Previous promotion positions have led to nought with the ground billed as not up to the required standard.

But now Alder House has been passed fit for NWCL Division One football.

In a marvellous behind-the-scenes effort, all the required work - a total list of 19 points - was completed on time.

Delighted club chairman Steve Payne said: "It's fantastic for us because the lads have done it out on the field and we have made sure they get their reward."

Joint bosses Steve Walton and Ian Lamb have ensured success on the pitch, losing only four games of 34 played in a superb season.

At the club's annual awards, defender Ian Walsh was named 1st team Player of the Year. Phil Porter was named Player of the Year by his fellow players.

In the second team both awards went to Dave Stead.

Paul Cameron was named Clubman of the Year.

And, in an extra award, League official Alan Farnworth handed Walton and Lamb a plaque as managers of the month for April.

For the record, Vauxhall won the Second Division crown on 88 points. Colls were clear runners-up on 80 points - seven clear of third-placed Tetley-Walker.

Meanwhile, Hindley won the Atherton Charity Cup, beating Pennington 3-0 in the final at Alder House.

LEIGH RMI have swooped to sign 25-year-old Hyde United striker Keith Evans, beating stiff opposition for their second close-season four-figure capture.

He follows ex-Manchester City reserve Mike Wallace, an attacking midfielder from Netherfield who has a strong soccer pedigree and joins on a two-year contract.

Wallace was tipped for the top as a teenager when he kept Blackburn's Jason Wilcox out of the Bolton town team; he was a team-mate of Alan Shearer in the England Youth team. He signed at Hilton Park after being impressed by the facilities. "He liked what he saw and had no hesitation in putting pen to paper," said RMI manager Steve Waywell.

Evans renews his striking pertnership with Chris Shaw, his former Ashton United team mate. "They scored over 30 goals apiece when I had them both at Ashton and Keith notched 38 in his first season at Curzon," added a delighted Waywell. "He will be a tremendous asset for us."

NEW INN's P Beardsmore was the individual darts KO winner in the Bedford & District D & D League (sponsored by E Massey Transport) with J Hogan (Bedford Libs) the runner-up.

Losing semi-finalists were D Rhoden (Eastleigh LC) and D Carter (St Joseph's).

Domino pairs champions were J Partington & J Johnson (Leigh Electric), who beat D Woods & J Rigby (Courts) with B Ratcliffe & W O'Neil (Eastleigh LC) and G Guerts (St Joseph's) the losing semi-finalists.

DOG race meetings are a popular weekly event at Gin Pit village. Astley & Tyldesley Miners Welfare Whippet and Dog Racing Club organise whippet and lurcher races and schooling trials on Wednesdays (7pm) over a straight 160-yard course.

Pups, novices and greyhounds are catered for by dedicated whippet men Keith Woodward and Graham Cooper, who would appreciate any help with organisation.

Anyone interested should turn up at the Gin Pit club before the "off" and all dogs must run in muzzles.

Details from Keith 01942-793681 or Graham 0161-790-9665.

LEIGH MINERS centre Neil McCulloch has been named in BARLA's April Team of the Month in the National Conference. And Miners' right-wing pairing of Mark Burrows and Chris Lee are in the National Youth League's Team of the Month.

Meanwhile, three tries from Martin Lee secured a 29-12 victory for Railway in the Shaw Cup.

Musketeer provided valiant opposition in a spirited final, bagging tries from Tony Hewitt and Graham Hindley, with Andy Billinge hitting two goals.

But that was no match for favourites Railway, who also scored tries via John Maxwell and Brian Brennan with Winston Sarsfield adding the goals.

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