Nelson Football Club is a football club based in Nelson, Lancashire, England. Originally established in 1882, the club played in the Lancashire League, North-East Lancashire Combination, Lancashire Combination and Central League before becoming founding members of the Football League Third Division North in 1921. They were Third Division North champions in 1923 and were promoted to the Second Division. However, they were relegated back to the Third Division North after a single season.

In 1931, the club lost their Football League status and returned to the Lancashire Combination, where, following the summer reformation of 1934, they played on until ceasing all activity in 1936. A new amateur club, Nelson Town, was assembled, playing at Seedhill until the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. Following the resumption of football at the end of the war, Nelson FC reformed again in 1946. The reconstituted club joined the Lancashire Combination; they played until it merged with the Cheshire County League to form the North West Counties League in 1982. Nelson dropped out of the league for the seasons between 1988 and 1992, playing in the West Lancashire League. Although the club left again in 2010, they returned the following year and are currently members of the , playing home matches at Victoria Park.

History

Early years (1882–1921)

On 23 October 1882, a meeting was held between members of Nelson Cricket Club at the Victoria Hall on Scotland Road; John Greenwood presided over the meeting and enrolled around 25 members to the newly formed Nelson Football Club before a trial match held on 11 November 1882 saw the Probables beat a team of Improbables 3–0. The new Nelson FC's first reported game was a 3–1 home defeat to Burnley Olympic on 2 December 1882.

Nelson were founder members of the Lancashire League in the 1889–90 season, finishing in 4th place. They were champions of the league in 1895–96, winning 22 out of 30 games, scoring 105 goals, and placing runners-up two seasons later in 1897–98. However, after enduring a month-long suspension from The Football Association (FA), the club ceased all operations during the 1898–99 season following a 3–2 home defeat against Ashton North End on 12 January, the ground being seized at the end of the month because of outstanding debts. The Lancashire FA expelled the club, and their records for that season were subsequently expunged. Following a season in the North-East Lancashire Combination, when Nelson finished as League Champions and defeated Oswaldtwistle Rovers 4–1 in the Shield Final, the reformed club joined the Lancashire League in time for the 1900–01 season, finishing sixth. In 1901–02, they joined the Lancashire Combination. In 1903–04, the league expanded into two divisions, with Nelson playing in Division One. However, after finishing 18th in 1906–07, they were lowered to Division Two where they stayed for only one season before being promoted back to Division One. The club decided to stop playing before the 1916–17 season, with nearly all of its players having been called up for World War I and the club suffering significant financial losses. The club re-started in 1918, joining the Central League in 1919–20 and staying there for two seasons.

Football League years (1921–1936)

thumb|right|300px|The Nelson team who won the [[Football League Third Division North in the 1922–23 season|alt=Six footballers are sitting on a bench, five more are standing up behind them. A number of men in flat caps are standing in the background.]]

thumb|right|170px|Player-manager [[David Wilson (footballer born 1884)|David Wilson led Nelson to the Third Division North title in 1922–23]]

In 1921, the club joined the Football League as a founder member of the Third Division North. Their first league game, a 2–1 defeat to the now-defunct Wigan Borough, attracted a record attendance of 9,000 on 27 August 1921. The team finished 16th in their first season in the Football League, although they struggled with comparatively low attendances.

The following season of 1922–23 was when they finished as champions of the Third Division North, earning a promotion on 24 April 1923 with a 2–0 home win over Wrexham and were promoted to the Second Division, the first and only time the club played in a national league.

Jimmy Hampson played for Nelson between 1926 and 1927. On 10 April 1926, a record attendance of 14,143 at Seedhill saw a 2–2 draw with Bradford Park Avenue. They reached the second round of the FA Cup in 1926–27, beating Stockport County 4–1 at home in the first round before losing 2–1 away to Ashington in the second round. During that season, they finished 5th; however, the club finished in last place in 1927–28 conceding 135 goals, and they found themselves £6,500 in debt. Eventually, they were re-elected to the league. In 1930–31, they reached the second round of the FA Cup for a second time. In the first round, they beat Workington 4–0, then lost 2–1 to York City in a replay after a 1–1 draw. However, they dropped to last place on 26 December 1930, where they stayed for the rest of the season. After placing last again, they failed to win re-election and were voted out of the Football League after a second vote following a tie. They were replaced by Chester City. The club's last game in the Football League was a 4–0 defeat to Hull City on 2 May 1931. The club then dropped back into the Lancashire Combination.

Within three years, continuing financial pressures saw the Football League directors ordering that the club must permanently close, following a meeting on 17 May 1934. A new company was quickly formed that summer with the Nelson Leader of 3 August 1934 further reporting a change of kit to white shirts and black shorts; yet just two years later, Nelson ceased football activities on 4 August 1936 on the eve of the new season after once again "incurring a big financial loss". The club subsequently endured a ten-year hiatus before returning in 1946.

Nelson Town (1936–1939)

A new hastily formed amateur club, Nelson Town, entered the local Nelson and Colne League in time for the 1936–37 season and duly lost their first fixture at Seedhill against James Nelson SC 3–2 . The first team would go on to complete two seasons in the Lancashire Amateur League — which they had joined in time for the new season beginning in September 1937. Nelson Town also continued to field a side in the Nelson and Colne League. Following their final game of the 1938–39 campaign, Town announced a first venture into senior football for the coming season as new members of the West Lancashire League. However, only two games of the 1939–40 season were played before the outbreak of World War II. Town lost 3–2 at home to Netherfield Reserves on 2 September, following a 0–0 draw at Astley Bridge in their opening game on 26 August. Nelson Town declined to join the wartime Lancashire Cominbation. Seedhill hosted for the Nelson Home Guard team members of the newly formed Burnley Wartime League.

Post-Second World War (1946–1982)

Following the Second World War and a public meeting held at the Imperial Ballroom Carr Road on 6 April 1946, Nelson FC was re-formed, and immediately joined the Lancashire Combination in time for the new season — finishing 11th in 1946–47. The Nelson Leader of 31 May 1946 reported that the name of the club would be Nelson Football and Athletic Club Ltd. as the company had — whilst inactive since 1936 — been maintained and supported by its existing board of directors. The following season, they were runners-up; for the next few seasons, the club participated in both the Lancashire Combination and its cup competitions. A fourth-place finish in 1947–48 was followed by the club being crowned champions in 1949–50 — scoring 125 league goals — additionally winning the Lancashire Combination Cup. They won second place in 1950–51, losing the title on goal-average, while scoring 120 goals. In that same season, Nelson won the Combination Cup once more and reached the second round of the FA Cup. Nelson started the competition in the first qualifying round where they beat Lancaster City 5–2, Leyland Motors 4–1 in the second qualifying round, followed by victories over Bacup Borough (2–0 in the third qualifying round) and Hyde United (3–0 in a replay in the fourth qualifying round). In the first round, they beat Witton Albion 1–0 before losing 3–2 to Port Vale in the second round. In 1951–52, they were champions for a second time, scoring 139 goals with Joe Fagan later managing Liverpool. A 5th-place finish in 1952–53, Fagan's second and final season in charge, was followed by a 3rd place in 1953–54.

They finished 20th out of 22 in 2006–07 and last place in 2007–08, although they were not relegated. In 2008–09, the First Division was renamed the Premier Division; Nelson finished in 17th position out of 22 despite winning just three home games, The Blues finished 16 points clear against Atherton Collieries. Nelson had been struggling financially for the preceding couple of seasons and the club had been actively up for sale. Nelson had to start at a division lower than they were previously operating, in Division One, but could only manage a 15th place finish.

Mark Fell was appointed first team manager in November 2012 after Michael Morrison and Robert Grimes were sacked and Nelson’s fortunes started to turn. Fell brought in a host of new signings and established a permanent base and training ground for the club at Accrington and Rossendale College, using the same facilities at the time as EFL League Two side Accrington Stanley. He led the side to 10th place in 2012–13 and in his first full season in charge, Nelson were crowned champions, earning promotion back to the Premier Division in the process. which were re-adopted by 1913, the club previously having changed in 1902 from its original light blue to green with a yellow sash, and by 1907 claret and light blue.

Playing grounds

Early years (1882–1889)

From 1882 to 1884, Nelson F.C. played at the Seedhill Cricket Ground.

Through 1884 to 1885 and 1886 to 1887, they played in the Flower Show Field off Scotland Road, on the opposite side of the road to The Derby Inn.

Between 1885 and 1886, the sporting area was an unknown site outside of town. In March, despite a Lancashire FA suspension, an agreement was made to return to Nelson Cricket Club.

Between 1887 and 1889, they played once again at the Seedhill Cricket Ground — now renamed as the Seedhill Football Ground — until 16 March when the new enclosure was opened.

Seedhill Football Ground (1889–1971)

Nelson are often cited as playing at the Park Ground or Parkside Ground, a move reflected in oft-used contemporary reference to the club as The Parksiders. Given the location adjacent to both the park and the existing Seedhill Cricket Ground, these are possibly alternate terms for what became Seedhill Football Ground or equally describe the use of local grounds. When reviewing the 1887–1888 season on 21 April 1888, the Burnley Express mentions that the club had accepted an offer from the cricketers to "change ends and play on the left instead of the right hand side of the field as previously" at the start of the season. About a year later, and perhaps more significantly, The Burnley Express of 20 April 1889 refers to the "Seedhill Men making their first senior appearance on the 'enclosure at Seed Hill' on 16 March" when Burnley were the visitors (Burnley won 6–0). The 1890 OS map of Nelson shows a defined football area to the southern edge of the cricket ground with a small building possibly a pavilion to the left of the football pitch. Twice in the 1890s, fresh moves away were considered as Nelson looked at a site near Kew Gardens in 1892 and a field behind the Golden Ball Inn three years later. However, the potential rental costs proved problematic for the club who were already financially struggling with Seedhill. At Seedhill, the club had a small wooden stand and a small covered enclosure behind one goal, with grass banking around the rest of the ground. In 1922, a large 2,000 capacity wooden stand was built. The club's highest attendance at the stadium was 14,979 for a Third Division North match with Bradford City on 27 April 1929.

In January 2009, Nelson launched an appeal, the £10K Floodlight Appeal, to help improve the floodlighting facilities at Victoria Park. Due to the costs surrounding the floodlight repairs, the club announced plans to relocate to their original pitch on Seedhill and preliminary discussions were held with the local authorities. However, the plans never came to fruition. In September 2013, the dugouts at Victoria Park were replaced and improved to meet a league ground grading requirement for the North West Counties League, which included facilities for a fourth official if required. This also enabled them to meet the ground grading requirements of the Northern Premier League if promotion was achieved. The original clubhouse was also demolished and replaced with a new building and toilet block at the top end of the pitch which was part of a £250,000+ investment in the club from the new owners, Chris Price & Stewart Fort. The ground now also has a large screen placed on top of the clubhouse which enables match replays to be displayed along with a scoreboard, which was a rarity in the North West Counties League at the time.

First-team squad

Honours

  • Football League
  • Third Division North champions 1922–23
  • Lancashire Combination
  • Champions 1949–50, 1951–52
  • League Cup winners 1949–50, 1950–51, 1959–60
  • Bridge Shield winners 1975–76, 1981–82
  • George Watson Trophy winners 1978–79
  • Lancashire League
  • Champions 1895–96
  • North-East Lancashire Combination
  • Champions 1899–1900
  • North-East Lancashire Shield
  • Winners 1899–1900
  • North West Counties League
  • Division One champions 2013–14
  • Division Two Trophy winners 1996–97
  • Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy
  • Winners 1907–08, 1954–55

Records

  • Best FA Cup performance: Second round, 1926–27, 1930–31, 1950–51
  • Best FA Trophy performance: Second qualifying round, 1975–76