Warrington Town

Formed in 1949 by Jimmy Drinkwater, the club was initially named Stockton Heath Albion and competed in the Warrington and District League until 1953, when they moved to the Mid Cheshire League. Freddie Worrall became manager at the same time, and during a 13-year spell in charge, the club won the league in 1959–60 plus the League Cup in three consecutive seasons during the 1950s. During his thirteen years at the helm, Heath were one of the most feared sides in Cheshire football, winning a string of honours including the Mid Cheshire League Championship in 1959–60, the League Cup in 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56 and made several appearances in the Cheshire Amateur Cup Final. Several players from this successful period went on to join Football League clubs, including Ian Weir, John Green, Alan Foster and Roger Hunt, later a World Cup winner with England in 1966.

At the club’s 1961 AGM, it was decided to change the name to Warrington Town. In 1978 the club were founder members of Division Two of the Cheshire County League.[1] When it merged into the North West Counties Football League in 1982, the club were founder members of Division Three. They finished as runners-up in the first season, earning promotion to Division Two. In 1985–86 Warrington reached the semi-finals of the FA Vase, losing 6–3 to Halesowen Town in a replay. After finishing as runners-up in Division Two in 1986–87, the club were promoted to Division One.[1] In the same season they reached the FA Vase final, where they lost 3–2 to local rivals St Helens Town

In 1989–90 Warrington Town won Division One, and were promoted to the Northern Premier League. In 1992–93 they reached the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy, eventually losing 2–1 at Sutton United, and also became the first Division One club to reach the final of the League Cup, losing on penalties to Winsford United. The season also saw the club sell Neil Whalley to Football League Third Division side Preston North End for a £25,000, equalling the record fee paid for a Northern Premier League player. A few weeks later Warrington also sold Liam Watson to Preston for a record £60,000.

After finishing second bottom of the league in 1996–97, the club were relegated back to Division One of the North West Counties League. The following season they were relegated again.[1] In the 1998–99 season, teenage striker Damien Whitehead set a new club record of 52 goals in just 42 appearances, before signing for Football League Division Three side Macclesfield Town at the end of the season. The 1999–2000 season saw Town win the Second Division Trophy beating Tetley Walker F.C (known as The Holden Final) 2–0 at Prescot Cables, with two goals from Neal Holden, whilst the following season saw Warrington win Division Two and earn promotion back to Division One. They finished fifth in 2003–04, and were promoted to Division One of the Northern Premier League as part of the restructuring that led to the creation of the Conference North and South. When Division One was split into northern and southern sections in 2007, the club were placed in the southern division, but were moved to the northern section the following season.[1]

In 2013–14 the club finished third in Division One North, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. However, they lost 1–0 at home to Bamber Bridge in the semi-finals.

2014-15 season

In 2014–15 the club reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history, where they beat League Two club Exeter City 1–0 with a 7th-minute header from defender and plasterer Craig Robinson, the brother of MK Dons manager Karl Robinson, in a giant-killing at Cantilever Park.[2] The game was shown live on BBC Two. In the second round, Warrington Town lost 0–2 at Gateshead.,[3] televised live on BT Sport.

On 30 April 2015, the club lifted its first trophy in 14 years by defeating Farsley Celtic in the final of the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup (then called the Doodson Sport Cup) at Edgeley Park on penalties after the game finished scoreless.

Having played many games (14 in the FA Cup & NPL Challenge Cup alone), the club finished 9th in Northern Premier League Division One North.

2015-16 season

The 2015–16 season began with Warrington Town aiming for promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division for the first time in the club’s history. During the season the club set many new club records including scoring over 100 league goals and also winning over 30 league games in one season. Attendances at the club increased with a seasons average of 418 per game, including two crowds of over 1,000 for the games against Northwich Victoria and Prescot Cables

There was to be no repeat of the previous seasons FA Cup run as Town exited at the first hurdle in late August losing to Abbey Hey F.C.

After a relatively poor start to the season, with a win, a loss and 2 draws plus the FA Cup exit, Town embarked on an unbeaten run in the league of 9 wins and a draw from end August to mid October. During this unbeaten run, manager Shaun Reid was absent through illness for much of September, with Stuart Mellish, Lee Smith and the rest of the coaching staff standing in.

In the FA Trophy, Town won through 2 rounds before losing to AFC Fylde in November. The defence of the NPL Challenge Cup lasted just one match as they lost to Ramsbottom in a 3-times postponed match in early December.

There was another impressive unbeaten run in the league of 15 wins and a draw from late October until the first week of March, including separate runs of 5 and 6 clean sheets.

On 11 February, the Club parted company with manager Shaun Reid by mutual consent. The Club decided not to renew his contract at the end of the season and the board agreed to his request to be released from his contract immediately. Stuart Mellish & Lee Smith took over as the management team until the end of the season.

This did not seem to affect the club’s bid for promotion as Town lost only 2 more league games in the season, winning the other 12 games.

Needing just one point from the last 3 games of the season, Town won 6-1 at home against Prescot Cables in front of over 1400 spectators to seal the Championship title with 2 games remaining.

The final league record was 34 wins, 4 draws and just 4 defeats. Town won Division One North by 15 points setting division records of 106 points and 121 goals scored, beating the records set in the 2012-13 season. Town also scored in every one of the 42 league games.

Striker & Town captain Ciaran Kilheeney was the top scorer in all 3 NPL divisions with 37 league goals (the next highest was 29 goals). (He also scored 4 cup goals during the season.)

Ciaran Kilheeney, centre back James McCarten and goalkeeper Karl Wills were named in the NPL Division One North team of the season.

2016-17 season

The Club will play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division in 2016-17 (level 7 of the National League System). This will be the highest level in the Club’s history.

Credit: Wikipedia.com

Leagues
BetVictor NPL Premier Division, NPL Premier Division
Seasons
2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22
Home
Winner Recruitment Stadium

Results

2 - 0

Matlock Town vs Warrington Town

2 - 0

Warrington Town vs Witton Albion

0 - 2

Atherton Collieries vs Warrington Town

1 - 1

Warrington Town vs Stafford Rangers

0 - 1

Basford United vs Warrington Town

0 - 1

Warrington Town vs Mickleover F.C.

0 - 2

Radcliffe FC vs Warrington Town

1 - 3

Warrington Town vs Ashton United

0 - 3

Stalybridge Celtic vs Warrington Town

2 - 0

Morpeth Town vs Warrington Town

3 - 1

Warrington Town vs Morpeth Town

0 - 1

FC United of Manchester vs Warrington Town

2 - 1

Hyde United vs Warrington Town

2 - 1

Warrington Town vs Nantwich Town

3 - 3

Warrington Town vs Grantham Town

1 - 1

Whitby Town vs Warrington Town

1 - 2

Warrington Town vs South Shields

3 - 3

Buxton vs Warrington Town

4 - 1

Warrington Town vs Bamber Bridge

1 - 4

Witton Albion vs Warrington Town

0 - 2

Warrington Town vs Scarborough Athletic

1 - 1

Warrington Town vs Radcliffe FC

1 - 1

Gainsborough Trinity vs Warrington Town

5 - 1

Warrington Town vs Lancaster City FC

2 - 2

Mickleover F.C. vs Warrington Town

1 - 0

Warrington Town vs Hyde United

1 - 2

Grantham Town vs Warrington Town

0 - 0

Warrington Town vs Whitby Town

1 - 1

Nantwich Town vs Warrington Town

3 - 0

Warrington Town vs Stalybridge Celtic

0 - 1

Ashton United vs Warrington Town

2 - 3

Warrington Town vs Basford United

3 - 2

South Shields vs Warrington Town

2 - 2

Warrington Town vs Buxton

1 - 0

Warrington Town vs Gainsborough Trinity

0 - 1

Lancaster City FC vs Warrington Town

2 - 2

Bamber Bridge vs Warrington Town

0 - 2

Warrington Town vs Matlock Town

2 - 0

Warrington Town vs Atherton Collieries

2 - 0

Scarborough Athletic vs Warrington Town

0 - 1

Stafford Rangers vs Warrington Town

2 - 0

Warrington Town vs FC United of Manchester

Canceled

FC United of Manchester vs Warrington Town

Canceled

Lancaster City FC vs Warrington Town

Canceled

Warrington Town vs Nantwich Town

Canceled

Warrington Town vs Radcliffe FC

Canceled

Mickleover F.C. vs Warrington Town

Canceled

Warrington Town vs Whitby Town

Canceled

Warrington Town vs Atherton Collieries

Canceled

Warrington Town vs Gainsborough Trinity

Canceled

Basford United vs Warrington Town

3 - 2

Warrington Town vs Matlock Town

0 - 2

Stalybridge Celtic vs Warrington Town

1 - 1

Ashton United vs Warrington Town

4 - 4

FC United of Manchester vs Warrington Town

2 - 0

Warrington Town vs Scarborough Athletic

3 - 3

Warrington Town vs Grantham Town

2 - 1

Lancaster City FC vs Warrington Town

2 - 1

Warrington Town vs Whitby Town

2 - 2

Stafford Rangers vs Warrington Town

1 - 0

Warrington Town vs Radcliffe FC

1 - 1

Warrington Town vs Atherton Collieries

3 - 3

Bamber Bridge vs Warrington Town

1 - 1

Warrington Town vs Witton Albion

4 - 0

Morpeth Town vs Warrington Town

1 - 1

Warrington Town vs Basford United

1 - 1

South Shields vs Warrington Town

3 - 1

Warrington Town vs Nantwich Town

2 - 1

Warrington Town vs Stafford Rangers

4 - 1

Warrington Town vs Hyde United

1 - 2

Warrington Town vs Stalybridge Celtic

1 - 2

Matlock Town vs Warrington Town

0 - 1

Whitby Town vs Warrington Town

2 - 2

Warrington Town vs Lancaster City FC

1 - 1

Scarborough Athletic vs Warrington Town

0 - 1

Warrington Town vs FC United of Manchester

1 - 1

Radcliffe FC vs Warrington Town

1 - 3

Nantwich Town vs Warrington Town

1 - 0

Warrington Town vs Mickleover Sports

3 - 1

Warrington Town vs Bamber Bridge

0 - 0

Gainsborough Trinity vs Warrington Town

2 - 4

Atherton Collieries vs Warrington Town

1 - 3

Warrington Town vs Morpeth Town

2 - 2

Buxton vs Warrington Town

0 - 0

Warrington Town vs Witton Albion

1 - 2

Stalybridge Celtic vs Warrington Town

2 - 0

Warrington Town vs Scarborough Athletic

1 - 0

Warrington Town vs Whitby Town

0 - 2

Matlock Town vs Warrington Town

2 - 1

Warrington Town vs Gainsborough Trinity

1 - 1

Stafford Rangers vs Warrington Town

2 - 3

Warrington Town vs Stafford Rangers

1 - 4

Mickleover Sports vs Warrington Town

0 - 2

Workington A.F.C vs Warrington Town

3 - 3

Warrington Town vs Nantwich Town

1 - 2

South Shields vs Warrington Town

3 - 1

Warrington Town vs Hednesford Town

1 - 4

Gainsborough Trinity vs Warrington Town

3 - 0

Warrington Town vs Grantham Town

1 - 1

Warrington Town vs Lancaster City FC

1 - 0

Scarborough Athletic vs Warrington Town

3 - 3

Farsley Celtic vs Warrington Town

2 - 0

Warrington Town vs Bamber Bridge

2 - 3

Basford United vs Warrington Town

1 - 2

Witton Albion vs Warrington Town

2 - 1

Warrington Town vs Buxton

Postponed

Workington A.F.C vs Warrington Town

0 - 2

Marine vs Warrington Town

2 - 1

Warrington Town vs Hyde United

1 - 1

Warrington Town vs Basford United

1 - 0

Hednesford Town vs Warrington Town

0 - 2

Grantham Town vs Warrington Town

2 - 1

Nantwich Town vs Warrington Town

Postponed

Gainsborough Trinity vs Warrington Town

Postponed

Warrington Town vs Stafford Rangers

0 - 1

Warrington Town vs Matlock Town

0 - 1

Whitby Town vs Warrington Town

1 - 0

Warrington Town vs Mickleover Sports

3 - 0

Warrington Town vs South Shields

1 - 0

Warrington Town vs Marine

0 - 2

Hyde United vs Warrington Town

2 - 0

Warrington Town vs Workington A.F.C

0 - 0

Bamber Bridge vs Warrington Town

0 - 0

Warrington Town vs Stalybridge Celtic

1 - 3

Lancaster City FC vs Warrington Town

0 - 2

Warrington Town vs Farsley Celtic