Trafford

Trafford FC is a non-league football club which is named after the borough in Manchester where their home ground is based, between the towns of Urmston and Flixton. Originally called North Trafford FC when founded in 1990, the club began life in the Mid Cheshire League, playing in Division Two.

Manager, Dave Law, took the side to promotion to Division One at the first attempt while the club secured sole tenancy of the Shawe View ground which had previously also hosted games of Trafford Borough RLFC. 

Trafford were accepted into Division Two of the North West Counties League for the 1992-93 season, before changing to their current title at the end of the 1993-94 campaign which also saw promotion being won to Division One of the competition while the necessary ground improvements were completed. 

In 1996-97, the 'North' won the NWCL title and with it promotion to Division One of the Northern Premier League. The stars of the show in the successful campaign were strikers Mike Turner and goalkeeper Stuart Coburn. 

Mark Molyneaux replaced Law in November 1998, who had been manager of the club since its inception. Garry Vaughan continued to put the goals away for the Shawe View club who adapted to their new status with ease. 

During the 2000-01 season, Joey Dunn was appointed as manager after Molyneaux departed to Chorley. He was succeeded in 2002-03 by Mike McKenzie whose side couldn't escape relegation a few months later. Danny Johnson arrived as the new manager in November 2003.

Back in the North West Counties League, Trafford put in some midtable finishes, with Ged Kielty being appointed as player-manager at the start of the 2007-08 campaign. The side romped to the NWCL title, eleven points clear of their nearest challengers, as Andy Lundy scored the goals, to return to Division One North of the Northern Premier League.

Manager Kielty moved on in the summer of 2009. Former Trafford player Garry Vaughan was his replacement, gradually putting together his own side which would win promotion to the Premier Division One a the end of 2012-13. They went up through the playoffs, defeating New Mills and then Cammell Laird with Michael Oates leading the scoring charts.

After consolidating at the higher level Graham Heathcote was appointed as manager in January 2015, but were unable to keep the side up as they were relegated to Division One North. This led to Tom Baker being given the material reins at the age of just thirty.

2017-18 ended in a playoff semifinal defeat to Prescott Cables with consolation by way of lifting the NPL League Cup. In June 2020 Danny Calecott replaced Baker as two seasons were lost to the worldwide pandemic.

On return to something near normal, Trafford were placed in Division One West as the Northern Premier League restructured itself. The side put together a couple of midtable finishes before manager Caldecott headed off to Clitheroe to be replaced by Karl Marginson.

Trafford FC will play in the Northern Premier League Division One West in the 2024-25 season.


My visit

Trafford FC 0 Altrincham 5 (Tuesday 20th July 2010) Pre-Season Friendly (att: c200)

I was in Greater Manchester on the second of three days groundhopping and generally enjoying life in the area and had marked this game off a week or two earlier whilst scanning the Non-League Paper.

I arrived at Shawe View extremely damp after being caught in a torrential storm in nearby Flixton. Because the transport links to my hotel were poor I decided to carry on regardless. The twenty-minute walk had warmed me up a bit and I wasn’t entirely sure the game would be on, but I went along so I could take photos of the ground anyway before heading home.

I think the admission was £6 with the A4 four-page folded programme warranting “whatever you think suitable”. How nice and a massive change from Brigg Town who charged £1 for a similar issue. I gladly put 50p in the bucket.

My first impression was how glad I was that I made the effort. Shawe View really was a smashing little ground and an absolute credit to those who tended to it. The people at the club were nice as well. It makes such a difference when the raffle ticket seller is polite without being pushy.

Down the Shawe Road side were the entrances and a grass bank for spectators with a portacabin clubhouse and small seated stand containing the changing rooms. The grass bank continued around behind the Golf Course End. 

The far side which was near to the railway had a long cover with seats at the front and flat standing at the rear. Flat open standing flanked this structure. A nice cover behind the Urmston End goal completed the scene.

I had previously read about the ground in the excellent Fred Eyre book, “Kicked into Touch” as it was at Shawe View his Manchester City career was ended as that was the venue where 'City' “A” team played their fixtures back in the ’50s and ’60s.

I was delighted to get inside the snug and most vitally warm clubhouse for a pint of smooth flow Boddington’s and to examine the programme. Free newsletters were also available so I took one for further reading. 

The catering at the ground was done by the type of local middle-aged ladies that seemed to run catering at every non-league ground back in the day but were seemingly being replaced by franchises which had silly prices to match.

The game was very competitive on an immaculate playing surface which probably benefitted from the downpour. We had a couple of showers throughout the game so the ball skidded around. Trafford gave it their best shot and looked good in patches before defensive howlers let them down, which was ill-advised against Alty’s more experienced, fitter and clinical lineup.

It was 3-0 at half time which soon became four after the break despite Altrincham making mass changes during the interval. Trafford continued trying and tightened up at the back before the final goal went in near to full time.

I enjoyed the game and my surroundings. I just wish I’d been a little more comfy and not so damp! I went to catch a train from the nearby Chassen Road station back into the city to get a tram connection back to my hotel in Sale. I had an early night and turned on the radiators in my room to try and dry everything out for my third day of adventures.