PROGRAMME OF THE WEEK with MARK JONES

After their expulsion from the English game, the CA season had kicked off for Mark Ferguson's side three days earlier in the incongruous surrounds of Knighton Town's ground, a far cry from the Northern Premier League stadia Rhyl had competed in the previous season but the minnows were despatched 4-0 and the Lilies also swept Ruthin aside to make it a flying start in their new, unfamiliar, surroundings.

Rhyl kept faith with their programme style of the previous season, a neat black-on-blue cover around 28 white inner pages that were never going to win awards for artistic merit but were functional and informative.

Features included manager's note by Fergie, the stalwart Dave Smith (god, how I miss his old programme shop of the early-mid 70s, what a treasure trove!) chipped in with several pieces of editorial, a quiz, fixtures, press comment from Tony Coates, reserve team news, etc, although there was no line-up for Ruthin given, but donning the white shirts that night were Grant Lichfield, Dave Norman, Rob Jones, Chris Espley, Gary Griffiths, Steve Kelly, Scott Taylor, Lee Congerton, Ian McMullen, Tony Lee, Adie Jones, Paul Marriott and Dave Roberts, also named as squad men were Ian St John (!) and Justin Jones.

There had been a lot of change behind the scenes at Belle Vue that close season - Southport-born John Tinson (a Sandgrounders fan later to become chairman at Belle Vue) took up the secretary's post, match secretary was Pete Walls and the club's two joint chairmen were John Roberts and former treasurer Graham Thompson. It was a tough time for Rhyl but these guys did a sterling job along with press officer John Daley who used to ring off the line sharpish when talking to the press if he saw one of his Fire Service bosses at work approaching!

As the reporter covering Rhyl for the Visitor at the time I still rate John as the best football press contact I ever had, he would give you the 'party line' and then say 'now put your pen down and I'll tell you the truth', a priceless man who I haven't seen for years, if he's still around I'd love to go for a beer with him, get in touch John!