Padiham's Game Of The Century

Source: eastlancashireonline.co.uk

PADIHAM was taken over by a sea of red and white as Manchester United's breakaway football club FC United arrived for its big clash with The Storks.
The first-round cup tie of the FA Carlsberg Vase Cup on Saturday brought more than 1,200 FC United fans to the town, who flocked to Padiham's pubs before making their way to the Arbories Memorial Ground for the game.
Padiham FC eventually lost out to the visitors, who won the game 3-0, but the Arbories got its biggest attendance in 50 years with a bumper crowd of 1,371, mainly thanks to the FC United fans, who filled more than three-quarters of the ground.
Pubs including The Grove, the Hare and Hounds, The Alma and The Starkie Arms, among many others, were packed with fans and some donated their car parks to the away team for the game, and pie and peas were served to both teams' fans at The Grove before and after the game.
The team was formed by disgruntled Manchester United fans who disagreed with American businessman Malcolm Glazer's takeover of The Red Devils in May last year. FC United was born, with new red and white football strips and scarves and were accepted into the North West Counties Football League.
Storks secretary Alan Smith said the club hoped to make up to £3,000 from the game. He added: "It was a lively match and I think everyone who was there will remember it for a long time, because the majority of people will never have seen the ground that full.
"We are really proud that a little club like Padiham FC can stage a game of football on this scale."
10 October 2006