Best wishes to ex Altrincham FC 's George Melling
15.02.2021
The NL Paper reports that former Altrincham centre-back George Melling "was recently diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at the age of 36".
Altrincham fans will need no reminding that Mark Maddox another Alty centre-back, who played alongside George, was diagnosed with MND many years ago and he continues to fight the disease impressively.
George's clubs since leaving Altrincham have included Ashton United, Lancaster City, Clitheroe, Bamber Bridge, Longridge Town, Nelson and Northwich Victoria.
George told the NLP "I first started with symptoms back in February 2020... It got to the point where I had to admit there was something really wrong".
George's diagnosis with MND was confirmed only last week. Friends have set up a GoFundMe page. The NLP writes "For all enquiries regarding providing help and/or contributing towards the fundraising efforts, please e-mail Mark Fell, who was George's manager at Lancaster City.
George progressed to the Alty first team via Neil Brown's Altrincham Reserves, having previously been at Blackpool FC and Morecambe (reserves and first team) and also representing the Lancashire FA.
After coming on as a late sub against Lancaster City in Nationwide North on 29 January 2005, he made his Alty debut on 1 February 2005 in the Cheshire Senior Cup at Vauxhall. However, his first league start was as a right-back at Kettering on 19 February 2005.
After 3(+2) appearances in the Conference, George moved from Altrincham to Clitheroe to get first-team football and he made his debut there on 8 October 2005. He soon moved on to Lancaster City and then Leigh RMI before rejoining Altrincham early in the 2006-07 season. He signed Conference forms in mid-September and was on the bench at Forest Green on 19 September 2006 but was then injured in the Reserves and decided to leave for Bamber Bridge by early November 2006.
In all he made 20(+7) appearances for Altrincham.
NonProFootball sends its best wishes to George Melling
Source: The Alty Files
