Bacup Borough Football Club was established in 1879. Their first match to take place at their current Brian Boys West View Stadium was not until 1889 when one of the founder members of the English Football League Accrington Stanley played there in front of over 1,000 spectators. Bacup’s proudest achievement was winning the Lancashire Combination Championship in the 1946/47 season, this along with
finishing runners up after losing to Marine 2-1 in the Lancashire Combination Cup Final.
1972/73 season the club finished runners up in the League, losing out on goal average despite scoring 101 goals. In 1974/75 they reached the Lancashire Junior Cup Final losing 1-0 against Lancaster City, this despite famous victories against Formby, Wigan Athletic, South Liverpool, and Morecambe. In the last ever Lancashire Combination Challenge Cup Final Bacup were beaten 1-3 by Caernarfon Town in a two-legged Final. In 1982 Bacup Borough became founder members of the North West Counties League, this following the amalgamation of the Cheshire League & the Lancashire Combination. In the 1987/88 season Bacup had to apply for re-election following finishing bottom of the Second Division. In the 1988 /89 season under the Management of Gary Warburton the club finished Runners up in Division Two and also finished Runners Up in the Lamot Pils Trophy, they also the same season reached the Quarter Final of the League Cup and due to the Leagues re-organisation the club started the 1989 /90 season as a First Division Club. However, in the1994 /95 season Bacup Borough were relegated back to the Second Division & did struggle both on and off the field. In September of the 1997/98 season with no points on the board and following a humiliating 0-10 defeat by Tetley Walker this prompted the Committee to part company with their then Manager. This then made way for the appointment of the former Doncaster Rovers Assistant Manager, Bury F.C Youth Team Coach, Accrington Stanley Director of Football, & Rossendale Utd & Glossop North End Manager Brent Peters to take over as Manager, a position he has held ever since. Brent’s early record of achievement saw the club finish the 1997/98 season in 14th position, climbing in 1998 /99 to 11th position before in 1999/00 they finished 5th in the league, the clubs highest league position in over ten years. In Season 2000/01 the club reached the Second Division Cup Final but lost 1-0 to Squires Gate. Brent’s greatest achievement came at the end of the 2002/03 season when he guided the club to the Championship of the North West Counties League First Division, the first major success for the club in 56 years. This brought Brent Three Manager of the Month Awards and The Manager of The Year Award. Season 2003/04, Bacup’s first season following the First Division Championship the club finished 14th in the Premier Division and did win the North West Counties League Challenge Cup at Southport’s Haig Avenue Ground by beating Newcastle Town 3-0. Other cup runs saw Borough as NWCFL Challenge Cup Quarter Finalists in 2004/05 and Lancashire FA Co-operative Trophy Quarter Finalists in 2007/08. They finished in 8th Position in the NWCFL Premier Division in the 2008/09 Season. June 14th 2004 brought another land mark for the club when Bacup’s Secretary Frank Manning celebrated not only his 70th Birthday but also 50yrs in the game of which well over 40 years have been spent in administration at his beloved Bacup Borough F.C, This achievement was recognised by Frank being presented with a gold award on behalf of the Football Association by Mr Jim Kenyon the Secretary of the Lancashire Football Association. This achievement brought Frank the position of Chairman of the club, a post he held until accepting the position of President of Bacup & Rossendale Borough FC at the re-branding on June 17th 2013. It was a sad start to the 2011/2012 season with the sudden passing away of Kenneth Peters on the 15th June 2011 and he was also the club president and father of our manager. On the field of play further success was to come with more silverware, this following a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Maine Road in the NWCFL Challenge Cup Final which was played at the Tameside Stadium Ashton in front of a big crowd, the team was captained by Davey Luker. The 2012/2013 season proved to be another difficult time at the club following the sad deaths of people dearly close to the club. Four came in the month of October 12 from which the biggest shock was 27 year old player Bryan Herbert. On the pitch the team once again did well by getting to yet another cup final and this time it was the Lancashire FA Cooperative Trophy Final played at the Reebok Stadium at Bolton. Despite playing a team from two leagues above, Bacup gave a very good account of themselves against team from the Evo Stick Premier Division, AFC Fylde ran out 2-0 winners. June 17th 2013 Bacup Borough officially adopted the title of Rossendale; this came about following the sad demise of Rossendale United FC, thus leaving Bacup Borough as the Rossendale Valley’s most senior football club. They were now the sole flag bearers of the Rossendale Valley and, for the commercial side, it made sense to add ‘Rossendale’ to the club’s name making the club Bacup & Rossendale Borough FC. The new name also brings with it a newly designed crest to form its very own identity, with a plan for progression in place and the words, ‘Prosperity Through Endeavour’ prominently featured. The 2013/2014 season was a nail-biter right until the last game, but with BARB’s place in the Pemier Division secured the club is ready to progress with its ambitious plans as Rossendale’s number one football club. Sadly the 2014/2015 season did not turn out as we had wished. Injuries and other problems resulted in the team being relegated from the Premier Division. A decision was taken to relaunch Bacup Borough Football Club from the start of the 2015/2016 season. The historic crest has been brought back and there are exciting developments on and off the pitch. Among these is the creation of two junior teams – an U15 team and an U18 team – who will compete under the banner of Bacup Borough FC. We look forward confidently to the coming season.
