Well thats it then the seasons over (aside from a trip down to Telford and a small matter in Germany) and what a fine season it has been. No-one could of imagined that it wouldve been this good, barring the odd few gameseach one has given us lifelong memories.
FC finished of the campaign with theyre third visit of the season to boundary park. Theyre opponents Padiham who were still up there fighting for the last promotion place.
Padiham were hoping United may well be just happy to play out the match in a relaxed manner. This couldn't of been further from the truth as FC set off as if they were still fighting for promotion, with Swarbrick making inroads down the right everytime was on the ball. With 10 minutes on the clock FC had taken the lead, Simon Carden getting back amongst the goals again with a close range effort to put the reds 1-0 up. It put him on 19 goals for the season making him joint top scorer with Patterson, he could of had a hatrick on the day but had atleast two ruled out for offside. Things got better for United on 21 minutes when Torpey notched his 17th of the season finishing a fine run and link up play with a low drive from outside the area. Just before half time padiham had the oppurtunity to half the defecit as Chadwick hacked down just inside the area, the resulting penalty was hit hard and low just on the outside of the post though. A blow to Padiham who struggled to make many more chanes in the second half, until 79 minutes that is, when Mayers left George with no chance as he unleashed a 25 yard volley from nowhere to make it 2-1. That is how it stayed though and the fans showed their appreciation to the players for their efforts this season, and the players gave us all another glimpse of that Trophy.
Next week FC travel to AFC Telford in a benefit match for United fan Jamie Turner who got serious injuries as a result of an attack at the Southampton V Man United match last year.
Then on the 12th, a year to the day that Malcom Glazer took over United, FC will finish theyre season in great style with a friendly match in Germany against FC Lokomotive Leipzig! It will mark a great year of achievement by everyone associated with the club
A fantastic day in Bury saw FC pick up their first piece of silverwear, the division 2 league title. Glorious sunshine greeted Gigg Lane as a new record attendance of 6,023 turned out to salute the champions.
The match itself was nothing to write home about, with the first half being much of a midfield battle against the gritty Great Harwood. FC had a few free kick around the Harwood box taken by Torpey but failed to test the keeper. The second half was even more of a fiesty affair with hard challenges going in by both sides, making for a stop start match. The fouls continued until FC bear the brunt of them, and a challenge by Power which the Harwood player made the most of resulted in him being sent off. Late on in the match the sides were even as a Harwood player also saw his marching orders. What was looking like a 0-0 draw and a poor one at that, got worse for FC with almost the last kick of the game. They were caught on the back foot leaving Harwood with a 3 on 2 situation enabling them to pass around FC's defence leaving Fisher the chance to smash into the top corner and win it 1-0 for Harwood. Not the best way to end your season at home, but the fans didn't care because today was all about the effort they and all the staff and players at FC had put in all season, to make it one of the finest many have ever experienced.
After the match the players were presented with the end of season awards. Rory Patterson picked up the Russel Delaney player of the season award, Josh Howard the junior supporters award and Steve Spencer getting the acknowledgement of his team mates with the Player's Player award. Following that the players huddled round as captain Dave Chadwick picked up FC's first ever trophy and the celebrations began. The lads did a lap of honour round the pitch to give the 6,000 thousand strong crowd a glimpse of the trophy. Afterwards outside the players boarded an open top bus which paraded the Trophy down Manchester Road with hordes of reds following resulting in the road being closed for a while. The bus stopped at the Swan and Cemetry where the fans and players celebrated long into the night.
With the title confirmed three days before due to Nelson failing to win and Flixton getting beat FC made their second visit of the season to Boundry Park to take on Chadderton.
A changed line up to last weeks game at home to Chadderton turned out including debutants Michael O'Neill and Warren Collier, also Joz Mitten made an apperance as a centre back!
FC running out as champions for the first time started in a relaxed manner and it looked as though Chadderton were out to prove a point after their 4-0 reverse last wednesday. They made their breakthrough on 15 minutes when a freekick joust outside the area was hammered hard and low round the wall and into George's bottom left corner by Billington. He celebrated by removing his shirt only th reveal a city t-shirt underneath, which he was duly booked for wearing :-). A number of half chances came the way of Leon Mike through the rest of the half but non of real note. 5 minutes before the interval and the champions were level, a stunning strike from the right wing by Daz Lyons dipped before crashing of the cross bar, it fell to Orr who managed to nod back across for Mike O'Neill who had an easy tap in to get a goal on his debut. 1-1 at half time, but the second half saw Chadderton not willing to give in, and on 46 minutes Ashton had restored their lead to make it 2-1 From then on it was like a one man mission by Adie Orr to get the sides level again. His workrate and skill running at Chadderton's defence was amazing. He got his reward on 65 minutes when he broke into the box only to be nudged over Chadderton defender Wilde, who was quite harshly shown a straight red putting Chadderton down to 10 men. Daz Lyons got the chance to level affairs from the spot and did so cooly and calmly as he slotted into the keepers right before saluting the Red Army behind the goal. From then on it was only a matter of time before FC took the lead as the Chadderton defence had no answer to Orr's speed and trickery. On 72 minutes a great four man move ending up with Orr taking on a defender and then slotting in from close range made it 3-2 and capped off a great performance by him. 3-2 the final score and a great game to watch with a few of the FC squad players getting a game in. Chadderton made a real fight of it and were unlucky to go down to 10, they may well have got a point or more otherwise. FC will now look to the final home game of the season at Gigg Lane where they will pick up their first piece of silver wear in their short history, the North West Counties Divison 2 trophy! :-) CHAMPIONIES, CHAMPIONIES!!
A fantastic night at Gigg Lane, saw FC produce a dazzling display in a 4-0 victory, but more importantly gained the points that secured promotion. The fans gave their appreciation to the Players and Staff at the final whistle as the celebrations began for something that when it began back in the summer was labelled a "pipe dream". Well guess what its happening and FC and its fans have proved how much can be achieved if you want it enough.
The match itself saw FC serve up some great attacking football on a pitch that looked much better than it has done recentlly. Chadderton's defence had to put up with the likes of Swarbrick, Torpey, Howard and Patterson all making runs forward, and showing no fear to take men on. FC took the lead on 21 minutes when a trademark Torpey freekick was curled over the wall and low into the keepers left corner, much like the equaliser against Colne in the cup. 20 minutes later and United were 2-0 up, a pin point Josh Howard cross from the right was nodded in, in style by Rob Nugent. 2-0 to FC at half time and some great football played.
The second half saw more of a midfield battle in which Cahdderton gained alot more possesion, but lacked ideas to create anything to trouble Phil Melville in the FC goal. The game was wrapped up on 81 minutes when young substitute Will Ahern showed why he's attracted the interest of Grimsby Town with a superb 20 yard strike, hit on the bounce into the top corner. Two minutes later and Tony Cullen making a burst into the box trying to get onto the score sheet was sychthed down, leaving Patterson to hammer home emphaticaly from the spot to round of the scoring and gain his 19th goal of the season.
4-0 to FC and a proud, proud night for everyone who believed in this club from the start, a win in the next game and the inevitable title will be ours! FC,FCU,FCUM OK!!
As kick off aproached at FC's latest venue(Vale Park), the ground was covered in snow. From nowhere in the middle of April United were set to take on Norton in a winter wonderland.
FC looking for some payback after Norton inflicted the clubs first ever defeat, a 2-1 defat at Gigg Lane at the start of the season.
With the conditions very slippy with the snow underfoot, it took a while for both sides to get into their strides. Patterson and Torpey looking livley as they tried to make inroads into the Norton defence. The first effort for FC came from a Torpey freekick which he uncharacteristicly fired into the wall. The Norton keeper's first real test came on 25 minutes as a cross by Torpey in from the left was not claimed as it shouldve been easily. The ball spilled from his grasp and Josh Howard was on hand to knock home his 5th of the season and United's 100th league goal. Norton came back with a header that hit the side netting prompting Norton fans to think they had scored, but it wasn't to be and it remained 1-0 to FC at halftime.
The second half saw captain Dave Chadwick make way for Will Ahern which made for a change of shape at the back.15 minutes into the second half and Norton won a penalty, after a ball cruely bounced up at Cullens arm in the area. The first attempt at a penalty was saved well by Melville to his right, but was ajudged to of come off his line. The retake was possibly the worst penalty ever, it didn't even hit the target and hit a gate about 6 yards to the right of the post! FC almost capitalised on Norton's failur to convert at the over end when Patterson broke clear in the area only to go for goal straight at the keeper when there were other options inthe box. 25 minutes in and this time it was Melville's turn to fumble, as he failed to keep hold of a header which left Mark Smith the chance to bundle home and get Norton's equaliser.
The turning point of the match came when Jox Mitten made his entrance in place of Patterson. His height and pressence created all sorts of problems for Norton's defence. And he shouldve put United 2-1 up after tapping in on the line, but it was to be ruled out for some unknown reason. Joz's impact did come though on 81 minutes when he laid the ball on to Torpey who put United 2-1 up from close range.
The third was kindly added by a Norton defender shortly after on 83 minutes, heading a Josh Howard corner past his own keeper from a sharp angle.
3-1 the final score and, should results go right for FC a win at home to Chadderton on Wednesday will see FC be promoted and possibly even win the title.
As the season comes to a close its looking more and more likely that the League will be decided when FC aren't playing and the chasing pack play out their games in hand. Saturday saw FC gain one more point towards elusive title as they took on Cheadle town on an ever deteriating Gigg Lane pitch.
In very scrappy first half chances were limited, a 30 yard attemted lob by Patterson just going wide the only one of note. This was before Cheadle took the lead on 14 minutes, some casual defending by United let Cheadle into the area and some half hearted clearances left Riley with a sight on goal which he scuffed into the bottom corner. Cheadle looked to capitalise on that goal and their wingers caused United's defence problems looking for a second.
The second half saw Margison ring the changes and Howard, Carden and Simms all came on for Torpey, Patterson and Mitten. Cheadle were forced into changing their keeper after he didn't recover from an earlier knock. With no keeper on the bench they were forced to play 17 year old left back Ashley Stokes. FC should of capitalised on this, but attacks just seemed to get clogged up in the mud. The young left back come keeper did well in his new position, keeping FC at bay with some good saves, and bravely rushing to claim some loose balls. United eventually got the equaliser on 61 minutes when a game of head tennis in Cheadles box involving Chadwick and Simms left with a close range header to make it 1-1. FC looked as though they would go on to win the game but a series of needless stoppages by the referee and linesman ate away at the clock and FC's challenge. Late on Cheadle could also have won it as a shot from just outside the area was parried round the post for a corner by Melville. Nothing came of the corner though it finished 1-1 putting United on 75 points, and with all three of the nearest challengers at most five games in hand the pressure is on them to keep FC waiting to claim the title.