BOROUGH PARK MEMORIES: Play-offs glory in 2005
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
The Unibond League Premier Division Promotion Play-off Final of 2004-05 will be a treasured memory for all Workington supporters, long after the controversy at the end of that season has been forgotten.
It ended in glory for Reds with promotion to Conference North obtained after a dramatic penalty shoot-out decider against Farsley Celtic. But we cannot tell the promotion story without giving mention to the unbelievable mess that surrounded the NPL Premier Division at the end of that campaign.
In the interests of fairness, we have to point out that Workington lost their final home game of the regular season (1-2 v. Whitby Town) and that was our last chance to win the title outright. Worst case scenario would be a place in the play-offs.
But that is when the balloon went up in one of the most bizarre endings to a season since the league’s formation in 1968.
Spennymoor United folded before the end of the season, tendering their resignation after thirty-three games. They failed to fulfil nine of their fixtures, a situation that created repercussions across the game at our level.
The NPL Board met on 24 April to consider how these un-played games would be treated, in the interests of fairness to all Premier Division member clubs. It was decided to expunge the record of Spennymoor United which, on first assumption, would seem to be the right decision.
However, Gateshead, Radcliffe Borough, Hyde United and ourselves appealed on the basis of the meeting not having a quorum.
An emergency Board meeting was held a week later and the League confirmed their decision to expunge Spennymoor’s record. The meeting was held the day after the final round of fixtures when Workington finished first, Hyde United second and Farsley Celtic third.
Had Spennymoor’s record been deleted, Farsley would have been champions (it was reported that the Yorkshire club actually celebrated their ‘title success’), Hyde would have been second and Workington third.
The four clubs who appealed the original decision, including ourselves, followed up their complaint and the upshot was that the League’s decision was overturned by the FA. They ‘reinstated’ Spennymoor’s record and, in addition, awarded each of the teams, with outstanding fixtures against the County Durham club, three points (no goals for or against).
The outcome was probably fair on Hyde United but Farsley, who thought they had won the title, had to settle for the play-offs, Burscough were in the play-offs but dropped out and Prescot Cables, out of the equation altogether, jumped into the play-offs after being awarded ‘six points’ having not played Spennymoor at all.
Three league tables were produced with Reds’ 3rd (after Spennymoor’s record had been expunged), 1st (without Spennymoor’s record being deleted) and 2nd in the one that counted (after points had been awarded to the clubs still to face Spennymoor).
If you don’t understand the politics of that little fiasco, the delayed play-offs got football matters back on the grass, where football issues should be decided.
So, two weeks after the regular season had ended, the play-off matches commenced.
Workington got the better of Prescot Cables in the first semi-final with Will Varty, Craig Johnston and Graham Goulding scoring the goals in a 3-1 victory. Farsley Celtic emerged 1-0 winners in the other tie versus Whitby Town.
As the higher-placed club, Reds hosted Farsley Celtic at Borough Park on Tuesday 17th May, 2005 in the NPL Premier Division promotion play-off final, twenty-eight years on from the day of our last Football League game at Newport County.
In the regular season, Reds had won 2-0 at Farsley but, in the return at Borough Park, it was Celtic who emerged 2-1 winners. Predicting the outcome of the play-off decider, therefore, was not easy and the anxiety, ultimate drama and elation went on long into the night.
Reds just shaded the first ninety minutes, it was more even throughout extra time but it was still goalless after 120 minutes.
The reward of promotion would be determined after a penalty shoot-out with the penalties taken at the Town End of the ground.
Celtic took the first spot-kick and scored through Mark Bett, Craig Johnston was first to go for Reds and he converted (1-1).
Andy Shields scored with his kick to put Celtic back in front but Graham Goulding had his effort saved by the visiting ‘keeper (1-2).
Adam Collin restored Reds’ belief by saving Carl Serrant’s penalty and Marc Green’s trusted left foot restored parity (2-2).
Collin then thwarted Michael Midwood with another fine save but Mark Eccles missed the target altogether (2-2).
Roy Stamer netted to put Celtic back in front only for Gary Cohen to hit the net with his effort (3-3).
Celtic scored with their next kick, via Martin Pemberton, but Reds were coping with the pressure of going second and Kyle May converted his (4-4).
James McDaid stepped up and scored but Will Varty followed suit and netted for Reds (5-5).
Hero Collin then saved his third spot-kick to deny Curtis Bernard and the tension went up a few notches as David Hewson prepared to take the sixteenth penalty of a protracted evening and he scored……(6-5).
Reds were winners on the night and promoted to Conference North for the first time - via the play-offs.
After all the stress of appealing and drama leading up to the play-offs, what a brilliant way for chairman, Dale Brotherton to celebrate a birthday.
What a brilliant night for Tommy Cassidy, his assistant, Kenny Brown, and physiotherapist, Gareth Livingstone. A superb night for the players in their fiftieth game of the season, an unforgettable night for the 1,725 spectators who had passed through the turnstiles.
An unforgettable night for the many people associated with Workington Football Club but let’s salute those who pulled on the shirt that night:
Adam Collin, Will Varty, Mark Green, Kyle May, skipper Alan Gray, Matt Henney, Craig Johnston, Gary Cohen, Graham Goulding, Mark Eccles, John Wharton, Michael Farrer and Steve Archibald.
A wonderful occasion and another treasured Borough Park memory.
Farsley Celtic were promoted, via the play-offs, the following season.
