Extreme Football Tourism: ENGLAND: Chorley FC

Victory Park, Chorley (Chorley FC)

England, county: Lancashire

30 XII 2025 / Chorley FC - Marine AFC 2-1 / National League North (= ENG level 6)

Timeline

1875 / Foundation of a rugby union club in Chorley, a town in Lancashire, with the new club being named Chorley (Rugby?) Football Club. The founding meeting takes place in the Anchor Inn at Market Street. The club’s home activities take place on the Dole Lane Ground (the current Coronation Recreation Ground).
1883 / After pressure from its membership, the rugby club from Chorley switches from rugby union to football as Chorley FC.
1889 / Chorley FC joins the Lancashire Junior League.
1890 / After one year in the Lancashire Junior League, Chorley FC joins the Lancashire Alliance.
1893 / Chorley FC crown themselves champions in the Lancashire Alliance.
1894 / Runners-up in the Lancashire Alliance, Chorley FC chooses to join the Lancashire League. Also in 1894, the club wins the Lancashire Junior Cup, defeating Clitheroe FC in a replayed final at Ewood Park in Blackburn (2-2, 3-2).
1895 / A second football club sees the daylight in Chorley, Chorley St George’s FC, named after its ground, St George’s Park.
1897 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire League champions. The club sells former Bolton Wanderers FC striker Jack Lyden to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC for a fee of £100.
1899 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire League champions for the second time.
1901 / Having to leave the Dole Lane Ground after 26 years, Chorley FC settles on the Rangletts Ground, with the club taking along its grandstand and hoardings from the former site.
1903 / Chorley FC joins the Lancashire Combination as founder members of the newly formed Division 2.
1904 / Having to leave the Rangletts Ground, Chorley FC concludes a groundsharing agreement with local rivals Chorley St George’s FC, settling at St George’s Park. Merger talks are also held between the two clubs, with the putative name of the new merger club being Chorley Athletic FC, but nothing comes of this.
1905 / As Chorley St George’s FC folds, Chorley FC are left as the sole users of St George’s Park.
1907 / Finishing in third place in the Lancashire Combination Division 2, 5 points behind champions Carlisle United FC, Chorley FC wins promotion to Division 1 of the said league system along with the aforementioned club as well as Earlestown FC and Workington AFC.
1908 / Finishing in third-last place in the Lancashire Combination Division 1, Chorley FC drops back into Division 2 of the said league system after just one season, along with Manchester City FC Reserves, Earlestown FC, and bottom club Barrow AFC.
1909 / Runners-up in the Lancashire Combination Division 2 along with St Helens Town AFC, 4 points behind champions Manchester City FC Reserves, Chorley FC wins promotion to Division 1 of the said league system along with the two aforementioned clubs as well as Hyde FC.
1915 / In spite of finishing bottom of the Lancashire Combination Division 1 table, Chorley FC are saved from relegation due to the suspension of all competitions following the outbreak of the First World War.
1916 / Chorley FC ceases its activities for the time being due to difficulties in raising a team.
1918 / Chorley FC resumes its activities, forming a team for friendly matches after two years of inactivity.
1919 / As regular league football is resumed, Chorley FC takes its place in the single-tiered Lancashire Combination. In August of the same year, the club acquires a plot of land at Duke Street, adjoining its former Rangletts Recreation Ground. Works get underway to build a new ground on this location.
1920 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions, finishing 4 points ahead of runners-up Lancaster Town FC. Also in 1920, as Chorley FC leaves St George’s Park after sixteen years, the club settles at their newly built ground at Duke Street. The new ground is named Victory Park to commemorate the end of the First World War. Works are completed at a cost of £1,000. The facilities for spectators are limited to a wooden grandstand on the western touchline, offering 600 covered seats. All other three sides of the ground are open and without any terracing – with terraces being added to the set-up later at both short ends of the pitch.
1922 / Chorley FC finishes as runner-up in the Lancashire Combination, finishing 3 points behind champions Lancaster Town FC.
1923 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the second time, finishing 3 points ahead of runners-up Lancaster Town FC.
1927 / Chorley FC finishes as runner-up in the Lancashire Combination, finishing 1 point behind champions Rossendale United FC.
1928 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the third time, finishing 4 points ahead of runners-up Lancaster Town FC.
1929 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the fourth time, finishing 9 points ahead of joint runners-up Horwich RMI FC and Rossendale United FC.
1932 / A record attendance of 9,679 flocks to Victory Park, as Chorley FC takes on Darwen FC in a FA Cup qualifier.
1933 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the fifth time, finishing 9 points ahead of runners-up Prescot Cables FC.
1934 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the sixth time, finishing 3 points ahead of runners-up Fleetwood Town FC.
1945 / In November 1945, the wooden grandstand at Victory Park, dating back to the inauguration of the ground in 1920, is consumed in a fire.
1946 / In the first post-war season, with just twelve clubs taking part in the competition, Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the seventh time, finishing 3 points ahead of runners-up Netherfield FC.
1947 / Two years after the destruction of the grandstand at Victory Park in a fire, a replacement construction is built in stone, with works being completed at a cost of £5,500. This main stand has remained in use until the present day.
1949 / Chorley FC finishes as runner-up in the Lancashire Combination Division 1, finishing 4 points behind champions Netherfield FC.
1960 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the eighth time, finishing in first place in Division 1 of the said league system, 7 points ahead of runners-up Wigan Athletic FC.
1961 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the ninth time, finishing in first place in Division 1 of the said league system, 4 points ahead of runners-up Nelson FC. Club top scorer is Peter Watson with a baffling 71 goals, of which 57 in league games. In total, Watson scored 372 goals (287 league goals) for the club between 1958 and 1966.
1963 / Chorley FC finishes as runner-up in the Lancashire Combination Division 1, with an equal number of points as champions Morecambe FC, but with an inferior goal difference (+ 78 vs. + 113).
1964 / Chorley FC crown themselves Lancashire Combination champions for the tenth time, finishing in first place in Division 1 of the said league system, 1 point ahead of runners-up Netherfield FC.
1965 / Chorley FC finishes as runner-up in the Lancashire Combination Division 1, finishing 3 points behind champions Netherfield FC.
1966 / Chorley FC finishes as joint runner-up in the Lancashire Combination Division 1 with Skelmersdale United FC, 4 points behind champions South Liverpool FC.
1968 / Chorley FC becomes a founder member of the Northern Premier League, the newly formed top non-league level in Northern England, which draws its membership from the Cheshire County League, the Lancashire Combination, the Midland League, the North Regional League, and the West Midlands League.
1969 / Finishing in second-last place in the Northern Premier League, Chorley FC suffers relegation along with Ashington AFC and bottom club Worksop Town FC. Chorley FC is retrograded into the Lancashire Combination.
1970 / Finishing in third place in the Lancashire Combination behind champions Burscough FC and Prestwich Heys AFC, Chorley FC manages an immediate return to the Northern Premier League, gaining promotion to that level along with Kirkby Town FC and Lancaster City FC due to the highest two teams in the Lancashire Combination not applying for promotion.
1972 / Withdrawing from the Northern Premier League, Chorley FC voluntarily chooses to play in the Cheshire County League, one of the feeder leagues of the Northern Premier League.
1973 / 20-year-old striker Paul Mariner, who had broken into Chorley FC’s first team from the club’s youth academy, earns himself a transfer to Plymouth Argyle FC. In subsequent years, Mariner would go on to defend the colours of Ipswich Town FC, Arsenal FC, Portsmouth FC, Wollongong City FC, Albany Capitals, Naxxar Lions FC, and San Francisco Bay Blackhawks, hanging up his boots in 1989. Moreover, he earned 35 caps for England between 1977 and 1985, being part of his country’s squads which took part in the 1980 European Championships and the 1982 World Cup. Also in 1973, another Chorley FC youth prodigy, 19-year-old striker Mickey Walsh, who had broken into the first team one year previously, signs for Blackpool FC. Walsh would go on to have spells at Everton FC, Queens Park Rangers FC, FC Porto, SC Salgueiros, SC Espinho, and Rio Ave FC, ending his career in 1989. Moreover, Walsh won 21 caps for the Republic of Ireland between 1975 and 1984.
1974 / Chorley FC is joined by former Liverpool FC, Tranmere Rovers FC, and Scotland international goalkeeper, 34-year-old Tommy Lawrence, who stays with the club for one season, hanging up his boots in the summer of 1975.
1976 / Chorley FC finishes as runner-up in the Cheshire County League, finishing 1 point behind champions Marine AFC.
1977 / Chorley FC finishes as runner-up in the Cheshire County League, finishing 8 points behind champions Winsford United FC.
1982 / Runner-up in the Cheshire County League, 7 points behind champions Hyde United FC, Chorley FC joins the champions in gaining promotion to the Northern Premier League. By this time, due to the introduction of the Alliance Premier Football League (later renamed Football Conference) as the top – and also only nationwide – level of the non-league pyramid, the Northern Premier League is the second tier of non-league rather than the top level.
1986 / Following a sensational win over Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in R1 of the FA Cup following a second replay (1-1, 1-1, 3-0), Chorley FC draws Preston North End FC in R2, with the home tie being played at Ewood Park in Blackburn in front of a crowd of 15,153. As the encounter finishes in a goalless draw, a replay is staged at Preston’s Deepdale, resulting in a 5-0 drubbing for Chorley.
1988 / Champions in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, finishing 3 points ahead of runners-up Hyde United FC, Chorley FC wins promotion to the Football Conference – which, from the previous year onward, had become a feeder league of the Football League Division 4, thus in effect becoming the fifth tier of the English league system as a whole. Also in 1988, Chorley FC is joined by 39-year-old former England international striker Frank Worthington from Cape Town Spurs FC. Worthington had had previous spells with, among other clubs, Huddersfield Town AFC, Leicester City FC, Bolton Wanderers FC, Birmingham City FC, Southampton FC, Tranmere Rovers FC, Preston North End FC, and Stockport County FC. The player would remain in Chorley for a couple of months only, though, moving on to Stalybridge Celtic FC before the end of the year. Moreover, still in 1988, Chorley FC is joined at Victory Park by rugby league club Springfield Borough RLFC, with that club changing its name to become Chorley Borough RLFC.
1989 / As Chorley Borough RLFC changes its name to become Trafford Borough RLFC, the rugby club moves away to a new groundshare, this time with Altrincham FC at Moss Lane. However, following a boardroom split, a new rugby club sees the daylight, Chorley Borough RLFC, which becomes the new groundsharers of Chorley FC at Victory Park – with this club undergoing several name changes in subsequent years (Chorley Chieftains RLFC, Chorley Magpies RLFC, Central Lancashire RLFC, Lancashire Lynx RLFC, and Chorley Lynx RLFC).
1990 / Finishing in third-last place in the Football Conference, Chorley FC suffers relegation along with Farnborough Town FC and bottom club Enfield FC. Chorley FC is placed in the Northern Premier Division for the new season.
1996 / Chorley FC reaches the semifinal of the FA Trophy, in which the club is knocked out by Macclesfield Town FC (4-2 aggr.).
1999 / Finishing in second-last place in the Northern Premier Division, Chorley FC descends into the Northern Premier League Division 1, the seventh level of the English football pyramid, along with bottom club Accrington Stanley FC. Also in 1999, Chorley FC signs 22-year-old Northern Irish winger Steve Jones from Bray Wanderers FC. However, Jones would only stay with the club for a couple of months to sign a deal with Leigh RMI FC. Steve Jones would go on to have spells at, among other clubs, Crewe Alexandra FC, Burnley FC, Bradford City AFC, Walsall FC, and Motherwell FC, moreover winning 29 caps for Northern Ireland between 2003 and 2007.
2003 / Finishing in fifth place in the Northern Premier League Division 1, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out Gateshead FC in the semis (5-2), only to suffer defeat in the final at the hands of Radcliffe Borough FC (2-2 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out). That same year, due to the introduction of the Conference North and South as the new sixth level of the football pyramid, the Northern Premier League Division 1 becomes the eighth tier of the English football pyramid.
2004 / After fifteen years of groundsharing at Victory Park with Chorley FC, rugby league club Chorley Lynx RLFC folds due to poor attendances as well as the withdrawal of funding by the club’s backer, Trevor Hemmings.
2007 / In spite of finishing in second-last place in the Northern Premier League Division 1, Chorley FC avoids relegation due to a reorganisation of the league pyramid, being placed in the Northern Premier League Division 1 North for the new season.
2010 / Garry Flitcroft, former professional league midfielder at Manchester City FC, Bury FC, Blackburn Rovers FC, and Sheffield United FC (1991-2006), joins Chorley FC as the club’s new manager.
2011 / Finishing in third place in the Northern Premier League Division 1 North, 11 points behind champions Chester FC, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out Curzon Ashton FC in the semis (2-1), going on to defeat AFC Fylde in the final (2-0). As such, the club wins promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division, i.e. the seventh tier of the English football pyramid. The successful manager is Garry Flitcroft. Also in 2011, a Chorley FC official is arrested and bailed on suspicion of stealing over £50,000 from the club. As a result, the club is forced to delay payments to its players, launching a campaign to save the club with the help of local businesses.
2012 / Finishing in third place in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, 21 points behind champions Chester FC, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in the semis by FC United of Manchester (0-2).
2013 / After two years of judicial proceedings, two former Chorley FC officials, Ian Daniels and Philip Haslam, plead guilty to charges relating to the theft of more than £50,000 from the club in 2011. Both men receive custodial sentences.
2014 / Champions in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, finishing 1 point ahead of closest rivals FC United of Manchester, Chorley FC wins promotion to the Conference North, i.e. the sixth tier of the English football pyramid. The successful manager is Garry Flitcroft.
2015 / Finishing in fourth place in the Conference North – renamed National League North in the summer of 2015 – 16 points behind champions Barrow AFC, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club edges past Boston United FC in the semis (2-2 aggr. & penalty shoot-out), only to miss out on promotion in a home match against Guiseley FC in the final (2-3). Following the 2014-15 season, manager Garry Flitcroft, who led Chorley FC to two promotions, leaves the club after five years.
2017 / Finishing in sixth place in the National League North, 14 points behind champions AFC Fylde, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out Kidderminster Harriers FC in the semis (2-1 aggr.), only to suffer defeat in an away match at FC Halifax Town in the final (2-1 A.E.T.). Also in 2017, Victory Park sees the construction of a small covered stand, christened the Dave Prescott Stand, as well as a VIP lounge on the eastern touchline, with the stand offering 75 additional covered seats, bringing total capacity of the ground up to 4,300 (of which 900 covered seats & 2,800 covered standing).
2018 / Finishing in sixth place in the National League North, 23 points behind champions Salford City FC, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, knocking out Stockport County FC in the quarterfinal (0-1), only to suffer defeat in the semis against Harrogate Town AFC (2-1).
2019 / Runners-up in the National League North, 1 point behind champions Stockport County FC, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club successively edges past Altrincham FC (1-1 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out) and Spennymoor Town FC (1-1 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out). As such, Chorley FC manages a return to the National League, the fifth tier of the English football pyramid, after an absence of 29 years. The successful manager is Jamie Vermiglio. In the final against Spennymoor, played at Victory Park, 3,594 spectators flocked to the stadium.
2020 / In the 2019-20 season, cut short due to the first COVID lockdown in March 2020, Chorley FC, still managed by Jamie Vermiglio, finds itself bottom of the table in the National League with 38 of the 46 matches played. On that basis, the club is retrograded into the National League North, suffering relegation along with Ebbsfleet United FC and AFC Fylde. Also in 2020, Chorley FC is joined by former Welsh international defender, 26-year-old Adam Henley, formerly of Blackburn Rovers FC, Real Salt Lake, Real Monarchs, and Bradford City AFC.
2021 / Following successive wins over professional league clubs Wigan Athletic FC (2-3 A.E.T.), Peterborough United FC (1-2), and Derby County FC (2-0), Chorley FC reaches R4 of the FA Cup for the first time in club history. In a tie played at Victory Park, with no spectators being allowed to attend due to the second COVID lockdown, the club suffers a honourable defeat at the hands of Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (0-1).
2022 / Finishing in sixth place in the National League North, 29 points behind champions Gateshead FC, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in the quarterfinal by York City FC (2-1). In the mid-season, Chorley FC signs Andy Preece as its manager, a former professional league forward player at Worcester City FC, Evesham United FC, Northampton Town FC, Wrexham AFC, Stockport County FC, Crystal Palace FC, Blackpool FC, Bury FC, Carlisle United FC, and Northwich Victoria FC (1986-2012).
2023 / Chorley FC signs 28-year-old Rhodesian (Zimbabwean) international striker David Moyo from Barnet FC. Moyo, who had previously had spells at, among other clubs, Northampton Town FC, Stamford AFC, Brackley Town FC, Hamilton Academical FC, and Barrow AFC, would stay with the club for one season, moving on to Spennymoor Town FC in the summer of 2024.
2024 / Finishing in fourth place in the National League North, 13 points behind champions Tamworth FC, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club edges past Curzon Ashton FC in the quarterfinal (0-0 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out), only to be eliminated in the semis by Brackley Town FC (1-0). Also in 2024, Chorley FC signs Bermudan international striker Kole Hall from Scarborough Athletic FC; Hall had had previous spells at, among other clubs, Radcliffe FC, AFC Telford United, Altrincham FC, and Chester FC.
2025 / Finishing in fifth place in the National League North, 13 points behind champions Brackley Town FC, Chorley FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club has the better of King’s Lynn Town FC in the quarterfinal (1-0), but bows out in the semis against Scunthorpe United FC (4-2).

Note – Below, a compilation of photos of two different visits to Victory Park: pictures 1-14 = non-matchday visit, December 29, 2025 / pictures 15-41 = match visit, December 30, 2025.