FORMER Saddleworth League cricketer Phil Staley, one of the most colourful characters in non-league football, has died aged 76 following a lengthy and brave battle against cancer.
During his illustrious career Phil, who played cricket for Offerton when they were members of the league, had two spells as manager at both Ashton United and Droylsden where he enjoyed success.
While managing Ashton United in 1977, Phil pulled off a massive transfer coup by signing wonderkid Peter Coyne from Tommy Docherty’s Manchester United.
The transfer of the former England schoolboy international was such big news it happened live on ITV’s regional news.
Phil was described by local non-league expert Mike Pavasovic as a “lovable rogue” and one incident while managing Droylsden underlined that.
He received a three-month ban by the Football Association from Droylsden’s Butchers Arms ground – later reduced to one month on appeal – after being found guilty of forging a signature.
Phil overcame the obstacle by knocking on the doors of flats behind the goal until he found one with a window overlooking the grounds and persuaded an old lady called Ethel to allow him to use it on matchdays so he could communicate with the bench by walkie-talkie.
Writing in his autobiography ‘Get Those Sheep Off The Pitch’, named after his first managerial job at Welsh side Bethesda when that was his pre-match job, Phil wrote: “I walked into Ethel’s back bedroom and to my amazement she had laid the room out like a mini theatre.
“She had placed a big red reclining armchair in the prime viewing position. Next to the chair was a lovely side table with four cans of Skol perched on top along with a big bag of Quavers. The heater was switched on and there was a footstool, as well. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
“I considered contacting the FA to see if they extend the ban!”
Phil did his pre-match in the pub next door to the ground to comply with the banning order. Droylsden went on to win promotion to the Northern Premier League, premier division in front of 2,000 fans.
The Bloods went up as runners-up but, had they not been deducted seven points for fielding an ineligible player, would have been crowned champions.
During his time as Droylsden manager, Phil discovered Tony Naylor who went on to have a lengthy professional career for Crewe, Port Vale and Cheltenham Town, playing as high as the second tier, today’s Championship.
Journalist and broadcaster Jon Keighren ghost wrote the autobiography which was a collection of amusing and memorable stories like when he manager Fleetwood Town when they were a hard-up Northern Premier League side.
They were unable to pay him so each week the board gave him three boxes of fresh fish which he sold in his local pub in Poynton until the landlord banned him because the smell was putting off the regulars.
Jon said: “I was commentating on Stockport County when they were in the Championship in the late 1990s and Phil was my summariser.
“We would travel to places like Southampton and Norwich and spend five hours in the car when he would regale me with these stories, some of which were absolutely unbelievable, and I told him there was a book in them.
“Phil said he was not good with words but said he would write things down in long hand and I would go to his house each Wednesday for a couple of hours and interview him in his conservatory and take away his notes.
“We would go through the same process each week until the book was completed.”
Phil managed Bethesda Athletic, Ashton United twice, Chorley, Macclesfield Town, Kendal Town (then Netherfield), Bangor City, Droylsden twice, Grove United, Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Town, Congleton Town, Caernarfon Town and Nantwich Town.
After 26 years in non-league football management, Phil became co-commentator for Stockport County on Signal Cheshire alongside current club commentator Jon Keighren. He then moved into television, working as a commentator on the ill-fated ITV Digital before its collapse.
Phil emigrated to Australia in his fifties after accepting a job offer in international removals but, after nine years, returned to live in Nantwich, and became heavily involved at Nantwich Town where he was a scout, assistant manager and caretaker manager.
And Phil, who was a town councillor in Nantwich at the time of his death, also had a spell as assistant manager at Colwyn Bay aged 69.
During his playing days, Phil was a goalkeeper who was on the books of Stockport County and played for their reserve team.
Phil was also a good cricketer who played for Stockport side Offerton who then were members of the Saddleworth League.
Mike Pavasovic wrote on his blog Pav’s Patch: “Phil Staley was the kind of character you no longer seem to see in football. He was essentially a lovable rogue.
“Whenever you rang him, as I did on a weekly basis for several years, he always sounded as though it was an honour to take your call. When he phoned you, he was your best friend, instantly enveloping you in bonhomie.
“He was immensely likeable, at least he was for journalists like myself. I’m aware there are others who wouldn’t share my view — especially some chairmen.
“He wasn’t a data-crunching robot who’d read a library of coaching manuals. He was a character, but a character who knew his stuff. Time may have moved on and there may no longer be room for his style of management. But non-league football is the poorer for his passing.”
Phil leaves wife Andrea and children Steven, Nick and Lauren.
I didn’t know of Phil before I read this article, but I would say that not only sport, but life in general needs more people like him. A colourful character that will no doubt be sorely missed by many who has left a good few laughs and stories behind. RIP.