HISTORY OF FREEHOLD FOOTBALL CLUB
22 May 2009

Born out of the demise of Tewitfield F.C., FREEHOLD FOOTBALL CLUB were the brainchild of Tony Cragg who expressed an interest in forming a team from the Ridge/Freehold area of Lancaster to play football at a local level in the North Lancashire Football League. The club formed in the winter/spring of 1993 and were duly admitted to the North Lancashire League Division Four for the start of the 1993-94 season. With the backing of local publican Phil Peel, the club formed its base at the Freeholders Arms P/H and its playing venue at the then newly built Salt Ayre Sports Centre. Tony, who took on the responsibility of running the team, first with Mark Speight and then with Kev Davies, brought in a mixture of both youth and experience many from the now defunct Tewitfield F.C. Freehold's first game was on 4/9/93 at home to Allithwaite Rangers Reserves which ended 0-0 but the following week Freehold entertained Westgate Wanderers Youth and came away as 2-1 winners with Colin Duff scoring the newly formed clubs first ever goal. Tony ran the team with Mark and Kev for two seasons as the newly formed club consolidated there position in the league, before they at the start of the 1995-96 season handed the reins over to club captain Phil Morgan.

Phil managed the club for six years, winning the Division Four title in his very first season (1995-96) Phil then led the club to promotion to Division Two in 1998-99 and in the same season also reached the Parkinson Cup Final when Freehold lost 2-1 to Burton Thistle Reserves at Lancaster City's Giant Axe Stadium. Controversy surrounded the game however as it was alleged that Burton Thistle Reserves had fielded more than the allowed quota of three first team players. By now Freehold had moved from Salt Ayre and were playing at the more local Far Moor but a year or so later however Phil decided to call it a day midway through the 2001-02 season, handing over the responsibility to Andy Hollins and John Hammond. Andy himself then walked out not long after before John resigned at the end of the 2001-02 season, but not before he had finished off Phil Morgan's good early season work by leading the club to a third promotion, this time to the First Division.

Kev Dixon, Tony Rodgers and Chad Dixon have all since had spells in charge and at first it looked promising with Freehold in 2002-03 very nearly winning a place in the Premier Division, finishing 4th and just 3 points short of promotion. Only a last minute equaliser from current Freeholder Richard Chambers, then with Boys Club, denied Freehold promotion with Boys Club going up instead.

Freehold were now forced to relocate to King Georges Fields - Slyne Road due to the more local Far Moor being abandoned as a sporting venue. Things became unsettled on the pitch as well, the 2003-04 season being a disaster with Freehold relegated back to Division Two with just 19 points. Two seasons of consolidation followed with finishes of 8th and 7th but 2006-07 nearly ended in relegation to Division Three when Freehold finished the season on just 12 points, only extraordinary circumstances and a final day victory at Kirkby Lonsdale Reserves averted this. This led to Chad Dixon's resignation and, at the request of Chad and brothers Liam and Sean Morgan the return of Freehold legend Phil Morgan, Liam and Sean's dad, who in turn brought back both John Hammond and Kev Davies as his assistants for the start of the 2007-08 season, while new signing Paddy Rabbett joined as fitness coach and unofficial club scout. Also signed up were another ex player Mick Parkinson who returned at Christmas 2007 to A****. with the coaching aspect of the game while team founder Tony Cragg returned, first as club secretary and then as chairman. It is now feasible to think that had Phil not returned the club may have resigned from the league and disappeared forever. Our first season under Phil's management was a relative success with us reaching the Whiteside Cup Final and finishing a very creditable 5th in Division 2 of the North Lancashire Football League after an excellent second half of the season.

The good work was carried on during the 2008-09 season with promotion to Division 1 secured as runners-up and also with a superb Whiteside Cup Final win at Lancaster City's Giant Axe stadium. It was also decided to introduce a Reserve Team to the league for 2009-10 proving that Freehold Football Club is going from strength to strength. Freehold 1st XI then in 2009-10 secured promotion to the Premier Division for the first time in their history as well as reaching a third successive cup final while the Reserves finished very comfortably in mid table as well as reaching their own final to cap off a successful first season in the league.

The 2010-11 season brought mixed fortunes with the 1st XI being relegated after just one season in the top flight whilst the Reserves just missed out on promotion from the 4th Division after finishing 3rd. Phil, John and Kev stepped down from the 1st XI handing the reins over to Liam Morgan and Nigel Goulding whilst Sean and Dowie stepped aside from the Reserves with Sean stepping up to concentrate on playing duties with the 1st XI and Dowie moving onto pastures new. Darren Gardner will be taking over the Reserves from the 2011-12 season.

CLUB STATISTICS
22 May 2009

YEAR FORMED - 1993
ADMITTED TO LEAGUE - 1993-94
RECORD VICTORY - 10-1 v Allithwaite Rangers Reserves, November 1995 (1st XI)
RECORD DEFEAT - 0-12 v Middleton Reserves, October 1997 (1st XI)
MOST CLUB APPEARENCES - Phil Clements - 300, 1996-Present (Correct at end of 2009-2010 & Incudes all 1st XI & Reserve Team games)
RECORD GOALSCORER -
MOST GOALS IN A SEASON -
LONGEST UNBEATEN LEAGUE RUN - 17 Matches - 09/95 - 03/96 (1st XI)
LONGEST UNBEATEN RUN ALL GAMES - 16 Matches- 11/08 - 04/09 (1st XI)

CLUB HONOURS
22 May 2009

Division 4 Champions 1995-1996

Promotion to Division 2 (3rd Place) 1998-1999

Parkinson Cup Finalists 1998-1999

Promotion to Division 1 (3rd Place) 2001-2002

Whiteside Cup Finalists 2007-2008

Division 2 Runners-Up 2008-2009

Whiteside Cup Winners 2008-2009

Cunningham Cup Finalist 2009-2010 (Reserves)

Gibson Cup Finalists 2009-2010

Promotion to Premier Division (3rd Place) 2009-2010