We are hosting 1874 games on Saturday, 17th February (1874 vs Runcorn Town - 3pm ), Thursday 1st March (1874 vs Vics - 7.45pm ) and possibly Saturday, 3rd March (subject to cup draw/replays etc). We may also be hosting them on Saturday, March 24th.
That will then be it, unless a replay is required in the FA Vase but that would again depend on our own home fixtures. It has been made clear to 1874 that we cannot stage two games in one weekend at WP.
It may be hyperbole to suggest that this is a suicidal decision by Witton and I don’t hold much truck with those who throw their toys out of the pram and want to sack the board every time a decision like this is made. But this is a bad decision. Every success for 1874 is a bad thing for Witton and we shouldn’t be helping them. Everytime the Winsford bog is unplayable the neutral has to come and watch Witton. Everytime the Winsford bog is unplayable it adds another postponement, another fixture to their fixture congestion and makes it more likely that they won’t get to Wembley and won’t get promoted, both eventualities being bad news for Witton. I don’t know how much Witton gain financially by these fixtures but it would have to be an awful lot for it to be enough. If someone wants to open up a dialogue about how we might turn three clubs into one, playing in red and white, at Wincham Park and with a couple of big local sponsors to help a push towards Northwich having a football league club then I’m all in favour. But this isn’t that.
What evidence is there that the neutral comes to watch us if games are called off, crowd figures certainly don’t support that at all.
We need to realise and quick that we need another team at Wincham Park to enable us to compete at a decent level. We have a first class ground lets use it to our advantage
. If that means 1874 then so be it. I’m proud enough to swallow my pride if it means our club surviving at a decent level.