Understanding The Why

AFC Liverpool  2  Northwich Victoria  4

North West Counties League – Premier Division

I don’t buy the old military adage of “Don’t ask why, just do it!”

What’s the point in asking someone to do something if they have no idea why they are doing it?

It’s something I’m starting to see in the workplace more and more, management training is all about getting our employees to ‘understand the why’, because then you get knowledge, buy in, commitment and in theory, an improved output.

The other problem of course when people don’t understand the why, is that they start to formulate their own views as to why something his happening, or needs to be done, and invariably they arrive at the wrong conclusion. Usually a negative conclusion.

I understood the why when it came to FC United of Manchester, it was all about the ownership of the club, and I also over time saw what the club became as it rose up the pyramid. The club have reached a point where it is having to adopt a more business like approach, which for some is a move away from the clubs ethos. The dream and the reality can be quite a distance apart, still, if the fans are fed up they can always go to Salford City, it looks more fun at the minute!

The College Road Stand

When AFC Liverpool came onto the scene, I’ll be honest ,I didn’t really look into the why, I just assumed they’d taken a look at the Amercan owners of Liverpool FC, looked at FC United and thought, ‘we can do that’. I was very wrong, my bad.

AFC Liverpool were formed in 2008 by 1000 Liverpool fans who were getting increasingly frustrated at both the availability and cost of tickets for games at Anfield. Add to that the debate at the time around the 39^th game overseas, it was kind of the final straw.

Radio Merseyside commentator Alan Parry became the clubs spokesman, and he recounted how in 1985 a season ticket for the Kop would cost forty five quid. In 2008 it was six hundred and fifty quid, but if the normal principles of inflation were to apply, it should only be around a hundred quid.

Furthermore, the formation of AFC Liverpool was not meant to be seen as an anti-Liverpool FC thing, they wanted to be looked upon as the ‘little brother’, indeed supporting many of the things the Anfield Road club supported, such as ‘Justice For The 96’ and the ‘Don’t Buy The Sun’ campaign.

One problem non-league football in Liverpool faces is availability of grounds. Going back to the early Eighties, you had two senior clubs in the City, Marine in the North and South Liverpool in the South. South Liverpool succumbed to vandalism, while Huyton based Knowsley United came and went in Nineties, however, support was minimal.

Terracing

Prescot Cables, who were to be AFC’s first landlords, appeared on the scene, while in recent seasons the likes of Bootle and Litherland REMYCA have made it to Step 6, as have City of Liverpool FC, but more on that later.

AFC have now moved from Prescot to Marine, and having not been to Rossett Park since 2001, it fell perfectly as I was staying in the North West prior to a Conference, where I was due to stand up and talk to people -  about the why!

I love Rossett Park, even if it was a complete nightmare to get to from Sheffield, the A57 was rubbish, the M60 up to the M62 even worse. The East Lancashire Road gave little respite, but the good news was that the M58 was perfect and with the glow from Anfield in the distance (they were playing Maribor) I soon made up time and arrived half an hour before kick off.

It hasn’t changed much, the new stand behind the goal is the focal point, one side is still inaccessible, while the opposite side is hemmed in tight to the houses via a lengthy covered area of terracing. Behind the opposite goal is some open terracing. The clubhouse was how I remembered it, as was the tea bar, with the press cuttings and memorabilia all over the walls.

Players Warm Up Under The Crosby Night Sky

The club were very friendly, 123 turned up to watch and I must admit to being both surprised and impressed by the size of the following from fallen giants Northwich. I thought pretty much all of the fan based had moved over to support 1874, but maybe that’s not the case?

As for the game, AFC controlled the first half and took the lead through a Calum Smith effort from twenty yards which looped past Michael Donlon in the Vic goal.

A mistake let in Brian Matthews just after half time to equalise, but another mistake, this time from Vics, let in Joe Whittington who finished well to make it 2-1.

It all went horribly wrong for AFC after that, Jason Hart bundled over to make it 2-2, and then a dominant Vics took the lead through Jason Hart who curled the ball home from distance. The fourth goal arrived when a scruffy shot from Jordan Grant crept in at the post.

No Room To Wander Down The Dugout Side

It had been a disappointing evening for AFC, but they had to get their chins up for the big game on Saturday, away at City of Liverpool, a club I know very little about, but I’m not going to pre-judge or pass comment, because at this stage I don’t know the why.

What I do know is that AFC Liverpool have a reason, a very good reason to exist, it’s just a shame a few more didn’t extricate themselves from in front of the Champions League and have a wander out to watch them. It’s not a bad night out at Rossett Park, Crosby, there's plenty worse places you could be.

The Narrow Terracing Backing Onto The Gardens