Big day out was ruined when our coach did not turn up on time

ONE way or another Leek Town figured prominently in my formative years - both on the football pitch and in the workplace.

As a 10-year-old, I was part of the Compton team that beat Westwood Road in the final of the Leek and District Schools cup final at Leek Town in 1973.

And then as a spectator, 12 months later I was behind the goal at the Macclesfield Road end of the ground when Alan Vickers made it 2-2 draw against Prestwich Heys to secure the Cheshire League title for Paul Ogden’s team.

The aforementioned Vickers was then Leek Town manager when I started work at the Post× as the Leek

Town reporter.

He was followed by Jimmy Wallace, Mike Pejic, Kevin Lewis and Neil Baker.

I moved jobs not too long after Neil took over so was a less frequent visitor to Harrison Park. But like almost everyone else when Leek Town’s amazing heroics in 1990 earned them a place at Wembley, I wanted to be there to witness the incredible achievement. So I organised a bus trip for Churnetside FC players and their families. More than 40 people waited at the appointed pick up point in Cheddleton on the morning of the game. And waited. And waited. After scores of other buses full of Leek Town fans passed through the village, it soon became clear ours wasn’t coming. Now it should be made clear here that the company transporting us to Wembley wasn’t from North Staffordshire.

Getting in touch to find out what had happened in those pre-mobile days was difficult and involved knocking on doors of houses to ask to use their landlines.

Several calls later and without any plausible explanation for what had happened, a bus was dispatched to pick us up. A number of those who had already paid to travel on the bus, decided to make their own way to Wembley amid fears they might miss out on the big day.

In fairness to the driver, he did get us to the ground before the kick-off. But what should have been a great day was ruined for me before it had even started. Mortified and embarrassed, in truth I can remember little of what happened on the pitch on the biggest day in Leek Town’s history. Who knows, it may happen again one day. But one thing is for sure, if it does I won’t be in charge of any travel arrangements.

ROB COTTERILL