Radcliffe F.C.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2024) |
Neuven Stadium, Radcliffe | |||
Capacity | 3,500 (350 seated) | ||
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Chairman | Paul Hilton | ||
Manager | Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson | ||
League | Northern Premier League Premier Division | ||
2022–23 | Northern Premier League Premier Division, 7th of 22 | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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Radcliffe Football Club (formerly Radcliffe Borough) is an English football club based in
History
This article appears to be slanted towards recent events. (May 2010) |
The club was formed on 24 May 1949 at the Owd Tower Inn in Radcliffe by Jack Pickford & a committee of 17 and became a member of the South East Lancashire Football League. After a short period in that league, the club joined the Manchester League before gaining access to the Lancashire Football Combination in 1963. In 1972, Radcliffe won the League Cup and finished third in the league. Two years later it was accepted into the Cheshire League, which subsequently became the North West Counties League.
The first season again brought success when Radcliffe secured the Second Division championship in front of a record
Radcliffe achieved its highest honour in the
For the first time in its history the club reached the first round of the FA Cup in 2000, losing 1–4 to York City in a match played at Gigg Lane, the home of Bury, in front of a crowd of 2,495. Boro again missed out on promotion in the 2001–02 season when after leading the division until February a poor run to the end of the season, meant that the club entered the newly formed play-offs losing to Bamber Bridge in the semi-final at Irongate.
In the 2002–03 season Boro missed out on the championship by two points to
With Boro back in the
In 2016 management changed, a new chairman and manager took the reins. Off the field investment was given to the stadium, a new stand at the Pilkington Road end of the stadium, a new press area and director's area after being destroyed by fire. And a new covered turnstile block, a TV Gantry, Boardroom, club shop, Sponsors Lounge and Social Club. Giving the stadium a fresh new look. The club changed name dropping the borough officially in 2018. Reaching the Lancashire Cup Final in 2017 nearly brought silverware to the new era. League finishes for the first two seasons were roughly the same as before. But with a new manager in charge Jon Macken with Frank Sinclair as his assistant brought some positive results towards the end of 2017–18 from when he took the reins in October 2017. The future looked bright and the hard work and investment on and off the pitch paid off as the club was promoted via the play-offs back to the Northern Premier League in 2019. The 2023–24 season saw Radcliffe crowned champions of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, earning promotion to the National League North for the first time in the club's history.[2]
Notable players
The following players played for the Boro and later went on to sign for clubs in the
- Jimmy Hayman
- Steve Fleet
- Bill Myerscough
- Edward Rayner
- Bob_Hutchinson
- Brian Hart
- Brian Grundy
- Gary Pierce (footballer)
- Kevin Hulme
- Niell Hardy
- Paul Mullin
- Mark Redshaw
- Domaine Rouse
- Craig Dawson
- Andy Parry
- Kole Hall
- Jordan Slew
- Tunde Owolabi
- Raheem Hanley
- Jack McIntyre
- Lois Maynard
- Sean Tse
The following players have played at the highest level of English football or internationally and later turned out for the Boro.
- Tommy Heron
- Arthur Barnard
- Gordon Clayton
- Gordon Hill
- Fred Hill (footballer, born 1940)
- Dave Lennard
- Trevor Ross
- Len Cantello
- Frank Worthington
- Alan Kennedy
- Darren Sheridan
- Peter Barnes
- Frankie Bunn
- Neil Whitworth
- Gordon Armstrong
- Ian Bishop
- John Foster
- Paul Gascoigne
- Lee Sharpe
- Nick Culkin
- Mike Flynn
- Neil Danns
- Chris Makin
- Jem Karacan
Honours
League
- Northern Premier League Premier Division
- Champions: 2023–24
- Northern Premier League Division One
- North West Counties League First Division
- Champions: 1984–85
- North West Counties League Second Division
- Champions: 1982–83
- North West Counties League Reserve Division
- Champions: 1986–87
- Manchester Football League Division Two
- Runners-up: 1965–66
- Northern Football Combination
- Winners: 1991–92
- South East Lancashire League Division One
- Runners-up: 1950-51
- Runners-up:
- South East Lancashire League Division Two
- Champions: 1950–51
Cup
- FA Cup Best: 1st Round 2000–01
- FA Trophy Best: 4th Round 2023–24
- FA Vase Best: 4th Round 1993–94
- Lancashire FACounty Cup
- Finalists: 2008–09, 2016–17
- Manchester Premier Cup
- Manchester Senior Cup
- Finalists: 1972-73
- Manchester Junior Cup
- Finalists: 1958–59
- Northern Premier League President's Cup
- Finalists: 2007–08
- North West Counties League Challenge Cup
- Finalists: 1984–85
- Lancashire Combination League Cup
- Winners: 1969–70
- Lancashire Combination League George Watson Trophy
- Finalists: 1970–71
- Manchester League Gylchrist Cup
- South East Lancashire League Shield
- South East Lancashire League Moore Cup
- Bury Amateur League Cup
- Winners: 1949–50
Players
The club has performed exceptionally well in the Northern Premier League's Player awards since their inception in 2011. The following players have picked up the following prizes:
- Elliot Rokka – Young Player of the Season (North Division) – 2017, Supporters Player Runner Up 2017. Team of the Season 2017
- Tunde Owolabi – League Supporters Player of the Season – 2019, Team of the Season 2019
- Nick Culkin – Team of the Season 2011
- Sheldon Barrington – Academy Player of the Season 2019
- Callum Grogan – Team of the Season 2019
6 Players were also represented in the Northern Premier League's Top 100 players of the 50th Years Anniversary - 7 - Andy Johnson, 14 - Craig Dawson, 62 - Karl Marginson, 65 Jody Banim, 66 - Cieran Kilheeney, 93 - Simon Carden,
Managers
- John Pearson (1949-1953)
- John Bradshaw (1953-1954)
- David Robbie (1954-1955)
- Harry Cunliffe (1955-1963)
- Archie Lennon (1963-1964)
- John Pimlott (1964-1968)
- Les Grimsditch (1968-1969)
- Ray Gill (1969-1973)
- Don Wilson (1973-1974)
- Ken Wright (1974-1978)
- Tommy McLoughlin (1978-1979)
- George Jones (1979-1980)
- Dave Morris (1980-1986)
- Frank O'Kane (1986-1987)
- Ken Bridge (1988-1989)
- Len Cantello (1989-1990)
- Ken Wright (June-Nov 1990)
- Kevin Glendon (1990-2010)
- Frankie Bunn (March–May 1998)
- Mike Farrelly (Dec 2001-2002)
- Gerry Luczka (2010-2011)
- Benny Phillips (2011-2013)
- Kevin Glendon (2013-2014)
- Paul McGuire (2014-2015)
- Bill Prendergast (2015)
- Danny Johnson (2015-2016)
- Bill Prendergast (2016-2017)
- Joe Gibbons (Apr-Sept 2017)
- Jon Macken (2017-2020)
- Lee Fowler (2020-2021)
- Bobby Grant (2021-2023)
- Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley (2023-)
Statistics and records
Appearances
- Simon Kelly has made the most appearances for the club, making 502 starts.
Goals
- Ian Lunt has scored the most goals for the club, scoring 147 times.
- The record for the most goals in a season is 46 by Jody Banim.
Attendances
- The highest attendance overall came in the FA Cup first round in 2000 when they faced York City. 2,495 people went to see the game which was staged at Gigg Lane.
- Their highest attendance at the Neuven Stadiumis 2338 in the Northern Premier League match against FC United of Manchester on 28 August 2023.
Transfer Fees
- The highest transfer fee received was from Rochdale AFCalthough the total sum remains undisclosed.
- The highest transfer fee paid was for Gary Walker for whom they paid £5,000 to Buxton.
References
- ^ "Prestwich Heys v Radcliffe tie on BBC". BBC Sport.
- ^ "Radcliffe Reign!". www.thenpl.co.uk. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
External links
- Official website
- Radcliffe Borough at the Football Club History Database
- Radcliffe F.C. on Facebook