Evo Stik Division One South
Shaw Lane AFC defender Dan Wilkinson tragically passed away after collapsing during the League Cup tie at Brighouse Town back in September
Dan Wilkinson will be at the forefront of everyone’s minds over the weekend as Shaw Lane AFC celebrate winning the double for him.
Lane, who also have their presentation night in the evening, will collect the Division One South trophy tomorrow afternoon after the home clash with Stamford – 24 hours before the match with the Dean Windass-led Hull City legends.
The game, being held to raise money for the Daniel Wilkinson Foundation, is being held at the Blackburn Leisure Sports & Social Club near Hull.
“Dan’s family are coming to the game (on Saturday) and I hope we to get lift the trophy in front of the Dan Wilkinson Stand,” Elliott told Non League Yorkshire.
“We then have our presentation night in the evening. I’m sure it will be an emotional night and there will be a lot of reflection.
“A lot has happened and everyone at the club will never forget this season. It will stay with us forever.
“We then have Dan’s game against the Hull City legends on Sunday. It is going to be a great day and I’m sure it will be fitting to Dan’s memory.
“The most pleasing thing about winning the league last week is that we can get a strong team out for it and really honour Dan.
“I just hope we can raise a lot of money. Team-wise, there’s the current lads, plus a few who played with us at the start of the season but have since left.
“There’s a few lads from Brighouse, including Paul Quinn and Lee Ashforth coming over to play.
“Myself, Reedy (John Reed) and Daz (Daz Smith) are facing late fitness tests. Reedy’s got a bad knee, I’ve got a bad knee and Daz has a bad neck so we’ll have to see with us. I haven’t played for eight years because of my knee.”
Shaw Lane Aquaforce manager Craig Elliott
The Ducks sealed the double with the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup triumph over Frickley Athletic on Wednesday night.
That came two days after winning the league in unusual circumstances – so bizarre that Elliott found out whilst driving on the M62 on his way back from Kidsgrove Athletic.
Winning the two trophies does not mean the season though as Elliott wants to end on a massive high.
“We’ve actually got the chance of creating a new points record for the Division One South so we’ll be taking it seriously,” he said.
“That would be an unbelievable achievement. People forget that we have only lost four league games all season.
“It has the most testing season I’ve ever had for a lot of reasons. People said in the summer that we wouldn’t do well because we had lost a few players, but we have proved them wrong.
“We have such a fantastic dressing room which has been through an awful lot. I just want to say that it has been a pleasure to manage them.”