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Radcliffe F.C.

Coordinates: 53°34′3.299″N 2°20′26.542″W / 53.56758306°N 2.34070611°W / 53.56758306; -2.34070611
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Radcliffe Borough
File:Radcliffe Borough F.C. logo.png
Full nameRadcliffe Borough Football Club
Nickname(s)The Boro
Founded24 April 1949
GroundBelvior Stadium, Radcliffe
Capacity3,500 (250 seating)
ChairmanThe Boro Fans
ManagerDanny Johnson
LeagueNorthern Premier League
Division One North
2014–15Northern Premier League
Division One North, 19th

Radcliffe Borough F.C. is an English football club based in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester where they play their games at Stainton Park. The club was formed on 24 April 1949 and currently plays in the Northern Premier League Division One North. Radcliffe Borough won the division in 1996/97, won the playoffs on 2002/03 an dreached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in its history in 2000.

History

The club was formed on 24 April 1949 at the Owd Tower Inn in Radcliffe by Jack Pickford, 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 Stainton Park crowd of 1,468. After one season in the First Division, Radcliffe lifted the First Division championship in 1985 and made the step up into the newly formed Northern Premier League First Division in 1987. After many years of consolidation in the league, and at times, fighting against relegation, the 1995–96 season saw an upturn in the club's fortunes, both on and off the pitch. The club, for the first time in its history, reached the last 16 of the FA Trophy, narrowly losing to Football Conference side, Gateshead 2–1.

Under previous manager Kevin Glendon who has been at the club since 1990, the playing side has gone from strength to strength. Kevin is renowned for producing young players and selling them on, in total he has made £80,000 in selling players. Radcliffe achieved its highest honour in the 1996–1997 season, winning the Northern Premier League First Division title by 2 points ahead of local rivals Leigh RMI. Unfortunately, the club's stay in the `top flight' lasted only one season. Having sacrificed all its revenue on ground development, to allow it to be promoted, it found itself without the resources to invest in quality players to stay in the division. Each year since then, however, it has competed for promotion, finishing regularly in the top six.

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 2001–2002 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 Alfreton Town, and reached the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup, losing to Chester City in front of 1,138 at Stainton Park. Promotion was finally won thanks to the play-offs by beating North Ferriby United in the semi-final and Chorley in the final at Stainton Park winning 4–2 on penalties after Chorley scored two goals in the last 10 minutes to make it 2–2 and take the game into extra time. Boro's Jody Banim got 46 goals in what was an unbelievable season for him.

Stainton Park during a friendly against neighbours Bury in 2006

With Boro back in the Northern Premier League Premier Division and a place in the newly formed Conference North up for grabs, promotion was obviously the aim. By November Boro were as high as sixth thanks to the 22 goals of Jody Banim who set an English record by scoring in 14 consecutive games. Boro sold Banim to Conference promotion chasers Shrewsbury Town for a record fee of £20,000 in December 2003, and without his goals the club slid down the table eventually finishing 19th and into the relegation play-offs beating Whitby Town on penalties 8–7 in the quarter-finals, before bowing out to Burscough in the semi-finals at home. In 2004–05 the club finished 9th in the Northern Premier League. In 2004–05 Radcliffe narrowly avoided the playoffs due to the Spennymoor problem in which the team was liquidated 10 games from the end, but they could not follow this as in 2005–06 they narrowly avoided relegation on the last day as Steve Foster scored the goal that kept them in the Northern Premier League Premier Division at the expense of Bradford PA. The trend continued as, in April 2007, following the 4–0 loss to Ossett, Radcliffe lost their place in tier 3 of the NLS, being relegated to the new Northern Premier League Division One North. As of October 2014 Former chairman Bernard Manning jnr has given control of the football team to the supporters. The football team is run by a group of supporters to raise funds and continue operations on the playing side of the club. The other aspects of the club such as the clubhouse will still remain under franchise and the New legends lounge and 3g pitches will still be ran by the football club with no funding going into the playing side. In January 2015 the club sacked manager Paul McGuire and was replaced by Bill Pendergast, on the Saturday boro beat Kendal 3–1 in a fine performance, the Saturday After boro lost 1–0 to Relegation rivals Ossett Albion and Bill Pendergast only manager for 2 weeks left the club hours before the Manchester Cup Semi Final citing difference in what they wanted to achieve and boro wanting to keep the club as a traditional non league club, boro appointed former Trafford, Ashton Utd and recently sacked Nantwich Boss Danny Johnson as manager, boro lost 3–2 against Curzon Ashton and went on to Secure safety in the league.

Club Facilities

Off the field the club is widely recognized as having made more progress than many other non-league cluba in terms of facilties.[citation needed] With the help of grants from the Football Association, Football Foundation, Lottery Sports Fund, Club Funds and personal investments, it has so far been able to provide the following: Floodlit all weather pitches, Upgrade the terracing, New car park, Purchase the social club & Refurbish the building, Build a new sponsors lounge, Changing room block, 350-seater stand and six brand new Football Conference standard floodlights. The club now claims to have one of the best non-league grounds at its level. In 2006 the club upgraded its facilities with the addition of two 3G Synthetic 6 a-side football pitches available to hire, a Sports Bar, Sports Injury Clinic, and a refurbished Function room. As of May 2010 the club handed over the clubhouse to a private party and no longer receives regular income from this area of the club apart from a regular rental off the 3rd party. The Clubs only regular Form of income is now either matchdays with the playing side, the AstroTurf facilities and the new legends lounge which is only open on non matchdays. As of October 2014 Former chairman Bernard Manning jnr has given control of the football team to the supporters. The football team is run by a group of supporters to raise funds and continue operations on the playing side of the club. The other aspects of the club such as the clubhouse will still remain under franchise and the New legends lounge and 3g pitches will still be ran by the football club with no funding going into the playing side.

Notable players

The following players have played for Boro and at the highest level of English football.

Honours

League

Cup

Statistics and records

Simon Kelly has made the most appearances for the club, making 502 starts. 

Ian Lunt has scored the most goals for the club, scoring 147 times.

Their 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. Their highest attendance at home was against Caernarfon Town when 1,468 people went to the game. (the ground record however stands with a non Radcliffe game when 2200 turned up to watch FC United vs Castleton Gabriells (now known as Rochdale Town) Their highest transfer fee they received was from Shrewsbury Town for £20,000 for Jody Banim,however the club has received more in add on fees from the sale of Craig Dawson to Rochdale AFC however the total sum remains undisclosed. The highest transfer fee they paid was for Gary Walker as they paid £5,000 to sign him from Buxton. The record for the most goals in a season is 46 – which is held by Jody Banim.

References

Facebook Page. www.Facebook.com/Radcliffeborough

53°34′3.299″N 2°20′26.542″W / 53.56758306°N 2.34070611°W / 53.56758306; -2.34070611

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