CHORLEY will be without a match on Saturday because scheduled opponents Guiseley are involved in the FA Trophy and no other UniBond First Division clubs are free.
This is a blow to manager Mark Patterson's plans after the Magpies had ground out a valuable win over Rossendale - with the help of on-loan goalkeeper Dave Felgate, the latest in a number of former internationals who have turned out for Chorley over the years.
In fact, Chorley FC webmaster, Mark Locke, is wondering if the ex-Wales player was the oldest footballer to make a debut for the Magpies.
Felgate, who had an impressive Football League career with a number of clubs, including Lincoln City (he was capped as a substitute in Wales' 5-0 win over Romania at Wrexham in October 1983), Bolton Wanderers and Chester City, has arrived on loan from Radcliffe Borough. He will be 44 in March.
Chorley have had numerous veteran debutants down the years, some of the better known ones including keeper Mark Molyneaux 21 months ago, former Preston North End FA Cup Finalist Bob Batey, who was 40 when he joined the Magpies in 1952, and 1919 skipper Tommy Rodway, another ex-Preston defender whose son Jimmy was also in the Chorley team.
With Lee Bracey on police duty on Saturday and no experienced cover available, manager Patterson was helped out by Radcliffe manager Kevin Glendon - a former Magpie player - and he agreed to release Felgate's registration.
Patterson's men, who were meeting last year's finalists Kendal Town in the second round of the Marsden Lancashire FA Trophy at Victory Park last night, will be away for the first time since losing at Matlock on December 6 when they travel to Bishop Auckland on Saturday week.
Only two cautions in four matches in December earned Chorley the First Division prize in the UniBond League Fair Play awards.
Radcliffe Borough took the Premier Division accolade with a record that included no bookings at all - the first time this is thought to have happened since the award scheme was launched.
As well as the £1,000 prize money on offer to each of the Divisional winners at the end of the season, the runners-up will receive £750, third-place sides will pocket £500 and the fourth-placed teams £250.
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