GLOSSOP NORTH END PREVIEW
It is probably the biggest weekend of the year in Ramsbottom. The eyes of the world will be on our little Lancashire town. What do you mean it’s not because of Ramsbottom United being the league leaders of the NWCFL?
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Glossop North End
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties Premier Division
DATE: Saturday 7th September 2024
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
ADMISSION: Adults – £9, Concessions – £5, U12 – £1 (with paying adult) – CASH ONLY
OVERVIEW:
It’s the famous World Black Pudding Throwing Championships on Sunday in Bridge Street. The buzz around the town will be palpable as it prepares for the huge event. But just down the road, there is a buzz of their own going on at Ramsbottom United.
This sort of start to the season hasn’t been seen for many a year. When we won the NWCFL Premier Division in 2011/12, we won six of our first 10 games. When we won the NWCFL Division 2 title in 1996/97 – we won six of our first 10 games. In this season of 2024/25, we have won seven of our opening ten contests. Just saying, like!
There was a superb bounce from the team on Tuesday night at the scene of one of the horror shows of last season, Padiham. Coming back from the disappointment of Saturday’s defeat at Longridge Town, Steve Wilkes’ charges hit back to record a superb 4-1 victory to keep hold of top spot after ten games played.
It is still far too early in the season to get excited but, well, you have to buy a ticket to win the raffle.
The next challenge for the Rams is a home game against old friends from the Peaks in Glossop North End, a side we have played in competitive action dating back to 1997. Managed by another former Ramsbottom player, Richard Brodie, who played 8 games for the club in 2019, they have not enjoyed the best of starts to the season with two wins from their opening 9 and find themselves down in 18th place as it stands.
With just one win in their last sixth and having scored just two goals from the previous four encounters, they travel up the M60 hoping to turn their form around and taking home the points from the last time they were on the road at Burscough last Saturday, winning 1-0.
As is normal at this time of the season, there is still cricket going on across the other side of the fence with fourth placed Ramsbottom 3rd XI taking on Great Harwood 4th XI in second, starting at 12.30pm. So it might be worth getting here early to ensure you find a car parking space or just come early anyway and enjoy a little bit of leather on willow!
DID YOU KNOW:
The last time that the Rams beat Glossop North End in the league was on 19 January 2019 at Surrey Street. We won 5-0. The player who scored our fifth goal that afternoon … Richard Brodie on 75 minutes. Jamie Rainford and Nic Evangelinos scored the others.
HISTORY:
This will be the 44th competitive meeting between the sides and the record is pretty close – 17 wins for the Rams and 16 for Glossop. In fact, the record in Rammy is exactly level with 9 wins each (four draws) and 36 goals apiece!
Glossop took all three points from the HWRS last August, winning 3-2 (Codge in action pictured above) before Conal Gallagher’s 92nd equaliser gave us a share of the spoils in the reverse fixture at Surrey Street in October. The Rams have not won a league game against our visitors in the last six games – our only win across the last seven games was the FA Trophy 2-1 win in September 2022.
STEVE WILKES’ THOUGHTS:
“I was really pleased with the reaction after Saturday’s disappointment and that win was for the supporters who suffered last Boxing Day.
“But, like we’ve said all season, we will enjoy that win but we will now prepare for a difficult game against Glossop on Saturday, a side we don’t have a great record against so we need to put that right.”
