Heys had just been relegated from the Manchester League Premier Division. Having struggled throughout the season it had looked that they might pull clear of the drop zone going into their last six games. However, they were not able to get the points required as they notably blew a 3-1 lead in the last fifteen minutes to lose at bottom side Rochdale Sacred Heart and then in their penultimate game, knowing a win would ensure safety, conceded an injury time penalty to Dukinfield Town to draw 1-1. Their fate was sealed in a 6-1 defeat at runaway Champions Little Hulton in the last game of the season with Manager Mark McGee standing down afterwards.

Looking for a new Manager, Heys had advertised and approached people but were unable to secure anyone and it was mid-May, a month after the season had finished.

To add to their worries the club was also struggling financially. The costs involved in the move from Grimshaws to Sandgate Road four years earlier had taken their toll, with payments still being made for work conducted at that time. Heys were entering the Summer with just £26 in the Bank.

Then one evening, in late May, Secretary Stephen Howard took a phone call that was to kick start a stunning change in fortunes. The call was from a former player, Paul Davidge, who had been a member of the side that had earned Heys promotion from the Manchester League First Division, as Champions, in 1988, two years after they had lost their NW Counties League status. Davidge proposed he and Nick Woods, who was then Manager at Old Standians, for the vacant post at Sandgate Road. A few phone calls later and the job was theirs.

The next challenge was recruiting players. Existing players were contacted and the likes of experienced centre half Andy Evans, stalwart left back Mike Openshaw, midfielder Martin Lowrie, defender Tim Stokes and strikers Alex Ritchie and Mark Christian were amongst those retained. Some faces already familiar to Heys fans were brought back into the fold such as striker Steve Brown and goalkeeper Brian Ahern and significantly defender Mark Thomas who had vast experience at a higher level alongside his previous success at Heys being a member of that 1988 title winning side with Davidge.

New players were brought in with Woods drawing on his contacts to bring in the likes of midfielder Kelby Shaw, wide men Matt Jordan and Martin Wilcock, the class and experience of versatile Alan Hudson and what was to prove a real scoop in lightning-fast striker Mark Haslam. A further addition came in the capture, of midfielder Danny Woods, who had just been released by Rochdale.

Remarkably, the recruitment was done and dusted in a matter of weeks and from nothing Heys now had a squad blending experience and youth.

The decision was taken to make an early return to training on Saturday 15th June, one of those “you know where you were” dates, being the day of the Manchester Arndale bombing.

On a football note, it was also the day of Gazza’s famous Euro 96 goal versus Scotland. It’s coming home was certainly the feeling at Sandgate Road given the rapid change in mood.

Changes were also afoot off the pitch too as Graham Dobson was appointed new Chairman bringing with him his Under 15’s side. It was the start of a Youth policy that expanded to take into two sides, the other managed by Rob Evans, which saw Heys become founder members of the NW Youth Alliance League. It was a policy that reaped dividends, providing a wealth of playing talent that went onto provide the nucleus of players in the Adie Moran era and whom later returned in the early days of Jon Lyons reign. It continues to bear fruit to this day in newly appointed Joint Manager Lee O’Brien.

Work to restructure the clubs’ finances was also undertaken and the organising of a highly lucrative Sportsmans Dinner at Manchester United was to bring about a gradual improvement to the bank balance. No longer did club officials have to dip into their own pockets to pay League fees and the like as they had done in the summer of 1996.

On the field pre-season saw some patchy results, including a 3-0 home defeat to then NW Counties League Salford. They were managed by a former Heys boss in Alan Kershaw, who remarked afterwards that Heys “would win nothing with that side.” This was twelve months after another Alan, Hansen, said “you can’t win anything with kids” when talking about Manchester United.

Remarkably, the reality that followed Hansen’s quote was to be matched as Heys went onto enjoy a glorious season. They were quick out of the traps as two goals from Brown and a further strike from Woods gave them a 3-1 opening day home success against Ashton Athletic. With the first nine League matches won, it was already evident that Heys were on the right tracks. With 30 goals scored and only four conceded Heys had strength across the park with defensive resilience and pace to burn upfront where Haslam and Brown were amongst the goals with the injured Ritchie, who was to become a scorer of 100 goals in his Heys career, yet to take to the field.

A 3-1 second round replay defeat in the Lancashire Amateur Shield at Tottington in early November proved to be Heys first defeat of the season and the fact the Bury side were to emerge with Gamesley as close contenders for promotion underlined Heys could not rest on their laurels.

They returned to League action and reeled off eleven wins on the bounce whilst also progressing to the semi-finals of the League’s Murray Trophy. With Ritchie returning in December, the goals continued to flow with Whalley Range and Whitworth Valley hit for six on successive weekends and Greater Manchester Police beaten 8-0 at Sandgate Road, Haslam hitting five.

Heading into Spring Heys League record read played nineteen, won nineteen ahead of a crucial three match period that saw away League trips to Gamesley and Tottington followed by a home Murray Trophy semi-final with the former.

The trip to Gamesley was to bring Heys 100 per cent record to an end. On a difficult pitch, Heys never got into their stride and were beaten 3-1. However, any hopes that others may have had that Heys were about to stumble were quickly banished. Seven days later Heys travelled to Tottington and ran out emphatic 4-0 winners with Ritchie and Shaw grabbing two apiece.

With promotion within touching distance attention turned to the Murray Trophy semi-final with Gamesley. It was to prove a bruising and bad-tempered affair, including an all-out brawl, but Heys came through it with a Hudson hat-trick giving them a 3-1 win.

With nine games to go Heys were in touching distance of a League and Cup double. There appeared to be signs of nerves with draws, the only ones of the season, at Sacred Heart and New Mills, the latter courtesy of an injury time Shaw equaliser.

However, 2-0 away wins at Manchester Royal and Ashton Athletic, with Manager Davidge scoring with an overhead kick in the latter, meant victory on the trip to Willows on 22nd April would seal promotion.
The hosts played at Salteye Park, now the location of the AJ Bell Stadium, and were a more than useful side packed with players from a strong Salford football scene. However, goals from Haslam and Shaw ensured victory and promotion for Heys.

Four days later the teams met again at Sandgate Road. This time the prize on offer was the League title itself. A tight and nervy encounter went into the final quarter until Lowrie popped up with the only goal of the night. Heys were Champions.

Free of nerves, Heys underlined their dominance of the division as they recorded 3-0 home wins over Gamesley and Tottington in successive matches.

A 3-2 win at Hollinwood wrapped up the League campaign with Heys finishing twelve points clear of second placed Tottington and a further four points ahead of Gamesley in third. Heys final league record read played 30, won 27, drawn two, lost one, 87 goals scored, 17 conceded and a total of 83 points.

The Murray Trophy Final saw Heys up against Pennington, who had finished eleventh, at Woodley Sports ground. Brimming with the confidence of Champions the result was never in doubt with an early goal setting up a 4-0 win with strikes from Ritchie, Haslam, Thomas and Lowrie completing the Double.

Stephen Howard was to also win the Manchester League Secretary of the Year Award. It was presented not so much as an individual award but as recognition of the turnaround in the clubs’ circumstances. It transpired that the League had held a lengthy meeting prior to the season to discuss what they would do should Heys not complete the season.

Heys have never been relegated since and have largely enjoyed an upwards progression. It has by no means all been rosy. There have since been brushes with relegation and financial difficulties so it would be unfair to say that 1996-97 changed the club for ever but the season is deserving of a prominent place in the club’s history for not only the dramatic turnaround in fortunes and the stunning way in which it was achieved but also for the seeds it sowed for future campaigns.

See some recently rediscovered photos of the time, which show a very different looking Sandgate Road here:https://www.prestwichheys.com/photos/heys-199697-1021813.html Click on the pictures for captions.