Nelson F.C.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nelson

Full name	Nelson Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Blues
Founded	1881
Ground	Victoria Park, Lomeshaye Way Nelson (Capacity: 2,000)
Chairman	Alan Pickering
Manager	Alex Mugan
League	North West Counties Football League Premier Division
2008-09	North West Counties Football League First Division, 17th
Home colours Away colours

Nelson F.C. are an English football club, based in Nelson, Lancashire. They are currently in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division, and play their home matches at Victoria Park, Lomeshaye Way. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early years: 1881 to 1921 1.2 The Football League years: 1921 to 1931 1.3 Post-World War II: 1946 to 1982 1.4 Modern era: 1983 to present 2 Stadium 3 Players 3.1 Current squad 4 Non-playing staff 4.1 Notable former players and managers 5 Honours 5.1 League 5.2 Cup 6 Attendances 6.1 Records 6.2 Averages 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Early years: 1881 to 1921

The club was founded in 1881. They were founder members of the Lancashire League in the 1889-90 season, finishing in 4th place. They were Lancashire League champions in 1895-96, winning 22 out of 30 games, scoring 105 goals, and runners-up two seasons later in 1897-98. However, the club folded during the 1898-99 season and their record for that season expunged whe they were expelled by the Lancashire FA. They rejoined the Lancashire League in the 1900-01 season, finishing 6th. In 1901-02 they joined the Lancashire Combination. In 1903-04 the league expanded with two divisions, and Nelson played in Division One. However, after finishing 18th in 1906-07 they were relegated to Division Two, where they stayed for just one season before being promoted back to Division One. The club closed down in 1916, when bailiffs were called in they remained closed during World War I until they reformed in 1918 joining the Central League in 1919-20 where they stayed for just two seasons.^[1][2]

[edit] The Football League years: 1921 to 1931

In 1921, the club joined the Football League as a founder member of the Third Division North.^[3][1] Their first league game, a 2-1 defeat to the now-defunct Wigan Borough attracted a record attendance of 9,000 on 27 August 1921. And their first season in the Football League, 1921-22, ended with a 16th-place finish, although they struggled with comparitivdely low attendances.^[3][1][4]

The following season, 1922-23, proved to be the most successful in the club's history, when they finished as champions of the Third Division North, earning promotion on 24 April 1923 with a 2-0 home win over Wrexham and were promoted to the Second Division, the first and only time the club played in a national league.^[3][1] In prepetation for the new season in the Second Division the club went on a pre-season tour to Spain in the summer of 1923, winning two of their games, beating Real Oviedo 2-1 and Real Madrid 4-2.^[4] Their stay in the Second Division was short-lived as they finished 21st (out of 22) in 1923-24 and were relegated back to the Third Division North. They were though the first team to score at high-flying Blackpool and also beat eventual champions Leeds United at home. They struggled though all season with their first away win not coming until March when they beat Manchester United. The following season they finished as runners-up to Darlington on their return to the Third Division North, but it was to be the last time the club seriously threatened to gain promotion back to a nationwide league.^[1][5][6]

Jimmy Hampson played for Nelson between 1926 and 1927. On 10 April 1926 a record attendance of 14,143 at Seedhill, saw a 2-2 draw with Bradford (Park Avenue).^[7] For a town with a population of under 40,000 the attendance were considered impressive. They reached the second round of the FA Cup in 1926-27, beating Stockport County at home 4-1 in the first round, before losing 2-1 away to Ashington in the second round. That season they finished 5th, however the club then started to struggle in the league and finished in last place in 1927-28, conceding 135 goals, and they were also struggling financially and found themselves £6,500 in debt. They were though re-elected to the league. In 1930-31 they reached the second round of the FA Cup for a second time. In the first round they beat Workington 4-0 then lost 2-1 to York City in a replay after a 1-1 draw. However, they again struggled in the league, dropping to last place on Boxing Day 1930, where they stayed for the rest of the season. After finishing bottom of the league for a second time, they failed to win re-election and were voted out of the Football League after a second vote, following a tie. They ere replaced by Chester City. The club's last game in the Football League was a 4-0 defeat to Hull City on 2 May 1931. The club then dropped back into the Lancashire Combination where on 7 August 1936 they folded again after incurring a big loss.^[3][1][6][8]

[edit] Post-World War II: 1946 to 1982

Following World War II, the club was reformed in 1946, and immediately rejoined the Lancashire Combination finishing 11th in 1946-47. The following season they were runners-up and for the next few seasons the club continued to do well both in the Lancashire Combination and cup competitions. A 4th placed finish in 1947-48 was followed by the club being crowned champions in 1949-50, scoring 125 league goals, when they also won the Lancashire Combination Cup. They were runners-up in 1950-51, when they lost out on the title on goal-average, while scoring 120 goals. Also in 1950-51, Nelson won the Lancashire Combination Cup again and reached the second round of the FA Cup. Alhough the first time the club did so a non-league club, meaning they started the competition in the first qualifying round where they beat Lancaster City 5-2. They then beat Leyland Motors 4-1 in the second qualifying round, followed by victories over Bacup Borough (2-0 in the third qualifying round) and Hyde United (3-0 in a replay in the fourth qalifying round). In the first round they beat Witton Albion 1-0 before losing 3-2 to Port Vale in the second round. In 1951-52 they were champions for a second time, this time scoring 139 goals with Joe Fagan, who went on to manage Liverpool, as manager. A 5th place finish in 1952-53, Fagan's second and final season in charge, was followed by a 3rd place in 1953-54.^[3][1] However, despite finishing as champions tice, each time they applied to re-join the Football League they narrowly failed. In 1954-55 they won the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy. They won the Lancashire Combination Cup for a third time in 1959-60. In 1960-61 they were runners-up in the Combination, the closest the club came to winning the title again. However, in 1965-66 they finished 21st (out of 22) and were relegated to Division Two. The Lancashire Combination lost many of its clubs to the newly-formed Northern Premier League in 1968. However, Nelson remained in the Combination. In their final season in the Combination, 1981-82, they finished 3rd.^[8]

[edit] Modern era: 1983 to present

Nelson became founder members of the new North West Counties Football League, joining the Third Division. They finished 10th (out of 18) in their first season, 1982-83. The 1986-87 season saw a 4th placed finish. The following season the Third Division was scrapped, and Nelson were moved up to the Second Division, finishing in 16th. However, due to the poor state of their Victoria Park stadium, and problems with getting it up to the standard rquired by the league, the club were forced to drop down to the West Lancashire League, where they played in the Second Division and remained for four seasons from 1988-89 to 1991-92. They struggled though with a highest place finish of 15th. They were re-admitted to the North West Counties Second Division for the 1992-93 season after Victoria Park was upgraded, although they finished 17th (out of 18) in their first season. In 1996-97 they won the Division Two Trophy. In 1999-2000 they finished 3rd. In 2000-01 they finished in the third and final promotion place on the final day of the season above Atherton Laburnum Rovers. However, Atherton were granted a replay of their final game as their opponents had fielded an ineligible player. Atherton won the replayed game to snatch away third spot from Nelson. In 2005-06 they again finished 3rd and were promoted to the First Division, the club's first promotion in 83 years.^[9]

They finished 20th (out of 22) in 2006-07 and 20th (out of 20) in 2007-08 although they were not relegated. In 2008-09 the First Division was renamed the Premier Division,Nelson finished in 17th position out of 22 despite winning just 3 home games, The Blues faired much better on the road to finish 16 points clear of bottom club Atherton Collieries.^[3][1]

[edit] Stadium

Nelson originally played its home matches on a pitch behind the Golden Ball pub. They moved to Seedhill around World War I where the club had a small wooden stand and a small covered enclosure behind one goal, with grass banking around the rest of the ground. In 1922 a large 2,000 capacity wooden stand was built. After the club folded in 1936, Seedhill became derelict, until they reformed ten years later in 1946. The ground changed little and again fell into a state of dispair.^[3] The club's highest attendance at the stadium was 14,143 for a Third Division North match at home Bradford Park Avenue on 10 April 1926.^[7]

Nelson played their final home game at Seedhill on Sunday 28th March 1971 when a crowd of over a thousand gathered to witness the first Sunday fixture at the stadium,they were duly rewarded with an eight goal thriller as Clitheroe were beaten 5-3.Nelson moved to Victoria Park (known locally as "Little Wembley" ) in time for their opening home fixture of the following 1971-72 Lancashire Combination season,when the Nelson Leader reported a "good crowd" attended to see them lose 1-0 to the recently reformed Accrington Stanley on August 28th 1971.Seedhill having hosted the Nelson Admirals speedway team between 1967 and 1969 latterly became a well known stock car venue before its eventual demolition around 1980 when the M65 motorway cut through the area.The site of Seedhill remains clearly visible today, on the right as you pass under the motorway on Carr Road towards Barrowford directly opposite the left hand turn into Lomeshaye Way for Victoria Park.

Victoria Park now has a capacity of 2,000, with 1,900 standing. It is bordered by trees on two sides in surrounding parkland. Along one side there is a low-roofed wooden stand with seating in the centre section. The side opposite has the dugouts with a grass area. Behind one goal are the clubhouse and changing rooms at the top end of the ground.^[3][10]

In January 2009 Nelson launched an appeal, the "£10K Floodlight Appeal", to help improve the floodlighting facilities at Victoria Park.^[11]

[edit] Players

As of 18 October 2008.^[12]

[edit] Current squad

No. Position Player -- GK Billy Carrington -- GK Chris Thompson -- DF Marc Berry -- DF Craig Redhead -- DF Marc Taylor -- DF Darren Wright -- MF Paul Crorken -- MF Todd Hayes -- MF Lee Kershaw -- MF Alex Miller

No. Position Player -- MF Ben Miller -- MF Martin Payne -- FW Sam Heap -- FW Alex Mugan -- FW Chris Ogunyode -- FW Sean Thompson -- Chris Clarkson -- Stephen Hobin -- Mark Wilson

[edit] Non-playing staff

Name	Role
Alan Pickering	Chairman
Jon Westall	Director
Denise Westall	Commercial Manager
David Priestley	Match Day secretary/Press Officer
Alex Mugan	Player/First-team manager
Marc Berry	Assistant manager
Matthew Mugan	Conditioning and Sports Science specialist

[edit] Notable former players and managers

• Joe Fagan - player/manager 1951-53. He went on to manage Liverpool, winning the treble in his first season as manager.
• Joe Eddleston - player 1921-26. His 22 goals helped seal the Third Division North title in the 1922-23 season. He later transferred to Swindon Town where he formed a successful partnership with the prolific Harry Morris.
• Jimmy Hampson - player 1925-27. Free-scoring Hampson was poached by Blackpool while watching a film at the cinema. Hampson continued his prolific goalscoring with the Seasiders. He was lost at sea during a fishing trip in 1938.
• Ernie Machin - player joined Coventry City from Nelson in March 1962 making 257 appearances for the Sky Blues during their rise to the First Division.Later playing for Plymouth Argyle and Brighton & Hove Albion.

[edit] Honours

[edit] League

• Football League Third Division (North) champions: 1922-23
• Lancashire League champions: 1895-96
• Lancashire Combination champions: 1949-50, 1951-52
• North East Lancashire League champions: 1906-07

[edit] Cup

• North West Counties Football League Division Two Trophy winners: 1996-97
• Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy winners 1907-08, 1954-55
• Lancashire Combination Cup winners: 1949-50, 1950-51, 1959-60
• Hospital Cup winners: 1888-89, 1891-92
• Bridge Shield winners: 1975-76, 1981-82
• George Watson Trophy winners: 1978-79
• Green Bank Shield winners: 1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92
• Jim Towler Trophy winners: 1990-91

[edit] Attendances

[edit] Records

• Largest attendance at Seedhill: 14,143 vs Bradford Park Avenue, Third Division North 10 April 1926^[7]

[edit] Averages

As of 9 March 2009, the average league-game attendance at Victoria Park for the 2008–09 season is 73, which places Nelson 12th for the division, and is a decrease of 5.4% from the previous season.^[13]

Past averages:

• 2007–08: 77
• 2006–07: 115^[14]
• 2005–06: 200^[14]
• 2004–05: 83
• 2003–04: 84

Source: English football site

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Nelson at the Football Club History Database
• Images of Seedhil taken in 1978 at pyramidpassion.co.uk

North West Counties Football League Premier Division 2009-10 v • d • e
Abbey Hey | Alsager Town | Ashton Athletic | Atherton Laburnum Rovers | Bacup Borough | Bootle | Colne | Congleton Town | Flixton | Formby | Glossop North End | Maine Road | Nelson | New Mills | Newcastle Town | Padiham | Ramsbottom United | Runcorn Linnets | Silsden | Squires Gate | St Helens Town | Winsford United
v • d • e Football in England The Football Association National teams England · B · C · U-21 · U-20 · U-19 · U-18 · U-17 · U-16 League system Premier League · The Football League (Championship • League One • League Two) · Football Conference (National • North • South) · Northern Premier (Premier Division • Division One North • Division One South) · Southern League (Premier Division • Division One Midlands • Division One South & West) · Isthmian League (Premier Division • Division One North • Division One South) Domestic cups FA Cup · Football League Cup · FA Community Shield · Football League Trophy · FA Trophy · Conference League Cup · FA Vase · FA NLS Cup Foreign Premier League players · List of clubs · List of venues (by capacity) · List of competitions · Records
v • d • e Former Football League clubs Aberdare Athletic (1921–27) • Accrington (1888–93) • Accrington Stanley (1921–62) • Aldershot (1932–92) • Ashington (1921–29) • Barrow (1921–72) • Bootle (1892–93) • Boston United (2002–07) • Bradford Park Avenue (1908–70) • Burton Swifts (1892–01) • Burton United (1901–07) • Burton Wanderers (1894–97) • Cambridge United (1970–2005) • Chester City (1931–2009) • Darwen (1891–99) • Durham City (1921–28) • Gainsborough Trinity (1896–1912) • Gateshead (1930–60) • Glossop North End (1898–1915) • Halifax Town (1921–1993, 1998–2002)  • Kidderminster Harriers (2000–05) • Leeds City (1905–19) • Loughborough (1895–1900) • Luton Town (1897–1900, 1920–2009) • Maidstone United (1989–92) • Mansfield Town (1931–2008) • Merthyr Town (1920–30) • Middlesbrough Ironopolis (1893–94) • Nelson (1921–31) • New Brighton (1923–51) • New Brighton Tower (1898–1901) • Newport County (1920–88) • Northwich Victoria (1892–94) • Oxford United (1962–2006) • Rotherham County (1919–25) • Rotherham Town (1893–96) • Rushden & Diamonds (2001–06) • Scarborough (1987–99) • South Shields (1919–30) • Southport (1921–78) • Stalybridge Celtic (1921–23) • Thames (1930–32) • Wigan Borough (1921–31) • Wimbledon (1977–2004) • Workington (1951–77) • Wrexham (1921–2008) • York City (1929–2004)