Pit Villagers Pinch Play-Off Spot.

 Clitheroe. 

The Footballing Pioneers from Tramps Paradise.

Shawbridge.

Clitheroe is a ground I’ve wanted to visit for a while particularly after seeing their inclusion in Mike Bayly’s superb “British Football’s Greatest Grounds” book. Their FA Cup 3Q Round tie against a reformed Bury AFC was my game of choice.

The town is a pleasant combination of the more modern shops and independents. In “Around Clitheroe” bought from one of the book shops, the town was known as “Tramps Paradise” around the time of the football clubs formation in 1877. This was due to the cheap supper on offer by Mr Martin.

The wealthier people in Clitheroe were able to afford the more salubrious hostelries the town had to offer such as the Swan, where the present club were formed following a meeting there and Clitheroe Central came into being.

The Swan Hotel where Clitheroe Central were formed.

Reference was made in the club’s programme about those early forays into the FA Cup but it seemed to “dis” the achievement of that early Clitheroe club due to a lack of other clubs competing. A little unfair to those pioneers from this lovely Lancashire town as Clitheroe did indeed take part in the Cup in the 1880’s and at the same time were part of the movement to recognise professionalism.

Though no Cup victory was forthcoming in those early battles against clubs from neighbouring towns they were organised enough to be participating in those historic early years when football was moving from its amateur roots to a professional basis. Central’s first appearance was in 1882/83 when they lost 0-5 at Church FC, who were based in Accrington. This was the season that saw the amateurs lose out to the professionals for the first time as Blackburn Olympic took the trophy north.

The following season Clitheroe had their best result of these early Cup games when drawing 3-3 against South Shore who were based in Blackpool, South Shore winning the replay 3-2. Clitheroe were one of the clubs paying players and the FA looked upon this with disdain and stopped them from competing the following season if they paid players.

In that 1884/85 season Clitheroe were drawn away at Witton but forced to withdraw. Accrington faced the FA's wrath too and were disqualified in the same season after it was found they had paid players. The actions of the English FA against professionalism brought things to a head as the predominantly northern clubs decided to break away from the FA in 1884 by forming the British Football Association, with Clitheroe being one of the founder members.

The British Football Association was short lived but it did force the FA’s hand and the paying of players was voted for the following year. This saw Clitheroe allowed back in the FA Cup for 1885/86 and they were drawn at home to neighbours, and FA Cup holders, Blackburn Rovers, who, not surprisingly, won 2-0 on their way to a 3^rd consecutive Cup final victory. So, Clitheroe of old were pioneers of our sport, something to be rightly, proud of.

Shawbridge.

Clitheroe moved in to their present home, Shawbridge, in 1925 when the area was meadow land below the beautiful Pendle Hill. A ground to be proud of was developed but fell into disrepair over the years culminating in the threat of going under in the 1970’s as the Lancashire Combination were unhappy at the state of the ground.

 

An early Clitheroe side at Shawbridge, year unknown.

What we see today is due to the actions of those at the club in the late 1970’s onwards and particularly in more recent times for how the ground has expanded and the efforts very much focussed on providing facilities for spectators, culminating in last season (2021/22) Clitheroe being voted the best away fan experience at Level 4 and it’s easy to see why.

Three bars, really good catering units, cover on all 4 sides of the ground. Not forgetting the beer garden at the side of the club house which is behind the near goal as you enter the ground.

Main entrance at Shawbridge.

The club was really well organised for a match for what was reputed to be the grounds 2^nd highest attendance, some help from Bury AFC with stewarding shows how clubs come together to help each other and both clubs are to be commended for making the event run smoothly in what would have taken a lot of effort from those behind the scenes to make that happen.

The Ground Tour.

The main entrance is behind the clubhouse goal, the clubhouse is to your right and to your left is a small two stepped covered terrace complete with crush barriers and a small seated section. This is the newest structure on the ground as the original was blown down by the Beast from the East in 2019.

The newest cover behind the clubhouse goal.

In the corner is the oldest structure on the ground, now used as a medical room and as you move along this side you come to the 1877 Lounge which is used for entertaining sponsors. 

The grounds oldest structure, now a medical room.

The 1877 Lounge.

Further on, past the Gents, is the media gantry, accessed by steps, giving a spectacular view of the ground and surrounding area. Immediately below the gantry are two shipping containers, one converted into a bar the other selling a vast array of tasty looking food. I imagine these outlets are really popular and probably clinched that best away fan experience award and rightly so.

The media gantry with refreshment facilities below.

Continue past the Ladies, unless you’re a lady and you need to go of course, and there’s the main stand. Built in 1985 now with 272 seats which were newly fitted last year, replacing some old bucket seats from Blackburn Rovers when they were transforming Ewood Park with Jack Walkers money in the 1990’s. Slightly elevated with steps either side at the front this is the jewel in Shawbridge’s crown. It’s a proper stand, not of the modern trend of corrugated metal, this has character and history and at the right angle you have the Church of St Mary Magdalene poking above for an iconic image.

The main stand with the spire of St Mary Magdalene Church behind.

Follow on and turn right and head behind the far goal and a slight slope leads up to the covered terrace, slightly raised this helps give it an elevated view at that end and, of course, adds to the character of Shawbridge.

The raised covered terrace behind the far goal.

Continuing round to the side opposite the main stand is 2 large sections of covered terrace with old beer barrels used as tables, a nice touch. There is a bar to the left of these which was doing well and those barrels were well used while spectators read programmes or caught up with friends.

The Top Side, note the beer barrel tables.

This then brings us back to the near goal and the beer garden at the side of the clubhouse and the tour is complete.

Another view of the Top Side covered terraces.

Shawbridge is a beauty, a really good attendance of 1,756 helped give the game that added edge and colour to proceedings. Great facilities for visitors, plenty of cover and to top it off a decent game with lower ranked Bury AFC deserving their replay following this 1-1 draw. Bury AFC won that replay 2-0.

Max Crane gives Clitheroe a 1-0 lead.

 

Connor Comber equalises for Bury AFC.

Part of the 1,756 crowd at Shawbridge.

Player manager for Clitheroe is Billy Priestley who I saw play for my local club, Alfreton Town, back in 2017/18. In the opposition was David Lynch another former Red who played in National League North at the Impact Arena in 2019/20.

Billy Priestley gets a header at the Bury goal.

Former Alfreton Town player, David Lynch, on right.

Considering Clitheroe were a division higher than the visitors it was an even game, Bury playing more of a passing game, not that Clitheroe couldn’t play it on the ground but they did rely on the break-away ball over the top more.

Action from the game.

By the fans for the fans.

Bury AFC were formed following the demise of Bury FC which was a travesty for a club with the history they had and does question the current regulations that the football authorities currently have and how poorly protected our clubs are.

Football in Bury, kept alive by the supporters.

It brings in to focus the importance of the Fair Game campaign to get the Fan Led Review implemented, in particular the Independent Regulator for football.

For Bury AFC and their supporters it was announced this week that they have the opportunity to vote on a name change as a step towards a merger with Bury FA who have Gigg Lane but no team or league at this point. For professional football to flourish in Bury a merger is probably the only way but the personnel and ethos that the supporters club have nurtured need to be prominent in any new club and good luck to them.

Shawbridge is within 5 minutes of the town centre and both are worth a visit. I particularly enjoyed browsing the book shops, you can never have too many books. I should give a big shout out to the fishmonger, Wellgate Fisheries, just a few minutes from the ground who sold me some Monkfish and packed it with ice when he knew I had a few hours before getting home. I didn't go in to Alpes the butchers opposite the ground but I have been told they do the best sausages so that will be for next time.

It's the football that gets us to different towns and cities but when you have such a nice town centre like Clitheroe it's a bonus.

Thank you to Phil Annets who provided the information on Clitheroe's first appearance in the FA Cup. Phil does some fantastic work on stats and information about the FA Cup and you can follow him on twitter here @FACupFactfile

The photograph of the old Clitheroe side was taken from http://www.oldclitheroe.co.uk/ which has a wonderful selection of old photographs from the town and surrounding area. All other photographs are the authors.