The APEC Taxis Stadium once again provides a backdrop for a Halton Derby curtain raiser with the Whites hoping for a more positive outcome this timearound.

They were beaten 2-0 by Calum McIntyre's Linnets this time last year with Runcorn making the best possible start to a season which came within 90 minutes of delivering a promotion to Step 3.

On the other hand, it was the worst possible start for a Widnes side that parted company with joint-managers Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey three weeks later.

But they will travel across the Mersey Gateway bridge in buoyant mood under now manager Dave Dempsey, who steered the Whites to a mid-table finish and ended the campaign with the sixth-best record in the NPL West in 2022.

Widnes were boosted by a midweek FA Cup replay triumph over Winsford United and will feel that their in good shape for the kick-off with two competitive games already under their belt.

And they have an excellent record away from home against Linnets, winning on four of their five visits to the APEC Taxis Stadium.

Dave Dempsey said...

"The lads are really looking forward to it. It's been a long pre-season and we've already played two competitive games in the FA Cup.

"Hopefully we'll go to Runcorn with enough about us to win the game. We want to start the season as well as we possibly can.

"We haven't spoken too much about Runcorn because we've been focussed on the FA Cup. We take each game as it comes - I don't know any other way of working.

"We'll prepare as well as we possibly can and while I'm away, I'll be on the phone every day to the lads making sure we're ready to go and I have full faith in my management team to take the game on Saturday."

Opposition

Dave Wild is the new man in the Runcorn dugout after the former Mossley manager replaced McIntyre who departed for Chester earlier this summer.

He is tasked with building on the foundations built last season and re-tooling a squad that lost a number of influential figures during the off-season.

In addition to the departure of McIntyre, the influential Iwan Murray, Joe Lynch and Lloyd Marsh-Hughes all linked up with the former Runcorn boss at his new club, while the division's top goalscorer Ryan Brooke left for Warrington Rylands and captain Peter Wylie moved to City of Liverpool.

It's a Linnets squad that will be extremely familiar to Widnes supporters. Up to four former Whites players could feature for Runcorn including player/assistant manager Jamie Rainford, who scored 10 goals in 21 appearances across two spells in a Widnes shirt.

Team News

Widnes travel to Runcorn without manager Dempsey, who is away on a pre-booked holiday attending a wedding.

Instead, assistant manager Karl Bell and first team coaches Tony Dunne and Chris Stammers will be tasked with leading the Whites against their closest rivals.

They will be without the suspended Fisnik Hajdari, but they will be boosted by the return of midfielder Tom Ruffer, an ex-Linnet, who was ineligible in the FA Cup.

Player for Both

26 players have represented both Runcorn Linnets and Widnes over the years, with seven, across both sides, in-line to feature today.

Ruffer, Mike Burke and Jordan Wynne could all feature for Widnes, while boss Dempsey captained Runcorn a number of occasions during his stint with Linnets in the early 2010s.

Meanwhile, Rainford, Tom Moore, Sam Heathcote and loanee Sam Turner could all don the yellow and green stripes of Runcorn against their former club.

Joey Dunn is the only person to have managed both sides.

Previous Three Meetings

18/12/21: Widnes 3-5 Runcorn Linnets
14/08/21: Runcorn Linnets 2-0 Widnes
19/12/20: Runcorn Linnets 0-1 Widnes

Matchday Information

Today's clash at the APEC Taxis Stadium is a 3:00pm kick-off.

Admission is priced at £10 adults and £7 concessions, while accompanied Under-18s go FREE.

The ground's postcode is WA7 6GJ.

Social media coverage will as always take place on our official channels – Twitter @Widnes_FC and Instagram - @widnesfc