Nelson FC, nicknamed not unsurprisingly, "The Admirals", are currently members of the North West Counties League 1st Division North, or Step 6 of the non League Pyramid. Their current home ground is Victoria Park, known locally as "Little Wembley".

The Admirals however, have a far more illustrious past and it's probaby not quite so well known that Nelson where founder member of the The Football League Third Division North in 1921. In their second season at that level they were crowned Champions and won promotion to The 2nd Division. Or what is now known as The Championship. This, sadly for the East Lancashire club would be the highest position they would achieve in their 140 year existance. Unfortunately their stay lasted  just one season in the 2nd tier of English football before being relegated back to the 3rd Division North. Just 8 years later, in 1931 They lost their League Status, never to return, dropping into the Lancashire Combination. Worse was to follow, when in 1936 The club folded.

The current Nelson Football club reformed just after the Second World War, rejoining The Lancashire Combination until it merged to form The North West Counties League in 1982, they breifly left the NWCL between 1988 and 1992, playing in The West Lancashire League, but rejoined in 1993 and bar one season in 2010 they have remained there ever since.


The early days of Nelson FC where very mixed. Formed in 1882, the club folded in 1898. They reformed in 1901 and continued in the Lancashire Combination until 1916, when bailiffs where called in due to mounting debts and the club once again folded. They reformed again in 1918, joining the Central League before becoming founder members of the new Football League 3rd Division North in 1921.

The Towns first game as a Football League club also attracted Nelson's record attendance at that time, when a crowd of more than 9,000 turned up at Seedhill for a game against the now defunct Wigan Borough. The Admirals losing the game 2-1. The club managed a 16th placed finish that season. The following season however,  would be the most successfull in Nelson FC's history. In April 1923, a 2-0 home victory against Wrexham saw the club promoted to the 2nd Division of the Football League.


Prior to that one season in the 2nd Division came the clubs most famous ever victory. Nelson had embarked on a pre -season tour to Spain, playing six matches and winning two of them. Their first win was a 2-1 victory at Real Oviedo. The 2nd success saw The Admirals record a remarkable 4-2 Victory at Real Madrid. Nelson Football Club had become the very first English club side to beat Real Madrid in Spain.

The club's fortunes in the 2nd Division were not quite as successful however and they were relegated back to Division 3 North. They did however take two notable scalps that season, beating eventual Champions Leeds United at home and Manchester United away. During that pre season Seedhill saw ground improvemetns including a huge new main stand, brining the ground capacity up to an incredible 25,000.


The following season, Nelson finished runners up to Darlington, sadly, only one club was promoted at that time, so Nelson missed out on promtion back to the 2nd tier of English Football. Nelson where never again to reach such heights.

The clubs' Seedhill ground recorded it's highest ever attendance for a 3rd Div North Leagur game against Bradford Park Avenue in April 1926. 14,143 where in attendance to watch a 2-2 draw. The club lost their league status in 1931, being replaced by Chester City. The Last League game being a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Hull City.


Nelson FC twice tried to rejoin the Football League following successful seaosns in the Lancashire Combination in the early 1950's. On both occasions they narrowly failed to be be elected. During this period the club where managed by Joe Fagan, who later went on to manage Liverpool.

In 1967, The Seedhill ground, also became the home of the Nelson Admirals speedway club. The last football match to be played at The Seedhill ground was in 1971. Over a thousand fans turned up to see Nelson beat Clitheroe 5-3. for several years after this the ground held Stock car racing which drew huge crowds to the old stadium, until it was demolished in 1980 to make way for the M65 Motorway. The outside wall of the main stand remains visible to this day.

The football club moved to "Little Wembley" - Victoria Park in 1972, the first game being a local derby with Accrington Stanley. The match drew a crowd od of approximately 1,500. The stadium currentl has a capacity of 2,000 with seating for 300.

Next up, the history and fortunes of another local football club: Darwen FC