A tremendous first home gate of more than 1,200 who celebrated the 3-0 demolition of Lancaster City was matched by an equally impressive attendance and scoreline at Burscough made up of primarily Port fans.

Walsh has set his stall out to be attacking and goal getting with wide players in particular Mark Byrne and Lee Mulvaney given license to be Tolson, tive down the flanks. crea-On fire player-coach Lee Ashcroft has in all three matches fulfilled two roles, starting as a central striker and then in a deeper play making position.

So the Port have all the encouragement to get at their opponents early. Stalybridge recorded an excellent win at Barrow last Saturday before only drawing 1-1 at the Bower Fold against Ashton on Monday.

Team news from Port physio Bret Harris is very good with right-back Danny Stone, who had to be substituted early at Burscough, expected to be fit after taking a knock in a very bruising initial spell at the Victoria Ground.

Steve Soley is close to full fitness after a hamstring scare while Jimmy Williams ruled out after a late preseason strain is back in full training and veteran striker Andy Whittaker is waiting in the wings to add to the Port fire power.

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The former Lancaster man has completed 2 Lancashire League reserve games fro the 'Port, netting a penalty very confidently against Leigh in his first outing. Southport manager, Mike Walsh obviously considers Bennett as one for the future, and at 18, the boss will see this move as one which will benefit Bennett as he will gain first team football and play more regularly.

Walsh, however confirmed Bennett will not feature in Fleetwood's FA Cup tie against Oldham Town this weekend, so when recalled the player will not be cup tied. If Bennett had signed for the reds 2 weeks earlier, he may have featured in their friendly against Liverpool.

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Luckily for Jarrett, first team Physio Bret Harris was at the game and an ambulance arrived 5 minutes later. Play was suspended for 15 minutes. The paramedics came onto the field, gave his oxygen attempted to straighten his leg. The Southport side were clearly taken back by this and it was a real task for Paul Moore to get his side focused again. He talked to his men and they gathered together in a Liverpool and Celtic esk huddle. PASE ‘keeper George Ricketts covered his eyes in disbelief and needed a talking to by Moore to ensure his was alright to carry one. However, Jarrett’s former Northwich team-mate Briscoe stayed by his side for the duration of his treatment.

Later it was confirmed that Jarrett broke his main shin bone, the tibia and the extent of the injury will not be known until medics find out weather he has broken another bone in his shin, the fibula. Port Pie and everyone connected with Southport wishes Danny a speedy recovery and we will hopefully see him back in action very shortly.

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It's a big ask in a highly competitive and physical division but ambitions are clearly stated in the Haig Avenue camp and the summer rebuilding has, in Mike Walsh's words, "gone according to plan."

Walsh and his squad are thor-oughly prepared and ready for their Unibond kick-off at Wakefield and Emley tomorrow.

Two players are short-term injured and will miss the opener - Jimmy Williams with a tendon problem and Liam McGuire with blood poisoning from a blistered foot. Also out is veteran striker Andy Whittaker who ser ves a two match suspension.

Tuesday night will see the Port in action at Haig Avenue (kick-off 7.45pm) in an old versus new fixture with former manager Phil Wilson making a quick return with his new club Lancaster City.

Former Sandgrounders Kevin Welsby, Gary Bauress, Steve Jones, Neil Prince and John Robertson are in Lancaster's ranks while Andy Whittaker, Paul Haddow and Chris Bennett have moved in the opposite direction.

Speaking to the Visiter after completing training, Walsh looked at the season ahead: "I am very pleased to have signed Neil Wheatcroft and Danny Stone on contracts and the acquisition of Paul Byrne will give us balance, being a natural left back.

"Peter Wright adds competition up front and with our reserves and PASE squads we have tremendous back up.

"Our build-up has been a real mixture, getting chasings off quality squads from Wigan, Manchester City and Everton. Our major plusses were holding our own physically and fitness wise. Then we had the goals flowing against Rossendale, which was a good way to sign off the pre-season, but that's all it was, preparation for what begins tomorrow.

"The squad has a lot of talent, especially going forward. We have a lot of pace which will be a big asset. I intend to out-score opponents, and we will have an attack-minded approached. We are geared to go forward, I want to win games with style, having our supporters appreciating the quality and entertainment within the side and coming back for more."

Walsh has had both Emley and Lancaster watched and both have played with three at the back. The Port boss is basing his football philosophy around a more traditional 4-4-2 with wingers, or a 4-3-3 approach.

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Dickinson, who holds the record for most consecutive appearances, pledged his loyalty to the club he has served since August 1999 with an immediate decision to re-sign for the Sandgrounders.

A quick fire decision that took manager Mike Walsh and chairman Charlie Clapham by surprise, what with players having the summer to consider their options, negotiate terms and play clubs off against each other before putting pen to paper.

Instead Yorkshire based Dickinson without hesitation signed a new contract just days after the end of last season.

The highly rated keeper told the Visiter, "I had already received a number of offers from H al i fax, More cambe , Accrington the Conference plus Barrow, Harrogate, Emley and Bradford Park Avenue in my local area where I live.

"But I always said I would stay with Southport especially when we went down. If Southport wanted me I was determined to stay. The club have been great with me, it is a highly professional club and one I enjoy serving.

"I want to give it my best shot to get back into the Conference, I couldn't leave the club after last season.

"Our supporters are also loyal and I am happy to reflect their sentiments. I enjoyed the summer on tour in Gambia with Middlesex Wanderers.

"I feel we have confidence in the camp, we need to start with some wins to settle our nerves.

"Pre-season has gone well especially with the goals last weekend. I think we won't be far off."

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Both players have featured in the last few pre-season games and Whitworth in particularly has impressed. The former Manchester United and Wigan Athletic man has shone at the back aloingside another new capture Danny Stone and the pairning look solid. Whitworth played for Exeter City in the Third Division last season and looks like a real rock at the heart of the defence. With Whitworth, Sonne, Barry Jones and the currently injured Earl Davis all competing for the 2 centre-back positions, the players should be kept on there toes and there will be no room for any lackluster performances.

Lee Clitheroe has also put pen-to-paper after a sucessful trial. He will join on non-contractual terms, however, rulings in the UniBond say that other teams cannot sign players on a free, despite having no contract. Clitheroe has played most of his games at right-back and started once at left-back where he looked most comfartable, however, it looks like he willonly be cover for Jimmy Williams and Paul Haddow or Paul Byrne.

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The Preston based striker is the 4th forward in Mike Walsh's exciting looking squad, after the capture of Andy Whittaker. Wright will add flair, pase and goals to a side who struggled infront of goal during the last campaign and already in pre-season and has already caught the eye of some league clubs, however, Walsh has acted first and has made a signing which will state his intentions for the season.

The rising star, started his career on the books of Premiership clubs Newcastle United and Balckburn Rovers, however, moved to Halifax Town when they were in the Football League. Wright made a handful of first team apperances for the Shaymen in Division 3, before moving to Burscough in June 2002. Wright impressed the country infront of the Sky Sports cameras, as the Lancashire side beat Tamowrth 2-1 in the FA Trophy final, however, he will link up with former team-mate Mark Byrne in the Southport line-up next season.
The former Halfiax man will add much needed competition to a forward line which struggled last season, and with the singing of Whittaker also battling for a place in the starting line-up, there will be no room for any lack luster performances this season.

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The name 'Palace Products' will appear on the new shirts, instead of 'Palace Chemicals', and the new deal will provide the club with much needed finance after relegation from the Football Conference. Clapham told the Southport Visiter: "We felt it was appropriate as we are celebrating 25 years trading in Merseyside. We are a high profile, successful company and as such want, in fact demand, to be aligned with success.

"The company is very excited to take over the sponsorship, we have decided on 'Palace Products' rather than the previous Palace Chemicals logo because of the varied range we offer today -paints, spirits,
adhesivesand preservatives.

"The club wishes to continue developing it's family image and I am looking at this sponsorship to further our thriving junior football section and highly successful ladies' section.

"We have developed a 16-18 PASE apprenticeship scheme which has the potential to bring our own players through to the first team squad. A three-year deal means Palace Products will be on a Conference shirt for the 2004-05 season, the only question is whether we will be in the Conference Premier or Northern section.

"I have made my intentions clear that we as a club will be doing everything possible to lift the Unibond title and return to the Nationwide Conference, this sponsorship should indicate my long-term investment and belief in the club's exciting future."

The new old gold and black home shirts and new away shirts will be on sale before the Lancaster City game. The team are expected to wear the new away shirts next Saturday for the trip to Wakefield & Emley.

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The Sandgrounders kick off a new era next Saturday determined to be successful at Wakefield & Emley and it is a return for a sponsor who last had their name on the town team's shirts some 20 years ago.

The name 'Palace Products' will adorn the club's new old gold shirt with club chairman and Palace Chemicals chairman Charlie Clapham leading the club commercially from the front by indicating his determination to ensure the club continues to have financial stability.

On explaining why the directors of Palace Chemicals had decided to take on the role as club sponsors again, Clapham said: "We felt it was appropriate as we are celebrating 25 years trading in Merseyside. We are a high profile, successful company and as such want, in fact demand, to be aligned with success.

"The company is very excited to take over the sponsorship, we have decided on 'Palace Products' rather than the previous Palace Chemicals logo because of the varied range we offer today -paints, spirits, adhesives and preservatives.

"The club wishes to continue developing it's family image and I am looking at this sponsorship to further our thriving junior football section and highly successful ladies' section.

"We have developed a 16-18 PASE apprenticeship scheme which has the potential to bring our own players through to the first team squad. A three-year deal means Palace Products will be on a Conference shirt for the 2004-05 season, the only question is whether we will be in the Conference Premier or Northern section.

"I have made my intentions clear that we as a club will be doing everything possible to lift the Unibond title and return to the Nationwide Conference, this sponsorship should indicate my long-term investment and belief in the club's exciting future." Mike Walsh pulled off a major coup on Monday by persuading former Notts County defender Danny Stone to sign for the club. The 20-year-old has impressive Second Division experience and can play at right-back or centre-back.

Walsh will be talking to ex-Manchester United and Exeter City central defender Neil Whitworth, who played against Everton, after returning from a coaching spell in the USA. But the hopes of Shaun Teale rejoining the Sandgrounders are diminishing with the Unibond countdown well underway. Teale remains in a contract wrangle with Burscough relating to his playing contract despite being sacked by the Linnets.

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The 20-year-old, South African born Byrne will has impressed at Southport after signing on a temporary basis a month and a day ago. He has proved to be a stable player who has featured at left-back but can also play in the mid-field. The former Port Vale man has gelled quickly with his fellow defenders following their summer arrivals after featuring in Europe for the Jenner Park club already this season. Byrne signed at for the Welsh Champions from Port Vale, where he made a number of full Nationwide League appearances. He won the Welsh cup and league double last season. Byrne was one of the full-time professionals at Jenner Park, however, he became available after pay disputes with the Welsh outfit.

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