Little Hulton are using Walshaw as the blueprint for the future.

The reigning Bolton Association champions were the outstanding side last season, and are in the thick of the title race again this term.

But last year’s championship win was Little Hulton’s first since 1995, and they had only won it on two other occasions since 1966.

Walshaw, on the other hand, have won it six times since 1999 and are flying high at the top again after six games.

Little Hulton captain, Darren Mullineux, says his team is not quite as strong this year as they were 12 months ago, but they are looking at the bigger picture.

“We’ll be up there again this season, but it’s going to be a lot tighter,” he said.

“We’ve lost three or four players and are not quite as strong.

“Last year we had six or seven matchwinners in the side with other good players chipping in around them. We were a very strong team.

“This year we’ve got some lads who’ve stepped up from the second team and this is their first time in the first team.

“We’re looking more at the club as a whole, especially the junior side.

We’ve started an under-nines team for the first time and there’s one eight-year-old and the rest are six or seven.

“We’re concentrating on the juniors because the sides who are really good consistently, like Walshaw, have very good junior set-ups.

“Bringing your own players through is the way to go. Most of Walshaw’s players have come through the juniors and they are always a good side.”

As far as this season is concerned, Mullineux believes half a dozen teams at least will be in the frame for the title.

“It will be tight,” he said. Blackrod, when they have all their players, are a good team; Walshaw, Atherton, Flixton, especially with (Brenton) Parchment, Elton and ourselves will all be up there.”

Elton have beaten Little Hulton twice this season, including knocking them out of the Cross Cup last weekend.

“We lost to John Ashworth,”

acknowledged Mulineux of the Elton captain who hit 119 not out.

“He was brilliant. You don’t like losing, but you’ve got to take your hat off when someone takes the bowlers apart like he did.”