Successful campaigns in the FA Vase

Unlike many around the Vodkat League, my involvement only began at the start of the 2000-01season, so I’m a bit woolly on a lot of the history before that.

As I watched our clubs progress in the FA Vase this season, the thought occurred to me that I only had a vague idea of how well our clubs had done in the past, so I decided to take a look. And I must admit, there were a few surprises for me along the way. The facts and figures I’m about to quote incidentally, were compiled with the assistance of our own League handbook, Wikipaedia and the excellent Football Club History Database.

In total, three of our clubs have won the Vase – St Helens in 1987, Colne Dynamoes a year later and then Nantwich Town in 2006. As far as the NWCFL is concerned, the icing on the cake was in 1987 when we supplied both of the finalists in the competition, St Helens Town and Warrington Town.

We did have a couple of other near misses though. In 1996 Clitheroe lost to Brigg Town in the final, after the Humberside club had beaten Flixton in the semi final. More recently in 2006 the (bad) luck of the draw denied us an all NWCFL final when Cammell Laird and Nantwich Town were drawn together in the semi final.

Going back to St Helens Town, they are the only current Vodkat League side who can boast a Vase win. In the year they won they beat fellow NWCFL side Colne Dynamoes in the Extra Preliminary Round, but the following year, their defence of the trophy ended at the first hurdle when they lost to Rainworth MW.

Meanwhile, Dynamoes went all the way to the final in 1988, beating Emley 1-0. Just in case some people reading this may be unaware, Colne Dynamoes folded in 1990, and the present club known as Colne FC was formed in 1996 and play at the same ground, the Holt House Stadium. Incidentally, the current Colne boss Nigel Coates played for Dynamoes in their Wembley win.

Dynamoes had a similarly unsuccessful attempt to defend their crown the following season, and amazingly in their very next Vase tie, in the second round in 1988-89, they were drawn against Emley again, this time at the Holt House Stadium. The Yorkshiremen got their revenge with a 2-1 win.

To complete the details of Vase final appearances, we should also mention Fleetwood Town, who lost to Halesown Town in the 1985 final.

Turning attention to the clubs who still play in our league, there are a few who can look back on successful Vase campaigns.

Atherton LR were so near and yet so far during their successful 1993-94 season that ended with them being promoted to the Unibond League. A high profile win over the then up and coming Aldershot Town in a quarter final replay took them through to a semi final against Diss Town. LR finally lost the decisive game 2-1 at the neutral venue of VS Rugby, after the sides were tied on aggregate following the home and away legs of the semi final.

In 1995-96 Flixton must have thought they were in the driving seat when they 0-0 at Brigg Town in the first leg of the semi final, but a 1-0 home defeat in the second leg ended the campaign in disappointing fashion.

Newcastle Town made it through to the semi final in 1999-00 after facing a variety of opposition from a number of different leagues around the country. A first leg semi final loss at home to Deal Town was their undoing.

In 2003-04 Colne almost emulated the success of their predecessors Colne Dynamoes, only to have their progress ended at the semi final stage. After some notable wins, especially away to AFC Wimbledon, they lost on aggregate to Sudbury Town in the semi final, the Suffolk club gaining revenge for their defeat at the same stage by Colne Dynamoes in 1988.

I didn’t check thoroughly, but out of the present NWCFL clubs, Colne and St Helens probably hold the record for the longest trip undertaken in the Vase. Colne’s 346 mile trip to Bodmin in January 2004 only just beats the 341 mile trip that St Helens made to Falmouth in a quarter final replay in their successful campaign in 1986-87. Anyone who can beat that must have taken a wrong turning.

As I cast my eye over the various stats, I noticed that in comparison to near neighbours Colne Dynamoes in the late 80’s, Nelson’s 1989-90 campaign was somewhat less impressive as they lost 13-0 in the First Round to Poulton Victoria. Also, I’m sure that the long serving members of the current Maine Road squad won’t need reminding that their record in the Vase is not the most impressive. Every year for the last 12 years, with the exception of season 1998-99, the Manchester club have gone out in their first tie of the competition.

Finally, on a lighter note, at various times our clubs have faced opponents with some intriguing names over the years. Padiham overcame Norton Woodseats in 1981-82, who would have been suitable opponents for Handarhan Timbers who played Congleton Town in 2002-03. Similarly in 1992 Formby lost to General Chemicals, a slightly grander industrial name than Clay Cross Works who defeated Cheadle Town in 1984-85.

At the start of this season, Newcastle Town overcame the rather sinister sounding Wolverhampton Casuals, who might have been more suited to facing Merseyside Police, opponents for Atherton LR, Ashton Town and Blackpool Mechanics over the years.

There have been a number of clubs containing “Miners Welfare” and “Institute” turning up to face our clubs over the years, but my favourite has to be Ashton Town’s opponents in their first ever FA Vase tie in 1984-85 – Hurley Daw Mill Miners Welfare. There’s bound to have been someone at some point over the years who started the chant – “Give us an H……”.

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