Altrincham F.C.
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| Full name | Altrincham Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Robins | ||
| Founded | 1891 | ||
| Ground | Moss Lane Altrincham (Capacity: 6,085) |
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| Chairman |  Geoff Goodwin |
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| Manager | Graham Heathcote |
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| League | Conference National | ||
| 2008–09 | Conference National, 15th | ||
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Altrincham Football Club is a football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference National.
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[edit] History
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Altrincham F.C.'s name was Broadheath F.C. from their foundation in 1891 until it was changed to the present name in 1903.
Altrincham were founder members of the Alliance Premier League (now the Conference) at the beginning of the 1979-80 season and were champions of the league in its first two seasons, but each time failed to gain election to the Football League via the voting system in place at the time. In 1980, Altrincham fell short of election to the Football League by the narrowest of margins. [1]
It wasn't until 1987 that automatic promotion was awarded to the league, since then Altrincham have only had one decent promotion push, coming in the 1990-1991 season, eventually finishing 3rd behind Barnet and Colchester United, despite having promotion in their hands with three games left.[2] Much of Altrincham's success in that season was credited to the goal scoring prowess of Ken McKenna who scored 22 goals in the league picking up player of the season award in the progress.[3]
Altrincham never regained their success of the 70's and 80's and in 1997 they were relegated from the top flight of non-league football to the Northern Premier League for the first time in their history. They won that division title two years later, only to go back down again after just one season. It was five years before they gained promotion, in 2005 as winners of the Conference North/Conference South playoffs beating Eastbourne Borough of Conference South at The Britannia Stadium in the final match.
Altrincham have been uniquely reprieved from relegation for three successive seasons (2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08) as a result of other clubs' issues. In the 2005-06 season Altrincham finished 18th in the Conference, outside of the relegation zone. However, they were found to have fielded an ineligible player for 15 matches, during which he scored 6 goals and Altrincham won 18 points. This led to an 18 point deduction which saw them finish in bottom place. An appeal to the FA on May 23 failed, which meant that Altrincham finished in bottom place. However, with Canvey Island resigning from the league and Scarborough losing their entire points total for breach of the league's rules on club ownership, Altrincham remained in the Conference.[1] The 2006-07 season saw Altrincham "relegated" on the final day of the season, after a 0-0 draw with Aldershot Town,[2] although they were later reprieved when Boston United (relegated from Football League Two) were refused permission to play in the Conference National and ordered to play in the Conference North instead, as a result of financial problems.[3] In 2007–08, they finished in the Conference relegation zone for the third successive season but were yet again reprieved from relegation when Halifax Town were forced into liquidation. 2008–09 proved to be a much better campaign however, with the club spending much of the season in mid-table, and they eventually achieved safety from relegation with two games to spare.
[edit] Rivals
Altrincham's traditional rivals are Macclesfield Town, a rivalry dating back to when both clubs were in the Cheshire League, and later the Northern Premier League and Conference. However, the clubs have not shared the same division since 1996; as of the 2006-07 season, Macclesfield are ranked higher in the Football League, playing in League Two. So they also have discovered a recent rival in the form of Northwich Victoria who have been in and out of the Conference in recent times. The intensity of this rivalry was epitomised in Altrincham's 3-0 defeat of Northwich at Moss Lane of Boxing Day 2006. Despite this, many players have played for both clubs over the years, most notably Danny Adams, Greg Young, Val Owen, Stuart Coburn and Lee Elam.
[edit] Current squad
- As of 12 May 2009.[4]
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[edit] Club records
Altrincham's most expensively signed player was Keith Russell, who joined them from Blackpool in the summer of 1998 for £15,000. Their most expensively sold player was Ian Craney, who joined Swansea City for £150,000 from Accrington Stanley in January 2007. Altrincham received £75,000 of this figure due to a sell-on clause in his contract.
Altrincham's record attendance was 10,275 for a friendly against Sunderland on 28 February 1925.
Their top scorer was Jackie Swindells, who scored 56 goals in 42 games in the 1965-66 season [4].
[edit] FA Cup giant killers
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Altrincham have a proud history of giant killing in the FA Cup, holding the record of knocking out more League sides than any other team that has spent their history playing non-League. Sixteen FA Cup victories against Football League clubs have been recorded by non-league Altrincham, as follows:
- 1921–22 Tranmere Rovers
- 1965–66 Rochdale
- 1973–74 Hartlepool
- 1974–75 Scunthorpe United
- 1979–80 Crewe Alexandra
- 1979–80 Rotherham United
- 1980–81 Scunthorpe United
- 1981–82 Sheffield United
- 1981–82 York City
- 1982–83 Rochdale
- 1984–85 Blackpool
- 1985–86 Blackpool
- 1985–86 Birmingham City
- 1988–89 Lincoln City
- 1992–93 Chester City
- 1994–95 Wigan Athletic (notable for the goalscorer playing against his old club)
Altrincham, uniquely for a non-League team, made the third round of the FA Cup on four consecutive occasions between 1979 and 1982. This is only the second time and most recent that a non-League club has beaten a top flight team away from home.
Altrincham fine account in FA Cup against top league opposition has seen them hold both Everton in 1975 and Tottenham Hotspur in 1979 to draws, although Altrincham lost the replays in both cases.
[edit] Honours
Altrincham F.C.'s honours list includes the first two Alliance Premier League (now Conference) championships (1980 and 1981), the Bob Lord Trophy (1981), Cheshire Amateur Cup (1904), Cheshire County League Championship (1966 and 1967), Cheshire League Cup Winners 1933, 1951 and 1964, Cheshire Senior Cup Winners 1905, 1934, 1967, 1982, 1999, 2005 and 2009
They have qualified for the FA Cup competition proper 29 times, in 1986 they progressed to the Fourth Round.
Altrincham were FA Trophy Winners in 1978 and again 1986, as well as being on the losing side in 1982.
Altrincham were also Manchester League Winners in 1905 and 1907.
Altrincham lifted the Northern Premier League Cup in 1970.
Altrincham were Northern Premier League Challenge Shield winners in 1980.
As members of the Northern Premier League, Altrincham won the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup in 1998. They were promoted back to the Conference as Northern Premier League Champions in 1999.
Altrincham won the Conference North Play-Offs in 2004-05 with a 2-1 win over Eastboune at Stoke's Britannia Stadium.
Altrincham youth team lifted the Cheshire Cup in 2006, 2007 and in 2008
[edit] League history
| Season | Division | Position | Significant Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joined the Lancashire Combination Division Two | |||
| 1911-1912 | Lancashire Combination Division Two | 2 | Runners Up |
| 1912-1913 | Lancashire Combination Division One | 11 | – |
| 1913-1914 | Lancashire Combination Division One | 13 | – |
| 1914-1915 | Lancashire Combination Division One | 7 | – |
| English football is postponed due to World War I | |||
| Joined Cheshire League | |||
| 1919-1920 | Cheshire League | 8 | – |
| 1920-1921 | Cheshire League | 9 | – |
| 1921-1922 | Cheshire League | 12 | – |
| 1922-1923 | Cheshire League | 3 | – |
| 1923-1924 | Cheshire League | 10 | – |
| 1924-1925 | Cheshire League | 12 | – |
| 1925-1926 | Cheshire League | 16 | – |
| 1926-1927 | Cheshire League | 9 | – |
| 1927-1928 | Cheshire League | 20 | – |
| 1928-1929 | Cheshire League | 19 | – |
| 1929-1930 | Cheshire League | 22 | – |
| 1930-1931 | Cheshire League | 4 | – |
| 1931-1932 | Cheshire League | 4 | – |
| 1932-1933 | Cheshire League | 12 | – |
| 1933-1934 | Cheshire League | 6 | – |
| 1934-1935 | Cheshire League | 2 | Runners Up |
| 1935-1936 | Cheshire League | 2 | Runners Up |
| 1936-1937 | Cheshire League | 13 | – |
| 1937-1938 | Cheshire League | 9 | – |
| 1938-1939 | Cheshire League | 20 | – |
| English football is postponed due to World War II | |||
| 1946-1947 | Cheshire League | 10 | – |
| 1947-1948 | Cheshire League | 15 | – |
| 1948-1949 | Cheshire League | 10 | – |
| 1949-1950 | Cheshire League | 6 | – |
| 1950-1951 | Cheshire League | 10 | – |
| 1951-1952 | Cheshire League | 8 | – |
| 1952-1953 | Cheshire League | 22 | – |
| 1953-1954 | Cheshire League | 6 | – |
| 1954-1955 | Cheshire League | 12 | – |
| 1955-1956 | Cheshire League | 14 | – |
| 1956-1957 | Cheshire League | 16 | – |
| 1957-1958 | Cheshire League | 15 | – |
| 1958-1959 | Cheshire League | 13 | – |
| 1959-1960 | Cheshire League | 9 | – |
| 1960-1961 | Cheshire League | 21 | – |
| 1961-1962 | Cheshire League | 11 | – |
| 1962-1963 | Cheshire League | 8 | – |
| 1963-1964 | Cheshire League | 3 | – |
| 1964-1965 | Cheshire League | 8 | – |
| 1965-1966 | Cheshire League | 1 | Champions |
| 1966-1967 | Cheshire League | 1 | Champions |
| 1967-1968 | Cheshire League | 2 | Runners Up |
| Joined as founder members of the Northern Premier League | |||
| 1968-1969 | Northern Premier League | 9 | – |
| 1969-1970 | Northern Premier League | 12 | – |
| 1970-1971 | Northern Premier League | 8 | – |
| 1971-1972 | Northern Premier League | 10 | – |
| 1972-1973 | Northern Premier League | 4 | – |
| 1973-1974 | Northern Premier League | 3 | – |
| 1974-1975 | Northern Premier League | 3 | – |
| 1975-1976 | Northern Premier League | 7 | – |
| 1976-1977 | Northern Premier League | 10 | – |
| 1977-1978 | Northern Premier League | 5 | – |
| 1978-1979 | Northern Premier League | 2 | Runners Up |
| Joined as founder members of the Alliance Premier League | |||
| 1979-1980 | Alliance Premier League | 1 | Champions |
| 1980-1981 | Alliance Premier League | 1 | Champions |
| 1981-1982 | Alliance Premier League | 11 | – |
| 1982-1983 | Alliance Premier League | 12 | – |
| 1983-1984 | Alliance Premier League | 3 | – |
| 1984-1985 | Alliance Premier League | 5 | – |
| 1985-1986 | Alliance Premier League | 4 | – |
| Alliance Premier League is re-named Conference | |||
| 1986-1987 | Conference | 5 | – |
| 1987-1988 | Conference | 14 | – |
| 1988-1989 | Conference | 14 | – |
| 1989-1990 | Conference | 16 | – |
| 1990-1991 | Conference | 3 | – |
| 1991-1992 | Conference | 18 | – |
| 1992-1993 | Conference | 10 | – |
| 1993-1994 | Conference | 10 | – |
| 1994-1995 | Conference | 4 | – |
| 1995-1996 | Conference | 12 | – |
| 1996-1997 | Conference | 22 | Relegated |
| 1997-1998 | Northern Premier League | 8 | – |
| 1998-1999 | Northern Premier League | 1 | Champions |
| 1999-2000 | Conference | 21 | Relegated |
| 2000-2001 | Northern Premier League | 7 | – |
| 2001-2002 | Northern Premier League | 9 | – |
| 2002-2003 | Northern Premier League | 14 | – |
| 2003-2004 | Northern Premier League | 12 | – |
| Placed in the newly formed Conference North upon league re-organisation | |||
| 2004-2005 | Conference North | 5 | Promoted |
| 2005-2006 | Conference National | 22 | Reprieved |
| 2006-2007 | Conference National | 21 | Reprieved |
| 2007-2008 | Conference National | 21 | Reprieved |
| 2008-2009 | Conference National | 15 | |
[edit] References
- Altrincham at the Football Club History Database
[edit] External links
- Altincham F.C. official website
- Altrincham FC Supporters' Trust
- Altrincham FC Fans Forum
- Alty Fc Supporters Site
