Padiham F.C.

Padiham Football Club are an English football team based in Padiham, Lancashire. As of 2019–20, they play in the North West Counties League Premier Division

Padiham
Full namePadiham Football Club
Nickname(s)The Storks
Founded1878
GroundArbories Memorial Sports Ground, Padiham
Capacity1,688
ChairmanShaun Astin
ManagerMichael Morrison
LeagueNorth West Counties League Premier Division
2019–20North West Counties League Premier Division (season abandoned)

History

When the club was formed in 1878 it was among the first football clubs in Lancashire and was well supported, attracting an attendance of 9,000 for a match against neighbours Burnley in 1884. At this time Padiham's ground was on the banks of the River Calder, hence the nickname, The Caldersiders.

Padiham was one of the first clubs to support the legalisation of professional football. However, this backfired as they were unable to compete with clubs in larger towns such as Blackburn, and the club folded in 1916. The club lost their ground during World War I and lay dormant until after the end of the Second World War.

Then in 1949 the club was resurrected with the opening of the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground. A crowd of 1,777 turned up to see their opening fixture of the season in the Lancashire Combination Football League.

They became founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 but left the league in 1990. They returned in 2000 after spending £500,000 on upgrading the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground and finished in the top four of the second division in 2003 and 2005.

They gained promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One North for season 2013/14 after winning the North West Counties Football League Premier Division in season 2012/13, but returned to the North West Counties League after being relegated two seasons later.

Racial abuse

In October 2018, a game between Congleton Town and Padiham was called off after fans subjected Padiham players to racial abuse, and Padiham players' wallets were emptied in the changing rooms during the game.[1]

Congleton were fined £160 for their supporters' abuse, while Padiham were fined £165 for leaving the field.[2]

Honours
  • Lancashire Amateur Cup
    • Finalists 1965–66
  • North West Counties League Premier Division
  • North West Counties League Division One
  • North West Counties League Division Three
  • West Lancashire Football League
    • Division One Winners 1999–2000
    • Division Two Winners 1971–72, 1976–77
  • NHS Bird Cup
    • Winners 2010–11

Records

References
  1. "Non-league game abandoned after 'racial abuse' and security breach". 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  2. "Padiham FC fined for walking off the pitch in stand against alleged racist abuse". www.burnleyexpress.net. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  3. Padiham at the Football Club History Database

Notes
  1. ^ This is the club's record attendance. They attracted an attendance of 1777 for their first match after reforming, against Chorley Reserves in August 1949, but have not recorded a higher attendance since then at the Arbories.

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