A.F.C. Blackpool

Not to be confused with Blackpool F.C..
A.F.C. Blackpool
Full name Association Football Club Blackpool
Nickname(s) The Mechs, The Mechanics
Founded 1947 (as Blackpool Metal Mechanics)
Ground Jepson Way, Blackpool
Ground Capacity 2,000 (250 seated)[1]
Chairman William Singleton
Manager Stuart Parker
League North West Counties League Division One
2015–16 North West Counties League Premier Division, 22nd (relegated)

A.F.C. Blackpool are a football club based in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. The club currently play in the North West Counties League Division One. Based at Jepson Way, they are nicknamed The Mechanics or The Mechs, and are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.

History

Blackpool Mechanics club crest

The club was founded as Blackpool Metal Mechanics in 1947 before changing their name to Blackpool Mechanics. 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.[2]

In 1959 the club took the decision move up the leagues 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.[2]

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, renamed Division One in 2006.[2]

In May 2005 Lytham St. Annes FC, who had just won the West Lancashire League Division One title, merged into the Mechanics after resigning from the West Lancashire league.[3] In May 2008 the Mechanics merged with Squires Gate Junior FC, with the club renamed AFC Blackpool.[2] 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]

As champions of Division One in 2010–11, they were promoted to the Premier Division. On 21 March 2015 some Blackpool fans boycotting their match with Leeds in protest at chairman Karl Oyston's management of the club decided to attend AFC Blackpool's match against Bootle.[5] The game saw an attendance of 503 compared with an average of 35 that season; many Leeds fans also attended the match as part of a combined general protest "against the Football League as well and the various things they have done over the past couple of years."[6][7]

The club were relegated to Division One of the North West Counties League at the end of the 2015–16 season, in which they finished bottom of the table.

League history

Season Division Position Significant Events
Formed in 1947 as Blackpool Mechanics
Joined Fylde District Football League Division Two
1947–48Fylde District Football League Division Two
1948–49Fylde District Football League Division Two
1949–50Fylde District Football League Division Two
1950–51Fylde District Football League Division Two1Champions
1951–52Fylde District Football League Division One
1952–53Fylde District Football League Division One
1953–54Fylde District Football League Division One
1954–55Fylde District Football League Division One
1955–56Fylde District Football League Division One
1956–57Fylde District Football League Division One
1957–58Fylde District Football League Division One
1958–59Fylde District Football League Division One
Joined West Lancashire League
1959–60West Lancashire League2Runners-up
1960–61West Lancashire League1Champions
1961–62West Lancashire League1Champions
Joined Lancashire Combination Division Two
1962–63Lancashire Combination Division Two11/20
1963–64Lancashire Combination Division Two14/18
1964–65Lancashire Combination Division Two9/17
1965–66Lancashire Combination Division Two11/14
1966–67Lancashire Combination Division Two10/16
1967–68Lancashire Combination Division Two10/17
Lancashire Combination Division Two becomes Lancashire Combination upon league re-organisation
1968–69Lancashire Combination9/22
1969–70Lancashire Combination9/20
1970–71Lancashire Combination7/16
1971–72Lancashire Combination3/15
1972–73Lancashire Combination7/20
1973–74Lancashire Combination8/20
1974–75Lancashire Combination2/20Runners-up
1975–76Lancashire Combination4/18
1976–77Lancashire Combination9/18
1977–78Lancashire Combination14/18
1978–79Lancashire Combination9/15
1979–80Lancashire Combination15/17
1980–81Lancashire Combination16/18
1981–82Lancashire Combination8/18
Joined North West Counties League Division Three as founder members
1982–83North West Counties League Division Three6/18
1983–84North West Counties League Division Three7/18
1984–85North West Counties League Division Three5/18
1985–86North West Counties League Division Three1/15Champions, promoted
1986–87North West Counties League Division Two12/18
1987–88North West Counties League Division Two15/22
1988–89North West Counties League Division Two16/18
1989–90North West Counties League Division Two3/16
1990–91North West Counties League Division Two5/18
1991–92North West Counties League Division Two3/18Promoted
1992–93North West Counties League Division One22/22Relegated
1993–94North West Counties League Division Two13/18
1994–95North West Counties League Division Two8/16
1995–96North West Counties League Division Two15/18
1996–97North West Counties League Division Two18/20
1997–98North West Counties League Division Two21/21
1998–99North West Counties League Division Two19/19
1999–2000North West Counties League Division Two15/18
2000–01North West Counties League Division Two6/20
2001–02North West Counties League Division Two8/21
2002–03North West Counties League Division Two14/18
2003–04North West Counties League Division Two14/20
2004–05North West Counties League Division Two10/19
2005–06North West Counties League Division Two9/19
2006–07North West Counties League Division Two13/18
2007–08North West Counties League Division Two9/18
Blackpool Mechanics renamed AFC Blackpool
Division Two renamed First Division
2008–09North West Counties League First Division15/18
2009–10North West Counties League First Division15/17
2010–11North West Counties League First Division1/18Champions, promoted
2011–12North West Counties League Premier Division9/22
2012–13North West Counties League Premier Division10/22
2013–14North West Counties League Premier Division13/22
2014–15North West Counties League Premier Division18/21
2015–16North West Counties League Premier Division22/22Relegated

Ground

The club originally played at Stanley Park Arena before moving to their current ground, Jepson Way.

In December 2007, the club announced plans for a £60,000 refurbishment programme, including improvements 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 to accommodate the enlarged club. Also investment to improve the facilities was begun. It was also decided that the ground would take the name The Mechanics to maintain the link with the past.[2]

In February 2006 the club had to switch their match against F.C. United of Manchester to Blackpool's Bloomfield Road ground due to the anticipated large crowd.[8] Around 4,300 spectators saw Mechanics lose the game 4–2, bringing in £10,000 for the club.

Honours

See also

References

  1. Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) Non-League Club Directory 2013, p646 ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "History". A.F.C. Blackpool. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-18.
  3. "Mechanics in merger with LSA". Blackpool Gazette. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  4. "AFC Blackpool is born". Blackpool Gazette. 20 February 2006. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  5. "Blackpool 1-1 Leeds United". BBC. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
  6. "Blackpool fans to watch AFC Blackpool". BBC. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
  7. "Blackpool fans boycott Leeds game". BBC. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
  8. "Mechs talk to Pool about big match switch". Blackpool Gazette. 20 October 2005. Retrieved 2007-09-29.

External links

Coordinates: 53°46′42.77″N 3°01′13.79″W / 53.7785472°N 3.0204972°W / 53.7785472; -3.0204972

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