently and play in the Northern Premier league (Level 7), so are three divisions above us.

Team (4-2-3-1) Hall, Croft, Clappison, Bentley, Lacey, Wright, Scorah, Smith, Grantham, Rowe, Preston

As you would expect, it is the higher ranked home side who take the initiative and they bring out the best in Ed Hall, who tips a fierce shot over the bar. Preston for us looks lively down the left, but apart from that we fail to trouble their keeper. Nil Nil at the break. Into the second half and I change to a 4-4-2 to give us more options in attack. On 54 we win a free kick, which Aaron Smith takes which is cleared but only to Kevin Preston on the edge of the box. He lays it off to opposite winger, sub Barry Woods, whose piledriver skims off the inside of the post and over the line for a superbly struck goal. Southport respond and Hall is forced into a fine point blank save to deny their striker after Clappison missed a header. At the other end, sub Makiessi releases Gabriel Ellis down the right channel, who finds sub O’Connor. His fierce shot is beaten away by the keeper. Amazingly we see it through for an unexpected win, with Clappison and Bentley are superb at the heart of the defence, which bodes well for the forthcoming season.

 Four loyal ultras made the trip to the west coast. Thankyou for your support boys! When they started the "Were Not from Bradford" song they were met in response from the Southport fans with "They're not from Bradford, they're not from Leeds etc, but added a "Where the f*** is that?" at the end after the "They're from Morley" line... Classic!

Final Score: Southport 0-1 Morley Town

                                                  Woods 55

No of Season Tickets

We now have 31 season ticket holders, up from 29 last year.

Players Out

 Josh Nyame leaves Morley Town

My talented young defender and midfielder has joined Northern Premier League outfit, Matlock Town. They play several levels up the pyramid from us, so do not begrudge him trying to better his career, although he will be a loss to the team.

Harrison Blakey Leaves Morley Town

Two defenders leave in two days. Blakey, who has been unhappy for a while joins Midland Football League outfit, Southam Town.

De Martin Joins Ludlow Town on Loan

My young striker, Valerio De Martin has joined Shropshire County League Division 1 team, Ludlow Town on loan for the season.

Peter Rigby leaves Morley Town

My young full back signs for Central Midlands League Division One West outfit Mayfield.

Faris Pamment released by Morley Town

It is with regret that former club captain, Faris Pamment has been allowed to leave the club and look for another team. There has been interest from several amateur clubs and we wish him well. 

First Team Squad 2024/25 Season

Goalkeepers

Ed Hall

Ben McLachlan

Colum Whing

Defenders

Ben Clappison (DRC)

Jake Croft (DRC)

Sam Bentley (DC/DMC)

Fraser Pappril (DC)

Edward Busfield (DR/WBR)

Luis Lacey (DL)

Marley Haylock (yth) DL/WBL/DMC/MC

Joe Lamplough (D/DMLC)

Midfielders

Sam Wright (DM/MC)

Jean Claude Makiessi (MC)

Kevin Preston (MRL)

Calum Schorah (MC/AMC)

Oliver Leedham (MC)

Courey Grantham (MR/AMR/ST)

Barry Woods (MR)

Forwards

Aaron Smith (AMC/ST)

Gabriel Ellis (ST)

Louis Rowe (ST)

Martin O’Connor (ST)

Morley will start their campaign with a long trip away to Barrow in Furness to take on Holker Old Boys, who have our former left back, Majed Alasttal in their ranks and will finish away at Nelson on the final day in April. 

 Find out how they get on next time  on The Ultimate English Pyramid Game! 

Read Part 21: Adventures across The Pennines Here!