Nickname(s) Cables, The Tigers Chairman Tony Zeverona Founded 1884 | Ground Capacity 3,200 Manager Brian Richardson | |
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Full name Prescot Cables Football Club Leagues Northern Premier League, Northern Premier League Division One North | ||
Prescot Cables Football Club is a supporter-owned football club based in Prescot, Merseyside. It was established in 1884 and has also been known as Prescot and Prescot Town. They play in the Northern Premier League Division One North and play their home games at Volair Park, Prescot. They are a member of the Liverpool County Football Association.
The "Cables" in their name came from the largest local employer, British Insulated Cables, which was founded in 1890 as the British Insulated Wire Company, and later became part of British Insulated Callender's Cables.
History
Prescot Cables joined the Lancashire Combination in 1927–28, taking over the record of Fleetwood who resigned after playing 22 matches. (Until 1968, when the Northern Premier League was formed, the Lancashire Combination was the premier league for non-league football in the north-west of England). Cables came runner-up in the Combination on three consecutive seasons from 1930–31 to 1932–33. In 1932 Valerie Park hosted its record attendance (8,122) in a game against Ashton National. Unfortunately for the Cables, the glory years were not to return for another 20 years.
The years 1954 to 1960 were probably the club's most successful. In 1954–55 they finished Lancashire Combination Division Two runner-up and were promoted to Division One. The next season but one (1956–57) they finished champions of the Lancashire Combination. The following two seasons they were runners-up. In 1954–55 the Cables registered their record victory in a competitive game (18–3) against Great Harwood. In the F.A. Cup too the Cables shone. In 1957–58 they fought their way to the first round proper for the first time, only to be beaten away at Hartlepool United. They were in the first round proper again in 1959–60; this time they were beaten away at Darlington.
By 1975 fortunes at the club had dipped drastically. The Cables joined Mid Cheshire Football League and unsurprisingly they finished champions in 1976–77. In 1978–79 they joined Cheshire County League as founder members of Division Two, finished League Division Two Champions in 1979–80 and won promotion to Division One. This was arguably the highest level of football being played at Valerie Park since 1968. Even better was to follow. In 1982–83 the Cables became founder members of the North West Counties League and in 1986–87 they won promotion to Division One. In 2001–02 they finished runners-up and the following season they were crowned champions. As a reward they were promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One.
In season 2004–05, they started playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, their highest ever flight in football. One of the main reasons for their rapid promotion was that the Football Pyramid underwent major changes in 2004. The Cables finished in 5th place that season following the FA's decision to award them 6 points, thanks to the Spennymoor United failing to fulfill two fixtures against Prescot. The club took duly took their place in the playoffs only to lose 3–1 at Workington
There was a change in organisation in mid-2005 when a new football committee formed from the Supporters' Club took over the club. Andy Gray took over as manager following the resignation of Tommy Lawson. His side finish in mid-table for the following three seasons.
In the 2007–08 season the club finished in 13th position out of 21 clubs, although they needed a 3–2 success at Lincoln United to avoid relegation from the Premier Division. The Cables could not avoid the drop the following season, however, finishing in 22nd place. Soon after, manager Andy Gray left the club to take charge at Burscough.
On 21 May 2009, Prescot Cables announced Joe Gibiliru as their new manager. Gibiliru, who was manager of the club in the early 1990s, saw his side end up 15th in Division One North.
After a disappointing start to the season 2010–11, the club parted company with Gibiliru in November. His assistant Dave Ridler took over as caretaker and was given the job permanently on 23 December 2010, steering the club towards safety. Ridler left the club in December 2011 to take up a coaching role abroad. He was replaced by Shaun Reid, brother of ex Everton and England international Peter. Reid's reign was short-lived, however, as he moved on to take control of Warrington Town. After a 16th-place finish at the end of the 2011-12 season, former Ashton Athletic manager Dave Powell was appointed as the club's new manager. In the summer of 2014, Powell was replaced by Neil Prince, who had earlier had a successful spell in charge of Bootle. In August 2015, Cables parted company with Neil Prince after only three games of the 2015/16 season with the club at the foot of the table.
Reserve Team Manager Joey Gibiliru took charge of the First Team for one match before Andy Paxton was appointed as Manager. The former Burnley, Clitheroe, Prescot Cables, Southport and Skem keeper left Skelmersdale to succeed Neil Prince at Valerie Park after working for more than five years alongside Skelmersdale boss Tommy Lawson where he was a coach. Paxton stepped down as Manager in October 2016 and was replaced by former Skelmersdale assistant Brian Richardson, a former professional player with Blackpool. Richardson brought a number of players to Cables with him, including former Porto U19's captain Valter Fernandes.