109-568: Radcliffe Football Club (formerly Radcliffe Borough ) is an English football club based in Radcliffe , Greater Manchester where they play their games at Stainton Park. The club was formed on 24 May 1949 and currently plays in the National League North , the sixth tier of the English football league system , after winning the 2023-24 Northern Premier League Premier Division title. Radcliffe won
218-433: A "great crowd" of protesters from Bury who marched on Bealey's Works, demanding that work be halted. James Booth ordered the gates closed, gave the ringleaders £5, and promised to halt work the next day. The crowd then marched on other businesses within the town before heading along the canal to Bolton, at which point they were apparently turned back by news of approaching soldiers. There were many smaller textile concerns in
327-614: A devastating fire in 1980 but was later restored. Radcliffe was once served by several banks including the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank , the Manchester and Liverpool District Bank , the Union Bank of Manchester , and Parr's Bank ltd . As of 4 May 2019 the Royal Bank of Scotland and Halifax bank have closed or are in the process of closing in the town. The Halifax branch on Blackburn street
436-515: A fire started on the exterior of the complex of shops adjoining the precinct as roofing tar caught alight. "Newlands" is a regeneration programme run by the Forestry Commission . One site under consideration for regeneration is the former waste tip of Radcliffe E'es. In 1921 2,394 men and 3,680 women were employed in the textile industry. By 1951 these figures had fallen respectively to 981 and 1,852. A more drastic fall
545-412: A large council chamber on the first floor, with public gallery, and four committee rooms. The Lancashire (Southern Areas) Review Order of 1933 extended the district to include the township of Ainsworth , and a portion of the township of Outwood . This increased the area covered by Radcliffe District to 4,915 acres (19.89 km ). A new ward was created for Ainsworth, comprising the former township and
654-459: A national shortage. After World War II the mill employed over 600 people and produced 70,000 tons of paper annually. British Plaster Board Industries (BPB) took over the company in 1961. Other industries in the town included brick making and chimney pot manufacture. Raw materials were sourced from local collieries. In Mill Street carts, waggons, and bicycles were manufactured from 1855, and elsewhere motor vehicles were also produced until
763-486: A new chairman and manager took the reins. Off the field investment was given to the stadium, a new stand at the Pilkington Road end of the stadium, a new press area and director's area after being destroyed by fire. And a new covered turnstile block, a TV Gantry, Boardroom, club shop, Sponsors Lounge and Social Club. Giving the stadium a fresh new look. The club changed name dropping the borough officially in 2018. Reaching
872-494: A partial reopening of the pedestrianised section of Blackburn Street to traffic. The closure of the East Lancashire and Radcliffe Paper Mills, both of which employed thousands of people, has left a large gap in the town's local economy. Along with the decline of local industry the town's shopping centre has suffered a severe loss of trade and is now barely viable as a retail outlet. Radcliffe's market hall compares poorly with
981-644: A portion of the Black Lane ward. Three councillors were added to the council, and the total number of electors became 15,009. On 21 September 1935 the urban district received a charter as a municipal borough , which gave it borough status , and elevated it to the Municipal Borough of Radcliffe. Under the Local Government Act 1972 the town's urban district status was abolished, and Radcliffe has, since 1 April 1974, formed an unparished area of
1090-452: A record fee of £20,000 in December 2003, and without his goals the club slid down the table eventually finishing 19th and into the relegation play-offs beating Whitby Town on penalties 8–7 in the quarter-finals, before bowing out to Burscough in the semi-finals at home. This resulted in the club returning to tier seven after one season once more as a result of the pyramid restructure. In 2004–05
1199-510: A return journey. These problems gave rise to the construction of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal , which reached the town in 1796 and which was navigable throughout in 1808. For 38 years the canal was the town's main route for trade and transport, with a wharf near Hampson Street. The proprietors later converted into a railway company and built a line between Salford and Bolton , which opened in 1838. A branch from this line
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#17328559851021308-528: A station to the north of the town, called Black Lane station . On 18 July 1872 the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR), which had amalgamated with the ELR some years previously, gained an Act of Parliament to construct a railway between Manchester and Bury, via Whitefield and Prestwich . This opened in 1879 with a new station, known as Radcliffe New Station , with a link to the L&;BR line at Bradley Fold (near
1417-466: A stone axe-hammer was found in the river bed. The 8.5-inch (22 cm) large tool artefact weighs 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and is made from polished Quartzite , with a bore to take a shaft. South of the present-day Withins reservoir is a possible location for a Hengi-form Tumulus . During the Roman period , a Roman road passed through the area on a south-east to north-west axis; tracing an alignment with
1526-440: A turnpike from Starling Lane to Ainsworth , and Radcliffe to Bury and Manchester Road (near Fletcher Fold). A turnpike from Whitefield to Radcliffe Bridge via Stand Lane was created in 1857 with toll houses at Besses o' th' Barn , Stand Lane, the junction of Dumers Lane and Manchester Road, on Bolton Road near Countess Lane, and on Radcliffe Moor Road at Bradley Fold. Radcliffe New Road was created in an Act of 1860 which enabled
1635-493: A two-year deal for seasons 2019-20 and 2020-21 had been agreed with new sponsor BetVictor . This sponsorship agreement with BetVictor was subsequently terminated early in April 2020 with a replacement, Entain 's Pitching In, announced as the next sponsor for 2020–21. At the time of announcement, Entain went by its former name GVC Holdings. Under this partnership, the NPL is marketed as one of
1744-634: Is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury , Greater Manchester , England. It lies in the Irwell Valley 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Manchester and 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Bury and is contiguous with Whitefield to the south. The disused Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal bisects the town. Evidence of Mesolithic , Roman and Norman activity has been found in Radcliffe and its surroundings. A Roman road passes through
1853-491: Is a Grade I listed building. The town also has two Grade II* listed buildings ; Dearden Fold Farmhouse, completed during the 16th century, and Radcliffe Cenotaph, built in 1922 to commemorate the First World War. Outwood Viaduct , and Radcliffe's most visible landmark, St Thomas' Church, are Grade II listed buildings. St Thomas' took nine years to complete. The first stone was laid by Viscount Grey de Wilton (grandson of
1962-462: Is all that remains of an early 15th-century stone-built manor house . The structure is a Grade I listed building and protected as a Scheduled Monument . The construction of a nearby tithe barn is not documented, but it was probably built between 1600 and 1720. It was used for storage of the local tithes (a tenth of a farm's produce). Along with Radcliffe Tower, the Parish Church of St Mary
2071-564: Is an English football league that was founded in 1968. Together with the Isthmian League and the Southern League it forms levels seven and eight of the English football league system . Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England and the northern, central areas of the Midlands , and western parts of East Anglia. Originally a single-division competition, a second division
2180-928: Is evident in the numbers of people employed in the mining and quarrying industries; in 1921 591 people were employed in both, but in 1951 this had dropped to only 57, reflecting the number of mines in and around Radcliffe that had by that time been completely exhausted. By 2001, from a working population of 15,972 between the ages of 16–74 only six people were employed in mining. 3,011 people were employed in manufacturing, 103 in public utilities , and 985 in construction. 3,371 people worked in wholesale and retailing; repair of motor vehicles, 682 in hotels and catering, and 1,185 in transport; storage and communication. 642 people worked in financial intermediation , 1,711 in real estate, 694 in public administration and defence, 987 in education, 1,876 in health and social work, and 657 in other work. Radcliffe Tower
2289-579: Is now occupied by several different businesses. Although the town retains much of its existing Victorian and Edwardian housing stock, new estates have been built on former brownfield land including that of the Radcliffe Paper Mill Company. Since deindustrialisation the local population has continued to grow. Radcliffe's housing stock of 23,790 properties is a mixture of mainly semi-detached and terraced housing, with smaller percentages of detached housing and flats. In 1974
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#17328559851022398-406: Is the name given on a report of a proposed improvement scheme. The report envisages several initiatives, and includes the creation of new housing both to the north and south of the town. Existing industry to the west of the town and along Milltown Street would be retained and improved, along with sections of the former Radcliffe Paper Mill and Pioneer Mill. The market would be redeveloped along with
2507-869: Is to close on 28 May 2019. These closures will leave only the TSB on the Market Place (M26 1PN) as the only bank in the town Radcliffe has two weekly newspapers, the Radcliffe Times, based at the Bury Times offices, in Bury , and the Salford -based The Advertiser, which also covers the neighbouring areas of Prestwich and Whitefield . The main gates to the East Lancashire Paper mill (mill closed in 2001) were, in May 2018, installed in
2616-878: The English Civil War Radcliffe, along with nearby Bolton , fought on the side of the Parliamentarians against the Royalist Bury. In 1561, after about 400 years rule by the Radclyffes, Robert Assheton (Lord of the Manor of Middleton ) bought the manor of Radcliffe for 2,000 Marks . From 1765 the Assheton estates were divided between the two daughters of the late Ralph Assheton, one of whom married Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton . The manor of Radcliffe appears to have been included in her share, and thereafter
2725-587: The Football League , Scottish Football League , MLS , A-League , I-League or played internationally whilst at the club. The following players have played at the highest level of English football or internationally and later turned out for the Boro. The club has performed exceptionally well in the Northern Premier League 's Player awards since their inception in 2011. The following players have picked up
2834-567: The House of Lancaster , was crowned Henry VII . Sir William Stanley may have placed the crown upon his head. As a reward for the support of his family, on 27 October 1485 Henry made Thomas Stanley the Earl of Derby . Thomas Pilkington was attainted , and in February 1489 Earl Thomas was given many confiscated estates including those of Pilkington, which included the township of Pilkington , and Bury . During
2943-663: The Irwell Valley on the course of the River Irwell . The towns of Bury and Bolton lie to the northeast and northwest. For the purposes of the Office for National Statistics , Radcliffe forms a northerly part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area , with Manchester city centre 6.5 miles (10.5 km) to the south-southeast. Radcliffe's position on the River Irwell has proved important in its history and development as
3052-647: The Kwik Save site and bus station, and the town could become a centre for the arts. To improve transport links, new crossings of the Irwell and canal are proposed. Plans for a new secondary school in Radcliffe are now in doubt, however a new build at Castlebrook High School Parr Lane, Bury BL9 8LP began in January. Finally, the report suggests improving the image of Radcliffe within the Bury area. On 27 June 2018, due to very hot weather,
3161-519: The Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal under the 10¾ milestone. It then crosses Bury and Bolton Road, and heads through Higher Spen Moor. Other than placenames, little information about the area survives from the Dark Ages . Radcliffe was likely moorland and swamps . Following the 11th century Norman conquest of England , Radcliffe became a parish and township in the hundred of Salford , and county of Lancashire . One of only four parishes from
3270-499: The Metropolitan Borough of Bury , a local government district of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester . For electoral purposes, Radcliffe is now divided into three wards; Radcliffe North, Radcliffe East, and Radcliffe West. It is in the Bury South constituency and was represented in the House of Commons by Labour Party member Ivan Lewis ; however he was suspended from the party in 2017 and sat as an independent until
3379-703: The National League along with the winners of a playoff between the second to fifth place clubs. Theoretically, clubs from the NPL could be promoted into either of the National League's two regional divisions, but the geographical footprint of the NPL has never overlapped with that of the National League South , so (as of 2015) all promoted NPL clubs have been placed in the National League North . The bottom three teams are usually relegated to Division One North West or South East, but NPL Premier Division clubs in
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3488-620: The North West Women's Regional League under the management of Steve Jones, with a Reserve team in the Lancashire Womens County League and an Under 18s in the Greater Manchester Womens Football League . In the intervening years Blackburn Rovers W.F.C. played for a few seasons at Radcliffe's ground, Stainton Park. The following players played for the Boro and later went on to sign for clubs in
3597-476: The North West of England was in 1246, when Adam de Radeclyve was fined for digging de minera on common land in the Radcliffe area. Coal outcroppings were not uncommon; as recently as 1936 members of the public were seen carrying away large pieces of coal from a seam revealed by the landslip caused when the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal breached at Ladyshore. Mining was initially limited to bell pits until
3706-637: The Office for National Statistics , at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001 , Radcliffe had a population of 34,239. The population density in 2001 was 9,132 inhabitants per square mile (3,526/km ), with a 100 to 94.9 female–male ratio. Of those over 16 years old, 28.6% were single (never married) and 42.8% married. Radcliffe's 14,036 households included 28.1% one-person, 39.0% married couples living together, 9.2% were co-habiting couples, and 12.3% single parents with their children. The figures for married couples households
3815-476: The Radcliffe Local Board of Health was established. With reference to the Local Government Act 1858 , it was a regulatory body consisting of 12 members, responsible for standards of hygiene and sanitation in the township. Richard Bealey J.P. was chairman of the local board until April 1876 In the same year, the parish was extended to include parts of the former township of Pilkington, formerly in
3924-595: The Busby Babes their only home defeat in two seasons. In 1955/56 Boro’ had their best finish in 2nd place and in 1956/57 they finished 3rd. In 1958/59 they fought their way to the Manchester Junior Cup Final at Old Trafford against Cheadle Rovers which they lost by the only goal. Just 5 days later they faced Cheadle Rovers again in the William Gilgryst Cup Final at Bury and finished 0-0 after which
4033-629: The Coney Green area of the town, to sell to local housewives. In the 1950s to the north of the town the National Coal Board did some open cast mining near Radcliffe Moor Road, but the last legal instance of coal mining in Radcliffe was between 1931 and 1949, close to Bury and Bolton Road. The transformation of the area from an industry based upon water power, to one based upon steam power, may not have been without problems. A story in W. Nicholl's History and Traditions of Radcliffe (1900) tells of
4142-552: The Countess Grosvenor) on 21 July 1862, and it was consecrated in 1864 by the first Bishop of Manchester , James Prince Lee . Construction of the tower began in 1870 and the building was completed in 1871. The building cost £7,273, (£860,000 today) and the tower cost £1,800 (£210,000 today). The first vicar was the Reverend Robert Fletcher. Radcliffe's first public ornament was a drinking fountain located at
4251-641: The Cup was shared for 6 months each. In 1961/62 Boro’ again reached the Gilgryst Cup Final against Buxton Reserves at Ashton United ’s ground but lost 1-2 AET. In 1963/64 the Club joined the Lancashire Combination Div 2, a great wish of club founder Jack Pickford. When August 1966 rolled around the Club were informed that they would in the near future have to leave Bright Street and find another ground after
4360-627: The Earl of Wilton decided to sell the land to the Ministry of Housing. In 1968/69 having been refused a site on Bury Road in Radcliffe the Club moved to the White House sports ground on Middleton Road (outside Bowker Vale tram stop ) which was owned by Manchester Corporation Transport Dept. Before too long a new ground was found in Stainton Park the old wooden stands were brought from Bright Street and erected at
4469-595: The East Lancashire Paper Mill and Radcliffe Paper Mill. The former was founded by the Seddon family on 29 March 1860, along the banks of the Irwell. Its construction provided much-needed employment: in the 1860s living standards within the town were poor, and local mills often operated on "short time". A reduction in the demand for coal had placed many colliers out of work, and the Lancashire Cotton Famine
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4578-514: The Lancashire Cup Final in 2017 nearly brought silverware to the new era. League finishes for the first two seasons were roughly the same as before. But with a new manager in charge Jon Macken with Frank Sinclair as his assistant brought some positive results towards the end of 2017–18 from when he took the reins in October 2017. The future looked bright and the hard work and investment on and off
4687-594: The NLS, the NPL's additional division was created in 2021 instead. Owing to title sponsorship deals, the league has been billed under various names, including a sixteen-year spell as the Unibond League, the longest such deal in world football. When this deal ended in 2010, a new deal was announced which saw the competition billed as the Evo-Stik League until the 2017–18 season. The League announced on 8 July 2019 that
4796-465: The NPL was demoted by a further tier and there are now two levels between it and the English Football League. From 1992–93 to 1994–95 the league's Division One included two non-English clubs, Caernarfon Town from Wales and Gretna from Scotland , who later joined their countries' league systems. Colwyn Bay , Bangor City , Newtown , and Rhyl have also played in the league. In 2018,
4905-505: The NPL's member clubs voted 37–27, with one abstention and three clubs' absence, to split Step 4 (level 8) divisions from east to west starting from the 2018–19 season, and one year later, the league published its successful bid to add another division at Step 4 initially in 2020, further altering Division One into northwest and southeast for travel reasons. After the Football Association (FA) deferred its implementation of changes to
5014-719: The Northern Premier League First Division in 1996–97, won the playoffs twice in 2003 and 2019 and reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in its history in 2000. The club changed its name to Radcliffe Football Club for the 2018–19 season. The club was formed on 24 May 1949 at the Owd Tower Inn in Radcliffe by Jack Pickford & a committee of 17 and became a member of the South East Lancashire Football League. All they had at
5123-579: The River Irwell in the Irwell Valley. The Domesday Book records the name as "Radeclive". Other archaic spellings include "Radclive" (recorded in 1227), and "Radeclif" (recorded in 1309 and 1360). The Radcliffe family took its name from the town. The first human settlements in the area, albeit seasonal, are thought to have been as far back as 6,000BC during the Mesolithic period. Archaeological excavations in 1949 at Radcliffe Ees (a level plain along
5232-459: The River Irwell. The geology is represented by coal measure . Radcliffe is surrounded by open space and rural land, much of which is visible from the town centre. To the east of the town the River Roch flows under Blackford Bridge, and joins the Irwell shortly thereafter, along which several weirs and goits were built as it passes through the town. Flowing from east to west the river divides
5341-408: The Second Division championship in front of a then record Stainton Park crowd of 1,468. After one season in the First Division, Radcliffe lifted the First Division championship in 1985 and made the step up into the newly formed Northern Premier League First Division in 1987. After many years of consolidation in the league, and at times, fighting against relegation, the 1995–96 season saw an upturn in
5450-508: The Second World War. Chemicals were manufactured by companies such as Bealey's and J. & W. Whewell. From the 1950s Radcliffe's textile industry went into terminal decline, and although its paper industry survived to the end of the 20th century, both the town's largest paper mills have now been closed and demolished. One of the larger mills in Radcliffe was the Pioneer Mill, built between 1905 and 1906, and which ceased weaving in July 1980—the last mill in Radcliffe to use cotton. The building
5559-448: The area, along the border between Radcliffe and Bury. Radcliffe appears in an entry of the Domesday Book as "Radeclive" and in the High Middle Ages formed a small parish and township centred on the Church of St Mary and the manorial Radcliffe Tower , both of which are Grade I listed buildings . Plentiful coal in the area facilitated the Industrial Revolution , providing fuel for the cotton spinning and papermaking industries. By
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#17328559851025668-488: The arrival of steam engines, which along with improved ventilation, made possible much deeper pits. The earliest known local use of such an engine was in 1792 at Black Cat Colliery. The parish of Radcliffe was once home to as many as 50 pits, but with the exceptions of Outwood Colliery and Ladyshore Colliery , all were either exhausted or closed by the end of the 19th century. During the 1926 General Strike many striking miners illegally took coal from exposed seams around
5777-483: The bottom of Radcliffe New Road. It was presented to the town by a Mrs Noah Rostron in memory of her husband, and erected in August 1896. The fountain no longer exists at this location. Built in 1911 the town hall was on the junction of Water Street and Spring Lane. For many years after the town lost its urban district status, the building was unoccupied. It was converted to private accommodation in 1999. The Manchester to Blackburn packhorse route passed through
5886-412: The building, and bound until they reached the age of 21. They were unpaid, and were kept locked up each night. Shifts were typically 10–10.5 hours in length, and children returning from a day shift would sleep in the same bed as children leaving for a night shift. Peel himself admitted that conditions at the mill were "very bad". In 1784 an outbreak of typhoid prompted Lord Grey de Wilton to inform
5995-404: The centre of Radcliffe's Festival Gardens off Church Street. The construction in the 1980s of the A665 Pilkington Way Bypass relieved traffic congestion along the traditional route through the town, Blackburn Street. A new bridge across the Irwell was constructed for the road, and part of Blackburn Street was pedestrianised . The road has attracted developments along former industrial land to
6104-471: The club and changing their name accordingly. The women competed in the North West Women's Regional League for three seasons under the Radcliffe Borough name, before re-establishing their links with Bury F.C. and taking a Bury name once again in 1997. History was to repeat itself somewhat when in 2023-24 Bury Foundation Women were to establish links with Radcliffe FC, moving to Stainton Park and changing their name to Radcliffe Women. They currently compete in
6213-419: The club finished 9th in the Northern Premier League. The club continued to be near the play-offs and solid midtable finishes followed but after 4 seasons were relegated back to the first division in 2007, where the club have remained until 2019. Mid-table finishes and the occasional battle against relegation was the order of the next decade after a decade of success and a few cup runs. In 2016 management changed,
6322-445: The club's fortunes, both on and off the pitch. The club, for the first time in its history, reached the last 16 of the FA Trophy , narrowly losing to Football Conference side, Gateshead 2–1. Radcliffe achieved its highest honour in the 1996–97 season , winning the Northern Premier League First Division title by 2 points ahead of local rivals Leigh RMI . The club's stay in the 'top flight' at tier six lasted only one season. For
6431-539: The construction of a toll road between Radcliffe and Whitefield. To prevent damage to the road surfaces, weighing machines were used at various strategic positions including at the bridge end of Dumers Lane, at Sandiford turning, and on Ainsworth Road. During the Industrial Revolution , as local cottage industries were gradually supplanted by the factory system the roads became inadequate for use. A convoy of horse-drawn lorries carrying salt between Bealey's Bleach Works and Northwich would take up to two weeks to make
6540-467: The dissolution of Parliament ahead of the 2019 general election . Since December 2019, the constituency has been represented by Labour Party member Christian Wakeford ; Wakeford was elected a Conservative , but defected to Labour in January 2022. At 53°33′41″N 2°19′36″W / 53.56139°N 2.32667°W / 53.56139; -2.32667 (53.5615°, −2.3268°) and 170 miles (274 km) northwest of central London , Radcliffe lies in
6649-500: The end of Peel Street). With a weir and goit providing motive power for a water wheel , the factory was built for throstle spinning and the weaving of cotton—a relatively new introduction to Britain. The water wheel proved to be insufficient, and so around 1804 the goit was extended. The weir (known as Rectory Weir) was made from timber. Conditions were poor; the mill employed child labour bought from workhouses in Birmingham and London. Children were boarded on an upper floor of
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#17328559851026758-407: The first round of Qualification. The league currently runs one cup competition, with all member clubs competing in the League Challenge Cup. In the past, the league has run other competitions, such as the Chairman's Cup, the President's Cup and the Peter Swales Shield. The 2019–20 season was terminated on 26 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic ; the teams listed here were in first place in
6867-424: The first time in its history the club reached the first round of the FA Cup in 2000, losing 1–4 to York City in a match played at Gigg Lane , the home of Bury , in front of a crowd of 2,495. Boro again missed out on promotion in the 2001–02 season when after leading the division until February a poor run to the end of the season, meant that the club entered the newly formed play-offs losing to Bamber Bridge in
6976-627: The following prizes: 6 Players were also represented in the Northern Premier League's Top 100 players named for its 50th Anniversary - Andy Johnston (7th), Craig Dawson (14th), Karl Marginson (62nd), Jody Banim (65th), Cieran Kilheeney (66th), Simon Carden (93rd) 11-0 v New Mills - Cheshire County League Division Two - Wed 21st April, 1982 11-0 v Witton Albion - Cheshire County League Division One - Sat 28th October, 1978 53°34′3.299″N 2°20′26.542″W / 53.56758306°N 2.34070611°W / 53.56758306; -2.34070611 Radcliffe, Greater Manchester Radcliffe
7085-410: The hundred mentioned in the Domesday Book and held by Edward the Confessor as a Royal Manor , it initially consisted of two hamlets ; Radcliffe, near to the border with Bury and centred on the Medieval Church of St Mary and the manorial Radcliffe Tower , and further to the west Radcliffe Bridge, at a crossing of the Irwell. As a Royal Manor, the hide may originally have been up to four times
7194-423: The largest of which was on Stand Lane. The four-storey structure, built in 1877, had shops and offices on the ground floor, and a large area for public meetings on the second floor. The building was truncated to two stories in June 1971, and eventually demolished. Two more Co-op stores were located on Bury Street and Cross Lane. The current market hall, built in 1937 on a different site to the old market, suffered
7303-517: The last 10 minutes to make it 2–2 and take the game into extra time. Boro's Jody Banim got 46 goals in what was an unbelievable season for him. With Boro back in the Northern Premier League Premier Division and a place in the newly formed Conference North up for grabs, promotion was obviously the aim. By November Boro were as high as sixth thanks to the 22 goals of Jody Banim who set an English record by scoring in 14 consecutive games. Boro sold Banim to Conference promotion chasers Shrewsbury Town for
7412-452: The late 1950s. John Cockerill moved to the town from Haslingden before leaving for continental Europe to become the founder of Cockerill-Sambre . James Cockerill, employed Radcliffe man William Yates as his manager. Several foundries and machine manufacturers were located around the town, including Dobson and Barlow at Bradley Fold, and Wolstenholme's along Bridgewater Street. Munitions, aircraft and tank components were manufactured during
7521-399: The level of the NPL from Northern England , the National League System (NLS) Committee can order one or more of the NPL's southernmost clubs to transfer to the Southern League (or vice versa) to maintain numerical balance between the leagues. Division One North West and South East teams receive a bye to the preliminary round of FA Cup Qualification. Premier Division teams receive a bye to
7630-416: The magistrates of the Salford Hundred ; keen to prevent the spread of the disease to neighbouring towns and villages, they sent doctors to assess the situation. Their recommendations included leaving the windows of the mill open at night, fumigation of rooms with tobacco (as this was thought to discourage disease), regular cleaning of rooms and toilets and occasional bathing of children. The report forced
7739-445: The magistrates, led by Thomas Butterworth Bayley , to abandon the practice of binding parish apprentices to any mill not adhering to these conditions. The report also prompted Peel to introduce an Act of Parliament to improve factory hygiene, which later became the Factory Act of 1802 . Over time, conditions at the mill improved; in the mid-1790s the physician John Aikin , a critic of the factory system, praised working conditions at
7848-495: The mid-19th century, Radcliffe was an important mill town with cotton mills , bleachworks and a road, canal and railway network. At the 2011 Census , Radcliffe had a population of 29,950. Radcliffe is predominantly a residential area whose few remaining cotton mill buildings are now occupied by small businesses. The name Radcliffe is derived from the Old English words read and clif , meaning "the red cliff or bank", on
7957-489: The mill, and in 1823 inspections by local magistrates of conditions in mills across the county revealed that unlike many others, the factory at Radcliffe was adhering to all requirements of the Factory Acts . The underlying coal measures throughout the parish were a valuable source of fuel. Radcliffe already had an established textile industry before the arrival of steam power . The first recorded instance of coal getting in
8066-402: The modern border between Radcliffe and Bury. The route linked the Roman forts of Mamucium (Manchester) and Bremetennacum ( Ribchester ). The approximate route was through Higher Lane in nearby Whitefield, through Dales Lane and across the Irwell over Radcliffe Ees through the site of the former East Lancashire Paper Mill. The route passes up Croft Lane, over Cross Lane and over the route of
8175-612: The most southerly locales could be relegated to the Southern League Division One Central. From the 2019–20 season, Division One North West and South East have 20 clubs each. In each division, the champions are promoted to the Premier Division, along with the winners of a divisional playoff. The bottom two clubs in each division are relegated to one of the feeder leagues below provided there are enough suitable promotion candidates from those leagues. The champions of
8284-547: The name of the ground. After a short period in the South East Lancashire League, the club joined the Manchester League - a huge step-up playing against four professional teams in the ‘A’ teams of Manchester United , Manchester City , Stockport County and Bury F.C. . The home game against Man Utd was lost 5-1 but three weeks later Boro’ gave them a shock in the return game at The Cliff winning 1-0 against
8393-414: The neighbouring Bury Market . Amongst other shops, the town's central shopping precinct retains a Boots . A Dunelm Group , formerly known as Dunelm Mill, home and soft furnishings store now occupies the former site of the town's Asda supermarket on Green Street. In February 2018 a new Lidl store opened its doors on the site of the old bus station employing around forty people. "Re-inventing Radcliffe"
8502-591: The new ground and a pitch was laid in June 1969. Two years later it was accepted into the Cheshire County League , but throughout the 1970s the team struggled and were finally relegated to Div 2 in 1979/80. The Cheshire County League subsequently became the North West Counties League and that change saw an upturn in fortunes for 'The Boro'. The first season again brought success when Radcliffe secured
8611-427: The north bank of the Irwell, formed by retreating glacial deposits during the previous ice age ) found evidence of pre-historic activity, suggesting a lake village site, but dating techniques of the time were unreliable. Further investigations in 1961 revealed rows of sharpened posts and worked timbers, but no further dating evidence was collected. In 1911, while repairs to the bridge at Radcliffe Bridge were underway,
8720-646: The other two leagues at what is now the seventh tier of the English football league system , the Isthmian League and the Southern League. At that time they were the highest level non-League division below the English Football League , the same level as the other league in Northern England, the Northern League . Over the next two decades, the NPL successfully displaced its older rival to become
8829-621: The parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham . Radcliffe became a part of the Municipal Borough of Bury in 1876, but following the Local Government Act 1894 it left the district (by then the County Borough of Bury ), becoming an urban district within the administrative county of Lancashire. The district boundary was extended to include the Stand Lane district The extension made the area covered by Radcliffe Urban District 3,084 acres (12.48 km ; 4.819 sq mi). Radcliffe Urban District
8938-586: The parish. Thomas Howarth owned a cottage in Stand Lane from where he sent yarn to be dyed and sized. He made his own warps which were weaved in the town. He would then travel to Preston and Kendal where drapers would purchase his products. His nephews founded A. & J. Hoyle's Mill in Irwell Street, which employed power weaving to produce their specialities in Ginghams and shirting . The mill closed in 1968. Messrs Stott & Pickstone's Top Shop on Stand Lane
9047-684: The pitch paid off as the club was promoted via the play-offs back to the Northern Premier League in 2019. The 2023–24 season saw Radcliffe crowned champions of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, earning promotion to the National League North for the first time and a return to Step 2 of the National League System after a 20-year absence. 1994-95 saw the first Radcliffe Borough Ladies team appear at Stainton Park, with Bury Girls & Ladies joining
9156-674: The pre-eminent regional competition in Northern England, with the Northern League eventually forced to accept status as feeder league to the NPL. In 1979, upon the creation of the Alliance Premier League (which later became the Conference and is now the National League), the NPL became a feeder league and fell down one level in the English football league system , and with the then-Conference's addition of regional divisions in 2004
9265-442: The present day Chatsworth Road), and a new station along Ainsworth Road, Ainsworth Road Halt . The new L&YR route joined the existing ELR route near Withins Lane (North Junction), whereon they shared the connection to Bury. The L&YR gained a further act, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Act 1877 ( 40 & 41 Vict. c. lix), to construct a link between North Junction and Coney Green Farm (West Junction). The LY&R line
9374-399: The river provided a source of water for local industry. Radcliffe E'es, a level plain formed along the north bank of the Irwell during the previous ice age , is now derelict and the planned location of a new school. From a highpoint of 500 feet (152 m) above sea level in the northwest of Radcliffe, the surface gradually descends, particularly in the south and east, being the lowest along
9483-615: The river. Officially abandoned in 1961, the canal is currently undergoing restoration on the Salford arm, although a rebuilt bridge along Water Street presents a barrier to its full restoration. Public transport in Radcliffe is now coordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), a county-wide public body with direct operational responsibilities such as supporting (and in some cases running) local bus services, and managing integrated ticketing in Greater Manchester. Northern Premier League The Northern Premier League
9592-486: The semi-final at Irongate . In the 2002–03 season Boro missed out on the championship by two points to Alfreton Town , and reached the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup, losing to Chester City in front of 1,138 at Stainton Park. Promotion was finally won thanks to the play-offs by beating North Ferriby United in the semi-final and Chorley in the final at Stainton Park winning 4–2 on penalties after Chorley scored two goals in
9701-749: The size it was when it was recorded in 1212 as being held by William de Radeclive, of the "Radclyffes of the Tower" family. In the 15th century the Pilkington family , who during the Wars of the Roses supported the House of York , owned much of the land around the parish. Thomas Pilkington was at this time lord of many estates in Lancashire. In 1485 Richard III was killed in the Battle of Bosworth . The Duke of Richmond , representing
9810-408: The standings at the time of the termination, but were not recognised as champions. The 2020–21 season was also terminated on 24 February 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic; the teams listed here were in first place in the standings at the time of the termination, but were not recognised as champions. Since the league's formation in 1968, the following clubs have won promotion to higher levels of
9919-551: The textile industry was not the town's major employer; other industries such as mining and paper making were also important sources of employment. Mount Sion Mill along Sion Street was founded in the early 19th century and during the First World War manufactured guncotton . A weir was constructed along with a goit, used to turn a water wheel which powered a beam engine to pump water to the reservoirs above. Radcliffe became well known for its paper industry; its mills included
10028-419: The three Trident Leagues, alongside its Isthmian and Southern counterparts. Since 2021, the NPL has had four divisions: the Premier Division, Division One Midlands, Division One West and Division One East. Prior to 2007 there was just a single Division One, and from 2018 to 2021 Division One was arranged on a north-south, then east-west basis. The Premier Division has 22 clubs, with the champions promoted to
10137-609: The three feeder leagues covering the NPL area are promoted each season. These are the Northern League , the Northern Counties East League , and the North West Counties League . Clubs in the northern extremities of the Midland League and the United Counties League may also be promoted to the Northern Premier League. Should there be an unusually large or small number of clubs relegated to and/or promoted to
10246-422: The time was two players (Tommy Entwistle and Bert Nutter) £1.2s.6d (£1.12½p) in the bank and no ground! They soon came to an arrangement with a farmer on Bury Road to lease a field off Ashworth Street for two years. In 1951/52 the Club moved across Eton Hill Road to a pitch on Betley Street leased from the Earl of Wilton, the following year the Club turned the pitch 180 degrees parallel with Bright Street which became
10355-472: The top of the NPL Premier Division are promoted to level 6 of the pyramid (either National League North or National League South ), and at the bottom end of the competition, teams are relegated down to level 9, where several regional feeder leagues promote clubs into the league. The Northern Premier League (NPL) was founded in 1968 , as the northern equivalent of the Southern League , decades after
10464-451: The town (hence the name Blackburn Street). The bridge across the Irwell was likely first erected during the late Medieval period at the site of a ford. An Act of Parliament in 1754 authorised the first turnpike through the hamlet of Radcliffe Bridge, and included Manchester to Bury via Crumpsall , and from Prestwich to Radcliffe. An Act of 1821 created a turnpike from Bury to Radcliffe, Stoneclough and Bolton . An Act of 1836 created
10573-598: The town became a part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury , and as a result has been described as losing its independence, and to some extent its identity. Following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 , Radcliffe formed part of the Bury Poor Law Union , an inter-parish unit established to provide social security . Radcliffe's first local authority was an early form of local government in England . In July 1866
10682-513: The town on the north and south sides of the valley respectively. The town centre sits on the north side of the valley. Two road bridges cross the river: one in the former hamlet of Radcliffe Bridge, and another newer bridge built as part of the A665 Pilkington Bypass . Another bridge crosses the river along the eastern border with Bury. Various smaller pedestrian footbridges and two railway viaducts (one disused) also exist. According to
10791-421: The town, Radcliffe Bridge station , and Withins Lane station (although this closed in 1851 after only a few years of operation). Ringley Road station was located to the south of the parish, close to the civil parish of Pilkington. The line crossed the Irwell over Outwood Viaduct , an impressive structure which remains to this day. The Liverpool and Bury Railway (L&BR) opened on 28 November 1848, with
10900-475: The town. The socio-demographic characteristics of the town's population includes a mix of working and suburban middle classes, the layout of which are both linked to neighbouring towns. Radcliffe is within the Manchester larger urban zone , and within the Manchester travel to work area . Radcliffe's first market was built by the Earl of Wilton and opened in 1851. The town was home to twelve Co-op stores,
11009-498: The west of the town, including a large Asda superstore and petrol filling station which opened in May 1997, when Asda moved out of their town centre store in Green Street, although it has exacerbated the decline of the retail outlets in the town centre. The bypass has created problems for cyclists and pedestrians who appear reluctant to cross the road and visit the town centre. One solution presently under consideration would involve
11118-450: Was added in 1987 : Division One , and in 2007 a third was added when Division One split into two geographic sections - Division One North and Division One South. In 2018 Division One was re-aligned as East and West Divisions, then North West and South East in 2019. In 2021, the FA restructured the non-League football pyramid and created Division One East, West, and Midlands. Successful teams at
11227-489: Was below the borough (48.5%) and national average (47.3%), and single parent households were slightly above the average for the whole of Bury (11.6%) and England (10.5%). Of those aged 16–74, 31.1% had no academic qualifications, slightly higher than averages of Bury (29.2%) and England (28.9%). The residential areas of Radcliffe both to the north and the south of the town centre operate as suburbs of Bury and Manchester, such that their populations are not necessarily linked to
11336-476: Was electrified in 1916 for which a substation was constructed, between the canal and the West Fork. The town also had an extensive tram network. The first tram ran from Black Lane (latterly Ainsworth Road) in 1905, with a terminus next to St Andrew's Church on Black Lane Bridge. In 1907 a branch was built to connect to the Bury to Bolton part of the network. A large bus station is located between Dale Street and
11445-413: Was governed by a council of 24 members, made from six councillors from each of the four wards , Radcliffe Hall, Radcliffe Bridge, Black Lane, and Stand Lane. Alker Allen J.P. was the first chairman of the new council. Radcliffe Town Hall was built in 1911, replacing an earlier building on the junction of Water Street and Spring Lane. It formed the public administrative centre for the district with
11554-507: Was included in the Wilton estates. The first documented reference to industry in Radcliffe is after 1680, in the Radcliffe parish registers , which make increasing mention of occupations such as woollen webster ( weaving ), linen webster, and whitster (bleacher). These were cottage industries which worked alongside local agriculture. In 1780 Robert Peel built the first factory in the town, several hundred yards upstream from Radcliffe Bridge (at
11663-480: Was starving Lancashire of raw materials, especially cotton. Soup kitchens were opened by local benefactors, and many local residents were on poor relief . The mill began producing low grade paper and newsprint, moving on to other products including high quality printing and writing papers. Radcliffe Paper Mill was formed during the First World War, when it took over from a paper mill and a pipe plant. It originally produced paper suitable for roofing felt, to cater for
11772-479: Was the first company to employ powered looms and spinning around 1844. Many of their employees would eventually leave to start their own businesses, such as Spider Mill, built by Robert and William Fletcher, and John Pickstone. This mill closed around 1930. Radcliffe was at one time home to around 60 textile mills and 15 spinning mills, along with 18 bleachworks of which the Bealey family were prominent owners. However,
11881-490: Was to have been built to Bury , along the line of the canal, but due to technical constraints this did not happen. Radcliffe's closest railway connection therefore remained several miles distant at Stoneclough . The opening of the Manchester, Bury and Rossendale Railway (later known as the East Lancashire Railway (ELR)) in 1846 brought the town a direct connection to Manchester and Bury . Two stations served
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