Accrington

Re-formation (1968–2003)

Accrington had been without a football team following the collapse of the original Accrington Stanley in 1966. The original team had been formed in 1891 and played in the Football League from 1921 to March 1962, but had spent its final four seasons in the Lancashire Combination. At a meeting at Bold Street Working Men's Club in 1968 the revival was initiated, and in August 1970 the new club played at a new ground, the Crown Ground. Eric Whalley, a local businessman, took control of the club in 1995 and began the development of the club's ground. After the club was relegated in 1999, Whalley appointed John Coleman as manager.

The club's rise to the Football League is attributed in part to the windfall of hundreds of thousands of pounds reaped by the sell-on clause in the December 2001 transfer of former Stanley star Brett Ormerod to Southampton, which paid Blackpool over a million pounds for his contract. Stanley had taken £50,000 from Blackpool in 1997, with the agreement that Blackpool would pay Accrington a quarter of what it might have received if it in turn transferred Ormerod to another team. Upon Accrington receiving this money, the club quickly won the 2002–03 championship of the Northern Premier League.

Conference years (2003–2006)

In May 2003, the club was promoted for the first time in its history to the Football Conference after winning the Northern Premier League championship. The club's first game in the league was away to another reformed club, Aldershot Town, on Sunday 10 August 2003. The game was shown live on Sky Sports and Accrington lost 2–1. The club finished their first fifth-tier season in 10th position; a highlight was a run to the FA Cup 3rd round, losing in a replay at League One side Colchester United.

In 2004, Accrington Stanley turned professional. The following 2004–05 season, Stanley again achieved a final position of 10th, with Paul Mullin among the top goal scorers, with 20 goals. The club was also one of 12 Conference sides to played in the Football League Trophy, winning at Bradford City in September 2004.

Stanley's stay in the Conference did not last long, with the club being promoted to the Football League at the end of the 2005–06 season. The club had a 19-game unbeaten run from October to March, and finished on 91 points, leaving the club an easy passage to League Two. Mullin, Rob Elliot and Gary Roberts led the club back to the league after 46 years away.

Return to the Football League (2006–present)

The club's first Football League game was on 5 August 2006, a 2–0 defeat at Chester City. Accrington fought a relegation battle throughout its first fourth-tier season. Five wins in the last nine games of the season led to a 20th-place finish and was enough to avoid relegation. Highlights of that first season back included the club's first-ever Football League Cup match against former European Cup winners Nottingham Forest. A 1–0 win led the club to a second-round away tie against then Premier League team Watford, which Stanley lost 6–5 on penalties after a 0–0 draw and extra-time. In the Football League Trophy for the first time as a league club, Accrington defeated Carlisle United and Blackpool in the early rounds, but were knocked out by Doncaster Rovers in the Area Quarter-finals.

The 2007–08 season saw the club involved in another relegation battle with strugglers Chester City, Wrexham and Mansfield Town. Five wins in the final 12 games were enough to secure a 17th-place finish and another fourth-tier season. However, the club failed to win a game in the FA Cup and League Cup, losing to Huddersfield Town and Leicester City respectively.

Performances during the 2008–09 season improved slightly, with the club achieving a 16th-place finish in League Two, with six League wins in the last 12 games. Young prospect Bobby Grant finally fulfilled the early promise seen in previous seasons. The club again failed to make it past the early round of any of the domestic cups, losing in the first round to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup and Tranmere Rovers in both the FA Cup (albeit after a replay) and Football League Trophy.

The 2009–10 season was better, with the club pushing for a play-off place at the turn of the year. Nine wins in 10 League games saw the club with a chance of making the play-offs, only for this to fade in March/April. The partnership of Michael Symes and Bobby Grant was a key aspect but, following their achievements throughout the season, both moved on to bigger clubs. In terms of cup performance the club reached the 2nd round of the League Cup (losing 2–1 to Queens Park Rangers), the quarter-finals of the Football League Trophy (losing 2–0 to Leeds United), and the 4th round of the FA Cup (losing 3–1 to Premier League team Fulham).