CLUB HISTORY
26 Jan 2009

Football was being played in the village before the turn of the last century against various parish teams, with matches against Roby Mill, UpHolland, Parbold, Wrightington. These were based on a Sunday kick-about but maintained a certain fierce rivalry. It was not until the turn of the century that football became more serious. A team was set up based on players that were working for one of the local industries in the village, namely Witters.The company was one of the largest suppliers of roofing felts in Lancashire and employed a large work force. The team applied for entry to the then prestigious Lancashire Alliance League and were accepted in 1908. The season was very successful and they finished league champions.
Football continued to be played throughout the rest of the next three decades and the team played on a pitch close to the corner crossroads of Appley Lane North and Ormskirk Road. The nickname at that time was ‘The Corner Boys’. The team travelled to many local grounds at Ormskirk, Chorley and Southport and it is rumored that the works manager, a certain Mr Bowser, gave each player half a crown before boarding the ‘Southport Flyer’ to away games.

A much supported game was the annual friendly against Burscough Rangers, members of the Southport & District Amateur League, later to become Burscough FC. The match was played on Saturday 20th January 1912. The Rangers supporters travelled by barges along the Leeds–Liverpool Canal for this eagerly awaited local derby. The visitors won 4-1, helped by a Tommy Ashton hat-trick. A local report stated that as the teams lined up, a record crowd of excited spectators were present, with at least 400 hailing from Burscough. A unique feature in connection to the match was the presence of 200 boatmen, who had been conveyed per canal in a boat specially arranged for the occasion. Although classed as a ‘friendly’ there was much rejoicing as a result of this victory over a local side playing in the higher rated Lancashire Alliance League.

After the second world war the Bridge set up a team again and entered the Ormskirk & District League under the guidance of local village man Tommy Bowen. The team had by now moved playing surfaces to a pitch opposite The Alison Arms in Appley Lane South, which is the present site of the club. This was possibly todate the most successful era for the Bridge 1949-1956, with the team winning The Stanley Shield, The Wigan Cup, The Agricultural Cup and finishing finalists in the Agricultural Cup, Stanley Shield and Junior Cup.

It would seem that there was a short break in organised football in Appley Bridge and it was not until the early 50’s that the team was reformed. The side then played on a sloping pitch in Back Lane, changing in a garage of a local Dr Shaw and also used the local Methodist Church, under the managership of Harry Ball who passed away in 2003. The next stage in the progress of the club was to obtain the present playing field on Appley Lane South in 1966-67 on a more permanent basis. Captain Roberts of the Church Army was mainly instrumental in this and the club paid a nominal fee of £5-00 per annum to the owner, a certain Squire Banks of the Winstanley Estates. The club by now were members of the South West Lancashire Combination and were in the Premier Division. The team’s changing facilities were in the crate room of the Alison Arms opposite the ground, and in the later years 1981 moved to a more permanent facilities on the ground. The club over the next period of years continued its existence in the League without winning any trophies mainly due to not being able to attract some of the better players from their Wigan based teams. Although the club was relatively successful in maintaining a side and even expanding to run a second team trophies managed to elude them. Their best period came in the latter part of the 70’s by being finalists in three major cups of the South West Lancs Combination and runners up and eventual Premier League winners in 1977. The club has been involved in the Lancashie Amateur Shield for as long as can remember but again success has eluded them, but reaching the quarter finals on several occasions has been the highlights.

A move to the Preston & District League was made in 1979-80 and went from division two to premier division in consecutive seasons, where they have remained ever since, a record 28 years in the premier division. The club reached the final of the Guildhall Cup in 1993-94 winning 1-0, and finished runners-up in the Premier Division. The reserves have had a mixed playing career ranging from being mediocre, to finishing second in division one on four occasions. Many players have passed through the clubs books and two longest serving members are current Chairman Albert ‘alan’ Newton and Vice Chairman Peter Baker with 42 and 35 years each, both as players and management.

The club entered a new era in the 21st century and embarked on a 5 year plan to enhance the status of the club at Grassroots Level. An enlarged working committee for development and commercial running saw success by being awarded Football Association Charter Standard in 2005, and being upgraded to Development Standard in 2009. Currently we are one of only two clubs in West Lancashire to have this award. This higher level was achieved this centenary year. This was achieved by building on the Junior football side of the club which is currently running seven age groups in local leagues.
On the development side the Club has acquired Planning/Building permission to erect a new Changing Accommodation on the ground. A bid for Sports Football Foundation Grant is being applied for.

For ageing players the club set up a veteran’s team which started out as the over 35’s and has been running for the past three years. Season 2007 saw them reach the final of the National Umbro Tournament played at Lilleshall.