Millbrook A.F.C.

Millbrook A.F.C.
Full name Millbrook Association Football Club
Nickname(s) The Magpies, The Brook
Founded 1888
Ground Jenkins Park (formerly Mill Park), Millbrook
Chairman Steve Hutson
Manager Ryan Swiggs
League South West Peninsula League Division One West
2015–16 South West Peninsula League Division One West, 13th

Millbrook Association Football Club is an English football club based in Millbrook, Cornwall who compete in the South West Peninsula League (SWPL).[1] Their Reserve Team are part of the East Cornwall League (ECL).[2]

The club was formed in 1888 and are one of oldest clubs in Cornwall. After joining the South Western League in 1980, they went on to finish as league runners-up in 1982. In 1984, they again narrowly missed out on silverware and were finalists in the Cornwall Senior Cup, the county's premier cup competition. They also reached the final in 1999.

Due to finishing in the league's 'top 4' in 2004 and 2005, Millbrook qualified for the FA Vase and went on to reach the second qualifying round in 2005 and 2006.

In 2007, the South Western League merged with its Devon equivalent, the Devon County League, to form the SWPL. The club remained in the league for three seasons before voluntarily demoting themselves for financial reasons.

During this time, they competed in the East Cornwall League (the league in which their Reserve Team now compete in) and went on to finish as Division One runners-up in 2012 and League Cup finalists in 2014. The club were also promoted from the Premier Division in 2014 and re-joined the SWPL.

The club's traditional colours are black and white and they play their football at Jenkins Park (formerly Mill Park).

History

An action shot from Mill Park (now Jenkins Park) in the South Western League, 1990-91

The Early Years

The club was established in 1888 and, along with Torpoint Athletic (formed in 1887) and Penzance (formed in 1888), are one of the three oldest clubs in Cornwall. They were also one of the eight founder members of the Cornwall FA, which was formed a year later in 1889. The club competed at a local level for 92 years, a number of these in the neighbouring Plymouth and District League. They won various honours at this standard although there are no records online to support this.

The South Western League

Millbrook joined the South Western League in 1980 and achieved notable success. They went on to finish in the 'top 5' on eleven occasions (five of which were in the 'top 3').[3] In 1982, the club were agonisingly close to winning the title but, after a thrilling season, they finished as league runners-up, just a single point behind eventual champions, Newquay. They did, however, go on to record seven 'top 5' finishes in succession. Millbrook have also reached the Cornwall Senior Cup Final on two occasions. They were convincingly beaten 3-0 by Liskeard Athletic in 1984 but were again painfully close to silverware in 1999, losing 2-1 to Bodmin Town. Furthermore, due to 'top 4' finishes in 2003-04 and 2004-05, the club qualified for and competed in the FA Vase the following seasons. They reached the second qualifying round on both occasions under former manager, Roger Fice, and were narrowly knocked out of the competition by then Western League outfit, Exmouth Town, in 2004-05, losing 2-1, and Newton Abbot, from the Devon County League, in 2005-06, losing 3-2.

The New SWPL

Action from a SWPL match at Jenkins Park, with the view of Millbrook in the background.

In 2007, after 27 seasons in the South Western League, the club became founder members of the South West Peninsula League (SWPL) after the amalgamation of the Devon County League and the South Western League. The league consists of three divisions and involves clubs from the counties of both Devon and Cornwall. The Premier Division sits at Step 6 of the National League System (Step 10 of English Football), alongside the neighbouring Western League, Division One, and is a step higher than the disbanded South Western League. The club went on to spend three seasons at this standard. Their highest finish coming in the 2007-08 season, when they finished 12th under former manager, Mark Jones.

Financial Issues and Demotion

Due to financial issues, the club lost their SWPL status in 2010 and were demoted two divisions to Step 9 of the National League System (East Cornwall League, Division One). This was a massive blow to the club as they had competed at Step 7 for the past 30 years (1980-2010). Former club captain, Ben Ferguson, scored what proved to be the club's final SWPL goal in a 2-1 defeat to Truro City at Treyew Road.[4]

The East Cornwall League

The team that faced Torpoint Athletic F.C. in the 2013-14 ECL Cup Final.

Following the demotion and subsequent resignation of manager, Dane Bunney, in May 2010, Reserve Team manager and former First Team assistant, Ryan Swiggs, took over the reigns at Mill Park (now Jenkins Park).[5] Swiggs had a successful beginning to his tenure and led the club to four consecutive 'top 6' finishes. During this time, the club also achieved two promotions and reached the ECL Cup Final (their first cup final in 15 years), which ended in defeat to local derby rivals, Torpoint Athletic.[6] Swiggs' players also set a new club record, in the 2011-12 season, by scoring 104 league goals, whilst achieving promotion, albeit in Division One.[7]

Return to the SWPL

In 2014, following two promotions in four seasons,[8] the club regained their proud SWPL status.[9] Since the promotion to the SWPL, the club's financial position has improved dramatically. This has enabled Swiggs to build a solid foundation which has led to the club avoiding relegation and being able to renovate the main stand. They finished the 2015-16 season in 13th position which was their highest position (in the National League System) for 8 years and in Swiggs' time at the club. Their ambition is to now push for promotion to Step 6 of the National League System for the first time in their history.

Ground

'Welcome to Jenkins Park', the home of Millbrook A.F.C.

Jenkins Park

Millbrook play their home games at Jenkins Park, Mill Road, Millbrook, Cornwall, PL10 1EN.

The ground was renamed Jenkins Park (formerly Mill Park) in February 2014 in honour of Reg Jenkins.[10]

Jenkins Park, the home of Millbrook A.F.C.

Jenkins was a native and resident of Millbrook who played in the Football League for Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United, as well as for Rochdale, where he was voted the club's greatest-ever player, by the Rochdale fans, in a BBC poll in 2004.[11]

His wife, who was made honorary vice president at Rochdale’s Spotland Stadium in April 2013, said that ‘Big Reg’ as he was affectionately known would have been ‘proud, flattered and probably slightly embarrassed’ at all the fuss.

She also said: “Reg was born in Millbrook and we had a bungalow built near the football ground and now it’s named after him. I’m sure he would have approved, even though he didn’t like being the centre of attention. He had strong ties to this area where he came from and also to Rochdale where the club and the fans have been really fantastic to Reg."

"The fans named him Rochdale’s greatest ever player and made me an honorary life president as a tribute to Reg. He came from humble origins in this area and never made a big deal about himself, so to see the ground named in his honour in Millbrook really is something special."

Honours

League


Domestic Cups


Records

References

  1. ↑ Millbrook AFC Twitter
  2. ↑ 1st Team Pitchero
  3. ↑ Millbrook Football Club History
  4. ↑ Millbrook denied fitting end to league existence Western Morning News
  5. ↑ South West Peninsula Football League: Club Directory South West Peninsula League
  6. ↑ ECPL Rowett Insurance Cup Final Cornwall Football Forum
  7. ↑ East Cornwall League, 2011-12 F.C.H.D.
  8. ↑ East Cornwall League, 2013-14 F.C.H.D.
  9. ↑ Promotion to SWPL Twitter
  10. ↑ Millbrook rename home to celebrate modest life of 'Big' Reg Jenkins Plymouth Herald
  11. ↑ Reg Jenkins Passes Away Rochdale A.F.C.
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