Nelson

Nelson FC is a non-league club formed in 1881 from the East Lancashire mill town east of Burnley who were once members of the Football League. Their history contains many financial struggles and brief closures.

After playing local football, the 'Admirals' or the Blues' became founder members of the Lancashire League in 1889, becoming champions in 1895-96 and runners-up in 1897-98. The club was disbanded for a short while before returning to the competition.

A move followed to the Lancashire Combination in 1902 from where they were relegated to Division Two in 1906-07 before retaining their Division One status twelve months later. The club closed in 1916 after the bailiffs came calling, before reforming in 1918 at the end of World War One. 

Seedhill towards the end

Nelson became members of the Central League from the start of the 1919-20 season, prior to the Football League being expanded from 1921-22 with the club becoming founder members of Division Three North at their Seedhill home. In 1922-23 they won the title and were promoted into the second tier of English football.

In preparation for that solitary season, Nelson had embarked on a preseason tour of Spain, defeating Real Oviedo and Real Madrid. While the team might have been relegated in 1923-24, they did defeat Leeds United and then Manchester United at Old Trafford.

A record crowd of 14,143 saw the game with Bradford Park Avenue in 1927, which was a remarkable figure in a town with a population of just 40,000. However, the club started to struggle financially and were voted out of the League at the end of the 1930-31 campaign.

It was the second successive season that Nelson had to apply for re-election. They were replaced by Chester, rejoining the Lancashire Combination before once again folding in 1936 when the hastily formed Nelson Town FC took over their place in local football.

That club joined the West Lancashire League but had their spell cut short after just two games as World War Two abandoned the season. In 1946 the club were once again reformed as Nelson FC, rejoining the Lancashire Combination, finishing as runners-up in their first season back.

The team quickly found success and won the title in 1949-50 with future Liverpool manager Joe Fagan at the helm, as well as reaching the FA Cup Second Round for the first time as a non-league club. Another runners-up berth was accrued in 1950-51, followed by their second title the following season, then another second place in 1960-61.

In 1968 Nelson left their large and much loved Seedhill home as it was purchased for the construction of the M65 as they moved to a new Victoria Park home. Frustratingly, Seedhill wasn't demolished until 1980.

The Admirals became founder members of the North West Counties League in 1982, joining the third division. From 1987 until 1992 they were forced to play in the West Lancashire League as Victoria Park wasn't of the required standard. Once upgraded, they were readmitted. 

The side was denied promotion at the last gasp in 2000-01, before David Hall was appointed as manager in the summer of 2004.  He was replaced soon into the 2005-06 campaign by Graham Howarth who led the club to their first promotion in eighty-three years.

However, administrative issues saw Nelson drop out of the league for a season, while continuing to field junior teams in 2010. A year previously the club had announced plans to return to the site where Seedhill once stood as the motorway hadn't used as much land as originally intended.

An application was made to the FA to return to the North West Counties League for 2011 under a new diverse board of directors, which was accepted. Mark Fell was appointed as team boss in November 2012, replacing the duo of Robert Grimes and Michael Morrison, as he gradually set about building an improving team.

Fell took the side to the Division One title in 2013-14, his first season in charge and promotion to the Premier Division. Crowds increased as Nelson consolidated at the new level under manager Paul Fildes.

Phil Eastwood became the next manager at the club before he was replaced by Alex Norwood in September 2016. His side was relegated back to Division One a few months later, before Steve Cunningham was appointed as the new manager, as the team narrowly avoided relegation.

Andy Harrison took over in the 2018-19 campaign, again his side, managed to beat the drop while on a small budget. He remained in charge until October 2022 after taking Nelson to the playoffs a few months earlier, where they lost their semifinal tie against Holker Old Boys.

Harrison was replaced by Daz Thornton, who resigned in January 2024, with Aaron Ripley succeeding him. Nelson were reprieved from relegation owing to their points per game record despite finishing bottom of the 2023-24 Division One North table.

Nelson FC will play in the North West Counties League Division One North in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Wednesday 14th September 2011

I awoke in a very budget Burnley hotel after spending the previous evening at the Accrington Stanley v Rotherham United match. The weather was still windy with occasional heavy showers peppering the rugged landscape and old stone buildings.

My original plan was to go to Colne first and then stop off at Nelson on my way back. However, curiosity got the better of me so I jumped out at the St Mary's Church stop on Manchester Road and headed for Victoria Park. Te walk took me down terraced streets and then underneath the M65 motorway onto Lomeshaye Way. From there I walked down the lane to the ground.

Victoria Park was locked up but the banks around it afforded me a good view of everything. The near end had turnstiles and the main gate, was flat open gravel used mainly for car parking. The right hand side had the only covered accommodation by way of a neat stand containing seats and standing room. The left hand side of the ground was bordered by the back gardens of the terrace houses of Ecroyd Street. If any householders happened to be Nelson fans they would have the best views of the action! The far corner contained the changing rooms and the clubhouse. The rest of the ground consisted of open flat grass and hard standing. It was a functional ground, pretty in some ways, but a fair walk out of the town centre.

I walked back along the lane to the site where Nelson's old Seedhill ground once stood. There is certainly still scope for a return if the money was available. The location is definitely more favourable. That said it was still a good stiff walk up the hill to the town, of maybe ten minutes.

Seedhill in 2011

I arrived at the bus and rail interchange, where I decided to take the train that was due to Colne. It arrived late, but I was doing well for time.