CLUB
Leigh RMI
It’s not unusual, every so often, for an unknown team to come from nowhere and become your equals; Leigh RMI being an example. You could point at sides like Yeovil Town or Nigel Clough’s Burton Albion popping up in the Championship too. Or Barnsley in the Premier League. Gosh – that’s a long time ago. But the Railwaymen will be our case in point here; a relative one at that too. Later known as Leigh Genesis, the semi-professional senior side of Leigh RMI folded in 2011.
They’ve since made a comeback in 2012. That said, it’s a return that wasn’t so glorious; the South Lancashire Counties Football League in fact. That’s not part of the English league pyramid either – unless that’s changed since we wrote this. The RMI in the name stands for Railway Mechanics Institute, if you were interested; a nod to their history.
Our last meeting with them was an FA Trophy tie in 2007.
Leigh RMI: The Facts
Head-to-Head
| Played | 11 |
|---|---|
| Won | 9 |
| Drawn | 0 |
| Lost | 2 |
| Goals For | 27 |
| Goals Against | 9 |
| Win % | 82% |
Club History
Who are Leigh RMI Football Club?
At the start, they weren’t called Leigh and they didn’t play in Leigh. The start of the line is 1896; the club one of two to be set up at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway’s workshops. This one? The locomotive works in Horwich was where it all started. The other club of the two? Well, they started at the Newton Heath carriage and wagon works. It’s fair to say that club went onto make something of themselves. Does the name Manchester United ring a bell?
Obviously, starting life in Horwich meant their name – to start with – was Horwich RMI. And the RMI stands for Railway Mechanics Institute, by the way. In 1917, the Railwaymen secured a spot in the Lancashire Combination league. And there they’d stay until 1968; runners-up in 1929 the best position they could manage. After switching to the Cheshire County League in 1968, they’d soon become founder members of the North West Counties League in 1982.
That didn’t last long either.
Why do we know the Railwaymen?
One year after signing up to the NWCL, the Railwaymen switched tracks; entering the Northern Premier League. Four times between 1983 and 1995, they had points lopped off for a variety of reasons (we think). According to the FCHD, “rule breaches” is the official term. But what was so important about 1995? Well, we’ll tell you – clearly. That was the year the club moved to Leigh. And that was also the year that Leigh RMI put itself on the non-league football map.
The move to Hilton Park (home of Leigh Centurions RLFC) would be a catalyst for their growth. But they had to start one step back after relegation to the NPL Division One the same summer they moved. Within another five years, though, the Railwaymen had not only made up the lost ground. Nope – they kicked on even more; promotion to the NPL Premier Division in 1997 then followed up with the NPL title in 2000. And, with it, came a place in the Nationwide Conference.
How to get to Leigh RMI
By Car
By Road
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By Rail
By Rail
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Parking
Parking
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Previous Meetings
| Date | Competition | Venue | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan 2007 13 Jan 07 | FA Trophy R2 FAT2 | H | 3-1 |
| 23 Apr 2005 23 Apr 05 | Nationwide Conference Conf | H | 2-0 |
| 9 Oct 2004 9 Oct 04 | Nationwide Conference Conf | A | 2-1 |
| 14 Feb 2004 14 Feb 04 | Nationwide Conference Conf | A | 3-1 |
| 27 Sep 2003 27 Sep 03 | Nationwide Conference Conf | H | 4-0 |
| 5 Apr 2003 5 Apr 03 | Nationwide Conference Conf | H | 3-1 |
| 12 Oct 2002 12 Oct 02 | Nationwide Conference Conf | A | 1-2 |
| 15 Apr 2002 15 Apr 02 | Nationwide Conference Conf | H | 0-1 |
| 8 Sep 2001 8 Sep 01 | Nationwide Conference Conf | A | 2-1 |
| 10 Apr 2001 10 Apr 01 | Nationwide Conference Conf | A | 4-1 |
Shared Players
| Player | Profile |
|---|---|
| Carl Adams | View Profile |
| Carl Alford | View Profile |
| Lee Fitzpatrick | View Profile |
| Dino Maamria | View Profile |
| Mark Westhead | View Profile |
