On Saturday, Celtic take a break from the league to travel to Trafford for the FA Trophy. Kick-off is 3pm.

Trafford haven’t had the best of starts to this year’s league campaign, having lost all six opening league matches and going out of the FA Cup at the hands of Widnes. They have won this season, beating Golcar United in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay after it finished goalless in Golcar. Since then, they’ve had three draws, two at home to Clitheroe and Hanley, and one away at Hednesford. Though Trafford have scored three goals this season, all three came in their opening two matches, drawing 1-1 away at Hednesford and 2-2 at home to Clitheroe. Their only clean sheet was a home goalless draw with Hanley. Former Celt, Tom Bentham, scored both the goals against Clitheroe. Trafford have lost their last two matches, most recently at home to Bootle, losing 1-0.

Last season, Trafford finished comfortably midtable in tenth, on fifty points. Thirteen points from the play offs and thirteen points from relegation. Goal difference kept them from ninth, conceding four more goals than Prescot. They had the ninth best attack and the tenth bets defence.

Although Celtic and Trafford have not met competitively, we visited Trafford in a friendly in 2001, when Celtic won 1-0 with a Courtney Gerrard volley at the start of the second half.

In Trafford’s last match, the 0-1 home defeat to Bootle, Trafford lined up as:
1. Brad Rose
2. Ally Brown
3. Jack Sloan
4. Jarma Mohamed
5. Will Hall
6. Harry Norris
7. Demetrius Rhami
8. Rob Worrall
9. Mike Burke
10. Matty Barlow
11. Ollie Ford

In Celtic’s last match, the 3-2 away loss away at Avro, Celtic lined up as:
1. Luke Hewitson
2. Michael Brewster
3. Jordan Burton
4. Brandon Newell
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Greg Wilkinson
7. Brad Byrne
8. Max Harrop
9. Matty Bryan
10. Aaron Dwyer
11. Obua Mugalula

For those with a good memory, both of Trafford’s forwards used to play for Celtic. Matty Barlow made over 150 appearances for Celtic between 2007 and 2010 and scored forty-one goals, with a goal that will live long in Celtic memories as the one that relegates Scarborough in Celtic’s place. Mike Burke ha da much shorter tenure in the 2020/21 season, scoring in our opening FA Cup fixture at Stocksbridge and again in the FA Cup at Bishop Auckland. Another Celtic legend is at Trafford: Danny Caldecott. Danny made 73 appearances and won Young Player of the Year in 2003.