CLUB HISTORY
A CLUB PLAYING IN THE SAME NAME OF KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC WAS IN ORDER AT
THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. THEY PLAYED IN THE GLORIOUS PASTURES OF
CLOUGH HALL, THE RESIDENCE OF THE LORD OF THE MANOR. THE SURVIVING
LINKS ARE THE NAME OF THE GROUND, AND ON THE ONE AND ONLY PHOTOGRAPH
ANCESTORS OF ERNIE LANGFORD, ONE OF THE CLUBS DIRECTORS. THE HALL WAS
DEMOLISHED AS THE GREAT WAR LOOMED OVER EUROPE AND THE TOWN LOST ITS
FOOTBALL STATUS. AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR, FOOTBALL IN THE TOWN
WAS RESSURECTED IN THE FORM OF KIDSGROVE UNITED. DESPITE POOR
FACILITIES THE TEAM ATTRACTED PLAYERS FROM A WIDE AREA. A SITUATION THE
LOCAL YOUTH LOBBY FOUND RATHER INSULTING AND DETRIMENTAL TO FOOTBALL
PROWESS AND STATURE LOCALLY, SO IT CAME TO PASS THAT IN 1952 A NUMBER
OF YOUNG MEN FORMED THEIR OWN TEAM AND THE NAME OF ATHLETIC WAS
REVIVED. THEIR FIRST MATCH BROUGHT AT "CRICKET" THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE OF
THE TRACK REEPED REWARDS. THE CLUB WAS OFFICIALLY FORMED AT A MEETING
AT THE BLUE BELL INN, ITSELF GAINING NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR ITS FINE ALE
ON 3rd DECEMBER 1952. FRANK TIMMIS A COMMITTEE MEMBER TODAY WAS ITS
FIRST SECRETARY, THE LOCAL MAYOR PROMISED A £25 LOAN, WITH OTHER MEANS
THROUGH TEA DANCES. THE CLUB ENTERED THE ESTABLISHED BURSLEM AND
TUNSTALL LEAGUE AND PLAYED ON THE VICKERS AND GOODWIN PITCH NEXT TO
THE A50 WHICH IS SADLY NOW PART OF THE SEWAGE WORKS. SUCCESS WAS NOT
FORTHCOMING AS INTERNAL WRANGLINGS OVER "IMPORTED" PLAYERS FROM AS
FAR AWAY AS 5 MILES THREATENED THE CLUBS STRUCTURE.BUT PEOPLE LIKE
ERNIE LANGFORD KEPT THE CLUB GOING . IN 1960 ON THE PRESENT SITE, A FARM
FIELD WAS CONVERTED INTO A PITCH, AND AFTER A YEAR OUT, THE TEAM GAINED
SUCCESS BY WINNING THE SECOND DIVISION TITLE. THE TOWN ITSELF WAS NOW
EXPANDING RAPIDLY AS INDUSTRY SPRANG UP AND PEOPLE MOVED TO THE AREA
TO WORK IN THE PITS AND COKEWORKS. AFTER CAPTURING THE DIVISION ONE
TITLE, THE CLUB MOVED TO THE STAFFORDSHIRE LEAGUE (NORTH) AND QUICKLY
WON DIVISIONS TWO AND ONE. THE MOVE UP TO THE MID-CHESHIRE LEAGUE WAS
NOT MET IN SOME STAFFORDSHIRE QUARTERS. MUCH SUCCESS WAS ENJOYED IN
THE LEAGUE WITH FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND THREE CUP WINS, AS WELL AS TO
LIFT THE STAFFORDSHIRE VASE TWICE, THE FIRST CLUB TO DO SO. THE NEXT WAS
THE CLUBHOUSE WHICH WAS BUILT AND ALTERED OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS AN
FINALLY AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS,THE CLUB JOINED THE NORTHWEST COUNTIES
LEAGUE IN 199. THE INSTALLATION OF FLOODLIGHTS FOLLOWED WHICH ALLOWED
THE CLUB TO JOIN THE NEWLY FORMED DIVISION ONE IN SEASON 1992/93. WE
NARROWLY AVOIDED RELEGATION, AFTER THEN CONSOLIDATION IN MID TABLE.
1N 1997/98 THE CLUB HAD UNPARALLED SUCCESS ON THE FIELD WINNING THE
CHAMPIONSHIP, LEAGUE CUP AND REACHING THE SEMI-FINAL OF THE FA VASE,
WHERE A 3-2 AGGREGATE DEFEAT BY EVENTUAL WINNERS TIVERTON TOWN COST
THEM A PLACE IN THE FINAL AT WEMBLEY. KIDSGROVE SCORED EXACTLY 200
GOALS DURING THE SEASON, HOWEVER PROMOTION TO THE UNIBOND LEAGUE     
WAS STALLED BECAUSE OF SOME DEVELOPMENT FAILINGS. IN THE 2001/02 YEAR
THE CLUB PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS, WITH THE HELP OF CHAIRMAN TERRY
HILLMAN, WHOSE AIM WAS TO REACH UNIBOND LEVEL WITHIN FIVE YEARS. THIS
WAS ACHIEVED WUTH TWO GAMES TO SPARE AS KIDSGROVE  TRIUMPHED IN A
THREE WAY TITLE RACE WITH PRESCOT CABLES AND SALFORD CITY. THE CLUBS
50th ANNIVERSARY SEASON. THE FIRST YEAR IN THE UNIBOND LEAGUE WAS A
STRUGGLE, WITH FIVE MANAGERS COMING AND GOING OVER THE COURSE OF THE
SEASON. HOWEVER RELEGATION WAS AVOIDED BY A GOOD MARGIN WITH GROVE
EVENTUALLY FINISHING 19th. TERRY HILLMAN LEFT THE CLUB IN 2003/04 AND THE
CLUB STRUGGLED FURTHER, EVENTUALLY FINISHING BOTTOM OF THE LEAGUE
AFTER A TERRIBLE RUN OF RESULTS AFTER CHRISTMAS. CONSOLATION DID COME
HOWEVER IN THE FORM OF NO RELEGATION DUE TO THE LEAGUE BEING MOVED
AND RESTRUCTURED. A MAIDEN STAFFORDSHIRE SENIOR CUP WIN FOLLOWED
AT THE END OF THE SEASON WHEN WE BEAT STAFFORD RANGERS 1-0 AT THE
BRITANNIA STADIUM THE HOME OF STOKE CITY IN FRONT OF 1133 PEOPLE.
IN MAY 6th 2005 "GROVE" BECAME UNIBOND LEAGUE CHAIRMANS CUP WINNERS
AFTER A TWO LEGGED FINAL GOAL FEAST, DRAWING (3-3) AWAY AND WINNING
(4-3) AT HOME TO WOODLEY SPORTS. WE ALSO FINISHED IN OUR HIGHEST
POSITION OF 10TH IN THE UNIBOND LEAGUE WITH (60) POINTS.
SEASON 2005-06 SAW THE TEAM REMAIN IN THE UNIBOND LEAGUE THOUGH WE
WERE TO DROP TO 17TH POSITION WITH (51) POINTS.
SEASON 2006-07 SAW THE "GROVE" HAVE OUR BEST EVER RUN IN THE FA CUP
AND FA TROPHY, AS WELL AS A GOOD RUN IN THE UNIBOND LEAGUE CUP
WINNING AWAY AT BOTH ALSAGER TOWN AND ILKESTON TOWN, BEFORE
GOING OUT AWAY AGAIN AT MATLOCK TOWN. WE WERE ALSO TO FINISH IN OUR
HIGHEST PLACE IN THE CLUBS HISTORY OF 8TH IN THE UNIBOND LEAGUE WITH
(70) POINTS. ALSO WINNING THE STAFFORDSHIRE SENIOR CUP FOR THE SECOND
TIME IN OUR HISTORY AGAINST LAST SEASONS WINNERS RUSHALL OLYMPIC WITH
AN OUTSTANDING (6-1) VICTORY ON VALE PARK (PORT VALE FC).
ON TOP OF THIS WE HAD THE UNIBOND LEAGUE LEADING SCORER WHO HIT AN
INCREDIBLE (51) GOALS FOR THE SEASON
KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC ALSO WON THE UNIBOND FAIR PLAY AWARD AND A CHEQUE