Vauxhall Motors Football Club is a football club based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. The club are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One West and play at the Premier Jet Stadium.
It was originally the works team of the Vauxhall Ellesmere Port Car Plant. It had much success in its local leagues and fought its way up to semi-professional status. It was announced in March 2014 that the club had tendered its resignation from the Football Conference, with effect from the end of season 2013–14. The club took over their reserve team's place back in the West Cheshire League Division One for the 2014–15 season but has since reached the Northern Premier League Division One West.
It is generally regarded as the local team of Ellesmere Port, although two other teams, Ellesmere Port and Ellesmere Port Town, play further down the pyramid in the Chester & District League.
Contents
History
Vauxhall Motors F.C. was founded in 1963, shortly after the opening of the new Vauxhall Motors Car Plant in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Early in its history, it played in the Ellesmere Port League and the Wirral Combination, but it soon grew too strong for those leagues. By 1970, the club had achieved several promotions and played on the company-owned Hooton Park. By 1987 however, it had opened its own ground, Rivacre Park, where the club plays today. The opening of the new ground was especially important as then England manager Bobby Robson brought a number of former international stars for the opening game.
On the pitch, the club also started finding some success, winning its first West Cheshire League championship in the 1985–86 season. Soon after, they reached their first Cheshire Amateur Cup and triumphed in the Wirral Senior Cup. These accomplishments did not go unnoticed, as the club successfully applied to join the North West Counties League for 1987–88. They easily won the league's Second Division in their second season at that level, and finished fourth in the First Division in 1989–90. Despite expectations to challenge for the league title the next season, the team only finished fifth, but won the North West Counties League Cup in the process, defeating Darwen 2–0.
Soon after its fifth-place finish, the board took the decision to move back down to the West Cheshire League where the club finished in third place in the two following seasons. However, in 1994–95, the club won both divisions of the league – only the third time any club had achieved that in the 103-year history of the league. Soon after, they were accepted back into the North West Counties League. Just as before, they easily won the Second Division of the NWCL, but did not have the best of seasons in Division One, although they did reach the semi-final of the Cheshire Senior Cup. It continued to play in Division One, and reached the final of the NWCL Cup, losing to Kidsgrove Athletic in a closely contested match.
The 1998–99 season was the team's best by far to that point, reaching the fifth round of the FA Vase and earning its best ever league position in third place, and won the NWCL Cup. However, the next season was even better, with the team reaching the semi-finals of the FA Vase and winning the NWCL title, thus earning a spot in Division One of the Northern Premier League. The reserves also enjoyed a successful season, winning a number of smaller trophies.
Colours and badge
Vauxhall Motors' colours are white with a stripe of blue for the top and navy blue shorts and socks. The away kit is yellow shirts, green shorts and yellow socks. The kits have been sponsored by car retailer Lookers Wirral since 2000.
The team badge is the same as the logo of its parent company, Vauxhall Motors.
Stadium
Rivacre Park has been the home of Vauxhall since the 1986 season, the club having formerly played at Hooton Park. It has a capacity of 3,300 with covered stand and terracing, with space for 350 seated guests. The stand has been refitted with new seats along with a step in the terrace at the golf course end of the ground. A new toilet block, disabled toilet and a new turnstile block have also been added. To increase capacity, more barriers have been installed to the covered terrace and the club shop has since been re-opened after the roof was damaged in a storm. The ground also has a large sports and social club. This was originally for employees of the Vauxhall plant but is also open to the public on match days etc.
From the start of the 2026/27 season, the stadium will be known as the Premier Jet Stadium, following the announcement of a new naming rights deal.
Records
Highest League Attendance: 1,752 versus Chester F.C. – 30 October 2012
Highest FA Cup Attendance: 1,109 versus Hartlepool United (FA Cup First round replay) – 16 November 2010
Highest FA Trophy Attendance: 1,104 versus Northwich Victoria (FA Trophy 4th round) – 2 February 2002
Biggest Home Win: 12–2 versus Blackpool Mechanics, 9 December 1995
Biggest Home Defeat: 6–0 versus Kettering Town, 1 March 2008; 6–0 versus Macclesfield, 22 February 2022
Biggest Away Win: 6–0 versus Hinckley United, 5 February 2013
Biggest Away Defeat: 6–0 versus Kettering Town, 25 August 2007
All-Time Leading Goalscorer: Terry Fearns – 111 goals
Most Appearances: Carl Nesbitt – 520 appearances (500 starts, 20 as sub)
Best League Position: 11th, Conference North, 2008–09
Best FA Cup Performance: 2nd round proper, 2002–03
Best FA Trophy Performance: 4th round proper, 2001–02
Best FA Vase Performance: Semi-finals, 1999–00
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Management Team
Manager - Chris Herbert
Assistant Manager - Steve Burr
First Team Coach - Mark Reed
First Team Coach - John Keegan
Goalkeeper Coach - Mark Corbett
Physio - Craig Dawson
Kitman - Lewis Hall
Notable players
Several players have gone on to play in the Football League, including
Gregg Blundell – Formerly with Doncaster Rovers. Currently physiotherapist at Liverpool.
Danny Collins – Formerly with Sunderland, Stoke City, Rotherham United, Nottingham Forest and Grimsby Town.
Mark Duffy – Formerly with Doncaster Rovers, Scunthorpe United, Morecambe F.C., Birmingham City and Fleetwood Town F.C.
Steve McNulty – Formerly with Fleetwood Town, Tranmere Rovers, Luton Town and Witton Albion.
Mark Roberts – Formerly with Crewe Alexandra, Stevenage, Fleetwood Town and Cambridge United. Retired from Warrington Town in 2022.
Paul Taylor – Formerly with Peterborough United and Stevenage.
Ben Tollitt – Formerly with Portsmouth. Currently playing at AFC Fylde.
Lloyd Saxton – Spent youth career in Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers, Stoke City. Being professional since 2006, he joined Plymouth Argyle and Bradford City. Since 2012, he joined Swedish football. Ange IF. On 2015, he moved to Allsvenskan and played for GIF Sundsvall.
Cole Stockton – Formerly with Hearts.
Paul Mullin - Player for EFL League One club Bradford City.
Honours
Northern Premier League
Premier Division Runners-up 2001–02
Division One Runners-up 2000–01
North West Counties League
Premier Division Champions 2022―23
Division One Champions 1999–2000
Division Two Champions 1988–89, 1995–96
Floodlit Trophy Winners 1999–2000
League Cup Winners 1990–91, 1998–99
West Cheshire League
Division One Champions 1985–86, 1994–95, 2002–03 (Reserves)
Division Two Champions 1994–95 (Reserves)
Division Two Bowl Winners 1967–68
Pyke Cup
Winners 1999–2000 (Reserves), 2004–05 (Reserves)
Runners-up 1972–73
Cheshire County F.A.
Amateur Cup Winners 2013–14 (Reserves)
Runners-up 1993–94, 2000–01, 2004–05
Wirral F.A.
Senior Cup Winners 1986–87, 2010–11 (Reserves), 2012–13 (Reserves), 2014–15
Runners-up 1982–83, 1994–95, 1999–2000 (Reserves)