Originally formed in 1928, Manchester Central Football Club was set up as a joint venture between then Manchester City director John Ayrton, and the owner of Belle View John Iles. Ayton felt that following the Citizens departure from East Manchester in 1923, the area needed it’s own Football League side to be proud of, and thus, Central were born playing out of Belle Vue Athletics Stadium.
Managed by James McMahon, with Welsh International and former United and City star Billy Meredith on the coaching staff, Central finished Seventh in the Lancashire Combination in their maiden season. Ayrton immediately submitted an application for Central to join the Football League for the 1929-30 season, but ultimately this bid was rejected.
Welsh International Goalkeeper Bert Gray signed on loan from Manchester City, propelling Central to a runners-up spot just their second season as part of the Lancashire Combination. 8,500 supporters were in attendance at Belle View as Central took on Wrexham in the Combination, but despite the success on the field and strong backing in the stands, Central’s second application to join the football league was also rejected.
Central’s third season in the Lancashire Combination ended in a disappointing seventh placed finish, and following another failed attempt to join the Football League, the club withdrew from the league in order to focus on their 1931-32 Cheshire County League campaign. Early on in the 31/32 season Wigan Borough were forced to withdraw from the Football League, leaving a Central sized gap in the English Footballing Pyramid, and a fourth application to join was submitted.
At the time both Second Division Manchester United and First Division Manchester City were already Football League members, and a joint complaint by the Cities resident clubs was upheld by the Football League. This meant that despite backing from sides in The Division Three North, Central’s application was ultimately denied once again. The Red Devils and The Citizens argued that they would both suffer losses, financially and in terms of supporter numbers, should a third Mancunian team be admitted to the Football League.
This rejection proved to be the final straw for Ayrton whose ambition had been quashed by the city’s big boys, and following on from the 1931/31 campaign, Manchester Central withdrew from the Cheshire County League, and ceased to exist as a football club. For now.
Fast Forward 84 years to the 2016/17 season and Manchester Central were back. Risen from the ashes under the watchful eye of manager and former professional footballer Paul McGuire, Central lined up in the Manchester Football League finishing in a respectable fifth place in their first season back. A narrow Murray Trophy final defeat at the hands of East Manchester signified that Central meant business within the Manchester Football Pyramid.
Central were promoted to the Manchester Premier Division in just their second season and followed promotion by going one better in the Murray Trophy. A heroic performance by Jordan Hadlow in the penalty shoot-out win against Tintwhistle Athletic saw Central lift the cup at Hyde United’s Ewen Fields, their first piece of silverware.
After a sluggish start to life in the Premier Division, Paul McGuire’s side went on an incredible 16 game unbeaten run in the league consisting of 14 wins and just two defeats. Fired up the league by top goal scorer Corey Knight’s 29 goals in 22 appearances, as well as Dan Burns and Josh Frith who also finished in the league’s top 10 goal-scorers, Central looked to be taking the title fight all the way. The fantastic run of form took Central to within touching distance of the League title in their first Premier Division season, but ultimately fell just 4 points short of the number one spot drawing and losing their final two league fixtures. Finishing Runners-Up in such spectacular fashion, having only lost 5 games all season lead to whisperings of a bid to join the North West Counties Football League, but due to administrative challenges Central were force to resign from the Manchester Football League prior to the start of the 2019/20 campaign.
Many of Paul McGuire’s Central stars have gone on the represent sides higher up the footballing pyramid, even as high as the EFL Championship. An ambitious club in the 1920’s and 30’s, the 21st Century Central have all the ambition and quality of their forefather, and it is no surprise that once again Central are back. The 2021/22 season saw Manchester Central re-admitted to the Manchester Football League, this time in Division Two with Chris Tomkinson at the helm. Part of McGuire’s coaching staff Tommo understands exactly what being Manchester Central means, he has his eyes set on restoring Manchester Central Football Club to the heights the club deserves to be at.
