Hello and welcome to the most recent instalment of the blog.
We travelled all the way to Lancashire for this episode to watch a team that has recently received a lot of praise in the footballing world. Chorley FC is the name of the team. Chorley is about an hour's drive from Blackpool, where we were on holiday at the time. Due to the lack of Football League action at the time, we decided to delve into the National League North and see what Chorley have to offer.
Chorley FC is around a 10-minute walk from the town centre. The town centre has a much to offer, including attractions like Astley Hall and Lower Kem Mill. If you enjoy shopping, there is a market conducted in Chorley on a weekly basis.
We went to the stadium after taking in the sights of Chorley.
It’s All In The Name
Chorley's nickname is "The Magpies." Chorley's kit is black and white, which are the two most popular Magpie colours. Magpies are also noted for being drawn to sparkling goods, which is a clue to Chorley's aspiration for future prosperity.
Some Notable Former Players
Terry Gornell
Sam Cosgrove
Kevin Ellison
Paul Mariner
Notable People From Chorley:
Louie Batley- Hollyoaks Actress
Charles Lightoller- Highest Ranking Crew Member to Survive the Sinking of the Titanic
Ken Morley- Actor
Kevin Simm- Musician for Wet Wet Wet
Bill Beaumont- Rugby Player
A History Lesson With AFC Finners
Chorley FC began as a rugby union club in 1875 before converting to football in 1883. They joined the Lancashire alliance in 1889 before joining the Lancashire league in 1897 and 1899, winning both times. Work on the ground (an old ash tip) began in 1919, and the Club moved in a year later after paying £868 for the land.
Prior to 1920, the club played at Dole Lane, Rangletts Recreation Ground, and St Georges Park (for 15 years from 1905), the home of Chorley St Georges FC, which is now defunct.
The stadium's record attendance was recorded in 1923, when over 9,000 people packed in to watch the Magpies play Darwen in an FA Cup match. In 1945, an FA Cup match against Accrington drew a crowd of over 4,000 spectators, just before the main stand's wooden structure was destroyed by fire.
The club won four Lancashire combined leagues and the Lancashire FA Trophy throughout the 1920s. In 1969, they were a founder member of the Northern Premier League, and in 1988, they won the league, advancing them to the Conference, England's fifth tier of football.
They were relegated to the Northern League after two years in the conference.
They spent ten years in the English football's eighth division at the start of the twenty-first century before being promoted to the Northern League in 2011, and then to the Conference North in 2014. After losing the playoff finals in 2015 and 2016, they came within a whisker of returning to the conference both times. They had a fantastic run in the FA Cup in the 20-21 season, defeating Wigan, Peterborough, and Derby before falling in the fourth round to Wolves.
They are still in the National League North, expecting to return to English football's fifth division shortly, and they are still in many people's hearts and minds after their spectacular FA Cup journey. They've won two Northern Premier Leagues, eleven Lancashire Combination Leagues, 18 Lancashire FA Trophies, and two Lancashire Leagues in all.
And here's a fun fact: in the 1970s, legendary Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence completed his career with Chorley.
Honours
🏆National League North Playoffs (Winners: 2018-19) 🏆Northern Premier League (Champions: 1987–88, 2013–14) 🏆Division One Play-Offs (Winners: 2010–11) 🏆Lancashire Combination League (Champions: 1919–20, 1922–23, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1939–40, 1945–46, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1963–64) (Runners-up: 1921–22, 1926–27, 1948–49, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66) 🏆Cheshire League (Runners-up: 1975–76, 1976–77, 1981–82) 🏆Lancashire League (Champions:1896–97, 1898–99) 🏆Lancashire FA Trophy (Winners:1894, 1909, 1924, 1940, 1946, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1983, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018) (Runners-Up: 2008, 2014)
Match-day: Chorley FC 2-2 Gateshead FC
We were hoping for an amazing atmosphere and a good game because the game was on my 25th birthday. With Gateshead vying for promotion, we thought this was a foregone conclusion. The stadium is about a ten-minute walk from the centre of town. There is free parking at the venue, but we chose to park on a residential street in the town centre instead.
We took a stroll through Chorley's town centre. During this time, we were able to visit a pub that had a lot of Chorley FC merchandise. We had a few drinks, watched the Salford City game, and then went over to the stadium. We came across a Fake Taxi on our way to the ground, much to our amusement.
We went straight to the clubhouse after paying the fifteen pound entrance fee, which has a claw machine for you to try and win on. We were told that the club shop was actually outside the stadium, so we had to ask if we could leave again, which they agreed to. Scarves, replica shirts, and teddies are among the merchandise available in the club shop. Unfortunately, despite the fact that Chorley sells pin badges, I wasn't completely satisfied with the design and was unable to purchase one.
We walked around the stadium, first seeing the Ronnie Pilkington Stand, then the Duke Street Stand, which houses the home fans. Away fans are housed in the Pilling Lane Stand, which is directly across the street. The Main Stand is the last but not least. This stand serves food, including burgers, pies, and chips.
Chorley's ticketing system is fairly efficient. You order your ticket online, and the club sends you a QR code, which you scan at the turnstile. The fans are separated, unlike in other stadiums at the National League North level. To be honest, we weren't able to interact with many of the fans at the stadium. I'm not sure if it was because they heard my farmer accent and ran away, or if the fans were simply not interested in a chat, but hey ho, we move on.
The Gateshead fans created an incredible atmosphere. The Chorley fans, on the other hand, were deafeningly quiet, and you'd never guess they were fighting for a place in the play-offs. After the game, Gateshead had been promoted back to the National League, and the pitch invasion began. I decided to join in, and it was a wonderful experience to be able to participate
Teamsheets
Chorley
Manager: Jamie Vermiglio
Matthew Urwin
Adam Henley
Andy Halls
Scott Leather
Lewis Baines
Billy Whitehouse
Mike Calveley
Willem Tomlinson ⚽️
Jacob Blyth ⚽️
Millenic Alli
Connor Hall
Substitutes
Ollie Shenton
Bobby Carroll
Myles Bright
Cian Spencer-McDermott
Brad Holmes
Gateshead FC
Manager: Mike Williamson
Filip Marschall
Robbie Tinkler
Carl Magnay ⚽️
Louis Storey
Taylor Charters
Jack Hunter
Owen Bailey ⚽️
Greg Olley
Dan Ward
Macauley Langstaff
Cedwyn Scott
Substitutes
Mike Williamson
Paul Blackett
Ryan Wombwell
Matty Jacob
Connor Malley
The game began favourably for Gateshead, who were vying for the National League North title and promotion to the National League. Connor Hall had the first chance when the Gateshead goalkeeper attempted a Cruyff turn on the goal line, and he almost nipped in to make it 1-0, but the goalkeeper saved it. Chorley then scored when Billy Whitehouse burst down the right and crossed for Jacob Blyth to head home. After that, Gateshead rarely threatened, and the first half ended 1-0 to Chorley.
The second half was more action-packed. Carl Magnay headed the ball in after a melee in the box to give Gateshead the lead. Gateshead had a chance to take the lead after Dan Ward appeared to be about to tap into an open goal, but Henley nipped in to get a touch before he could. They eventually took the lead when Bailey tapped in from close range for Gateshead, who appeared to be on their way to winning the title. When Willem Tomlinson scored from long range to tie the game at 2-2, the champagne was briefly put on ice. However, a late equaliser for Hereford at Brackley Town ensured that Gateshead would be the National League North champions in 2022. Congratulations to Gateshead on their promotion to the National League. Congratulations to Chorley as well after they qualified for the play offs, in which they will be a tough opponent for all involved.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 3/10
Food and Drink: 8/10
Stadium: 5/10
Welcome: 4/10
Overall Experience: 6/10
GG
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