Thornton Cleveleys FC bid for North West Counties League place

The Gamble Road outfit have applied to climb into the North West Counties Football League next season as they continue to grow as a community club.

Chairman Steve Abbott told The Gazette: “We have 15 acres of land, our own clubhouse and things are moving with the application.

"It's a growing club with all the facilities for community use and we're working with all the relevant parties.

“The junior set-up is developing well, with girls' football and walking football too, and we have lads who have come through from the juniors into the senior set-up and are now managing teams. We now want to take senior football here to the next level.”

However, ground improvements are necessary if TCFC are to join Squires Gate and AFC Blackpool on the non-league pyramid.

Abbott added: “We have the support of the Football Foundation and are working really hard to access funding.

"We need an enclosed ground and a covered stand for the NWCFL and we need floodlights by September.

“We’ve done some jobs already and have fencing contractors on site this week because we need to be ready for an inspection at the end of March.”

TCFC stand second in the West Lancs Premier Division after Saturday's 2-1 home win over last season’s champions Burscough Richmond and are two points behind leaders CMB, though a top-five finish will suffice for the club to join the NWCFL .

Aaron Roskell, a former player who now coaches the reserves, added: “Anyone can apply to go up and you don't have to win the league, though there are criteria you need to meet.

“We moved to our own ground from Bourne Way at the start of last season and we're in the right place to move up the pyramid.

“We have a big junior set-up from under-sixes through and three adult teams.”

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