Buxton F.C.

Football club infobox | clubname = Buxton

| fullname = Buxton Football Club
nickname = The Bucks | founded = 1877 | ground = The Silverlands
capacity = 4,000
chairman = Tony Tomlinson | manager = John Reed
league = NPL Premier Division
season = 2007-08
position = NPL Premier Division, 5th
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Buxton F.C. are a football club based in Buxton, Derbyshire, England. They were established in 1877 and joined the Combination League in 1891. They then joined the Manchester League in 1899 and won the championship in 1932.They reached the 3rd round of the FA Cup in the 1951-52 season. Their patron is the Duke of Devonshire. The club supports and hosts local senior, junior and ladies football. The Buxton JFC Pumas under 11's play their home matches at The Silverlands.

They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

Origins and History

Originally formed as an offshoot of the town's cricket club, Buxton Football Club began life in the autumn of 1877. Its first game took place on Saturday, October 27th, at The Park (still the home of the cricket club) when 14 members picked sides for a 7-a-side match. In the next few years, the club played its home matches in fields at Cote Heath, off London Road and at Green Lane before moving to its current ground at the Silverlands in 1884, then a field owned by Frank Drewry, the club's first captain. The first game there was a Derbyshire Cup tie on Saturday, November 1st, when "the Bucks" defeated Bakewell 2-0.

Situated over 1000 feet above sea level, the Silverlands is the highest ground within the pyramid of football and substantially higher than the highest Football League ground which is The Hawthorns built in 1900, standing at 551 feet above sea level. After Buxton come the grounds of Tow Law Town F.C. (984 ft) and A.F.C. Emley (606ft). A grade "A" ground, the Main Stand has seats for 500 and the 2 covered terraces provide accommodation for a total of 2,000. The facilities at the ground are to be developed further prior to the start of the 2007/08 season.

The club entered The Combination in 1891 and joined the Manchester League in 1899, winning the championship in 1931/32, which prompted a move to the Cheshire League for the following season (though the reserve side remained in the Manchester League and won the title in 1959/60). It took 40 years to bring the Cheshire League title to Buxton, though the club had been runners-up in 1962/63. Promotion to the NPL for the 1973/74 season was an opportunity eagerly seized and honours in this league comprise the winning of the President's Cup in 1980/81 and a League Cup final appearance at Maine Road in 1990/91. The club's highest NPL final placing was 4th position achieved in 1980/81, though it was not until September 10th, 1991 "the Bucks" actually topped the NPL (eventually finishing 5th).

Buxton's best years in the F.A. Cup came in the two decades after World War Two. In 1951/52 the club, having defeated then Football League Club, Aldershot, 4-3, reached the third round proper only to lose 2-0 at Division 2 side Doncaster Rovers, while first round appearances followed in 1958 and 1962. More recently, during the 2003/04 season Buxton reached the fourth qualifying round only to meet their match at Nigel Clough's Burton Albion. The early days of the F.A. Trophy saw the club develop a considerable reputation, reaching the quarter-finals in 1970/71 and 1971/72. A full member of the F.A. and the Derbyshire F.A., Buxton F.C. has won the Derbyshire Senior Cup 8 times, including 3 times in the 1980s.

Recent Years

A members' club run by an elected committee for most of its life, Buxton F.C. became a Limited Company in June 1993 and is run by a board of 7 directors and volunteers. The club was beset by financial problems after the establishment of the National Lottery and successive relegations in 1997 and 1998 took it to the Northern Counties East League. Following several seasons of struggle a substantial revival began with the arrival in May 2002 of managers Kenny Johnson and Ronnie Wright. They brought several quality players to the club but departed in December 2004 following a poor start to the 2004/05 campaign to be replaced by ex Chesterfield, Bradford City and Grimsby boss Nicky Law and his assistant Chris Marples.

The end of the 2005/06 season saw Buxton crowned as League and Presidents Cup Champions and thus earn promotion to the Northern Premier League First Division for the 2006/07 season. They were crowned Division 1 champions on Saturday April 14th, 2007 and achieved a second successive promotion into the Northern Premier League Premier Division. They are also the winners of the Northern Premier League Presidents Cup for the 2006/07 season. Law and Marples left the club at the end of the 06/07 season to join Conference North side Alfreton Town.Buxton were also honoured that season to be voted the NLP Team of the Year for 2006-07.Former manager Nicky Law brought great success to the club bringing league titles and cup trophies in successive years.

The manager's position was taken up by ex- Harrogate Town and Stalybridge Celtic manager John Reed in time for the start of the 07/08 season. His assistant was named as Clive Freeman. Clive was first associated with John Reed when Bridlington Town marched to the F.A. Vase final in 1993, earning a transfer to Swansea City before moving onto Altrincham F.C. where he became the first non-league player to win the BBC's 'Goal of the Month award [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/sport/football_clubs/luton/match_reports/11/16_guiseley.shtml BBC - Beds, Herts and Bucks Sport - Luton Town v Guiseley - 16/11/02 ] ] beating the likes of Alan Shearer and Ian Rush He later played for Doncaster Rovers , AFC Emley and Farsley Celtic before serving Guiseley AFC and later went to Bradford Park Avenue as assistant-manager.

Honours

Northern Premier League
*NPL Division 1 Winners 2006/07
*President's Cup Winners: 1981/82, 2006/07
*NPL League Cup R/Up: 1990/91

Northern Counties East League
*Winners: 2005/06
*President's Cup Winners: 2004/05, 2005/06

Cheshire County League
*Winners: 1972/73
*R/Up (Edward Case Cup Winners): 1946/47, 1962/63
*League Cup Winners: 1956/57, 1957/58, 1968/69

Manchester League

*Winners: 1931/32
*R/Up: 1904/05, 1928/29, 1929/30, 1930/31
*League Cup Winners: 25/26, 26/27

Derbyshire Senior Cup

*Winners: 1938/39, 1945/46, 1956/57, 1959/60, 1980/81, 1985/86, 1986/87

Management

Current squad

Notable Past Players

The following players have transferred to Football League clubs from Buxton.

*Peter Robinson in 1950 to Notts County
*John Higgins in 1950 to Bolton Wanderers. He won the FA Cup with them in 1958.
*Maurice Brooks in 1951 to Stockport County
*Ray Parker in 1951 to Bradford City
*Fred Marlow in 1951 to Grimsby Town
*Ian Greaves in 1953 to Manchester United. He also went on to manage at Huddersfield Town , Bolton Wanderers and Oxford United.
*John Brindley in 1953 to Chesterfield
*Les Farriday in 1954 to Walsall
*John Good in 1955 to Tranmere Rovers
*Jimmy Anders in 1956 to Bradford Park Avenue
*William Haydock in 1959 to Manchester City
*Tony Parkes in 1970 to Blackburn Rovers. He also went on to manage and coach there.
*Andy Proudlove in 1975 to Sheffield Wednesday
*Graham Collier in 1978 to York City
*Harry Charlton in 1979 to Darlington
*Ally Pickering in 1990 to Rotherham United
*Gareth Davies in 2001 to Chesterfield

Club Records

Attendance
*6,000 v Barrow, F.A. Cup 1st Round 1962/63Goalscorers
*Mark Reed who scored his 116th goal in 173 games for Buxton on August 18th, 2007.Mark left the club in October 2007 after scoring a total of 119 in 184(19) appearances for the Bucks.
*Ralph White 115 goals in ? games.
*Dave Herbert 104 goals in 263 games.Appearances
*David Bainbridge 591 (48) and 23 goalsTransfer Fees
*Paid £5,000 Gary Walker (from Hyde Utd) 1989
*Received £16,500 Ally Pickering (to Rotherham) 1989Best Seasons
*FA Trophy Quarter Finals 70/71, 71/72
*FA Cup 3rd Round 51/52 (Defeated Aldershot on way)
*FA Vase 5th Round 05/06

External links

* [http://www.buxtonfc.co.uk/ Official Website]
* [http://www.buxtontoday.co.uk/ Buxton Advertiser]
* [http://www.fcbuxton.co.uk/ FC Buxton Supporters Team]
* [http://www.myspace.com/buxtonfc Buxton FC Myspace]

References