By Liam McDermott
Windleshaw Sport has hosted many a star-studded performance in the 2023-24 campaign, due to the success of NWCFL First Division North champions FC St Helens, in addition to that of the club’s Reserves and Women’s teams.
Image by Mark Gambles
However, with the season coming to a close, the star treatment doesn’t end there.
Wednesday 8th May 2024 sees the ground host a celebrity charity football match, in association with and support of Autism Beaudon – an establishment that runs a range of non-judgemental playgroups and support groups for families that have children with autism, as well as any additional needs.
There are a range of famous faces taking part in what is sure to be an occasion to savour.
The two great squads include:
Dave Sargent: Formerly of Ashton Town, Sargent has the privilege of captaining the Sports Stars squad. Sargent’s youngest child is on the autism spectrum and, in an event organised to spread awareness and raise money for autism, will undoubtedly do himself and his family proud.
John Filan: The former Australian international shotstopper who first made his name in the English game for Cambridge United, before keeping 22 clean sheets across 74 Premier League appearances for Coventry City, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic.
Anthony Crolla:
Former British and WBA lightweight champion, ‘Million Dolla’ Crolla amassed 35 wins across 45 fights in a stellar career – will the 37-year-old land any knockout blows on the pitch?
Courtesy of Sky Sports Boxing’s YouTube channel
Gary Roberts:
Just like FC St Helens, Roberts isn’t a stranger to title success. During his career, he has won five league titles and comes into this on the back of his most recent one – a National League triumph as part of old pal Paul Cook’s Chesterfield coaching staff.
Courtesy of Portsmouth FC’s YouTube channel
James Vaughan: Like Roberts, Vaughan enjoyed a great career that saw him score 120 goals – as well as winning League One with Wigan, in the 2017-18 season.
However, arguably his proudest moment will be finding the net for Everton on his debut to become the Premier League’s youngest ever goalscorer – a record that remains intact, 19 years later.
Courtesy of Everton Football Club’s YouTube channel
Sean O’Loughlin: A former Loose Forward with a deep-rooted connection to Wigan Warriors, O’Loughlin represented The Cherry & Whites on over 450 occasions in 18 years as a First Team player, as well as having the honour of playing 25 times for his country.
Nathan Ellington: Another club legend associated with Wigan, albeit this time the blue and white side, Ellington established himself as a hero at The Latics – particularly in a prolific partnership with Jason Roberts that saw the club promoted to the top-flight of English football, for the very first time.
Courtesy of Wigan Athletic’s YouTube channel
Joe Cullen: It’s far from a secret that St Helens has a strong reputation where darts heritage is concerned and Bradford-born Cullen joins the Sports Stars team. With an enviable list of accolades to his name, Cullen will have every intention of displaying his quality on the pitch.
Denny Solomona: Auckland-born Solomona, a prolific try-scorer across Rugby League and Union last found himself in these surroundings with Castleford Tigers and will be hoping that he can try his hand at being a prolific goalscorer.
Michael Clegg: Another graduate of Manchester United’s longline of academy products, Clegg appeared nine times in the Premier League – in some of Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest sides. Since retiring from playing, Clegg has opted for a slight change in career in which he finds himself currently managing Macclesfield, but he’ll be putting his boots back on for this one.
As far as the opposition, representing Hollyoaks are concerned, their squad includes:
Jamie Lomas: A long-serving fixture of the soap, the actor who recently departed from his role as Warren Fox was nominated for the awards of Best Actor and Villain of the Year on three occasions between 2007 and 2009 at the British Soap Awards, as well as appearing in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, where he finished as runner-up in 2017.
Ashley Taylor Dawson: The all-talented Dawson has become part of the furniture, where the soap is concerned, having first appeared in 1999. Alongside that, he also showcased his quality as a vocalist and dancer for pop group, allSTARS*, while also appearing in an array of theatre productions – before finishing as a quarter-finalist in the 11th instalment of Strictly Come Dancing.
With that, he’ll be confident in displaying his quality as a footballer.
Nick Pickard: The longest-serving star of the show, Pickard appeared in its first episode in 1995 – winning the British Soap Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement’ in 2017, for playing the role of Tony Hutchinson for 22 years. Pickard, like Lomas, also appeared in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, where he was the fourth contestant to leave the show, in its most recent series.
Owen Warner: Likewise to Lomas and Pickard, Warner also appeared in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, where he finished second in 2022 – before leaving Hollyoaks, earlier this year.
And there are many more amongst the squads, as well as in the stands.
With Tom Aspinall, Josh Charnley, Umyla Hanley and Macauley Southam-Hales also in attendance, we hope to see you there too!
Liam McDermott Journalism 
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