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History of Marine FC - History
The Club celebrated its centenary in 1994 having been formed by a group of local businessmen and former college students – taking its name from the hotel on the River Mersey sea front at Waterloo, seven miles to the north of Liverpool – where the founders met. They moved to their present ground The Arriva Stadium (formerly known as Rossett Park) in 1903.
Marine quickly made an impression on local football, winning numerous titles in the I Zingari League and the Liverpool Combination. Their greatest success as an amateur team in this period culminated in an F.A. Amateur Cup Final appearance in 1931/32, when they lost 7 – 1 to Dulwich Hamlet in front of a 22,000 crowd at West Ham United. In 1946 they went close again by reaching the semi-final.
In 1935/36 they moved to the all-professional Lancashire Combination and enjoyed limited success before moving to the Cheshire County League in 1969/70. In 1972 Roly Howard was appointed first team manager and completed 1,975 competitive games over a 33 year period before retiring at the end of the 2004/05 season. He was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest serving manager in world football as Marine enjoyed its most successful period winning some 30 trophies.
The Club relinquished its amateur status and became professional in 1974. Three Cheshire League Championships were won in five seasons before progressing to the Northern Premier League in 1979/80. They have twice been Champions (1993/94 and 1994/95) as well as twice being runners-up and have won the League Cup on three occasions (1984/85, 1991/92, and 2002/03).
Marine began to challenge for honours again under Alvin McDonald as they qualified for the UniBond Premier play-offs in seasons 2005/06 and 2006/07, losing to the eventual winners on both occasions. In 2009, after a run of defeats and poor discipline, McDonald parted company with the club and Vice captain Kevin Lynch assisted by team mates Phil Brazier and Peter Cumiskey took temporary charge before being appointed on a permanent basis at the end of the season. In his first full season at the helm (2009/2010) Kevin Lynch steadied the ship before steering Marine to a respectable ninth place. In 2010/2011, Kevin continued to strengthen the team and narrowly missed out for a place in the play offs by 6 points and finished in eighth place in the Evo-Stik Premier League.
Marine’s best performance in the F.A. Cup was reaching the 3rd Round in 1992/3 when they lost 3-1 to Crewe Alexandra. Marine have also achieved ten first and two second round appearances in the FA Cup and have beaten two Football League Clubs (Barnsley and Halifax Town) in the competition. Marine have twice reached the semi-finals of the F.A. Trophy in 1983/84 and 1991/92 and have been winners of 13 senior county cups.
Marine have won the Liverpool Senior Cup seven times (most recently in 2008) and the Lancashire Trophy Challenge Trophy three times (most recently in 1999/00).
More recently, the club have twice won the accolade as Football Foundation Community Club of the Year in 2009 and 2010, as voted by readers of the Non League Paper and in March 2011, the club were awarded the FA Charter Standard Community Club award by the Football Association. In 2010, the club were awarded Club of the Year by outgoing league sponsors UniBond.
The club are looking to make continuing improvements to their Arriva Stadium base over the next few years, with planning approval received for new floodlights, new 130 seater stand and snack kiosk to be located at the Crosender Road end of the Stadium to balance out spectator facilities.
League record 2010/11: P42 W 20 D 7 L15 F74 A 64 PTS 67
The Reserves finished in a respectable mid table position in the West Cheshire League First Division.
The Under 18's won the Liverpool Youth Cup by defeating Ashton Town 4-0 in the Final.
The Complete history of Marine FC is available in 'The Mighty Mariners', written by Club Historian & Past President David Wotherspoon - available from the Club Shop priced at only £10
Marine quickly made an impression on local football, winning numerous titles in the I Zingari League and the Liverpool Combination. Their greatest success as an amateur team in this period culminated in an F.A. Amateur Cup Final appearance in 1931/32, when they lost 7 – 1 to Dulwich Hamlet in front of a 22,000 crowd at West Ham United. In 1946 they went close again by reaching the semi-final.
In 1935/36 they moved to the all-professional Lancashire Combination and enjoyed limited success before moving to the Cheshire County League in 1969/70. In 1972 Roly Howard was appointed first team manager and completed 1,975 competitive games over a 33 year period before retiring at the end of the 2004/05 season. He was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest serving manager in world football as Marine enjoyed its most successful period winning some 30 trophies.
The Club relinquished its amateur status and became professional in 1974. Three Cheshire League Championships were won in five seasons before progressing to the Northern Premier League in 1979/80. They have twice been Champions (1993/94 and 1994/95) as well as twice being runners-up and have won the League Cup on three occasions (1984/85, 1991/92, and 2002/03).
Marine began to challenge for honours again under Alvin McDonald as they qualified for the UniBond Premier play-offs in seasons 2005/06 and 2006/07, losing to the eventual winners on both occasions. In 2009, after a run of defeats and poor discipline, McDonald parted company with the club and Vice captain Kevin Lynch assisted by team mates Phil Brazier and Peter Cumiskey took temporary charge before being appointed on a permanent basis at the end of the season. In his first full season at the helm (2009/2010) Kevin Lynch steadied the ship before steering Marine to a respectable ninth place. In 2010/2011, Kevin continued to strengthen the team and narrowly missed out for a place in the play offs by 6 points and finished in eighth place in the Evo-Stik Premier League.
Marine’s best performance in the F.A. Cup was reaching the 3rd Round in 1992/3 when they lost 3-1 to Crewe Alexandra. Marine have also achieved ten first and two second round appearances in the FA Cup and have beaten two Football League Clubs (Barnsley and Halifax Town) in the competition. Marine have twice reached the semi-finals of the F.A. Trophy in 1983/84 and 1991/92 and have been winners of 13 senior county cups.
Marine have won the Liverpool Senior Cup seven times (most recently in 2008) and the Lancashire Trophy Challenge Trophy three times (most recently in 1999/00).
More recently, the club have twice won the accolade as Football Foundation Community Club of the Year in 2009 and 2010, as voted by readers of the Non League Paper and in March 2011, the club were awarded the FA Charter Standard Community Club award by the Football Association. In 2010, the club were awarded Club of the Year by outgoing league sponsors UniBond.
The club are looking to make continuing improvements to their Arriva Stadium base over the next few years, with planning approval received for new floodlights, new 130 seater stand and snack kiosk to be located at the Crosender Road end of the Stadium to balance out spectator facilities.
League record 2010/11: P42 W 20 D 7 L15 F74 A 64 PTS 67
The Reserves finished in a respectable mid table position in the West Cheshire League First Division.
The Under 18's won the Liverpool Youth Cup by defeating Ashton Town 4-0 in the Final.
The Complete history of Marine FC is available in 'The Mighty Mariners', written by Club Historian & Past President David Wotherspoon - available from the Club Shop priced at only £10
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