Elvis has entered the building

Due partly to the early start to the FA Trophy, and partly to some odd gaps in our League fixtures, this week saw Prescot Cables' first evening game for nearly a month. So, not this year the slow acclimatisation to darker and colder nights, just a transition from the mild, if wet, beginning of September, to the colder climes of October. So, it is out with the thicker coat, precautions against condensation on the camera equipment, and the home made soup from the tea bar - a meal in itself.

Luke Edwards and Salford's Rees Welsh

Prescot were entertaining the players, officials and supporters of Salford City, who play at home in orange, but travel away in a camera friendly light blue.

The game saw a welcome return to first team action (a return as far as I am concerned, I missed the game on Saturday, and the programme had to go to press before the Saturday game) for club captain Liam Hollett, who has been recovering from knee surgery.

Liam Hollett gets ahead of Salford's Osebi Abadaki

There were a few changes from the team I saw playing Skelmersdale, including a return to Prescot for Anthony Shinks, who made a couple of appearances in our centenary season. After that season, at Dennis Bellairs' suggestion, I made a poster with an action shot of most of those who played. I have always been a bit concerned I may have got the names and pictures of some of the players who had made a small number of appearances mixed up. Fortunately, should Anthony spot the poster in the clubhouse, he will find himself correctly identified.

Anthony Shinks then ...

... and now

The game also saw the first appearance (again, the first I saw) of Elvis Banyihwabe, a former international for Burundi.

Elvis Banyihwabe

We do see international players at this level - mostly those on the way up, or those who played internationally earlier in their careers. Burundi is 135th (of 207) in the FIFA rankings - current internationals likely to be playing at this level are from countries at the bottom of the rankings, probably from about 180 and below. From what I could gather from the web, Elvis played for Burundi whilst playing for BV Veendam (now SC Veendam) of the Eerste Divisie (the second tier in the Netherlands).

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.