Warrington Town F.C.
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| Warrington Town | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Warrington Town Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | The Levers, The Warriors, Yellows | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Founded | 1949 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Cantilever Park, Latchford, Warrington |
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| Capacity | 3,500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman | Dave Hughes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Ian Street | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Northern Premier League First Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005-06 | Final league position: 19th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Warrington Town F.C. are a football club based in Warrington, Cheshire, England. They were established in 1949 under the name of Stockton Heath Albion. In 1961, they changed to their present name. In 2004, they joined the Northern Premier League Division One. They play their home games at Cantilever Park, Latchford, Warrington. The club have big plans for the future and plan to continue up the league pyramid towards the Football League
[edit] Club History
Formed in 1949 under the eye of their late president, Jimmy Drinkwater the club began life as Stockton Heath Albion and, after playing at a ground called London Road competed in the Warrington and District league until 1953, when a move to the Mid Cheshire League coincided with the appointment of Freddie Worrall as manager. During his thirteen years at the helm, Heath were one of the most feared sides in Cheshire football, winning a string of honours including the Mid Cheshire League Championship in 1960, the League Cup three times, and making the most appearances in the Cheshire Amateur Cup Final.
Several players from this successful period went on to join Football League clubs, including Ian Weir (Scotland & Hibernian F.C.), John Green (Tranmere Rovers F.C.), and Alan Foster (Crewe Alexandra F.C.). The most famous sons must, however be Roger Hunt who went on to score many memorable goals for Liverpool F.C. and gained the ultimate honour of winning a FIFA World Cup winners medal with England in 1966.
At the 1961 AGM, it was decided to change the clubs name to Warrington Town, and in 1965, the club moved to their present home in Latchford. A neat, compact stadium with a capacity of around 3,500. The ground is on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in the shadow of the imposing Cantilever Bridge which dominates the areas skyline, and from which the ground takes its name.
The late sixties and early seventies were mostly spent in the doldrums, and the club continued without success until the formation of the North West Counties League in 1982 proved to be a springboard for them to start to move up the pyramid. Originally placed in the third division of the new league, Town immediately gained promotion as runners up, and quickly established themselves as one of the division two most powerful clubs, missing out on promotion by a small margins on no fewer than three occasions.
In 1985-86 saw town's first serious attempt at winning the FA Vase, but following a tremendous run, they bowed out to eventual winners Halesowen Town F.C. in an epic semi-final replay. Promotion to division one of the North West Counties Football League was achieved in 1986-87 and the club again excelled in the FA Vase, making it all the way to Wembley Stadium sadly losing 3-2 to bitter rivals St Helens Town F.C..
Promotion to the Northern Premier League was gained in 1989-90, but the club had very little success after that until 1992-93 when a fantastic FA Trophy run ended in the quarter finals at Sutton United F.C., earning them a cool £5,000 for being the furthest non-exempt team left in the competition. On the away to Sutton United F.C., Town had beaten Welsh Football Conference side Merthyr Tydfil F.C., which earned them a team of the round prize. In the Cheshire Senior Cup, they were victorious at Macclesfield Town F.C. and Hyde United F.C. on way to a semi final place, while in the League Cup, they went one further becoming the first ever Division One Side to reach the final. In front of a large crowd at Maine Road, Town matched premier league runners up Winsford United F.C. all the way, but Winsford United F.C. took the trophy home following a penalty shoot out. To cap the clubs most successful season ever, Neil Whalley equalised the NPL transfer fee record when he moved to third division side Preston North End F.C. for a £25,000 and just a few weeks later Liam Watson shattered the fee record, also moving to Deepdale for a staggering £60,000. Town were named "Team Talk Magazine" team of the year 1992-93.
A high number of injuries together with problems behind the scenes and a disappointing lack of goals in 1993-94 hindered the team, although they reached the semi final of the Cheshire Senior Cup, beating Football Conference side Witton Albion F.C. on the way, and were in with a chance of promotion until the last few weeks of the season.
In 1994-95 was another successful year for Town, who made it into the draw for the FA Cup first round proper for the first time ever, a last gasp equaliser at Hyde United F.C. forcing a replay, the winners of which would entertain Darlington F.C.. Sadly, Town have still to play in the first round proper, as Hyde United F.C. won the replay. Town also took Chorley F.C. to a replay in the league cup, having beaten Barrow A.F.C. along the away, but once their interest in that competition was over the club, were able to focus on their main aim of the season promotion to the premier division. An amazing run where they won eleven games from their last fifteen games was not quite good enough. Town finished in third place, missing out on promotion by just one point.
Major problems behind the scenes over the close season resulted in the management team and most of the players moving to Curzon Ashton F.C., and a completely new-look Town side lined up to face Alfreton Town F.C. for the first game of the 1995-96 season. Town lost 5-1, but new boss Tommy Lawson turned things around, and by Christmas, Town were once more a match for anybody.
The close season 1996 saw yet another change of management as Tommy left for pastures new to be replaced by Alan Lord, unfortunately the partnership parted just before Christmas and Simon Rudge came back and brought Ray Birch as his assistant. The change came too late to save Town from relegation but the run did show some promise.
Financial problems both on and off the pitch beset Town in 1996-97 and a new committee was formed under Chairman Harry Boden & Steve Jones. Relegation to the North West Counties Football League Division One was followed by demotion on ground grading criteria to North West Counties Football League Division Two and a rationalisation of the clubs finances coupled with the appointment of Dave Hughes as Football Manager & Ian Dick as his secretary has seen Town's image improve dramatically. Sadly though Ian had to return to Scotland, and Dave stepped down to assistant manager, with Alan Blair becoming manager.
In the 99/00 season saw Town win the Second Division Trophy beating Tetley Walker 2-0 at Prescot Cables F.C.. In 2000/01 Warrington won the North West Counties Football League Division Two title to return to North West Counties Football League Division One, and with a lot of work going on at the ground Town are progressed forward. Town finished 16th in their second season back in North West Counties Football League Division One and Alan Blair stepped down, Glenn Walker & Derek Brownbill took over and saw Town finish 5th in the league to gain promotion back into the Northern Premier League First Division after the league restructuring process had taken place.
Town’s first season back in the UniBond League was something of a struggle but safety was guaranteed on the final day of the season with a 2-0 win over Shepshed Dynamo F.C.. The club also won the UniBond League Fair Play Award, picking up a prize of £1,000 in the process. We also reached the semi-final of the Liverpool Senior Cup losing 3-2 to Everton F.C. in front of 505 spectators, the biggest gate at the ground for several years.
In 2006 Warrington Town played Premiership side Liverpool F.C. in the Quarter Finals of the Liverpool Senior Cup losing 2-1 in front of 1347, the biggest gate at Cantilever Park for many a years.
[edit] Squad
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[edit] External links
| Northern Premier League First Division 2006/07 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Alsager Town | Bamber Bridge | Belper Town | Bradford Park Avenue | Bridlington Town | Brigg Town | Buxton | Cammell Laird | Chorley | Clitheroe | Colwyn Bay | Eastwood Town | Goole | Gresley Rovers | Harrogate Railway | Kidsgrove Athletic | Ossett Albion | Rossendale United | Shepshed Dynamo | Skelmersdale United | Stocksbridge Park Steels | Wakefield | Warrington Town | Woodley Sports edit |
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