Runcorn Town F.C.

Runcorn Town F.C.

Full name	Runcorn Town Football Club
Nickname(s)	Town
Founded	1967 (as Mond Rangers)
Ground	Pavilions Sports Complex Sandy Lane Runcorn
Ground Capacity	1,530
Chairman	Tony Riley
Manager	Chris Herbert
League	North West Counties League Premier Division
2015–16	North West Counties League Premier Division, 13th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

Runcorn Town Football Club is an English association football club based in Runcorn, Cheshire, England. After spending most of their years in the West Cheshire League, they were elected to the North West Counties League in 2010 and are currently in the Premier Division. Their home ground is Pavilions in Runcorn. Runcorn Town also has a Junior Section with six junior teams under the club's umbrella.

History

Runcorn Sunday League: 1967 to 1974

Runcorn Town were formed in 1967 under the name of CKD and played in the Runcorn Sunday League. They changed their name to Mond FC in 1970, but little is known about the club's early years. At the start of the 1974/75 season, they made the decision to try Saturday football in the Warrington & District Football League.

Warrington and District Football League: 1974 to 1984

At the end of their first season, Mond amalgamated with Premier Division team ICI Weston, becoming Mond Rangers. They remained in the Warrington & District Football League until 1984/85 when they were elected to join the West Cheshire League Division Two, but the link was maintained with the WDL with a reserve team setup. Les Walsh was leading goal scorer with 32 goals including 3 hat tricks

West Cheshire Football League: 1984 to 2010

Mond Rangers established themselves as a solid mid-table team and it was not until the 1991–92 season that they won their first silverware as they won the West Cheshire Bowl as well as finishing a respectable sixth place finish in Division 2. The following season they finished third in the league and reached the Bowl final, and improved again the following season by finishing third in the league, and regaining the Bowl.

Promotion was achieved in 1994–95 when they finished second in the league. They also reached the Final of the Cheshire Amateur Cup but lost 2–1 to Poulton Victoria in a match played at Prenton Park, Tranmere. Apart from a 5th placed finish in 1996–97, the club were perennial strugglers in Division One, and were relegated for the first time in their history in 2001–02.

The 2004–05 season saw success return to the club with the first team finishing as runners up in Division Two, winning the Runcorn Senior Cup and reaching the final of the Cheshire Bowl again.

Before the start of the 2005–06 season, the club changed their name to Runcorn Town. A decision was also taken to improve facilities at the club with a view to joining the North West Counties League, but the club suffered a heartbreaking relegation at the end of this season, slipping into the relegation zone for the first time on the last day of the season.

The following season the club won Division Two for the first time in the club's history and were promoted.^[1] The 2007–08 season was probably the most successful in the club's history. The club won the Runcorn Cup, were runners up in the Pyke Cup, and finished third in Division 1,^[2] which remains the club's joint highest ever finish. They followed this with a 4th place finish in 2008–09^[3] and another third place finish in 2009–10.^[4]

In June 2010 the club, having added floodlights to their home ground, applied to join the North West Counties Football League^[5] and after approval from the league and The Football Association officially joined after the League's AGM in Mid June.^[6]

North West Counties Football League: 2010 to present

In their opening match in Division One in August 2010 they beat Abbey Hey 5–1^[7] with Marvin Molyneux scoring Town's first ever goal in the league after just three minutes.

The first season was a real success, with the club losing just two of their 34 league matches. Promotion to the Premier Division was achieved at the first attempt following a 2–0 victory at Pavilions against Chadderton,^[8] and they finished the season as runners up in the league. They finished the season on a club record run of 25 league games without defeat.

In their first season in the Premier Division, Runcorn Town continued their success by finishing as runners up behind Ramsbottom United.

Cup competitions

FA Cup

The club entered the FA Cup for the first time in the 2011–12 season, and played their first ever match in the competition in the Extra Preliminary Round on 20 August 2011 at home to Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division side Brighouse Town. Town won 4–1 with Scott Burton becoming the club's first ever goalscorer in the competition.

The clubs best performance in the competition came in that debut season when they reached the First Qualifying Round before losing 5-1 at Northern Premier League league side Ashton United.

FA Vase

The club entered the FA Vase for the first time in the 2010–11 season, and played their first ever match in the competition in the Second Qualifying Round on 18 September 2010 away at Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division side Parkgate, having received a bye in the First Qualifying Round. James McShane scored Runcorn Town's first ever goal in the competition with Town performing winning 3–1.

The clubs best performance in the competition came in the 2012-13 season when they reached the Fifth Round Proper before losing 2–1 (after extra time) at home to Midland Football Alliance league side Walsall Wood.

Cheshire Senior Cup

The 2010–11 season was also Town's debut in the Cheshire Senior Cup. Having got a bye in the First Round, they entertained Northern Premier League Division One North side Warrington Town in the Second Round. Despite a two league gap between the sides, Town drew 1–1 after extra time, before losing 4–2 on penalties.

One notable game in the competition came in the 2011–12 season which saw Runcorn Town drawn away at Northern Premier League side Woodley Sports in the First Round. The game was notable as it was the first competitive game that the club had played on a synthetic playing surface. Three goals in the second half of extra time saw Town lose 4–1 after a 1–1 draw in 90 minutes.^[9]

Honours

League

• North West Counties Football League, Premier Division – Runners-Up: 2011–12
• North West Counties Football League, Division 1 – Runners-Up: 2010–11
• West Cheshire League, Division 2 – Champions: 2006–07. Runners-Up: 2004–05, 1994–95

Cup

• Cheshire Amateur Cup – Runners-Up: 1994–95
• Pyke Cup – Runners-Up: 2007–08
• West Cheshire Bowl – Winners: 1991–92, 1993–94. Runners-Up: 1992–93, 2004–05
• Bill Weight Memorial Trophy – Winners: 1995–96, 2005–06, 2007–08
• Runcorn Senior Cup – Winners: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08. Runners-Up: 2009–10

League history

Records

All of the below records are under the Runcorn Town name from the 2005–06 season, as no comprehensive records exist for the club under the Mond Rangers name. All records are correct as at the end of the 2013-14 season (26 April 2014).

Club records

Wins and losses

Best performance

Sequences

Attendances

Player records

Appearances

Goals

References

External links

• Official website
• Talk of the Town Unofficial Forum

Men's football in England
National teams	England B C U-21 U-20 U-19 U-18 U-17 U-16
League competitions	Level 1 Premier League Levels 2-4 Football League Levels 5-6 National League Levels 7-8 Isthmian League Northern Premier League Southern League Levels 9-10 Combined Counties League East Midlands Counties League (level 10 only) Eastern Counties League Essex Senior League (level 9 only) Hellenic League Midland League Northern Counties East League Northern League North West Counties League Southern Counties East League South West Peninsula League (level 10 only) Spartan South Midlands League Southern Combination League United Counties League Wessex League Western League West Midlands (Regional) League (level 10 only)
Cup competitions	FA cups FA Cup FA Community Shield FA Trophy FA Vase FA Inter-League Cup League cups EFL Cup EFL Trophy Northern Premier League Cup Isthmian League Cup Southern League Cup County cups List of County Cups
Others	Reserve and youth football Defunct leagues Defunct cups
Lists	List of clubs List of clubs by honours won Current managers Stadiums by capacity Record home attendances
Venues Competitions Trophies and awards History Records

Coordinates: 53°19′51″N 2°45′03″W / 53.3308°N 2.7507°W / 53.3308; -2.7507