Southport F.C.

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Southport
Southport emblem
Full nameSouthport Football Club
Nickname(s)The Sandgrounders
Founded1881
GroundHaig Avenue, Southport
Capacity6008
ChairmanCharlie Clapham
ManagerLiam Watson
LeagueNationwide Conference
2005-06Conference National, 19th


Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008 (1,884 seated, 4,124 standing). They are known by their nickname "The Sandgrounders".

History

Foundation: 1881-1921

The club were founded in 1881, and originally played their home matches at Ash Lane. At the start of the 1905/6 season, the club moved to its present home, Haig Avenue. In 1911, the club became founder members of the Central League. In 1918, the club was renamed as Southport Vulcan - having been bought by the Vulcan Motor Company - becoming the first club to take a sponsors name.

League history: 1921-1978

In 1921 the club joined The Football League became a founder member of the Third Division North. In 1931, Southport became the first club from the Third Division North to reach the sixth round (quarter-finals) of the FA Cup, where they lost 9-1 to Everton. A year later the club recorded its record attendance, when 20,010 watched them play Newcastle United in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Having finished in the bottom half of the table at the end of the 1957/8 season, the club dropped into the Fourth Division following the reorganisation of the Third Division North and Third Division South into Third and Fourth Divisions. The club's first promotion came at the end of the 1966/7 season, when they finished as runners-up in the Fourth Division behind Stockport County under the guidance of Billy Bingham, who later went on to manage the Northern Irish national team. They were relegated back to the Fourth Division in 1970, but won promotion again in 1973 when they finished as Fourth Division Champions. Relegation back to the Fourth Division followed the previous season.

Disaster struck in 1978, when the club were voted out of the Football League following three consecutive 23rd (out of 24) placed finshes, and were replaced by Wigan Athletic.

Non-league football: from 1978

The club dropped into the Northern Premier League, where they remained until finishing as Champions in the 1992/3 season, and were promoted to the Football Conference. In 1998 the club had its first (and only) trip to Wembley, when they lost 1-0 to Cheltenham Town in the final of the FA Trophy. 10,000 Southport fans made the trip to London to see the match.

The club were relegated back to the Northern Premier League at the end of the 2002/3 season. They became founder members of the new Conference North in 2004/5, and were the league's first Champions, earning promotion back to the newly-renamed Conference National. In the 2005/6 season, Southport spent much of their time at the bottom of the table, but managed to secure survival with a five-game unbeaten run culminating in a scoreless away draw with third-placed Grays Athletic F.C. on 25th April. Manager Liam Watson stated that this feat was more impressive than their title winning accomplishments the season before.

Squad

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Strikers

Famous Players/Managers

External links


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