 | |||
| Full name | Association Football Club Blackpool | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Mechanics | ||
| Founded | 1947 | ||
| Ground | The Mechanics, Jepson Way,Blackpool | ||
| Capacity | 2,000 (250 seated)[1] | ||
| Chairman | Stuart Parker | ||
| Manager | Martin Baird | ||
| League | North West Counties League Division One North | ||
| 2024–25 | North West Counties League Division One North, 9th of 18 | ||
A.F.C. Blackpool is afootball club based inBlackpool, Lancashire,England. The club currently play in theNorth West Counties League Division One North. Based at Jepson Way, they are nicknamedThe Mechanics orThe Mechs, and are full members of theLancashire County Football Association.
The club was founded asBlackpool Metal Mechanics in 1947 before changing their name toBlackpool Mechanics. They initially played in local leagues on theFylde coast. They won the Fylde District League Division Two title in the 1950–51 season and were promoted to Division One, where between 1953–54 and 1957–58 they were champions twice and runners-up three times in five consecutive seasons. They also won a number of local cup competitions, including theLancashire FA Amateur Shield in 1957–58.[2]
In 1959 the club took the decision move up the leagues and joined theWest Lancashire League. In their first season, 1959–60, they were runners-up. In 1960–61 they were champions and also won the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield again. The following season they were again West Lancashire League champions.[2] In 1962 they joined theLancashire Combination Division Two. The division was disbanded in 1968, with the league becoming a single division. The 1971–72 season saw a third-place finish. In the 1972–73 season they won the Lancashire Combination Bridge Shield and in 1974–75 finished as runners-up in the league, just one point behind championsDarwen.
With the formation of theNorth West Counties Football League, they were placed in Division Three, finishing sixth in their first season in the new League. They were promoted as champions to Division Two in1985–86. They were briefly promoted to Division One in1991–92 before being relegated back to Division Two, renamed Division One in 2006.[2]
In May 2005 Lytham St. Annes FC, who had just won the West Lancashire League Division One title, merged into the Mechanics after resigning from the West Lancashire league.[3] In May 2008 the Mechanics merged with Squires Gate Junior FC, with the club renamed AFC Blackpool.[2] The name change depended uponBlackpool F.C. giving it their full approval, and in July 2008 they confirmed to the Lancashire Football Association that they had no objections and that they were keen to help the club.[4]
As champions of Division One in2010–11, they were promoted to the Premier Division. On 21 March 2015, someBlackpool F.C. fans boycotted their match withLeeds in protest of chairmanKarl Oyston's management of the club, deciding instead to attend AFC Blackpool's match againstBootle.[5] The game saw an attendance of 503 compared with an average of 35 that season; some Leeds fans also attended the match as part of a combined general protest "againstthe Football League."[6][7] The club were relegated to the North West Counties League First Division at the end of the2015–16 season, in which they finished bottom of the table.
The club play atThe Mechanics, Jepson Way having originally played atStanley Park Arena.
In December 2007, the club announced plans for a £60,000 refurbishment programme, including improvements to the pitch, as well as new crowd barrier fencing and concreting the spectators area right round the pitch. Drainage work began on the pitch in April 2008, as well as levelling and reseeding the pitch. Following the club's name change in May 2008 they leased a further piece of land next to the ground to accommodate the enlarged club. Also investment to improve the facilities was begun. It was also decided that the ground would take the nameThe Mechanics to maintain the link with the past.[2]
In February 2006 the club had to switch their match againstF.C. United of Manchester toBlackpool'sBloomfield Road ground due to the anticipated large crowd.[8] Around 4,300 spectators saw Mechanics lose the game 4–2, bringing in £10,000 for the club.
The ground has four stands. On the east side is the main stand which contains the dressing rooms, club offices and clubhouse with two rows of spectator seating. On the West side is a 100 capacity seated stand with the dugouts either side. There are small terraced stands behind each goal.
53°46′42.77″N3°01′13.79″W / 53.7785472°N 3.0204972°W /53.7785472; -3.0204972
