Bacup Borough FC

[levraiclaret]

If you go on YouTube and sarch for a contributor call Stuntpegg, then find a vlog called "Why the English love Non League Football", it features Bacup Borough. Worth a watch for the interview with supporters near the end, but the whole feature is very good.
Sorry I can't attach a link, I seem to have forgotten how to do it. She has lots of Football related content ,which I find interesting and often very funny.

[ClaretsPadiham]

Good old Brent Peters

[Tricky Trevor]

If you go on YouTube and sarch for a contributor call Stuntpegg, then find a vlog called "Why the English love Non League Football", it features Bacup Borough. Worth a watch for the interview with supporters near the end, but the whole feature is very good.
Sorry I can't attach a link, I seem to have forgotten how to do it. She has lots of Football related content ,which I find interesting and often very funny.

Open the page.
Below video click on “share”
In new window click on “copy link”
Come back on here and paste into comments box.

IMG_3931.jpeg (266.42 KiB) Viewed 2545 times

[ClaretTony]

https://youtu.be/_ljeUKGH60U?si=snCS6skpa5P7KG5p

[elwaclaret]

Always amazes me that Bacup survived the nineties when their much more successful and famous neighbours Rossendale United went to the wall. Was up at Dean Lane doing some research last year and the ground which had been left to rot ever since is now a housing estate.

It seems a different world to growing up, up to my twenties when I had seen Paul Scholes (and many of ‘the kids’) playing not only in the youth final at the Turf but because Man U used to send a United XI pre season to play Rossy as part of their seasons prep.

[JohnDearyMe]

Good watch, thanks

[Jamesy]

https://youtu.be/_ljeUKGH60U?si=snCS6skpa5P7KG5p

Good watch that was. Proper football, dedicated people.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Rossendale United had a decent ground. Shame it wasn’t more centrally located in Rawtenstall.

[Clovius Boofus]

Ten Lost Non-League Grounds

Rossy is the first one on the list.

https://peterrmiles.wordpress.com/2013/ ... e-grounds/

[Tricky Trevor]

Rossendale United had a decent ground. Shame it wasn’t more centrally located in Rawtenstall.

I was running with Rossy Harriers back then and thought they should have gone on Marl Pits in the running track. Changing rooms and cafe already in situ. A stand down the open side wouldn’t have cost too much and would have served for football and athletics.

Re: an earlier post it was Dark Lane not Dean Lane but an easy typo to make.

[NottsClaret]

Nice video, everything right with football is still going on at non-League. Find myself watching more of it these days.

[Claret1205]

Rossendale United’s main problem IMO was the location of their ground. No idea why someone at some point thought being tucked away in Newchurch was a good idea.

There is currently a Rossendale FC (formerly Rossendale Amateurs) playing at Marl Pits in West Lancashire League. Would need quite a bit of work to get it up to NWCL standards although they may be happy where they are.

[Billyblah]

Always amazes me that Bacup survived the nineties when their much more successful and famous neighbours Rossendale United went to the wall. Was up at Dean Lane doing some research last year and the ground which had been left to rot ever since is now a housing estate.

It seems a different world to growing up, up to my twenties when I had seen Paul Scholes (and many of ‘the kids’) playing not only in the youth final at the Turf but because Man U used to send a United XI pre season to play Rossy as part of their seasons prep.

It's quite some years back but would I be right in saying that Ross Utd chairman also happened to own a development company who eventually threw in the towel....ended up building the houses?

[Stayingup]

Always amazes me that Bacup survived the nineties when their much more successful and famous neighbours Rossendale United went to the wall. Was up at Dean Lane doing some research last year and the ground which had been left to rot ever since is now a housing estate.

It seems a different world to growing up, up to my twenties when I had seen Paul Scholes (and many of ‘the kids’) playing not only in the youth final at the Turf but because Man U used to send a United XI pre season to play Rossy as part of their seasons prep.

Oops. Dark Lane. The owner at the time just couldn't afford to keep it running. Shame. End of the local Stags

[Stayingup]

Rossendale United’s main problem IMO was the location of their ground. No idea why someone at some point thought being tucked away in Newchurch was a good idea.

There is currently a Rossendale FC (formerly Rossendale Amateurs) playing at Marl Pits in West Lancashire League. Would need quite a bit of work to get it up to NWCL standards although they may be happy where they are.

Where do you think the ground should have been? Nothing wrong with the location and some great players have played there down the years.

[Claret1205]

Rossendale United would have been more successful with a ground somewhere in or near Rawtenstall town centre. I do concede I’m typing this with over a hundred years of hindsight as it was a decision made in 1898 and it probably made financial sense at the time to take over an existing ground.

I’m from Rawtenstall & Rossendale were my second team but it was out of sight out of mind for a lot of people which is probably why they spent most of their history lurching from one crisis to the next. They had a chance to leave Dark Lane when they were temporarily kicked out in 1981 but by then there was nowhere they could afford to build a new ground.

[Steve1956]

Good old Brent Peters

Good lad is Brent went to school with him...you can't knock his dedication....he still hasn't got the pitch any better in the 26 yrs he's been there though played up there many times.

[drdree]

According to the book on Rossendale United A season by season history, the original idea when the club was formed in 1898 was to have a club that represented the whole of the valley after the collapse of the Bacup , Rossendale and Rawtenstall clubs so the Newcurch location in the centre of the valley made sense, but Bacup never responded to invites to the meet so the club was formed representing both Rawtenstall and Waterfoot. As the old Rawtenstall ground had already been built on the only alternative was the existing Dark lane ground.

[JohnDearyMe]

https://youtu.be/_ljeUKGH60U?si=snCS6skpa5P7KG5p

Hard to believe but that game was actually filmed during a local heatwave for Bacup

[JohnDearyMe]

According to the book on Rossendale United A season by season history, the original idea when the club was formed in 1898 was to have a club that represented the whole of the valley after the collapse of the Bacup , Rossendale and Rawtenstall clubs so the Newcurch location in the centre of the valley made sense, but Bacup never responded to invites to the meet so the club was formed representing both Rawtenstall and Waterfoot. As the old Rawtenstall ground had already been built on the only alternative was the existing Dark lane ground.

Interesting. Where was the original Rawtenstall ground located?

[Claret1205]

Rawtenstall FC (Burnley’s first opponents at Turf Moor) played on Burnley Road opposite St James the less church. No trace of it now as houses built on it.

[NewClaret]

According to the book on Rossendale United A season by season history, the original idea when the club was formed in 1898 was to have a club that represented the whole of the valley after the collapse of the Bacup , Rossendale and Rawtenstall clubs so the Newcurch location in the centre of the valley made sense, but Bacup never responded to invites to the meet so the club was formed representing both Rawtenstall and Waterfoot. As the old Rawtenstall ground had already been built on the only alternative was the existing Dark lane ground.

Where was the old Rawtenstall ground out of interest?

Edit: sorry, had not seen the post above.

[RMutt]

Rawtenstall FC (Burnley’s first opponents at Turf Moor) played on Burnley Road opposite St James the less church. No trace of it now as houses built on it.

Interesting follow up to that then, is that Charles Sutcliffe, who did the Football League fixtures, lived in a house built on that side of the road. Further towards Rawtenstall though opposite the garage.

[elwaclaret]

Oops. Dark Lane. The owner at the time just couldn't afford to keep it running. Shame. End of the local Stags

There was a lot of politics behind the scenes. Cannot remember the ins and outs but I remember a close family friend was behind a lot of the upgrading of the ground… floodlights, new stands etc. Well before the end he would not even go on for the games. It was a real shame. I remember the Chairman was a local business man but operated it like he was Peter Swailes at City… big camel crombies and big cigars are my abiding memory of him.

Quite right Dark Lane, I have been researching Water more recently… and Dean Lane was a major road before the Industrial Revolution hit Rossendale in the 186o’s. Doh!

[elwaclaret]

It's quite some years back but would I be right in saying that Ross Utd chairman also happened to own a development company who eventually threw in the towel....ended up building the houses?

Seem to think he was in that business yes. Not sure how the end came but I know he managed to alienate a lot of people who did a lot of good work at the club. So, you could well be right it was him or his children behind the development, probably the sons as it was left to rot for many years. Last time I looked out on the ‘pitch’ the grass was knee high and the crumbling stand full of addicts needles. It was very sad to see.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Pretty sure I read once that Rawtenstall drew Glasgow Rangers in a cup draw in the 1890’s but the game was never played.

Rossendale United would have been better having a ground as someone posted above on Marl Pits or the land next to the train station.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Seem to think he was in that business yes. Not sure how the end came but I know he managed to alienate a lot of people who did a lot of good work at the club. So, you could well be right it was him or his children behind the development, probably the sons as it was left to rot for many years. Last time I looked out on the ‘pitch’ the grass was knee high and the crumbling stand full of addicts needles. It was very sad to see.

Another local ground in a similar state is Haslingden’s at Ewood Bridge.

[bfcjg]

Enjoyed that. Non league is certainly becoming more attractive no cheating, diving,badge kissing mercenaries and no VAR.

[drdree]

Interesting follow up to that then, is that Charles Sutcliffe, who did the Football League fixtures, lived in a house built on that side of the road. Further towards Rawtenstall though opposite the garage.

CE Sutcliffe is a fascinating character, a Rossendale based solicitor he was a massive force in Lancashire football. He was involved with his brother in the set up of Burnley in 1882 he then became a top level referee up to international level before becoming football league secretary where he manually produced the fixtures each season. he was responsible for facing down the players union in the early 1920's leading to the reinforcement of the retain and transfer system that existed till the 1960's. he was also chairman of Rossendale United in the early 1900's.Sadly his role is largely forgotten.

[sjb]

Pretty sure I read once that Rawtenstall drew Glasgow Rangers in a cup draw in the 1890’s but the game was never played.

Rossendale United would have been better having a ground as someone posted above on Marl Pits or the land next to the train station.

You're quite correct. Rawtenstall were drawn at home to Rangers in the 1885/86 FA Cup, but the Scottish FA wouldn't allow the game to be played as they considered Rawtenstall to be professionals.

[StayingDown4Ever]

Enjoyed that. Non league is certainly becoming more attractive no cheating, diving,badge kissing mercenaries and no VAR.

I assure you that non-league is as bad if not worse than league for cheating, diving and mercenaries.

[elwaclaret]

Another local ground in a similar state is Haslingden’s at Ewood Bridge.

Pre-pandemic last time I visited Haslingden. The one at the bottom of the hill from the main road? Or is there an older ground (I seem to remember playing at as a youth…. A lot longer ago.

[1989_claret]

[quote=Steve-Harpers-perm post_id=2266307 time=<a href="tel:1706467120">1706467120</a> user_id=1454]
Another local ground in a similar state is Haslingden’s at Ewood Bridge.

Pre-pandemic last time I visited Haslingden. The one at the bottom of the hill from the main road? Or is there an older ground (I seem to remember playing at as a youth…. A lot longer ago.
[/quote]

The old Stand Athletic ground.

[TheFamilyCat]

Rossendale United’s main problem IMO was the location of their ground. No idea why someone at some point thought being tucked away in Newchurch was a good idea.

I have no idea about Rossendake but this post suddenly makes something make sense...

I saw a post on a FB page of a ground in Newchurch. The only Newchurch I know (other than NZ) is Newchurch in Pendle. I was very confused but that has cleared it up.

[elwaclaret]

Pre-pandemic last time I visited Haslingden. The one at the bottom of the hill from the main road? Or is there an older ground (I seem to remember playing at as a youth…. A lot longer ago.

The old Stand Athletic ground.
[/quote]

You have put my mind at rest, if nothing else. That was the one I remembered, and not the one I visited.. a nice little ground though, but tough parking.

I thought the Stand ground must have been long gone

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

The old Stand Athletic ground.

You have put my mind at rest, if nothing else. That was the one I remembered, and not the one I visited.. a nice little ground though, but tough parking.

I thought the Stand ground must have been long gone
[/quote]

Whoever owns the land wants £4 million for it or did as a local junior football club (Rossendale Valley) enquired about buying it! The other ground in Haslingden is St Mary’s which is a good set up.

[elwaclaret]

[/quote]

Whoever owns the land wants £4 million for it or did as a local junior football club (Rossendale Valley) enquired about buying it! The other ground in Haslingden is St Mary’s which is a good set up.
[/quote]

Yes now you mention it I heard something about that. There have been attempts to buy it if memory serves… last I heard there was talk of a phoenix club that had the same problem. I suspect it is Manchester developers they seem to have been buying Rossendale ever since they put Rossy in their phone book (early 90’s I think)

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

A very picturesque ground especially with the steam train line running alongside but prone to flooding.

[bfcjg]

I assure you that non-league is as bad if not worse than league for cheating, diving and mercenaries.

Have you been to Padiham ? Matches I watcth there it isn't evident.

[StayingDown4Ever]

Have you been to Padiham ? Matches I watcth there it isn't evident.

Plenty of times - I assume you never went in the seven or so years Dom Craig was winning penalties for them!?