Southport

Southport FC

Ground: Haig Avenue

Capacity: 6,008

Club Founded: 1888

League: National League North - Step 2/6th Tier (current level)

Southport FC were the last club voted out of the Football League after many decades playing in it, before rebuilding on and off the pitch.

Southport FC Club History

Early Years

Southport FC was formed when two local sides amalgamated at a meeting at Mather's saleroom. The club moved to a new ground in Scarisbrook New Road. Further meetings were held at Scarlett's Rooms, Chapel Street, and then the Railway Hotel, where it was decided to name the club Southport Central FC, which became a member of the Lancashire League.

The club joined the Lancashire Combination in 1903 and moved to a new ground at Haig Avenue two years later. In 1911, the club joined the Central League and seven years later was renamed Southport Vulcan FC. This was the first recorded case of a sponsor becoming involved at a club, as Vulcan Motor Company became its owner.

The Football League Era

The 'Sandgrounders' became founder members of Division Three South of the Football League in 1921. In 1930-31, 'Port reached the FA Cup quarter-finals at Goodison Park against an Everton side containing the record-breaking Dixie Dean. The Blues proved formidable opponents, winning 9-1. 

Southport had few highlights, and when league reorganisation came about in 1958, they were placed in the fourth division. The 1960s offered a few FA Cup runs to distract from the league campaigns. Billy Bingham, who later managed Everton and Northern Ireland, took 'Port to the fifth round in 1965-66. He also led the side to their first promotion the following season.

The Dark Days

Southport lasted just three seasons in their higher status as they were relegated in 1969-70, before returning as Division Four champions in 1972-73. They lasted just one season in the third tier during a sorry period in the club's history. 

Crowd numbers plummeted; occasionally 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 club voted out of the League by the re-election process and were replaced by Wigan Athletic. 

Fightback and Wembley

Nine years later, automatic promotion and relegation replaced the re-election system. Southport played in the Northern Premier League (NPL) until a resurgence kicked in at the end of the 1980s, initially under manager Brian Kettle. His side won promotion to the Football Conference in 1992-93 after finishing NPL champions. 

Port reached Wembley in 1997-98 under player-manager Paul Futcher. Southport went down 1-0 to Cheltenham Town in the FA Trophy final. Relegation followed before Southport became founder members of the Conference, later National League North for the 2004-05 season.

My drawing of Haig Avenue, with team kits and club crests.
Click on the images for enlarged views.

Terry Fearns scored the goals that took Port to the title and back to the Conference National. In an ambitious move, the club went full-time. The scheme backfired when relegation followed before they returned to part-time. Former player Liam Watson returned to the club as manager. 

Several good players in the area preferred part-time football and joined the club, helping them to promotion at the end of the decade. 2011-12 season saw Southport finish in their best league performance in a decade, ending seventh. Watson resigned a year later, with Alan Wright arriving as the new manager at Haig Avenue.

Recent Years

John Coleman replaced Wright in December 2013. Martin Foyle replaced him. Fans directed their frustration towards Charles Clapham and his board of directors. Managers came and went, leading to instability. Andy Preece was in charge when Southport were relegated to the National League North in 2016-17.

The pattern of short-term managers continued. Liam Watson returned before Jim Bentley replaced him in August 2023. Neil Danns arrived and took his side to the FA Trophy semi-final in 2025-26, losing at home to Southend United in front of 5,600 fans. Mark Duffy replaced Danns during the following season.

My visits

Southport 2 Gainsborough Trinity 1

Northern Premier League - Saturday 29th March 1980

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 c300 

My first visit to Haig Avenue was one of my first experiences of going to a game alone. I was fourteen at the time, on a family weekend break at Pontins at Ainsdale, located between Southport and Liverpool. The trip was by coach with the Scarborians Social Club and was designed so that those who wanted to go to the Grand National at Aintree could do so. 

We took the train into Liverpool for the day and then went on to the National. Aintree 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 complained 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 to St Paul's Eye Clinic in the city. Fortunately, the experts removed some rust from his eye. 

As my Mum lamented, "All that travelling and money and all I saw was the winning jockeys cap bobbing by!" For the record, Charlie Fenwick rode Ben Nevis to victory in the National.
Anyway, we went for something to eat, and I'd been dropping some unsubtle hints to my Dad about that evening's match up the coast. 

As usual, whichever of Liverpool or Everton was at home on National Day had played at lunchtime, with Tranmere Rovers playing on Friday evening. Southport 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 I would be OK.

That was before getting lost on the way to Moorfields Merseyrail station. In the end, my stubbornness relented, and I asked for directions and entered 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 off catching a bus. I eventually arrived halfway through the first half. The venue was in poor condition. Most turnstiles looked out of service for some time. The paintwork was peeling, and the stands were rapidly decaying. The Main Stand was impressive if untidy, filling a good part of one side.

A covered terrace started behind the Scarisbrick End and continued round to the Popular Side. Trinity went 1-0 up in the game before the Sandgrounders slowly fought their way back into it and won with two goals in the second half. The crowd was pretty poor, and at the end of the game, they didn't bother to open the exit gates. 

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 travel card covered the Merseyrail service from Crosby, where I'd tried and failed to get into Rossett Park, the home of Marine, and then on to Southport. My advanced homework was good, as I was soon on a bus travelling towards Haig Avenue.

I was not having much luck. My second venue of the day was also locked. I managed to get a sneak peek through the gaps in the brightly painted gates, but nothing substantial. I knew that the Main Stand had been improved and updated. The old terrace cover had been demolished many years earlier, following stricter guidelines after 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. 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 at Meols Cop towards Burscough.

Monday 25th September 2017

My couple of nights in Liverpool had been fantastic. 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 buses, so rather than 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 one more time to catch a bus back to town on Scarisbrick New Road when I saw a young lady enter a door in the Main Stand. I knocked on the door, and she answered. A couple of gents were working away in the club office, and they said I was fine to go inside and take my photos. 

Outside, more workers were doing their bit to aid the immaculate playing surface. Haig Avenue 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-maintained and tidy. 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 and listened to the finale of the County Cricket season before heading back to Liverpool for my train south.