Issue #06 - v Bacup Borough (31/08/2024) by hobafc

SATURDAY 31 AUGUST 2024

NWCFL First Division North vs BACUP BOROUGH

KO 3:00PM

“WE DO MAKE A FEW CHANGES TODAY”

THOUGHTS FROM THE DUGOUT

Good afternoon and welcome back to Rakesmoor Lane for today’s North West Counties Football League fixture against Bacup.

We are very pleased with how we have performed over the first 10 games. We have a good return of seven wins, two draws, and one loss, and we will look to continue that today against Bacup Borough FC in our last home game for nearly a month.

Last weekend was a true test of our squad’s resilience, with two games in three days and a number of key individuals missing. However, the togetherness, fight, and determination the lads displayed for each other pushed them through, and they collected the maximum 6 points from the available games.

Last week, we saw some standout performances from key individuals. The young Charlie McGladdery proved his potential for stepping up, and Tyler Wood’s adaptability as a number 9 was evident when he scored a last-minute winner at Daisy Hill.

We do make a few changes today as we bring Tommy, Jase, and Frankie back into the squad. They are ready to make an impact, too. Hopefully, we can get Cal, Tyler, and Brandon back next week and gradually build their fitness levels to try and push on from our good start.

KEVIN WATKIN

GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS

FACTSHEET

COLOURS

White & Black

NICKNAME

The Borough

GROUND NAME

West View Stadium

CAPACITY

3,000 RECORD ATTENDANCE

2,000 (vs FC United of Manchester - 2007)

LEAGUE POSITION 9th

ON THE OPPONENT

THEIR HISTORY

Bacup Borough Football Club was established in 1879. Their first match to take place at their current Brian Boys West View Stadium was not until 1889 when one of the founder members of the English Football League, Accrington Stanley, played there in front of over 1,000 spectators.

Bacup’s proudest achievement was winning the Lancashire Combination Championship in the 1946/47 season and finishing runners-up after losing to Marine 2-1 in the Lancashire Combination Cup Final.

1972/73 season, the club finished runners-up in the league, losing out on goal average despite scoring 101 goals. In 1974/75, they reached the Lancashire Junior Cup Final losing 1-0 against Lancaster City, despite famous victories against Formby, Wigan Athletic, South Liverpool, and Morecambe. In the last ever Lancashire Combination Challenge Cup Final, Bacup were beaten 1-3 by Caernarfon Town in a two-legged Final.

In 1982 Bacup Borough became founder members of the North West Counties League following the amalgamation of the Cheshire League & the Lancashire Combination.

In the 1987/88 season, Bacup had to apply for re-election following finishing bottom of the Second Division.

In the 1988 /89 season under the Management of Gary Warburton, the club finished runners-up in Division Two and also finished Runners Up in the Lamot Pils Trophy, they also the same season, reached the Quarter Final of the League Cup and due to the Leagues re-organisation the club started the 1989 /90 season as a First Division Club. However, in the 1994 /95 season, Bacup Borough were relegated back to the Second Division & did struggle both on and off the field.

In September of the 1997/98 season, with no points on the board and following a humiliating 0-10 defeat by Tetley Walker, this prompted the Committee to part company with their then Manager. This then made way for the appointment of the former Doncaster Rovers Assistant Manager, Bury F.C Youth Team Coach, Accrington Stanley Director of Football, & Rossendale Utd & Glossop North End Manager Brent Peters to take over as Manager, a position he has held ever since.

Brent’s early record of achievement saw the club finish the 1997/98 season in 14th position, climbing in 1998 /99 to 11th position before in 1999/00, where they finished 5th in the league, the club’s highest league position in over ten years.

West View Stadium, Bacup

In Season 2000/01, the club reached the Second Division Cup Final but lost 1-0 to Squires Gate. Brent’s most significant achievement came at the end of the 2002/03 season when he guided the club to the Championship of the North West Counties League First Division, the first major success for the club in 56 years. This brought Brent Three Manager of the Month Awards and The Manager of The Year Award.

Season 2003/04, Bacup’s first season following the First Division Championship, the club finished 14th in the Premier Division and did win the North West Counties League Challenge Cup at Southport’s Haig Avenue Ground by beating Newcastle Town 3-0. Other cup runs saw Borough as NWCFL Challenge Cup Quarter Finalists in 2004/05 and Lancashire FA Cooperative Trophy Quarter Finalists in 2007/08. They finished in 8th position in the NWCFL Premier Division in the 2008/09 Season.

14th June 2004 brought another landmark for the club when Bacup’s late Secretary Frank Manning celebrated not only his 70th Birthday but also 50 years in the game, of which well over 40 years have been spent in administration at his beloved Bacup Borough FC. Frank was recognised with a gold award for this achievement on behalf of the Football Association by Mr Jim Kenyon, the Secretary of the Lancashire Football Association. This achievement brought Frank the position of Chairman of the club, a post he held until accepting the position of President of Bacup & Rossendale Borough FC at the re-branding on 17th June 2013.

EYES ON OPPONENT

It was a sad start to the 2011/2012 season with the sudden passing away of Kenneth Peters on 15th June 2011. Kenneth was also the club president and the father of our Manager. On the field of play, further success was to come with more silverware, this following a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Maine Road in the NWCFL Challenge Cup Final, which was played at the Tameside Stadium Ashton, in front of a big crowd, Davey Luker captained the team.

The 2012/2013 season was another difficult time at the club following the sad deaths of people dearly close to the club. Four came in the month of 12th October, from which the biggest shock was 27-year-old player Bryan Herbert. On the pitch, the team again did well by getting to yet another cup final, and this time it was the Lancashire FA Cooperative Trophy Final played at the Reebok Stadium at Bolton. Despite playing a team from two leagues above, Bacup gave an excellent account of themselves against a team from the Evo Stick Premier Division, AFC Fylde ran out 2-0 winners.

17th June 2013, Bacup Borough officially adopted the title of Rossendale; this came about following the sad demise of Rossendale United FC, thus leaving Bacup Borough as the Rossendale Valley’s most senior football club. They were now the sole flag bearers of the Rossendale Valley, and, for the commercial side, it made sense to add ‘Rossendale’ to the club’s name, making the club Bacup & Rossendale Borough FC. The new name also brings a newly designed crest to form its own identity, with a plan for progression in place and the words ‘Prosperity Through Endeavour’ prominently featured.

The 2013/2014 season was a nail-biter until the last game, but with BARB’s place in the Premier Division secured, the club is ready to progress with its ambitious plans as Rossendale’s number-one football club.

Brent Peters, Manager

ON THE OPPONENT

Sadly the 2014/2015 season did not turn out as we had wished. Injuries and other severe problems off the pitch resulted in more pressing important matters that Manager Brent Peters had to deal with, resulting in the team being relegated from the Premier Division.

A decision was taken to relaunch Bacup Borough Football Club from the start of the 2015/2016 season.

The historic crest was brought back, and there were exciting developments on and off the pitch. Among those was the creation of two junior teams – an U15 team and an U18 team – who competed under the banner of Bacup Borough FC and had excellent seasons, both teams winning trophies. Season 2015/2016 was a season of rebuilding, and the first team finished the season very strongly, reaching the Division One play-off final, only to lose two nil in extra time of what had been a hard-fought and evenly balanced game.

2016/17 was the start of a rebuilding programme with a further introduction within our Youth Development with an U21 team. This was followed in the 2017/18 season by introducing an under-9s team. The Youth structure started to pay off with the senior squad introducing several boys into this side.

2018/19 Manager Brent Peters started with probably his youngest-ever squad, with the average age being 21 years old. The boys contributed to a very good season finishing 8th in the League, Semi-Finalist in the First Division Trophy, and winning the Team of the Month for April with five games, two home draws, and then three back-to-back away wins. The last two seasons have been highly disruptive to football. The club now has a fit and promising young squad keen to carry on from where they left off last season, challenging for promotion.

Manager Brent Peters in 2022 celebrated 25 years in charge at the club making him the longest current serving manager in world football according to reports on the BBC. A fantastic achievement for a man who has committed such a large part of his life to the historic club.