Sponsored by Bren Connolly
Chris Lawton has returned to the backroom team at Runcorn Linnets as assistant manager.
He received an early present for his birthday today (Sunday) from Saturday's 3-1 win at Vauxhall on his Linnets comeback.
Lawty was originally part of the first-team coaching staff under Michael Ellison from 2018 to 2020 and fellow just short of 150 appearances as a player.
In the interim, he has been alongside Ello in the dugouts at City of Liverpool and Widnes, sharing in the latter's NPL West title success in 2024-25.
Lawty is now also reunited with Lee Bignell, who joined us as first-team coach earlier this season, after holding a similar role at championship-winning Widnes and retains the post under Ello.
The new assistant manager had himself become coach at Runcorn Linnets in 2018 after calling time on his playing career at Linnets.
He could not have wished for a better end to his playing career - and third Linnets playing spell - than netting the final goal of our five in the home victory against Squires Gate which clinched the 2017-18 Hallmark Security League Premier Division title.
A very experienced centre half at NWCL level, Chris's first playing stint with Linnets saw him named 2011-12 Player of the Season
In April of that season, he had made himself a hero of the Yellow and Green faithful with a headed winner in the Easter Monday victory over Runcorn Town, who he later joined.
Lawty had originally signed for Runcorn Linnets in November 2010, having been with Trafford FC, and formed half of a formidable central defensive partnership with Rob Bodie.
Already one of the few players to have represented both clubs in the Linnets/Town derby, Lawty's involvement in the fixture took a new turn on Boxing Day 2016 when he ended up in goal when Tom Hunt was sent off!
The stand-in No1 defied Town with a confident performance before finally conceding late on in a memorable 1-1 draw.
Lawty played 143 times for Runcorn Linnets, scoring seven goals.