Club History from 1920 to 2007

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An Old Chorltonians football team was first registered in the Lancashire Amateur League in 1920. They played in the Central Division until 1927 when they were disbanded in favour of a Rugby team.

The following year (1928) an old boys association was formed by the first pupils to leave Chorlton High School (Opened 1924) and this included a Football section along with several other sports. The team played friendlies against several local teams in the area as was the custom at this time, before joining the Lancashire Amateur League in the 1935/36 season. The team was entered in the Division 3 Central, which they won impressively with a record number of points gained and most goals scored.

The following year, the Southern section of the League was formed and Old Chorltonians entered two teams in the League with the Second team playing in the Second Division. A third team played friendlies for the rest of that season and joined Division Two the following Season as Old Chorltonians 'A'. Old Chorltonians played their home games on a field adjoining the school until the early 1930's. Manchester Education Committee then acquired the land on the corner of Princess Road and Wilbraham Road for playing fields to be divided between Chorlton High School, Whalley Range High School and, due to the teachers, Old Chorltonians. In 1938 the Education Committee decided to build a new school for Whalley Range High School and decided to use the playing fields as the site for the new School. This resulted in Chorlton High School and Old Chorltonians moving to the pitches on the corner of Nell Lane and Princess Road (now the site of the Siemens building). Old Chorltonians continued to play on these pitches right up until the 1987/88 Season. The 1950's proved to be the most successful period for the club to date, with the First team winning the Southern Divisional title on four occasions - 1951, 1953, 1954 and 1956. The Second team also won their Division in 1956. The 1951 Season also saw the First team win the Hospitals Cup and during this period reach the Semi-final of the Lancashire Amateur Cup.

The First team played in Division One South from its beginning in 1936 until the 1966/67 season when they were relegated to Division Two. This lasted until the 1968/69 season when the team was promoted as runners-up. Unfortunately this was to last only one season with the team once again being relegated to Division Two at the end of the 1969/70 season. This lasted until the 1972/73 season when the team was once more relegated, this time to Division Three.

The 1974/75 season saw the League restructure itself with the First and Second teams forming forming Four Divisions for both the First and Second teams including all the teams from the North and South Divisions. The four major Divisions became three for both sets of teams in the 1976/77 season.

This restructuring of the League resulted in the first team playing in the Third Division from 1974 to 1976 and then the Second Division from 1976 until the 1984/85 season when they were promoted as runners-up. This season also saw the third team win the Division 'B' South title. The 1982/83 season also saw the introduction of a fourth team who played in the same Division as the thirds, who failed to beat them that year, losing and drawing the two games. The 1987/88 season saw Old Chorltonians end a sixty year association with the school.

In 1988 the education committee decided to sell the playing fields for development and this resulted in Old Chorltonians playing their games at Brookway School on Moor Road, near to Wythenshawe Park for the 1987/88 season. This was to last only one season with the team 'moving back' to Whalley Range School, where the team played from 1930 to 1938. However, it was not to be a happy return for the club with both the First team and the Second team being relegated in the 1988/89 season.

The following season (89/90) saw a second pitch marked out at the school, resulting in the Firsts and Thirds playing at home one week and the Seconds and Fourths the next week. The season 1990/91 saw the introduction of a fifth team due to Mountfield Rovers under Sixteen's team joining the club en bloc. This proved a successful move with the junior team, along with several older players, finishing runners-up in the Division 'B' South, losing out on goal difference. The 1992/93 season saw Old Chorltonians First team win a League title, which they had not achieved since the 1955/56 season. At the end of this season Old Chorltonians First team had finished top of the Second Division, thus ending a 36 year barren spell.

After waiting so long to gain promotion, the following season was to be the last season for Old Chorltonians in the Lancashire Amateur League. At the end of the 1993/94 season it was decided to move to the Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League, 59 years after joining the Lancashire Amateur League. This decision was taken due to the travelling to away games, which was becoming further and further away.

The Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League offered the club a more local opposition, which would result in less travelling. The 1994/95 season saw Old Chorltonians start their first season in the Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League with the First team in Division 3, the Second team in Division 'C', the Third team in Division 'D'. The Fourth team in Division 'E' and the Fifth team in Division 'F'. 

At the end of the first season the First team gained promotion by finishing as runners-up in Division 3. The Second team finished fifth in Division 'C', the Third team were relegated from Division 'D' to 'E', the Fourth team were also relegated from Division 'E' and the Fifth team finished eighth in Division 'F'. Due to several games being played with teams short of players the decision was made to field only four teams for the following season.

The 1995/96 season saw the third team return back to Division 'D' by winning Division 'E' by four points with the other three teams all finishing in mid-table. The 1996/97 season was the last season Chorlts fielded four teams. With more people turning to other distractions on Saturday afternoons and the lack of junior players coming through it was felt it was the only way the club could survive. The First team only escaped relegation by a vote at the League's AGM. The Second team were the most successful team that season, finishing fifth in Division 'C'. The Third team finished third from the bottom in Division 'D' and the Fourth team finished second from the bottom of Division 'F'.

The 1997/98 was the last season Old Chorltonians were to play at Whalley Range school with Manchester City taking over the playing fields from us, which we had agreed to let them share with us from the previous season. The teams finished mid-table and left the playing fields, just as they had done in 1938, and prepared for more historical adventures in the name of Old Chorltonians.

In 2007. the Chorlts A team sadly decided to go their own way and finished their final season at the club. Despite the best efforts of the committee to integrate them into the club, they opted to go their own way. The club wishes them the best of luck in their future endeavours,

On a positive note for Chorlts, we are spoilt for choice for Season 2008/2009, having a huge number of players signed on. We now have the fantastic opportunity to involve at least two new established teams within the club and two new junior teams.

With last season's proud claim of developing youth talent, we're proud to count Rob Calderbank (now of FC United) amongst our ranks.

The club, after a tough campaign, are now flourishing. Deserved congratulations must go to the dedicated  managers and committee members.

Previous club crest

New club crest 2007