East Manchester FC - Founded 1960. A Brief History
22 Nov 2006

FORMED IN 1960 AS THE FERRANTI ENGINEERING FACTORY TEAM, THE CLUB PLAYED IN THE LOCAL CHORLTON LEAGUE - MADE UP MAINLY OF FACTORY WORKERS WITH A SPRINKLING OF EX-PROFESSIONALS AND TOP AMATEUR PLAYERS THAT PROVIDED A FORMIDABLE OPPOSITION. IT WAS NO SURPRISE THEREFORE WHEN IN OUR FIRST SEASON WE ALMOST ACHIEVED THE DOUBLE. WINNING THE LEAGUE AND LOSING IN THE FINAL OF THE CUP. WE THEN MOVED ON TO THE S E LANCS LEAGUE AND CHANGED OUR NAME A FEW TIMES FROM FERRANTI TO ICT TO ICL, EVENTUALLY SETTLING WITH OUR CURRENT NAME OF EAST MANCHESTER IN 1983.
IT WAS AS ICL, IN WHICH OUR FIRST PROLONGED SUCCESS WAS ACHIEVED IN 1970/71, WINNING THE 1st. DIV. TITLE – THIS HERALDED THE BEGINNING OF A GOLDEN ERA WHEN SEVERAL LEAGUE TITLES AND CUPS WERE WON. THE HIGHLIGHT IN DOING THE DOUBLE IN 1975/1976 SEASON. A RESERVE TEAM WAS NOW ADDED, AND THE CLUB, STILL A WORKS OUTFIT, CONTINUED TO BLOSSOM. FURTHER SUCCESS FOR BOTH TEAMS RESULTED IN JOINING THE MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE AND PRESTIGIOUS MANCHESTER LEAGUE IN 1981. THIS CHANGE ALSO MEANT MOVING GROUNDS FROM MELLANDS TO THE GMB CLUB AT MOUNT ROAD. MAINTAINING OUR SUCCESS WE COLLECTED THE CHAMPIONSHIP AT OUR FIRST ATTEMPT TO GAIN PROMOTION TO THE PREMIER DIVISION AND EMFC WERE BORN. A SHORT BARREN SPELL FOLLOWED UNTIL 1987/1988 WHEN THE CLUB’S SUCCESS WAS REKINDLED BY WINNING THE MANCHESTER AMATEUR CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME DEFEATING BRINDLE HEATH LADS CLUB IN THE FINAL. SIGNIFICANTLY OUR RESERVE TEAM ACHIEVED THEIR FIRST SUCCESS BY WINNING THE SECOND DIV. CHAMPIONSHIP. OUR SUCCESS CONTINUED WITH A PEAK IN 1991/1992 SEASON ACHIEVING A DOUBLE – THE LEAGUE AND THE MANCHESTER CHALLENGE TROPHY.
OUR NEXT STEP FORWARD WAS TO MOVE TO THE NEW GROUND OF KIRKMANSHULME LANE. THIS ENABLED US TO FLY THE FLAG FOR AMATEUR FOOTBALL IN THE MANCHESTER AREA, APPEARING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORY IN THE HIGHLY PRESTIGIOUS F A VASE COMPETITION -BEATING NWCFL OUTFIT CHEADLE TOWN IN THE 1st ROUND. SUCCESS CONTINUES FOR BOTH OUR TEAMS ALTHOUGH THE ENFORCED MOVE FROM KIRKMANSHULME LANE CAUSED SOME OBVIOUS PROBLEMS. FORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE VERY KIND INTERVENTION OF DAVE PACE OUR FIRST TEAM WAS ABLE TO PLAY FOR A FEW SEASONS IN THE PALATIAL SURROUNDINGS OF DROYLSDEN FOOTBALL CLUB. AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST THE MORAL BOOSTER WE NEEDED AFTER ALL THAT HAD GONE ON PREVIOUSLY.
HAVING NOW RETURNED TO OUR OLD STOMPING GROUND, THE GMB CLUB, MOUNT ROAD. IT HAS REKINDLED THE SUCCESSESS OF THE PAST – AS IN 1991/2 WHEN WE ACHIEVED THE DOUBLE – ANOTHER DOUBLE HAS BEEN GAINED – OUR 2nd TEAM WINNING THE MFL 2nd DIV AND CARRYING OFF THE HIGHLY PRESTIGIOUS MANCHESTER AMATEUR CUP IN THE 2005/2006 SEASON. THIS WAS NEARLY DONE THE FOLLOWING SEASON BUT ONLY TO COME RUNNERS UP IN BOTH LEAGUE AND COUNTY CUP. THE CLUB MOVED FROM MOUNT ROAD AND FOUND A NEW HOME IN WRIGHT ROBINSON COLLEGE, GORTON FOR THE 2008/09 SEASON.

BOTH TEAMS ARE YOUNG AND POSSESS HUGE POTENTIAL. WE HOPE TO CONTINUE THIS SUCCESS FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME………….

DAVE WILKINSON – CLUB SECRETARY