West Didsbury & Chorlton A.F.C.
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| Full name | West Didsbury & Chorlton Association Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | West | ||
| Founded | 1908, as Christ Church A.F.C. | ||
| Ground | The Recreation Ground, Brookburn Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester | ||
| Capacity | 1,320 [1] | ||
| Chairman | Steve Eckersley [2] | ||
| Manager | Paul Marshall [3] | ||
| League | North West Counties League Premier Division | ||
| 2023–24 | North West Counties League Premier Division, 16th of 24 | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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West Didsbury & Chorlton Association Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, a suburb of Manchester, England. They are currently members of the North West Counties League Premier Division, the ninth tier of English football, and play at The Recreation Ground, currently known as The Step Places Stadium for sponsorship reasons[4], but mostly referred to as Brookburn Road. Nicknamed "West", the club was founded as Christ Church in 1908. In 1920, the club changed its name to West Didsbury, and after moving to their current stadium, Brookburn Road, in Chorlton in 1997 they changed their name to West Didsbury & Chorlton to reflect this.
West spent most of its history in the Lancashire and Cheshire League, then joined the Manchester League Division One in 2006. After gaining promotion to the Manchester League Premier Division and entering the FA Vase in 2011, the club was accepted into the North West Counties Football League Division One for the 2012–13 season, and gained promotion to the Premier Division after just one season.
History[edit]
The club was formed in West Didsbury as Christ Church A.F.C. in 1908 by a local Sunday School Superintendent. Christ Church joined the Manchester Alliance League, in which they played until 1914.[5] For the 1920–21 season, the club changed its name to West Didsbury A.F.C. and joined the Lancashire and Cheshire League.
In 2003, the club changed its name to West Didsbury & Chorlton, to reflect its new location after an earlier ground move. In 2006, they entered the Manchester League Division One, won two Murray Shields in three seasons, and were crowned champions in 2010–11, gaining promotion to the Premier Division.[5] In the 2011–12 season, the club played in the FA Vase for the first time, and were knocked out in the Second Qualifying Round by Ashville F.C.[6] For the 2012–13 season the club had its application to enter the North West Counties Football League Division One accepted.[7] This was the first time the club has played at level 10 of the English football league system. The club finished 3rd in their first season at level 10, and due to the failure to meet ground criteria of title winner Formby, West Didsbury were promoted to level 9 for the 2013–14 season for the first time. They also won the NWCFL Division One Cup competition defeating Abbey Hey 1–0 in the final. West Didsbury were relegated back to Division One South in the 2018–19 season, but won promotion back to the Premier Division in 2021–22, securing their finish as champions on 23 March 2022 with a 2–1 win over Barnton.
Colours[edit]
West's colours are white and black shirts, with black shorts and socks.[8] The away kit is pink and blue shirts and shorts, with pink socks.[9]
Grounds[edit]
The club originally played at Christie Playing Fields, but this ground was sold off. The club moved to Brookburn Road in Chorlton for the 1997–98 season and later changed their name to reflect this.[5]
Support[edit]
West fans have been noted for their creative & humorous chants, often singing songs about humous, quinoa, vegetarianism, Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, and their love of Krombacher. In a similar fashion to fans of fellow non-league clubs such as Clapton CFC, Dulwich Hamlet, & Eastbourne Town FC, West fans are known for their left-wing political stance. Antifascist, LGBT, & pro-refugee flags are flown at most games. Union 1908, an independent supporters club, was formed in 2020 with the aim of expanding the clubs fanbase, along with supporting local causes in the South Manchester area.[10]
Indie pop band Dutch Uncles, who launched their fourth album O Shudder at a game in 2014, are known to be fans of the club, as well as members of Airship.[11] England international players Marcus Rashford[12] and Izzy Christiansen[13] have also attended West games.
Players[edit]
- As of 14 February 2023.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Honours[edit]
West Didsbury & Chorlton has won five league championships and six cup competitions in its history.[5]
- Manchester League Division One
- Winners 2010–11
- Runners-up 2009–10
- North West Counties Football League Division One South
- Winners 2021–22
- North West Counties Football League Division One Cup
- Winners 2013–14
- Lancashire FA Trophy
- Runners-up 2021-22
- Lancashire and Cheshire League Division One
- Runners-up 1922–23, 1931–32
- Lancashire and Cheshire League Division Two
- Winners 1988–89
- Runners-up 1952–53, 1965–66, 1970–71
- Lancashire and Cheshire League Division Two
- Winners 1987–88
- Murray Shield
- Winners 2007–08, 2009–10
- Runners-up 2008–09
- Rhodes Cup
- Winners 1926–27, 1969–70
- Runners-up 1922–23, 1931–32
- Whitehead Cup
- Winners 1976–77
Club records[edit]
Notable players[edit]
Players in this list have either played professionally, internationally or are otherwise of note before, during or after their time at West Didsbury & Chorlton.
Jeff Tate
Jamie Coombes
Carlos Mendes Gomes- Paul Heaton[14]
- James Hooper
- Remy Longdon
- John Pritchard
- Jack Sergeant
References[edit]
- ^ [https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/divisions/13/ www.nonleaguematters.co.uk - North West Counties League - North West Counties League Premier Division
- ^ www.wdcfc.co.uk - Rob McKay steps down as co-Chair Accessed 8 September 2020
- ^ @WD_CFC (11 May 2024). "We are proud to announce Paul Marshall as our new Men's First Team Manager" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ www.wdcfc.co.uk - 2023/24 SEASON TICKETS SHOP TEAMS MATCHDAY SPONSORSHIP ABOUT WEST DOWNLOADS RECREATION GROUND TO BE RE-NAMED STEP PLACES STADIUM, SATURDAY 14TH DECEMBER – WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON AFC
- ^ a b c d West Didsbury and Chorlton official website – History Accessed 17 June 2012
- ^ a b c Football History Database – West Didsbury & Chorlton Accessed 17 June 2012
- ^ NWCFL official website – 2012–13 League Constitution Announced Archived 30 January 2013 at archive.today Accessed 17 June 2012
- ^ Biffafootie – 2010 Archive Accessed 17 June 2012
- ^ "NWCFL | West Didsbury & Chorlton Club Information Page".
- ^ Union 1908 - We are Union 1908
- ^ NME.COM. "Dutch Uncles to premiere new album 'O Shudder' at non-league football match - NME.COM". NME.COM.
- ^ @WD_CFC (11 August 2018). "marcus is a west fan 💯💯💯" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @LuceFord_ (13 May 2017). "Mad that someone you met at a @WD_CFC game has just scored in a FA Cup women's final for Man City women, go on @IzzyChr17" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @PaulHeatonSolo (18 March 2021). "@garglecheerio @union1908 @WD_CFC Ha ha I used to play for the 2nd and 3rds when I first moved over to Manchester" (Tweet) – via Twitter.