A.F.C. Blackpool
A Lancashire football club with a history of mergers.
A.F.C. Blackpool is a football club based in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. The club currently play at Jepson Way and are nicknamed The Mechanics or The Mechs. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.
Quick Facts
- Club
- AFC Blackpool
- Full name
- Association Football Club Blackpool
- Nickname
- The Mechanics
- Founded
- 1947
- Ground
- The Mechanics, Jepson Way, Blackpool
- Capacity
- 2,000 (250 seated)
- Chairman
- Stuart Parker
- Manager
- Martin Baird
Facts from the source article.
History
The club was founded as Blackpool Metal Mechanics in 1947 and later renamed Blackpool Mechanics. They began in local Fylde coast leagues, winning the Fylde District League Division Two in 1950–51. Between 1953–54 and 1957–58 they were Division One champions twice and runners-up three times, also taking the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield in 1957–58. In 1959 they moved to the West Lancashire League, finishing runners-up in their first season and winning the league in 1960–61, along with another Amateur Shield.
They repeated as league champions the following season. In 1962 they joined the Lancashire Combination Division Two, which disbanded in 1968. A third-place finish came in 1971–72, the Bridge Shield in 1972–73, and league runners-up in 1974–75. Upon the formation of the North West Counties Football League, they were placed in Division Three.
They won promotion as champions to Division Two in 1985–86, briefly reached Division One in 1991–92, and were later relegated. In May 2005 Lytham St. Annes FC merged into the Mechanics. In May 2008 the Mechanics merged with Squires Gate Junior FC, and the club was renamed AFC Blackpool, a change approved by Blackpool F.C. in July 2008.
Ground
The club play at The Mechanics on Jepson Way, having originally played at Stanley Park Arena. In December 2007 a £60,000 refurbishment was announced, including pitch improvements, new crowd barrier fencing, and concreting the spectators area. Drainage, levelling, and reseeding of the pitch began in April 2008. After the name change in May 2008, additional land was leased and investment made to improve facilities; the ground was named The Mechanics to maintain the link with the past.
In February 2006 a match against FC United of Manchester was moved to Blackpool's Bloomfield Road due to the anticipated crowd; around 4,300 spectators saw the Mechanics lose 4–2, earning £10,000. The ground has four stands: the east side main stand with dressing rooms, club offices, clubhouse, and two rows of seating; a 100-capacity seated stand on the west side with dugouts; and small terraced stands behind each goal.
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