History - In the Beginning: Hurst FC
In the Beginning: Hurst FC
The history of Ashton United Football Club has been traced back as far as 1878, when the club was formed under its previous name of Hurst FC. Hurst was then a seperate district from Ashton-under-Lyne and boasted several teams of good standard including Hurst Ramblers and Hurst Nook Rovers.
The original Hurst club were nicknamed "The Lambs' and they proved a very progressive outfit, gaining respect for their playing performances. In 1885 the club landed its first silverware; the Manchester FA started a new competition for member clubs called the Manchester Senior Cup and Hurst won the first ever final against Newton Heath, the forerunners of the present-day Manchester United, taking the trophy after a 3-0 victory.
Despite their early success, the club's fortunes waned and in 1892 after finishing 9th, just one point off the bottom of the 12 team Ashton and District League, the club folded having failing to gain membership of the newly formed Manchester League.
Hurst FC reformed in 1909 and although the club had lain dormant for some 17 years there was much continuity between the two versions of the club. James Ingham, captain and goalscorer in the 1885 Manchester Cup triumph was now a committee member and the club moved back into its old Hurst Cross ground, still their home to this date.
Club colours in those early days were black and white stripes and the "new' club was an instant success on the field, beating Altrincham 4-0 on the opening day of the season and only losing the league title after an end-of-season play-off. The following campaign saw the Manchester Junior Cup won and in 1912 the cup was retained as the club also won the Manchester League championship in their final season in the competition.
In 1913 Hurst gained promotion after just one season in the 2nd Division of the Lancashire Combination and in 1915 the club finished runners-up in the 1st Division. The club stood down from competitive action in 1915 but galvanised itself to resume playing in 1916-17, winning the Lancashire Combination, after which the club again stood down until World War I was over.
In 1919 Hurst resumed playing in the Lancashire Combination with mixed success, a 13-1 victory over Marple in February that year remains the club record victory but no silverware came to the club. Hurst joined the stronger Cheshire League in 1923, the early years were fairly uneventful at the club; they finished in the top half more frequently than the bottom half of the table but no silverware was accrued until 1933, when the Manchester Junior Cup was regained after a gap of 21 years.
Between 1935 and 1940 the club reached four Manchester Challenge Cup finals, winning the trophy in 1936 and 1939. Just before the outbreak of World War II the club secured the services of "Dixie' Dean at the end of his glorious career; alas Adolf Hitler was to deny the folk of Hurst more than a few glimpses of Dean's skills and the club's progress was once again interrupted by war.
The history of Ashton United Football Club has been traced back as far as 1878, when the club was formed under its previous name of Hurst FC. Hurst was then a seperate district from Ashton-under-Lyne and boasted several teams of good standard including Hurst Ramblers and Hurst Nook Rovers.
The original Hurst club were nicknamed "The Lambs' and they proved a very progressive outfit, gaining respect for their playing performances. In 1885 the club landed its first silverware; the Manchester FA started a new competition for member clubs called the Manchester Senior Cup and Hurst won the first ever final against Newton Heath, the forerunners of the present-day Manchester United, taking the trophy after a 3-0 victory.
Despite their early success, the club's fortunes waned and in 1892 after finishing 9th, just one point off the bottom of the 12 team Ashton and District League, the club folded having failing to gain membership of the newly formed Manchester League.
Hurst FC reformed in 1909 and although the club had lain dormant for some 17 years there was much continuity between the two versions of the club. James Ingham, captain and goalscorer in the 1885 Manchester Cup triumph was now a committee member and the club moved back into its old Hurst Cross ground, still their home to this date.
Club colours in those early days were black and white stripes and the "new' club was an instant success on the field, beating Altrincham 4-0 on the opening day of the season and only losing the league title after an end-of-season play-off. The following campaign saw the Manchester Junior Cup won and in 1912 the cup was retained as the club also won the Manchester League championship in their final season in the competition.
In 1913 Hurst gained promotion after just one season in the 2nd Division of the Lancashire Combination and in 1915 the club finished runners-up in the 1st Division. The club stood down from competitive action in 1915 but galvanised itself to resume playing in 1916-17, winning the Lancashire Combination, after which the club again stood down until World War I was over.
In 1919 Hurst resumed playing in the Lancashire Combination with mixed success, a 13-1 victory over Marple in February that year remains the club record victory but no silverware came to the club. Hurst joined the stronger Cheshire League in 1923, the early years were fairly uneventful at the club; they finished in the top half more frequently than the bottom half of the table but no silverware was accrued until 1933, when the Manchester Junior Cup was regained after a gap of 21 years.
Between 1935 and 1940 the club reached four Manchester Challenge Cup finals, winning the trophy in 1936 and 1939. Just before the outbreak of World War II the club secured the services of "Dixie' Dean at the end of his glorious career; alas Adolf Hitler was to deny the folk of Hurst more than a few glimpses of Dean's skills and the club's progress was once again interrupted by war.
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