Simm ready to build on Lancaster’s Palace Shield title triumph

The men from Lune Road have been runaway leaders of the Moore and Smalley Palace Shield Premier Division this summer, winning 16 out of 16, with the other four games being abandoned due to the weather.

And they were finally confirmed as champions last weekend when they defeated second-placed Morecambe at Woodhill Lane.

That stretched their lead over their derby rivals to an unassailable 45 points with only two games of the season left and means they return to the Northern League – two years after suffering relegation.

“We needed two points going into the derby game against Morecambe and we were delighted to get them,” said Simm, whose side host New Longton this weekend.

“To win 16 out of 16 is a remarkable achievement.

“You would expect to have lost at least a couple of games at this stage of the season and we possibly could have done.

“But the target now is to go unbeaten through the rest of the season.

“We’ve had our trials and tribulations in recent years, but we want to push on and look to win more silverware in the future.”

Simm revealed that the club is already making plans for next year in terms of signing a professional.

But first he insisted the players have a duty to try their best over the remainder of the season with promotion and relegation issues still to be decided.

“New Longton have just dropped into the bottom two so I fully expect them to be up for the game,” said Simm. “I think Standish still have to play the teams in second and third in their last two games.”