I WAS very pleased to see Brett Ormerod score his first hat-trick for Southampton and follow up with a brace against Manchester City the following Saturday.

It is good to see both him and David Dunn, two Great Harwood lads, doing so well in the Premiership.

Padiham must be pleased with the start they have made, and I am sure they will be a force to be reckoned with if they gain promotion to the North West Counties League first division.

It is good to see them climbing back up the leagues after losing their place in the North West Counties League some time ago.

To sign players who are not on a contract you have to give their current club seven days notice that you are going to speak to them, or you land yourself in trouble with the Lancashire FA - it's a rule that needs enforcing.

We have no problems with players moving, and if they think that it will help them with their football then we wish them luck, but is does not seem fair that the rules apply to some but not to others.

A certain NWCL second division manager recently tempted one of our youth teamers away without giving us notice. I'm mentioning no names!

I am sorry to keep moaning about referees, but my favorite ref was behind the old church again on Sunday, still on the same pitch and still stuck in the centre circle!

Somebody must have told him the game had finished as he was at the Stanley v Burscough game, I just hope he wasn't looking for me!

Great Harwood held a Sportsman's Dinner at the club a couple of weeks ago. The excellent guest speaker was the ex Burnley and Bolton striker Paul Fletcher, and the MC for the dinner was one of Great Harwood's best known characters, Maurice Gilmartin.

It is a pity that characters like him are few and far between these days, Mo kept the evening very entertaining with his jokes.

Stanley Reserves have got off to a poor start this season, though it must be difficult for manager Dave Thornley and assistant Steve O'Brien as they never know which players will be available because of first team calls. Fortunately their form has picked up and they are unbeaten in their last four games.

I was sorry to hear about Ramsbottom's troubles, especially after complimenting them on their set up in last week's article.

I am sure their problems will be resolved and Ramsbottom will continue to climb up the table.

Last Wednesday's game against Burscough was a real cracker, after being two goals down in the second half we showed real character to score four goals

and consolidate our position at the top of the league.

Some people said of Simon Carden's hat-trick that he hit the net more times than he passed to a team-mate!

Unfortunately as most people have heard, Kevin Ball will not be joining us. He still lives in Sunderland and the travelling would have been too much, however he was impressed with what he saw here and was very complimentary about the set-up here at the Crown Ground. Only 31 games left till the end of the season!