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A series of articles looking at some of Old and Lost Football Grounds, and sometimes entirely lost Football Clubs, around the country
And
today, it’s a club who sadly no longer exist. Rossendale United,
and their home ground at Dark Lane in the village of Newchurch within
the Lancashire Borough of Rossendale. The club were in existence from
their formation in 1898, up until the dissolution of the club due to
spiralling debts in 2011
Rossendale United played at Dark Lane, from as far back as 1894 but it was until 1928 that the club were able to build a new stand, a magnificent structure that stood the test of time. It’s end coming in 2012 when a fire completely destroyed it, and with it went any hopes of resurrecting this long established football club.
The ground became floodlit in 1959, and these lights were in use until 1972, when a brand new set of pylons were constructed from the funds generated by Rossendale's fantastic FA Cup Run of 1971. They reached the 2nd Round proper of the FA Cup, where they were beaten by Bolton Wanders in front of 12,000 fans. The match being played at Gigg Lane Bury. A second FA Cup run in the 1975/76 season saw them lose 1-0 at Shrewsbury Town.
The cup run of 75–76 proved to be the last throw of the dice from that successful side as financial difficulties struck the club hard. Matters came to a head in February 1978 when the players walked out the night before the home game against would be Champions Marine. A scratch side managed to score two goals, the only problem being that Marine scored 14!
The club had spent much of it’s former life as members of The Lancashire combination were they played for 69 years before leaving to join The Cheshire League. They became founder members of The North West Counties League in 1982. The club were successful in the 1980’s at that level, with good runs in The FA vase and wining promotion to the NWCL Premier Division in 1986. The club came close to winning the Premier League in 1988, finishing runners up on goal difference to eventual Champions Colne Dynamo's. However they went one better the following season. Promoted to the Northern Premier League as Champions. Dark Lane saw some improvements during the clubs spell in the NPL, As it was spruced up to meet the ground grading requirements. But sadly, it wasn’t to last.
In 1994 The club were relegated back to The North West Counties League, and by the mid 90’s Dark lane was starting to fall in to a state of disrepair, with a lack of available funds to avert the decline. New owners of the club arrived in 1999 and the financial boost this provided, saw The Stags claim the NWCL title in 2001 and promotion back to the NPL. The following season saw them top of the NPL around Christmas time. They fell away in the 2nd part of that season finishing a highly respectable 9th. Their highest ever finish in the non League pyramid.
The club became established in the NPL through the first decade of the this century, with several mid table finishes and even just missing out on the play offs in 2007 but by the end of the decade the club were back in financial difficulty and relegated back in The North West Counties League in 2010. The club were in turmoil and soon found themselves bottom of The NWCL. The Chairman and board, unable to raise the funds required resigned from the club leading to The Stags being expelled from the League.
The end of Dark Lane arrived in 2012 when the fire burnt down the main stand, and all the clubs facilities. Plans had been made to to relaunch the club and join the West Lancashire League. These plans were abandoned after the fire as the ground was almost completely destroyed. And that sadly, was the end of Rossendale United.
By Alan Bateson
Thanks to https://peterrmiles.wordpress.com/tag/dark-lane/ for much of the information in compiling this article
Rossendale United played at Dark Lane, from as far back as 1894 but it was until 1928 that the club were able to build a new stand, a magnificent structure that stood the test of time. It’s end coming in 2012 when a fire completely destroyed it, and with it went any hopes of resurrecting this long established football club.
The ground became floodlit in 1959, and these lights were in use until 1972, when a brand new set of pylons were constructed from the funds generated by Rossendale's fantastic FA Cup Run of 1971. They reached the 2nd Round proper of the FA Cup, where they were beaten by Bolton Wanders in front of 12,000 fans. The match being played at Gigg Lane Bury. A second FA Cup run in the 1975/76 season saw them lose 1-0 at Shrewsbury Town.
The cup run of 75–76 proved to be the last throw of the dice from that successful side as financial difficulties struck the club hard. Matters came to a head in February 1978 when the players walked out the night before the home game against would be Champions Marine. A scratch side managed to score two goals, the only problem being that Marine scored 14!
The club had spent much of it’s former life as members of The Lancashire combination were they played for 69 years before leaving to join The Cheshire League. They became founder members of The North West Counties League in 1982. The club were successful in the 1980’s at that level, with good runs in The FA vase and wining promotion to the NWCL Premier Division in 1986. The club came close to winning the Premier League in 1988, finishing runners up on goal difference to eventual Champions Colne Dynamo's. However they went one better the following season. Promoted to the Northern Premier League as Champions. Dark Lane saw some improvements during the clubs spell in the NPL, As it was spruced up to meet the ground grading requirements. But sadly, it wasn’t to last.
In 1994 The club were relegated back to The North West Counties League, and by the mid 90’s Dark lane was starting to fall in to a state of disrepair, with a lack of available funds to avert the decline. New owners of the club arrived in 1999 and the financial boost this provided, saw The Stags claim the NWCL title in 2001 and promotion back to the NPL. The following season saw them top of the NPL around Christmas time. They fell away in the 2nd part of that season finishing a highly respectable 9th. Their highest ever finish in the non League pyramid.
The club became established in the NPL through the first decade of the this century, with several mid table finishes and even just missing out on the play offs in 2007 but by the end of the decade the club were back in financial difficulty and relegated back in The North West Counties League in 2010. The club were in turmoil and soon found themselves bottom of The NWCL. The Chairman and board, unable to raise the funds required resigned from the club leading to The Stags being expelled from the League.
The end of Dark Lane arrived in 2012 when the fire burnt down the main stand, and all the clubs facilities. Plans had been made to to relaunch the club and join the West Lancashire League. These plans were abandoned after the fire as the ground was almost completely destroyed. And that sadly, was the end of Rossendale United.
By Alan Bateson
Thanks to https://peterrmiles.wordpress.com/tag/dark-lane/ for much of the information in compiling this article
