Hare is the new No.1 choice

Calvin Hare has been handed the goalkeeping shirt at Runcorn Linnets after leaving NPL West neighbours Vauxhall Motors.

The talented and experlenced 31-year-old 'keeper had joined the Ellesmere Port club in January this year.

Iro ically, he made his debut in a home defeat by Linnets in Michael Ellison's first game back in charge of Runcorn.

The 6ft stopper had signed for the Motormen from Prescot Cables, having made himself something of a cult hero at the Knowsley outfit.

Calvin had been ever present between the sticks after arriving at Cables from City of Liverpool in October 2024 and playing in all 54 league and cup games.

Pesky Bulls fans not only remember his goalkeeping prowess but also his goalscoring ability!

Calvin came up with a late, late equaliser in last season's Emirates FA Cup.

His dramatic intervention six minutes into stoppage time forced a home replay in a First Qualifying Round tie at Hyde United.

Although Hyde triumphed at the second attempt, the sight of the 'keeper volleying home from a knocked-down corner will long live in the memory of those who witnessed it.

Calvin had already proved himself one of the top glovemen at this level - his displays being lauded by footballing peers and fans alike.

Calvin initially honed his skills as an Academy player with Wigan Athletic before stints at Burscough, AFC Fylde, Droylsden, Witton Albion and Marine.

In 2023-24, his half century of outings helped City of Liverpool to reach the finals of the Liverpool Senior Cup and The Pitching In Northern Premier League West Division Play-Offs.

Linnets were knocked out of both competitions by the Purps along the way,  Calvin keeping clean sheets in a pair of 2-0 victories at APEC Taxis Stadium.

CoL lost the play-off final by the same scoreline to Prescot, who our incoming 'keeper was to join in NPL Premier Division in October of the next season.

Linnets will hope the upcoming campaign will be more settled and less stressful in terms of goalkeeping than the last.

We went through six different custodians. Neither long-serving Bayleigh Passant nor Yusuf Mersin, the two senior 'keepers still standing at the end, are returning for 2026-27.

Mersin played the last 15 games, making 17 appearances overall, while Passant has departed after taking his aggregate total to 122 Linnets outings with 24 in 2025-26.