This Saturday 30th January Skelmersdale United should have been playing away at Congleton Town but football is not important at times like these, in the past few weeks we have lost a number of supporters through Covid and this week we heard the sad passing of Lorraine Russell and Tracy Lukins as well as a close family member to one of our directors.
We are not alone, a number of clubs are experiencing the same heartbreak of their members and supporters. Our heartfelt condolences to all family and friends.
Stay safe everyone and be careful out there
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With the league still suspended, we take a look back in the last week of January in years gone by
UNITED GO ON RECORD RUN
January 29th 2013, In the NPL (North)United lost their first league game of the season, going down at Burscough 4-1, (Bellew) of the 33 games played previously in the 2012-13 season, United had lost just twice. To Tadcaster in the FA Cup and away at Luton Town in the FA Trophy. Beating Witton Albion, Guiseley and Boston in the Trophy.
The highlight of which there were many, winning 7-0 at Clitheroe with 7 different players on the scoresheet (Hardwick, Hine, Hickey, McIntosh, Morning, Burnett & Corrigan)
Of the 17 league games played they had only dropped points in a 3-3 draw at home to New Mills (Hine, Hickey, Strickland)
United would go on to win the title
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29th January 1929, In the Liverpool County Combination, United recorded their highest ever score beating Bootle St James 13-0. The scorers were Bailey getting six, Green a further four and 1 each for Garner, Silcock and Barlow.
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29th January 1966, United thumped Rossendale 5-0. The team that day was Terry Crosbie, Colin Bridge, Ray Coleman, Charlie Daniels, Eric Pendleton, Dave Moorcroft, Joe Pererai, Wally Bennett, Micky Burns, Keith Reader and a certain Mr Stan Boardman, then hitting the heights with a run of 20 successive victories in the Lancashire Combination, a record at the time.
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28th January 1967, WEMBLEY IS NO LONGER JUST A WILD DREAM
Skelmersdale United 3 Leyton 0
Wally Bennett, Alan Mansley and John Unsworth seeing United through to the last 16 of the Amateur Cup.
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31st January 1970 UNITED TAKE LEAF FROM CHAMPIONS
Skelmersdale Utd 1 Cheshunt 0
Steve Heighway the man who ignited the spark with a goal scored direct from a corner kick. All eyes were on Heighway’s corner, swirling in a mischievous wind, then the drama switched to the packed goalmouth where centre forward Alan Swift, limping with a groin injury was hampering Cheshunt keeper Bloxham. In a style pioneered by Leeds skipper Jack Charlton, Swift planted himself on the line two paces in front of the perplexed keeper, the ball hung in the air then swept into the net, with Bloxham helpless.
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United are well and truly on the march to Wembley for a second time when Sutton Coldfield crash at White Moss Park, 30th January 1971,
A GULF OF DIFFERENCE IN CLASS
Skelmersdale United 3 Sutton Coldfield 0
If there was ever any possibility that a surface more suited to motor bike scrambling could leave Skem wide open to a victim of a giant killing act, it was ruled out long before the freshly laundered kit had disappeared under a coating of mud and water..there was agulf in class and even the quagmire never levelled Skelmersdale to Sutton’ standards.
Hardcastle, Clements and Dicken with the United goals.
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30th January 1984, the North West was again hit by artic weather as United prepared to face local opposition in Kirkby Town, as Geoff Howard reports.
“It was the only non league game played on Merseyside, after the gang of Skem stalwarts had battled to beat the artic conditions. They worked for more than five hours on Saturday morning to make sure the match went ahead. With the chairman and club officials joining the likes of loyal supporter Billy Croft and several youngsters with spades and shovels to clear the snow off the pitch.”
It was all worth while as United emerged 1-0 winners to grab the much needed points, United’s team Keith Houghton, Tony Hartford, Robbie Barr, Willie Doyle, Graham Higham, Tony Edwards, Dave Ball, Joe Ryder, Mark Jones, Robbie Holmes and the goal scorer Colin Phelan, substitute Staziker.
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January 27th 2009. United travelled to NPL Premier Division side Hednesford Town for a NPL Cup fixture, without a number of regulars Foster, Donnelly, McConville and Houghton, who were having trials at Stockport, United put in a brilliant performance, coming away with a 3-2 win, thanks to 2 goals from Adam Wade and one from Arron Turner.
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January 27th 2017, Former Nottingham Forest defender Alan Rogers is named as United’s manager replacing Tommy Lawson. His first game in charge against Spennymoor is called off because of the weather. His 29 games in charge witnessed just 4 wins.

Over the last 10 years United have played 49 league and cup games in January, having won just 15, drawing 8 and losing 26.
5 of those wins came in 2010-11