ALTRINCHAM FC PLAYERS OF 1986/87

From the Telford v Altrincham programme, 6 December 1986.

PEN PICTURES - ALTRINCHAM F.C.

  • JEFF WEALANDS - Made over 400 Football League appearances before joining Altrincham in August 1985. He was an apprentice with Wolverhampton Wanderers before making his League debut for his home town club Darlington. He enjoyed long spells with both Hull City and Birmingham City before joining Manchester United, initially on loan in February 1983. While at Old Trafford he also played on loan for Oldham Athletic and Preston North End before signing for Altrincham.

  • MI KE FARRELLY - A Manchester born midfield player or defender, Mike was spotted playing schools football by Preston North End and is a former England schoolboy international. He spent four years at Preston, making over 100 first team appearances before joining Altrincham in August 1985. He captained the side on several occasions last season and scored the only goal of the game in last season's F.A. Trophy final at Wembley.

  • PAUL EDWARDS - After a spell as a junior with Tranmere Rovers, Paul joined Multipart League club Marine where he won the supporters' Player of the Year award three times in four seasons. He appeared in two League Cup-finals at Maine Road, one of them on the winning side, and in Marine's Liverpool Senior Cup winning side. Joined Altrincham in the close season.

  • PAUL CUDDY - A 27 year old who joined Altrincham from Chorley in October 1981 and went on to appear in the "Robins" F .A. Trophy final side at Wembley later that season, making his second Wembley appearance for the Club last season. He earned the Club's Supporters Association's Player of the Year award in 1984-85 and has been a member of the provisional squad for the England semi-professional International squad in the last two seasons. He had played for a number of Lancashire clubs before joining Rochdale, where he made one League appearance and then moved on to Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers. He spent two and a half seasons with Chorley before joining Altrincham.

  • BOBBY FRASER - After playing for both Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers as a youth team player, Bobby has spent much of his non-League career under the management of John Williams, first at Porthmadog, then at Winsford United where he won Cheshire League representative honours, thirdly at R uncorn and now at Altrincham who he joined in the close season. Bobby has also played for Skelmersdale United, Marine and Holyhead.

  • GRAHAM JON ES - 27 year old Graham made his Football League debut for Luton Town at the age of 16 and completed 39 appearances for them before playing for Torquay United. (110 League games, 5 goals) and Stockport County (35 games, 2 goals). He then spent two years at Runcorn before joining Altrincham in the close season.

  • STEWART HAMILL - A 26 year old Glasgow born winger who can also play in midfield, he started his English soccer career with Leicester City and later joined Kettering Town before moving on to Nuneaton Borough then Northampton Town. He was signed by Altrincham in September after playing in the summer for Finnish side IF K Mariehamn.

  • RONNIE ELLIS - Began his career in the Cheshire League with Burscough and then Winsford United before moving into the Alliance Premier League with R uncorn under the management of John Williams. He signed for Altrincham near the end of the 1982-83 season, since then he has been a regular in the side. He scored some vital goals for the "Robins" last season, including one in the F.A. Cup third· round victory at First Division Birmingham City, and another in the F.A. Trophy semi-final 2nd leg against Enfield.

  • PAUL REID - Ended his first season with Altrincham with his third Wembley appearance in an F.A. Trophy final in four seasons after signing from Northwich Victoria in August 1985. Paul came to prominence with Nantwich Town where he scored 46 goals in 82 games before joining Northwich at the end of Town's Cheshire League championship winning season 1980-81.Born in Liverpool, 28 year old Reid was Altrincham's top scorer last season.

  • GARY ANDERSON - A Liverpool born midfield player with an eye for goal who spent two seasons with Altrincham before joining South Liverpool at the start of the 1983-84 season. He played an important role in South's best ever Northern Premier League season, winning medals in three cup finals before returning to AItrincham in August 1984. Last season brought his best goals total so far for the Robins (13), including the winner in Altrincham's F.A. Cup 2nd Round tie at Blackpool.

  • PHIL GARDNER - A 24 year old Liverpool born player who joined Everton while still at school and played in their youth and 'A' teams before joining Altrincham in October 1981 since when he has been one of the most consistent members of the side. He won his first medal at the end of that season, in a Cheshire Senior Cup final in which Phil scored the only goal, and he added another medal against Runcorn in last season's F.A. Trophy final, having missed the Robins' Wembley appearance in 1982.

  • JOHN TIMMONS - John first came to prominence with Manchester League champions, Maine Road, from where he moved into the Multipart League with Hyde United. He topped Hyde's scorers in both his seasons with them and was another to sign for Aitrincham in the close season.