Diggle F.C. News: | |
HISTORY Diggle Amateur Football Club reformed in 1959 after a previous existence had disbanded in 1955. The ‘new’ Diggle FC based its headquarters at Diggle Band Club and played their home matches on the Sam Road ground famously known as ‘The Tip’. Geoff and Gordon Wood were the instrumental founders of the team and with Bill Langhorn, as the energetic administrator; they set about recruiting players for the new village team. The club played its first two seasons in the Saddleworth League until its demise in 1962, at which time Bill Langhorn spotted that this young team had potential, and Diggle FC found fresh challenges when they joined the Ashton League. In 1963 Diggle FC won their first Trophy, the Ashton Junior League Cup, at Mossley’s Seel Park. The team at that time comprised of two 16 year olds, three 18 year olds and the rest made up of lads in there early to late twenties, and they went rolex replica on to win further League honours in the Ashton League before they joined the Oldham Amateur League in 1965. During this phase Diggle FC had there most successful period winning everything that was possible to win in the Oldham Amateur League as they became 3 time winners of the Division 1 Cup, crowned League Champions once, Runners-up twice, and culminating in a Challenge Cup victory on the hallowed turf of Boundary Park in 1968. The team was continually improving and in 1968 the club switched leagues again as they stepped into the South East Lancs League. Starting in Division One East the club gained promotion in their first season as well as winning the Hey’s Trophy. Now in the Premier Division, Diggle FC’s opposition involved the likes of Shawside, Robinson Rees, Sacred Heart, I.C.L, Heywood, Clayton Amatuers, Marsden and Mount Pleasant to mention just a few teams from the past. During the next 27 years in the South East Lancs League; Diggle replica watches FC moved grounds to Churchill Playing Fields in 1968, formed a Reserve team in the mid-70’s and won the Frank Reynolds Trophy. The various ups and downs of promotion and relegation, Cup Final places and a best Premier Division finish of third place were all experienced during this period. In 1993 the club made a decision that would revitalise Diggle FC when
it elected to switch leagues, and in the 1993/94 season Diggle FC duly
joined the Huddersfield and District League. Both teams began at the bottom
of their respective leagues, the 1st Team starting in Division Five and
the Reserves in Reserve Division Four. Championships and promotions followed
for both over the next couple of seasons, and in 1995 the Reserve team
completed the ‘Double‘ and were crowned as Reserve Division
Three champions and Gee Cup Winners. At the start of the 1996/97 season,
with interest and enthusiasm rising, a 3rd team was formed, Diggle ‘A’,
who mirrored the achievements of the past to gain successive promotions
and Cup successes. The Reserves figured in consecutive Richardson Cup finals in 2002 and winning in 2003, under the guidance of Diggle stalwart, George Bradbury. The semi-final produced a classic encounter as both Diggle Reserves and Diggle ‘A’ faced each other in a highly competitive cup tie. In 2006, fledgling manager Nick Hall guided the ‘A’ team to the Reserve Division 3 title. The appointment last season of Steve Southern as 1st Team manager and the promotion of Nick Hall to Reserve Team manager saw Diggle FC develop and improve their playing squads, helping the 1st Team to become Division 1 Runners-up and Barlow Cup semi-finalists, whilst the Reserves won an historic League and Cup treble, a feat that had only been achieved in the Huddersfield League once before. The ‘A’ team finished a respectable 5th place in Reserve Division 2. The story goes on………………. |