Linnets line up a return to the top five
- dbettley
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Nantwich Town v RUNCORN LINNETS
Pitching In Northern Premier League West
Tuesday, November 18th 2025 (ko 7.45pm)
Swansway Stadium, Waterlode, Nantwich, CW5 5BS
Having dropped out of the play-off positions on Saturday, when we were without a fixture, we have a midweek opportunity to return to fifth place.
Our match at Nantwich Town is the only game in the West Division on Tuesday.
Victory would take us back above Stalybridge, Vauxhall Motors and Chasetown, who all capitalised on our weekend open date.
This will be our third visit to Swansway Stadium, where we are yet to win after a defeat and a draw, both also in the league.
Last season's fixture in February finished 1-1 as Ryan Brooke (27 mins) cancelled out Kofi Moore's 11th-minute Nantwich opener.
In October 2023, we were beaten 3-1 with Will Saxon's 71st-minute opener triggering a decisive response from the hosts whose goals came from Byron Harrison (73 mins), Ahmed Ali (77 mins) and Eric Yahaya (90 mins).
Did you know?
Founded in 1884, Nantwich in October 1892 entertained newly-formed Liverpool in the Merseysiders' first ever FA Cup tie, losing 0-4.
Nantwich's record 5,125 crowd was set for a Cheshire Senior Cup tie against Winsford United in 1921. The match was played at a local cricket ground on which their present stadium stands.
The club's 'Dabbers' nickname is most likely derived ftom the town's tanning industry and the dabbing of glue in shoemaking or salt on hides for curing.
Freddie Worrall, a pre-war England international and double FA Cup finalist with Portsmouth, began his senior career with Nantwich in 1927.
In the inaugural FA Youth Cup competition of 1952, Nantwich were beaten 23-0 in the second round by a Manchester United side including Duncan Edwards, David Pegg, Albert Scanlon and Ron Cope.
1979-80 brought the Dabbrs debut of a 19-year-old Jimmy Quinn, signed from Whitchurch Alport. He would make his name with clubs including Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United, winning 48 Northern Ireland caps. Later returning as manager, Quinn in 2011-12 led Nantwich's march into the FA Cup First Round for the first time. They were beaten 6-0 by MK Dons.
In 2006, Nantwich lifted the FA Vase, defeating Hillingdon Borough 3-1 in the final at Birmingham City FC.
2006/07 saw the Dabbers promoted from the North West Counties League to the NPL First Division South. That season was also their last at their Jackson Avenue home of 123 years. The first season at their new stadium brought a second successive promotion as Nantwich advanced via the play-offs to the NPL Premier Division.
Phil Parkinson, an FA Vase and double promotion winner as a player, was the managerial masterminded of Dabbers' 2015-16 FA Trophy run, which took them to the brink of Wembley. They were beaten 6-4 on aggregate in the semi-finals by FC Halifax Town. Parkinson departed in the summer of 2017 to take the job at Altrincham, where he stayed until last month.
Form guide
Nantwich go into Tuesday's game in good spirits after arresting a recent slump in home form which had seen successive 4-1 defeats by Lower Breck and Bury.
They hit back on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over visiting Shifnal Town, courtesy of Byron Harrison's strike three minutes into stoppage time.
The Dabbers have a decent home record in the league overall with five victories from eight, having gone five unbeaten in early season with wins over Kidsgrove Athletic, Congleton Town, Chasetown and Clitheroe plus a draw against Mossley.
They lie tenth in the table on 26 points from 16 games with a minus one goal difference. Linnets are two places higher on the same points, having played two games fewer. Our +12 goal difference is bettered only by the top two teams Lower Breck and Avro.
We have won two of our last three aways and are unbeaten in our last five since losing at Bury on Tuesday, September 9th. This is our only defeat in 12 matches on the road in all competitions.
How to get there
By road - From M6 J16, take the A500 towards Nantwich. Head straight across at the next four roundabouts onto the A51 towards Nantwich Town Centre and then straight ahead through the traffic lights and over the railway crossing.
At the next roundabout, go straight ahead, then left at the next mini-roundabout, passing Morrisons supermarket on the right.
Continue straight ahead at the next roundabout, following the road to the next crossroad traffic lights.
Go straight through and follow the road to next set of traffic lights, where it's a right turn for the ground.
By train - Services to Nantwich from Runcorn and Runcorn East both involve changes. You can plan your route here
Car parking
There is limited car parking on a first-come, first-serve basis with additional parking in the town centre – the nearest next to Nantwich Swimming Baths, a fiv-minute walk from the ground.
Admission
Adults - £12
Concession (Over 60s) - £9
Junior (U16s) - £4
Comments