Full name | New Mills Association Football Club |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Millers |
Founded | 1919 |
Ground | Church Lane, New Mills |
Capacity | 1,400 (200 seated) |
Chairman | Raymond Coverley |
Manager | Calum Sykes |
League | North West Counties League Premier Division |
2015–16 | Northern Premier League Division One North, 22nd (relegated) |
New Mills Association Football Club ('The Millers') are an English football club based in New Mills, Derbyshire. They currently play in the North West Counties League Premier Division.
Formed almost 120 years ago, New Mills quickly progressed through the local leagues in its early days and even had a spell in the Manchester League. However, the club disbanded and a new team was formed, New Mills St Georges, which in a period up to World War I, won a number of titles, including the Derbyshire Minor Cup.
In 1919 the club began playing again and dropped the St Georges from its name. It joined the Manchester League once again and finished top in 1924 and, after finishing as runner-up the following season, lifted the championship once again in 1926.
As well as winning the league, New Mills also won the Derbyshire Cup three seasons out of four. The club was extremely well supported and had regular gates of around 3000. This was a very successful few seasons for the club, and at least half a dozen players moved on to clubs in the Football League.
The club was once again disbanded due to World War II but reformed again afterwards, this time entering the Manchester Amateur League before progressing once again to the Manchester League, taking the title in 1956.
In 1959, Joe Martin took charge as manager, which started a great run of success for the club, winning the league seven times together with plenty of trophies before he retired in 1972.
The club eventually moved up to the Cheshire League and later the North West Counties League. Unfortunately, the club began to suffer financially and in the summer of 1983 ceased playing in that competition.
Birch Vale and Thornsett F.C. were looking for a new ground and became tenants at Church Lane. Eventually, they took over running of the club and became New Mills Football Club.
The club rejoined the Manchester League and in 1977, thanks to a fund-raising appeal along with a grant from the Lottery Association, redeveloped its Church Lane ground to what it is today. In 2002/3 they became semi professional when their application to the North West Counties League was approved.
New Mills won the North West Counties League Division Two title in the 2007–08 season under the leadership of Ex Stockport County player Tony Hancock who had joined as manager in 2005.