Accrington Stanley F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Accrington Stanley Football Club | ||
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| Founded | October 1968 | ||
| Ground | Crown Ground | ||
| Capacity | 5,450 (3,100 seated) | ||
| Owner | Andy Holt | ||
| Manager | John Doolan | ||
| League | League One | ||
| 2018–19 | League One, 14th of 24 | ||
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Accrington Stanley Football Club is a professional association football team from Accrington, England. They play in red shirts, shorts, and socks. Their home ground is the Crown Ground. People often call them Accrington Stanley, Stanley, or just Accrington.
The club became famous in 1989 because of a funny TV advert for milk. In the advert, a boy asks, "Accrington Stanley, who are they?" This made many people curious about the team.
The club you see today started in 1968. This was two years after the first Accrington Stanley team stopped playing. The original club began in 1891 and played in the English Football League for many years. The town's very first club, called Accrington, was even one of the founding members of the Football League in 1888.
The current Accrington Stanley team started in a local league called the Lancashire Combination. They slowly moved up through different leagues. In the early 2000s, they had a great run. They won three promotions in seven seasons. This brought them back into the professional Football League after 44 years! They even won League Two in 2017–18.
Contents
Club History
Starting Again: 1968 to 2003
After the original Accrington Stanley team closed down in 1966, the town didn't have a football club. But in 1968, people decided to bring the club back. The new team started playing in August 1970 at a new stadium, the Crown Ground.
In 1995, a local businessman named Eric Whalley took over the club. He started making improvements to the stadium. After the team was relegated in 1999, Whalley hired John Coleman as the new manager.
The club's journey back to the English Football League got a big boost from a special payment. In 2001, a former Stanley player, Brett Ormerod, was transferred to Southampton. Accrington Stanley had a deal that gave them a share of his transfer fee. This money helped the club a lot. Soon after, in 2002–03, they won the Northern Premier League championship.
The Conference Years: 2003 to 2006
In May 2003, Accrington Stanley was promoted to the Football Conference. This was the first time the club reached this level. Their first game was shown live on TV, but they lost 2–1. In their first season, they finished 10th. They also had a good run in the FA Cup, reaching the 3rd round.
In 2004, Accrington Stanley became a professional club. This meant all their players were paid to play football. In the 2004–05 season, they finished 10th again. Player Paul Mullin scored 20 goals that season.
Accrington Stanley didn't stay in the Conference for long. They were promoted to the Football League at the end of the 2005–06 season. They had an amazing 19-game unbeaten streak. They finished with 91 points, easily moving up to League Two. Players like Mullin, Rob Elliot, and Gary Roberts helped the club return to the professional league after 46 years.
Back in the Football League: 2006 to Today
Accrington Stanley's first game back in the Football League was on August 5, 2006. They lost 2–0 to Chester City. In their first season, they fought hard to avoid relegation. Five wins in their last nine games helped them finish 20th and stay in the league.
A highlight of that season was their first-ever Football League Cup match against Nottingham Forest. They won 1–0, leading to a game against Premier League team Watford. Stanley lost that game on penalties after a 0–0 draw.
The 2007–08 season was another fight to avoid relegation. They finished 17th, securing another season in the fourth tier. The 2008–09 season saw a small improvement, with the club finishing 16th in League Two. Young player Bobby Grant started to show his talent.
The 2009–10 season was even better. The team pushed for a play-off spot. The partnership between Michael Symes and Bobby Grant was key. They reached the 4th round of the FA Cup, losing to Premier League team Fulham.
The 2010–11 season was one of the most successful. Stanley lost only one game in 19 from February to May. They finished 5th, reaching the Football League Two play-offs. However, they lost to Stevenage in the semi-finals. Players like Jimmy Ryan, Alex Cisak, and Sean McConville became important for the team.
The 2011–12 season was a time of change. Many players from the successful previous season left. In January 2012, manager John Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell left the club. Former player Paul Cook became the new manager. The club finished the season in 14th place.
Andy Holt Takes Over: 2015 to Today
In July 2015, local businessman Andy Holt saw the club was in financial trouble. On October 28, 2015, Holt took over Accrington Stanley. His company, What More UK, already sponsored the stadium, which is now called the Wham Stadium. Holt cleared the club's £1.2 million debt and gave them more money. At the time, the club was close to closing down.
In Holt's first season, 2015–16, the club almost won automatic promotion to League One. They lost in the play-off semi-finals to AFC Wimbledon. After this, some key players left for clubs that could pay higher wages.
During the 2016–17 season, Stanley improved their stadium facilities. Holt also became the club's chairman. The team finished 13th in the league. They also had a good run in the FA Cup, reaching the fourth round before losing to Middlesbrough.
At the end of the 2017–18 season, Accrington Stanley won the League Two championship! Their 2–0 win over Yeovil Town on April 17, 2018, secured their promotion. In their first season in League One, 2018–19, they finished 14th.
Stanley was relegated back to League Two in 2022–23. In March 2024, manager John Coleman was sacked after nine and a half years. John Doolan took over. The team finished the 2023–24 season in 17th place and the 2024–25 season in 21st place. In May 2025, Andy Holt stepped down as chairman. The club also announced it was closing its academy due to money problems.
Club Name
The first football club in the town was simply called Accrington. It was one of the first teams in the Football League in 1888. But it stopped playing after only five years.
At that time, there was another team called Stanley Villa. They were named after the Stanley Working Men's Club on Stanley Street in Accrington. When Accrington F.C. stopped, Stanley Villa took the town's name. That's how they became Accrington Stanley.
Stadium
Accrington Stanley plays at the Crown Ground. It is currently known as the Wham Stadium because of a sponsorship deal with What More UK Ltd.
Before Andy Holt took over, the Crown Ground was known as one of the less developed stadiums in English football. But Holt's leadership brought many changes. They improved match day facilities. A new stand, the Whinney Hill Stand, was built and finished in late 2018.
The next season, the club spent about £300,000 on a new playing field. They added new drainage and leveled the pitch. This helped solve the problem of flooding in one part of the stadium. In January 2021, work began on a new Jack Barrett Stand. This will include a new bar and hospitality area.
Rivalries
Accrington Stanley fans consider Rochdale, Morecambe, and Bury to be their biggest rivals. These are all traditional clubs from the Lancashire area. Nearby teams like Blackburn Rovers and Burnley are also seen as rivals.
Famous TV Advert
In the 1980s, the club was featured in a British TV advert for milk. This advert made the club well-known to many people. The advert showed two boys in Liverpool shirts. It joked about how famous Liverpool was compared to Accrington Stanley.
Here's what they said: Boy 1: "Milk! Urghh!" Boy 2: "It's what Ian Rush drinks." Boy 1: "Ian Rush?" Boy 2: "Yeah. And he said if I didn't drink lots of milk, when I grow up, I'll only be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley." Boy 1: "Accrington Stanley, who are they?" Boy 2: "Exactly."
Even today, on the football show Soccer AM, the phrase "Accrington Stanley, who are they?" is often said when the club's name is mentioned.
Players
Current Squad
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Out on Loan
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Retired Shirt Numbers
In January 2020, Accrington Stanley star player Billy Kee retired from football. He had been dealing with mental health issues. To honor him, the club decided to retire his shirt number, 29. This means no other player will wear that number for Accrington Stanley.
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Fan Favorites
In a survey from December 2007, Chris Grimshaw was voted the all-time favorite player by Accrington Stanley fans.
Club Officials
Here are some of the important people who help run Accrington Stanley:
- Chairman: Andy Holt
- Managing Director: Warren Eastham
- Directors: Thomas O'Neill/Virginia Hargreaves
- Vice Chairman: David Burgess
- Manager: John Doolan
- Assistant Manager: Ged Brannan
- First Team Goalkeeper Coach: Andy Dibble
- Chief Doctor: Joyce Watson
- Head Therapist: Matthew Donnelly
- Kitman: George Quigley
- Physio: Paul Morgan
- Strength and Conditioning: Chris Scholes
- Scout: Ashley Hoskin
Team Achievements
League Titles
- League Two (level 4)
- Champions: 2017–18
- Conference (level 5)
- Champions: 2005–06
- Northern Premier League (level 6)
- Champions: 2002–03
- Northern Premier League Division One
- Champions: 1999–2000
- Lancashire Combination
- Champions: 1973–74, 1977–78
- Cheshire County League Division Two
- Champions: 1980–81
Cup Wins
- Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
- Winners: 2001–02
- Northern Premier League Challenge Shield
- Winners: 2002–03
- Lancashire Combination Cup
- Winners: 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1976–77
- Lancashire Combination League Cup
- Winners: 1971–72
Images for kids
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Chart of yearly table positions of Accrington Stanley in the English football league system, including the old Accrington Stanley that closed in 1962.
See also
In Spanish: Accrington Stanley Football Club para niños
- List of Accrington Stanley F.C. seasons
- List of Accrington Stanley F.C. managers
- List of Accrington Stanley F.C. players
