Quite a story for Leyland in 2010
A Family
Affair: David and Andrew Makinson celebrate a year to
remember |
BBC Radio Lancashire presenter Dave Swanton is a
man of many parts. As well as presenting an award winning
programme 'Sounds Like A Saturday Night' on the airwaves
between 8pm and 10pm each Saturday evening 'Swanny' is also
the highly regarded Media Manager at Sale Sharks and writes a
weekly column in the Chorley & Leyland Guardian entitled
'Swanny's World'.
Swanny was a teenaged scorer with Leyland
Cricket Club and later also played for the club, reaching what
he describes as the 'dizzy heights' of one game for Leyland
2nd XI at Morecambe before playing for and captaining Gregson
Lane CC for many years. He also played in the FA Cup for
Leyland Motors FC, wrote a best-selling biography of Jason
Robinson, a superb history of Central Park and was a
long-standing sports reporter for Red Rose Radio on football,
cricket and speedway and later worked for Wigan Warriors and
Warrington Wolves before joining Sale over a decade ago.
Resident in Clayton-le-Woods Swanny's weekly
column is a 'must read' for local sports enthusiasts as he
often reflects on a long involvement in sport, and this week's
really caught the eye. Swanny's World is reproduced courtesy
of Chorley & Leyland Guardian Editor Chris Maguire:
While watching the BBC Sports Personality of the
Year award last weekend I got to thinking just how much I
admired David Makinson for all he has achieved for cricket in
Leyland.Makinson was once a tearaway fast bowler from
Eccleston who moved to Leyland, won a Northern League
championship in 1981 and then was taken on by the county.He
was on the staff at Old Trafford for several seasons and more
than adjusted to life in county cricket, not only with the
ball. I remember the first county game to be staged at Lytham
when David smashed David Capel for several sixes- seven or
eight off memory as he made 58not out late in the order.
A series of injuries, notably one while playing
out in Australia, reduced Makinson's chances of really
establishing himself at Old Trafford and, pragmatist that he
is, he decided to return to the leagues and pursue a career as
a teacher.Since the late '80s David has been a bedrock of
cricket in Leyland, playing many years as a highly successful
professional and later amateur at Leyland Motors until the
club was forced to fold after the 2006 season when they lost
their ground. One day someone will write the story about that
sad chapter in Leyland's sporting heritage.
With Leyland Cricket Club on their uppers and
some elements of the club even contemplating withdrawing from
the Northern League and joining the Palace Shield Makinson was
heavily involved in talks that culminated in the two clubs
merging and playing as a joint entity. The rest, as they say,
is history and four seasons after Leyland finished rock bottom
of the Northern League and Motors folded the unified club won
the Northern League title in 2010 with Makinson the
inspirational captain and his son Andrew a key player. Quite a
story.
Double
Top- Leyland's Northern League championship-winning
sides |
But that's only part of the tale. For the Second
XI won the Northern League Division Two title, Leyland's Third
and Fourth XIs their leagues in the Palace Shield. To top it
off the two Sunday teams were champions of their respective
divisions in the West Lancashire League.
The joy of
being a championship winner |
The story of a remarkable season is vividly
brought to life in a wonderful book Double Top by Mike Latham
and Ian Farrington which focuses on Leyland's double Northern
League titles but has extensive coverage of the other sides.
Packed full of great reports, photos, features and statistics
it is my Sports Book of the Year and is available from Ian
Farrington (i.a.farrington@btinternet.com) at £15. A limited
edition of only 150 have been printed so hurry while stocks
last.
And as for my Sports Personality of the Year,
that's easy. David Makinson. They should erect a statue of him
in Leyland Town Centre. He's the ultimate local hero.
Dave
Swanton |
