Workington
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Workington
ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB
Workington’s stay in National North came to an end in 2014 and, after
nine seasons as a Step 2 club, the Cumbrian Reds were relegated to the
Evo-Stik Premier.
They adapted well to familiar
surroundings, the current campaign
being their thirty second under the
Northern Premier League banner,
reaching the play-offs three times in
succession.
And twelve months ago they seemed
on course to make it four in a row when,
at the turn of year, they sat second in the
table.
But as 2018 dawned, Workington’s
season took a turn for the worse and all
associated with the 134 year old club will
be pleased to see the end of a stressful
year.
From a position of strength - good
bet for the play-offs – and still in the
FA Trophy, Integro League Cup and
the Cumberland Cup, Workington hit a
brick wall and a threadbare squad lost
the knack of winning matches. They had
to battle through a record breaking 64
game fixture list and, after slipping out
of the knock-out competitions, would
eventually finish eleventh in the league.
The problems coincided with
manager David Hewson having to take
an enforced six month break from the
game due to health issues.
Thankfully, Hewson, a club stalwart
– player, coach and joint manager for
fifteen years – was back in the thick
of things alongside fellow boss, Lee
Andrews, for the start of pre-season.
But the squad was well below
strength with one senior playing
announcing his retirement and five
more undergoing operations and facing
months on the sidelines.
As a consequence, the current
campaign has been one continuous
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struggle and, instead of the hoped for
promotion challenge, they have been
embroiled in a relegation battle, recently
going three months (and twelve games)
without a league victory.
The one saving grace was progression
through several FA Cup and Trophy
rounds with the welcome prize money
compensating for a rapid decline in
turnstile figures.
Despite the doom and gloom on the
terraces, the club and the long suffering
supporters have plenty to look forward
to.
Talks are ongoing with Allerdale
Borough Council and neighbours
Workington Town RLFC regarding the
possibility of developing a brand new
shared stadium. The ‘Stadium for West
Cumbria’ would be built on the current
site of Borough Park, the football club’s
home for the past eighty-one years.
The latter, and Workington Town’s
Derwent Park, are well past their ‘sell-
by-dates’ and the area is in desperate
need of modern sporting facilities.
This is the latest attempt to house the
two clubs under one roof and probably
the nearest to achieving an end product.
We are beyond the drawing board stage
and a public consultation has also taken
place.
Workington, FC that is, also launched
their football academy over eighteen
months ago and this is another exciting
project which will create a path to first
team football in a more structured and
organised manner.
With Reds in the Community
(Academy), a thriving Junior section
and a Ladies team (playing in the North
West Women’s Regional League) the
proposed hybrid pitch would be a
Godsend, enabling the various groups to
prosper.