Non-League Football Teams in Liverpool / Merseyside
If you’re a football fan then the chances are high that you will have heard of Liverpool and Everton Football Clubs. With six European Cups and 27 top-flight leagues between them, they are giants of the game. Over the water, Tranmere Rovers represent the Wirral, which is a peninsula on the other side of the River Mersey.
If your interest in the beautiful game doesn’t extend much past the first four levels of the Football League pyramid then you’d be forgiven for thinking that there were no other teams worthy of your attention, but you’d be wrong. There are, in fact, five teams at the semi-pro level and another nine in levels 9-10 of the pyramid.
Southport FC
Founded in 1888, Southport Football Club had a history based in a number of other sides from the area. There were football teams in the 1870s playing in the private schools of Southport, but an association club was formed in 1881 and played 1886 when it folded. A couple of years before that, in 1884, Southport Wanderers was formed by members of the local rugby club.
They lasted until 1888, which was when Southport Football Club was launched with the plan to give Southport a football club ‘of mighty proportions’. The team played in the Football League for a time, becoming a non-league side in 1978.
Marine
Formed in 1894, Marine Association Football Club was the brainchild of a group of local businessmen and students. Taking its name from a hotel located on the seafront of the River Mersey, the club has played its matches at Rossett Park since 1903. The club has enjoyed some notably successes over the years, including reaching the FA Amateur Cup final in the 1931-1932 season, with more than 22,000 people turning up at West Ham United’s Boleyn Ground to see Dulwich Hamlet win 7-1.
Marine FC
Liverpool Senior Cup Winners 2023/2024@MarineAFC pic.twitter.com/r7DaVbOFNk— Richard Cross (@richardcross7) April 23, 2024
One of the club’s most notable accomplishments was having the longest-serving manager in football; Roly Howard served from 1972 to 2005.
Bootle FC
The original Bootle Football Club formed in 1879 and were Everton’s main rival in the city. They were a founding member of the Football League Second Division, dropping out when financial issues struck and being replaced in it by a newly formed club called Liverpool FC.
In 1947 the possibility of resurrecting a club in Bootle was talked about, being created a year later and folding in 1954.
A year earlier, a new club called Langton was formed, eventually changing its name to Bootle Football Club in 1973. The club has won several lower leagues over the years, as well as making it to the fourth round of the FA Vase.
City of Liverpool FC
Known by many as ‘the Purps’ on account of the purple kit that the club plays in, designed to appease both Liverpool and Everton supporters, the club was formed in 2015. It came on the back of a meeting between several local business people, with initial name suggestions including Liverpool City FC and Merseyside FC. It was formed as a ‘community benefit society on socialist principles’.
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Originally intending to play matches in the city of Liverpool itself, no suitable facilities existed to allow for this and so other venues needed to be found. As a result, the club has played in numerous places around the Merseyside area since its inception.
Prescot Cables
Formed in 1884, Prescot Cables Football Club took its name from the British Insulated Cables company, which was the largest employer in Prescot at the time. During the 1927-1928 season, Prescot Cables took over Fleetwood’s place in the Lancashire Combination. One of the biggest changes to the club took place in 2005 when a Supporters’ Club took over the club.
In 2019, the club was given a 99-year lease to play its matches at Valerie Park for the foreseeable, which was the ground in which it had played its matches previously but had been under threat before the council stepped in and rescued it.
AFC Liverpool
Standing for Affordable Football Club Liverpool, the semi-professional team was formed in 2008 as a not-for-profit organisation that is run on a one-member, one-vote system.
Playing at Rossett Park, the home ground of Marine, the club was created by Alun Parry for people who felt that they had been priced out of watching Premier League matches.
Litherland REMYCA FC
Based in the Litherland area of Merseyside, Litherland REMYCA Football Club was established as St Thomas Football Club in 1959 and based in Seaforth. The Bootle YMCA later became the club’s base and it was renamed to the Bootle Church Lads Brigade.
They became REM Social after finance from a local working men’s club, with REMYCA United becoming the name in order to reflect both institutions. The club has been known as Litherland REMYCA Since 2013.
Lower Breck FC
Based in Anfield and playing their games at the Anfield Sports and Community Centre, Lower Breck FC was founded in 2010.
The initial aim was to create a youthful team that would be able to challenge for honours in the future.
Pilkington FC
There will be many that believe that St Helens has no place on a site talking about Merseyside, but it is part of the county whether people like it or not.
Pilkington Football Club was founded in 1938 and given a name that referenced the Pilkington glass factory in the town.
Ashville FC
Ashville Football Club is based in the area of Wallasey on the Wirral. Founded by a D-Day veteran called John Bennett in 1949, they joined the Wallasey Youth League.
In the years since they have moved around various lower leagues, playing their matches at Villa Park in Wallasey.
Cammell Laird 1907 FC
A semi-professional side based in Birkenhead on the Wirral, Cammell Laird 1907 Football Club was, as the name suggests, formed in 1907. Back then it was known as Cammell Laird Institute Association Football Club and was something of a company team.
Originally playing its games at Tranmere Rovers’ home stadium of Prenton Park, the club moved to Kirklands in Rockferry in 1922, which is where they still play.
FC St Helens
Formed in 2014 when a split with St Helens Town reserves occurred, the club initially went into the West Cheshire League and then joined the Cheshire League a year later.
Playing in red and white stripes, the club plays its games at The Windleshaw Sports Ground, which is a site of historical significance in the town.
South Liverpool FC
Based in Aigburth, a suburb of the city, South Liverpool Football Club formed in 1935 and folded in 1991. It was then re-formed almost immediately, enjoying some relative success over the years.
There was a club called South Liverpool FC formed in the 1890s, but that relocated and became New Brighton AFC in 1921 and has no link to this club.
Maghull FC
Named after the Liverpool suburb in which it is based, Maghull FC was founded in 1921 and initially played matches at Deyes Lane.
Nowadays, the club plays its matches at Old Hall Field.
