Cleckheaton ready for National League opener

The up and coming Kestrels team have received sponsorship from Heckmondwike firm Goliath Footwear Ltd.

Goliath Footwear has been known locally since 1880 when boots were produced at Brunswick Mills in Heckmondwike and has the claim to fame of making lightweight football boots for Stanley Matthews during his famous playing career.

The Kestrels coaching staff has been enhanced with the addition of Carl Mason and Jarred Toulson aiding Wayne McSwiney and with both the third and fourth teams already experiencing pre season action at Northern and Morley, all squads are raring to go in their own league campaigns.

Cleckheaton’s first team are hastily preparing for life in National League Three and have been training since July.

Cleck met old friends Percy Park in their opening pre-season game when both sides fielded experimental line ups .

Although Cleck took a lead when fielding their strongest side, the visitors ran out winners in the last quarter as everyone was given game time by head coach Ian Armitage.

Last Saturday saw another squad of 25 players travel to Chester to play in a triangular tournament against the hosts and Macclesfield.

Cleckheaton equipped themselves well, drawing against Chester and losing in the last minute to Macclesfield .

The club send two sides to National Two side Huddersfield on Saturday, before the season opener at Waterloo in Liverpool on September 6.