FC United ready for season opener - a trip to Chorley: Match preview.

Another season is now upon us and FC United begin their second season in the Vanarama National League North with the short trip to Chorley on Saturday 6th August.

Another season is now upon us and FC United begin their second season in the Vanarama National League North with the short trip to Chorley on Saturday afternoon. Craig Phillips provides this preview...

After a slow start to our pre-season campaign the Reds picked up momentum and most importantly the performances on the field to pick up four victories in their last five pre-season games. The sole blotch on the record being the 3-0 home loss to Rochdale last Saturday.

But the season starts quickly with next weekend’s home game being moved to a Friday, the Reds will play three games in less than a week and start it all off against a familiar foe, that we have a good record against in Chorley FC.

The Reds and the Magpies have met sixteen times in competitive meetings with FC winning nine of those games with four wins to Chorley and three draws between the two.

One of those Chorley victories came in this very fixture last season as the Magpies ran out clear 3-0 winners in an early season meeting between the two teams at Victory Park. Before that defeat FC had actually gone five consecutive visits to victory park without a defeat (four wins and one draw) which included an amazing 3-3 draw in the FA Trophy in 2015.

Tom Greaves seemingly enjoys playing Chorley having netted five times in against them since becoming an FC player.

The Magpies had a solid season last year finishing in 8th place with 63 points from their 42 games, which was ten points and five places better than ourselves. They conceded 55 goals last season, which was the second highest of any team in the top half of the league (Boston United had the highest with 60 conceded) but they were the highest scorers of teams outside of the top seven with 64 goals scored.

Off the field the club had a good season as well with an average home attendance of over 1,300 for the second consecutive season, an amazing achievement considering that ten years earlier that figure was just 195.

Manager Matt Jansen has tried some unusual training methods in the build up to this campaign and in a bid to toughen his side for the coming season they took part in training sessions at former British welterweight boxing champion Michael Jennings’ gym in the town.

The away fans will no doubt have a good reception for both Sam Ashton and Jake Cottrell who made a combined 413 appearances for FC between 2006 and 2013. Ashton still remains 4th on the all-time FC appearance list with his 231 games for the club.

Chorley FC were initially founded in 1875 as a Rugby Union club before switching to Association Football in 1883.

During that long history the club has had two notable runs in the FA Cup, reaching the second round proper in both the 1986-87 and 1990-91 seasons, as well as a run all the way to the semi-finals of the FA Trophy in 1996.

They have won the Northern Premier League on two occasions. Firstly, in the 1987-88 season and then they were worthy champions when pipping us to the post by just one point in the 2013-14 season, winning promotion to the National League North as well as the title.

Current manager Matt Jansen took over the job at the start of last season and the former Blackburn Rovers and England under 21 forward will be looking for the Magpies to build on their strong showing last season.

Saturday’s game is the usual 3.00pm kick off, with the fixture being free of segregation and also pay on the gate (full match details below). So get yourself to that football ground and cheer the Reds on.

PAST MEETINGS (Vs. Chorley FC)

P 16 W 9 D 3 L 4 F 25 A 18 GD +7

Last five meetings

26/03/16 NLN (Home) 2-0 Wright, D. Johnson
18/08/15 NLN (Away) 0-3
13/01/15 FAT (Home) 1-0 Greaves
10/01/15 FAT (Away) 3-3 Greaves (2), Wolfenden
08/04/14 NPL (Home) 2-2 Raglan, Greaves


Chorley Form (Last 5 games) LDDWW

30/7 Bamber Bridge (away) 2-1 FR
27/7 Bolton Wanderers (home) 6-1 FR
23/7 Trafford (away) 1-1 FR
20/7 Wigan Athletic (home) 0-0 FR
16/7 Airbus UK (home) 1-2 FR

League Position (Last Season) – 8th
Top Scorer (Pre-season) – Sefton Gonzales (6 goals).