POSTED: May 23 2016 20:59:53 By Keith Long
- Andy Lord
Local amateur footballer Andy Lord has recently completed his eighteenth successive season with Beechfield United FC. Andy began his club career as an eight year old in season 1998/1999 playing 7-a-side mini-soccer that was officially recongnised by the Football Association the next season. After another season playing mini-soccer Andy became a member of the Under 11’s team and was involved in a successful 5-a-side indoor Tournament held in memory of the late Mike Caldwell a well-respected club official. With the Under 13’s squad Andy featured in the majority of the Sunday games in the Bury and Radcliffe Junior League then the following season Andy netted two goals for the Under 14’s who possibly created a record winning score by an 11-a-side Beechfield United team a 21-2 home victory. In season 2003/2004 the Under 15’s reached the final of the Lennox Cup but Andy’s medal was a runner’s-up one though he did celebrate at the club’s Presentation Event after receiving the Managers Merit Award. The club was twenty five years old in season 2005/2006 and now playing for the Under 16’s Andy collected a winners medal after Beechy won the Challenge Cup. More success followed Andy into season 2006/2007 when he was a member of the Senior A team squad who won the Lancashire and Cheshire League’s Hellawell Shield and the Division E title. Following two more successful seasons in the L&C League the A Team became the Reserve team in the Manchester Football League and Andy was in the squad that won the first seven games of season 2008/2009 creating a club record of 63 games unbeaten. At the annual end of the season Presentation Event Andy received his ten year service award. Andy joined the Saturday Morning Senior team in 2009/2010 and from season 2010/2011 enjoyed unrivalled success. Under the management duo of Graham Rothwell and Paul Harrison the team were Second Division champions and winners of the CFFL Shield plus gaining promotion to the First Division. Beechy won the Manchester Evening News Cup in season 2011/2012 and as the team continued to amass more silverware Andy collected two more medals in 2012/2013 when United won the First Division title and the Steeles Shield. Andy added two more medals to his collection when the Saturday Morning Senior team achieved an illustrious hat-trick winning the First Division Championship in season 2013/2014 and 2014/2015. Never a prolific goalscorer Andy has played most of his games for Beechy at right back however he has had short spells in nearly all other outfield positions.
