RICHMOND RAITH ROVERS MAGS (Ellesmere Port Greyhound Stadium)

WEST CHESHIRE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, RICHMOND RAITH ROVERS MAGS 1-2 HESWALL RESERVES, ATTENDANCE: 7 (h/c)

As I was on season ticket duty today, heading to Goodison Park for the late Saturday game, I searched t'interweb to see if there was anything around I could 'double' it up with. After much searching I found a 2pm kick off in the West Cheshire League which fitted the bill perfectly.

Having previously played at the Childwall Sports College, Richmond Raith Rovers Mags FC have signed a deal to play at the Greyhound Stadium in Ellesmere Port.

The Stadium was primarily used for Speedway and was the home of the Ellesmere Port Gunners from 1972 until their demise in 1982 (though the team was revived for one season in 1985).

The Speedway track was eventually replaced a Greyhound racing track and the stadium has recently been refurbished in a bid to return to the track to, as its owners say “its glory days”.

The football pitch in the middle of the stadium was used by Ellesmere Port Town in their North West Counties League days. Caernarfon Town also played there when they were exiled by the Welsh FA in the early 1990’s.

Ellesmere Port Town folded in 1994 (though they have been revived) but football has returned to The Greyhound Stadium once again, for this season. Speaking to other ground hoppers they are certain the pitch has been used in the meantime but are unable to recall who the actual teams were.

Richmond Raith Rovers Mags were formed in 1997, as an under-11's football team known as Richmond Rovers, originating from the local public house the 'Richmond Arms' on Breck Road, Liverpool.

The Raith part of the name didn't actually come into existence until the following season when, according to the club’s history page “the club were looking to take on board a new proper club badge and sent an innocuous letter to Scottish League club, Raith Rovers, requesting the usage of their "RR badge". The reply is now history and today’s club name 'Richmond Raith Rovers' was born in 1998” The club merged with Mags Junior FC in 2011/12.  

The game was ok; a youthful looking Richmond side played the better passing football in the first half but found themselves a goal down at the break, Owen Davies scoring for the visitors.


The homesters equalised through Abda Saleh soon after the restart but Heswall bossed proceedings in the second period and John Lloyd popped up with a winner with 20 minutes remaining.