Colne F.C.

Colne
Full name Colne Football Club
Nickname(s) The Reds
Founded 1996
Ground XLCR Vehicle Management Stadium,
Colne
Capacity 1800
Chairman Shaun O'Neill
Manager Steve Cunningham
League North West Counties Football League Premier Division
(Level 9 / Step 5)
2013–14 North West Counties Football League Premier Division, 9th

Colne Football Club are an English football club based at the Holt House Stadium in Colne, Lancashire. They were established in 1996 and were elected straight into the North West Counties League where they play in the Premier Division. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.

History

There used to be a club who were also called Colne F.C. who played in the Lancashire Combination in the early 20th century. However they are unrelated to the current club. The town also had another club, Colne Dynamoes who folded in 1990.

Colne were formed in January 1996 and were placed in the North West Counties Football League Division Two. The club's first competitive game was against Middlewich Athletic on 17 August 1996.[1] They finished in last place in their first season, 1996–97. They remained at that level, mostly finishing mid-table until winning the Division Two title in 2003–04, scoring 102 goals in 38 league games and earning themselves promotion to Division One.[2] They also had a remarkable FA Vase run that season, progressing all the way to the semi-finals before losing 4–3 over two legs to Sudbury.[2] The home leg on 20 March 2004, saw a record crowd of 1,742 at the XLCR Vehicle Management Stadium.[3] The club also won the Division Two Cup, beating Great Harwood Town 1–0 in the final.[1][4]

The club's best FA Cup performance came the following season, when they progressed to the second qualifying round and they finished in tenth place in Division One. Their 2007–08 season final position of fifth is the highest they have so far reached.[1][2]

The club have plans to establish a Football Academy in conjunction with Nelson and Colne College.[5][6]

Colne's main local rivals are Nelson. Other local games include Bacup Borough, Padiham, Ramsbottom United, Silsden and Darwen.

In 2013, first team manager, Nigel Coates, stood down after 10 years service, and Steve Cunningham was appointed in his place. [7][8]

Shaun O'Neill was introduced as new chairman at the club's annual presentation event in May 2014.[9]

Stadium

The Holt House stadium is the same ground used by Colne Dynamoes who progressed to the highest levels of non-league football before folding in 1990 and then Colne Royal British Legion who folded in 1995. Colne took over the stadium when they were elected to the North West Counties Football League in 1996.[10]

The club has plans in place, with Pendle Council, to develop a new multi-use 3,300 capacity stadium, including seating for 300, on an open area of land between Holt House and the nearby Nelson & Colne Rugby Club. The development will comprise a new stadium, changing rooms for the stadium and also changing rooms for all the other pitches at Holt House that are used by local teams. There will be a function room, club house, physio and medical rooms, and the stadium facilities overall will be up to Conference National standard.[5][6]

Attendances

Records

Averages

The average league-game attendance at the Holt House Stadium for the 2013–14 season was 95, which placed Colne 9th for the division, and was an increase of 31.9% from the previous season.

Past averages:

Source: Tony Kempster's site Non League Matters NW Counties Football League site

Players

As of 5th November 2014.[11]

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
England GK Chris Thompson
Poland GK Dominik Nowak
England GK Chris Bailey
England DF Mark Young
England DF Ed Williams
England DF Alec Coleman
England DF Richard Cowan
England DF Jonathan Hodgkinson
England DF Luke Thompson
England DF Tom Fowler
England DF Neil Harries
England DF Adam Stockdale
No. Position Player
Australia MF Jake Barker-Daish
England MF Chris Anderson
England MF Si Nangle
England MF Joe Garvin
England MF Kieran Demaine
England MF Danny Boyle
England MF Andy Tinker
England MF Tom Berwick
England MF Alex Grice
England MF Jimmy Croken
England MF Ted Cockett
England FW Craig Eatock
England FW Mark Coyne
England FW Brandon Barski

Non-playing staff

Name Role
England Shaun O'Neill Chairman
England David Blacklock Hon. Life President
England Janette Harries Treasurer
England Ed Lambert Club secretary
England Steve Cunningham First-team manager
England Ted Cockett Assistant manager
EnglandPhil Atkinson Physiotherapist

Honours

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "History of Colne FC". Colne F.C. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Colne". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  3. "FA Vase Semi Finals". Tony's English football site. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  4. "Contact Us". Colne F.C. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "New Stadium for Colne??". Colne F.C. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Stadium Plans progressing well". Colne F.C. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  7. "Manager stands down". Colne F.C. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  8. "New manager appointed". Colne F.C. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  9. "New Club Chairman Announced". Colne F.C. 11 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  10. "Colne FC". Pyramid Passion. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  11. "Player Profiles". Colne F.C. Retrieved 2008-12-15.

External links