Leigh Genesis F.C.

The club was founded in 1896 and was initially known as Horwich RMI F.C., the club's name until 1995 when it relocated to Leigh and was renamed Leigh RMI. Its name was changed again in June 2008 when the club became Leigh Genesis FC.

Founding and early years

RMI was one of two football clubs founded at the workshops of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway; it was started at the locomotive works in Horwich. The other club was started at the Newton Heath carriage and wagon works and later became known, and famous, as Manchester United. RMI played in various non-professional leagues over its first 90 years of existence, primarily in the Lancashire Combination, before moving into the newly formed North West Counties League in 1982, and then onto the Northern Premier League the next year.

Manager Les Rigby led RMI to the final of the GMAC Cup in 1988 against Weymouth, which was played on the sloping pitch of Grundy Hill. The home advantage was credited by many, including Rigby, for spurring RMI's victory in the match.

Move to Leigh

During the 1994–95 season, the club realised their ground Grundy Hill would not be able to help the clubs' prospects of achieving success up the football pyramid, made the decision to move from Horwich seven miles south to Hilton Park in Leigh, home of the rugby league club Leigh Centurions. As part of this deal, a new company, Grundy Hill Estates, was formed to take over the ownership of the shared ground. Once the move had…

Sources: League

West Lancashire League Champions: 1910–11, 1911–12 Lancashire Combination Champions: 1957–58 Lancashire Combination Runners-up: 1928–29 (on goal average), 1929–30, 1955–56, 1966–67 Lancashire Combination Division Two Runners-up: 1948–49, 1950–51 Cheshire County League Champions: 1978–79 Northern Premier League Division One Runner-up: 1996–97 Northern Premier League Premier Division Champions: 1999–2000 Cup

Conference League Cup Winners: 1987–88 Peter Swales Challenge Shield Winners: 1999–2000 Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy Winners: 2002–03

Club records

Record win: 19–1 vs Nelson, 1964 (Lancashire Combination) Record defeat: 1–9 vs Brandon United, (FA Cup) Record home crowd at Grundy Hill, Horwich: 8,500 vs Wigan Athletic, 1954 Record home crowd at Hilton Park, Leigh: 7,125 vs Fulham, 1998 (FA Cup) Best league finish: Football Conference, 5th position 2000–01