Darwen's player-manager reflects on a dramatic cup upset

STEVE Wilkes should be used to delivering surprises by now.

Whether it's Christmas or birthdays, the Preston postman is constantly coming up with the goods.

But Darwen's semi-final victory over Southport in the Lancashire ATS Challenge Trophy on Monday night was one surprise which exceeding all expectations.

It was all the Anchormen's Christmases and birthdays rolled into one.

"I don't think I've come back down to earth yet," said the delighted player-boss.

"In our wildest dreams we would have gone and beaten them 1-0. To win 4-0 was unbelievable.

"But we deserved it. I've had loads of people coming up to me who went to the game saying we were absolutely tremendous.

"And we were because we played them off the park.

"It's the best we've played in a long, long time."

After years in the doldrums the good times are back at The Anchor.

And Wilkes prefers to give all the credit to his playing staff.

Just 12 short months ago, the Anchormen were on the brink of oblivion.

After narrowly avoiding automatic relegation they were unceremoniously kicked in the teeth when they were demoted to the Second Division because their Anchor ground had fallen upon hard times.

Wilkes and his playing staff could so easily have jumped ship and turned their backs on the poverty stricken club forever.

But, unanimously, they decided to stay and a year down the line their loyalty is paying spectacular dividends.

"Of course it makes me feel proud but the players have got to take most of the credit for all this.

"Not one of them left after we got relegated last season and we've all stuck together. "Oldham won the Second Division last season but their ground wasn't good enough so they didn't get promoted and everyone left.

"That didn't happen at Darwen and now the players are getting their rewards."

An ATS final against Conference oufit Morecambe at Deepdale is the mouthwatering prospect which awaits the Anchormen at the end of the season.

But that could be a double celebration in the season they celebrate 100 years of football at The Anchor if they can beat Clitheroe in the semi-finals of the NWTL Floodlit Trophy.

The first leg is on Tuesday night.

"That game is even bigger in a way because it's Clitheroe.

"They're a decent cup side and Steve Parry has got them playing well at the moment. But there's no pressure on us at all because we play in a league below them.

"Of course it's going to be tough but we'll just go out and enjoy it because that's what we always try to do."

No-one at The Anchor would have dared contemplate the idea of two cup final appearances at the start of the season.

But Wilkes is now starting to stamp his own authority upon the club after taking over from Ian McGarry who was Mr Darwen for many years.

The former Preston North End midfielder has cleared out a lot of dead wood and brought in some younger, fresher faces to breathe new life into The Anchormen.

It's been a slow process, but Wilkes now feels he has successfully exorcised the ghost of McGarry and won over the respect of the players.

"It's 18 months down the line now and I think we've managed to do that without being disrepectful to Ian.

"Players used to mention his name in the dressing room every week but that doesn't happen any more.

"I certainly have the utmost respect for the players and what they've achieved and I'd like to think they feel the same about me. "People like Lyndon Haworth, John Haworth, Carl Farnworth and Denny Khan have all left now and no disrespect to them because they have been good servants.

"But they've been replaced by the likes of Andy Bright, Neil Almond and Michael Douglas who are only about 19 or 20.

"That can only be good for a club like this."

And when Wilkes leads them out at Deepdale next month it will be one of the proudest days of his life.

"I can't explain how that makes me feel.

"I'm a Preston lad, I've supported them for as long as I can remember.

"I used to be a ball-boy there when I was younger and I was lucky enough to play for them for two years.

"So to go there for my first final as a manager is absolutely brilliant."

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