Nelson F.C. facts for kids
 |
|||
| Full name | Nelson Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Admirals, Blues | ||
| Founded | 23 October 1882 | ||
| Ground | Victoria Park, Nelson | ||
| Capacity | 1,500 (150 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Chris Price | ||
| Manager | Gerry Harrison | ||
| League | North West Counties League Division One North | ||
| 2018–19 | North West Counties League Division One North, 14th of 20 | ||
|
|
|||
Nelson Football Club is a football team from Nelson, England. It was started way back in 1882. The club played in various local leagues before joining the Football League in 1921. They even won the Third Division North championship in 1923! This win meant they moved up to the Second Division, which was a really big deal.
After one season, they went back down to the Third Division North. In 1931, Nelson FC left the Football League. The club faced some tough times and even stopped playing for a while. A new amateur club, Nelson Town, played until World War II started. After the war, Nelson FC reformed in 1946. They joined the Lancashire Combination league and later the North West Counties League. Today, Nelson FC is still playing their home games at Victoria Park.
Club History
How Nelson FC Started (1882–1921)
Nelson Football Club began on October 23, 1882. Members of the Nelson Cricket Club met and decided to form a football team. Their very first recorded game was a 3–1 loss to Burnley Olympic in December 1882.
Nelson FC was one of the first teams in the Lancashire League in 1889. They even won the league championship in the 1895–96 season! They scored an amazing 105 goals that year. After some ups and downs, including a short break, the club joined the Lancashire Combination league in 1901. The club closed down during World War I but reformed in 1918. They then played in the Central League for two seasons.
Playing in the Football League (1921–1936)
In 1921, Nelson FC became a founding member of the Third Division North. Their first league game had a huge crowd of 9,000 fans! The team finished 16th in their first season.
The 1922–23 season was their best. They won the Third Division North championship! This meant they were promoted to the Second Division. This was the highest level the club ever played at. Before their Second Division season, Nelson FC went on a special trip to Spain in 1923. They beat Real Oviedo 2–1 and even Real Madrid 4–2! This made them the first English team to beat Real Madrid in Spain.
They only stayed in the Second Division for one season, finishing 21st and getting relegated back down. However, they were the first team to score against Blackpool that season. They also beat Leeds United at home and even Manchester United in March! The next season, they finished second in the Third Division North. Since then, Nelson FC has not played at such a high national level.
The club reached the second round of the FA Cup twice, in 1926–27 and 1930–31. In 1926, a record 14,143 fans watched a game against Bradford Park Avenue at Seedhill. By 1927–28, the club was in debt. In 1931, after finishing last again, Nelson FC was voted out of the Football League. Their last game in the Football League was a 4–0 loss to Hull City on May 2, 1931. They then returned to the Lancashire Combination.
Due to money problems, the club had to close down in 1934. A new company quickly formed, but Nelson FC stopped playing football again on August 4, 1936. The club then took a ten-year break.
Nelson Town (1936–1939)
A new amateur club called Nelson Town was quickly formed in 1936. They played in local leagues. Nelson Town planned to join a senior league in 1939. However, only two games were played before World War II began in September 1939.
After World War II (1946–1982)
After World War II, Nelson FC reformed in 1946. They immediately joined the Lancashire Combination league. The club was very successful in the late 1940s and early 1950s. They were champions in 1949–50 and 1951–52. In 1949–50, they scored an amazing 125 league goals! They also won the Lancashire Combination Cup multiple times.
In the 1950–51 season, Nelson FC reached the second round of the FA Cup. They beat several teams before losing to Port Vale. Even though they won championships, the club tried to rejoin the Football League but was not successful. In 1954–55, they won the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy. The Lancashire Combination league later merged with another league in 1982.
Modern Era (1983–Present)
Nelson FC became a founding member of the new North West Counties Football League in 1982. In 1988, the club had to drop down to the West Lancashire Football League because their stadium, Victoria Park, needed upgrades. They returned to the North West Counties League in 1992 after the stadium was improved. In 1996–97, they won the Division Two Trophy.
In 2005–06, Nelson FC finished third and were promoted to the First Division. This was their first promotion in 83 years! In 2010, the club announced they were leaving the league due to money problems. This almost ended their 129-year history. However, Nelson FC applied to rejoin the league in 2011 and was approved. They had to start in a lower division.
In November 2012, Mark Fell became the new manager. He brought in new players and helped the club improve. In his first full season, Nelson FC became champions of their division! This was the club's first league title in 62 years. They scored an incredible 135 goals in just 38 games that season. Peter Wright was the top goalscorer with 38 goals. The team also had a fantastic 14-game winning streak. They were promoted back to the Premier Division.
Playing Grounds
Early Homes (1882–1889)
From 1882 to 1884, Nelson FC played at the Seedhill Cricket Ground. They also played at the Flower Show Field. For a short time, they played at an unknown site outside of town. By 1887, they were back at the Seedhill Cricket Ground, which was then called the Seedhill Football Ground.
Seedhill Football Ground (1889–1971)
Nelson FC played at Seedhill Football Ground for a long time. This ground was next to a park, which is why the club was sometimes called The Parksiders. The club had a small wooden stand and a covered area for fans. In 1922, a larger wooden stand was built that could hold 2,000 people.
The highest number of fans at Seedhill was 14,979. This happened on April 27, 1929, for a match against Bradford City. Nelson FC played their last home game at Seedhill on March 28, 1971. The ground was later used for stock car racing before it was taken down in the early 1980s to make way for a motorway.
Victoria Park (1971–Present)
Nelson FC moved to Victoria Park in 1971. This ground is also known as Little Wembley by local fans. The first game at Victoria Park was on August 28, 1971, where Nelson lost 1–0 to Accrington Stanley. Victoria Park can hold 2,000 people, with space for 1,700 standing fans. It has trees around two sides and a low-roofed wooden stand. The clubhouse and changing rooms are behind one goal.
In 2009, the club started an appeal to improve the floodlights at Victoria Park. In September 2013, the dugouts were replaced to meet league requirements.
In the summer of 2024, Victoria Park received major upgrades. A new stand was built, and new concrete paths were added around the pitch. A new heated lounge for sponsors and a food and drink kiosk were also built. The old clubhouse was replaced with a new building and toilets. These improvements were part of a big investment in the club. The ground now even has a large screen on top of the clubhouse for replays and scores! The pitch also got a new drainage system to keep it in good condition all year.
First-team Squad
|
|
Club Achievements
Here are some of the titles and cups Nelson FC has won:
- Football League
- Third Division North champions: 1922–23
- Lancashire Combination
- Champions: 1949–50, 1951–52
- League Cup winners: 1949–50, 1950–51, 1959–60
- Lancashire League
- Champions: 1895–96
- North-East Lancashire Combination
- Champions: 1899–1900
- North West Counties League
- Division One champions: 2013–14
- Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy
- Winners: 1907–08, 1954–55
Club Records
- Best FA Cup performance: Second round (three times)
- Record attendance: 14,979 vs Bradford City on April 27, 1929 (at Seedhill)
See also
- List of Nelson F.C. seasons
- Nelson F.C. players
- Nelson F.C. managers
