AFC Blackpool - Mechanics Ground

AFC Blackpool

Jepson Way

Blackpool 

Lancashire

FY4 5FH

01253 761721

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Ground Number: 1519

Saturday 28th March 2024
AFC Blackpool 3-0 Holker Old Boys
North West Counties D1 North

AFC BLACKPOOL - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was founded as Blackpool Metal Mechanics in 1947 before changing its name to Blackpool Mechanics. They initially played in local leagues on the Fylde coast. They won the Fylde District League Division Two title in 1951 and were promoted to Division One, where between 1953 & 1958 they were champions twice and runners-up three times in five consecutive seasons. They spent three seasons in the West Lancashire League between 1959 and 1962 and were champions in their last two seasons. In 1962, they would embark on a 20-year stay in the Lancashire Combination; their best finish was as runners-up to Darwen in 1975. In 1982, the league was absorbed into the North West Counties League and remained in Division 3 until 1986, when they were champions. In 1992, a third-place finish behind Bamber Bridge and Newcastle Town was good enough for promotion to Division 1, though they'd only last there for a single season. The league structure was altered in 2008 and by 2011, the club had been renamed to AFC Blackpool and won Division 1. A 9th-place finish in the Premier Division in 2012 was the club's best in its history, but in 2016, they were relegated back to Division 1. Since 2018, they've been in Division 1 North following an expansion of the league.

The club have played 16 campaigns in the FA Cup with little success. Their best run came in 2000 when they beat Brodsworth Miners Welfare 3-2 before losing 1-0 to Radcliffe Borough in the 1st Qualifying Round. They matched that again in 2015, losing to Northwich Victoria. The FA Vase has proven especially barren and the club endured a 10-1 defeat to West Allotment Celtic this season, matching defeat by the same scoreline to Eccleshill United in 1999. Their best progress came in 2010 when they overcame local rivals Squires Gate and Maine Road before losing to AFC Liverpool in the 2nd Round. They also played a few seasons in the FA Vase, back in the 1970s. Local cup wins include the Lancashire Combination Bridge Shield in 1972 and the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield in 1958 & 1961. The record attendance at their home ground is 770 for the visit of Bury in February 2022. They attracted an attendance of 4,300 against FC United of Manchester in 2006 but this was played at Bloomfield Road. Famous players to play for the club include goalkeeper Mark Westhead who played for Wycombe Wanderers.

The club plays near Squires Gate, a district in the south of Blackpool, which has a population of around 6,500. They share the area with two other clubs - Squires Gate, who also play in the North West Counties League and Blackpool Wren Rovers, who play in the West Lancashire League. The two are adjacent to each other, with the Mechanics Ground a five-minute walk away. Blackpool Airport is in Squires Gate, and the district also has a small railway station on the Blackpool South to Preston branch line.  One of the most significant sites at Squires Gate was the holiday camp. Originally called Squires Gate camp, it became a Pontins holiday centre but closed in October 2009 for a housing development. Before becoming a holiday camp, the camp was used as a military base during World War II.

MY VISIT

Rain had very much been the order of the day on the 2024 North West Counties Hop. I had been hoping to get the Blackpool double of Squires Gate and AFC Blackpool, but the weather was having none of it. Clubs fought valiantly to get the rest of the hop on, but Blackpool was especially hard hit. Squires Gate's pitch looked in a right state, and that was called off before we even got to Blackpool. AFC Blackpools looked better, but still the selfish weather continued to act up like a petulant child. Rain continued to fall, and despite leaf blowers and brooms being deployed, evil won, clubs lost out on revenue, and fans wasted petrol. It was especially galling as I had a four-hour journey home for work in the morning, having not booked it off. The club still tried to make the most of it, selling pie, peas and gravy by the boatload and at a great price. It was a delicious meal to head south on, and at least the club stemmed their losses. This year was their redemption, but I had been to the ground twice before to get photos, though my Blackpool Mechanics ones have been lost.

From our game at Fulwood, it was a slow journey to what I thought was game two at Thornton Cleveleys. Little did I know that it was postponed just as we were sitting in traffic. It all seemed eerily quiet when we arrived at the ground, and it was easy to get a space. Just as I turned the ignition off, Daniel phoned Colin to let him know that it was off. I thought he was messing at first, but it turned out to be true despite the sunshine, blue skies and the club saying that the pitch looked OK. The referee had turned up, pocketed half of his match fee and let's face it, if I could get away with turning up at my job for ten minutes, shaking my head and tutting all in return for half a wage, I'd do it. Whether the decision was right or wrong, who knows? But it left a club that had gone to great effort with a load of food and programmes they could no longer sell. Making the best of a bad situation, we headed to our hotel and checked in. It was not exactly the Ritz, but at £35, it was clean and comfortable. Once we'd dropped our bags, we headed out with Shaun, a Boston fan whom we had given to for the hour-long walk to the ground. We were there over an hour before kickoff, the Hoppers coach having revisited Blackpool Wren Rovers. Squires Gate was a revisit for me, but I'd only seen half a game last time, so it was no hardship. I had a pint and some chips whilst I got my blog up.

 

It was good to hear that Wycombe Wanderers had beaten Burton Albion 3-0 back home. Squires Gate hosted excellently, and it was a brilliant game as they lost 5-3 to Nelson. Both games were £7 entry, but the second one at AFC Blackpool would have to go some to live up to the first. A can of Strongbow was fairly pricey at £4, but I was happy to help the club. The food queue was huge, but it moved along at a respectable rate. The Chilli and chips were well worth the wait, it was a fiver and super tasty, not like the tepid stuff that you get in some places. All told, the best food of the hop, and it'll be hard to beat. There were two disturbing racist incidents in the wider world of football: a player for Horsham YM was abused, and Muslim players in the Leeds v Man City game were booed for stopping for water at the end of their fast. The latter was only peddled by some dodgy-looking accounts, so it may well not be true, or the truth may have been twisted.

 

AFC Blackpool were having a disappointing season, sitting 14th, having won eight, drawn four and lost eleven. Their form was even worse, having lost their last seven and having had five games postponed in 2026 alone. Holker Old Boys had come down from Barrow for the game and were a couple of places above, having won eight, drawn six and lost eight. They'd won one, drawn two and lost three of their last six games, losing 3-1 at Colne last time out. AFC Blackpool quickly established a two-goal lead through clinical finishing. The game was not the greatest from then on. AFC Blackpool had some great young fans who made plenty of noise. A diving header by #9 made it 3-0 with twenty minutes remaining. The game finished around 9.20 and so we headed to the bus stop. Not back to our hotel but to Lytham St Annes to visit the Trawl Boat Wetherspoons. A couple of pints of Black Dragon and Stowford Press were enjoyed. Colin's order of kids' milk and apple juice was so strange that they thought we were playing the Wetherspoons game, where people on Facebook send random stuff to your table. It was nice to bump into Ollie and his Dad in there, as they also enjoy our wonderful hobby. It was then back to the room, with us getting in just after 11.

THE GROUND

JESPSON WAY is one of three football grounds in very close proximity to each other. All three are solid classics, and this is no exception. First up are these pictures from 16th July 2022, when Colin and I went up north for my birthday. I opted for the full game at Blackpool Wren Rovers and half a game at Squires Gate, whilst Colin opted for a half at each. We were both glad to put that right this time, and I was sure I had been to the ground when they were under the guise of Blackpool Mechanics for photos, but I have no pictures to support this.

2025 PICTURES

My latter visit gave me a chance to see the ground properly, and again, the highlight was the food. This time the Chilli and chips were superb, the highlight was the food. The chilli was tasty with a decent kick to it, and the chips were thick cut (a pleasant change to fries) and well-cooked. The bar and merch were OK, but nothing to write home about. The people, as ever, were amazing and friendly and as with all clubs this weekend, a credit to the league.