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Club History
Kendal United & Kendal United Junior Football Club History
Dedicated to its founder Mr Maurice Braithwaite
1940’s
Although Kendal United were not formerly founded until July 1945 it’s founder member was active in football prior to this.
In 1943 whilst on a night out with friends home on leave from the armed forces, Maurice and his friends started talking about football and one of the group posed the question of where could they get a game of football whilst on leave.
The interest level was so high that Maurice decided to follow this up and formed a team for service men to play friendly fixtures whilst home on leave. As the team would involve servicemen from the army, navy & air force any name should unite them. It was unanimously agreed that the team should be calling it a “United Services service team”.
The team used the changing facilities at the Kendal lads club & played their home matches at Jubilee playing fields. The venture was highly appreciated by those taking part but ceased in 1945 as service men returned home from the war and were looking to play for local clubs.
Maurice was approached about starting a club of his own in the same year and therefore placed an advert in the local paper (gazette) in June of 1945 asking for players & administrators.
A meeting was held in the YMCA the very same month which received massive interest. From this meeting a committee was formed. The team was named Kendal United with the United being a tribute to Maurice and is efforts in running United Services team from 1943 – 1945.
In August 1945 Kendal United applied and were admitted to the Milnthorpe & District Football League. Along with Holme Athletic, Corinthians “A”, Staveley, IBIS reserves, Langdale, & Grisedale Hall.
In their first season they finished a respectful mid table position. They also did very well by reaching the final of the Dallum Cup unfortunately only to be beaten by a last minute goal by Langdale.
In 1946 the Milnthorpe and District league ceased to be a senior league and restarted the season as a junior league for under 18’s and 15’s only. At Kendal United annual general meeting it was agreed to apply to join the Westmorland football league which restarted in September 1946. They were accepted along with twelve other clubs.
In their first game in the league on September 14th they were beaten by Burneside 17-0. Reports show that only nine players showed up that day. They had to wait until the 5th October to record their first win, 8-1 against Satterthwaite. Once again they finished a respectable mid table.
By this time the club were fortunate to have a strong leadership in Reg Reminington (Chairman) & Maurice Braithwaite (secretary). Also a resolute committee which included Arnold Birkett, Doc Watson, Alan Remington, to name but a few (research ongoing).
The club were very fortune to have Maurice Braithwaite who became known locally as “Mr Football”. Maurice served Kendal United for over forty years as being league secretary for 30 of those.
1950’s
Westmorland Junior Cup Winners 1955
Mason & Freeman Cup Winners 1955
1960’s
WCFA Cup Winners 1963
Hospital Cup 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966
Westmorland Junior Cup Winners 1963, 1966
High Sheriffs Cup 1963, 1964, 1966
Mason & Freeman’s Cup Winners 1966
Div II winners 1966
1970’s
WCFA runners up 1971
1980’s
Mason & Freeman’s Cup Winners 1983
Junior Cup Winners 1987
1990’s
Div 1 winners 1993, 1995
Div II winners 1994
Div III winners 1992
WCFA Cup Winners 1994, 1995.
Westmorland Junior Cup Winners 1994.
Benevolent Cup Winners 1993, 1994, 1996.
Invitation Trophy Winners 1994.
High Sheriff Cup Winners 1993, 1995
In the 1980’s, the late Alan (Truck) Troughton was involved with the club, providing the after match hospitality and sponsorship and he played a vital role in many ways, helping the club sustain its position. As a lasting tribute to him, in 2010 his wife donated a trophy which will be awarded each season to a young player who has shown outstanding achievement.
The nineties saw the high point and low point of Kendal United to date. 1994 saw the most successful season ever on the field. In fact the team did a clean sweep of trophies gaining the, Senior Cup, Benevolent Cup, Invitation Trophy, and the Junior Cup. All four of the county FA trophies, the only club in the history of the Westmorland County FA to do so. A truly magnificent feat.
Sadly by about 1997 the club was struggling, with many of the great side retiring around the same time. There were few players and no feeder system, the dressing rooms were starting to deteriorate quickly and things looked bleak.
Barry Knowles contacted a Tim Pryor who was then manager of a local pub side called IDOLS. Tim agreed to take over the running of Kendal United and bring with him the players from IDOLS.
However, in 1999 seeing that getting players long term could be a major problem due to the nomadic style of players in the area at that time Tim decided to move away from senior football to create Kendal United Juniors in order to feed the senior side.
2000’s
Unfortunately those left to run the senior side either found it too difficult or wanted to run things differently, so a number left to form Kendal Celtic and by 2000 Kendal United Senior team folded. However Kendal United did enter an under 10s mini soccer team into the Kent Valley Junior Football League.
It was a very difficult season and a limited start due to foot and mouth disease in the area as well as petrol strikes which meant petrol shortages and as a result of these two issues, the season was cut short.
By 2001, Tim was joined by Sue and Ian Postlethwaite and shortly after Sean Cafferty, all like-minded people and the momentum was building with regard to the junior club. Kendal United were reborn and the club colours of yellow, Blue & white were used to brand the new look Kendal United.
All involved were disillusioned with the approach to junior football in the area and the sole focus of on the pitch results, so they set about defining what the club would be about.
They set out initial aims and objectives as well as a development plan. From this the Club went from strength to strength. In 2001 the club patched up the dressing rooms, wrote its constitution, and replaced its rusty goals with new modern ones. They entered two eleven a side youth teams and two mini soccer teams into the KVJFL.
In 2003 with junior membership growing all the time the club still managed to create a mini soccer pitch, replace the perimeter fence, buy safe mini soccer goals and enter four mini soccer and two youth teams into the KVJFL.
In 2004 the club started working towards gaining the FA charter standard status. A new development plan was written as well as the clubs policies, processes and procedures. Membership continued to grow.
2005 was a significant year as the club was awarded the FA Charter Standard Development Club award. Senior football returned to Kendal United and signs that the club’s ethos of Promoting Health, Team working, Respect and Loyalty, within the young through football was starting to pay off as Liam Postlethwaite an ex Kendal United under 16 player was awarded young referee of the year.
2006 saw the U12 team, managed by Tim Pryor and Simon Hansen win the Elizabeth Braithwaite fair play award.
Richard Axford - senior team manager won Grassroots Coach of the year.
2007 saw success on the field starting to come back to the club with the senior team managed by Richard Axford gain promotion from the Westmorland League div 4.
The U8 team managed by Mark Casey were runners up in the Kent Valley League.
Andrew Carruthers, also an ex Kendal United under 16 player was awarded young referee of the year.
There was also success for the U12 team managed by Kieran Platt who regained the Elizabeth Braithwaite fair play award.
The senior team also won the Westmorland FA fair play award.
2008 The senior team’s success continued into 2008 with them gaining promotion to Div 2 of the Westmorland League as well as becoming runners up in the Westmorland FA Junior Cup.
At junior level the U9 team went one step further by winning the Kent Valley League.
2009 saw even more rewards for all the KU volunteers and probably the most significant year since its creation, due to the following achievements
• The clubs new £370K facility was opened in June of this year.
• The FA Charter Standard best Development club award
• Sue & Ian Postlethwaite won FA community volunteer of the year awards
• Danny Bell (ex Kendal Utd) won referee of the year award
• The club won £500 towards pitch work in a national competition
• The club won the Kent Valley Merit Award
• U/11 Dynamos won FA fair play award (managers Nick Dent and Mark Lowther)
• The U10 team continued it’s success by winning the KVJFL league
2010 Saw the senior team go one further by winning the FA Junior Cup this year,
The U12 team managed by Nick Dent & Mark Lowther were runners up in the KVJFL league cup.
The U11 team came runners up in the league.
Both U9 teams did very well with One team Managed by Geoff Rowlinson & Kevin Walker winning the U/9 league
and the other Managed by Mark Smith & Tom Hayton were also runners up in the divisional cup.
The Club were again awarded FA Charter Standard development club of the year
The FA Charter Standard status was upgraded to Community Club Award.
Tim Pryor was awarded volunteer of the year and
Kim Lupton (girls coach) picked up young volunteer of the year.
Dedicated to its founder Mr Maurice Braithwaite
1940’s
Although Kendal United were not formerly founded until July 1945 it’s founder member was active in football prior to this.
In 1943 whilst on a night out with friends home on leave from the armed forces, Maurice and his friends started talking about football and one of the group posed the question of where could they get a game of football whilst on leave.
The interest level was so high that Maurice decided to follow this up and formed a team for service men to play friendly fixtures whilst home on leave. As the team would involve servicemen from the army, navy & air force any name should unite them. It was unanimously agreed that the team should be calling it a “United Services service team”.
The team used the changing facilities at the Kendal lads club & played their home matches at Jubilee playing fields. The venture was highly appreciated by those taking part but ceased in 1945 as service men returned home from the war and were looking to play for local clubs.
Maurice was approached about starting a club of his own in the same year and therefore placed an advert in the local paper (gazette) in June of 1945 asking for players & administrators.
A meeting was held in the YMCA the very same month which received massive interest. From this meeting a committee was formed. The team was named Kendal United with the United being a tribute to Maurice and is efforts in running United Services team from 1943 – 1945.
In August 1945 Kendal United applied and were admitted to the Milnthorpe & District Football League. Along with Holme Athletic, Corinthians “A”, Staveley, IBIS reserves, Langdale, & Grisedale Hall.
In their first season they finished a respectful mid table position. They also did very well by reaching the final of the Dallum Cup unfortunately only to be beaten by a last minute goal by Langdale.
In 1946 the Milnthorpe and District league ceased to be a senior league and restarted the season as a junior league for under 18’s and 15’s only. At Kendal United annual general meeting it was agreed to apply to join the Westmorland football league which restarted in September 1946. They were accepted along with twelve other clubs.
In their first game in the league on September 14th they were beaten by Burneside 17-0. Reports show that only nine players showed up that day. They had to wait until the 5th October to record their first win, 8-1 against Satterthwaite. Once again they finished a respectable mid table.
By this time the club were fortunate to have a strong leadership in Reg Reminington (Chairman) & Maurice Braithwaite (secretary). Also a resolute committee which included Arnold Birkett, Doc Watson, Alan Remington, to name but a few (research ongoing).
The club were very fortune to have Maurice Braithwaite who became known locally as “Mr Football”. Maurice served Kendal United for over forty years as being league secretary for 30 of those.
1950’s
Westmorland Junior Cup Winners 1955
Mason & Freeman Cup Winners 1955
1960’s
WCFA Cup Winners 1963
Hospital Cup 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966
Westmorland Junior Cup Winners 1963, 1966
High Sheriffs Cup 1963, 1964, 1966
Mason & Freeman’s Cup Winners 1966
Div II winners 1966
1970’s
WCFA runners up 1971
1980’s
Mason & Freeman’s Cup Winners 1983
Junior Cup Winners 1987
1990’s
Div 1 winners 1993, 1995
Div II winners 1994
Div III winners 1992
WCFA Cup Winners 1994, 1995.
Westmorland Junior Cup Winners 1994.
Benevolent Cup Winners 1993, 1994, 1996.
Invitation Trophy Winners 1994.
High Sheriff Cup Winners 1993, 1995
In the 1980’s, the late Alan (Truck) Troughton was involved with the club, providing the after match hospitality and sponsorship and he played a vital role in many ways, helping the club sustain its position. As a lasting tribute to him, in 2010 his wife donated a trophy which will be awarded each season to a young player who has shown outstanding achievement.
The nineties saw the high point and low point of Kendal United to date. 1994 saw the most successful season ever on the field. In fact the team did a clean sweep of trophies gaining the, Senior Cup, Benevolent Cup, Invitation Trophy, and the Junior Cup. All four of the county FA trophies, the only club in the history of the Westmorland County FA to do so. A truly magnificent feat.
Sadly by about 1997 the club was struggling, with many of the great side retiring around the same time. There were few players and no feeder system, the dressing rooms were starting to deteriorate quickly and things looked bleak.
Barry Knowles contacted a Tim Pryor who was then manager of a local pub side called IDOLS. Tim agreed to take over the running of Kendal United and bring with him the players from IDOLS.
However, in 1999 seeing that getting players long term could be a major problem due to the nomadic style of players in the area at that time Tim decided to move away from senior football to create Kendal United Juniors in order to feed the senior side.
2000’s
Unfortunately those left to run the senior side either found it too difficult or wanted to run things differently, so a number left to form Kendal Celtic and by 2000 Kendal United Senior team folded. However Kendal United did enter an under 10s mini soccer team into the Kent Valley Junior Football League.
It was a very difficult season and a limited start due to foot and mouth disease in the area as well as petrol strikes which meant petrol shortages and as a result of these two issues, the season was cut short.
By 2001, Tim was joined by Sue and Ian Postlethwaite and shortly after Sean Cafferty, all like-minded people and the momentum was building with regard to the junior club. Kendal United were reborn and the club colours of yellow, Blue & white were used to brand the new look Kendal United.
All involved were disillusioned with the approach to junior football in the area and the sole focus of on the pitch results, so they set about defining what the club would be about.
They set out initial aims and objectives as well as a development plan. From this the Club went from strength to strength. In 2001 the club patched up the dressing rooms, wrote its constitution, and replaced its rusty goals with new modern ones. They entered two eleven a side youth teams and two mini soccer teams into the KVJFL.
In 2003 with junior membership growing all the time the club still managed to create a mini soccer pitch, replace the perimeter fence, buy safe mini soccer goals and enter four mini soccer and two youth teams into the KVJFL.
In 2004 the club started working towards gaining the FA charter standard status. A new development plan was written as well as the clubs policies, processes and procedures. Membership continued to grow.
2005 was a significant year as the club was awarded the FA Charter Standard Development Club award. Senior football returned to Kendal United and signs that the club’s ethos of Promoting Health, Team working, Respect and Loyalty, within the young through football was starting to pay off as Liam Postlethwaite an ex Kendal United under 16 player was awarded young referee of the year.
2006 saw the U12 team, managed by Tim Pryor and Simon Hansen win the Elizabeth Braithwaite fair play award.
Richard Axford - senior team manager won Grassroots Coach of the year.
2007 saw success on the field starting to come back to the club with the senior team managed by Richard Axford gain promotion from the Westmorland League div 4.
The U8 team managed by Mark Casey were runners up in the Kent Valley League.
Andrew Carruthers, also an ex Kendal United under 16 player was awarded young referee of the year.
There was also success for the U12 team managed by Kieran Platt who regained the Elizabeth Braithwaite fair play award.
The senior team also won the Westmorland FA fair play award.
2008 The senior team’s success continued into 2008 with them gaining promotion to Div 2 of the Westmorland League as well as becoming runners up in the Westmorland FA Junior Cup.
At junior level the U9 team went one step further by winning the Kent Valley League.
2009 saw even more rewards for all the KU volunteers and probably the most significant year since its creation, due to the following achievements
• The clubs new £370K facility was opened in June of this year.
• The FA Charter Standard best Development club award
• Sue & Ian Postlethwaite won FA community volunteer of the year awards
• Danny Bell (ex Kendal Utd) won referee of the year award
• The club won £500 towards pitch work in a national competition
• The club won the Kent Valley Merit Award
• U/11 Dynamos won FA fair play award (managers Nick Dent and Mark Lowther)
• The U10 team continued it’s success by winning the KVJFL league
2010 Saw the senior team go one further by winning the FA Junior Cup this year,
The U12 team managed by Nick Dent & Mark Lowther were runners up in the KVJFL league cup.
The U11 team came runners up in the league.
Both U9 teams did very well with One team Managed by Geoff Rowlinson & Kevin Walker winning the U/9 league
and the other Managed by Mark Smith & Tom Hayton were also runners up in the divisional cup.
The Club were again awarded FA Charter Standard development club of the year
The FA Charter Standard status was upgraded to Community Club Award.
Tim Pryor was awarded volunteer of the year and
Kim Lupton (girls coach) picked up young volunteer of the year.
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