Alan Ainscow

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Alan Ainscow (born 15 July 1953 in Bolton, Lancashire) was an English footballer who has nothing whatsoever to do with his namesake who became a leading member of Veritas.

[edit] Football career

Ainscow began his career with Blackpool F.C., making his debut in the 1971-72 season before going on to play 200 league games for the club. The midfielder was transferred to Birmingham City F.C. in 1978 for £40,000 before joining Everton F.C. in 1981. After a loan spell at Barnsley F.C., he went on to play for Eastern of Hong Kong, Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., Blackburn Rovers F.C. and Rochdale A.F.C. before retiring in 1990.

After a long spell out of the game Ainscow was appointed as joint coach to the Under-17 team of Burscough F.C. in August 2005 [1].

[edit] Politics

Ainscow (not the former professional footballer)later joined the United Kingdom Independence Party, although in 2005 he defected to Robert Kilroy-Silk's Veritas Party. He was a candidate in Bolton North East during the 2005 election, polling 375 votes. He was later election agent for the Cheadle by-election, although candidate Leslie Leggett was equally unsuccessful.

He campaigned for the resignation of David Soutter from the party and soon threw his weight behind the campaign of Patrick Eston to become party leader. In September of that year, following Eston's success, he was appointed Chairman of the party and also became spokesman for Agriculture and Fisheries. He was a firm opponent of the Veritas Members Association claiming that " VMA of course, is one step worse than Veritas. Not only is it unelected cabal, but it is unauthorised."

As Chairman it fell to Ainscow to organise the party's AGM, which he did at Northampton Rugby Club. Controversy was sparked over a £10 fee levied to all attending members and, as a result, only 44 people turned up. With the party in decline, Ainscow resigned his as Chairman position in November 2005.