Lancaster City F.C. are a semi-professional English football team based in the city of Lancaster. They play at the Giant Axe Stadium.
| Club logo | |||
| Full name | Lancaster City Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Dolly Blues | ||
| Founded | 1905 (as Lancaster Athletic) | ||
| Ground | Giant Axe, Lancaster | ||
| Capacity | 3,064 (513 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Charlie Moore | ||
| Manager | Gary Finlay | ||
| League | Conference North | ||
| 2006 | Conference North, 15th | ||
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They play in the Conference North league at level 6 of the English football league system.
The club were originally founded as Lancaster Athletic Football Club in 1905, but disbanded in 1911 to be reformed as Lancaster Town the same year. Although successful in the Lancashire Combination division one, Lancaster Town were denied entry to the Third Division (North) in for the 1921-22 season. The team changed its name to Lancaster City for the 1937-38 season, to match the changed status of Lancaster itself.
Since then it really has been a case of many ups and downs for City.The 1930,s were a very successful period with wins in the Lancashire Combination,Lancashire Junior Cup and some excellent F.A. Cup runs.
However Lancaster often found themselves playing second fiddle to local rivals Morecambe F.C and also there more illustrious neighbours Preston North End,Blackpool F.C ,Burnley F.C and Blackburn Rovers.Even so though gates still regularly reached 3000+ and in 1968-69 the club became founder members of the newly formed Northern Premier League.The next fifteen years however became a struggle with crowds dropping from a regular 1500 to a lowly 200 and although City managed adequately enough on the pitch financial difficulties led to the club resigning from the league in 1981-82.
Having joined the newly formed North West Counties League things went from bad to worse with City being relegated for the first time in there history in 1984-85.Things it seemed couldn't get much worse and they didnt.The formation of Northern Premier league Division 1 represented a new start for Lancaster and healthier crowds and even healthier league positions and cup runs led to the club under the management of Alan Tinsley and Mick Hoyle winning the Division 1 title in 1995-96.Numerous cup wins and final appearances as well as excellent F.A Cup runs followed and the crowds started to dwindle back.Gates of over 2000 turned out for the numerous cup games against arch rivals Morecambe and even though financially things could have been easier the club as a whole was in a much better position with the club now being accepted into the Nationwide Conference North.
The start of the 2006-07 season though begins a new dawn for Lancaster City.With Gary Finley and ex Blackpool star Micky Mellon taking over team affairs from Phil Wilson and Peter Ward.Also new owners Charlie Moore and Ian Clarke are now adding some much needed financial stability and the club have been able to go out and sign the players they need to mount a serious challenge on the league and with a bit of luck and a lot of ability the club may just now be turning the next corner in there long and chequered history.
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