On this day – 17 April
A look through the archives to see what was happening to Reds on 17 April in years gone by………
The 17 April, 1999 was a rather special day for Grant Holt who, days after celebrating his 18th birthday, became the youngest player in the club’s history to score a hat-trick. And that tremendous moment, in what became a distinguished career, was achieved after being introduced to the game as a substitute!
Reds were closing-in on the North West Counties League title and hosting Cheadle Town at Borough Park. During the first half, Paul Stewart sustained an injury and his replacement was young Holty (pictured).
He scored his first goal on the stroke of half time, netted another on the hour mark and completed his feat in the 85th minute as the team cantered to a 6-1 win, the best of that memorable campaign.
The in-form Darren Wilson scored twice and Mathew Henney also got in on the act but it was Grant’s day.
In more recent times, we have enjoyed hard fought away wins on this day and one of those was in 2017, a 1-0 success at Nantwich Town becoming our 25th success in the league and secured by a firm Jack Ryan header just before the interval.
And ten years ago, a 2-1 victory at Solihull Moors guaranteed us a place in the Conference North play-offs. We had gone a goal behind at Damson Park but Phil McLuckie equalised and Dan Shannon netted the decider to secure a sixth consecutive away win.
Four years earlier we were home to Moor Green who became Solihull Moors in 2007 following amalgamation. It was a sorry day, though, and the players faced a dressing room inquest after a 4-1 defeat despite Steve Birks equalising during the first half.
Simon Tucker (pictured) will never forget the goal he scored, for Workington, at Kidsgrove Athletic in 2004. It was a wonderful, deliberate strike from the half-way line (as it angled with the touchline) and measured afterwards as sixty yards. It wasn’t the winner but helped us obtain a point in a1-1 draw.
Macclesfield Town were regular opponents over ten seasons in the seventies and eighties and we often finished above them in the ‘one division’ NPL.
Our best win at Moss Rose was the 3-0 success in 1982 when second half goals from John Reach, Barry Diamond and Martin Harris helped us complete a league double. Indeed, it was actually a treble as we also won on their patch in a League Cup tie. There wasn’t much joy during our Football League matches on the 17th although we did win at Grimsby Town back in 1965 thanks to Dave Butler’s first goal for the club.
