West Didsbury & Chorlton v AFC Liverpool

• Saturday 9th September 2023 
• 3:00pm kickoff - gates open at 1:30pm and we advise arriving early to avoid queuing or delays
• NWCFL Premier Division, Matchday 10
• The Step Places Stadium, Brookburn Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 8FE
• £7 adults, £5 Students / 60+ / Under 16s, Free Under 12s
• Season tickets / pay on the gate / advance tickets available HERE
• Food and drink available 
• Dogs welcome

Live commentary is available for this match, via Westlive HERE

Preview

The second of three consecutive home games sees West host bogey side AFC Liverpool.

While West won the last meeting back in February, that was the first triumph over the Reds at Brookburn Road in eight attempts and only the third from fifteen overall.

Their position in league table and even the form table - currently sitting 14th in both - perhaps belies a recent upturn, as one of only two NWCFL Premier Division to have won their last three outings.

As West returned to winning ways on Tuesday evening, breaking a short run of defeats with a 3-0 defeat of Litherland REMYCA, AFC Liverpool's scheduled opponents Charnock Richard were involved in an FA Cup replay thus granting the Reds a full week's rest ahead of this weekend's fixture.

There is a curious symmetry to the Reds' season so far, with four wins, four defeats and no draws. The sample size is too small to deduce any meaningful understanding, but they haven't tended to score early or late, with the widest part of the bell curve straddling half-time. In defence, goals are inclined to be conceded towards the end of each half, especially the second.

West remain affected by injuries - Andrew Jones, Tom Westall and now Callum Jones are long-term absentees and while Raheem Hanley and Darren McKnight will be unavailable for a shorter time, neither are in the reckoning for this fixture. Tom Schofield's return from suspension this week was a timely boost.

With top-end rivals Chadderton and Wythenshawe Town facing each other, a win against AFC Liverpool would likely lift West into the playoff spots.

With the Premier League and the Championship suspended due to an international break and the last throes of summer in full swing, the game promises to draw a big crowd.

History

After plans were announced in February 2008, Affordable Football Club Liverpool were established by Alun Parry in March 2008 for Liverpool fans priced out of Premier League football and unhappy with the club being owned by American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks, adopting the same colours as Liverpool. 

The new club applied to enter Division Two of the North West Counties League for the 2008/09 season, with their place in the now-renamed Division One confirmed in June of that year. They also agreed a groundshare with Prescot Cables to play at Valerie Park and, by the start of the season, the club had attracted around 1,000 members.

The club played their first match on July 16th, a friendly against St Helens Town in front of a crowd of around 600 at Ashton Town's Edge Street. The club's first league match took place on August 9th, a 5-0 win over Darwen. Their debut season ended with lifting the Division One Trophy win and a fourth-placed finish in the league, missing out on promotion by four points.

The club finished fifth the following season and also played in the FA Vase for the first time, losing 2–1 at home to Dinnington Town - a club West fans will recognise from a then club record 15-1 win years later - in the second qualifying round. However, they retained the Division One Trophy. 

In 2010/11, the club entered the FA Cup for the first time, and again finished fourth in the league. This was good enough to earn promotion to the Premier Division due to Rossendale United's expulsion and third-placed Holker Old Boys declining promotion. They also came close to retaining the Division One Trophy again, but lost the final in extra time to Atherton Collieries.

Prior to the 2014/15 season the club announced that they would be leaving Valerie Park and playing at Marine's Rossett Park in Crosby. The 2017/18 season saw the club finish in the NWCFL Premier Division relegation zone, meaning a return to Division One. However in 2021 the club was promoted back to the Premier Division based on their results in the curtailed 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.

Form Guide

West
Position: 7th
Form position: 12th
Last six overall: WLLWWL
Last six home: WLWLWW

AFC Liverpool
Position: 14th
Form position: 14th
Last six overall: WWWLLL
Last six away: WWLLLL

Head to Head

Overall:
P15 W3 D3 L9 F27 A36

At The Step Places Stadium:
P8 W1 D2 L5 F10 A15

Last Meeting

February 18th 2023, NWCFL First Division
West 3 AFC Liverpool 0
West goals: Darren McKnight 44, Markell Foulds 64, Rhain Davis 90+4
Attendance: 832

Quick Info

Travelling distance: 41 miles
Last season's position: 6th, NWCFL Premier Division
Last season's average attendance: 157
Home colours: All red
Change colours: All grey

Directions

We encourage supporters to use public transport, cycle or walk if possible. 

By car:

There is no parking available at the ground for supporters, except for pre-booked disability spaces. Please instead use Hardy Farm, M21 8DP, which is open from 1pm on Saturdays.

Disability spaces must be accessed no later than one hour before kickoff and all vehicles will be unable to exit until 15 minutes after the final whistle to ensure the safety of all supporters leaving the stadium.

There is additional public car parking on Chorlton Ees opposite The Bowling Green pub, who are also allowing supporters to use the pub car park, but there is little other on-street parking.

Please also note that there is no parking available on Brookburn Road itself, nor the surrounding Chorltonville area, as they are privately maintained, exclusively for the use of residents.

By public transport:

The Step Places Stadium is one mile from Chorlton Metrolink station, on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines. Follow Google Maps directions to find your way to the ground.

If you are travelling from outside the Greater Manchester area, the Metrolink network can be accessed from any of Manchester’s central train stations. Visit the Transport for Greater Manchester website for tram times and more information.

By cycle:

The Step Places Stadium is a perfect location for those who cycle, being located next to the River Mersey, Sale Ees and only a few minutes away from the Fallowfield Cycle Loop. We have secure bicycle racks inside the ground to lock up your bike throughout the game. Please ask a volunteer if you need assistance.

Prohibited items

Bringing pyrotechnics and/or alcohol into the ground is prohibited. It is a criminal offence to bring pyrotechnics into any stadium. Stewards may conduct bag searches for prohibited items upon entrance to the stadium. Bag searches are a condition of entry and your co-operation is greatly appreciated. Spectators who break these rules may be banned from the ground and any pyrotechnics and/or alcohol will be confiscated.

Weekend fixtures
Premier Division
Friday 8th September 2023
Lower Breck v Litherland REMYCA 
Saturday 9th September 2023
Barnoldswick Town v Skelmersdale United
Burscough v Cheadle Town
Bury v Longridge Town
Charnock Richard v Wythenshawe
Glossop North End v Pilkington
Irlam v Colne
Kendal Town v Ramsbottom United
Padiham v Squires Gate
West Didsbury & Chorlton v AFC Liverpool
Wythenshawe Town v Chadderton
FC Isle of Man v Prestwich Heys (6pm)

Pictures by Chris Michell & Simon Cooke