| Full name | Association Football Club Blackpool | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Mechs, The Mechanics | ||
| Founded | 1947 (as Blackpool Metal Mechanics) | ||
| Ground | The Mechanics, Jepson Way, Blackpool (Capacity: 1,500) |
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| Chairman | William Singleton | ||
| Manager | Stuart Parker | ||
| League | North West Counties League Premier Division | ||
| 2010–11 | North West Counties League Division One, 1st (champions) | ||
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A.F.C. Blackpool are an English football club based in Blackpool, Lancashire, currently playing in the North West Counties League Premier Division. Their home ground is Jepson Way and they are nicknamed "The Mechs". They played at Stanley Park Arena before moving to their current ground. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association. The Mechs are famed for their 'Angry Seagull' club crest.
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The club was founded as Blackpool Metal Mechanics in 1947 before changing name to Blackpool Mechanics and have played at Stanley Park Arena before moving to Jepson Road. They initially played in local leagues on the Fylde coast. They won the Fylde District League Division Two title in the 1950–51 season and were promoted to Division One, where between 1953–54 and 1957–58 they were champions twice and runners-up three times in five consecutive seasons. They also won a number of local cup competitions, including the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield in 1957–58.[1]
In 1959 the club took the decision to take the next step up and joined the West Lancashire League. In their first season, 1959–60, they were runners-up. In 1960–61 they were champions and also won the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield again. The following season they were again West Lancashire League champions.[1]
In 1962, they joined the Lancashire Combination Division Two. In the 1972–73 season they won the Lancashire Combination Bridge Shield and in 1974–75 finished as runners-up in the league, just one point behind champions Darwen. With the formation of the North West Counties Football League, they were placed in Division Three, and were promoted as champions to Division Two in 1985–86. They were briefly promoted to Division One in 1991–92 before being relegated back to Division Two, where they still play.[1]
In May 2005 Lytham St.Annes FC, who had just won the West Lancashire League Division One title, merged with the Mechanics. Lytham St.Annes resigned from the West Lancashire league bringing their resources and manpower to Jepson Way in a bid to launch a new look Mechanics in their push up the non-league football pyramid.[2]
The biggest game in Blackpool Mechanics' history came in February 2006 when they played FC United of Manchester in the league. With FC United attracting such a large following, the game was switched from Jepson Way to Blackpool's Bloomfield Road ground,[3] and drew a crowd of 4,300 spectators. Mechanics lost the game 4–2, but netted £10,000 from the game.
In May 2008 Blackpool Mechanics FC and Squires Gate Junior FC amalgamated to form one club. To mark the start of a new era they decided to re-name the club and the name AFC Blackpool was chosen.[1] The name change depended upon Blackpool giving it their full approval, and in July 2008 they confirmed to the Lancashire Football Association that they had no objections and that they were keen to help the club.[4]
AFC Blackpool's ground is the Mechanics at Jepson Way, Blackpool. In December 2007, the club announced plans for a £60,000 facelift to the Jepson Way ground following contributions from the Football Foundation and the clubs sponsors, Northern Care. Improvements included were to the pitch as well as new crowd barrier fencing and concreting the spectators area right round the pitch. Drainage work began on the pitch in April 2008, as well as levelling and reseeding the pitch.Following the club's name change in May 2008 they leased a further piece of land next to the ground in Jepson Way to accommodate the enlarged club. Also investment to improve the facilities was begun. It was also decided that the club ground in Jepson Way would take the name The Mechanics to maintain the link with the past.[1]
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