Winwick Athletic Junior Football Club have been playing at Myddleton Lane since 1992/1993 but had originally been known as "Culcheth Terriers" (founded in 1976) before being named as such from 1996. Winwick Athletic Football Club has developed in recent years due to the efforts of many people, being significantly influenced by a number of influential parents, primarily our former Club Secretary, Chris Lewis, and also former Chairman (and now the Warrington Junior Football League's Fixture Secretary) Mr. John Hough.
By the 1998-1999 season the club had grown to three teams and was formally registered with the Lancashire FA as Winwick Athletic Football Club. This momentum generated a sudden increase in team numbers as local children realised that they could themselves participate in football right here in Winwick. This provided a much needed range of sporrting and fitness related activities for local children that otherwise would not be provided. So, all of our unpaid Volunteers at Winwick Athletic can be rightly proud that they offer local kids this opportunity at great personal expense of time and effort.
By 2002/2003 there were 5 full 11-a-side teams and 6 mini-soccer teams. Between 2003 and 2006, following the focus on our very successful 'Nursery Academy' for young players (aged 4, 5 and 6) that was the 'baby' of the late Ray Hall and Chris Lewis, Snr, the junior football club grew from strength to strength and we were able to become a FA Charter Standard Development Club in December 2006.
In 2007 we had 6 full 11 a-side teams and 8 mini-soccer 7 a-side teams playing competitive football in the Warrington Junior League. Modest growth since then, to 8 full 11-a-side teams and 10 mini-soccer teams, in effect simply catering for the increase in player numbers generated by the local Winwick Park development has been warmly received by many. This includes Helen Jones MP, Ward Councillors Terry O'Neill and John Joyce and Warrington Borough Council, who is proudly Mayor of Warrington for 2010/11 at a time where our Club has developed an U12 Girls squad, along with 12 mini-soccer and 11 full 11-a-side teams. We are also strongly linked to the Warrington Sports Development Council and Lancashire County FA. Our club is now one of the largest junior football clubs in the Warrington Area, has a reputation for providing a safe, caring and quality footballing experience and offers facilities second to none within the area.
With initial support and backing of Winwick Parish Council, for many years we have used facilities at Myddleton Lane Recreation Ground, adjoining Winwick Leisure Centre, close to St. Oswald's Church, Winwick C.E. Primary School (behind "The Swan"). At Winwick we utilize two 11-a-side and two 7-a-side pitches for matches (originally Parish Council support allowed use of three mini-soccer pitches) but as the Club has grown our inclusive and progressive ethos has meant the Committee of the Club has strategically planned links and use of other resources to enable children to continue to train and play football, despite limitations and reductions recently imposed on use of facilities by Winwick Parish Council. To this end we, for a number of years now, have played all of our home Under 7's matches at Hollins Park Social Club, Delph Lane, Winwick (opposite B&Q) and also some of our teams use Brook Acre Community Primary School for home matches too (Hilden Road, Orford). In 2009 we reached a service level agreement with Culcheth Sports Club (The Daten) which opens up progression opportunities for players to move into one of 4 Adult teams as well as providing access to excellent football pitches and other facilities in Culcheth (very interesting in the knowledge that our Club history dates back to the days of Culcheth Terriers, initially, before moving to Winwick as a home venue, initially as Winwick Terriers but then as Winwick Athletic after 1996).
Looking back to the 2006-07 season when we achieved our mission to become an FA Charter Standard Development Club it is gratifying to see that the strong base and culture within the Club we established then still remains strongly evident today as we have just renewed our Charter Standard Development Club status a few days ago under new rules and criteria for eligibility (that we have had in place within our Club for the last 2 years in all honesty). Looking back on some remarkable achievements as a solely voluntary organisation we were further rewarded with both the Lancashire FA and North West Region FA Charter Standard Development Club of the Year awards in 2007, which we then repeated in 2009 but then had the magnificent honour of being named NATIONAL Charter Standard Development Club of the Year which enabled our U10s players a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play on the pitch at Wembley Stadiumin August 2009. Truly fantastic to have been part of this ongoing success story and proud to be your Chairman. The fact that we successfully renewed our Charter Standard Development Club status with the FA on 22nd January 2010 is fine testimony to our great coaches and that this story still has as long way to go.
Current aspirations aim towards continued links with our partner venues, including sports partnerships with local schools, Culcheth Sports Club and Culcheth High School, along with friendly relationships with many other local Charter Standard Clubs. We also aspire towards a central facility into which we may place a majority of our teams close to Winwick, yet retain links to all of our current partner organisations. Watch this space as we develop our Club still further, and thanks to all of our supporters, parents, players and friends for making this all happen for the benefit of our 330 local children.
Yours in sport,
Brian Cookson
Chairperson
Winwick Athletic FC
(2nd December 2010)
On the next tabs is a short summary of major milestones in the clubs history.
| 1996 | Winwick Athletic FC formed (originated from Culcheth Terriers who relocated from Culcheth to Winwick several years ago) |
| 1999 | U6 Training Academy Established by Ray Hall |
| 2005 | First Club Fun Day (subsequently became an annual event) |
| 2006 | FA Charter Standard Development Club Award (Lancashire County FA) |
| 2007 | Lancashire County and North West Regional FA Charter Standard Development Club of the Year Award |
| Warrington Junior Football League Club Secretary of the Year (Paul McMahon) | |
| 2008 | FA Football Workforce Awards; Special Recognition Certificates; Brian Plumbley (U12), Daniel Pavier (U11) |
| County FA Football Workforce Awards; Aaron Jones (U12), Paul McMahon (U15) | |
| Lancashire County FA Coach of the Year; Aaron Jones | |
| National FA Football Workforce Award; Paul McMahon | |
| Ran an U9 Invitation Tournament for Local Charter Standard Clubs as part of the Winwick Carnival | |
| Formed an U9 Girls training squad, seeking to establish a Local Girls League in Warrington | |
| 2009 | Lancashire County, North West Regional and National FA Charter Standard Development Club of the Year Award |
County FA Football Workforce Award; Sarah Charnock (U10) | |
| Ex Winwick Junior James Chester makes first team debut for Manchester United | |
Agreement signed with Culcheth Sports Club (The Daten) for use of prestige pitches, facilities and other joint football promotional activities | |
| 2010 | Successful renewal of FA Charter Standard Development Club status from 22nd January 2010 until 21st January 2013 |
Warrington is made up of numerous districts, and there is a history behind the name of each one. If you've always wondered how our village got its name, wonder no more!
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The tower has characteristics of the early 1300s. The pig is located on the west wall of the tower and could be from any time between the 11th and 16th centuries. It stands next to a statue which is possibly of St Oswald. | St Oswalds Church
King Oswald was reputedly killed in battle against King Penda the Pagan in 642AD.. This battle took place in a field just off Golborne Road in the village. As he was dying, it is said that Oswald was scratching at the earth in pain. At this spot, a well sprung, that is still there today, which allegedly had powers to heal the sick. The church is still very much a part of the social fabric of the village. There are regular services and an active congregation. |
St. Oswalds Church is mentioned in the Domesday Survey but the name of Winwick itself does not appear in this unique record. The name however consists of an Anglian personal name "Wineca", and an Old English element "Wic" meaning "dwelling place". Therefore Winwick means "the dwelling place of wineca". When the name Winwick first occurred in a written record in the year 1170, it was spelt "Winequic", and in another record 22 years later it appeared as "Wynewhik".
Local legend has it that the site of St Oswald's church, Winwick, was decided by a pig that carried and laid the foundation stones to where the church was subsequently built! The pig, so the story has it, is commemorated on the west wall of the tower.
St. Oswald was born around 600A.D. As a young man, he was sent out of the country, and went to a small island of Iona off the coast of Scotland, There he lived with monks, who converted him to Christianity, and taught him to read and write. When he came back to England, in 634 A.D., he was made King of Northumbria.One of the most famous weddings held at the church was that between Sarah Eleanor Pennington resident of Winwick and Edward John Smith of Liverpool in 1887. Why famous? Well Edward John Smith was none other than the Captain of the Titantic - which hit an iceberg and sank on 15th April 1912 killing over 1500 souls. The Titanic was built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, then registered in Liverpool by the White Star Line.
On its maiden and only voyage it had over 2200 people on board. |
Captain Edward John Smith
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Cromwell Winwick was the site of a battle in the English Civil War in August 1648, where Oliver Cromwell defeated a mainly Scottish royalist army.
| During 2006, the village has had the cast and crew filming for Hollyoaks and has had many celebrities visiting the local Post Office. Above: The village post office and florists building. The building has an ancient cellar once reputed to have housed fugatives hiding from Cromwell and his army! |
Spectres Notable spectres, in what is said to be the most haunted part of the most haunted town in England, include the Cromwellian Ironsides that haunt the area around Hollins Lane, and Winwick Hospital, where a battle allegedly took place during the Civil War. Winwick used to have one of the largest psychiatric hospital institutions in Europe. It closed down in 1997 and on its site is now the Winwick Park housing development and a smaller NHS trust hospital. Winwick Park has had a number of celebrities living there. Current celebs include Warringtons own Kerry Katona as well as a few Wigan Athletic premiership players. In the not so recent past Pete Waterman the pop guru and producer lived in the centre of the village. | Did you know? In 1800 a local newspaper article reports the appearance of a Highway Man - probably of Scotch origin - in Winwick. He apparently apprehended the local Wigan to Warrington post run - stealing not only the mail but the mail horse to boot! |
The Swan stands in Winwick village, not too far from Warrington town centre. First built in 1888 this is now a listed public house offering a very warm welcoming atmosphere. Originally known as a drinking establishment with stables to the rear, in more recent times the pub has become a high quality food house. | Other Winwick sites |
Oliver Cromwell