AFC Alsager’s senior football team is seeing double after being crowned league and cup winners within two days.
Having become the champions of Staffordshire County Senior Football League’s Men Unite Premier Division on Wednesday, The Swans took home the Leek Cup on Friday after beating Audley and District FC 2-0 at Leek Town’s ground.
General manager Jim Phillips was full of praise for the players, whose home ground is Alsager Sports Hub, saying their years together at nearby Alsager School helped them bond into a winning outfit.
“The team has been fantastic this year. The lads are all local and were all together at Alsager School, so the team is very local to the community,” said Mr Phillips.
This was their seventh season in the Staffordshire County League, and they were only promoted to the Premier Division at the end of last season having narrowly missed out a top spot finish.
“Four the last four seasons we’ve really excelled and started to get a good group of local lads. Mark Lawton, our manager for the last four years, has taken the team to the next level,” Mr Phillips added.
The goal in the years to come is to move in to the North West Counties Football League, where Alsager Town FC (not connected with AFC Alsager) Sandbach United and Congleton Town play.
However, if that was to happen, the team would in all likelihood have to find a larger ground to comply with regulations.
AFC Alsager completed the double under the floodlights on Friday evening at Leek Town’s new all-weather pitch at Harrison Park in front of 400 spectators.
On the scoresheet for the Swans were captain Harry Livingstone and man of the match Fin Pattison, (18).
The team lifted the cup just two days after being crowned league champions after thrashing Abbey Hulton 11-2 at Alsager Sports Hub in their final league game of the season.
They finished top with 79 points, three clear of Brereton Social FC in second place.
Mr Phillips said: “We were very disappointed having missed out on being champions last season, finishing second after missing out by one point, so went one better this season.
“This success means a lot to this group of young local lads. They are getting the success they deserve.”
Last August, before the season kicked off, a group of volunteers from AFC Alsager put up the barriers around the Alsager Sports Hub pitch – the home ground of the club’s first team.
It followed promotion to the Staffs County Premier Division and the spectator barriers and fixed dugouts were necessary to comply with league regulations.
(Photos: AFC Alsager).
