Willington AFC
Ground: Hall Lane
Capacity: 3,000
Club Founded: 1906
League: Wearside League Premier Division - Step 7/11th Tier (current level)
Once a northern powerhouse, Willington AFC, like many neighbouring clubs, suffered when the local collieries closed before trying to reestablish itself.
Club History
Early Years
The 1927-28 campaign saw Willington reach the semi-final of the FA
Amateur Cup, where they were defeated by Cockfield at Kingsway, Bishop Auckland, in a replay after the first game at Darlington’s Feethams home ended level. Two seasons later, a third Northern League crown was collected.
The Halcyon Years
The Amateur Cup final was reached in 1938-39, which ended in a 3-0 defeat to neighbours Bishop Auckland at Roker Park. The same team defeated Willington in the first round of the FA Cup post-war before the Amateur Cup was finally lifted. A 4-0 hiding was dished out to Bishop Auckland in front of 88,000 fans at Wembley.
The 1950's saw another first-round appearance in the FA Cup, along with a couple of top-three finishes in the league. Mid-table finishes were the order of the day throughout the following decade. In 1973-74, Willington drew 0-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers in the FA
Cup first round. However, the Ewood Park replay ended in a 6-1 defeat.
Pit Closures and Struggles
In 1975-76, a fine FA Trophy run, as Willington ended the season as Northern League
runners-up. Seven years later, with mine closures during the strikes biting the club, they were relegated to the recently formed Division Two of
the Northern League.
The following couple of decades were a real struggle as the town
suffered from the pit closures and the depression that came with them. After finishing bottom of their division twice, the team was relegated to the Wearside League in 2005-06.
Down to the Wearside League
The club turned itself around by ending as Wearside League runners-up in 2012-13 and gaining
promotion back to the Northern League. The return was a struggle as Willington narrowly avoided relegation on a
couple of occasions.
Ibby Hassan came to the rescue as manager during difficult times caused by the worldwide pandemic, helping the side to a much improved fourteenth place in 2021-22. A season later, Willington were relegated to the Premier Division of the Wearside League.
Willington went down to the First Division of the competition in 2023-24 before the appointment of new manager Steve Howe in May 2024, who led his side to promotion at the first attempt.
My visit
Wednesday 25th January 2017
It was a very pleasant winter’s afternoon in County Durham as I continued
to gallivant around the area using my excellent value one-day bus ticket. I was
in particularly good form after visiting some cracking venues and historic
football clubs.
The X46 bus carried me from Crook to Willington. As we headed down the
hill of West Road, the football ground came into view on the right-hand side. I
alighted at the Commercial Street stop and walked down Hall Lane Estate to the
ground, where the gates were open.
Two gents were working on the ground, of which pride of place went to the fine old seated grandstand on the far side. Covered spectators were catered for by a sturdy little roof behind the top goal, a modern build at the other end, and an overhang in front of the clubhouse and changing rooms.
The main buildings were by the entrance opposite the seating, while the rest of the ground had plentiful hard-standing and grass banking sloping down towards the pitch. It was another fine venue in the old heartland of amateur football.
With my photos complete, I walked through the estate, getting a little bit lost before finding the Rockingham Road bus stop from where I caught the 109 service to Bishop Auckland to have a peek at Kingsway, which was now just the home of the local cricket club.
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