WHILE two of his former clubs, Town and Crewe, were clashing last Saturday, Rob Edwards was appearing for his latest – District League Scholes.

And the 37-year-old former Galpharm fans’ favourite, playing in central midfield as opposed to left-back, the position in which he finished his professional career, scored as his side drew 3-3 in their Division II match at Berry Brow.

Edwards, who rifled home direct from a free-kick, netted 21 times in 206 appearances for Town, made over two spells.

The first ran from March 1996, when he was a £150,000 signing from Crewe, to September 2000, when he switched to Chesterfield.

Former boss Peter Jackson then brought him back in July 2003 for two seasons, the first of which brought promotion play-off success over Mansfield in Cardiff.

Edwards, who started out as a striker at Crewe, crashed home a memorable goal to help see off Lincoln in the semi-finals.

Then he dispatched a penalty in the shoot-out success at the Millennium Stadium.

Since leaving Town, the Mancunian who has now settled in the Holme Valley has played for Ossett Albion and Mossley while re-training as a joiner.

He’s the latest in a line of former Town players to have turned out in the District League.

Others include Graham Cooper (Lepton Highlanders), Ian Bray (Scholes), Lloyd Maitland (Oakes WMC), Bobby Campbell (Lindley Lib), Alan Sweeney (Brackenhall United), Dennis Clarke (Flockton), Brian Mahoney (Lockwood), Kevin McHale (Berry Brow) and Len White (Allen Priests).

Meanwhile Town manager Andy Ritchie was in action for his first club Manchester United in the Soccer Masters Football finals.

Ritchie and his fellow Old Trafford old boys had made the last eight of the six-a-side competition by winning a regional qualifying group which also included Manchester City, Bolton and Wigan.

They were 3-2 quarter-final winners over Motherwell but came unstuck in the semis, when eventual champions Leicester beat them 6-1.

“I enjoyed playing if not the result against Leicester,” said Ritchie, whose teammates included Mike Duxbury, Clayton Blackmore and Andrei Kanchelskis.

“The matches are pretty competitive but played in a good spirit and it’s a great way to keep in nick and meet up with a few old mates.”

Leicester beat Wolves in the final.