Congleton Town F.C.

Congleton Town

Full name	Congleton Town Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Bears
Founded	1901
Ground	Booth Street, Congleton (Capacity: 1,450)
Chairman	Peter Evans
Manager	Dean Sibson
League	North West Counties Football League Premier Division
2010–11	North West Counties Football League Premier Division, 8th
Home colours Away colours

Congleton Town F.C. is a football club based in Congleton, Cheshire, England. They currently play in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division and are full members of the Cheshire County Football Association. The club have played in a number of regional leagues in the Cheshire area.

History

The club was formed in 1901 and joined the Crewe and District League, and were crowned champions in their first three seasons from 1901–02 to 1903–04. In 1904–05 they finished in fifth place.^[1] They then joined the North Staffordshire and District League in the 1905–06 season finishing in third place. Up until the outbreak of World War I their highest league placing came in 1914–15 when they were runners-up. When the league resumed after the war Congleton spent one last season in the league, 1919–20 finishing as league champions.^[2]

In 1920 they joined the Cheshire County League, finishing as runners-up to Winsford in their first season, 1920–21.^[3] In 1939–40 they spent one season in the Macclesfield and District League, finishing in equal first place and winning the end of season play-off against Bollington Cross to be crowned champions.^[4]

When football resumed after World War II Congleton Town were once again back in the Cheshire County League. However, the struggled at first including finishing in last place in 1947–48.^[5] The club continued to struggle and spent the 1950s finishing toward the bottom of the table each season.^[6]

They began the 1960s still struggling culminating in a last place finish in 1964–65,^[7] before joining the Manchester League in the 1965–66 season, finishing in fifth place. Their stay in the league though laste just three seasons^[8] and in the 1968–69 season they joined the Mid-Cheshire League, finishing in eighth place. In 1969–70 they were runners-up. They were runners-up again in 1971–72 then in 1973–74 they were crowned Mid-Cheshire league champions. The following seaso they finished third before winning the league for a second time in 1975–76. After another runners-up finish in 1976–77 they won the title for a third time in 1977–78, their last season in the league.^[9] . In 1978 the club re-joined the Cheshire County League, finishing in seventh place in their first season back in the league, 1978–79. They won the league in its final season, 1981–82^[10] before the league merged with the Lancashire Combination to form the North West Counties Football League in which they were founder members in 1982–83. In 1985–86 they were runners-up in the league, only missing out on the title on goal difference. In 1987–88 they joined the Northern Premier League in the newly created Division One, finishing in ninth place. In the 1989–90 season, they reached the First Round of the FA Cup after beating Witton Albion in the fourth qualifying round. In the first round they were drawn away to Football League club Crewe Alexandra where they lost 2–0. However, they struggled most years at the higher level of the Northern Premier League and after finishing in last place in the 2000–01 season,^[11] they were relegated to the North West Counties Football League Division One. They did though reach the fourth round of the FA Trophy where they lost 6–2 to Worksop Town. The club remained in Division One which was renamed the Premier Division for the 2008–09 season.^[12]

At the end of the 2008–09 season, Congleton finished fourth in the Premier Division, behind AFC Fylde, New Mills and Newcastle Town, with only the first placed side gaining promotion to the Northern Premier League. Regardless of where they had finished, Congleton would not have gained promotion because they did not submit a promotion application.

Congleton Town Supporters Trust was formed in 2001. The trust aims to help the club through sponsorship and community projects.

At the end of the 2010–11 season joint managers Anthony Buckle and Darren Twigg stepped down. Giuseppe "Joe" Paladino, ex-Wigan Athletic goalkeeper, who was assistant manager at Rossendale United at the end of last season was appointed at the beginning of the season, but some disappointing results and declining attendances saw his reign shortlived. He was replaced on 6th November 2011 by Dean Sibson, who takes the role of caretaker manager for the foreseeable future.

Stadium

The Booth Street stadium's capacity is 1,300 with 200 seated in a small covered enclosure on one side of the pitch.^[13]

Non-playing staff

Name	Role
Peter Evans	Chairman
Steve Burgess	Vice-chairman
Kenneth Stevenson	Club secretary
Dean Sibson	First-team caretaker/manager
Emily Hough	Physio

Honours

League

• Cheshire County League Division Two champions: 1981–82
• Mid-Cheshire League champions: 1973–74, 1975–76, 1977–78
• Crewe and District League champions: 1901–02, 1902–03, 1903–04
• Macclesfield and District League champions: 1939–40
• North Staffordshire and District League champions: 1919–20

Cup

• Cheshire Senior Cup winners: 1920–21, 1937–38
• Cheshire Amateur Cup winners: 2006–07
• Cheshire Saturday Cup winners: 1977–78
• Crewe Cup winners: 2003–04

Attendances

Records

• Largest attendance: 7,000 (approx) vs Macclesfield Town 1953–54

Averages

As of 9 March 2009, the average league-game attendance at Booth Street for the 2008–09 season is 113, which places Congleton Town 7th for the division, and is a decrease of 6.7% from the previous season.^[14]

Past averages:

• 2007–08: 121
• 2006–07: 165
• 2005–06: 120
• 2004–05: 151
• 2003–04: 183

Source: English football site

References

1. ^ "Crewe & District League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/Crewe.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
2. ^ "North Staffs & District League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/NorthStaffs.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
3. ^ "Cheshire County League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/Chesh20.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
4. ^ "Macclesfield and District League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/MaccLeague.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
5. ^ "Cheshire County League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/Chesh40.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
6. ^ "Cheshire County League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/Chesh50.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
7. ^ "Cheshire County League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/Chesh60.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
8. ^ "Manchester League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/manchesterlge.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
9. ^ "Mid-Cheshire League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/MidChesh.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
10. ^ "Cheshire County League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/Tables/Chesh2.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
11. ^ "Northern Premier League tables". Congleton Town F.C.. http://www.congletontownfc.co.uk/NPLTables.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
12. ^ "Congleton Town". Football Club History Database. http://www.fchd.info/CONGLETT.HTM. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
13. ^ "Congleton Town FC". Pyramid Passion. http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/congleton_town.html. Retrieved 2008-12-16. 
14. ^ "Attendances – North West Counties Premier Division". Tony's English football site. http://www.tonykempster.co.uk/nwc1att.htm. Retrieved 11 March 2009. 

External links

• Official website
• Congleton Town at the Football Club History Database

Coordinates: 53°09′42.28″N 2°13′15.01″W / 53.1617444°N 2.2208361°W / 53.1617444; -2.2208361