HISTORY Of MelthaM Athletic Football Club
Founded 1919
The Club name over the years and the ground where the club play have changed several times since the club was founded in 1919, accurate dates recording these events have not been well documented this therefore is a brief history which hopefully can be updated in the near future. The Club was founded in 1919 during a meeting at Meltham Mills in front of a large audience, a leading light being Marshall Woodhouse, it was decided the new club would be called Meltham Mills AFC and play at Meltham Mills entering the Huddersfield and District league. In 1921-22 season the club won division one. During the season 1930-31 the club started a remarkable run of successes in the District Challenge Cup appearing in the final on eleven occasions during thirteen seasons and won the cup eight times. In 1932 the club secured entry into the West Riding county Amateur League, the standard was higher then previously encountered and the nearest the club came to success was twice runners up and twice losing league cup finalists. The club's name became Meltham football club and re-entered the Huddersfield and district league. In 1951-52 season won Division Five and the District Challenge Cup this being the ninth win in this cup.
The club climbed back towards division one and in 1960 the club won the Barlow cup for the first time.
By the 70's the club had dropped to Division Five of the Huddersfield District league, but between 1971 and 1975 climbed back to Division One in successive seasons and also won the Groom Cup in 1973 and 1974. Other wins for Reserve teams Richardson Cup 1979, League Division Eight Champions, Gee Cup 1995, and apart from a Gee cup 1982 there was little to show for the 1980's 1990's.
Indeed the club had serious managerial problems towards the end of the 90's and could easily have gone out of business.
The return of good fortune started in 2001 with a Groom cup win in heavy rain at Woodfield Park. This was followed in 2001-02 season by the reserve team completing a League Division Eight and Gee Cup Double, the first team also gaining promotion to Division Two. In 2002-03 the youth policy was starting to work First and second teams again were promoted both to their respective Division Ones. In 2003 the first team Won the Barlow Cup the first time since 1960, This was followed up in the 2003-04 season with an historic Treble of League Division One Champions, Barlow Cup, FA Challenge Cup, incredibly the cups were won in successive nights at the Mcalpine Stadium.
To be updated…….
The Ground
Over the years the club played at several venues starting at Meltham Mills, moving in the mid 20's to Suncroft Midway, Banana Park was another ground, then in the 1960's the club moved to the Broadland recreation ground, the club house/changing rooms was the Meltham Mill Cricket Pavilion which was transported to the Meltham Cricket field car park set up and named the Marshall Woodhouse Memorial Pavilion which stood and was used by thousand of players both senior and juniors until 2004 when it was demolished and replaced by the Meltham Sports and Community centre. Current players have many to thank for this fantastic facility.