MATCH PREVIEW: Déjà vu for Reserves

The new season will see a return to Lancashire League football for Workington, five and half years after their previous game at that level.

Reds were accepted into the Lancashire U23 League in the summer and start their second spell with a home game against Turton at Borough Park on Thursday (8pm).

The club were members of the league for seventeen consecutive seasons until February, 2020, when a game at Hyde United proved to be their final fixture at that level. Following the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, the League was suspended and, because of the ongoing uncertainty, several clubs, including ourselves, resigned.

Workington’s back-up squad then became members of the County League and spent four seasons under their banner before joining the JPL last term.

Reds will continue to play in the JPL (Saturday football) as well as the predominantly mid-week U23 competition with home games, apart from the opener, played on a Wednesday evening.

Opponents for the new season will include: Ashton Town, Croston Sports, Fleetwood Town, Kendal Town, Lancaster City, Macclesfield, Squires Gate, Turton and Winstanley Warriors.

Carl Short

The Reds squad, under the supervision of Craig Johnston and Carl Short, will include many of last season’s JPL squad, several players who have come through the Reds system and possibly some of the first team group who haven’t had much game time in recent weeks.