GROUND HISTORY TRAVEL

Altrincham were founder members of the Alliance Premier League when it first kicked off in the late 1970s and for two successive seasons, they were arguably the top non-league side in England. Times, however, have changed and Altrincham found themselves struggling at the wrong end of the Blue Square Premier. The reliance on reprieves from relegation also came into play before suffering the drop in 2010/1.

There is a case for having a degree of both sympathy and admiration for the plight of Altrincham as the top tier of non-league football evolved into a beast that would have been unthinkable during the 1990s. The additional promotion spot to the Football League brought with it an additional relegation to non-league ranks. During the 1970s and 1980s, Alty would never have seen themselves as equals to Luton Town and Oxford United.

In 2010/1, it appeared that hanging on as a part-time club in a full-time world had come to an end with relegation. In non-league circles, you simply can't take such an eventuality for granted as off-field issues come into play over the summer. But Altrincham are a team that rarely give up lightly... even if the Boro' did manage a 5-1 win there under Peter Taylor.

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