Special report by Andy Neild

NON-LEAGUE football in East Lancashire is in crisis.

The region's three most senior semi-professional teams face a Millennium melt-down.

It seems hard to comprehend, but an area that once flourished at this level could soon be without a side in the UniBond Premier Division - never mind the Conference.

Accrington Stanley, Chorley and Great Harwood are all in danger of giving up the ghost after an incessant two-year battle against relegation.

So what are the reasons behind this depressing mountain of underachievement?

Ask anyone connected with the game at grass roots level and they will all offer a different slant on the argument.

A dearth in talent and dedication, lack of money and the Jack Walker inspired transformation of Blackburn Rovers have all played their part.

But, ironically, the club which once threatened to dominate the semi-pro game less than 10 years ago is largely being blamed for bringing about the current slump.

At the end of the 80s, Colne Dynamoes were on a fast-track to the Football League.

Backed by the considerable resources of 'money's-no-object' Graham White, they won the FA Vase at Wembley, ran away with the UniBond League title and seemed all set to take the Conference by storm before their bubble spectacularly burst.

There was nothing secret about their success - it was money, and stacks of it. Part-time players were picking up professionals pay-packets. And, as a result, a new mercenary mentality infiltrated the game at that level.

Nine years on, the likes of Stanley and Chorley are paying a hefty price as modern day players hold clubs to ransom in a new wave of greed.

At one time they had an affinity to clubs in their local area.

Nowadays, players are prepared to travel greater distances for the lure of extra cash.

"It's getting ridiculous," said Stanley spokesman John De Maine.

"Some of these clubs are paying out silly money and they just can't afford it."

Bacup Borough boss Brent Peters, a former Director of Football at the Crown, agrees things are spiralling out of control.

"It stretches back to the days of Colne Dynamoes. They started paying out stupid money and it has now gone from bad to worse.

"It's ridiculous because we are only talking about part-time players but you can't blame them for accepting it, if that is what clubs are prepared to offer."

The current powerbase in Non-League football resides with the Manchester clubs as one glance at the UniBond League tables will reveal. They have greater financial backing, a wider catchment area and far stronger local leagues from which to draw players. Sucess also breeds success and the likes of Stanley and Chorley are struggling to keep pace.

So if the best players in the area are being syphoned off by the big-boys can those from the local leagues fill the void?

Or do clubs have to look elsewhere for new talent like Stanley did in recruiting Liverpool-based players under Billy Rodaway?

Great Harwood boss Denis Underwood is no stranger to the amateur scene, having started his career in the Blackburn Combination.

And, although he believes standards have slipped in the area largely due to the counter attraction of watching Premiership football at Ewood Park, he still believes there are players out there capable of doing a job.

"There are certainly lads around in the area but it's a question of getting hold of them because some are prepared to travel for the money.

"I saw Bamber Bridge playing at Accrington recently and they had four or five players from Blackburn and Hyndburn.

"Those lads should be playing at Stanley. If you do sign lads who have an affinity to the club they are more likely to roll their sleeves up for you when things aren't going well.

"When I was at Clitheroe I bust a gut to get lads from the town playing but they weren't dedicated enough.

"They would go out 'til all hours on a Friday night and wouldn't be in a fit state to play at that level.

"They'd rather be good pub players and play with their mates."

Peters agrees the talent is there but blames managers, including himself, for taking the easy option too often.

"Sometimes you've got to take a chance on less proven players. "Look at Carlo Nash. Eight years ago he was playing parks football but we took a chance on him and now he is playing in Stockport County's first team.

"Managers tend to go for proven players but I'm sure there are people out there who, given the chance, would do just as good a job or better.

"But managers are reluctant. I'm one of them because I tend to go for a proven player because it's a safe bet."

One club who have taken a lead are Ramsbottom United.

The Rams represent one of the few success stories on the East Lancashire Non-League scene in the past decade following their rapid rise from the Manchester League to the North Western Trains League First Division.

Their resources have been ploughed into upgrading facilities rather than lining individual players pockets. More than half of their playing staff have been recruited from local youth team football.

Mike Langhorn, who is now impressing in the UniBond League after joining Stanley, is just one of a conveyor belt of talent who have come up through the Rammy ranks.

"Some of these UniBond clubs don't scour the local scene like they should," said secretary John Maher.

"There are players out there who are good enough to make it if they were only given the opportunity.

"But everyone is demanding instant success these days, even at UniBond League level, so they never get the chance.

"How often do you see youth team players coming through because it's so easy to pick someone up who might not be getting a game at another club?"

One thing is sure. If certain clubs carry on spending beyond their means in a quick-fix to success then more and more are going to go to the wall.

Last season Haslingden went out of existence. Barrow, reportedly £200,000 in debt and subject to a winding up order, look to be next. But that could be just the tip of the iceberg as the Non-League world braces itself for the next century.

So what's the solution?

The introduction of a maximum wage could be the answer for a part-time game which provides pocket money for many players who already have day-time jobs.

That would allow clubs like cash-strapped Harwood to compete on a more equal footing rather than constantly swimming against the tide in the two-tier system currently in operation.

Then the best local talent would have less reason to move out of the area on the gravy train, allowing clubs to plough more resources into their youth team policies.

But UniBond League secretary Duncan Bayley can never envisage a wage-capping policy.

"Do you want your standards to be set by the poorest or by the best?

"If you cap wages then you are making everyone poor and you're then penalising the better organised clubs.

"If a club is fortunate enough to pay what they want, either through good organisation or a rich benefactor, then good luck to them."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.