Programme

Matchday Programme
Bootle Football Club
1874 NORTHWICH
TUESDAY 6TH OCTOBER
19:45
BERRY STREET GARAGE STADIUM

Burscough
Following the Second World War the present Burscough club was founded in 1946,
starting life in the Liverpool County Combination. In only their second season, 1946/47,
they achieved a unique treble, winning the Lancashire Junior Cup, George Mahon Cup
and the Liverpool Challenge Cup.
Two years later they again claimed the Junior Cup and also won the County
Combination title for the first time. In 1952 they won the Liverpool Challenge Cup for a
second time.
In 1953/54 Burscough joined the Lancashire Combination winning the Second Division
Championship in their first season and scoring 155 goals in the process. 1955/56 saw
arguably the club’s greatest ever achievement as they won the First Division
Championship ahead of non-league giants Wigan Athletic. In 1959 they reached the
First Round Proper of the F.A. Cup for the first time; going down 3-1 to Crewe
Alexandra in front of A 4,200 gate at Victoria Park.
Another trophy winning spell commenced in 1966/67 season under manager Bobby
Langton as the club completed a hat trick of Junior Cup successes against South
Liverpool at Wigan. The Lancashire Combination First Division title was regained in
1969/70 season.
In 1970/71 Burscough joined the Cheshire County League, finishing runners-up to
Rossendale United. The following season they won the Liverpool Non-League Senior
Cup and in 1974/75 the Cheshire League Cup was lifted.
The Linnets also reached the F.A. Cup First Round Proper on three other occasions. In
1977, a 1 -0 defeat at Blyth Spartans, in 1979, a 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United in front
of 14,000 spectators and in 1980, a 2-1 defeat against Altrincham.
In 1982 the Club became founder members of the North West Counties Football
League and had the distinction of becoming the Leagues first ever Champions under
Bryan Griffiths.
In 1989/90 season Burscough suffered their first ever relegation, however, the
appointment of Russ Perkins as manager in 1991 was to bring about a change in the
club’s fortunes as Burscough reached the League Cup Final and gained promotion
back to Division One.

In 1992/93 Burscough lost 2-1 to Conference bound Southport in the Liverpool Senior
Cup Final at Goodison Park before 2,000 spectators. Success was achieved by winning
the League Challenge Cup with a 2-1 victory over Nantwich Town.
In May 1995, Burscough appointed John Davison as Manager. In his first season
Burscough went on to win the League Challenge Cup for the second time, beating
League Champions Flixton 1-0 at Gigg Lane, Bury.
In 1996/97 Frank Parr completed 50 years with the Club and was presented with The
Football Association 50 Year Long Service Award.
The following season after finishing runners-up in the North West Counties League the
club made history by being promoted to the Unibond League. They also won the
League Floodlit Trophy and reached the final of the Liverpool Senior Cup against
Liverpool.
In 2000/01 season the Linnets won the Liverpool Senior Cup for the first ever time
after beating Conference side Southport.
Following the resignation of John Davison the club appointed Shaun Teale as
player/manager in May 2002 and the ex-Aston Villa defender went on to sensationally
lead the club to its greatest ever achievement as Burscough became the smallest club
to ever win the FA Trophy following a tremendous 2-1 victory over Tamworth at Villa
Park on Sunday 18th May 2003 in front of a crowd of 14,296 spectators and televised
live on Sky. There were incredible scenes as almost 2,000 fans welcomed the team
home to Victoria Park that evening but celebrations were dampened less than six
weeks later as the club found it necessary to relinquish Teale of his managerial duties.
Former Liverpool, Galatasary and West Ham United midfielder Mike Marsh was
appointed manager but after a poor start to the season Marsh resigned and
ex-Southport defender Derek Goulding took over in October 2003.
An incredible end to 2003/04 season saw Burscough finish with a remarkable run of
victories that saw them claw their way out of the bottom three into the play-offs for
Conference North. Despite playing all their games away from home the Linnets went
on to reach the play-off final where they only went down at Bradford Park Avenue
following extra-time. During the summer Frank Parr stepped down after 30 years as
chairman with local businessman Chris Lloyd taking over at the helm.
Season 2005/06 was another historic one for Burscough F.C. as they went on to reach
the Second Round proper of the F.A. Cup for the first time in their history. In reaching
that milestone they defeated League One side Gillingham 3-2 on a never to be
forgotten day at Victoria Park before going out to Burton Albion.

Derek Goulding`s tenure as manager ended in June 2006 when he was replaced by
former Southport manager, Liam Watson. The 2006/07 season was Burscough F.C`s
Diamond Jubilee and one of the ways the club marked the event was by playing in a
predominantly white kit with a specially designed badge. The season was one of the
most succesful in history when the Linnets won the Unibond Northern Premier
Division and the Lancashire Co-Op Trophy, formerly the Lancashire Junior Cup, for the
first time in 40 years when neighbours Marine were defeated.
The league success was only confirmed after a thrilling climax. On the last day of the
season the Linnets won at A.F.C. Telford United in front of nearly 6,000 fans. The
victory meant they overhauled the New Bucks Head side at the top of the table and
won the title on goal difference by just 1 goal from Witton Albion. Further success
came when Unibond First Division champions Buxton were defeated 3-1 in the Peter
Swailes Memorial Shield to round off a great season and confirm Burscough as Treble
Winners.
In their first season in Conference North, Burscough finished in 8th position, but
manager Liam Watson and many of the players departed during the close season.
Assistant manager Joey Dunn took over as manager in July 2008, but was replaced by
Andy Mutch at the beginning of October. Burscough finished next to bottom of the
league and were relegated back to the Unibond Premier with Andy Gray taking over as
manager for the start of the 2009-10 campaign.
The season was completed under difficult circumstances after chairman Chris Lloyd
stood down and withdrew all funding. The Supporters Club accepted the raising of
funds to complete the seasons fixtures, and were successful in this objective.
During the close season the ground was sold to Chequer Properties Ltd who in turn
leased the ground back to the football club at a peppercorn rent, the property
company also purchased Chris Lloyd’s majority shareholding, but did not wish to be
involved with the day to day running of the football side of the business, and asked
Frank Parr to return as chairman and form a committee to carry out these duties.
New Chairman Gary Wright appointed at the end of the 2010-11 season to oversee the
temporary move to short lived groundshare with local neighbours Skelmersdale
United before moving back to Victoria Park midwat through the season.
One of Wright's first decisions was to find a replacement for manager Chris Stammers,
who resigned after a poor start to the 2011-12 season, with former manager Derek
Goulding making a return to the club. Goulding started to galvanize the side during the
season, but he couldn’t stop the inevitable, and despite a promising end to the season
the Linnet's were relegated from the NPL Premier division.

August 2012 would see renewed optimism for Burscough. It would see the Supporters
Club get back on board and help in the rebuild of the club. Goulding would spend the
summer rebuilding the team on the pitch, and a hard working Football Club committee
would start to rebuilt the club off it.
Burscough FC finished the 2012-2013 season in mid table in 11th place and the
following season they again finished mid table, this time in 14th position.
The club continued to play in the First Division North for the 2014-2015 season under
Derek Goulding until he left for Bangor City in October 2014. Mark Beesley was named
Caretaker Manager till January 2015 when he was given the role of manager full time,
he brought in Liam Blakeman as his assistant. After a successful first season in charge
when finishing in fifth place Burscough made the play offs losing to Spennymoor
Town, Mark left the club just before the start of the 2016/17 season along with many
key players and despite their best efforts the club were relegated to the Hallmark
North West Counties League for the 2017/18 season.
Dave Sutton took on the reigns for the start of the 2017 season and took them to the
Macron Cup Final, which they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Widnes at Fleetwood Town’
s ground. Dave stepped down at the start of the following season for Tony Green to
take over but after just one season Tony left the club by mutual consent.
For the start of season 2019/20 season Nick Matthews was appointed manager but
unfortunately Nick didn’t see the end of the last few weeks on Victoria Park and indeed
the season following the outbreak of covid 19. 2020/21 sees a whole new chapter in
the history of Burscough FC as we prepare to move to a brand new stadium, and as
Nick Matthews prepares for his first full season we can hopefully see better things
ahead.
Current Squad
Connor Hunt
Chris Lomas
David Jones
Adam Weston
George Lomax
Peter Henerty
Alex Pope
Phil Doran
Jack Kay
Luke Denson
Andrew Presho
Luke Gibson
Danny Brady (Captain)
Mitchel Kinsella
Conor Christiansen
Nathan Quirk
Josh Quarless
James Salkeld