I have many happy memories of watching Latics in the Lancashire Combination, Cheshire League and Northern Premier League.

One special recollection was beating Doncaster at Springfield Park in an FA Cup replay.  It was in the afternoon on a freezing cold day.  Harry Lyon went off on a stretcher, but came back on to score a hat-trick after being given a stiff whisky and the cold sponge treatment. I looked forward to watching his goals on Look North that evening but no!

It was so cold the BBC cameraman had been brought off the roof of the stand at half time because he was too cold to continue and so it wasn't recorded! 

As I was working at Leyland Motors during the non-league era I had to contend with taunts from fans of Preston North End, Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers as we faced local derbies with the likes of Chorley.

I used to say: "One of these days....." and they would laugh.  But now we are in the Premiership on a par with Bolton and Blackburn and a division above Preston.  Roll on Europe!

Dave Jones