BARLOW REPLACES NEWCOMBE AT AINSDALE

Date: 28th September 2014

A Paul Edwards copyright exclusive for L&DCC Official Website.

....and is appointed Chairman

After spending more than 15 seasons as Ainsdale captain Dave Newcombe has stepped down and been replaced by Andy Barlow.

However, Newcombe’s association with the Liverpool Road club is very far from over. He has been appointed chairman and will play for the second team next summer.

“I think this was always going to be my last year,” said Newcombe. “You know it’s time to pack in when you take a diving catch and everyone’s astonished. However, if I’m batting reasonably and the first team need someone on a Friday evening, then that’s great, I’ll be happy to help out.”

It is, though, rather more likely than Newcombe’s administrative and leadership skills will be used in committee rooms over the next year or two as he seeks to pilot the reforms that are needed should Ainsdale become a Premier League club.

“We’ve come a long way on the field in recent decades and we’ve become an established First Division side in the Liverpool Competition,” said Newcombe, “but we have to take a more focused approach towards our infrastructure and fund-raising if we are to be ready to take the next step.”

Newcombe admits that his own decision to end his time as first team skipper was made easier by the fact that the other senior players are not retiring, added to the general view that Barlow is ready to take on the job.

“Andy has a lot of good ideas, he is tremendously enthusiastic and he is also more confident around senior cricketers,” said Newcombe. “Although he is now in Australia, he is looking to recruit players and we have a couple who are 80% certain to join. We have also re-engaged our professional Adnan Rasool for 2015.”