Stalybridge Celtic

Stalybridge Celtic FC is a non-league football club from the former textile town to the east of Manchester. Celtic were formed in 1909, although another club of the same name were formed in 1906. The club moved into Bower Fold on Mottram Road on formation.

After two seasons in the Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur League, the club turned professional and joined the Lancashire Combination. After a spell in the Central League, Celtic attempted to progress by joining the Southern League before returning for the 1919-20 season.

In 1921 Stalybridge became founder members of Football League Division Three North. After just two seasons Celtic resigned from the League as they could not attract the attendances to justify such a status.

Instead, they returned to the Cheshire League, where they replaced their reserve team, narrowly missing out on the league title in 1934-35, when they finished third on goal average. It would be a long wait until the 1977-78 campaign for Celtic to go close again, when they ended as runners-up.

However, Stalybridge went on to be crowned as Cheshire League champions in 1979-80 under manager Peter Wragg. In 1982 the competition merged with the Lancashire Combination, prior to Celtic becoming founder members of the North West Counties League for the 1982-83 season where they were placed in Division One.

 

The club went on to win the league title in 1983-84 and then again in 1986-87, which led to promotion to the Northern Premier League while much work was done at Bower Fold so that it met with the satisfaction of the authorities.

Promotion to the Premier Division was achieved at the first time as asking in 1987-88 prior to Phil Wison taking over as manager. He led his side to a runners-up place in 1990-91, they went one better the following season by lifting the title and winning promotion to the Football Conference.

The 1993-94 campaign looked like it could end in relegation before a returning Wragg helped turn fortunes around. Brian Kettle was appointed as manager in 1996-97 as Celtic were relegated back to the Northern Premier League. Wilson’s return a couple of seasons later heralded the lifting of several cup competitions.

 

Stalybridge won the NPL tile in 2000-01 before Wilson headed to Southport. The spell at the elite level of non-league competition lasted just twelve months as Paul Futcher and then Dave Miller nearly helped save the day.

A new stand was erected at Bower Fold as Celtic secured a place in the newly formed Conference North for the start of the 2004-05 season. John Reed replaced Miller in the clubs’ debut campaign, with the team narrowly missing out on the playoffs the following time out.

In May 2007 Reed was replaced by Steve Burr, who took the side to the playoffs in the 2007-08 where they lost out to Barrow in the final after defeating after defeating Southport. The highly regarded Jim Harvey was appointed as team manager in February 2010.

Harvey remained at the helm until October 2013, until he was replaced by Keith Briggs who led the side to safety from relegation. The 2014-15 campaign saw Celtic at the wrong end of the table once again. It took the appointment of Liam Watson as the new team manager in March 2015 to stave off relegation.

Co-managers Steve Halford and Paul Phillips then took over, before a returning Burr replaced them. However, Celtic eventually went down at the end of the 2016-17 season. Back in the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League the club appointed Simon Haworth as manager in 2018.

The two seasons abandoned owing to the coronavirus pandemic were followed by a fourteenth place. Chris Wilcock was the manager of the Stalybridge side which would be relegated in 2022-23 down to Division One West of the competition.

James Kinsey was given the managers job in May 2023

Stalybridge Celtic FC will compete in the Northern Premier League Division One West in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Stalybridge Celtic 2 Scarborough 2 (Tuesday 22nd August 2006) Conference North (att: 401)

Scarborough were in a desperate state, with a signing embargo in place and having to start off off the season with minus ten points, owing to continual financial irregularities. I was off work for a couple of days, so I decided to head north to offer my support.

I took the train to Manchester Piccadilly around lunchtime and booked into The Gardens, an ageing hotel with a creaky lift. I had plans to fill up the afternoon before the match and headed off on foot to Sports City and the City of Manchester Stadium, where I went on an enjoyable stadium and museum tour. A bus took me back to the city centre for my train to Stalybridge.

On arrival I tried a pint at the legendary Buffet Bar on the platform of the station as I sat outside taking in the scene and listening to the latest updates from the fallout of the controversial England v Pakistan Test Match at The Oval. I decided to walk to the ground. On the way I met Matt Lawson, AKA Malton Seadog for the first time and his Stevenage supporting pal.

I left them to walk the last few yards as I had a beer in the Hare & Hounds before going into Bower Fold and enjoying some pre match refreshment and Boro chat in the clubhouse. Several years previously Boro had played at Stalybridge in a FA Trophy tie on a day marred by crowd trouble mainly caused by off duty Man Utd fans, but the welcome was fine on this occasion.

The ground itself was a real beauty. The Main Stand with changing rooms was down the Mottram Road side. Opposite was the Lord Pendry Stand with a raised seating deck. The Mottram End and Joe Jackson Stand at the Town End both had roofs over terracing. The rest of the ground consisted of open terracing.

Boro's team were still getting to know each other properly and went two down before half time, purely through errors that led from what looked liked poor communication. Several of us agreed over half time pint that the team had not played too badly.

The second half prooved the point as they fought back in tremendous fashion, drawing level and very nearly winning with goals from Chris Thompson and Lee Whittington; much to approval of the hundred or so hopeful Seadogs in attendance. I had a good chat with Alty Seadog about what had gone on with the finances and what exactly was happening at the club.

At full time Simon from Batley kindly went out of his way to drop me at the station so that I could catch a train back to Manchester. I sent texts to my fellow supporting mates, and although they were happy with the result, their faith had long gone. I was still hopeful that things could be resolved, but I've always been an optimist.

I enjoyed my after match beers in Wetherspoons on Piccadilly before hitting the sack, having a heavy sleep and then going out for another cracking day in a quality city.