Ten Years Ago - Alfreton Town's Remarkable Promotion To The Conference.

It’s 10 years ago today, 23^rd April 2011, that Alfreton Town completed the exceptional achievement of promotion to the Conference Premier Division. It was a season that they were by far the strongest side in the division after going close in the previous 2 seasons by reaching the Play Offs. It was also a remarkable achievement for a small town club.

Nicky Law salutes the Alfreton Town fans.

Nicky Law and his team of Champions.

After losing to Fleetwood Town in the Play Off Final the previous season it was no surprise to see Alfreton tipped to do well and they started with a narrow 1-0 home win over Hinckley Utd, who had finished a creditable 7^th the previous season.

Keeper, Chris MacKenzie, 19 league appearances 11 clean sheets

What really showed the Reds’ credentials were two 5-1 away wins, at Redditch Utd & Hyde, as they went on to gain all 24 points in the first 8 games. The worrying stat for the rest of the league being seven different scorers in those two games which brought 10 goals. They didn’t just rely on Liam Hearn, who ended up the North Division’s top scorer with 30 League goals, in a formidable partnership with Paul Clayton.

Liam Hearn, 26 (6) Apps, 30 Goals.

Blue Square North was a tough division to get out of, in an upwardly fashion, with AFC Telford United & Workington also unbeaten early on and just 2 points behind the Reds after 6 games. The likes of Boston United and Guiseley were also promotion contenders and with Solihull Moors, Blyth Spartans, Droylsden and Stalybridge Celtic the quality in the clubs we faced was clear.

Theo Streete, 22 Appearances.

Game number 9 for the Reds was against 3^rd placed Boston United who had ended Workington’s unbeaten run the week before. The Pilgrims gave Alfreton their only home league defeat of the season as they pushed themselves up to 2^nd.

Paul Clayton, 23 (14) Apps, 12 Goals

Alfreton’s response was to go on an 11 game unbeaten run in the league with a joint best result of the season in the middle, a 6-0 hammering of Harrogate Town, in mid-November at The Impact. Harrogate manager Simon Weaver was in his 2^nd full season with the club he would eventually lead in to the Football League. His assistant was John McDermott, a future Alfreton Town manager. In the midweek prior to the Harrogate game Boston Utd had knocked the Reds off top spot on goal difference with a 1-0 win at home to Corby Town. After an early season flourish the Steelmen had slipped down to mid-table and there were 4 teams with just 1 defeat at this point, Boston, Alfreton, Guiseley & AFC Telford Utd.

Nathan Jarman, 4 (6) Apps, 1 Goal

In his programme notes manager Nicky Law spoke of the importance of having strength in depth as injuries to Matt Wilson, Darren Stride and Jake Moult coupled with a suspension for Paul Clayton had affected his selection over recent weeks. Wilson had recovered from his injury and grabbed one of the 6 goals Harrogate conceded as we took back top spot helped by Droylsden beating Boston Utd 4-0.

Nathan Arnold, 23 (13) Apps, 8 Goals.

The regaining of the leadership of the division characterised Alfreton’s attitude, they weren’t phased by a set-back, they just gave it another go in the next game and Nicky Law demanded full effort from his team. Any player coming in to the side knew he had to work hard to keep his place as the quality in the squad was immense.

Matt Wilson, 30 (2) Apps, 4 Goals.

After regaining top spot on 13^th November the Reds didn’t play another league fixture until New Years Day 2011 when they drew 2-2 with Eastwood Town. The winter of 2010 saw freezing temperatures and heavy snow cause re-arranged battles with these northern heavy weights and by the time Stalybridge Celtic came for the 4^th meeting of the season on Jan 8th Alfreton were again in 2^nd position with Guiseley holding a 2 point lead, though by now the Reds had up to 3 games in hand over the teams around them.

Laurie Wilson, 22 Appearances, 1 Goal

A cracking game saw Stalybridge twice take the lead in the first half only for Alfreton to go in front 3 minutes before the break then forge further ahead on 47 minutes and eventually win 5-3 to once again top the table as Guiseley could only manage a draw at Corby.

Josh Law, 35 Appearances, 5 Goals

By the time Corby visited the Impact Arena on 12^th March Alfreton still had 16 games to play and were once again sitting in 2^nd spot, this time Nuneaton Town were in pole position 1 point better off than the Reds who had 7 games in hand over the leaders. The Corby game saw our 2^nd six goal victory of the season as we dominated the game and showed the quality in the squad.

Daryl Clare, 9 (6) Apps, 4 Goals

A month before Corby were hit for the proverbial we’d lost our unbeaten away record when AFC Telford Utd beat us 2-1. The Bucks, who along with Nuneaton and Boston Utd, were challenging us for the title had been regular sparring partners in recent years as we both chased promotion, they’d beaten us in a Play-Off semi two seasons before.

Connor Franklin, 35 Appearances, 2 Goals.

The bad winter and a decent run in the FA Trophy had gifted us games in hand over all our rivals not the same as points on the board but we’d have a healthy lead should they be won. Nicky Law commented on the pile of fixtures we faced when he said in his programme notes for the Corby game.

“The games are coming thick and fast but if I’m honest I think the lads prefer it that way rather than training”
That was the 4^th game in 11 days with 6 more to follow in the next 20.

Anton Brown, 25 (5) Apps, 2 Goals.

After the Corby victory we uncharacteristically lost 2 on the bounce, away at Boston Utd and the following midweek at Droylsden. With Boston being one of our title rivals it was a bitter blow with the added pain of them doing the double over us. The Droylsden defeat emphasised how tough the division was, the Bloods had little to play for and were comfortable in higher mid-table but too far off the pace for the play offs.

Aden Flint, 30 Appearances, 3 Goals.

Following the Droylsden defeat we had a fortunate win at Guiseley, a defeat the home side felt hard done by but it got us back on track. A very surprising goalless draw at home to 3^rd from bottom Hyde followed but we then won 5 on the trot including a 4-0 victory in the return with Droylsden. It’s very rare that we get one over the Bloods but it’s not every season we get a team like this either. We were now top, 5 points clear of 2^nd placed AFC Telford Utd who lost 3-0 at Eastwood Town, the Badgers were making a late challenge for the play offs, a feat they accomplished only to be denied due to ground grading regs. Manager, Paul Cox, resigned at the end of the season and within 3 years The Badgers, for so long local rivals to the Reds, had been wound up.

Anthony Howell, 26 (2), 3 Goals.

A 3^rd 6-0 win, this time at home to Guiseley showed the quality in the side as we demolished one of the play off chasers and cemented top spot. Guiseley would have fancied getting something after the previous game when we were deemed fortunate to win but there were no doubts at all in this rout.

Ant Wilson, 16 (7) Apps, 9 Goals.

On April 9^th we had the first of 4 away trips, at Solihull Moors, by now AFC Telford United were, realistically, the only side that could stop us winning the title as we held a 5 point lead plus 2 games in hand. Eastwood could match us for points but with us being plus 50 goals better off than the Badgers that was very unlikely. A 1-0 victory for the Reds at Damson Park and news that AFC Telford had lost to Boston Utd got some checking for champagne prices in the Alfreton area.

The Impact Arena - Home of Alfreton Town.

Victory at Gloucester City would give us the title, in the end we lost 2-1 but had 4 more potential championship winning games to go. A midweek trip to Harrogate Town, who we had put 6 past earlier in the season, was the next on the road trip. A great following from Alfreton wanted to see the Reds clinch the title so up to Yorkshire we went.

Ian Ross, 13 (13) Apps, 3 Goals.

Bill Fotherby, the Harrogate Chairman, didn’t want us celebrating on his pitch but this wasn’t animosity on Bill’s part. The title was looking certain and Bill thought it would be a nice touch to win it on our own patch in front of our own supporters. His Harrogate side thought so too as they held us to a 1-1 draw with a goal in the last ten minutes. It was disappointing but Mr Fotherby was right, lets do it on our own ground.

Jake Moult, 9 (6) Apps, 5 Goals.

And so it fell to St George’s Day when already relegated Redditch United joined us for a promotion party at the Impact. After 2 previous chances to clinch the title Alreton made no mistake as we set about the job of getting the points necessary to make the season an historic and successful one. It was fitting that Paul Clayton & Liam Hearn should each get a brace as we won 4-0 in front of a season’s best league attendance of 1,364

Alfreton celebrate Paul Clayton's goal v Droylsden.

“Please stay off the pitch” implored the tannoy man as hundreds of Reds fans celebrated the way football fans do best, on the green that their heroes have entertained them on, singing and hugging and waiting for the moment the players come back out to receive the trophy and the accolades.

Alfreton Town supporter & photographer, the late Dave Pursglove, had his pics on the cover of Alfreton's programmes this season.

Promotion is a wonderful event for any club, championship’s the confirmation that your team really is the best. The difference with this and other promotions is that it is little Alfreton Town from the pit village winning a league with, arguably, bigger clubs with larger fan bases to reach the pinnacle of non-league football. Joining 23 other clubs, the elite of football below the 92.

Alfreton supporters celebrate a goal v Redditch United.

It’s a monumental achievement, which may never be done again by this wonderful club with its vociferous and loyal supporters.

It was made possible by, firstly, The Chairman, Wayne Bradley, who invested in the club. He transformed the ground from a cosy, slightly run down mixture of grass banking and hard standing with a couple of bits of cover in to a stadium with terracing and new buildings for supporters comfort.

He gathered around him a group of people well known in local football who were excellent at their job.

Kev Miles the Press Officer, Kev had helped run local Sunday football and worked on the Sports section of the local paper.

The committee, all volunteers who stayed loyal to the club and bought in to what the Chairman was doing.

The Directors, all football people with a love of the club going back before the Chairman arrived.

The Secretary, Brian Rudkin, one of local footballs most knowledgeable administrators.

Then there was the management and in Nicky Law and Russ O’Neill we had the best. Nicky motivates his players just as he did when he was captaining sides at Wembley.

The team, it had so much power and skill throughout, we could play football but we could also deal with the rough and tumble of this level.

Lastly, the supporters, the ranks had grown from an average of 363 in 2007/08 to 760 in this promotion season. Alfreton have had a hardcore support from the Northern Premier Division 1 days who created a great atmosphere at games that isn’t always evident at that level. This was their reward.

Champions.

The trophy presented, photographs taken, champagne sprayed and long celebrations as with every other title win, a high point in Alfreton’s history, with more to come.

The Blue Square Bet North Championship Trophy.

I’ll leave the last word with the Chairman, Mr Bradley, who in his programme notes for the Redditch game said “Personally, once promotion is secured I will shed a tear, not a sad tear, it will be a tear of joy because winning the league would complete a mission which I set out to embark on fourteen years ago. Such success would conclude one chapter and a new one will begin”