On this day – 29 April
A look through the archives to see what was happening to Reds on 29 April in previous years……..
Eighty five years ago today, 1935 in fact, Workington played in their first North Eastern League Challenge Cup Final at Lonsdale Park. Standing between them and glory was Middlesbrough Reserves who were League Champions that year.
To reach the final, Reds had won at Carlisle United Reserves and then got the better of League runners-up, Sunderland Reserves, but Boro were expected to win at Workington and complete a league and cup double.
But, with the backing of a 5,000 plus crowd, Reds lifted the trophy with Tom Grant scoring twice in a 2-1 victory.
We had also played Boro on this day two years earlier in the league and lost 7-4 on that occasion!
Arnold Timmins scored on his debut for Reds back in 1961but it was in vain as we lost 2-1 at Wrexham and another defeat in Wales, seven years later, saw Tommy Spencer net his first Workington goal, again in a 2-1loss, at Newport County.
Our 1967 clash against Doncaster Rovers was between two relegated clubs with Reds (24th in Division Three) hosting a Rovers side immediately above us.
Peter Foley (pictured) scored in the 3-1 victory to finish as Reds’ top scorer with another Scot, George McLean, and local lad Brian Tinnion also amongst the goals. The win actually saw Reds leap-frog Rovers but we returned to the foot of the table after subsequent defeats.
But George Aitken’s team finished with a flourish at the end of ’71-72 campaign and a 3-0 home win over promoted Brentford helped us cement 6th place.
Dave Irving netted twice on the final day with Jimmy Goodfellow (both pictured with the manager), also on target.
There hasn’t been much cheer since that win over Brentford with Reds losing NPL fixtures during the seventies, eighties and nineties.
We were second best in our Sunday match at Northwich Victoria in 1979 and Neil McDonald’s late goal was one of consolation in a 2-1 defeat. Vics were a force in those days and well supported, the gate – an impressive 1,373.
Reds were in the same part of the world on this day in 1989, too, and returned home pointless after a 3-2 reverse at Winsford United. Our trio of Barrow based players – Lee Copeland, Mark Arrowsmith and Andy Forbes – all made notable contributions, though.
Lee saved one of two penalty kicks he faced whilst the other two scored Reds’ goals with Andy (pictured) netting his first for the club.
Keith Glover was sent off in the game at Winsford and had another disappointing 29 April in 1995 – seeing his well struck penalty saved by Steve Berryman in a 1-0 home loss to Bamber Bridge.
Our only gain on NPL duty was a hard earned point in 2000, following a goalless draw at Chorley.
Reds solitary Conference outing on this day was back in 2006 and a first ever visit to Kettering Town’s old Rockingham Road ground. Skipper Steve Birks scored our goal in a 2-1 defeat as Town finished in 6th position and Tommy Cassidy’s side just below mid-table.
