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Darwen Football Club
Another local
non league club with an illustrious past, are Darwen
FC, now re-incarnated as AFC Darwen and plying their trade in the
North West Counties League. Their home stadium is The Anchor Ground
in Darwen. The ground is, in my opinion of a good standard for the
league they are in. They have an excellent and very smart clubhouse
and a 4g pitch which enables it be used widely by the local community
7 days a week.
Darwen Football club were formed in 1870, they were pioneers in the introduction of Professional football in England and were members of The Football League between 1891 and 1899. Prior to the formation of the League, the FA Cup was already an established National competition and Darwen FC reached the semi-final in the 1880 / 81 season.
The club had originality begun as a Rugby and Cricket club but adopted Association football rules in 1875. Their home ground in those early years was the long since lost Barley Bank in Darwen. The ground had a capacity of 14,000. A notable feature of this ground, bearing in mind the date (late 1870’s) was that it used floodlights. A match between Darwen and Blackburn as early as 1878 is believed to be the first football match in England played under lighting. They were ARC lights operated by two steam powered generators borrowed from a local Mill. Darwen winning the match 3-0. in front of 3,000 supporters. The highest recorded attendance for a League match at Barley Bank is believed to be 8,000 for a match against PNE in 1892. Although its suggested a capacity 14,000 saw a derby with Blackburn Rovers with whom they had a fierce rivalry.
Darwen Football club were formed in 1870, they were pioneers in the introduction of Professional football in England and were members of The Football League between 1891 and 1899. Prior to the formation of the League, the FA Cup was already an established National competition and Darwen FC reached the semi-final in the 1880 / 81 season.
The club had originality begun as a Rugby and Cricket club but adopted Association football rules in 1875. Their home ground in those early years was the long since lost Barley Bank in Darwen. The ground had a capacity of 14,000. A notable feature of this ground, bearing in mind the date (late 1870’s) was that it used floodlights. A match between Darwen and Blackburn as early as 1878 is believed to be the first football match in England played under lighting. They were ARC lights operated by two steam powered generators borrowed from a local Mill. Darwen winning the match 3-0. in front of 3,000 supporters. The highest recorded attendance for a League match at Barley Bank is believed to be 8,000 for a match against PNE in 1892. Although its suggested a capacity 14,000 saw a derby with Blackburn Rovers with whom they had a fierce rivalry.
A rare photo of the main stand at Barley Bank, unclear what the event is
In 1879 the club
reached the quarter final of the FA Cup, the
furthest that any Northern based club had ever managed in the
competition. Controversy followed as it was alleged that Darwen had
signed two professional players from Partick FC in Scotland. Again
this is though to be the first instance of footballers being paid in
England. Southern based clubs complained and insisted rules be drawn
up to prevent all but amateur players competing in the FA Cup. This
was rejected by The FA leaving Darwen to play their quarter final
against The Old Etonians at the Oval in London. They had to travel 3
times having drawn the first game 5-5, the replay 2-2 before losing
the 2nd replay 6-2. At that time, FA rules dictated that
the last 3 rounds of The FA Cup were to be played in
London. Following Darwen’s 3 trip marathon, the rule was changed to
just the final.
Darwen joined the Football League when it was expanded to 14 teams in 1881 and gained an unwanted record which still exists to this day. They were beaten 14 – 0 by West Bromwich Albion, the biggest margin of victory (or defeat) in the top Division of English Football. That first season saw them relegated. They then became founder members of the newly formed Football League Second Division. Hence they became the first ever club to be relegated. That 14th placed finish however and subsequent relegation remains Darwen FC’s highest ever finish in the English Football League System.
Barley Bank Darwen around 1890
The Darwen FC team in 1879, decked out in their Original Back and white hooped shirts.
Darwen joined the Football League when it was expanded to 14 teams in 1881 and gained an unwanted record which still exists to this day. They were beaten 14 – 0 by West Bromwich Albion, the biggest margin of victory (or defeat) in the top Division of English Football. That first season saw them relegated. They then became founder members of the newly formed Football League Second Division. Hence they became the first ever club to be relegated. That 14th placed finish however and subsequent relegation remains Darwen FC’s highest ever finish in the English Football League System.
Barley Bank Darwen around 1890
Darwen
won promotion back to the First Division in 1893, but again
were relegated after just one season. They stayed as members of the 2nd
Division until 1899, when they did not apply for re-election. Joining
The Lancashire Combination and remaining as a non League club ever
since. Another two more unwanted records where created by Darwen
during their Football League years. An 18 match losing streak which
stands to this day. The closest any club has come to matching this
unenviable record was Sunderland as recently as 2003. They lost 17
games on the bounce before beating Preston North End 2-0 at Deepdale.
Darwen can be thankful to North End for keeping that record intact !!
The other unwanted Darwen record was conceding an incredible 141
goals in a single season
The Darwen FC team in 1879, decked out in their Original Back and white hooped shirts.
At the end of
the 1899 season, as well as leaving The Football
League, the club left their Barley Bank ground and moved to their
current home at The Anchor Ground. The club joined The Lancashire
League then the Lancashire Combination. They remained Members of The
Lancashire Combination for an impressive 70 years.
The record attendance at The Anchor Ground came in The FA Cup in 1932 when a Capacity 10,000 saw them beat Chester. They were rewarded with an away tie against Arsenal in the next round and were beaten 11-1 at Highbury. However, The Gunners were so impressed with the attitude and spirit and Sportsmanship of their Lancashire opponents, that they presented Darwen FC with a full set of the their famous red strip. Darwen have worn red since that match. They previously played in pinstripe black hooped shirts.
The Anchor Ground Darwen, as it looks today. I can't find any photo's of how it used to be.
The record attendance at The Anchor Ground came in The FA Cup in 1932 when a Capacity 10,000 saw them beat Chester. They were rewarded with an away tie against Arsenal in the next round and were beaten 11-1 at Highbury. However, The Gunners were so impressed with the attitude and spirit and Sportsmanship of their Lancashire opponents, that they presented Darwen FC with a full set of the their famous red strip. Darwen have worn red since that match. They previously played in pinstripe black hooped shirts.
The Anchor Ground Darwen, as it looks today. I can't find any photo's of how it used to be.
The
club left The Lancashire Combination in 1976 and joined The
Cheshire League. They remained there for 6 years before becoming
founder members of the newly formed North West Counties League.
Darwen FC sadly ceased to exist in 2009 when after running up Debts
to both The Bee Radio Station and Thwaites Brewery the club was wound
up in the High Court. That was the end of the Football Clubs 134 year
history.
In 2009, however, AFC Darwen were formed and took ownership of The Anchor Ground. They joined the West Lancashire League. They were promoted in 2014 to Division 1 North of The North West Counties League. They won promotion to The Premier Division via the play offs in the 2014 /15 season but have since found themselves relegated back to Division One North. The level at which the club plays currently.
By Alan Bateson
In 2009, however, AFC Darwen were formed and took ownership of The Anchor Ground. They joined the West Lancashire League. They were promoted in 2014 to Division 1 North of The North West Counties League. They won promotion to The Premier Division via the play offs in the 2014 /15 season but have since found themselves relegated back to Division One North. The level at which the club plays currently.
By Alan Bateson