On This Day – 5th September

On this day in 1945, Manchester City were the visitors in the Lancashire Senior Cup 1st Round first leg, at Haig Avenue in front of 4,000 spectators.

Despite falling behind to an early goal, they fought back to win 3-2, despite Jimmy Gemmell firing over the bar from a penalty kick.

SOUTHPORT 3 – 2 MANCHESTER CITY 

Competition: Lancashire Senior Cup / 1 1L
Date: 05/09/1945
Attendance: 4000

Southport Line-Up: Wilf Birkett, George Brown, Laurie Kelly, Jimmy Gemmell, Ned Taylor, Kenny Banks, Joe Simpkin, Tony Bond, George Oakes, Archie Coats, Charlie Underhill  
Goals: Tony Bond, Tony Bond, Kenny Banks

For more information about this season please see the season summary

On this day in 2017, the club website announces that Phil Hodgkinson had joined the board of directors. The Sandgrounders had made an excellent start to the league campaign with 4-0 home win against Boston and followed it up with 3 further wins, 2 draws and only 1 defeat (to eventual champions Salford City). 

Southport FC are pleased to announce that Phil Hodgkinson will be joining the Board of the club and will be making an investment of £125,000.

Phil is the owner of PURE Business Group Limited, a multi disciplined Legal Services business based in Prescot, Liverpool & York.

Phil Hodgkinson said “My wish to invest and be involved at Southport FC has been well documented in recent months and I would firstly like to place on record my sincere thanks to those who have supported me in achieving that.

I would also like to thank James and the Board of Directors, who, despite initial impasses on both sides, had the forethought to extend the olive branch and begin formal discussions, to take us to the point we have reached today.

Our discussions have been both frank and honest and we have laid to rest any issues we have had in recent months. I am entirely satisfied we will move forward as a new Board without any involvement from the directors who departed the club at the end of the last season. This is a new Southport FC and we intend to demonstrate that to the supporters and the town.

One thing that became apparent in all of our meetings was that we all had some very firm and common ground, and that is that we all want to take Southport Football Club forward in a manner that has not been witnessed in decades.

I am excited to join the Board of this famous club, and bring all of my skills, attributes, drive, ambition and enthusiasm to complement the skills and abilities which the current board already bring.

The Board and I are committed to give the fans and town a team and club to be proud of for many years to come, and take the club to places it has long since forgotten.

We have a re-engagement process to embark upon with fans, the local population and businesses, and we as a Board look forward to beginning that process immediately with earnest.

I ask and urge all fans that have stayed away or become disenchanted over recent years to return to Haig Avenue in numbers, because the Board and I guarantee that we are going to do our utmost to take you all on a journey over the coming years that everybody will want to be part of, and most importantly, proud of.”

James Treadwell said “The Board and I would like to formally welcome Phil to the club. We have been engaged in discussion for a number of weeks, and it has become clear that Phil will work well with the current Board. He has a significant amount to offer the club in many areas, complimenting and strengthening what we already have at Board level. Phil’s passion for football and his determination to take Southport forward with us stood out, and we are delighted he has agreed to join our Board.

We want everybody to unite now and support the club. After a great start to the season, we have earmarked funds to strengthen the squad, and Phil is working with the Management team and myself really hard to assist with that. We hope to have some exciting announcements in the coming days, which will further demonstrate our intentions for the football club.

There will be a ‘meet the board’ meeting before the end of September, along with a meet the manager and members of the playing squad, and we look forward to welcoming supporters and answering their questions during the evening.

The Board have also agreed on the importance of having a formal long term plan for the football club, and also sharing that plan with the fans. We will be working on finalising that plan in the coming weeks, and at the appropriate time, presenting it to the fans, the town and local businesses.

At this time the Board feels that we have sufficient Shareholders, however, that does not close the door on future additions and investment.

Moving forward,as a Board we will continually strive to strengthen links with the fans of this our Club, and the Board will at the earliest opportunity be discussing the question of supporter representation at Board level.

It is now time for us all to come together as one, and take Southport Football Club forward as one cohesive unit, Fans, Players, Management and Directors.

Southport FC is about to embark upon the most exciting chapter in its history, and we want you to be part of it with us.”

Despite the air of optimism the Sandgrounders capitulate and find themselves on the wrong end of a 6-0 scoreline, which is quickly followed up by 4 consecutive defeats. It is a dramatic down-turn in form and, in desperate defence, Alan Lewer uses a post-match interview to state that future signings will be made by him. With Hodgkinson so critical of Wright and Lewer’s appointments prior to joining the board, it came as little surprise that there would be friction once the pair reported into him. It was a comment which confirmed to many that the writing was on the wall and by the end of September the short reign of Lewer and Wright was over. 

For more information about this season please see the season summary

Players Born On This Day

Players Who Died On This Day

No players died on this day in history

Transfers on this Day