Kidsgrove Athletic FC 2000 (Est 1952)

Kidsgrove Athletic were formed in December 1952 after a meeting in the Blue Bell public house ten minutes’ walk from the present ground. It was formed as a breakaway club from Kidsgrove United when it was thought the club were bringing in too many ‘outsiders’ from the potteries instead of local players. The main instigator, Ernie Langford, endured a sixty year tenure with the club as chairman then president and served many years on the Staffordshire FA until his passing a few years ago. The main stand is named after him. Eric Hibbitt and Frank Timmis, who both attended that first meeting, still support the club today.

The club started life in the now defunct Burslem and Tunstall League playing on the Vickers and Goodwin pitch on the A50 just down the road. In 1961 the present ground was acquired from a local farmer and the club took a year out to develop the pitch.

After success in cup and league in the Burslem and Tunstall league the club joined the Staffordshire County League in 1963 where again they had more success in winning the league and the Staffs Challenge Cup. In search of more success the club joined the Mid Cheshire league, a move not entirely liked by the Staffs FA but eventually they did allow a Kidsgrove reserve side back into the County league.

The seventies and eighties saw the club have huge successes winning the Mid Cheshire league four times and the challenge cup three times, and they also lifted the Staffs FA Vase and the challenge cup once more. They also lifted the prestigious Sentinel Cup three times.

The Eighties saw the club grow more and more and the clubhouse and ground started developing further and further with the aid of a strong committee, supporters and local tradesmen. In 1986 the club applied for membership to the North West Counties league but this was rejected twice until facilities were improved. The club were accepted in 1990, the same year they became the first team to win the Staffs FA Vase twice.

Three years later Kidsgrove were promoted to the first division after finishing tenth in the second division, the result of the league introducing strict ground criteria. Part of this was the installation of floodlights (acquired free off the council from the run down tennis courts at Chinky Park) and on the 29th October 1991, Lou Maccari brought his Stoke City team to officially switch on the floodlights.

Within the next ten years, the south and west stands were completed but the club struggled financially on and off the pitch but after the demise of Eastwood Hanley in 1997, the playing side was strengthened when manager Jimmy Wallace took over.
The team had unparalleled success winning the league and challenge cup and narrowly missing out on a place in the FA Vase final at Wembley losing 3-2 to Tiverton in the semi-final in front of Kidsgrove’s record crowd of 1903.

Promotion to the NPL was not forthcoming because of facilities but, in 2002 after winning the league promotion was gained. The team struggled on and off the field and two years later they faced relegation for the first time in their history after finishing bottom of the league. The restructuring of the league however saved this from happening and to celebrate the club won the Staffordshire FA Senior Cup for the first time beating Stafford Rangers 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium (home of Stoke City), a feat they have won four times since. The club have only picked up one piece of silverware in the league, winning the Chairmans Cup 7-6 on aggregate against Woodley Sports. They’ve reached the playoffs once, losing 1-0 to Glapwell in the semi-finals back in 2010.

Struggles have ensued and reprieves twice saved relegations and despite reaching the Integro Sports Cup quarter-final losing 2-0 to Ilkeston, and the FA Cup 4th Qualifying round losing 2-0 to Bradford Park Avenue, Kidsgrove have had to settle for fair play awards.

The club reached the FA Cup 4th Qualifier again in 2018 under the management of Ryan Austin and faced a long journey to National League side Hartlepool United and was unlucky to lose 1-0.

The following season the club did well again on the pitch at first before going out of the FA Cup in the 3rd Qualifier of the FA Cup 1-0 to Gateshead. The Grove slipped slightly in the league tough were still in with a chance of the playoffs before the season was halted due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Kidsgrove parted company with Ryan Austin and former player Scott Dundas was appointed as the new manager. A decent run in the FA Trophy was halted by Stamford before the season was ended with Grove 4th after eight games.

With plans approved for new floodlights, clubhouse and other facilities, the club and supporters remain very optimistic about the future on and off the field.

Kidsgrove Athletic FC

1. FA Vase History