Houghton and Potter to help Linnets’ cause
RUNCORN LINNETS have made significant announcements regarding two players who between them bagged five of the six goals in their latest warm-up game.
Linnets won 6-1 at Middlewich Town on Saturday afternoon with Freddie Potter scoring a hat-trick and Mark Houghton netting twice, the other scorer being Steve Ferrigan, a central defensive new signing from Cammell Laird 1907.
After the game, the Hallmark Security League Premier Division club named Houghton as the new vice-captain to skipper Kyle Hamid while revealing that last season’s leading marksman Potter has re-signed for the 2016-17 season.
Houghton began his playing career at the top of the non-League ladder with Southport in the Football Conference, scoring a number of times against sides who are now in the Football League.
He joined Skelmersdale United in 2010 and later moved to Chorley under the management of former Blackburn and Manchester City midfielder Garry Flitcroft. There he helped the Magpies win promotion to the Evo-Stik League Northern Premier Division title before returning to Skem.
The fleet-footed striker joined Linnets in December 2012 and scored in the club’s League Challenge Cup Final victory over Formby in May, 2013. His 130 appearances thus far for the club have yielded 42 goals.
Potter was the President’s Award winner at Linnets as last season’s top scorer with 22 goals while also being awarded the Travel Club’s Away Player of the Year accolade.
Last season’s goal contribution came from 41 outings – in all, he has scored 30 times in 55 Linnets appearances.
Potter arrived at Runcorn Linnets in December 2014 from Cammell Laird 1907. He made a goal-scoring debut from the substitutes’ bench to win the Boxing Day’s home Runcorn derby, instantly becoming a fans’ favourite.
Back in 2006, he had been on the books of Chester FC who were in the Football Conference at the time.
In 2008, he played for Marine in the Northern Premier Division and later moved on to Burscough.
At Lairds, he scored a number of goals to help them into the Evo-Stik League First Division North Play-Off Final where they were defeated by Trafford 4-2 on penalties after the match ended goalless.
With Potter joining Antony Hickey, Houghton and prolific new recruit from Runcorn Town, Paul Shanley, there will be no shortage of firepower in the Linnets’ ranks.
The club is also giving trials to a number of players, most noticeably in midfield and defensive positions, as new manager, Michael Ellison and assistant, Matt Cross look to further bolster their squad.
Tonight Linnets take on St Helens Town in another warm-up match in readiness for the new season which kicks-off a week on Saturday – August 6 – with an FA Cup extra-preliminary round tie at Hemsworth Miners Welfare in Yorkshire.
The St Helens game will be staged at Prescot Cables’ Volair Park (kick-off 7pm). It will see the first on-field ‘appearance’ of Linnets’ new 10th anniversary change strip in orange and black, following a tie-up with sportswear firm Macron Store Cheshire of Manor Park, Runcorn.
Linnets wind up their friendly campaign at Conwy Borough on Saturday, (kick-off 2.30pm) and then another away game on Tuesday against Maghull (kickoff 7pm).
Off the field, the club has named Mark Buckley as its vice-chairman, in succession to long-serving Hedley Edwards, who continues as a member of the Trust Board. Tomorrow sees Runcorn Linnets’ annual Golf Day tournament at Runcorn Golf Club, Clifton Road.
Linnets have 2016-17 season tickets on sale priced at £108 for adults and £72