Chris Willcock has shaved off his nicely cultivated stubble this week, but it’s not to avoid recognition at Runcorn.
The Workington Reds manager is expecting a rowdy reception when his side take on the Linnets in the NPL West’s match of the day.
He says: “I’m expecting a warm welcome! I’ve history with Runcorn and I don’t expect things will have changed this time.
“It goes back to the 2014/2015 when I was manager of Glossop and we eventually won the North West Counties Premier Division title at the expense of Runcorn.
“We had a great run in the FA Vase that season so had so many games to make-up. At one point we were 24 points behind Runcorn but we chipped away and caught them. In the end we actually won by ten points and as a consequence they missed out on promotion.
“Their fans seemed to have remembered that when I’ve been back and I expect it will be no different this time.”
Willcock, however, has respect for a Linnets side who won 4-2 at Borough Park earlier in the season.
“That was a blot on our record which I hope we can put right. It’s the only League game we have lost at home,” said Willcock.
However, since that Runcorn defeat the Reds have strung 11 unbeaten games together and that run includes only one draw, with the rest all victories.
The Linnets have had mixed results in the last three games – a 2-0 defeat at City of Liverpool; a 3-1 win at Ramsbottom and a 1-1 draw at Colne on Tuesday.
They sit fifth in the table but are ten points behind the Reds with one game in hand.
