Ossett Town F.C.
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Ossett Town Football Club are an English football club based in Ossett, in West Yorkshire, playing in the Northern Premier League in the 2006-07 season.
[edit] History
The Ossett Town Football Club was formed in 1936 and played in the Leeds League (later renamed the West Yorkshire League in 1939).
During the World War II, the team switched to the Heavy Woollen League and had to use a pitch on Back Lane when the army commandeered Fern House. After the war in 1945, Town joined the Yorkshire League. The best league position was third in 1949/50, having won the West Riding County Senior Cup in 1948, beating Salts 4-2 at Bradford City’s Valley Parade.
Although attendances were regularly 1000+ Town’s fortunes waned in the 60’s and 70’s alternating between Division 2 and Division 3 of the Yorkshire League.
A bright spot during this period was the acquisition of the Ingfield site after Derrick Blackburn was sold to the then Swansea Town in 1957 for £1350.
In 1982 Town again won the County Cup beating Bradley Rangers 2-0 at Huddersfield Town’s Leeds Road ground in the final season of the Yorkshire League finishing runners up in Division 2.
Ossett Town joined the newly formed Northern Counties East League in 1982/83. 1987 saw the start of the rise in fortunes at Ossett Town, when Micky Bullock was appointed manager, Town won the Division 2 Championship in 1988/89. The following season Town gained promotion to the Premier League and won the League Cup beating Vase finalists Bridlington Town 1-0 at North Ferriby’s ground.
During this time floodlights were installed, the pitch re-laid, new dressing rooms built and the social club extended as Town prepared to move up the pyramid also the record attendance was set (2600) when Town entertained Manchester United in a pre-season friendly in 1988.
After nine seasons in the Premier Division Ossett Town gained promotion to the UniBond League in 1998/99 after finishing runners up to Ossett Albion who were denied promotion due to ground grading issues.
Finishing 8th in the first two seasons in the higher league Town finished runners up in 2001/02 and thought they had gained promotion to the Premier Division, but this time the ground grading rules worked against them and promotion was denied.
The following season a number of key players left the club and Town just avoided relegation finishing in 20th place. In 2003-04, Town finished 14th, just missing out on promotion to the Premier Division, because the top 13 clubs were promoted to replace those clubs who had joined the newly created Conference North division; but the demise of Telford United created an extra place in the Premier Division, which went to Ossett Town.
In 2005-06, Ossett Town achieved their best ever performance in the FA Cup, reaching the 4th qualifying round. Town lost 2-3 to Leamington, who were then drawn against Colchester United in the 1st Round. At the time Town were in the relegation zone, a few weeks later the manager Steve Richards was replaced by his assistant, Steve Kittrick, results improved considerably and Town eventually finished 8th.
During the summer of 2006, the members of Ossett Town ended years of speculation about selling their Ingfield ground, voting by 29 votes to 3 to stay at Ingfield for at least the next 5 years.
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AFC Telford United | Ashton United | Burscough | Fleetwood Town | Frickley Athletic | Gateshead | Grantham Town | Guiseley | Hednesford Town | Ilkeston Town | Kendal Town | Leek Town | Lincoln United | Marine | Matlock Town | Mossley | North Ferriby United | Ossett Town | Prescot Cables | Radcliffe Borough | Whitby Town | Witton Albion edit |
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