Accrington Stanley

June 26, 2011

The present Accrington Stanley Football Club was formed in 1968, however the name itself is over 100 years old, though in 1962, when the 'Old Stanley' resigned from the Football League it was feared that the name had died forever. The Stanley carried on for a season in the Lancashire Combination but support had faded and in 1963 the old club based at peel park since 1921 folded.

Fortunately there were sufficient people in the town who were determined that this would not be allowed to happen and who worked hard to fill the void caused by the demise of the old club. Their efforts bore fruit in 1968, when following a meeting at Bold Street Working Men's Club, the new Stanley was born, yet it would be two years before the Club even began to play competitive football at their present home – originally The Crown Ground, now The Fraser Eagle Stadium

The Club acquired their ground in 1968 and with manager Jimmy Hinksman being given the formidable task of building a team from nothing, Stanley successfully applied to join the Lancashire Combination. A crowd of 620 saw Stanley's first game against Formby at the start of the 1970/71 season with the new club kicking off with a satisfactory victory, and there was even a link with the old Stanley, for in the team was Terry Tighe, who had played in the Football League with the old club.

Success was not long in coming, for Stanley finished runners-up in the League as well as achieving a Cup Double in only their second season, beating Ashton Town to win the League Cup and in front of a 700 gate beating Nelson to capture the Combination Cup. Despite the success on the playing side, Stanley were having terrible problems with the pitch itself and the following season they even made a nostalgic return to Peel Park, with 708 supporters braving atrocious weather to attend the Nelson game. The pitch problems were overcome sufficiently to retain the Combination Cup and in 1973/74, Stanley not only completed a hat-trick of Combination Cup wins, for the first time they became League Champions. In 1975 attempts were made to return to Peel Park but it was not to be and despite the continuing pitch problems, Stanley finished runners-up to a very strong Bootle side, scoring 104 goals with David Hargreaves on his way to becoming Stanley's record goal scorer, scoring 56 goals in 44 games. Stanley started their next season in great style, unbeaten in their first 27 matches they lost only two league games all season, yet even so they had to settle for third place.

The 1977/78 season was Stanley's last in the Combination but they left on a high note finishing as Champions for the second time and that season the club also received its first transfer fee, when David Hargreaves moved to Blackburn Rovers

On the formation of the North West Counties League in 1982 Stanley were elected to Division One and in preparation spent almost £40,000 on the pitch, which the previous season had caused them to play several home games away from the Crown Ground.

The first season in the new league was marked with a first appearance in the ATS Challenge Trophy Final, unfortunately losing to South Liverpool. Further progress was made on the ground in 1985 when floodlights were erected in readiness for a move into the newly formed NPL First Division, and they left the NWC League as runners-up to Stalybridge Celtic.

At the end of the 1990/91 season the resignation of South Liverpool meant promotion for Stanley when for a time they though they had missed out. They proved equal to the elevation by earning a Presidents Cup place in their first season in the top flight.

Twice in their early NPL days the Crown Ground had gates of over 2,000 though the present record was set against Gateshead when a Paul Beck hat trick earned Stanley a FA Cup second round tie against Crewe, a game that attracted almost 11,000 fans to Ewood Park.

The 1993/94 season provided >Accrington's loyal supporters with more FA Cup thrills, when with a depleted side they beat Altrincham away from home and then were only beaten by injury time by S[****!!****]horpe United at Turf Moor. In spite of this the season provided more bad memories than good for on the League front relegation was a distant possibility for much of the season. It was only the return of Eric Whalley which removed the threat. His influences steadying the side, which lost only three of their last eighteen league games and reached the semi-finals of both League Challenge Cup and President Cup.

The following season manager Eric Whalley, by this time becoming more involved with the general running of the club, appointed former Blackburn Rovers midfield player David Hamilton to the position of team coach. However, by late January things changed dramatically, for David Hamilton had moved to Preston North End as a coach but more importantly Eric Whalley had obtained a controlling interest in the club and with his appointment as Chairman came the start of a new era. Ground improvements had been virtually nil for several seasons but the new Chairman immediately instigated programmes to vastly improve the Crown Ground facilities, with a Conference standard the ultimate aim.

During the close season Stanley of 1995 enjoyed a visit to Barbados where they won both the games they played, one against a strong Representative Team, the other against the Barbados Cup winners, as a result of which Stanley collected the Anglo Barbados Cup. Back home-work had started on the ground improvements, and by early in the season £50,000 of new terracing had been built as well as a new boardroom and medical room.

Since then work on the ground has been virtually non-stop with a new toilet block being built as well as a new stand with cantilever roof which has increased the seating capacity to 0ver 1000 seats in the main stand. In addition new offices, a new shop and sponsor’s lounge have also been erected.

Early in the 1996/97 season Stanley appointed a new manager, Tony Greenwood, who led Cup Final, their first Cup Final for 13 years, though unfortunately they were beaten at Deepdale by Conference side, Southport.

In 1997 Stanley received their record transfer fee to date when Brett Ormerod was sold to Blackpool FC for £50,000. This was surpassed in 1999 when Gary Williams was sold to Doncaster Rovers for £60,000. Gary was later re-signed by Stanley for a club record incoming fee of £25,000

Billy Rodaway was appointed manager at the beginning of the 1998/99 season, but was released after only four months after a run of poor results. Wayne Harrison was appointed manager in January and although things improved on the field, with the side being undefeated in the last six games of the season, it was too late to avoid the clubs first ever relegation. An offer of full time employment by Blackpool FC forced Wayne Harrison to resign during the summer, but the club wasted no time in appointing John Coleman as his successor, confident that he could help Stanley to fulfil their ambitions to return to the Premier Division. This the Club did by regaining their Premier Division status after only one season in the lower flight.

Early in their first season back in the Premier Division Stanley signed Paul Mullin for £15,000 from Radcliffe Borough. It was had a mixed season, yet they finished in ninth place and reached the Semi Final of the Presidents Cup. Equally important many further improvements were made to the Crown ground, which by then had changed beyond recognition over the previous six years, while during the summer major works were carried out on the pitch and floodlights. During 2001-02 more improvements were carried out including completion of the new stand. On the playing side things improved too Stanley’s league position was higher and they won the Marsden Trophy (Lancs County Cup) beating Barrow at Morecambe and the Unibond Challenge Cup beating Bradford Park Avenue on penalties. The games at Morecambe and the second leg tie of the Unibond Challenge cup and the Crown Ground attracting four figure gates. In addition but equally important, several young players were added to the squad, In fact, in the penalty shoot out in the Challenge Cup final, Stanley’s first four penalties, all successful, were taken by the four youngest players in the side. Obviously this will bear fruit in the future, especially as Stanley’s Youth team won the Lancashire Floodlight League for the first time and will hopefully provide further additions to Stanley’s squad in the future.

In 2002-03, things were even better, losing only three league games, Stanley won the Unibond Premier League Championship by 16 points, attracting an average attendance for their league games of over 1,000. Stanley finished the season by beating Marine to retain the Unibond Challenge shield. In 2003-04 Stanley ended their first season in The Nationwide Conference in a creditable 10th position and also enjoyed their best ever FA Cup run, beating two League clubs before losing a Third Round replay to Colchester United. In addition, Stanley also reached the Final of the County Cup, losing narrowly to Morecambe. The Reserve team also did well, finishing runners up in both the League and Cup. With The Clubs decision to go full time in the 2004-05 season, it is hoped that things will get even better.

Stanley’s second Nationwide Conference ended with the disappointment of not making The Play-Offs, nevertheless, they showed that they could compete in the competition, being amongst the challengers the whole season and taking points off every team that finished above them, with the exception of Carlisle United. Stanley did qualify for the LDV trophy for the second successive season and again brought home the County Cup. Then finally after 44 years, Stanley won promotion to The Football League, after romping home by eleven points to collect The Nationwide Championship, another success for Stanley’s longest serving management team.

The first half of the season, following the return to The Football League, went reasonably well. However the unavoidable sale of two key players, Ian Craney and Gary Roberts, coupled with long term injuries to captain, Peter Cavanagh and Romauld Boco put a strain on the squad and things became more difficult but in the end the main object, staying in the Football League, was achieved. Stanley made a lot of friends with their attacking football, with only two sides scored more goals. Last season, though the improvement was not dramatic, it continued the amazing run, whereby Stanley have improved their final standing for nine successive season, surely an achievement bettered by very few clubs.

Philip Terry

http://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/index.php/club/history_pt