Skelmersdale United Football Club has a very rich pedigree with an extensive list of honours since they were founded in 1882.  The most successful period for the club was between 1966-67 and 1970-71 seasons, which included two Wembley appearances in the Amateur FA Cup in 1967 & 1971. 

The 1^st final was against Enfield which, following a 0-0 draw at Wembley (with Alan Bermingham missing a last minute penalty); they lost 0-3 at Maine Road, Manchester, in the replay. 

The 2^nd Wembley date, in 1971, resulted in a convincing 4-1 win against Dagenham, with centre forward Ted Dicken scoring a hat trick.  In between the 2 Wembley finals, the club had regular successful cup runs in the Amateur Cup, reaching the semi-final on two other occasions.

One of the everlasting memories of the successful Amateur Cup days was the tremendous support for the club.  The phenomenal increase in crowds will probably never be repeated again, with regular crowds between 1,000 and 1,500 for league games, rising to several thousand for cup games.  Indeed the record gate for the club was 7,500 for a quarterfinal game in March 1967 that resulted in a 1-0 victory over Slough Town. 

The cup final of 1967 attracted a massive 75,000, with the 1971 final also attracting a large 42,000 gate.  There is no doubt that the 1967-1971 period was a golden era for Skelmersdale with many players progressing into the Football League.

 The following are just a few examples:

Steve Heighway – Liverpool, Micky Burns – Blackpool & Newcastle, Alan Mansley – Chelsea & Brentford, Alan Bermingham – Wrexham, David Moorcroft – Tranmere Rovers, Norman Whitehead – Rochdale & Chester, Paul Clements – Oldham Athletic, Peter Suddaby – Brighton & Hove Albion.

Those are examples of players who left the club directly for league clubs.  There are others who played for the club and progressed into league football after leaving the club.  These include: Paul Futcher _ Chester & Manchester City, Ron Futcher – Chester & Manchester City, John Richards – Wolverhampton Wanderers, Peter Withe – Notts Forest & Aston Villa.

A further interesting fact is that Steve Heighway gained an International Cap with the Republic of Ireland whilst he was still playing for the club.  Steve is now Director of Liverpool’s Academy and Peter Suddaby is Director of Tottenham Hotspur’s Academy.  Another ex-player, Micky Burns, has a senior position with the Professional Footballers’ Association.

Looking back to when the club was founded, in 1882, their early successes were as members of the Liverpool County Combination, which they competed in until 1955, during which time hey were Champions on 10 occasions, Liverpool County FA Challenge Cup Winners on 8 occasions and George Mahan Cup Winners 5 times.  For the majority of their first seventy years the club played at Sandy Lane that is now the site of an office block.  The Sandy Lane ground had a deceiving slope and was one of the biggest playing areas in non-league football.

For the 1955-56 season the club moved into the 2^nd Division of the Lancashire Combination, and in their 1^st season they lifted the Championship.  Spectators from those days will remember goalkeeper Don Tucker, defenders, Wilf London, Joe Simpkin and forwards, Billy Pilson, Charlie Whiteside and Ernie Corfield.  Another player around that time was Wesley Bridge who later had a major influence on the successes between 1967 & 1971.

In the modern era of non-league football, the playing side is controlled by a Manager, supported by Assistants and Coaches, which mirrors the management structure of league clubs.  However, up to the early 1960’s Skelmersdale United, like many other non-league clubs, did not have a Manager with a Management Committee selecting the side and being responsible for the signing of players.  With regard to Skelmersdale United the normal course of events would be for the Management Committee to meet on a Monday evening and select the team for the following Saturday.  The team sheet would be displayed in the local shop window – how times have changed.

Reference has been made to Wesley Bridge, a prolific centre forward who finished his career at Skelmersdale United after sustaining a broken leg.  In August 1961, Wesley was made Secretary/Manager of United, which was three years after the move to Whitemoss Park.  Wesley had many contacts in the game, and set about restructuring the club from a playing perspective.  In 1964-65 he persuaded the Management Committee to field a team of amateur players which, of course meant that the club could enter the Amateur FA Cup.  What happened after that is of course is remembered by Skelmersdale fans with a great deal of pride and some pleasant reminiscences.

Following the highly successful Amateur Cup era the club decided to progress into the professional ranks and moved into the Northern Premier League for the 1971-72 season.  The move to the Northern Premier was a major step for the club, with a significant increase in both players’ wages and travel costs.  Whilst the first three years in the Northern Premier were reasonable, the club found the overheads increasingly difficult to sustain and a decision was taken to return to the Lancashire Combination for the 1976-77 season.

The club remained in the Lancashire Combination until 1982, when the league amalgamated with the Cheshire League to form the North West Counties League.  Skelmersdale United were placed into Division Two of the NWCL and reached the inaugural League Challenge Cup Final, losing in a replay to Darwen.  In 1987 the NWCL was restructured as many sides left the league to join the Northern Premier.  This saw the club promoted to the NWCL First Division.   However, United had mixed fortunes in the 1^st Division and following three seasons of just avoiding relegation to the 2^nd Division in the early 90’s, the inevitable happened at the end of the 1995-96 season

At the close of the 1996-96 season the club restructured, with a new Management Committee and the astute appointment of the vastly experienced Russ Perkins as Manager.  Russ quickly assembled a squad of players who regained United its 1^st Division status at the end of his first season. 

Further progress was made on and off the field, with improvements being made to Whitemoss Park, including new changing rooms.  On the playing side United went from strength to strength, finishing regularly in the top half of the table and winning the League Challenge Trophy in May 2000, which was their first major trophy since lifting the Amateur FA Cup & the Anglo Italian Cup in 1971.

Russ Perkins was replaced as Manager by his then assistant Paul Gallagher towards the end of the 2001-02 season, and the following season United established their highest ever finish in the League when they came 5^th.

A major development announced in October 2002 was the club’s decision to pursue relocation to a new stadium on the Stanley Industrial Estate which is approximately 1.5 miles from Whitemoss Park.  Meanwhile United went on to ground share with local rivals Burscough until their new stadium was completed.

2003/04.

In a difficult season at Victoria Park, United lose their opening 5 league games yet still manage to finish the season in 8th place with only three defeats in their last 18 games, and Stuart Rudd bags 39 goals despite carrying several injuries throughout the campaign.

2004/05

A new era begins at the 'Westgate Interactive Stadium' but not before a hiccup as their opening game is put on hold until Tuesday 21st September 2004 due to technical hitches with the new stadium.  One of the problems being the pitch that would eventually be the cause of greater problems as the season unfolded.  Nevertheless their opening game against Nantwich Town is worth waiting for as they romp to a 4-0 win in front of 347 expectant supporters!

United's good form continued in both Cup and League action, and it's only after neighbours Burscough spoil a 12 match unbeaten run in front of 1,002 people in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, that their pitch problems become more magnified.  Postponements & Cup success compound their problems even further and eventually they switch their FA Vase 4th Round Tie back to Burscough, and as a result they bow out of the competition with a 2-0 defeat to Frome Town.

Miraculously they some how manage to continue playing at 'Westgate' until mid April, largely down to the sterling work of Groundsman Peter McGee, but in the end they are forced to play their remaining 4 fixtures at Burscough & Formby.

The season albeit a difficult one in terms of logistics proves to be a fruitful one. Having reached the semi-final of the Marsden Trophy before bowing out once again to rivals Burscough.  They also get to the final of the NWC League Challenge Trophy Final at Gigg Lane.  Sadly the heavy toll of games, (playing as many as 4 games a week) eventually saps them of strength, as Cammell Laird's beat them 2-0.

United still manage to finish in a lofty 6th place despite all the adversity, and once again Manager, Paul Gallagher & his Assistant Mick Buoey continue to turn out a team with an excellent blend of talent despite their youth.

Before the final whistle was blown on the 2004/05 season, work commenced on the ground to rectify the pitch problems.  The old turf was dug up to be replaced with seed, following on from remedial work on the old drainage, and the prospects for the 2005/06 season look to be extremely positive.

2005/06

Everton were the first visitor’s to play on the newly sown pitch, and straight away they declare it “Fit for the Premiership.”  601 visitors are there to witness how good the new pitch is.

After 8 years and over 400 appearances, goalkeeper Robbie Holcroft decides to leave the club in order to play at a higher level.  He signs for Runcorn FC Halton of the UniBond Premiership. 

Robbie played 398 consecutive games for United before injury in the Marsden Trophy Quarter-Final at Fleetwood prevented him from breaking the 400 barrier!

2006/07

United stayed top of the league until their very final game of the season, but with games in hand Cammell Laird took the honours.  Fortunately with the restructuring of football at step four, United after an absence of 30 years gain promotion to the Northern Premier League as runners-up.

Stuart Rudd broke Tommy Tindsley’s all-time goalscoring record which had stood since 1948 at 214 goals, to set a new record that now stands at 230 goals in 315 games.  Sadly Stuart signed for FC United of Manchester at the end of the 2005/06 season, but left the club as a ‘true blue’ legend.

United decide to part company with Manager Paul Gallagher as they opted for a Manager with UniBond experience…and in came Tommy Lawson who signed a three-year contract.

Tommy Lawson has a great pedigree at UniBond level, having taken Prescot Cables up from the North West Counties as Champions at the end of the 2002-03 season, into the UniBond First Division where he gained automatic promotion to the UniBond Premier Division.  In his final season, Prescot were play-off candidates for a place in the Conference North.

Changes were made in the boardroom as well, as Arthur Gore stepped aside as Chairman of the club after a successful 10-year period to take up the title of President of the club, with Director of Football, Frank Hughes at the tender age of 38 taking up the reins.

United Consolidate their position in the Unibond as they finish in 15^th place despite all the rebuilding, as Tommy goes about restructuring the playing staff…and the anticipation for the forthcoming season is really positive.

2007-08

Skelmersdale came very close to starting the season without a main club sponsor for the first time in ten years, but thankfully The Skelmersdale & Ormskirk College step in at the last minute, in what was described as a ‘ground-breaking’ deal.

United’s finished third in the newly formed Unibond Division One North, they just missed out on promotion as FC United of Manchester beat them 4-1 in the play-off final at Gigg Lane, Bury in front of 3,258 people.

They marched all the way to the Unibond League Challenge Cup Final, beating four teams from the higher division before finally succumbing to Premiership opposition in the shape of Eastwood Town.

2008-09

Arguably 2008-09 was United’s finest season since their halcyon days of the late 60’s – early 70’s.

After valiant efforts in the Unibond Challenge Cup and the Unibond Presidents Cup, United fell at the semi-final stage of both competitions, but more than made up for that particular disappointment when they won the Lancashire Challenge Trophy with a 2-1 extra-time defeat of Radcliffe Borough at the Lancashire County FA headquarters in Leyland – Indeed it was United’s first piece of winning silverware in nine years.

On the league front United finished just one point behind eventual champions Durham City in the Unibond Division One North, and despite finishing some 13-points ahead of the rest of the field in the runners-up spot they eventually lost to Curzon Ashton in the play-off semi-final.

Many believe that Skelmersdale were a victim of their own success having played an extraordinary amount of fixtures in the closing stages of the season, but perhaps the departure of Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley) and Georgie Donnelly (Plymouth Argyle) at such a crucial stage of the season had a detrimental effect as well.

In the close season United announce that the Skelmersdale & Ormskirk College will continue their main club sponsorship for a second term.