THE 1874COLUMN - By Matt Waters

AS we’ve just entered February and remain top of the North West Counties Premier Division by seven points, we are on track to record our best ever season on the pitch, beating that of our 2014-15 campaign.

That year was our first season in the Premier Division after being promoted due to Formby folding the season before.

During the 14-15 season, we finished in third place on 86 points, behind Runcorn Linnets and the runaway champions Glossop North End who finished on 102 points that year.

However, so far this season, we are on course to beat our record points total of 86 and could potentially see us follow in Glossop’s footsteps and get promoted out of the Counties.

That year we saw a formidable strike partnership that we never thought we would see anything alike at 1874 in Mike Brandon and Matty Beadle. Scoring 23 and 27 respectively, the attacking duo scored 50 goals between them which nearly equalled half the goals during that season.

However, we are only just into the month of February and Scott McGowan and Jake Parker have netted 20 and 24 goals this season which is a phenomenal number. At the same stage of that season we were on 53 points, however we are already seven points better off this season as we are on 60 points after 24 games.

We have witnessed some truly fantastic football from dismantling a Litherland REMCYA side 9-0 to coming back from 2-0 down against Skelmersdale to beat them 3-2 in added time shows the strength in not only football ability but also in the character this 1874 side has got.

The side back in our second ever season showed us exactly what happens when you play attacking and free flowing football, and this season, we seem to be taking that to a whole new level.

That season we heavily relied on Brandon and Beadle with some help from Matty Ward, however this year, we are seeing players from all over the pitch chipping in making it an already successful season in front of goal, scoring 67 goals making us the league’s top scorers.

As we know from many years in the North West Counties especially this season, it’s always highly competitive and any side is capable of taking points from anyone.

Last weekend we saw all of the top three sides in the league dropping points, and with more promotion spots available than ever before in the North West Counties, the promotion race is going to go all the way.