Cookie Privacy Preferences
We utilize essential cookies to ensure our website operates effectively and remains secure. Additionally, we'd like to request your permission to use optional cookies. These are intended to enhance your browsing experience by offering personalized content, displaying advertisements that are relevant to you, and helping us to further refine our website.
Choose "Accept all cookies" to agree to the use of both essential and optional cookies. Alternatively, select "Let me see" to customize your preferences.
Privacy Preference Centre
Our website utilizes cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to present you with content tailored to your preferences on this device and browser. Below, you will find detailed information about the function of cookies, enabling you to make informed choices about which cookies you wish to accept. Please note that disabling certain cookies might impact your user experience on our site. It's important to remember that cookie preferences need to be set individually for each device and browser you use. Clearing your browser's cache may also remove your cookie settings. You have the freedom to modify your cookie preferences at any point in the future.
For a comprehensive understanding of our use of cookies, please refer to our complete cookies policy.
These cookies are needed for the website to work and for us to fulfil our contractual obligations. This means they can't be switched off. They enable essential functionality such as security, accessibility and live chat support. They also help us to detect and prevent fraud. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but it means some parts of the site won't work.
These cookies allow us to measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know how popular pages are, and to see how visitors move around the site. If you don't allow these cookies, we won't know when you've visited our site, and we won't be able to monitor its performance.
These cookies enable us to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we've added to our pages. If you don't allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not work properly.
These cookies collect information about your browsing habits to show you personalised adverts. They may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They don't store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you don't allow these cookies, the adverts you see will be less relevant.
RECREATION GROUND | BROOKBURN ROAD | CHORLTON | M21 8FE
by Matthew Durrant · 09/12/2017
This is an excerpt from the 2016/17 Season Annual, designed and produced by Lew Currie. While physical copies are sold out, digital copies are available now from the West fan club website for £1 – click here to buy. This piece was written by Peter Jones about last season’s Christmas Miracle game.
It’s June 2017, the office windows are wide open and I’m regretting wearing one of my thicker shirts to work and yet my head is thinking back to the West Christmas Miracle. Had I wrote this directly after the event, I imagine I could tell you lots of things that happened on the day but with 6 months and too many pitch-side Krombachers to my name, I just feel look back and feel a genuine sense of pride for the day and the club.
Having invited a food bank down to the match, I woke up nervous that it would be a disaster. This is the natural football fan mind-set.
“Why have we organised an event for peak postponement season?”
Fortunately the weather God’s blessed us so the match was on. It was soon time to march on down to beautiful Brookburn Road. I popped to Morrison’s so we would at least have a few things to donate, en route Barca Jim handed over another bag that was so laden with generosity, it was hard to carry. (My upper body strength has never been much, mind).
“One table should be big enough for it all, right?”
Stevie Setts pre match instructions, as thorough as ever, meant that players started arriving with bags and bags of donations. Deano had done his own mini collection of friends and family so there was four bags full of donations. Selection boxes and Christmas puddings all started to pile up. The team did us proud.
“There’s some room over there, get it moved as more people are arriving”
Soon another table was needed, then extra storage, then even more storage. The staff from the Food Bank were as happily chatting away, taking more and more donations. It was overwhelming how everyone had got involved.
“That’s the fanciest pasta I’ve ever seen”
We still don’t know who donated the pasta that had clearly come all the way from Italy but we do know that a family in need will have enjoyed it so thank you mystery pasta connoisseur.
The result? I genuinely can’t remember. On days like the Christmas Miracle, it’s a sideshow to the community and friendships that make up our football club. A non-league football match took place but in reality by all contributing to a local food bank, we made a real difference for real people.