Next year 2026 will mark fifty years of continious football at Abbey Lane by Hanley Town Football Club.
After losing their ground on land owned by Engineering Company Copestick & Farrell on Victoria Road through development in the early 1970's and an nomadic existence ground-sharing at Eastwood Hanley and Leek Town respectively, Hanley Town FC moved to the Abbey Lane Ground in 1976, renting the land from the local Council, and began to develop the facilities.

The club also took the plunge into joining the Mid-Cheshire League Second Division (now the Cheshire League), which was in it's second season. At this time the Mid-Cheshire League First Division contained local sides Congleton Town, Kidsgrove Athletic and Milton United. The club also had a Reserve team in the Staffordshire County League (North) Division One.

Both the First and Reserve sides finished Fourth in their respective Leagues. Hanley Town did well in the cup competitions during the 76/77 season, winning the Mid-Cheshire League Division Two Cup beating Knutsford 1-0, and winning the May Bank Cup beating Trent Rovers 1-0, the Roger Lomas Trophy was also retained. The Sentinel Cup Final was reached again, but a late winner by Kidsgrove Athletic's Bryan Finney at Vale Park saw Hanley Town lose 2-1.

MID-CHESHIRE LEAGUE Division 2:
Line-Up 1976/77 Season:
Bramhall
Congleton Town Res
Crewe Rolls Royce
Crewe LMR
Davenham
Ellesmere Port
HANLEY TOWN
Hartford
Irwin
Knutsford
Lion
Linotype
Norwes Gas
Radcliffe
USC Sale
Wilmslow Albion

STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE (North) Division 1:
Line-Up 1976/77 Season:
Ball Green
Blythe Matthey
Boltons SC
Burslem Albion
Chell & Packmoor
Goldenhill Wanderers
Hanford BC
HANLEY TOWN Reserves
Moorlands YA
Ipstones
Knutton YA
Meir CA
Roebuck
Wereton Queens Park