Ashton Athletic's Brocstedes Park ground will, on Thursday 9^th October host the rearranged third annual match between Ashton's former players and the Past Players of Wigan Athletic FC.

Following the postponed Challenge match originally set for early September, due to a waterlogged pitch the Old Boys from both clubs will be hoping for better weather for the 7.30pm kick off.

Once again the teams will compete for the Peter Catterall Memorial Trophy, a much valued prize which was introduced last season following the sad loss of Peter "the Cat" Catterall earlier that year. Peter had been a major driving force behind the Past Players Association, and was catalyst to starting off the sequence of matches 3 years ago.

In the first match, initially a 'one off' challenge match to celebrate Ashton Athletic's return to the North West Counties League after a twenty year absence, it was Peter's great pleasure at that time to organise a motley crew of Latics old boys to face Ashton's first team. However the young legs of Ashton saw off the old heads and even the late introduction of a few of Ashton's own "old boys" could not prevent Ashton running out comfortable 6-2 winners.

A change of format last year saw Ashton's veterans take up the challenge for the return encounter and Wigan's Latics managed a highly competitive 2-1 win to fittingly take the inaugural Peter Catterall Trophy . Goals from Tony Kelly and Stuart Barlow sealed the win, either side of a superb 25 yard equalising strike by Jimmy Whyte, rolling back the years for Ashton.

Thursday's match also holds significance as it coincides with the 40^th Anniversary of the Formation of our own Club, and also Wigan's entry into the old fourth Division of the Football League 30 years ago. There will no doubt be a wide variety of former Latics players on show, including several who have contributed to the Clubs meteoric rise in recent years, and also some going back to their non league and the early football league days at Springfield Park.

Admission to the game will be pay on the gate at £3 for adults, £1 for concessions with proceeds going towards continued development of grass roots football at Ashton, and a donation to a local Charity.