WARRINGTON Town will play their 900th match in the Northern Premier League when they host Marine this Saturday.
Now in their third season at this level, tier seven of the English football pyramid, it also includes games played in the Northern Premier League First Division (North & South), the division the Yellows won back in 2015/16.
They have been in the NPL since 2003/04 when they were promoted due to the re-structuring of the pyramid that led to the creation of Conference North & South.
The Yellows had previously played in the NPL between 1990 and 1997.
Last season’s third place finish was the highest position in the history of the club and they have made an encouraging start to the new campaign as they look to go at least one better this term.
The visitors to Cantilever Park this Saturday are Marine, and there are several connections between the two clubs, which are relatively close in terms of the league geography.
Liam Hynes controversially left Warrington earlier this season to join Marine, despite the club having stuck by him after a serious injury restricted him to just four appearances in more than 12 months.
Their first team squad also includes ex-Yellows Gerard Kinsella and Josh Hine, though former Warrington manager Tommy Lawson has recently left his role as boss of the Mariners.
Warrington too have their share of ex-Marine players, including left-back Adam Hughes and striker Josh Amis, and boss Paul Carden is expecting a fierce encounter.
He said: “There’s always that little bit of extra spice in these games just because the lads know each other. We’ve got a couple of Marine lads, Marine have got a couple of our lads.
“We’re going into it confident, we’re looking forward to it and we’ll need to be organised as we have been this season.”
Carden is hopeful that ex-Chester captain Luke George will be available assuming he gets through training unscathed, while Jack Dunn made a welcome return on the bench in Tuesday’s win over Hyde, though he didn’t make it on to the pitch.
George had deputised as a makeshift centre-half earlier in the season before Dave Raven became available, and the boss has previously conceded that he didn’t want to rush George in to action due to his recovery from a serious injury.
Carden added: “Jack was fit to play on Tuesday, he’s ready. He’s frustrated, he’s kicking his heels, he wants to play.
“With his ability he should be playing, but I don’t drop players. If players are out of form, they come out of the team, that’s just the way it is.
“Fortunately, but unfortunately for Jack, we’ve got lads who are flying at the minute and that’s the way I want it.
“Luke should be available so that’s another headache!”
