Well this has to be the second part of the Workington Reds piece I included last week
After my Football League selection I’m now looking at a non-league best X1 from 1977 to the present day.
In actual fact it’s proved a but more difficult than the League side as we compare 26 years to the last 46.
As in the League days Reds have been well served by their goalkeepers.
The choice is wide – Gerard Fisher, Lee Copeland, Keith Hunton, Adam Collin, Tony Caig through to present custodian Jim Atkinson.
It’s a tough one, and although all have different qualities, I’ve gone for the experience and know-how of Caig to play in goal.
In the centre of defence in this 4-3-3 formation Kyle May, Reds record appearance-maker is a shoo-in and I’ve decided the man to play alongside is Vaughan Williams.
One of Joe Wojciechowicz’s signings he was a key player in his side, calm, cool, and collected.
At full-back I’ve selected two great servants for the club – Alan Gray and Gari Rowntree who could always be relied upon to leave everything out there on the field for the cause.
Skipper is John Reach, the beating heart of the Reds team during his time at the club and a powerhouse from midfield.
He will play alongside Tony Hopper, the perfect midfielder in that he could create and effectively close down the opposition.
Completing the midfield trio is Conor Tinnion, the current first team captain who has been such a key player for Reds over a number of years.
Scott Allison is a player I admired from his very first game on arriving from Penrith and he has gone on to score 140 goals for the club.
He starts up front on the right with more goals on offer in the front three from John Smith and Jonny Wright.
So my Non-League X1 is: Caig, Gray, Williams, May, Rowntree, Hopper, Reach, Tinnion, Allison, Wright, Smith.
As we’ve covered 46 years for that selection candidates for the bench include: Liam Brockbank, Walter Gillott, Steve Birks, Lee Andrews, Dave Hewson and Graham Goulding.
