Darwen F.C.

History

On 22 December 2003, Carlsberg Tetley tried to wind up Darwen Football and Social Club. Although the club, then playing in Division One of the North West Counties League, avoided liquidation on that occasion, another winding up petition was brought by The Bee radio station on 14 April 2008 in respect of £8,000 owed for advertising. Plans were made for Blackburn with Darwen Council to buy the Anchor Ground. However, following two further petitions for liquidation brought by Thwaites Brewery and ING Lease UK and their refusal of an offer of 25p in the pound, the 134-year old Darwen Football Club was wound up in the High Court on 14 May 2009.

Almost immediately, there were plans for a new Darwen football club to be formed. This was achieved before the start of the 2009–10 season, with AFC Darwen created, taking over the Anchor Ground from the dissolved club. However, the new club had to start at step 7 (level 11) of the football pyramid. They successfully applied for admission to the West Lancashire League, and were placed in the Premier Division. After finishing eighth in their first season, they were promoted to Division One of the North West Counties League. In 2014–15 the club won the Division One Trophy with a 3–1 win over Atherton Collieries in the final, also finishing third in Division One and qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Chadderton 2–1 in the semi-finals, they defeated Hanley Town 5–3 in the final, earning promotion to the Premier Division.

The 2017–18 season saw AFC Darwen finish bottom of the Premier Division, resulting in relegation to Division One North. In June 2022 the club was renamed Darwen Football Club.

Honours

• North West Counties League
  • Division One Trophy winners 2014–15
• Martin Vizzard Memorial Trophy
  • Winners 2016

Records

• Best FA Cup performance: Extra-preliminary round, 2015–16, 2016–17
• Best FA Vase performance: Third round, 2022–23
• Record attendance: 982 vs Bury AFC, North West Counties League Division One, 9 October 2021

References

References

1. Mike Williams & Tony Williams. (2023). "Non-League Club Directory 2023/24".
2. [http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/4369285.display/ Final bid to save Darwen FC fails after High Court hearing] Lancashire Telegraph, 14 May 2009
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4. [http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/13316119.BIG_SATURDAY_INTERVIEW__Chairman_Wayne_Wild_reflects_on_AFC_Darwen___s_sensational_season/ BIG SATURDAY INTERVIEW: Chairman Wayne Wild reflects on AFC Darwen’s sensational season] Lancashire Telegraph, 6 June 2015
5. [https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/425944/darwen-days-are-here-again/ Darwen days are here again] The Non-League Football Paper, 12 June 2012
6. [https://twitter.com/AFCDarwen1/status/1447263752626352132 Thank You to all who attended yesterday. Your support was massively appreciated] AFC Darwen on Twitter