@AYCLIFFETODAY
NAFC’S PRE-SEASON
PROGRAMME
Sat 12th July
Athersley Recreation (a) 2pm
Sat 26th July
Northallerton Town (h) 3pm
Wed 16th July
Seaton Carew (a) 7pm
Wed 30th July
Darlington RA (h) 7.30pm
Sat 19th July
Heaton Stannington (a) 3pm
Sat 2nd August
Athersley Recreation (h) 2pm
Thurs 24th July
Tow Law Town (a) 7.30pm
Sat 9th August
start of 2014-15 season
campaign, and says he wants to
capture Aycliffe public’s imagination
again.
“We’d like to get more people
interested in the club, more people
coming to watch,” said the former
Darlington striker.
“We’re going to bring more youth
into the squad and we’re going to try
to play the right way.
“The aim is to bring the fans back by
playing attractive football.
“The football club is important to
the town. We strived to have one for
years and years and, for whatever
reason, it never happened.
“But when we took off, the
interest in the club was
great, and I think we’ve
got to try to get back to
that again.
“We
need
to
draw people in.
Whether it’s kids
from
schools,
more people from
the local community, just
to get more through the
gates.”
Aycliffe finished 18th
in the first division last
season, a comfortable 12
points and three places
above the relegation
zone.
Mellanby is setting no
targets for his maiden
campaign
which
starts this August attractive football with
a young team of local talent being the
only ambition - but he admits it’s a big
ask to compete against other nonleague heavyweights who have much
deeper pockets; the likes of West
Auckland, Shildon, Bishop Auckland
and Whitley Bay.
Mellanby added: “We’re competing
against teams who have massive
budgets, and we don’t have a massive
budget!
“So it’s a great achievement to stay
in the top flight for three years
and to be an established first
division team.
“Hopefully now we can carry
on that good work with the
support of the
town.”
Newton
Aycliffe
always need volunteers
to help run the club.
To get involved, call
Secretary Steve Cunliffe
on 07872985501 or email
stecunliffe@aol.com
To get involved in corporate
sponsorship or hospitality, call
Paul McGeary on 07703 732342 or
email mcgearypaul@hotmail.co.uk
AYCLIFFE CRICKET
UPDATE with Lee Weldon
The cricket season started
several weeks ago and, in amongst
all of the rain, the club’s first team
have hit the ground running in their
first season in the NYSD second
division.
The new recruits have settled
into the side well and have already
made their mark.
All-rounder
Matty
Atkinson
became only the sixth ever
Aycliffe first team player to take
five wickets and score a half a
century in the same match, during
their recent 61-run victory against
Darlington.
Fast bowler Colin Myers also
played his part in the team’s
good start to the season when he
took six for 46 in a winning draw
against Stokesley.
The club’s second team is one of
the youngest teams in the league
and regularly plays games with six
or seven juniors in the side. They,
too, have had an encouraging
start to the season and recorded
their first ever win in the NYSD
third division when they recently
defeated Bishop Auckland by 36
runs.
The junior teams have also
started the season well with
the under 13’s side recording a
club record 105-run win away at
Darlington RA.
The junior section continues to
thrive at the Cricket Club and we
now have over 50 members, from
the age range seven to 17, which
bodes well for the future of the
club.
Anyone
wanting
more
information can contact me on
07759 754959.
Lee Weldon
Secretary, Aycliffe Cricket Club