Skipper Walkden puts faith in expertise of Chilton

Jul 11 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS captain Ian Walkden is hoping that the expertise of former Lancashire skipper Mark Chilton will help him end his nine years in charge at Crow Lane by achieving promotion to the Premier League of the Business Assistance Liverpool Competition.

Chilton is due to play for the First Division side at home to Highfield tomorrow and Walkden has been impressed with how quickly the Old Trafford player has fitted in at the closely-knit club.

“Mark has put the boundary rope out and he has taken the flags in,” he said. “He has no airs and graces at all, and he’s been a really good acquisition for us.”

Walkden first came into contact with his new recruit when they worked together in the banking industry over the winter. Chilton was one of a group of five first-class cricketers, including Gerard Brophy and Jason Gallian, who spent the close season on short-term contracts, and he quickly discovered that he shared a commitment to the game with the Newton-le-Willows stalwart.

“We also played golf together and I said to him that if he ever fancied playing cricket for us, he had my number,” Walkden explained. “I didn’t think anything would come of it of course. Mark resigned the Old Trafford captaincy to concentrate on his batting, but it hasn’t worked out for him so far. So really one of my friend’s misfortunes has been our gain.”

Chilton and Ian Lyon are the only two first-team players at Crow Lane who have not come through the club’s junior system and the policy of developing their own talent is one to which Newton’s officials are deeply committed.

Moreover, Walkden believes that the policy of paying players is having a detrimental effect on other clubs.

“Teams aren’t as strong one to 11,” he said. “If you pay four or five players, the young lads won’t get a chance. If I was 14 or 15, batting eight, not getting a bowl and seeing my subs going to pay a pro, I’d only play for a short period of time. You can get good pros who pass on their expertise and spend time coaching, and in those circumstances you benefit.

“But if you pay players and you don’t spend money on facilities and you don’t have strength in depth, before you know it you’re not going to have a club.”

Newton-le-Willows will celebrate their 150th anniversary on July 31 when a club side play a Lancashire Past and Present XI at Crow Lane at 1.30pm.