Chorley F.C.

19th century

Chorley Football Club was formed in 1883 after switching from rugby to football. In 1875 Chorley Football Club began partly as the brainchild of one Major John Lawrence, a Wigan player who had conceived the idea a year earlier. The inauguration took place on 15 October in the now demolished Anchor Inn in Market Street, Chorley. At that gathering Major Lawrence was elected the club's first captain. Henry Hibbert, who was to become one of the most famous figures ever connected with the town as Member of Parliament for Chorley, took on the role of secretary. James Lawrence became the club treasurer. After playing rugby for seven years, pressure was on Chorley to switch to playing football instead, and in 1883 the switch was made. Chorley joined the Lancashire Junior League in 1889, and the following year became a member of the Lancashire Alliance, a league which they were crowned champions of in 1892–93 and runners-up in 1893–94. In 1894 Chorley joined the Lancashire League, becoming champions twice in 1896–97 and 1898–99. The Lancashire Junior Cup came to Chorley in 1894, nine years after the trophy's institution, and their win was the first of a record number of successes for the Magpies. They beat Clitheroe 3–2 in a replayed final at Ewood Park, Blackburn after a 2–2 draw. Chorley bid farewell to the Lancashire Alliance at the end of the 1893–94 season and joined the Lancashire League, winning the championship in 1896–97 which also saw them sell former…

National League North Play-off winners: 2019 Northern Premier League Champions: 1987–88, 2013–14 Division One play-off winners: 2011 Lancashire Combination Champions: 1919–20, 1922–23, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1939–40, 1945–46, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1963–64 Runners-up: 1921–22, 1926–27, 1948–49, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66 Cheshire League Runners-up: 1975–76, 1976–77, 1981–82 Lancashire League Champions: 1896–97, 1898–99 Lancashire FA Trophy Winners: 1894, 1909, 1924, 1940, 1946, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1983, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018 Runners-up: 2008, 2014