Ashton United  

Ashton United

UniBond Premier Division side Ashton United have a proud history stretching back over 120 years and that history is one of remarkable consistency with the club only suffering three relegations in its entire existence.   

Formed in 1878 as Hurst FC the club competed in the Ashton & district league and in 1885 created history when they won the first ever Manchester Senior Cup by beating Newton Heath (Manchester United) 3-0 in the final. 

Ashton United were dormant between 1892 and 1909 but were soon back chasing honours losing out on a Manchester League championship after an end-of-season play-off.  The Manchester league was won in 1912 before Hurst FC moved up into the Lancashire Combination. 

In the 1920s Hurst FC took another step upwards when the joined the powerful Cheshire league.  The club struggled to make an impression in the new surroundings and between 1924 and the outbreak of World war Two their best finish was fourth in 1933.   

The war robbed Hurst of some glory as the legendary Dixie Dean had joined the club as his final hurrah. 

Following the war the club adopted their present name of Ashton United and rejoined the Lancashire Combination in 1948.  There then followed a period of success as United won the Manchester Challenge Cup on four occasions during the 1950s and they also twice reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup with a record crowd of over 7000 at Hurst Cross seeing the club lose in a replay to Halifax Town. 

United spent most of the time in the Lancashire combination, and also had a two year sojourn into the Midland league, until the formation of the North West Counties League in 1982.   

Always facing a financial struggle United were transformed in 1990 with the arrival of investor Terry Liversidge who began improving the ground whilst manager Dave Denby began to accumulate the silverware.   

In 1992 Ashton United won the NWCL championship, league Cup, League Challenge Cup and Manchester Premier Cup in their best ever season. 

Promotion saw United quickly establish themselves in the Northern Premier League First Division by regularly finishing in the top three and lifting the League Cup on a number of occasions.  2002 saw Ashton United finally clinch promotion to the Premier Division via the play-offs and two seasons later became founder members of the Conference North.   

Unfortunately relegated in the first season United are now once again competing in the UniBond Premier Division.