We’ve met before – Spennymoor Town

Spennymoor Town FC was born in the summer of 2005 following the demise of both UniBond Premier Division club Spennymoor United AFC and Northern League Second Division club Evenwood Town FC. Southport have never faced Evenwood Town in either friendly or competitive games but faced Spennymoor United on 6 occasions.

The first time the two sides met was famously in the FA Cup in 1975, whilst Southport were still a Football League side. Although Tommy O’Neil put the travelling Sandgrounders ahead, the Northern League underdogs cruised to a 4-1 win (Banks, 2, Mulligan and Reilly were the Spennymoor goalscorers). It was a terrible year for Southport and this result encapsulated it more than any other. At their next meeting the board passed a motion of ‘no confidence’ in chairman Tom Robinson; a week later he resigned ‘to avoid further undermining the club’s position.’

Seven years later and now a non-league side themselves following their Football League exit, the Sandgrounders travelled to Spennymoor in the FA Trophy only to fare even worse, conceding 5 with no reply. It wasn’t until 1996 until Southport would be able to avenge their FA Cup exit, but even then, it took a replay and a slim 2-1 win !

The two clubs only met twice in the league and this was during the 2003/04 season. The first was another defeat (2-3) and the other, our only other victory (2-0) in the 6 attempts.

After their reformation in 2005, Spennymoor Town, have become regular opponents in both League and Cup. The record however isn’t much better. Out of the 8 games played, only once have the Sandgrounders come away happy (in normal time!)…and that was way back in 2009. On the road, from 8 attempts in both incarnations, there is still only 1 victory to speak of back in March 2004 where a Neil Robinson brace sealed the points.

Southport Line-Up: Steve Dickinson, Danny Stone, Neil Fitzhenry, Barry Jones, Alex Mortimer, Carl Baker, Syd Pickford, Chris Price, Kevin Leadbetter, Neil Robinson, Steve Daly,  
Subs: Earl Davis (Barry Jones), Lee Ashcroft (Steve Daly), Daryl Allen (Neil Robinson),
Goals: Neil Robinson, Neil Robinson
Attendance: 217

Our last encounter was in the covid hit season of 2020-21 where they met in the FA Trophy, this time behind closed doors. With no replays available the game went to penalties, which Southport won 5-4. In the league, whilst the Sandgrounders fell to a 2-0 defeat, the game was scratched from the record books due to the early curtailment and later cancellation of the season.

There are a number of players known to have played for both clubs and these include, Graeme Atkinson, Bill Colclough, Lee Ellison, Ralph Wright, Adam Blakeman, Nathan Lowe, Ben McKenna and Frank Mulhearn.