Sunday 1st March 2026 ko 14:30

North West Counties League First Division North

DAISY HILL 2 (Sheppard 10 Singleton 73)

STEETON 0

Emmerson sent off 90+3 (violent conduct)

Att 478

Entry £7

Programme £2

Things have changed in Westhoughton. We’d become aware of just how much at the start of last year’s hop at Ramsbottom when the attendance at the New Sirs was far higher than ours! Then when we advertised this year’s hop on the GroundhopUK website using a photo at Daisy Hill from a couple of years ago we were told by the club that no, they don’t play at the New Sirs, the ground is now called “The Ginge Power Stadium” as the ground is now sponsored by streamer Angryginge!

Now I know Angryginge’s vlogging exploits aren’t really aimed at me, but anyone who is helping non league football is a hero in my book, and he was good value on “I’m a Celebrity” last Christmas. Of course we have our own Ginge at GroundhopUK- Craig, or Slightly Miffed Strawberry Blond as we now call him!

Daisy Hill were established in 1894 and intially played in the Wigan & District League and by the outbreak of World War I the club were playing at New Sirs, and no I don’t know the derivation of the name! The club folded before World War II and were re-formed in 1951, playing in the Westhoughton League, but moved to play on St. James Street Recreation and Cricket Ground before moving back home in 1957. I wonder how many folks who parked there realised it is part of Daisy Hill’s history?

They became founder members of the North West Counties League Division Three in 1982, when a new clubhouse was built at New Sirs but in the 1989 season the club changed name to Westhoughton Town playing under the new name until they reverted to Daisy Hill in 1994. Just like with Forest Green Rovers (Stroud FC) familiarity was the best bet!

It’s fair to say staging a hop game at Daisy Hill did come with some challenges, none the fault of the club. The issue is that the approach road to the ground is narrow and the car park is small. They did everything they could, even organising additional parking nearby, but it did rely on people using common sense which thankfully most did.

Once in the tiredness did hit me, so it was good to be able to spend some time with Alan Mair, fresh from officiating at our previous game then the group of Scottish Groundhoppers who have become a welcome fixture on our events ever since we visited Bonnyrigg Rose. All were and are wonderful company, at an afternoon that was busy yes, but like every host club on this hop they coped well.

The game looked for 90-plus minutes like a fairly straightforward home win then in stoppage time, a punch was thrown, the Steeton goalkeeper Brad Emmerson got his marching orders, and the melee that followed should have seen others following him for a marginally early shower. By the looks of it, the referee abandoned the game- but that is probably semantics, there could have only been seconds of stoppage time left.

It was good to be back in the swing of things, albeit with a grey cloud caused by the imminent loss of a good friend to many of us. That of course doesn’t reflect at all on the North West Counties League or any of our host clubs. Thanks should go to all who came along, played or volunteered. We are already starting to plan for next year’s event, and yes, Thornton Cleverleys are at the forefront of our thoughts.