Runcorn Town F.C.

Did You Know?

• In the 2014–15 FA Cup, Runcorn Town won 1–0 away at Conference North side Barrow, who were top of their league at the time.
• The 2017–18 season saw the club win their first 11 league games, with the first defeat coming in November.
• The 2025–26 season was the club's best ever, winning the North West Counties League Division One South by 15 points with just one defeat, plus the Edward Case Cup and the First Division Champions Cup.

History

The club was formed in 1967 as CKD and played in the Runcorn Sunday League. In 1970 the name changed to Mond FC, though little is known about the early years. At the start of the 1974–75 season the club moved to Saturday football in the Warrington & District Football League. At the end of that first season Mond amalgamated with ICI Weston to become Mond Rangers.

They remained in the Warrington & District Football League until 1984–85, when they were elected to the West Cheshire League Division Two, while maintaining a reserve team in the WDL. Les Walsh was leading goal scorer with 32 goals including 3 hat tricks. Mond Rangers became a solid mid-table team, winning their first silverware in 1991–92: the West Cheshire Bowl and a sixth-place finish in Division Two. The following season they finished third in the league and reached the Bowl final, then improved again by finishing third and regaining the Bowl.

Promotion came in 1994–95 with a second-place finish; they also reached the Cheshire Amateur Cup final, losing 2–1 to Poulton Victoria at Prenton Park. After a fifth-place finish in 1996–97 the club struggled in Division One and were relegated in 2001–02. Success returned in 2004–05 with a runners-up finish in Division Two, winning the Runcorn Senior Cup and reaching the Cheshire Bowl final. Before the 2005–06 season the club changed its name to Runcorn Town and began improving facilities with a view to joining the North West Counties League, but suffered relegation on the last day of the season.

The following season the club won Division Two for the first time and were promoted. The 2007–08 season was probably the most successful: they won the Runcorn Cup, were runners-up in the Pyke Cup, and finished third in Division One, the joint highest ever finish. They followed with a fourth-place finish in 2008–09 and another third-place finish in 2009–10.

Cup competitions

Runcorn Town first took part in the FA Cup during the 2011–12 season. Their debut match in the competition was an Extra preliminary round home fixture against Brighouse Town on 20 August 2011, which they won 4–1. Scott Burton scored the club’s first ever goal in the tournament. Their deepest run in the FA Cup came in the 2014–15 season, when they reached the third qualifying round. That campaign ended with a 5–2 home defeat to Norton United. In the previous round, they had pulled off a 1–0 away win at Holker Street against Barrow, who were then top of the National League North.

The club first entered the FA Vase in the 2010–11 season. After a bye in the first qualifying round, they played their first Vase match away to Parkgate in the second qualifying round on 18 September 2010. James McShane scored the club’s first goal in the competition as they won 3–1. Their best Vase performance occurred in the 2012–13 season, when they advanced to the fifth round proper. There, they lost 2–1 at home to Walsall Wood after extra time.

Runcorn Town also debuted in the Cheshire Senior Cup in the 2010–11 season. Given a bye in the first round, they faced Warrington Town in the second round. Despite a two-division gap between the sides, the match ended 1–1 after extra time, with Town losing 4–2 on penalties. A notable Cheshire Senior Cup tie came in the 2011–12 season, when they were drawn away to Woodley Sports. This was the club’s first competitive game on a synthetic pitch. After a 1–1 draw in regulation, three goals in the second half of extra time gave Woodley a 4–1 win.

In the 2025–26 season, Runcorn Town reached the Cheshire Senior Cup Final. They received a first-round bye, then beat Stockport Georgians on penalties. Further wins followed away to Stockport Town and at home in the semi-final against Vauxhall Motors. In the final at the Mornflake Stadium, they lost 5–2 to Crewe Alexandra.

Players

James McShane scored 163 goals in 288 appearances between 2007 and 2016. Craig Cairns scored 133 goals in 142 appearances between 2016 and 2022. Nick Haughton made 14 appearances during the 2013/14 season before joining Fleetwood Town; he later played in the Football League with Fleetwood and won the FA Trophy at Wembley with AFC Fylde in 2019. Tom Crawford made 6 appearances on loan from Chester during the 2017/18 season, later joining Notts County and then Hartlepool United. Mark McGregor made 36 appearances between 2016 and 2018 and was also Assistant Manager, having Football League experience with Wrexham, Burnley, Blackpool and Port Vale. Louis Moss made 3 appearances in 2017 and has 8 caps for Barbados. Kevin Ellison made 14 appearances during the 2023/24 season, having played in the Premier League and over 500 Football League appearances.