Hyde United F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Hyde United


fullname = Hyde United Football Club
nickname = The Tigers
founded = 1919
ground = Ewen Fields Hyde
capacity = 4,100
chairman = Stephen Hartley
manager = flagicon|ENG Neil Tolson
league = Conference North
season = 2007-08
position = Conference North, 9th
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leftarm1=FF0000|body1=FF0000|rightarm1=FF0000|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=FF0000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=FF0000|socks2=FFFFFF

Hyde United Football Club are a semi-professional team from Hyde, Greater Manchester, England.

ummary

Hyde traditionally play in red shirts and white shorts and play their games at Ewen Fields which has a 4,100 capacity with 850 seats.

Manchester United Reserves played their home games at Hyde, after moving from Altrincham in 2005, but moved on to Northwich Victoria in 2007. Hyde also have hosted Manchester City Reserves, but left to play in the 'Regional Athletics Arena' opposite their stadium. Currently, only Hyde United Reserves additionally play their home games at Ewen Fields.

The club's record attendance was set in 1952 when 9,500 spectators attended a game against Nelson.

Controversy

In 2005, Hyde United won the Northern Premier League title for the first time in their history, but it was not without controversy as Hyde were awarded the title after an appeal to the FA. The title was originally awarded to Farsley Celtic after the expunging of Spennymoor United's results due to the team being unable to complete their fixtures that season (with a Hyde fixture one of those not played). On appeal, this decision was overturned and Hyde, along with other teams who had not played them twice, were awarded 3 points for a '0-0 win' which was enough to secure Hyde's first Northern Premier League title.

Present day

Hyde United currently play in Conference North, having finished 11th and 8th respectively in their first two seasons.

Information

*Record Attendance: 9500 V Nelson F.C. 1952/53 FA Cup
*Record Victory: 13-1 V Eccles United 1921/22
*Heaviest defeat: Not Known - often quoted as 0-26 against Preston North End in 1887.
*Record Northern Premier League Victory: 9-1 V South Liverpool F.C. 1990/91
*Heaviest Northern Premier League Defeat: 6-0 V Stalybridge Celtic 2002/03
*Most Appearances for Club: Steve Johnson 623
*Most Goals for Club: Peter O'Brien 247
*Most Goals in a Season: Malcolm O'Connor 55 1986/87
*Most Goals in a Game: Eamon O'Keefe 6 V Rhyl 1975/76
*Largest Transfer Fee Received: £50,000 for Colin Little to Crewe Alexandra 1995/96
*Largest Transfer Fee Paid: £8000 for Jim McCluskie from Mossley 1989/90
*England Semi-Pro Internationals: Ged Kimmins 2 caps, 1 goal 1996, Gareth Seddon 2 caps, 2 goals 2007

Best FA Cup Performance - 1st Round
*Lost 5-1 V Workington (away) 1954/55
*Lost 2-0 V Burnley (home, played at Turf Moor) 1983/84
*Lost 3-1 V Darlington (home) 1994/95

Best FA Trophy Performance - Semi-Finalists
*Lost 4-0 (agg) V Telford United 1988/89
*Lost 2-1 (agg) V Kidderminster Harriers 1994/95
*Lost 3-1 (agg) V Northwich Victoria 1995/96

History

Early History and foundation

Although the present club was formed in 1919, another club, simply called Hyde FC, was formed 1885 it although it had several incarnations. It is best remembered for the 26-0 beating at the hands of Preston North End in an FA Cup tie at Deepdale in 1887, still a record score for a competitive match in England (the British senior record is held by Bon Accord F.C., 36-0).

Hyde FC appear to have worn white shirts and blue shorts. Historian Tom Middleton says the club began at Walker Fold on the old Hyde Rugby Club field but the North Cheshire Herald refers to a ground off Mottram Road. Hyde FC later went to Townend Street but moved to Ewen Fields in 1906 after merging with Hyde St George's who played in the Lancashire Combination. Hyde folded in 1917, because of what was termed 'war fatigue'. When the 1914-18 conflict ended, demands were made to resurrect the club but because Hyde had had debts it was decided to form a new side to represent the town - Hyde United.

After one season, Hyde United joined the Manchester League and by 1930 had won it five times and the Gilgryst Cup twice. During the 1920s they played for a spell in black-and-white quartered shirts. They moved into the Cheshire County League in 1930 and won the League Challenge Cup four years later. The decade after the Second World War proved to be a purple patch for the club. The Cheshire Senior Cup, won in 1946, was the first of many trophies to arrive at Ewen Fields during the next ten years. In 1953 Hyde United won the League Cup and this was followed by a league and cup double a season later. Season 1955-56 saw Hyde retain the championship and they finished runners-up in the following three seasons. The FA Cup first round was reached in 1954 losing to 5-1 away to Workington, who were managed by Bill Shankly. In 1968 Hyde United became a founder member of the Northern Premier League. After only two seasons they were forced to resign; financial problems occurred, but had finished respectably both times and their battling performances earned them the nickname of the Tigers.

They rejoined the Cheshire County League, where they remained for the rest of the decade. The League Cup was won in 1973 and in 1981 finished runners-up in the league and winners of the Cheshire Senior Cup and league Challenge Shield.

A year later, with Les Sutton as manager, Hyde swept the Cheshire League Board, and due to a number of ground improvements installed, financed by the supporters' club, Hyde was able to win the election to the Northern Premier League. The first year back saw the club score 91 goals and reach the first round of the FA Cup where they lost 2-0 at Burnley. A year later Hyde, with Peter Wragg in the hot seat, reached the NPL Cup final, losing on penalties to South Liverpool. However, they were back in the final in 1986 and beat Marine 1-0 with a goal from Graham Holder.

By the following summer, Hyde had sold Ewen Fields to Tameside Council, which installed an artificial Baspograss surface and turned Ewen Fields into a leisure centre called Tameside Stadium. The Tigers won the Lancashire Floodlight Trophy.

Ups and downs

In 1987-88 the club finished runners-up in the League and retained the Lancashire Floodlight Trophy. In the following season a tremendous campaign saw Hyde again finish in the runners-up spot and reach the semi-final of the FA Trophy, losing to Telford, as well as the ClubCall final, which was on penalties to Barnet. Their performance during that season earned the award of North West Team of the Season.

The good fortune continued in 1989-90, with fourth in the league, League Cup winners, defeating Gateshead 1-0, winning the Cheshire Senior Cup against Macclesfield and for the second year running losing in the final of the ClubCall Cup, this time to Bishops Stortford.

Manager Peter O'Brien left the club the following season and player Graham Bell took over but without any success.

Eventually Cliff Roberts took over in 1990 and began the hard work of rebuilding the team. However he could not finish the job he undertook due to the club's financial problems and he voluntarily terminated his contract. Ged Coyne took over in October, 1992, on a much reduced budget, and in 1993 Peter O'Brien returned for his second spell (third, if you count his spell as caretaker in 1976/7, between John Bain and Les Sutton). He took the club to ninth in the league, losing finalists in the League Challenge Cup to Spennymoor United.

O'Brien resigned at the end of the season to take over at Droylsden and in June 1994, Mike McKenzie, a successful and much sought-after manager, was appointed. His first season in charge promised much for the future as Hyde reached the first round of the FA Cup, losing 3-1 at home to Darlington, and the semi-final of the FA Trophy (losing to Kidderminster).

In 1995/96 Ewen Fields returned to grass surface which played host to another FA Trophy semi-final appearance, this time against Northwich Victoria. After years of neglect, the ground began to be transformed thanks to help from Tameside Council and Stalybridge and Hyde MP Tom Pendry (now Lord Pendry).

The Tigers won the Northern Premier League Chairman's Cup in 2000, but after that went into decline. The 2001-02 campaign started dreadfully with only one point out of 30. At the end of September, 2001, Mike McKenzie left the club by mutual agreement and was replaced by former player Dave Nolan and Martin Filson. Fortunes did improve slightly on the field, but the Tigers only escaped relegation by other teams not achieving the required ground grading. Coupled with early cup exits, the season was definitely one to forget.

teve Waywell and the Conference North

Nolan was sacked shortly into the following season and a disastrous spell followed under the management of former Chester City manager and Manchester United star Gordon Hill. However, at the end of 2002, Hyde gave the job to Leigh boss Steve Waywell and although he could not prevent the club from being relegated in 2003, the Tigers' rebirth had begun. A new team was assembled and the Tigers completed the transformation by winning the NPL first division championship and the Chairman's Cup in 2004.

The following season, Waywell continued his success with the NPL Championship. In their first season in the Conference North the Tigers made a sluggish start, but put a fine run together mid-season and ultimately finished a credible 11th with 56 points from 42 games, falling from a high of 4th in February after a remarkable run winning 12 games out of 15.

The 2006-2007 season ended in an eighth place finish despite being in the playoff places for much of the latter half of the season. Combined with early exits in cup competitions, the season finished trophyless for the Tigers yet is likely to be remembered for a 7-3 away win against fierce local rivals Stalybridge Celtic.

A loss of form in the second half of the 2007-2008 season saw the team fall from first place in the league at Christmas to ninth place come the end of their campaign in April. A second successive season without a trophy was confirmed when Radcliffe Borough caused an upset by defeating the Tigers 2-1 in the final of the Manchester Premier Cup.

Steve Waywell left the club by mutual consent on 11 September 2008 after a poor start to the season saw the Tigers collect only five points from the first eight games and also exit the Setanta Shield in the first round. He was replaced, on a temporary basis, by Neil Tolson and Chris Brass.

League Memberships

*1919 Club formed. Joined Lancashire & Cheshire Football Federation.
*1920 Moved to Manchester League
*1930 Elected to Cheshire County League replacing Middlewich FC.
*1968 Elected as founder members of Northern Premier League
*1970 Returned to Cheshire County League
*1982 Elected to Northern Premier League
*2003 Relegated to Northern Premier League First Division
*2004 Promoted to Northern Premier League Premier Division
*2005 Promoted to Conference North

Notable players

"See for details of notable current and former players"

Current squad

Honours list

Major competitions

*FA Cup First Round: 1955/56, 1983/84, 1994/95
*Manchester League Champions: 1920/21, 1921/22, 1922/23, 1928/29, 1929/30
*Northern Premier League Champions: 2004/2005
*Northern Premier League Runners Up: 1999/2000
*Northern Premier League Cup Winners: 1985/86, 1989/90, 1995/96
*Northern Premier League Division One Champions: 2003/04

Additional honours

*Ashton Challenge Cup Winners: 1930/31, 1931/32, 1932/33, 1933/34, 1939/40, 1947/48
*Cheshire League Champions: 1954/55, 1955/56, 1981/82
*Cheshire League Cup Winners: 1933/34, 1952/53, 1954/55, 1972/73, 1981/82
*Cheshire League Shield: 1980/81, 1981/82
*Cheshire Senior Cup Winners: 1945/46, 1962/63, 1969/70, 1980/81, 1989/90, 1996/97
*Edward Case Cup Winners: 1956/57, 1957/58, 1959/60, 1980/81
*Gavin Nicholson Memorial Trophy Winners: 1978/9
*Gilgryst Cup Winners: 1927/28, 1928/29, 1949/50, 1970/71
*Hyde Challenge Cup Winners: 1927/28, 1928/29
*Lancashire & Cheshire Floodlit Trophy Winners: 1954/55, 1955/56
*Lancashire Floodlit Trophy Winners: 1986/87, 1987/88
*Manchester Intermediate Cup Winners: 1955/56 (Joint Winners 1957/58)
*Manchester Junior Cup Winners: 1921/22, 1968/69
*Manchester League Open Trophy Winners: 1972/73
*Manchester Premier Cup Winners: 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1998/99, 2004/2005, 2005/2006Finalist: 2007/08
*Manchester Senior Cup Winners: 1974/75
*Northern Premier League Chairman's Cup Winners: 1999/2000, 2003/04
*Peter Swailes Memorial Shield Winners: 1996/97, 2004/05
*Ray Stanley Memorial Trophy Winners: 2006/07, 2007/2008

External links

* [http://www.hydeunited.co.uk/ Official Website]
* [http://www.hydeunited.com/ Stats Website]
* [http://www.eyeonthetigers.co.uk Supporters Website]
* [http://www.eyeonthetigers.co.uk/forum Supporters Forum]
* [http://www.fchd.info/HYDEU.HTM General Hyde Stats]
* [http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/hyde_united.html Details about Ewen Fields]