ALMOST six months to the day since non-league football had to go into lockdown, competitive games resume in the Tameside and Glossop area tomorrow (Saturday) with the FA Cup preliminary round.
And in a move sure to disappoint clubs that have had to tolerate a long period with almost no income, the prize fund has been slashed. Winning teams will receive £1,444 instead of £2,890 and the losers get £750 rather than £960.
STALYBRIDGE CELTIC will be the first Tameside outfit in action thanks to the early kick-off for their visit to Stocksbridge Park Steels.
The cross-Pennines tie - which is all-ticket - has been selected for live streaming by the BBC (available on the red button) and will kick off at 12.40pm.
Only four players remain from last season’s squad as manager Simon Haworth and his new assistant Ian Johnson look to engineer an uplift in fortune for the Bower Fold club. Skipper Steve O’Halloran has also been added to the coaching staff.
Haworth will select his team from a fully fit squad of 20, with one of the 16 new signings, Keano Deacon, fit again after missing last weekend’s 4-0 friendly win at Longridge Town.
Defender Freddie Sass was unveiled as the final piece of the jigsaw yesterday, with Bradley Knox and Chris Holroyd being released.
Bridge were unbeaten in pre-season, winning seven and drawing two of their nine games and will travel to South Yorkshire full of confidence despite only one competitive win in 2020.
Three months after his appointment, MOSSLEY fans will finally get their chance to run the rule over new manager Dave Fish who replaced Dave Wild in June.
The former Chadderton boss, who leads his side against St Helens at Seel Park, admits he faces a difficult task in deciding on his line-up. “I’m still mulling over the starting 11 given the performances from everyone in the squad over pre-season,” he commented this morning.
Steve Mason and Paul Riley both miss out through injury and Jordan Butterworth is suspended. A couple of other players are said to be carrying niggles but should be fit. Andy Keogh is available after returning from holiday.
The Lilywhites have declared a crowd limit of 400 for the tie and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.
ASHTON UNITED only have one injury for the visit of Squires Gate. The influential Liam Tomsett has a damaged shoulder and will be having an MRI scan tomorrow.
There will be some admission on the gate but given the covid-19 situation the club would prefer tickets to be bought through the website www.ashtonunited.co.uk
Peter Band is in confident mood of GLOSSOP NORTH END’s clash with City of Liverpool at Surrey Street.
He said: “We have a lot of new faces but I feel we’re going in the right direction. I have a full squad to pick from with 13 from last season as well as the new lads.
“I just hope we can get the paperwork for Mark Haslam and Alfons Fosu-Mensah sorted out it time.
Admission should be possible on the gate.
There are two friendlies. HYDE UNITED are home to Farsley Celtic (3pm) while CURZON ASHTON visit Stockport County for a game behind closed doors.