Vauxhall Motors F.C.
Full name | Vauxhall Motors Football Club | ||
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Nickname(s) | The Motormen | ||
Founded | 1963 | ||
Ground | Rivacre Park, Ellesmere Port | ||
Capacity | 3,300 (350 seated) | ||
Owner | Vauxhall Motors | ||
Chairman | Jon Waring | ||
Manager | Danny Holmes | ||
League | Northern Premier League Division One West | ||
2022–23 | North West Counties League Premier Division, 1st of 22 (promoted) | ||
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Vauxhall Motors Football Club is a football club based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. The club are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One West and play at Rivacre Park, known as the vanEupen Arena for sponsorship reasons.
It was originally the works team of the Vauxhall Ellesmere Port Car Plant. It had much success in its local leagues and fought its way up to semi-professional status. It was announced in March 2014 that the club had tendered its resignation from the Football Conference, with effect from the end of season 2013–14.[1] The club took over their reserve team's place back in the West Cheshire League Division One for the 2014–15 season but has since reached the North West Counties League Premier Division.
It is generally regarded as the local team of Ellesmere Port, although two other teams, Ellesmere Port and Ellesmere Port Town, play further down the pyramid in the Chester & District League.
History
Vauxhall Motors F.C. was founded in 1963, shortly after the opening of the new
On the pitch, the club also started finding some success, winning its first
Soon after its fifth-place finish, the board took the decision to move back down to the West Cheshire League where the club finished in third place in the two following seasons. However, in 1994–95, the club won both divisions of the league – only the third time any club had achieved that in the 103-year history of the league. Soon after, they were accepted back into the North West Counties League. Just as before, they easily won the Second Division of the NWCL, but did not have the best of seasons in Division One, although they did reach the semi-final of the Cheshire Senior Cup. It continued to play in Division One, and reached the final of the NWCL Cup, losing to Kidsgrove Athletic in a closely contested match.
The 1998–99 season was the team's best by far to that point, reaching the fifth round of the FA Vase and earning its best ever league position in third place, and won the NWCL Cup. However, the next season was even better, with the team reaching the semi-finals of the FA Vase and winning the NWCL title, thus earning a spot in Division One of the Northern Premier League. The reserves also enjoyed a successful season, winning a number of smaller trophies.
The club enjoyed considerable success in the Northern Premier League as well, earning promotion to the
The club finished twenty-first in the 2007–08 season, and were due to be relegated but after Nuneaton Borough's liquidation and the Conference's decision to expel Boston United, the club were reprieved. In the 2009–10 season, the club finished twentieth. However, because of the earlier resignation of Farsley Celtic and the subsequent relegation of Northwich Victoria following financial troubles, Vauxhall Motors was again given a reprieve from relegation.
In the 2010–11 season, they again qualified for the first round proper of the FA Cup, but were unable to repeat the success of eight years previously, although Josh Wilson scored in the 38th minute, his header was disallowed, drawing 0–0 against
In March 2014 the club announced its intention to withdraw from the
Only four of the founder members of
In May 2014 former Vauxhall favourite Alan Schumacker was appointed as first team manager. The former Motors defender was a member of Alvin McDonald's all conquering
At the end of the 2015–16 season manager Alan Schumacker and his assistant Kevin Baker left the club and were replaced by former Motors’ assistant manager Anthony Wright and former Mersey Royal Youth team manager Joe Wright as his assistant. However in October Anthony Wright had to step down because of family commitments and a month later Joe Wright left the club.
In November 2016 the former Burscough captain, ex A.F.C. Liverpool assistant manager and Prescot Cables Reserve team manager Karl Bell was appointed the club’s new manager. Bell left the role in May 2018 and was replaced by Cammell Laird 1907 F.C. manager Michael McGraa.
The 2018–19 season saw the club miss out on promotion to the
Colours and badge
Vauxhall Motors' colours are white with a strip of blue for the top and navy blue shorts with navy blue socks. The away kit is yellow shirts, green shorts and yellow socks. The kits have been sponsored by car retailer Lookers Wirral since 2000.
The team badge is the same as the logo of its parent company, Vauxhall Motors.
Stadium
Rivacre Park has been the home of Vauxhall since the 1986 season, the club having formerly played at Hooton Park. It has a capacity of 3,300 with covered stand and terracing, with space for 350 seated guests. The stand has been refitted with new seats along with a step in the terrace at the golf course end of the ground. A new toilet block, disabled toilet and a new turnstile block have also been added. To increase capacity, more barriers have been installed to the covered terrace and the club shop has since been re-opened after the roof was damaged in a storm. The ground also has a large sports and social club. This was originally for employees of the Vauxhall plant but is also open to the public on match days etc.
Records
- Highest League Attendance: 1,752 versus Chester F.C. – 30 October 2012
- Highest FA Cup Attendance: 1,109 versus Hartlepool United (FA Cup First round replay) – 16 November 2010
- Highest FA Trophy Attendance: 1,104 versus Northwich Victoria (FA Trophy 4th round) – 2 February 2002
- Biggest Home Win: 12–2 versus Blackpool Mechanics, 9 December 1995
- Biggest Home Defeat: 6–0 versus Kettering Town, 1 March 2008; 6–0 versus Macclesfield, 22 February 2022
- Biggest Away Win: 6–0 versus Hinckley United, 5 February 2013
- Biggest Away Defeat: 6–0 versus Kettering Town, 25 August 2007
- All-Time Leading Goalscorer: Terry Fearns – 111 goals
- Most Appearances: Carl Nesbitt – 520 appearances (500 starts, 20 as sub)
- Best League Position: 11th, Conference North, 2008–09
- Best 2002–03
- Best FA Trophy Performance: 4th round proper, 2001–02
- Best FA Vase Performance: Semi-finals, 1999–00
Current squad
- As of 22 March 2024.[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable players
Several players have gone on to play in the
- Gregg Blundell – Formerly with Doncaster Rovers. Currently physiotherapist at Liverpool.
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- Birmingham City. Currently playing at Fleetwood Town F.C.
- Witton Albion.
- Mark Roberts – Formerly with Crewe Alexandra, Stevenage, Fleetwood Town and Cambridge United. Retired from Warrington Town in 2022.
- Paul Taylor – Formerly with Peterborough United and Stevenage. Currently without a club.
- Ben Tollitt – Formerly with Portsmouth. Currently playing at AFC Fylde.
- Lloyd Saxton – Spent youth career in Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers, Stoke City. Being professional since 2006, he joined Plymouth Argyle and Bradford City. Since 2012, he joined Swedish football. Ange IF. On 2015, he moved to Allsvenskan and played for GIF Sundsvall. Currently without a club.
- Cole Stockton – Formerly with Hearts. Currently with Morecambe.
Honours
- Northern Premier League
- North West Counties League
- West Cheshire League
- Division One Champions 1985–86, 1994–95, 2002–03 (Reserves)
- Division Two Champions 1994–95 (Reserves)
- Division Two Bowl Winners 1967–68
- Pyke Cup
- Winners 1999–2000 (Reserves), 2004–05 (Reserves)
- Runners-up 1972–73
- Cheshire County F.A.
- Amateur Cup Winners 2013–14 (Reserves)
- Runners-up 1993–94, 2000–01, 2004–05
- Wirral F.A.
- Senior Cup Winners 1986–87, 2010–11 (Reserves), 2012–13 (Reserves), 2014–15
- Runners-up 1982–83, 1994–95, 1999–2000 (Reserves)
References
- ^ "Club Statement". Vauxhall Motors F.C. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ^ "Vauxhall Motors 0–0 QPR". BBC News. 16 November 2002. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- ^ "Vauxhall Motors stun QPR". BBC News. 26 November 2002. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- ^ "Macclesfield 2–0 Vauxhall Motors". BBC News. 7 December 2002. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- ^ BBC Sport: Vauxhall Motors to resign from Conference North (accessed 15 March 2014)
- ^ "Title winners Vauxhall Motors end campaign with another victory". 24 April 2023.
- ^ First Team Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Vauxhall Motors FC
External links
- Official website
- Vauxhall Motors at the Football Club History Database
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