Our club secretary, Tracy Measor is stepping down at the end if the current playing season and we are inviting applications to succeed her in the position.

This is a voluntary role within a fans-owned club whose first team, after winning promotion at the end of the 2017-18 season, plays at Step 4 of the National League System in the EVO-STIK League Division One West.

We also have a ladies team in the Cheshire Women's League and 50 teams at junior and youth levels.

The club secretary works closely with the ladies and junior sections, overseeing their administration systems.

Mike Bignall, chairman of Runcorn Linnets, said: "Tracy has done a great job as our club secretary over the last couple of years but she advised us in February that she didn't wish to continue in the role beyond the end of the season.

"We feel this is now the right time to advertise the post so that those who might be interested in the position can apply and once an appointment is made, we can set plans in operation for a smooth transition."

The role may or may not involve a position on the Trust Board, which is elected by supporters to run the club which last season won the Championship in The Hallmark Security League Premier Division.

The successful applicant will have overall responsibility for administering playing matters within the club.

The club secretary liaises with league officials, the Football Association and Cheshire County FA.

The chosen candidate will work closely with the board and the senior club management to ensure that all administration relating to the playing side of the club, such as competition entries, player transfers and arrangement/fulfilment of fixtures is carried out both accurately and in a timely manner.

Attention to detail, reliability and commitment are essential, along with excellent spoken and written communication skills, including knowledge of Microsoft computers.

Experience of club administration systems, used by the FA, would be an advantage but there will be the opportunity for the person selected to shadow and be trained by the current club secretary in the final weeks of the season.

The club secretary should be available to attend all Saturday and midweek matches, arriving in good time to perform matchday duties, while travelling (invariably independently) to away fixtures in the North West of England and beyond. Presence will also be required at training nights plus club, league and FA meetings.

This is a demanding and time consuming yet rewarding role and a chance for a supporter of the club or anyone involved or interested in football administration to become involved with one of the region's biggest, most ambitious and successful non-league clubs.

Applications with CV should be sent in strictest confidence to Mike Bignall, Club Chairman, email [email protected] to arrive by March 24th.

Saturday's postponed game has been rescheduled quickly by the EVO-STIK League and we will now entertain Kendal Town in our rearranged West Division fixture on Tuesday, March 26th (ko 7.45pm).

Fans at this Saturday's game against Kendal Town will be invited to vote on a new away strip for the Linnets as we announce a deal with new kit partner 1895 Sports and a training kit sponsorship with Jem Recycling of Manor Park in Runcorn.

1895 will produce our home and away strips along with replicas for supporters. We will be the first football club in the country to wear their kit.


The club, meanwhile, is unveiling the design and prices of the first three items in our club training and leisure wear ranges.

These can be purchased directly from the club and ordered this Saturday in the clubhouse from 2pm - see Trust Board member Daz Law. Card payment will be available.

The T-shirt, quarter-zip top and hoodie are all available in adult sizes at £30 (T-shirt) and £38 each for the quarter-zip top and hoody. Junior sizes are £26 for the T-shirt and £32 each for the quarter-zip top and hoody.

The club very much wanted to involve fans in the new kit arrangements so the first phase of the deal  sees our supporters being asked to choose our new away kit.

We have three different designs for consideration in two colourways - orange/black (our present choice of away kit) and red/black.

The winning kit will be adopted by the club as our change strip for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

Voting forms are available at the ground tomorrow with fans being asked to state  first, second and third preferences.

Our home kit will be unveiled shortly but will once again be a yellow and green hooped design.

There is, however, an exciting innovation in the design which we hope will capture the imagination of our fans and help them to feel even closer to the team.

Pricing of the new home and away kits will be revealed in due course.

Both will feature the name of our long-standing club sponsor Millbank to the front while Grangeside continue as our back of shirt sponsor.

Mike Bignall, chairman of Runcorn Linnets, said: "We are delighted and excited to announce the first phase of our partnership with 1895 and look forward to achieving success together.

"We also thank our existing spomsors, Millbank and Grangeside whose continued support is invaluable to a community club like Runcorn Linnets while welcoming Jem Recycling who we are certain will also be excellent partners.

"We hope that our fans will enjoy deliberating over our new away kit and voting from the chosen shortlist and while waiting for the new home kit to be unveiled, will be eager to purchase the training shirt, and half-zip top which are the same as our players will be wearing.

"We also have available our hoody with other official merchandise to be made available in the very near future."

1895 Sports, located in Winwick, were founded in 2014. Their joint co-owner is Mike Cooper, current Super League player at Warrington Wolves.

A spokesman for 1895 Sports said: "We are delighted to become official kit supplier to Runcorn Linnets in what is a new venture for us in terms of our first involvement with football.

"Our heritage is in Rugby League but we are working with local sports clubs in and around the North West of England - supplying training wear, leisurewear and playing kit."


Pictured: Quarter zip top and T-shirt sponsored by Jem Recycling and available to order now. The training gear will be launched at the home game against Widnes on Easter Monday.

Runcorn Linnets aim to show we are game for a laugh with the staging of a Comedy Night in the clubhouse at The Millbank Linnets Stadium.

The Giggle Shack presentation on Friday, March 29th (doors open at 7pm) is in association with Colin Havey Promotions, with local comic Colin himself as event host.

Top of the triple bill is Big Lou, alias multi award-winning Manchester funnyman Lewis Jones.

Mike Bignall, Runcorn Linnets chairman, said: "This is a completely new venture for Runcorn Linnets and certainly something different from the serious business of winning football matches!

"We hope as many as possible, our fans and those who have never been to The Millbank or to any football match for that matter, will support the night.

"We are expecting a cracking night and the beer to be flowing to ensure throats hoarse with laughter are kept well lubricated!"

Tickets at £15 each (hot food included) will be available from the clubhouse bar on first team matchdays or can be purchased online via our Tickets page.

Please note admission to the show, in aid of Runcorn Linnets FC club funds, is limited to those aged 18 and over.

After being informed by Cheshire FA on Saturday evening that we had been excluded from the Cheshire Senior Cup, I felt it was important that the club quickly prepared and released the statement to let our supporters know before the news came from anywhere else.

The board then spent Saturday evening and Sunday looking for grounds for appeal, but unfortunately this was not possible and we had no option but to accept the FA's decision.

I and the rest of the Board apologise unreservedly to everyone involved with Runcorn Linnets FC, as supporters, players, and our much-valued volunteers. The oversight cannot be attributed to any single individual; it was an honest mistake, but unfortunately a very costly one.

I completely understand and share everyone's frustration and upset, but I and the Board will continue to push the club forward as best we can.

As always I am available at our matches to answer any questions, concerns or chat. Feel free to just grab me when you see me.

Mike Bignall

The club has received notice from the Cheshire County FA that we have been eliminated from this season's Cheshire Senior Cup and will not contest the final against holders Nantwich Town.

This is due to a rule breach surrounding the signing of Tom Bailey, who made his debut in the semi-final.

Tom was registered three hours and six minutes past the signing deadline which was 12 noon on the day before the tie. This rendered Tom ineligible for the game.

This was an honest mistake and our fans will be as disappointed as we are.

But we move on and wish Cammell Laird 1907 all the best as they take our place in the final.

The club will make no further comment.

Sponsorship packages are now on offer for this year's main Runcorn Beer Festival, following on from the success of last year's inaugural event and the follow-up Christmas Festival.

The 2019 Beer Festival, again taking place at The Millbank Linnets Stadium, will be bigger and better with Saturday seeing earlier opening, from lunchtime, and live music throughout the day!

The Beer barrel/Cider Package is £90 and gives the sponsor entry for four people to both the invitation-only event on Friday, May 17th and the public event on Saturday, May 18th  along with eight beer tokens (two tokens per guest).

Your name or business name and logo will be displayed on the barrel, on the beer menu and promoted on the Runcorn Beer Festival and Runcorn Linnets social media platforms.

We also have Gin and Prosecco Packages available at £40 each. This includes entry for two people either the invite-only event on Friday, May 17th or the public event on Saturday, May 18th  with four drinks tokens (two tokens per guest). Your name or business name and logo will go on the drinks menu and mentions will be given on the Runcorn Linnets and Runcorn Beer Festival social media platforms.

For more information follow @commercialRLFC and DM us or message us through the Contact Us section of the Runcorn Linnets website www.runcornlinnetsfc.co.uk