Welcome to the latest installment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this instalment, we headed to Manchester, and while we were there, we headed over to Maine Road FC, often referred to as the non-league Manchester City, for some North West Counties League Division One action as Maine Road FC took on Stockport Georgians at Brantingham Road in Chorlton-cum-hardy, Manchester.
There are some key landmarks in Chorlton-cum-hardy including Chorlton Park, the Southern Cemetery which includes the graves of Sir Matt Busby and Rob Gretton, and the house that Sor Matt Busby lived in during his time as Manchester United manager.
It's All In The Name
The club takes its name from the Maine Road Social Club in Moss Side, Manchester, where it was previously based, and has grown to become one of South Manchester's most exciting Semi Professional Teams. It also connects to Manchester City's former home, Maine Road.
The Sky Blues are the nickname for Maine Road FC. This is due to the colour of their uniforms. Because of the club's ties to Manchester City FC, they play in this colour.
Some Notable People From Manchester:
Emmeline Pankhurst-Suffragette
Noel Gallagher- Singer
Liam Gallagher-Singer
Steve Coogan- Comedian
Jason Orange-Singer
Some Notable Former Players
James Tarkowski
Matt Warburton
Sadiq El Fitouri
A History of Chorlton-Cum-Hardy
In 610 AD, Saxons arrived and cleared the area of its oak forest. The small community grew into a township, and until the mid-nineteenth century, it remained a peaceful and isolated rural backwater. Chorlton-cum-Hardy was comprised of four hamlets that were merged to form a single parish, the Latin word 'cum' meaning 'with.' These hamlets' names were Chollerton, Hardie, Manslache or Martledge, and Hughend. Chorlton may be derived from the Saxon Ceorlaton or Churl'stun, which means the ceorls' or peasants' enclosure, or from Ceolfripton, which means Ceolfip's enclosure. Either name refers to a forest clearing.
In 1641, the hamlet of Withington joined the parish, bringing the total population to 84. The township extended all the way to the Cheshire border, where the River Mersey, formerly known as Cheshire Waters, provided an abundant supply of salmon and trout. Until Alfred the Great united England, this waterway served as a border between the old kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria.
Bull-baiting was introduced into Britain around 1209, and it was practised in Chorlton Green until 1835, when it was made illegal. Most other parts of the country had already abandoned it.
At the south end of the Green, there was an oak pinfold known as 'The Lord's Pound,' where stray animals were restrained and then returned to their owners for a shilling to the village constable. The village stocks were also located here. The village green, a relic of the old common land, was not always green or open to all. It was the private garden of one Samuel Wilton, who lived in the house next to the Horse and Jockey in the first half of the nineteenth century. Following the death of the last of Wilton's descendants in 1895, it passed to Lord Egerton of Tatton, who donated it to Manchester City Council for recreational purposes. Its surrounding thorn hedge was removed the same year, the site was hard-surfaced, and several trees
The original St. Clement's Church was a small timber-framed chapel built in 1512. In 1779, it was demolished to make way for a larger brick church with a spire, rounded arched windows, and a semi-circular apse. It served as the Parish Church until 1940, when it was demolished. When a new St. Clement's Church was built on the corner of Edge Lane in 1861, the congregation was split. One of the parishioners who remained with the old church donated a small gatehouse with a timber-framed bell turret in 1888. This one-of-a-kind structure at the former churchyard entrance is one of two listed structures in the conservation area.
The regular horse-drawn bus service to Manchester city centre began in 1864, which accounts for some of Chorlton's sudden and rapid growth. To the east of the green, a new village centre centred on Beech Road arose. When the London Midland Railway opened a station in Chorlton in 1880, another centre sprang up further east. In 1907, an electric tram service was introduced, which, along with the train service, eventually rendered horse-drawn buses obsolete.
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Maine Road FC was founded in 1955 by a group of Manchester City fans and was originally known as City Supporters Rusholme. For many years, they competed in friendlies before joining the Rusholme Sunday League. They changed their name to Maine Road Football Club after moving to the Maine Road Social Club.
Following success in the early 1970s, club chairman Ronnie Meredith decided to relocate the club to Saturday football in the Manchester League's Division Two. In their first season of Saturday football, the club won a treble of honours, including the Manchester Amateur Cup, Manchester League Division Two, and the Murray Shield. The following season, the Division Two title and Murray Shield were defended, before a pair of Manchester Intermediate Cups were won in 1975-76 and 1976-77. In 1983, the Manchester Challenge Cup was added to the trophy cabinet.
They moved to their current home, Brantingham Road, in 1980, and later that decade won the Premier Division of the Manchester League four years in a row before rising to Division Two of the North West Counties League in 1987.
They won their third Manchester Premier Cup in 1988, but were denied promotion due to ground regulations, but were thankfully granted promotion in 1990.
Since then, they've been promoted and relegated several times, but they've also won the Manchester Amateur Cup and the North West Counties League Challenge Cup. They are still in the North West Counties League Division One South, and with a strong group of loyal supporters and players, the Rusholme team has a lot of potential to move up the leagues.
And here's a fun fact: Everton defender James Tarkowski began his senior career at Maine Road in the 2008-2009 season.
Honours
🏆 North West Counties League Division Two (Champions: 1989-1990)
🏆 North West Counties League Challenge Cup (Winners: 2007–08)
🏆 Manchester League Premier Division (Champions: 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86)
🏆 Manchester League Cup (Winners: 1982–83, 1983–84)
🏆 Manchester League Division One (Champions: 1973–74)
🏆 Manchester League Division Two (Champions: 1972–73)
🏆 Manchester Amateur Sunday League (Champions: 1971–72)
🏆 Manchester Premier Cup (Winners: 1975–76, 1976–77, 1987–88)
🏆 Manchester Challenge Cup (Winners: 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2004–05, 2006–07)
🏆 Manchester Amateur Cup Winners (Champions: 1972–73, 1997–98, 2006–07)
🏆 Manchester County Sunday Cup (Winners: 1971–72)
An Interview with Maine Road FC Vice-Chairman: Colin Broadbent:
GG: Could you tell us a little bit about Maine Road FC?
CB: Maine Road FC was founded in 1955 as the Rusholme branch of Manchester City Supporters Club. The team was renamed Maine Road FC after moving to the City Social Club on Maine Road. Originally a Sunday league team, it later became a Saturday team.
GG: What does Maine Road FC mean to the people in its community?
CB: In the Manchester area, the club has focused on an inclusive approach for nearly 70 years. Whether players use it as a springboard for future no-league careers or demonstrate incredible loyalty to the Club, all players form a strong local bond and continue to support the Club after their football careers are over.
GG: Is there a star player on the team?
CB: Jamie Rowe, who has provided consistent performances and has been a loyal servant to the Club, is our standout performer.
GG: What are the club's future ambitions?
CB: To maintain the footballing environment that we have established.
GG: If you could bring in one player, who would it be?
CB: We believe Kevin De Bruyne would be a good fit.
GG: How does it feel to support a non-league team, and how does it differ from supporting a team in the higher leagues?
CB: Being so close to the pitch gives you a real sense of how good football is - you're close to the action and can watch great games from just a few metres away.
GG: Can you tell us something interesting about Maine Road FC?
CB: James Tarkowski, Wayne Collins, Colin Little, and numerous others with non-league teams higher up the football pyramid are three 'Road players who went on to carve professional careers.
GG: Finally, why should people come down to watch the club, and what should they expect?
CB: The team continues to strive to be an appealing footballing side, which results in exciting clashes, which are always a feature at Brantingham Road, as well as a great local friendly community atmosphere.
Matchday: Maine Road FC 3-4 Stockport Georgians
We were in Manchester to watch Manchester United women play Aston Villa women in the Women's Super League at Old Trafford. At halftime of that game, we were informed that Maine Road FC was running a promotion in which you could get in for £1 if you wore a Premier League shirt or brought a Premier League season ticket along with you. We raced across Manchester after that match ended, arriving just in time for kickoff.
When we arrived, we parked in the car park directly adjacent to the stadium,and were greeted by two gentlemen who let us in for the aforementioned £1 fee. We also paid £3 for a pin badge. Not a bad price for a football game. They also accepted credit cards, which was a nice touch. You enter through an old-fashioned turnstile and are immediately confronted with the pitch, which appeared to be unusually large for the level of football we would be watching.
We quickly completed a ground circuit. In the ground, there are two stands on opposite sides to the pitch. They provide the option of standing or sitting, and there are benches with a nice retro chic look. There is a clubhouse near the parking lot that serves a variety of hot drinks, but no Hot Chocolate, which was extremely disappointing. I was told I could have tea, coffee, or Bovril. Anyway, for £2.30, I got a cup of tea (milk, two sugars) and a Mars Bar.
The club extended us an exceptional welcome. Everyone there was lovely, chatty, and hilarious. It really makes a difference when you can walk into a club and be greeted with open arms by the fans. Certainly, this was the case during our visit to Maine Road. Anecdote: There were several Manchester City fans at the game, and I was able to speak with some of them about their FA Cup match against Cheltenham Town (my team). They purchased a programme for that game, which means they participated in the fundraising effort that took place during that game (due to it being behind closed doors). It was interesting to talk to someone about both clubs, which are arguably on opposite ends of the financial spectrum.
To be fair, the atmosphere was surprisingly good for a non-league club. The fans consistently supported their players, and while there were no notable football chants, I can't recall a time when the stadium was silent, which is impressive given the attendance. You could feel the constant, positive energy that surrounded the club that day as soon as you walked through the door.
Teamsheet
Maine Road FC
Manager: Rees Welsh
Peter Monteith
Jake Pogson
Ryan Smith
Ryan Eislet (c)
Louis Edwards ⚽️
Jamie Roe
James Barry
Abid Addow
Yousiff Yousiff ⚽️
Joe Keyworth
Josh Clegg
Substitutes
Alec Rimmer
Mark Holdridge
Tyler Rufus
Abdullah Ahmed
Rees Welsh
Stockport Georgians
Manager: Andy Jenkins
James Hodges
Paul Connor
Sam Oliver
Isaac Turner
Thomas O'Brien
Thomas Russell ⚽️
Kyle Wych ⚽️ ⚽️
Callum Campbell
Jack Woolley ⚽️
Oliver McFadyen
Joel Atkinson (c)
Substitutes
Adam Dahou
Euan Melia
Dean McGregor
Taylor Apsley
Michael Taylor
Maine Road FC hosted Stockport Georgians in Manchester, and it was a goal fest. Stockport took the lead in the 21st minute after a defensive blunder allowed Kyle Wych to break in, round the goalkeeper, and finish sweetly. Soon after, Maine Road was awarded a penalty, bringing the score to 1-1. Louis Edwards took a step and finished low to the goalkeeper's right to tie the game. Stockport led 2-1 in the 35th minute. A left-wing cross was not cleared, and Jack Woolley was there to tap in. At halftime, the score was 2-1.
The second half continued in the same vein. Thomas Russell scored from 35 yards out not long after kickoff to make it 3-1. It was 3-2 not long after that. Stockport failed to deal with a free kick, and it trickled in off the defender for an own goal. Stockport Georgians added a fourth goal to make it 4-2. Kyle Wych dribbled past two defenders before slotting in low to the goalkeeper's right. There was still time for one more goal, which Youssif Youssif scored from the edge of the box to make it 4-3. That's how it ended, with both clubs putting in good performances.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 4/10
Food and Drink: 5/10
Stadium: 4.5/10
Welcome: 8/10
Overall Experience: 7/10
GG
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