Notes taken from the programme for our fixture against Whitchurch Alport, the second of our Bank Holiday double header at Brookburn Road. Programme available on the gate, priced £2.

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Brookburn Road for this afternoons league fixture against Whitchurch Alport. We hope everyone connected to Whitchurch enjoys our hospitality in leafy Chorlton today and following today’s game, we wish them well for the season ahead.
As these my first notes of the new season are the same as for the Bootle match, due to the double header of two home games over the Bank Holiday weekend. I apologise to you if you brought a programme on Saturday!
I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the management team for their effort and commitment whilst I was bronzing myself in Croatia on my honeymoon. I know Brocks, Rob Madden, Rob McKay and Steve Eck have spent an awful lot of time ringing, texting and emailing players, managers and even foreign football associations trying to get a team on the pitch.
Following this hectic and disjointed start to the season I’m pleased to say that our squad seems to be settling down now. Whilst we have been heavily reliant on ‘duel-registered’ players in the first few weeks to cover our players unavailability we are starting to see a more consistent group of West Didsbury players at training sessions and hopeful that will be evident in the team selection.
In what is always a turbulent time in preseason and at the start of the season, as players explore the opportunities that they are presented with from other clubs, this year has been tougher than most. From the squad we finished the league with Ash Woods, Matty Kay and Declan Rydings have all chosen to try their hand at a higher level in the Evo-Stik league. In addition Aaron Ashley and Lanre Olapade have both found employment that requires them to work Saturdays. Perhaps the most disappointing loss was Ben Steer who decided that he would like a fresh challenge at our neighbours Wythenshawe Town.
This combined with unavailability as a result of injuries, holidays and wedding season has resulted in us bringing in some new faces.
Firstly, I’m delighted to welcome Martyn Andrews back to the club. Martyn is greatly experienced and will bring some leadership qualities to the group. Flying winger Ashley Leather is a signing that excites us. We hope he can be a real attacking threat for us the season both creating and scoring goals from the right-hand side. ‘Junior’ is another young attacking talent we have signed from Prescot Cables. Again, we will be looking for him to make an impact in the attacking third of the pitch. Saul Brewster has joined us as a full back/centre half having previous experience at Hyde United. Marcus Burgess has signed as a goalkeeper from Mossley, Marcus played against last year for Padiham whilst on loan there from Prescot. He has played lots of Evo-stik games and will ensure that we have a talented goalkeeping trio along with Will Jones and Ollie Culkin. These added to the Maine Road trio of Rory Breslin, John Mason, and Jack Langford necessitates some gelling time.
I saw enough in the 2nd half against Squires Gate to be encouraged about and we will be adopting a season starts now attitude with the aim of picking up our first wins of the season over this weekend.
As always thanks for the support and enjoy the game!

-Setts