Skelmersdale United FC Floating Fund.

As we confront an uncertain future, our club needs additional funding. Benefactors are now just as essential as sponsors, as supporters unite, digging deep into their pockets to ensure our cherished legacy endures—an endeavour far from easy!

My wife and I have invested our finances over the past two years to keep the club afloat alongside countless others fiercely committed to preserving its legacy.

I can only share my journey, hoping it helps illuminate why this club holds such significance. My dad took me along when I was just a child. Initially, I didn't grasp its importance; the environment was cold and smoky. I often found refuge in my dad’s John Motson-style sheepskin coat against the elements. He served as a director during the club’s first venture into the NPL in the early seventies, when the club was slowly declining, often without realising it. Having recently joined the semi-professional ranks, the NPL was a gateway to the football league, featuring incredible teams that would later rise, such as Boston United, Fleetwood, Macclesfield, Morecambe, Scarborough, and the legendary Wigan Athletic, who would eventually shine in the Premier League and claim the FA Cup! They took Southport's place in 1977.

Following the 1975-76 season, Skem exited the NPL and joined the Lancashire County Combination. Attendances dwindled, and the quality of the stadiums was more akin to parks than professionalism. Joining the newly formed NWCFL in 1982 did not drastically change that, but it remained fiercely competitive and served as a launching pad for teams like Accrington Stanley to reclaim their place in the football league.

In the late seventies, my dad became Chairman, and by then, the club had woven itself deeply into my identity. I immersed myself in its history, befriended many key figures, and travelled extensively with my dad in his Robin Reliant (before they even had back seats), enduring the bumps and jostles. In contrast, my dad argued with Uncle Teddy, who wasn't the best navigator. Uncle Teddy would later succeed my dad as chairman.

Skem has become a part of who I am—it never left me, nor should it. All those decades have passed by, many steeped in success, but, now, I find myself back at the club for a second time as chairman during its most challenging period—without a ground and a diminished fanbase but supported by a loyal group of dedicated individuals. This commitment has echoed through history; someone always picks up the baton to carry on. This remarkable club has had remarkable custodians.

Today, the club needs your support as never before. There is a light at the end of this tunnel, but we must persevere as we navigate the choppy waters ahead.

No matter the size of your contribution, every penny counts.

Please donate