By Garry Clarke
Rylands FC kick-start their 2019/20 pre-season campaign on Saturday (July 6) by welcoming Crewe United to Gorsey Lane for the resurrected Peace Cup – a fixture involving the Northern Irish outfit which was first contested following the Warrington bombing in 1993.
The competition, most generously supported by Lisburn City Council has not been played since 2016, will kick off at 1pm as the centre piece of the club’s summer festival day.
Crewe United were the fist community organisation from Northern Ireland to visit Warrington offering the hand of peace following the bomb attack on the town.
Managing Director of Club Primary Sponsor, Triple S Sports & Entertainment Group, Paul Stretford , “Our club is very thankful for the opportunity to continue to ensure the Peace Cup can remain an Annual Event, where through sport we can demonstrate the strength and power of collaboration and promotion of such an important message. It is our intention to grow our club and the Peace Cup will not only cement the community values between our two clubs, but also help us achieve our personal ambitions.”
The Blues also face July trips to South Liverpool Pilkington July 13th , Widnes July 16th and Sefton July 20th, before welcoming Chester on July 26th, and Runcorn Linnets on July 30th, to Goresy Lane. ahead of their debut season in the North West Counties League’s top flight.
After a successful season last time out joint managers Stuart Wellstead and Dave McNabb have strengthened their back room staff welcoming back former manager Darren Davies who rejoins as a scout and recruiting Mike Smith – a former coach at Warrington Town – as first team coach, Ryan O’Neill as goalkeeping coach and Graeme Arkell to manage the club’s under 21s.
With Step 5 football in the Premier Division just weeks away, McNabb is confident his side can compete, telling the NWCFL website, “Next year is going to be a monumental challenge and we will need to be more resolute and mature in our performances as we come up against stronger opposition. Last year we finished the season with squad average age of 23/24 so quite a young group. We did however gain some invaluable experience throughout the season and we will need to utilise that to improve and push ourselves to be ready for next year.
“Ambitions are high for the men from Gorsey Lane. The clubs long term aspirations are to keep climbing the leagues. I know that’s easier said than done but I want to be involved in an ambitious club and environment and that’s exactly what we have at Rylands. We are realistic and know this won’t happen overnight but we’re trying to lay the foundations to make this possible.”
