Frickley Athletic

Latest news

Stadium stalwart mourned by Blues
Frickley Athletic Stadium stalwart mourned by Blues By David Watters

EVO-STIK League Frickley Athletic are mourning the passing of their stadium announcer and stalwart Keith Donkin.

Early signing is boardroom boost
Frickley Athletic Early signing is boardroom boost By David Watters

Frickley Athletic have already started beefing up their boardroom for the 2018-19 EVO-STIK League campaign.

Six of the best and top of the tree!
Frickley Athletic Six of the best and top of the tree! By David Watters

Promotion-chasing Frickley Athletic are flying the flag for the Northern Premier League as Non-League's hot-shots!

Johnson family in Blues takeover
Frickley Athletic Johnson family in Blues takeover By David Watters

Another member of the Johnson family has signed for Frickley Athletic as the new commercial manager at the EVO-STIK League's Blues.

Stopper signs before window closes
Frickley Athletic Stopper signs before window closes By David Watters

Bolton Wanderers keeper Jake Turner will be one of the stand-out names on Saturday's official list of player movements around the EVO-STIK League before the transfer window closes on Thursday.

Promotion-chasers secure duo
Frickley Athletic Promotion-chasers secure duo By David Watters

Frickley Athletic manager Spencer Fearn and his number two John Stancliffe have both committed their long-term futures to the EVO-STIK League's promotion chasers.

Spinal injury fears for teen forward
Frickley Athletic Spinal injury fears for teen forward By David Watters

Spalding United manager Chris Rawlinson is wishing Jonny Lockie a speedy recovery after the striker suffered a suspected neck and spinal injury during his side's abandoned EVO-STIK League clash with Frickley Athletic.

Address

Address:
SW Jackson Utilities Stadium Westfield Lane South Elmsall Pontefract WF9 2EQ
Directions:
Seated:
490
Standing:
2087
Telephone:
01977 642460
Website:

Contacts

Chairman:
TBA
Secretary:
Ruth Simpson ruthi.b@sky.com
Match secretary:
Ruth Simpson ruthi.b@sky.com
Programme editor:
Manager:
Spencer Fearn

Kit

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History

Frickley Colliery Football Club was formed in 1910 and played initially in the Sheffield Association, followed by a spell in the Yorkshire League. In 1924 the club joined the old Midland League where they remained members until 1960 when the league disbanded upon which they moved to the Cheshire County League.

In 1970 the 'Blues' returned to the reformed Midland Counties League and four years later the club changed its name to Frickley Athletic FC. Although Frickley were runners-up in the League in 1971-72 it was after their change of name that their climb up the ladder really began. After winning the Midland League Cup in 1976 they were accepted into the Northern Premier League. The stay in the Northern Premier League was only a short one as in 1979-80 Frickley finished in third position in the League and after their ground, Westfield Lane, was given a 'B' grading they took the place of Redditch United in the Alliance Premier League, now the Nationwide Conference.

In season 1985-86 the 'Blues' had their most successful season ever when they defeated a Football League side for the first time when beating Hartlepool 1-0 away in the Second Round Proper of the F.A. Cup. History was also made as it was the first time the club had reached the Third Round Proper however a 1-3 home defeat was to follow against local rivals Rotherham United. Frickley then went on to lift the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup and also finished runners-up in the Gola League. Then to top things off the manager, Sean Marshall was elected 'Gola League Manager of the Year'.

The following season saw a complete turn around as the 'Blues' were knocked out of both the FA Cup and FA Trophy in the first games and they finally finished next to the bottom of the League and were relegated back to the Northern Premier League.

Since season 1987-88 Frickley consistently finished around mid-table in the NPL. and in the 1991-92 season, when finishing 14th, they reached the final of the H.F.S. Loans League Cup only to lose 1-0 to a last minute Marine goal at Manchester City's Maine Road ground. The following two seasons saw Frickley finish seventh and fifth respectively but since then the club have struggled to find success and have finished in the lower reaches of the table.

Season 1999-2000 saw the Blues finish in 16th position in the League for the third season in succession but a first piece of silverware for ten years was gained when Emley were defeated in the final of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup at Hillsborough. However, Ian Thompson resigned as manager and several of the squad left the club He was replaced by former Barnsley and Newcastle United player Stewart Barrowclough who brought in numerous young players but, unfortunately, some of these were not yet ready for UniBond League football and the Blues struggled at the foot of the table from the start of the season.

Barrowclough resigned at the end of September immediately following a 12-0 defeat at Worksop Town, with former Gainsborough Trinity and Guiseley manager Steve Richards taking over a few weeks later. Richards slowly reshaped the side and form started to improve with just one defeat in the last eight games, including a last day victory at Lancaster City, enabling the Blues to retain their Premier Division status by one point. Richards also steered the side to an FA Cup First Round appearance for the first time in 12 but the Cup dream ended in a 4-0 defeat which flattered the Division Two side.

The club had a poor start to the 2001-02 season and this resulted in Steve Richards resigning as manager in mid-September with the club yet to record a League win after 8 matches. His Assistant, Gary Marrow took over team affairs on a caretaker basis with the first victory of the season being obtained at Whitby Town in the next game. As results picked up, Marrow was given the manager's job on a permanent basis and the season improved steadily with the Blues eventually finishing in 13th place - their highest position for ten seasons. However, immediately after the last match Marrow resigned to take over at his hometown club, Belper Town, with several of the players following him.

Marrow was replaced by Phil Sharpe, who was previously assistant manager at Guiseley, and he slowly rebuilt the side. After a disastrous start to the season which saw the club lose the first seven games Sharpe turned the side round and a fantastic sequence of results towards the end of the season saw the club pull clear of the relegation places. The following season the club were looking to build on the previous season’s improvement and, like all other clubs in the Premier Division, were looking to do well to try and gain a place in the new Conference North Division. At the turn of the year the Blues were well placed but a disastrous run from mid-January saw the Blues eventually finish second-bottom.

The club made a stuttering start to the 2004-05 season and at the start of September Sharpe resigned, with stalwart Gary Hatto taking temporary charge of team affairs until the Club re-appointed Gary Marrow as manager on 3rd October 2004. Marrow soon made drastic changes to the side and steered the Club clear of the relegation zone, although safety was only certain on the last day of the season.

The 2005-06 season saw the Blues enjoy their most successful season for twenty years as they pushed Blyth Spartans all the way in the quest for the UniBond Premier Division title but the North East club eventually pipped the Blues by three points to leave Frickley as runners-up. This gave them a home tie in the promotion play-offs against fifth placed North Ferriby United but, unfortunately, the Blues were defeated on penalties. Incredibly, this was the Blues’ fourth penalty shoot-out defeat of the season after earlier defeats to Warrington Town in the FA Trophy, Lincoln United in the League Cup and Blyth Spartans in the UniBond League Chairman’s Cup!

The club made a good start to the 2006-07 season but results and performances soon started to falter which prompted Marrow and his management team to leave for pastures new at the end of September. By early October the club’s committee had appointed the highly rated former Bridlington Town manager Billy Heath as Marrow’s successor and despite the departure of a large number of players, many of whom followed Marrow to Grantham Town, he achieved his primary objective of keeping Frickley Athletic in the UniBond Premier Division.

Hopes were high of a good 2007-08 season but Heath resigned after the Club failed to win any of their first 15 matches in all competitions. He was replaced by former Frickley favourites Mark Hancock and Andy Hayward but despite managing to record the club’s first win of the season performances deteriorated and Hancock and Hayward were dismissed after just a month in charge. Heath returned to the hot-seat in a caretaker capacity and slowly turned the club’s fortunes around so much so that he was re-installed as manager in a permanent capacity. After looking relegation certainties Frickley eventually avoided relegation with two matches to spare. The 2008-09 season saw the club enjoy a relatively successful if uneventful campaign with a final League placing of 11th being secured, whilst 2009-10 followed a similar story with a final placing of 15th.

Billy Heath’s tenure as manager ended at the end of September 2010 and he was replaced by former Worksop Town manager Peter Rinkcavage with Jason Maybury joining as his assistant with the club hoping for greater success. Unfortunately, Rinkcavage was unable to improve the club’s fortunes with the club only escaping relegation due to off-the-field problems at Northwich Victoria which saw them relegated in place of the Blues. Rinkcavage and Maybury were dismissed at the end of the season and were replaced by the former Goole AFC management team of Karl Rose and James Dudgeon.

After being left with only one player from the previous season Rose and Dudgeon had an understandably slow start to the season but slowly they assembled a side that could compete with most in the division and the side finished the season by winning the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup for the first time in nine seasons.

The 2013-14 season saw Frickley finish in fourth bottom position in the table after a poor end to the season. Despite this being the last relegation place the club received a reprieve from relegation due to the resignation of Vauxhall Motors from the Conference North division. The side again reached the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup Final but lost 1-0 to Athersley Recreation.

The Blues were in a healthy position in mid-table half-way through the season but a slump in form saw them drop into a fight against relegation at the end of the season which they ultimately avoided by a solitary point. The side did, however, reclaim the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup with a 4-1 win over Nostell Miners Welfare at Rotherham United’s New York Stadium.

Season 2015-16 saw the club have an excellent season in the league, finishing seventh and just outside the play off positions. Unfortunately, the team was broken up during the off season as higher placed clubs cherry picked members of the playing staff.

2016-17 proved to be a turbulent season, starting with a winless run which saw the management team replaced by legendary striker Lee Morris and James Kay. This brought about a brief upturn in results but another barren run also cost them their positions with Karl Rose returning with his management team. Unfortunately, they were unable to bring about an upturn in results and the club was relegated from the NPL’s top flight to start season 2017-18 in Evo-Stik League South.

In the FA Cup Frickley have reached the First Round Proper on eleven occasions:
1936 Southport (Home) 0-2
1957 South Shields (Away) 2-3
1963 Notts County (Away) 1-2
1971 Rotherham United (Home) 2-2 (Away) 0-4
1973 Halifax Town (Away) 1-6
1983 Altrincham (Home) 0-1
1984 Stalybridge Celtic (Home) 2-1
1985 Halesowen Town (Home) 1-1 (Away) 3-1
1986 Altrincham (Home) 0-0 (Away) 0-4
1988 Northwich Vics (Home) 0-2
2000 Northampton Town (Away) 0-4

It was against Rotherham United in 1971 that the record attendance for Westfield Lane was set of 6000 although, at the time, the club's average crowd was about 600.

The Second Round Proper has been reached on two occasions:
1985 Darlington (Away) 0-1
1986 Hartlepool Utd (Away) 1-0

The club's only Third Round appearance to date is the 3-1 home defeat to Rotherham United in 1985-86

Honours
FA Cup 3rd Round – 1985-86
FA Trophy Quarter Finalists – 1984-85
Goal League (Football Conference Premier) Runners Up – 1985-86
Northern Premier League Runners Up – 2005-06
3rd Place (Promoted to Football Conference) – 1979-80
Northern Premier League Cup Runners Up – 1991-92
Midland League Runners Up – 1972-73
Midland League Cup Winners - 1975-76
Yorkshire League Runners Up – 1923-24
Sheffield Association League Winners – 1920-21, Runners Up – 1911-12
Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup Winners 1927-28, 1956-57, 1960-61, 1962-63, 1966-67, 1978-79, 1985-86, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1999-00, 2003-04 & 2012-13

Latest Results

h
Sat 28 Apr
1 – 0 W
a
Thu 26 Apr
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Tue 24 Apr
4 – 2 W

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