PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES & NEW SIGNINGS

First Team News and Views
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Witton Albion today announced eight pre-season friendlies and five new signings as the Wincham Park club gears up for the new season.

With remedial work on the pitch scheduled for completion in mid-July, there will be four home and four away games, starting at Alsager on July 16th and ending with the visit of Crewe Alexandra on 10th August, three days before the new Evo-Stik league campaign opens.

FA Cup finalists Stoke City have agreed to send a team, and the already-traditional game against Runcorn Linnets takes place on 30th July.

The full line up is as follows:-

Sat 16th July v Alsager Town (a)

Tue 19th July v Congleton Town (a) 7:45pm

Thu 21ST July v Droylsden (h)

Tue 26th July v Winsford United (a)

Sat 30th July v Runcorn Linnets (h)

Tue 2nd August v Stoke City XI (h)

Sat 6th August v Bala Town (a)

Wed 10th August v Crewe Alexandra XI (h)

All Saturday games will kick off at 3pm and midweek HOME games at 7.30pm.

The club’s on-field plans are the 2011/12 campaign are also coming together, with the announcement of five new signings as well as the re-signing of most of last term’s squad.

Signing on at Witton are strikers Liam Newman, Aaron Bowen and Stuart Wellstead. Former Burnley junior Newman is a highly rated centre forward who netted 29 times for the Barton Stadium club last term, whilst 6’5” Bowen will provide Albion boss Brian Pritchard with options up front after arriving from Burscough via Cammell Laird, where he featured against Witton last term.

Stuart Wellstead is a winger who will be looking to establish himself at Evo-Stik Division 1 (north) level after short spells with Northwich Vics, Winsford and Woodley Sports, and like Newman has been monitored closely by Albion chief scout Terry Murphy. The trio will each be challenging for a first team berth alongside rising starlet Josh Hancock.

Hancock attracted interest from higher up the league system during the latter half of the season with some spirited displays, so manager Pritchard was delighted to capture Josh’s signature on a contract, together with that of defender Ben Harrison, whom rival clubs’ scouts have also been monitoring.

Other new signings so far are centre half Adam Bayley from Winsford and returning midfielder Ollie James, who has been playing in local Liverpool football.

Of last year’s side, only midfielder Dave MacPherson has definitely left the club, with boss Pritchard already talking to potential replacements.

Keeper Matt Cooper, full back Matt Wood, midfield men Jamie Harrison and Dean Ennion are amongst those who have already signed on again. The new manager is pleased with progress to date. “Our emphasis will continue to be on young local talent. Liam is 19, Aaron is 18 and both Josh and Ben Harrison are under 20. I’m delighted to have secured them for next year but am still looking to bring in a couple of more experienced lads to help them.

Even with a few more pieces yet to be added to the jigsaw, I can assure fans that anyone who wears that shirt next season will be giving 100% effort and commitment to the club.”

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Droylsden, Crewe Alex, FA Cup Finalists Stoke City? Thought we were supposed to be getting some quality this year (sic)

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I very much like what I am hearing, signings look good and the friendlies seem about perfect, good start by Pritch and the backroom staff.
WHS.

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I know one of the new signings Stuart Wellstead from his days at Winsford. A good footballer who has an uncanny knack of scoring goals. Look forward to watching him in the not too distant future. Bring on the new season. I see that we have left the easiest friendly till last. SBL

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Great news about Josh earning himself a contract,this is a win /win situation in modern day management speak.

Nice to see Ollie James return,cannot believe he was playing amateur football in dare i say it Liverpool.I am sure Ollie will be a great addition to the squad,a player who could win the ball and pick out a pass.

Also Ben and Dean sign on again,things are really looking good.

Just like Josh,i thought Dean finished the season in great shape,not one for the future but one for right now.I think Josh and Dean have both deserved their stripes,for this coming season.

Cannot believe Ben is still with us,Sir Alex has paid a few quid for a young defender last week.when one was right under his nose.

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dean and Josh did ok for me, but contract status and first 11 ! not for me just yet ! Ben of course is a real prospect and will be a first 11 star, we need a partner for him because pritch needs to concenttrate on managing let see how the squad shapes up in preseason

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welcome on board all the new players. the best of luck to you. us fans will be with you from the start.can’t wait for the season tostart.

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So our squad is looking like :

Team cooper,gardener,woods,harrison,bayley,james,wellstead,maguire,bowen,newman,hancock.

squad, harrison,southern,osullivan,ennion,foulkes, frosty
pritch,mossely, emergency players ?
looks very young ? is it good enough ? have maguire,frosty and gardner signed ? is Osullivan fit again ? i have not seen a lot of them play so any views will be welcome, any more signings ? boards are very slow again I need a fix of football or at least some news !!

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I believe that Maguire as left

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Thats bad news then, when fit he looked a player so we need an experienced midfielder imo

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[quote=“C.J.” post=38563]So our squad is looking like :

Team cooper,gardener,woods,harrison,bayley,james,wellstead,maguire,bowen,newman,hancock.

squad, harrison,southern,osullivan,ennion,foulkes, frosty
pritch,mossely, emergency players ?
looks very young ? is it good enough ? have maguire,frosty and gardner signed ? is Osullivan fit again ? i have not seen a lot of them play so any views will be welcome, any more signings ? boards are very slow again I need a fix of football or at least some news !![/quote]

We are waiting for the League to process the Registration Forms before announcing anything, just in case there are any problems with them.

Once they are processed, they will appear on the NPL Members website. I have been checking this website every hour for the last 3 weeks, but nothing has appeared yet. I have checked the registrations of other players where it has been reported in the press that they have signed for another club, and they also have not appeared yet.

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Let us hope the season is as exciting as the anticipation.
WHS.

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it rarely is WHS :frowning:

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But as a Wittoner I am forever an optimist.
WHS.

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B)Yep it certainly helps come on CJ try a bit of optimism you might like it?

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Yes CJ cheer up you miserable scouse git ! :wink:

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Optimism is overated, I have been watching Witton for more years than I care to say, and really good seasons ( winning things ) are like hens teeth, But I still enjoy each and every one I prefer realism over optimism, Are you Mancs running scared now king kenny is back Eli ?

Optimism “bah humbug”

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Eli calling CJ a miserable git !!
Brilliant !:slight_smile: :slight_smile:

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I notice on the home page the pre-season fixtures suggest that on Saturday, 6th September we travel to Bala Town. Are we going for some kind of record as it states we kick off at 8am!

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As we near the end of our pre season and prepare for the start of the league campaign, one thing that is apparent to me is that the management team already know what the starting line-up is likely to be when we kick off against Ossett Albion next Saturday.

In previous years, the manager at that time has appeared to leave naming his strongest line-up until the final pre season friendly which then doesn’t give that team much playing time together. This season, we have seen the same starting eleven in the last few games which gives the players more time to settle in and know each others game.