Eric dubbed Stanley's Jack Walker!

ERIC Whalley has been dubbed the Jack Walker of Accrington Stanley after leading the club back to the brink of the Football League.

The accolade has come from Mike Ferguson - the man who scored Stanley's last Football League goals, more than 40 years ago!

"There will never be another Eric Whalley - for Stanley he is the equivalent of Dave Whelan at Wigan or Jack Walker at Blackburn," says Ferguson who is thrilled to see the club back on the brink of the big time.

"Eric has been involved for a long time and he has got the people around him he can trust and they have got good players and he has balanced the books.

"Eric reminds me so much of Charlie Kilby (grandad of current Burnley chairman Barry) who was a director in 1962. He loved the club, he looked after us and would always walk around with his jacket on with the Accrington Stanley crest on.

"I am pleased for everyone at Stanley. I had a feeling that in their second season as a professional club, that they would go up and it looks like it will come true."

According to Ferguson there is one key ingredient in Stanley's success in recent years. "Eric's determination. He also seems to have a good manager in John Coleman who can get the players in and knows the league well."

But Ferguson is now urging the public of the town to back the club and ensure there is no repeat of the financial trouble that spelled doom for the club in the 1960s.

"The only thing that worries me about the club is the size of the crowds. I know they managed to get 3,000 against Morecambe recently but then the week after the attendance was just 1,900! Maybe the club should look to play on Fridays next season."

The crowd issue is a worrying echo of the past for Ferguson.

"It is the same problem now as it was all those years ago. Crowds at Stanley suffer because the club is in between Blackburn and Burnley. But it is important that the fans and the people of the town get behind the club now. If they turn up now then there will be more money coming into the club and the club will be able to get things in place for next season."