Peel Park was acquired for Accrington Stanley in 1919 just a couple of years before they became founder members of the Football League Division 3 (north).
The club’s history can only be described as ‘modest’ until a series of off-pitch calamities culminated in their resignation from the Football League in 1962.
History was never going to be on their side. Stanley were not the first team from the town to drop out of the League because of financial difficulties. Accrington FC, one of the 12 founder members of the Football League in 1888, resigned because of crippling losses just five years later and before the start of the 1893-94 season.
Football at Peel Park was never particularly memorable…..although they were one of the first teams in England to use floodlights which attracted big crowds for friendlies, usually against Scottish First Division teams. The ground record of 17,634 was set on November 15, 1954 for the visit of Blackburn Rovers for a floodlit friendly. The record for a league match occurred against York City on April 11, 1955 when 15,425 packed into Peel Park.
In the 1950’s ambitious plans for a new two-tier stand along the Burnley Road side, including a suite of offices and a ballroom, were drawn up, then put away in a drawer.
Who would want a modern stand when one could purchase a second-hand 4,000 all-seater stand from the Aldershot Military Tattoo?
Clearly not the Stanley, as they travelled south and secured the deal. Unfortunately not only did it cost ten times the purchase price of £2,000…. when dismantling, transport and re-erection costs were added, but it was impossible to see the pitch from most of the seats.
It was the beginning of the end for Stanley…….
In December 1961 the Reds were banned from buying any new players because of their outstanding debts to other clubs (£3000) and they dropped to the bottom of Division 4 following a 4-0 defeat by Colchester.
Goals were hard to come by and Stanley went five games without finding the back of the net…..but then a trip to the Recreation Ground, Aldershot produced a 2v2 goal fest.
A local Alderman launched a ‘Save Stanley’ fund, hoping to raise £20,000, but the appeal netted only £450. Gates fell to 1500, well below the break-even point.
Stanley played their last League game on March 2 1962….a 4v0 hammering by Crewe and on the 5th a creditors meeting was told that the club had debts of £60,000……..
The game was never played.....
Peel Park was demolished after the club’s collapse although part of the site remains in use as a school playing field......and Accrington were reformed, securing League status in 2006.
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