Southport

Southport FC from the seaside town sixteen miles north of Liverpool were formed in 1881. After a joining together of local clubs, Southport FC took up their name in 1886 following a meeting at Mather's saleroom of which players from Southport Wanderers were prominent. The club moved to a new ground in Scarisbrook New Road.

The Football League was formed in 1888 and the people of the town wanted a side to represent them. Meetings were held at the Scarlett's Rooms, Chapel Street and then the Railway Hotel when a decision was made to name the club Southport Central FC. The club became members of the Lancashire League.

The club moved to the Lancashire Combination in 1903 and moved to a new ground at Haig Avenue, which was called Ash Lane at the time, two years later. In 1911 the club joined the Central League and seven years later renamed themselves Southport Vulcan FC. 

This was the first ever case of a club being named after a sponsor as the Vulcan Motor Company bought the club. In 1921 'The Sandgrounders' became founder members of Division Three South of the Football League. 

The club enjoyed a few good FA Cup runs in the 1920's. After going out in the third round in 1925-26 to Southend United, 'Port reached the fourth round the following season. Victory over Blackburn Rovers at Haig Avenue in the third round set up a tie at Anfield against Liverpool; with Southport going down 3-1.

In 1927-28 the team had overcome Bradford Park Avenue and Fulham before going out 3-0 in the fourth round at home to Middlesbrough. However, these runs would be eclipsed in 1930-31 as 'Port reached the quarter final stage.

Wins against Millwall, Bradford Park Avenue and Blackpool led to a last eight local derby at Goodison Park against an Everton side containing the record breaking Dixie Dean. The Blues proved formidable opponents as the progressed with a 9-1 win.

Southport took a similar beating the following season in a fourth round second replay at Hillsborough as Newcastle United ran out 9-0 winners. The club reached the third round in 1938-39, 1948-49 and 1949-50 with the runs being ended by Doncaster Rovers, Derby County and Hull City.

Southport had few highlights and when league re-organisation came about in 1958, they were placed in the fourth division. The 1960's offered a few FA Cup runs to distract from the league campaigns.

The Sandgrounders reached the third round in 1960-61 and 1961-62, where Stockport County and then Shrewsbury Town halted further progression. Billy Bingham, who later managed Everton and Northern Ireland, took 'Port to the fifth round in 1965-66 folowing wins against the likes of Ipswich Town and Cardiff City.

Hull City eventually ended the run before Bingham took the club to their first ever promotion in 1966-67 before the team bowed out 1-0 in the third round of the FA Cup away to Everton the following season.

Southport lasted just three seasons in their higher status as they were relegated in 1969-70; before going back up as fourth division champions in 1972-73. Unfortunately relegation came after just one season and it begin a sorry period in the clubs history. 

Crowds dropped badly; in some cases below 1,000 for League matches, while Haig Avenue decayed as the team struggled. After three consecutive twenty third placed finishes, disaster struck in 1978. 

Southport were the last ever club to be voted out of the League by the re-election process to be replaced by Wigan Athletic. It would be a further nine years before automatic promotion and relegation was introduced.

Southport played in the Northern Premier League until a resurgence kicked in at the end of the 1980's; initially under manager Brian Kettle, which saw them promoted to the Football Conference in 1992-93 after finishing as champions as well as reaching the second round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1968. 

'Port went on to reach Wembley in 1998 in the final of the FA Trophy after previously defeating Winsford United, Yeading, Altrincham, Grantham Town and Slough Town. Under player-manager Paul Futcher, Southport went down 1-0 to Cheltenham Town.

Relegation followed in 2002-03 before Southport became founder members of the Conference North for the 2004-05 season with the goals of Terry Fearns firing 'Port to lift the title and rejoin the Conference National. In an ambitious move the club decided to revert to full time status in 2006. 

The scheme backfired as relegation followed. They remained full time in the lower division until 2008 when it was decided to go back to being part time professionals as Liam Watson returned to the club as manager. 

The change of status worked as some good players in the area preferred part time football and they were promoted once again in 2009-10. The following campaign saw 'Port finish in seventh spot; just outside the play-offs.

Their spell in the top flight of non league football would have lasted just one season, but Rushden & Diamonds were expelled from the league for financial irregularities so The Soundgrounders were reprieved from relegation. 

The following 2011-12 season saw Southport put in their best league performance for a decade as they finished in seventh position before Watson resigned a year later with Alan Wright arriving as the new manager at Haig Avenue.

After a poor first half to the season, Wright was replaced by John Coleman in December 2013 who successfully steered the team away from relegation before being replaced by Martin Foyle, to the disappointment of the fans by Charles Clapham and his board of directors.

The appointment only lasted until October 2014 before Foyle was dismissed and replaced by Gary Brabin for a short spell and then Paul Carden. Dino Maamria became Southport's seventh manager since April 2013 when he was appointed to replace Carden in November 2015.

Maamria departed a few months later with Andy Bishop becoming the new Sandgrounders boss. In September 2016 Liam Watson returned to the club as Chief Operating Officer while replacing Bishop with the experienced Steve Burr; who lasted until January 2017.

Andy Preece became the new manager and lasted until the end of the season as Southport were relegated to the National League North; as the league had been rebranded. Alan Lewer became the new manager until he was sacked at the end of September 2017.

Southport FC will play in the National League North in the 2017-18 season.


My visits

Southport 2 Gainsborough Trinity 1 (Saturday 29th March 1980) Northern Premier League

My first ever visit to Haig Avenue was one of my first experiences of going to a game on my own. I was fourteen at the time and was on a family weekend break staying at Pontins at Ainsdale, which was between Southport and Liverpool. 

The trip was by coach with the Scarborians Social Club and was designed so those who wanted to go to the Grand National at Aintree could do so. We had taken the train into Liverpool for the day and then gone on to the National. 

Aintree at the time was a real mess and we were charged a small fortune to get in; or at least my Dad was. We were on the inside of the track and it was impossible to see much. Men had climbed onto building roofs around the place but there was little hope for my Mum, Dad and three kids.

Haig Avenue at the time of my first visit

It was a blustery day to add to our woes and just after the big race my youngest brother Nick was complaining that one of his eyes hurt and he had something stuck. I forget how but my Mum got some advice and we had to set off for St Paul's Eye Clinic in the city. 

Fortunately the experts managed to get some rust out of his eye which could have come from a multitude of places at the decaying course. As my Mum lamented, "All that travelling and money and all I we saw was the winning jockeys cap bobbing by"! For the record Ben Nevis, ridden by Charlie Fenwick won the National.

Anyway, we went for something to eat and I'd been dropping some unsubtle hints to my Dad about that evenings match up the coast. As was normal practice, whichever of Liverpool or Everton were at home on National day had played at lunchtime, with Tranmere Rovers playing on the Friday evening. Southport had put their kick off back to try and attract a bigger crowd.

I was given some money and sent on my way, with my Mum naturally a bit worried. I assured her all was going to be OK before promptly getting lost on the way to Moorfields Merseyrail station. In the end my stubbornness relented and I asked for directions and found myself entering the previously unknown to me Central station. 

I was extremely embarrassed when my parents and brothers got on the train at the next stop! I eventually got out at Southport station and asked for directions. I was told that Haig Avenue was quite a distance and I'd be better catching a bus. I eventually arrived half way into the first half.

Haig Avenue was well past its best. Hardly any turnstiles looked to have been used for some time. The paintwork was peeling and the stands rapidly decaying. The Main Stand was impressive if untidy as it filled a good part of one side, with open terracing flanking it. There was a covered terrace behind the Scarisbrick End which continued and gave shelter to the Popular Side. The Blowick End behind the other end was open standing.

Trinity went one up in the game before The Sandgrounders, who played in amber and blue in those days, slowly fought their way back into it and won with two second half goals. The crowd was pretty poor and at the end of the game the exit gates weren't opened so we had to exit through a door under the Main Stand.

I caught a bus back and then a train to Ainsdale where my Dad was waiting for me to walk back down to the camp.

Sunday 17th October 2010

I was out and about on my first of three days visiting grounds, sights and pubs around Merseyside. My daily travelcard allowed me to catch the Merseyrail service from Crosby, where I'd tried and failed to get into Rossett Park, the home of Marine and Southport. My advance homework had proved to be good as I was soon on a bus travelling towards Haig Avenue.

I was not having much luck. My second ground of the day was also locked. I manged to get a sneak look through the gaps in the brightly painted gates, but nothing substantial. I did know that the Main Stand had been improved and updated. The old terrace cover had been demolished many years previously following the stricter guidelines following Bradford and Hillsborough.

The Scarisbrick End had a new cover and terrace. Both the Blowick End and Popular Side had new terracing but remained uncovered. The whole place was neat and tidy and had signs of its previous standing.

Try as I might, I couldn't get a better view inside the stadium. I went on my slightly unmerry way to catch a train to Meols Cop towards Burscough.

Monday 25^th September 2017

My couple of nights in Liverpool had been fantastic. My pal Karl had headed back to Scarborough. I had some time to kill before my train back to the capital, and despite the weather not being the best; I wanted to get out and about.

The train from Liverpool Central took around forty five minutes to Southport. My £5.20 Saveaway ticket also covered me on buses, so rather than taking a long walk, I caught the number 44 to the stop just round the corner from Haig Avenue.

It looked like I was to be denied entry once again. I’d more or less given up. For some reason I decided to walk by just one more time to catch a bus back to town on Scarisbrick New Road when opportunity knocked when I saw a young lady enter a door in the Main Stand.

I knocked on the door, and the lady answered. There were a couple of gents working away in the club office and they said I was fine to go inside and take my photos. Outside more workers had been doing their bit to the immaculate playing surface.

Haig Avenue really was a splendid venue, still worthy of staging League football. The Main Stand was in good nick and the outstanding feature, but all terraced areas looked well appointed and in tidy condition. It had certainly changed since my first visit.

On departure I took the bus back to town to take a look at the area around the prom and other features. The Victorian town looked well cared for as I walked while listening to the finale of the County Cricket season before heading back to Liverpool for my train south.

The photo of the 'old' Haig Avenue has been taken from the internet owing to sadly not having a camera with me in 1980.