A.F.C. Fylde

Not to be confused with Fylde Ladies F.C..
A.F.C. Fylde
Full name Association Football Club Fylde
Nickname(s) The Coasters
Founded 1988 (as Kirkham & Wesham)
Ground Mill Farm, Wesham
Ground Capacity 6,000
Chairman David Haythornthwaite
Manager Dave Challinor
League National League North
2015–16 National League North, 3rd

A.F.C. Fylde is a professional football club based in Wesham in the Borough of Fylde, Lancashire, England. Originally known as Kirkham & Wesham following a merger of Kirkham Town and Wesham in 1988, the club adopted its current name in 2008 after winning the FA Vase. They are currently members of the National League North and play at Mill Farm in Wesham.

History

The club was formed by the amalgamation of Kirkham Town and Wesham in 1988,[1] adopting the name of a previous club that had played in the West Lancashire League in the years immediately before World War I. The new club assumed Kirkham Town's place in Division One of the West Lancashire League. In 1989–90 they finished bottom of the division and were relegated to Division Two. After three seasons in Division Two they were promoted in the 1992–93 season after finishing third, only to be relegated again in 1994–95. The following season they finished as runners-up in Division Two, losing only two league games all season, and were promoted back to Division One.[2]

The West Lancashire League was re-structured in 1998 with Division One renamed the Premier Division. After finishing fourth in successive seasons in 1997–98 and 1998–99, the club then dominated the Premier Division for a number of years, finishing as champions in seven out of the eight seasons between 1999–2000 and 2006–07, the only blip being 2002–03 when they were runners-up.[2] In the 21 months between January 2003 and October 2004, the club did not lose a match in any competition; the run finally ended when they lost a league match, 1–0 to Dalton United.[3] In April 2006 the club completed a hat-trick of consecutive victories in the Lancashire Amateur Shield cup final when they beat fellow West Lancashire League side Charnock Richard 2–0 at the County Ground in Leyland, the club's fourth Shield victory in six years.[4] As the nominated representatives of the Lancashire FA, the club also won the Northern Counties Cup in 2004–05, 2005–06, and 2006–07.

North West Counties League

Following their West Lancashire League championship success in 2006–07, the club were accepted into Division Two of the North West Counties League for the 2007–08 season. At the club's annual general meeting (AGM) in July 2007, a 15-year plan was put forward with the stated aim of reaching the Conference National by 2017, and The Football League by 2022.[5] The club's first match in the North West Counties League was a home match on 11 August 2007, against Darwen in front of 101 fans, which they won 5–0.[6] The following Tuesday they played their first ever home match under floodlights winning 2–0 at home to Holker Old Boys[7] On 8 September the club played their first ever match in the FA Vase, beating Northern Counties East League Division One club Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 3–0. The club had also arranged for the FA Vase trophy to be on display before the game.[8] On 26 January 2008 the club reached the last sixteen of the FA Vase when they beat Studley 3–0.[9] On 9 February they reached the quarter-finals after they beat Sussex County League leaders, Crowborough Athletic 2–0 in front of a record crowd of 772 at Crowborough's Alderbrook Recreation Ground.[10] They subsequently defeated Midland Football Alliance club Coventry Sphinx 1–0 in a replay after a 3–3 draw.[11] In the two-legged semi-final against Eastern Counties League Premier Division club, Needham Market, Kirkham & Wesham won 4–2 on aggregate.[12] On 11 May, Kirkham & Wesham won the FA Vase in their first season in the competition, beating Lowestoft Town 2–1 in the final at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 19,537, with about 14,000 from Lowestoft and about 3,500 Kirkham & Wesham supporters. A goal down for most of the game, Kirkham & Wesham scored twice in the last six minutes, both goals coming from seventeen-year-old substitute Matt Walwyn, son of former Blackpool player Keith Walwyn, who only played the last 11 minutes of the game. Kirkham & Wesham secured prize money of £20,000 for their win.[13][14] Although the total amount the club earned was expected to be around £75,000.[15] The season also saw the club win the Division Two knockout trophy with a 1–0 win over Bootle, as well as securing promotion to the Premier Division when they beat Castleton Gabriels 3–1 on 26 April.[16]

For the start of the 2008–09 season, the club changed their name to A.F.C. Fylde.[1][7] They won the Premier Division at the first attempt, finishing above New Mills on goal difference and earning promotion to Division One North of the Northern Premier League.[17]

Northern Premier League

Long-serving manager Mick Fuller was moved upstairs in September 2010 and Kelham O'Hanlon was brought in as first team coach. The club finished in mid-table with a high turnover of playing staff. The following season the club finished fifth, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Skelmersdale United 1–0 in the semi-final, they lost 2–1 to Chorley in the final.

In the 2011–12 season they were installed as early promotion favourites, but O'Hanlon was replaced as manager in November 2011 after a poor run of results and was quickly replaced by a new management team of Dave Challinor and Colin Woodthorpe. Challinor left Conference North side Colwyn Bay to drop two divisions to join the Coasters, pointing to the club's ambition and plans for the future as the factor that made them move to the Fylde Coast. The club were 16 points off the top of the table when the new management duo arrived at the club but claimed the title with a 1–0 win over Salford City,[18] earning promotion to the Premier Division. Challinor won several awards including Manager of the Year at the NPL Awards Dinner.

In 2012–13 the club finished fifth, qualifying for the playoffs. However, following a 3–3 draw, they lost out 3–1 on penalties to Hednesford Town in the semi final.[19] The 2013–14 season saw the club win the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy (beating Chorley 4–1 at the Reebok Stadium), the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup (with a 1–0 win against Skelmersdale United at Edgeley Park) and gain promotion to the Conference North via the playoffs. After beating Worksop Town 3–1 at home in the playoff semi-finals, they defeated Ashton United 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw.[17]

National League North

AFC Fylde finished their first season in the Conference North in second place with 85 points, losing to Guiseley 3–1 on aggregate in the subsequent play-off semi-final.[17] Three Fylde players, Ben Hinchcliffe, Josh Langley and Brad Barnes, were selected in the Conference North Team of the Season at end of season AGM awards. Fylde finished the 2015–16 season in third place in the renamed National League North. After beating Harrogate Town 2–1 on aggregate in the two-legged semi-final, they lost 2–1 to North Ferriby United after extra time.

Stadium

The club played home games at Kellamergh Park in the village of Warton between 2006 and 2016, having previously played at the council-owned Coronation Road in Kirkham. In 2005 the club purchased land in Kellemargh and began to develop the facilities at a cost of £150,000 in order to meet the requirement for playing in the North West Counties League.[5]

The new ground was officially opened on 5 August 2006, with a £30,000 200-seat main stand with four rows of seating and a designated Press Box area.[5][20] Further improvements were made to the stadium in March 2009 to achieve Ground Grading Grade E (Step 4) including additional covered seating and a new Directors Box. Kellamergh Park now has 533 covered seats and can hold just over 3,000 spectators, having been upgraded during the latter part of the 2014–15 season to meet the Football Conference requirement of 500 covered seats, which were installed in late March 2015 and situated at the south end of the ground behind the goal.

On 19 January 2008, the club announced plans for a further move to yet another new stadium at an unnamed 26-acre (110,000 m2) site.[21] In February 2010, a charitable trust called the Haythornthwaite Sports Foundation unveiled plans for a new Community Sports Complex in Wrea Green, comprising outdoor sports facilities catering for local junior football, cricket and other sports plus a new 2,500 capacity stadium for AFC Fylde. Consultations took place in 2011 but a planning application was rejected by Fylde Borough Council in spring 2012.

On 3 September 2013, it was announced that plans had been drawn up for a new £18m development, Mill Farm Sports Village, on the outskirts of Wesham, close to junction 3 of the M55. This included a distribution centre, an Aldi supermarket, a hotel, a restaurant, a petrol station, community sports pitches, sports science facilities, and a 6,000-capacity Football League standard football stadium.[22] The stadium plans include a 2,000 capacity all-seater main stand with a supporters' bar, executive boxes and a function room. The planning application for the stadium and associated facilities was accepted by Fylde Borough Council on 4 June 2014,[23] with the ground opened on 13 August 2016 for the club's first National League North match of the season against Brackley Town.

Current squad

As of 16 September 2016.[24]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Wales GK Rhys Taylor
England DF Dom Collins
Scotland DF Stephen Crainey
England DF Danny Holmes
England MF Caspar Hughes
England DF Tom Kennedy
England DF Josh Langley
England DF Steve Williams
England MF Richie Baker
No. Position Player
England MF Andrew Bond
England MF Brendon Daniels
England MF Bohan Dixon
England MF Sam Finley
England MF James Hardy
England FW Matty Hughes
England FW George Newell
England FW Danny Rowe

Honours

Records

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Club History". Kirkham & Wesham F.C. 2007. Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2008.
  2. 1 2 Kirkham & Wesham at the Football Club History Database
  3. ↑ "Champs lose for first time since January 2003". Blackpool Gazette. 14 October 2004. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  4. 1 2 "Kirkham's goal is a trophy clean sweep". Blackpool Gazette. 13 April 2006. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 8 September 2007.
  5. 1 2 3 "Vodkat League news, July: Kirkham & Wesham future". North West Counties League. 19 July 2007. Archived from the original on 20 July 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  6. ↑ Templeman, Ian (13 August 2007). "Non league match of the week: Kirkham vs Darwen". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  7. 1 2 "A great start for Kirkham & Wesham". North West Counties League. 18 August 2007. Archived from the original on 16 August 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  8. ↑ Templeman, Ian (10 September 2007). "Non league match of the week: Kirkham vs Worsbrough". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  9. ↑ "Match Reports Kirkham & Wesham vs Studley". Kirkham & Wesham F.C. 26 January 2007. Archived from the original on 1 February 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2008.
  10. ↑ "Kirkham and Wesham in Extra Time Thriller". Blackpool Gazette. 14 October 2004. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
  11. ↑ "Kirkham progress to semi-finals of the FA Vase". Blackpool Gazette. 9 March 2008. Archived from the original on 11 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
  12. ↑ Kirkham seal Final spot The Football Association, 29 March 2008
  13. ↑ "Matt's magic for Kirkham". The FA. 11 May 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
  14. ↑ "Wonder kid wins it for Kirkham". Blackpool Gazette. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
  15. ↑ "Kirkham in cash bonanza". Blackpool Gazette. 12 May 2008. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
  16. ↑ Kirkham celebrate promotion win BBC Sport, 28 April 2008
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 A.F.C. Fylde at the Football Club History Database
  18. ↑ AFC Fylde - Champions Northern Premier League
  19. ↑ Hednesford 3 AFC Fylde 3 (Hednesford win penalties) Blackpool Gazette, 8 May 2016
  20. ↑ "Non League grounds AFC Fylde – main stand". Non-League Grounds. 2 August 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2008.
  21. ↑ Jones, Howard (20 January 2008). "Kirkham on the Move". The Non-League Paper. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2008.
  22. ↑ Fylde Council Application 13/0655
  23. ↑ Mill Farm planning permission approved A.F.C. Fylde, 5 June 2014
  24. ↑ First team squad AFC Fylde
  25. 1 2 3 "Honours". A.F.C. Fylde. 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  26. ↑ "Champs' treble chance". Blackpool Gazette. 15 April 2001. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  27. ↑ "Triple of applause". Blackpool Gazette. 5 May 2005. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 8 September 2007.
  28. ↑ 79' attendance A.F.C. Fylde

External links

Coordinates: 53°47′46″N 2°53′28″W / 53.796127°N 2.891179°W / 53.796127; -2.891179

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