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The Astro Opening Weekend 11/12 July 2009
The Astro Opening weekend was a great success with games celebrating the past, present and future
of the club played over the two days. Chairman Eddie Byrnes, Club Captain Lawrence McNeight
and long standing member Margaret Robson started the day off unveiling a plaque of members who contributed
towards the funding of this fabulous facility.
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| Chairman Eddie Byrnes |
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| Lawrence McNeight and Margaret Robson open the Astro Pitch. |
The first game was a South Wirral Old Boys Team against a Neston Select Team, incorparating a family
theme in the starting line up. A great warm up game that ended with about 30 players on the pitch!
Then the Ladies National U18 Champions re-grouped for a game against a Neston Ladies Select Team.
Some fine displays of hockey from the U18 team!
The last game on Saturday was the National League Old Boys against a Neston All Stars Team. The result
was 4-3, but a great show of skill from the master crafstmen, who can still mix it with the best of them.
Video of the big weekend, check out this glimpse of the weekend. We think it captures the essence of the opening
and the fun that was had.
Link to all Photos at www.photobox
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| The Neston Select Squad |
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| The South Wirral Old Boys |
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| The Ladies Neston Select Squad |
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| The Ladies U18 1991 National Champions |
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| Sue Mills takes up a Goal-keeping role! |
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| Rachel Crisp and Ali Byrne |
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| The Neston All Stars Teams |
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| Team Photo Bernard Rose Photography |
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| Andy Crutchley and Robbie Smith attack. |
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| Malcolm Wilkinson on the ball with Martyn Grimley watching. |
On Saturday evening a dinner was held in our new state of the art clubhouse overlooking the
cricket pitch and picturesque Parkgate, organised by Tim and Lizzie Weatherall.
Geoff Poole, David Jellicoe, Tony Brooker, Peter Crutchley, Chris Ashcroft, Dave Weston,
Delia Heginbottom and Robbie Smith all received Lifetime Achievement Awards for all they have put into the club.
The four main people who have made the Astro Appeal happen, also received a Photo of the New
Astro opening, David Knight, Tony Crisp, Norman Sutton and Tim Brooker.
During coffee the Chairman of Hockey at NSW, Eddie Byrnes, gave us the benefit
of his hockey experiences and wisdom over his years in the game. Bobby Crutchley followed with his
England Hockey experiences as Manager of the U21 Squad. Finally Rich Beswick gave us an excellent
insight into life on the road of a National League player and gave us a glimpse of what went on back in the mid eighties!
Alot to take in for a young player starting out, so much so James Knight looked half asleep at
the end of the evening!
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| Bobby Crutchley Great Britain U21 Coach receives a Hockey manual from Eddie Byrnes! |
Sunday saw the Badgers and Beavers have an inter-club tournament organised by Rich Lowry.
Then the U18 boys showed us what the future holds for NSW and we now know why these young lads got into the
last 16 of the country and the U15 boys got to the semi-final of the Plate last season.
The big game was next, when Tony Lydiate's unbeaten 6th team of the 1989
season took on The Eddie Byrnes Invitation XI. Lets just say that they remain unbeaten.
This ended a great weekend after we retired to the new clubhouse to have an ice bath and isotonic
beer.
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| Rich Lowry displays the Club Mark with our Juniors. |
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| Tournament Directors hut! |
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| U18 Boys |
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| Zulu start Warby and Lloydy fight it out. |
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| Defending a short |
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| Eddie's Presidents Squad. |
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| The un-beatable 6th Team of 1989 |
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| The unbeatable 6th Team continue where they left off! |
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| Captain Lyds leads the boys out. |
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