Cammell Laird 1907 F.C.

{{short description|Association football club in England}}

{{use British English|date=May 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Cammell Laird

| image = Cammell Laird FC logo.png

| image_size = 160px

| fullname = Cammell Laird 1907 Football Club

| nickname = The Lairds, The Camels, The Shipyarders

| founded = 1907

| ground = Kirklands, Birkenhead

| capacity = 2,000 (150 seated)Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) Non-League Club Directory 2013, p. 394 {{ISBN|978-1-869833-77-0}}

| chairman = Alf Roberts

| manager = Andy Cass

| league = {{English football updater|CammellL}}

| season = {{English football updater|CammellL2}}

| position = {{English football updater|CammellL3}}

| pattern_b1 =

| pattern_sh1 =

| body1 = 0000FF

| leftarm1 = 0000FF

| rightarm1 = 0000FF

| shorts1 = 0000FF

| socks1 = 0000FF

| pattern_b2 = yellow__away

| pattern_la2 = yellow

| pattern_ra2 =

| leftarm2 = 000000

| body2 = B31B1B

| rightarm2 = 000000

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}}File:Cammell Laird v Tranmere Rovers.jpg in 2008]]

Cammell Laird 1907 Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The club are currently members of the {{English football updater|CammellL}} and play at Kirklands.

History

The club was established in 1907 as Cammell Laird Institute Association Football Club, playing their first match against Tranmere Rovers on 2 September that year.[http://www.cammelllaird1907fc.co.uk/pages.php?page_id=1758 History of Cammell Laird 1907 FC] Cammell Laird F.C. They joined Division One the West Cheshire League for the 1907–08 season, finishing tenth.[http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/nlmnet/Regs_2_N2/WesChes92.html West Cheshire League 1892–1915] Non-League Matters Despite finishing bottom of Division One in 1909–10 they were not relegated to Division Two.

After World War I the Cammell Laird company faced cutbacks due to reduced government spending on ships, and the football team was taken back in-house, with a company league set up and a representative team put forward to play in Wirral Football Association cup competitions. In 1922 a team was entered to Division Two of the Birkenhead & Wirral League under the name Kirklands Football Club, and in 1924–25 they were league champions.[http://www.cammelllaird1907fc.co.uk/pages.php?page_id=1759 Cammell Laird 1907 Honours Board] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030203100/http://www.cammelllaird1907fc.co.uk/pages.php?page_id=1759 |date=30 October 2016 }} Cammell Laird F.C. The club was disbanded in 1939 due to the outbreak of World War II, but reformed in 1946 under the name Cammell Laird Association Football Club.

The club rejoined the Birkenhead & Wirral League, before moving up to the West Cheshire League in 1948.[http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/nlmnet/Regs_2_N2/WesChes46.html West Cheshire League 1946–1964] Non-League Matters After finishing fourth in 1950–51, the club were promoted to Division One. However, they were relegated back to Division Two after finishing second-from-bottom of Division One the following season. They won Division Two in 1957–58, but were not promoted. However, after winning it again the following season, they moved up to Division One. In 1968–69 the club won Division One without losing a match.{{fchd|id=CAMMELLL|name=Cammell Laird}} They were league champions again in 1970–71 and went on to win five successive titles between 1974–75 and 1978–79. After finishing as runners-up in 1979–80, they won four successive titles between 1980–81 and 1983–84.[http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/nlmnet/Regs_2_N2/WesChes78.html West Cheshire League 1978–1992] Non-League Matters They were champions again in 1986–87, before winning another four consecutive titles between 1988–89 and 1991–92. Further titles followed in 1993–94, 1998–99 and 2000–01.

After finishing as runners-up in 2003–04, Cammell Laird moved up to Division Two of the North West Counties League. They won the division at the first attempt, earning promotion to the Premier Division. They won the Premier Division the following season and were promoted to Division One of the Northern Premier League; the season also saw them reach the semi-finals of the FA Vase, eventually losing 5–0 on aggregate to Nantwich Town in the semi-finals. Their first season in the Northern Premier League saw them finish as Division One runners-up, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. However, after beating Colwyn Bay 3–2 in the semi-finals, they lost 2–1 to Eastwood Town in the final.[https://www.fchd.info/lghist/npl2007.htm 2006–07 Northern Premier League] Football Club History Database

League reorganisation saw them placed in Division One South for the 2007–08 season, in which they finished as runners-up again, this time earning promotion without the need for play-offs as champions Retford United were denied promotion due to ground grading. However, despite finishing eighteenth in the Premier Division in 2008–09, the club were relegated after themselves failing to meet the ground grading criteria. The club returned to Division One South, but were moved to Division One North in 2010. Despite finishing bottom of the division in 2011–12, they avoided being relegated. The following season saw them finish second, again qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Mossley 1–0 in the semi-finals, they lost 4–2 on penalties to Trafford in the final after a 0–0 draw.

After finishing eleventh in 2013–14, the club were disbanded and replaced by a new club, Cammell Laird 1907, which joined Division One of the North West Counties League.{{fchd|id=CAMMEL07|name=Cammell Laird 1907}} They finished as runners-up in their first season, earning promotion to the Premier Division. However, in 2016–17 the club finished bottom of the Premier Division, resulting in relegation back to Division One. A sixth-placed finish in 2017–18 saw the club qualify for the promotion play-offs. After beating Prestwich Heys 4–1 in the semi-finals, they were beaten 2–1 in the final by Whitchurch Alport.

=Season-by-season record=

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style=text-align:center

!Season

!Division

!Pld

!W

!D

!L

!GF

!GA

!GD

!Pts

!Position

!Notes

!Av. attendance

style=background:#90EE90

|2004–05

North West Counties League Division Two36276314234+108871/19Promoted83
style=background:#90EE90

|2005–06

North West Counties League Division One42353412636+901021/22Promoted114
2006–07Northern Premier League Division One462810810556+49942/24Lost in play-offs171
style=background:#90EE90

|2007–08

Northern Premier League Division One South42275108254+28862/18Promoted148
style=background:#fcc

|2008–09

Northern Premier League Premier Division421211195870−124718/22Relegated161
2009–10Northern Premier League Division One South421311184964−155016/22Transferred93
2010–11Northern Premier League Division One North44138236694−284719/23126
2011–12Northern Premier League Division One North42843034103−692822/2265
2012–13Northern Premier League Division One North4226888658+28862/22Lost in play-offs57
style=background:#fcc

|2013–14

Northern Premier League Division One North42159186564+15411/22Relegated55
style=background:#90EE90

|2014–15

North West Counties League Division One36285311435+79892/19Promoted54
2015–16North West Counties League Premier Division42148207183−125015/2266
style=background:#fcc

|2016–17

North West Counties League Premier Division423112840140−1002022/22Relegated61
2017–18North West Counties League Division One42226148458+26726/22Lost in play-offs66
2018–19North West Counties League Division One South381011175573−184115/2067
2019–20North West Counties League Division One South2997135658−234Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic91
2020–21North West Counties League Division One South7205610−46Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic83
2021–22North West Counties League Division One South38127195888−304314/2085
2022–23North West Counties League Division One South3896235186−353317/2070*
2023–24North West Counties League Division One South341011135666−104113/18105
2024–25North West Counties League Division One South33135155859−104111/18105

Ground

The club initially played at the original Prenton Park, before moving to Park Road North in Birkenhead Park, where they played between 1909 and 1921, although league matches were played at the Bebington Oval after World War I.[http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/marine/news/marine-0-2-cammell-laird-85115.html Marine 0–2 Cammell Laird] Marine F.C. In 1922 they moved to Kirklands in Rock Ferry. It currently has a capacity of 2,000, of which 150 is seated.

Managers

class="wikitable sortable"

!Manager

!Nationality

!Period

align=left|Ian Doranalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|June 2004 – June 2008
align=left|Ken McKennaalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|June 2008 – September 2008
align=left|Derek Wardalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|September 2008 – November 2009
align=left|Alex Hayalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|November 2009 – November 2010
align=left|Tony Sullivanalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|November 2010 – October 2014
align=left|Paul McNallyalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|October 2014 – February 2016
align=left|Tony Sullivanalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|February 2016 – May 2016
align=left|Neil Princealign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|June 2016 – October 2016
align=left|Michael McGraaalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|October 2016 – May 2018
align=left|Phil Burtonalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|June 2018 – December 2020
align=left|Stuart Keiralign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|May 2021 – April 2023
align=left|Andy Cassalign=left|{{ENG}}align=center|May 2023 – present

Honours

  • North West Counties League
  • Division One champions 2005–06
  • Division Two champions 2004–05
  • Challenge Cup winners 2004–05
  • Division Two Cup winners 2004–05
  • West Cheshire League
  • Division One champions 1968–69, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2001–02
  • Division Two champions 1957–58, 1958–59
  • Pyke Challenge Cup winners 1969–70, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2014–15
  • Birkenhead & Wirral League
  • Division One champions 1924–25
  • Cheshire Senior Cup
  • Winners 2006–07
  • Cheshire Amateur Cup
  • Winners 1972–73, 1975–76, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1992–93, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2002–03
  • West Cheshire Bowl
  • Winners 1957–58
  • Wirral Senior Cup
  • Winners 1971–72, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2021–22
  • Shipley Cup
  • Winners 1920–21
  • Wirrall Minor 'B' Cup
  • Winners 1923–24
  • Regent Cup
  • Winners 1926–27

Records

  • Best FA Cup performance: Third qualifying round, 2004–05, 2005–06
  • Best FA Trophy performance: Third qualifying round, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2012–13
  • Best FA Vase performance: Semi-finals, 2005–06
  • Highest home attendance: 1,700 vs Harwich & Parkeston, FA Vase fifth round, 1990–91

See also

References

{{reflist}}