Club History (20/06/09)

Alumni Football Club was founded in the Summer of 2004 by Jon Cockrell, Nick Cockrell and Martin English. It came about after deciding that the life post-University was providing a severe lack of competitive football. We soon realised we were not the only graduates desperate to play football.

A drunken brainstorming session was held in the Royal Hotel Pub (our first sponsors) and the plan began to take shape. With the help of Martin's local knowledge an application was made to the Liverpool Old Boys League, and this was met with approval.
The hard work then began, first selecting a committee and then recruiting players.

After a few teething problems were overcome (with the odd argument and resignation) the formation of an impressive squad quickly grew and so the story of Alumni FC begun ..........

Alumni Football Club Honours (20/06/09)

National Lucozade Cup Winners 2009
LOBAL Division One Champions 2008-09 *
LOBAL Senior Shield Cup Winners 2008-09
LOBAL Division 1 Marlborough Trophy Winners 2008-09
LCFA County Cup Finalists 2008-09

LOBAL Senior Shield Cup Winners 2007-08

LOBAL Division 2 Champions - 2006-07
LOBAL Division 2 Bill Hughes Cup - Winners 2006-07

LOBAL Division 4 Champions - 2005-06
LOBAL Division 4 Bushell Cup Winners - 2005-06

LOBAL Division 5 Champions - 2004-05
LOBAL Division 5 Grimshaw Cup Winners - 2004-5

* Officially the title was given to Bootle after a Legal Challenge

Player Awards (20/06/08)

2008-09
Players' Player: Neal Hughes
Captain & Manager's Player: Andy Smillie
Best New Player: David Miers
Goal of the Season: Neal Hughes (v Naylorsfield)
Miss of the Season: Wil Roberts

2007-08
Players' Player: Dave Angove
Captain & Manager's Player: Martin English
Best New Player: Sean Monaghan
Goal of the Season: Dave Angove (v FC Salle)
Miss of the Season: Wil Roberts

2006-07
Players' Player: James Clayton
Captain & Manager's Player: Dave Bowen
Best New Player: J Bammeke
Goal of the Season: Colin Walsh v Cardinal Newman
Miss of the Season: Colin Walsh

2005-06
Players' Player: Luke Cooper
Captain's Player: George Armstrong
Best New Player: Dave Angove

2004-05
Players' Player: Luke Cooper
Captain's Player: Nick Cockrell

Gone but not forgotten...the departed players who have helped Alumni get to where it is today (11/09/08)

Ex-Player (appearances - goals)

Best, Dave (1-0)
Connors, Liam (14-0)
Gibson, Eddie (12-1)
Hamnett, Nathan (10-1)
Hill, Rich (16-2)
Lodge, Sam (2-0)
McCann, Paul (1-0)
Monohan, Chris (1-0)
Nesbitt, Craig (42-2)
Neville, Keith (26-0)
Newton, Stewart (1-0)
Nwachuku, Iheanyi (34-4)
O'Donnell, John-Paul (1-1)
Russell, Ben (1-0)
Stankovic, Bojan (47-9)
Stubbs, Ben (30-3)
Thompson, John (19-0)
Wallis, Toby (7-0)
Westoby, Paul (26-10)
Williams, Ian (3-2)

Classic Matches (20/06/09)

These are the games which should be on DVD !!!

Alumni 4 v 5 Liobians
League Division 5, Saturday 4th September 2004

Alumni’s first ever competitive fixture ended in agonising defeat against Liobans. The new team found themselves 2-0 down early on and despite pulling a goal back before half time through Wil, a further two goals were conceded in the second half giving Liobians a 4-1 advantage. Alumni heroically hit back though to tie the game at four all thanks to Ben, Nick and Wil once again to only give away a (dubious) late penalty which was duly depatched breaking Alumni’s hearts.

Wavertree 2 v 4 Alumni
League Division 5, Tuesday 5th April 2005

Despite the matter of a European Cup quarter final featuring Liverpool and Juventus at Anfield, there was only one game on Merseyside which the Alumni players were thinking about and it was the one in which victory would secure a league title in the club’s first season in existence. However, Alumni made hard work of the match with nerves obviously playing a big part. Jon Cockrell had the coolest head though, coming off the bench he twice lobbed the Wavertree goalkeeper in the second half to seal the win and setup gleeful scenes among the players.

Alumni 1 v 1 Kingsford (9-8 on penalties)
Grimshaw Cup Final, Wednesday 20th April 2005

It’s difficult to know where to start with this one…
Alumni were chasing a league and cup double but found themselves up against Kingsford, who had belied their league position to reach the cup final and already proved tough opponents in two previous fixtures for Alumni that season. With a bumper crowd in attendance at Wyncote, the game was a tight affair. Alumni dominated possession but constantly found themselves thwarted by some resolute defending.
With the game still at 0-0 and approaching extra-time, Kingsford broke and had a glorious chance to score with their attacker bearing down one-on-one with Ian Burrows. The Alumni stopper prevented a goal but at some cost - in fouling his opposition a red card was the only option left for the referee. To make matters worse, the free-kick was curled past stand-in ‘keeper Nick Cockrell.
Displaying enormous character, Alumni hit back straight away and even created a few chances to equalise but when Luke Cooper missed an open goal the game looked dead and buried. However, with the last touch of normal time Paul Westoby popped up to score a header and grab a lifeline for Alumni.
With tails up Alumni dominated extra-time but again couldn’t find the necessary break-through. Even Bojan Stankovic saw a penalty saved as Kingsford rode their luck.
This luck wasn’t to hold out into the shoot-out though, Kingsford’s ninth penalty taker steered his shot the wrong side of the post to hand the double to Alumni.

Hanley Town 3 - 2 Alumni (after extra time)
Northern Cup, Quarter-Finals, Saturday 25th February 2006

Alumni had already caused a few cup upsets in their short history, but they were definitely the underdogs on this occasion as they travelled to Staffordshire to take on semi-professional outfit Hanley Town. Hanley looked stronger to begin with and took a deserved lead, but they couldn’t kill the minnows off and Alumni equalised to go into half time with the scores level.
Alumni rallied, took the game to Hanley and looked to be on the verge of securing a huge shock leading 2-1 late in the second half before being pegged back and forced into extra time. Alumni were by this point exhausted and unsurprisingly punished by a rejuvenated Hanley who ultimately won the game 3-2, the victory spurring them all the way to an appearance in the final. However, Alumni left the potteries with their heads held high and some crucial lessons learned.

Alumni 5 v 5 Bluecoat (4-2 on penalties)
Bushell Cup Semi-Final, Saturday 4th March 2006

Only a week after the devastating Hanley result, Alumni looked to bounce back in positive fashion - they eventually did but not after making hard work of a game that should have been sealed in the first half. Bluecoat had proved tough opponents in the two league meetings earlier in the season but Alumni got off to a dream start racing to a 3-0 lead. Somewhat crucially though Bluecoat pulled a goal back before half time to reduce the deficit to two goals.
Uncharacteristically, Alumni did not regain any control in the second half and found themselves 4-3 down chasing an equaliser to take the game to extra time. The necessary goal was pulled back and it was a feat needing a repeat in extra time at 5-4 down; Luke Cooper duly obliged to take the game to a penalty shoot out in which Alumni kept the cooler heads to triumph and achieve a place in a cup final for the second successive season.

Alumni 8 v 3 Liobians
League Division 4, Tuesday 4th April 2006

It what was a trial run of the divisional cup final later that month, Alumni found themselves with a must-win midweek league game against Liobians. The pressure seemed too much for them in the first half though with Liobians easily having the upper hand and heading into the break 3-1 up.
Following the interval the match could not have been more different however. Alumni turned on the style to score seven second half goals, taking a big step towards the title and realistically getting one hand on the Bushell Cup trophy in which they would play and beat Liobians once again.

Cardinal Newman 3 - 3 Alumni
League Division 2, 14th October 2006

Alumni had won their first 6 in the division two, and faced their long term rivals. It was all Cardinal Newman and in all honesty, we did not play well. Jay's early goal was cancelled out by three Cardinal Newman goals with no reply, including a scorcher from 25 yards. We didn't even look like getting back into it. However, a goal with about 10 minutes left gave us a glimmer hope. Cue one huge push to avoid defeat. With only seconds left of injury time, 21 players were in the Newman box for a corner (including Super Burrows). Only Colin was defending. The ball was cleared to Colin and from 35 yards he hit a beauty into the top corner of the net. The celebrations were memorable, and Colin would later earn goal of the season for it. Relations between the two clubs never really recovered from the dramatic last minute equaliser.

Alumni 7 - 2 Mossley Hill
League Division 2, 17th April 2007

Alumni had 3 games to wrap up the league title. The first opportunity would come against Mossley Hill, who had unceremoniously dumped them out of the Senior Shield (the last time we lost in that competition). They had kicked us and intimidated us off the park. Would it happen again? An early 2 - 0 deficit looked omnious. But the team ralllied and the goals came flooding. Just like Liobians a year earlier, Mossley Hill had no answer after goal followed goal. Including a beauty from Bowen, set up by Walshy. League Champions again !!

Alumni 1 - 1 Cardinal Newman (3-2 Penalties)
Bill Hughes Cup Final, 23rd April 2007

We are a club who does not like to coast to cup final victories. Against our rivals, both teams put in tremendous effort to cancel each other out. Wil's goal was answered with a late Newman equaliser. The game went to penalties. "Don't worry" was the team cry, "Burrows is always good for at least two saves." After Clayton, Colin and Bojan all missed penalties, we needed miracles from Burrows, and miracles we got. Twice he stopped Newman winning when they had penalties to win it. Angove missed to add to the tension, but when Alumni's 7th taker Martin scored in off the post, the cup had been won in a shootout 3-2 (with 9 missed penalties out of 14 !!!!).

Alumni 4 - 2 Naylorsfield
Senior Shield, 1st Round, 1st December 2007

The team of 2008 were Naylorsfield. They coasted to the County Cup title, outclassed everyone in the league and walked the Marlborough trophy. They were deprived the quadruple by a team performance of sheer quality, led by Kieran in defence and Burrows in goal. Goals from Nezzie, Angove, Luke and Martin secure victory and would spark a great cup run.

Alumni 3 - 1 Cardinal Newman (AET)
Senior Shield Final, 24th April 2008

Almost a year to the day since the last cup final between the same teams, old rivalries were renewed. Once again the game ended 1-1 after normal time, with Angove's goal being cancelled out in the second half by Newman. Jon Manager brought on centre-back come striker Martin English and he picked up where he had left off from last year's final, scoring two goals in exra time to secure a 3-1 victory.

Old Bootleians 2 - 5 Alumni
League Division 1, 1st November 2008

Alumni were heading to Bootle HIgh School to play the only team who they did not beat in the previous season. And the game could not have started worst for us. Their striker netted two within ten minutes. The strong Bootle defence would take them home from here ... surely. Not so. The 2 goals triggered a huge reaction and the rest of the game was unbelievably one sided. The goals cam flooding and to be honest it could have been more than the 5 - 2 scoreline.

Alumni 2 - 1 Naylorsfield (AET)
Marlborough trophy Final, 30th April 2009

Two great teams going hell for leather on the fantastic county grounds. We had only ever lost one divisional cup game (on pens to boot) and Naylorsfield had never lost in the Marlborough trophy, being three times winners. Angove gave Alumni the lead, but Naylorsfield hit back with a beauty. The next 100 minutes were tight, with both teams giving no space. If anything, Naylorsfield edged it. But then in the 2nd half of extra time, Naylorsfield visibly tired and Alumni powered through. The pressure was on, and with 2 minutes left Neal broke and played in Smillie. The goal was at his mercy and Smillie dispatched it into the corner to win the cup under the floodlights. There was no time for a reply.

Alumni 1 - 0 Old Bootleians
League Division 1, 9th May 2009

The game that should have been a true title decider. Bootle made damn sure it wouldn't be? Why? Because we outclassed them again and showed them who the worthy champions were. Neal scored the goal. But the storyline was the way the team worked tirelessly, with passion and desire. Bootle were no match and their supressed reaction to defeat said everything. They had the trophies, but we were the true champions. On the pitch where it matters anyway.

Alumni 4 - 0 Longfield FC
Lucozade Cup Semi-Final, 31st May 2009

This game is in the list simply because it was the single best display of football in the club's history. The team from Kent did not know what had hit them. We were exhilarating. Jonny C and Smillie scored the early goals. Matt Purse's sweet free-kick was then emulated by Dom Pickles, who scored an absotule screamer of a volley to confirm a 4-0 victory. This is how the Lucozade Cup Organisers described the game:

" Alumni cut their opponents to ribbons with some electrifying play, eventually winning 4-0. They will be talking aboout the 4th goal for years to come at Carrington! "

Alumni 2 - 0 Carnforth Rangers
Lucozade Cup Final, 31st May 2009

Wow. How did we do it? This team play at a level significantly higher than us. They beat a team who compete in the FA Cup and FA Trophy. We had already played two games. None of that mattered. The first half was tight and the only important aspect is that it made us believe we can compete. The second half we controlled the game. Jay ran rings around them. He set up Wil and he then scored a superb solo effort to make it 2 - 0. We had won the national Lucozade Cup. We did it without conceding, and by scoring 9 goals and playing some fantastic football. What a great day.

Here's how the Lucozade Cup Organisers described the final:

" Ultimately the difference on the day was Alumni FC's calmness on the ball and some quality forward play from their star striker Jay whose movement and pace caused the Carnforth defence endless problems. The final score was 2-0 and saw Alumni FC crowned worthy LSPL Cup Champions and an automatic place in next season's LSPL. "