English Football Premierleague

The first round of this season’s Coca-Cola Cup brings two good friends and former Manchester United trainees head to head. Crewe v Bury may not sound the most mouth-watering of clashes, but for defender AshleyY Westwood and winger David Johnson their two-legged tie will have a bit of extra spice. The careers of these two players have followed very similar paths. Having grown up in the junior ranks together at Old Trafford, they both left to make it big in the lower leagues. And after David tasted Second Division championship success with Bury last season~ Ashley followed him into the First Division as Crewe Alexandra won the play-offs Euro 2012 betting.

But when the two come up against each other at Road this week it won’t be the first time they’ve been in direct competition. Crewe  central defender Ashley recalls: “We met when we were  about 13 and were playing against each other in schools football. I was playing for Wigan and David was in the Telford team. We were in direct opposition, I was playing at right-back and David was on the left wing”.

Bury striker David takes up the story. “We were 3-0 up in the first game and they came right back to 3-3, than in the second match we were 2-0 up until the game Euro 2012 betting was abandoned ten minutes from time because of fog. In the third match they beat us 4-1.  I don’t remember much about the games but I recall Ashley saying he was training with United and I just thought we must be team-mates.
Last season the pair came face to face again in the league, and ended with one win each. Ashley admits marking his mate gave him”something of a dilemma. “It was strange coming up against David in a professional game, I wasn’t sure whether or not to kick him, but I didn’t.

So what was David’s reaction when he heard the I draw for the Coca-Cola Cup? “I couldn’t believe it, of all the teams to draw we had them. I was straight on the phone and I spoke to Ashley’s dad.
I wanted to draw one of the clubs from the lower divisions and make it through to the next round, but it doesn’t make any difference now.”

It looks likely that Ashley will have the job of David again, so how do the pair rate each Ashley says: “David is as good a player as anyone I have ever marked. He’s strong, quick and he’s got a ‘good shot on him.”

And David repays the compliment: “I think Ashley was of the better defenders in the Second Division last year.
We play a very direct game he’ll be heading more balls than he’ll be kicking!”
The competition and rivalry is bound to be fierce but JO~ can bet whichever way the tie goes, these two friends won’t fall out over it…