AIRBUS' HISTORY
With changes in the factory name the football team has followed suit, being known at various times as VickersArmstrong, de Havilands, Hawker Siddeley, British Aerospace, BAe Systems and Airbus UK. The club is now firmly established as Airbus UK Broughton and, until the end of the 2003/04 season, played its football in the Cymru Alliance, the second tier of the Welsh soccer pyramid. The club was formed in 1946 and has played in both Chester & District League and the Welsh National League (Wrexham Area). Their last move, into the Welsh pyramid system, saw them canter to the Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Division Two title during the 1991/92 season winning it by a clear 19 points from Gresford Athletic Reserves. In that season they won 28 of their 34 matches and scored a remarkable 130 goals, an average of almost four goals per game. They also reached the NEWFA Challenge Cup final losing narrowly to Gresford Athletic. They then spent four seasons in Division One, the first two seasons finishing sixth then, in the third season, two places better in fourth. Season 1995/96 saw a further promotion, finishing runners-up behind Wrexham Colts at the end of the campaign: enough to see them move into the Premier Division of the Welsh National League along with the divisional champions. Once again they spent four seasons at that level, the first two witnessing steady consolidation, finishing seventh and sixth respectively. In 1998/99, the side pushed hard for the championship but could only finish runners-up once again, a mere two points behind eventual champions Corwen Amateurs. At last, in 1999/2000, British Aerospace went one better and won the title with 21 victories from 30 matches, finishing their programme four points ahead of Ruthin Town and Penycae. This success meant promotion once
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The Nomads vs Airbus UK Broughton
again, into the Cymru Alliance league and to coincide with the promotion the club changed its name from British Aerospace to Airbus UK. Their first season in the Cymru Alliance was something of a struggle, eventually finishing in a creditable 11th-place with 10 wins and 14 defeats. Unfortunately, the campaign was badly affected by the outbreak of foot and mouth disease which disrupted much of life in Wales. Continuing the pattern seen after previous promotions, the second term saw a steady improvement and in the 2001/02 Airbus UK finished in eighth spot with 16 wins. The club was clearly ambitious and again showed signs of progress in the 2002/03 season, achieving their highest ever finish of fifth spot in the Cymru Alliance and reaching the NEWFA Challenge Cup final, losing narrowly on penalties. 2003/04 was tremendously successful when Airbus UK took the Cymru Alliance title with considerable ease, winning it by 19 points from closest rivals Buckley Town, and thus gained promotion to the national league competition, the Welsh Premier. Ground improvements 'The Wingmakers' as they are known carried out steady improvements to their ground sited just inside the massive Airbus Works in Broughton, near Chester. A new stand was built with a pavilion incorporating changing rooms being completed early in 2004 and two more stands were later added on the opposite touchline and at the Runway End, bringing seating capacity to more than 500. Floodlights were installed in time for the beginning of the 2004/05 season in the Welsh Premier League. The first two seasons in the Welsh Premier League were something of a struggle as Airbus UK came to terms