AS THE pre-season preparations continue ahead of the new season, we look back at two memorable fixtures from the 1990s.
Llanelian Road has undergone much change since the club moved in 1984 – a major milestone was the installation of floodlights.
A friendly against Liverpool reserves was arranged to officially mark the switch on the new floodlights, which had cost £20,000, in August 1990.
The Bay at the time were in Division One of the North West Counties league under manager Bryn Jones and featuring the likes of Peter Donnelly, Dave Brett and Steve Jones.
Liverpool’s reserve side had won the Central League the previous season
Their squad included Mike Hooper and Nicky Tanner as well as Mike Marsh and future England international Steve McManaman.
Played on a glorious Friday night in August, the game ended in a 2-0 win for the Reds with Marsh capitalising on errors by keeper Lee Williams to score both goals.
“I thought we did OK,” Bryn Jones said. “We competed quite well and created two or three good chances.
“When you consider we gave away two terrible goals we could have come out of it with a draw.”
The Bay would finish the season in second spot and earned promotion to the Northern Premier League.
The Seagulls also hosted a Liverpool XI in a friendly five years later – in a game played at Eirias Park Arena as the Llanelian Road pitch was not ready.
Over 700 were present to see a Liverpool side which included keeper Tony Warner, Phil Charnock and striker Lee Jones, who had signed from Wrexham.
Liverpool’s side also included a young Jamie Carragher as well as Lee Trundle.
Neil Rigby gave the Bay the lead from the penalty spot after Graham Roberts had been fouled but Charnock equalised late on.
