ATHERTON COLLIERIES FOOTBALL CLUB 1920's

The year is unclear it could be around 1922. These are the only names we know.Left to right. Back row: ? Poulton or Coulton, Jim Birhchall - - - ? Hilton - Bottom row: Jacky Shaw - Cyril Upton, Bob Farrimond, ? Cooper -

WIGAN CUP WINNERS 1925

We managed to acquire this photo, but the players names are unknown. Atherton Collieries F.C. goes back a long way, so acquiring these old pictures is a bonus!!

A.C.J.A.F.C. 1939
BOLTON COMBINATION CUP & WIGAN CUP WINNERS

On the board in the picture it also says...

 "These championships were won three years in succession".

MANCHESTER LEAGUE 1940's

Some names are unknown Left to right. Back row: - C. Steel, S. Dootson, ?, H. Potter, J Peters, Bottom row: F. O'Neil, ? S. Kershaw, J. Lancaster, J. Pedley, K. Part.

WINNERS LANCASHIRE JUNIOR SHIELD1945/46

Some names are unknown Left to right. Back row: - John Chadwick(Sec),Ernie Jones, Freddie Steel, - ? Dootson - ? Frazer, Res. Coalkeeper, ? Neal - ? Cook, ? Heslop, Jack Pickup, - Des Short, Tommy Evans. Bottom row: Percy Taylor ? O'Neald, ? Birchall, Jimmy Shuttleworth, ? Pedley, Freddy Smith, Frank Hilton, -.

BOLTON COMBINATION CUP, DIVISION ONE CHAMPIONSHIP

LANCASHIRE JUNIOR SHIELD WINNERS 1964/65

Left to right. Back row: Terry Halliwell, Freddy Seacombe, Ronnie Fairbrother, Gerald Bannister, Derek Halliwell.
Bottom row: John Flanagan, Billy Greenwood, Frank Anderson, Dougie Croft, Alan Unsworth, Bobby Montford.

BOLTON HOSPITAL CUP WINNERS 1974/75

Left to right. Back row: Brian Hindle, Andy Funnell, Berry Calvert, Dai Evans, Steve Skitt, Steve Payne, Alan Gregory, Tony Keogh, Billy Edisbury.
Botton row: R. Brooks, Phil Theckston, D. Brooks, George Brown, D. Clempson, J. Fryer.

SEASON 1993/94

Left to right. Back row: S Walton(Man), P. Cameron, I. Walsh, G. Gay, K. Schofield, G. Haslam, A. Shawcross, P. Morris, I. Lamb(Man), A. Lord(Man).
Botton row: P. Oldbury, S. Owen, S. Wallace, M. Crispin, P. Varden, C. O'Brien.

NWCFL DIVISION ONE 1997/98

Left to right. Back row: Paul Crook, Dave Stead, Rob Hilton, Dennis Haslam, Simon O'Brien, Chris Lythgoe,
Botton row: Unknown, Justin Farrelly, Colin Davies, , Scott Derbyshire, John Openshaw, Dave Berry.

FNWTL DIVISION ONE 1999/00

Left to right. Back row: Gary Andrews, Steve Powell, Dean Sillett, Paul Cox, Craig Little,Liam Boden, Alan Shawcross, Mark Fitton, Rowan Hines
Botton row: Chris O'Brien, Dougie Owen, Scott Burns, Jason Holroyd, Anthony Smith, Mark Jones, Matt Walker, Chris Arnold.

Atherton Collieries Football Club was established in 1916 by miners from the six pits which were then operative within the old urban district of Atherton. Between 1919 and 1965 they were winners of the Bolton Combination League ten times. They established a noted reputation in Lancashire and by 1964-65 had won the Lancashire Junior Shield six times, a record which is still unsurpassed.

They are affectionately nicknamed 'The Welfare', 'The Miners' or 'Sooty'. They play at Alder Street and the much maligned, but recently demolished, main stand was described in David Bauckham's book Dugouts as "leaning forward as if in prayer for its continued survival".

They joined the Lancashire Combination Division Two in 1950 before leaving in 1952 to play again in the Bolton Combination. They rejoined the Lancashire Combination in 1971 before becoming founder members of the Cheshire County League Division Two in 1978-79. They joined the North West Counties League as founder members in 1982-83, winning the third division in 1986-87.

Steady progress off the pitch, with floodlights being erected in 1994, was matched by progress on the pitch as Colls’ final league position improved season on season. This culminated in promotion to the first division after finishing the 1995-96 season as runners-up to Vauxhall GM.

Colls have suffered mixed fortunes during their tenure in Division One. Their best season came in 2006-2007 when they finished in seventh place. In other seasons Colls have only avoided relegation due to events elsewhere in the league. In 2005-06 an impressive run of results towards the end of the season took Colls well clear of any relegation worries.

Atherton Collieries have been successful in a number of cup competitions over the years.

They were Lancashire FA Amateur Shield winners on a record-breaking six occasions. Firstly in 1920, they beat Dumers Lane 3-2 after extra time. Then in 1923 they defeated Barnoldswick Town 4-1. In 1942 they beat Royal Engineers 3-2 and in 1946 Moss Rovers were dispatched 5-2. The 1957 final saw Colls come out on top in a second replay against Burnley Albion, winning 3-2 after extra time and their last victory in the final came in 1965 when they defeated Breightmet United 6-1.

Perhaps Colls’ biggest final came in 2001-02 when they reached the last hurdle of the League Cup for the first time. And although they lost out to Prescot Cables in a close game, Colls could consider themselves unlucky not to have got their hands on the trophy.

In that same season, Colls enjoyed another cup final when they came up against Charnock Richard at the Reebok Stadium in the Bolton Wanderers sponsored Goldline Trophy. Colls ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a goal from Nicky Fisher. The following season Colls once again made it to the final of the Goldline Trophy but this time had to settle for runners-up.

Colls have also enjoyed success in numerous local cup competitions but have failed to make an impact in the national cup competitions. Their best run in the FA Vase came in 1992-93 when they reached the third round and in the FA Cup they got as far as the second qualifying round in 2002-03.

Season 2006/07

Following the resignation of experienced manager Alan Lord, Atherton Collieries appointed Phil Brown as manager at the end of the 2005-06 season. A reserve team was also entered in the Lancashire League (West) Reserve Division, competing against strong opposition from the reserve teams of Conference and Northern Premier League clubs.

After a good pre-season, Colls started the 2006-07 season with optimism and were rewarded with their best ever start to a league campaign in Division One. Despite an early exit from the FA Cup, they managed a couple of good results in the FA Vase before exiting the competition in the second round in an unlucky encounter with Glasshoughton Welfare.

Phil Brown’s young side showed a positive attitude and, even amongst some inconsistent results, played some neat and attractive football. Their finest performance came against league leaders FC United of Manchester in November 2006 when they inflicted a 3-0 defeat on The Red Rebels, their biggest defeat in first class football. The star of that match, Colls striker and hat-trick hero Anthony Pilkington, has since moved into the professional game with Stockport County.

After going through December, January and February without a win, Colls finished the season in some style with nine wins and just one defeat in their last thirteen games. Their first season under Phil Brown therefore culminated in a final league position of seventh, making 2006-07 the most successful season in the North West Counties in Colls' history.

Atherton Collieries' upturn in fortunes during the 2006-07 season owed a lot to a Football Development Centre near Preston in Lancashire - Myerscough College. Colls' then-manager Phil Brown was the college's FDC manager and his assistant Dave McCann was an FDC coach. The fruitful link-up saw an influx of young, talented players from the college's under-19 side, giving them a chance to develop their footballing talent at non-league level with Atherton Collieries.