Craig Elliott is hoping people turn out in force to raise money for the Dan Wilkinson Foundation on Sunday when the Shaw Lane Old Boys will take on a Brighouse Town X1 at Brighouse (kick off 1.30pm).
Elliott is managing the Shaw Lane side which will contain players who were involved on the tragic night on the 12th September 2016 and others from the club’s glory-laden history.
Paul Quinn, who was the Brighouse manager in 2016, is assembling the Brighouse squad.
Money raised on the day will go towards the Daniel Wilkinson Foundation.
“It is an occasion that we have wanted for a while,” Elliott told Non League Yorkshire.
“For Dan’s family and friends and everyone associated, it is right that a game is played against Brighouse at Brighouse.
“Myself and Quinny are trying to get as many players as possible from the night to remember Dan and celebrate his life.
“Dan’s legacy is fantastic and we’re there to raise money and awareness so these things don’t happen again.
“These things are happening too frequently in the game.
“Hopefully we will raise a lot of money.
“There’ll be a mixture of emotions throughout the day I would imagine.
“Even seeing his parents and all the lads again and the fact I haven’t been back to Brighouse since that night will bring back some awful memories.”
He was unable to attend the Memorial fixture last year between a Shaw Lane X1 and Worsbrough Bridge due to Boston United commitments.
The game on Sunday allows him to reconnect with a number of people he has not seen in years – including players who delivered three promotions in four years and chairman Craig Wood who he has not seen since November 2017.
“It has been nice to get in touch with the old players,” Elliott said.
“I got put in a WhatsApp group by Oscar Radford and there was banter flying about on there with Stevie Istead and Joe Thornton.
“These lads were brilliant characters for me but I had lost touch with them and it is nice to reminisce about the good memories from those years.
“The Shaw Lane story is a fantastic period for Non League football.
“The club captured the imagination of everyone in Non League.
“There always seemed to be a drama happened, whether it be a success or not.
“I remember when we got Lincoln City at home in the FA Trophy and we had to pull out because Alex Byrne was deemed to have been ineligible in the previous round.
“Sometimes it was controversial, sometimes it was sad stories and lot of the time it was quite positive.”
Elliott, the most successful West Yorkshire-based Non League manager of the last 20 years, has been out of management since his surprise departure from Boston in February.
He is arguably the hottest property on the list of out of work Non League managers.
Although conversations have taken place with National League and National North clubs during the summers, no offers have been received.
However, Elliott says he is prepared to wait and won’t dive into any job.
“I’m looking for the right opportunity,” he said.
“I’d like to think opportunities will come.
“In terms of my record, it is as good as anyone in Non League and there’s not many managers who have the same number of promotions and the win percentage I have in the National North.
“When jobs become available, hopefully I’ll be a contender and I’ll find the right fit.
“That’s more important.
“It is a matter of being patient and not applying for every job or wanting every job.
“I’ve spoken to a National League club and a couple in the National North.
“The best way of putting it is I’ve had informal and formal chats with chairmen and potential owners.”