Curzon Ashton Football Club is an association football club based in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England. Founded in 1963 and nicknamed "The Nash", the club is affiliated to the Manchester Football Association and currently competes in the National League North, (2023/24) at the sixth tier of English football. Curzon Ashton won Division One North of the Northern Premier League in the 2013–14 season, and the Premier Division play-offs in the 2014–15 season, thereby gaining promotion to the National League North. Home matches have been played at Tameside Stadium since 2005.
History
Early years
Curzon Ashton was formed in 1963 after the merger of two clubs, Curzon Road Methodists F.C. and Assheton Amateurs F.C., who played in the Manchester Amateur Football League. The amalgamated club's name was originally Curzon Amateurs before being changed to the current name.
Curzon joined the Manchester League. In 1970–71, they were Manchester Intermediate Cup runners-up, followed by a hat-trick of wins in the competition. In 1973–74, they were runners-up in Division One of the Manchester League and then runners-up in the Premier Division, a feat they matched the following season. The reserve team then won four championships in a row and in 1977–78 the league and cup double.
By this time they were playing at National Park, former home of pre-war club Ashton National. From this they acquired their nickname of 'The Nash.'
The 1978–79 season saw Curzon become founder members of the Cheshire League Division Two and they won promotion at the first attempt, missing the title by just two points. In their first season in the top flight, they became the first North West club to reach the semi-final of the FA Vase. They lost both legs 2–0 to Stamford, the home leg producing the club's record home attendance of 1,800.
1980s and 1990s
In the 1980s, Curzon won the Manchester Premier Cup five times. In 1983–84, Curzon became founder members of the North West Counties League when the MWCL Cheshire League and Lancashire Combination merged as part of the non-League pyramid. The club was placed in the first division and floodlights were purchased in 1986 as Curzon prepared for an assault on the title and possible promotion to the Northern Premier League. Promotion was not attained and manager Peter Mayo resigned due to work commitments during the 1986 season. His successor Les Sutton failed to win a single league game, although the club won the Manchester Premier Cup. He was sacked at the end of the season.
Despite finishing in a relegation position, Curzon became founder members of the Northern Premier League First Division the following year. A disastrous start resulted in manager David Noble being sacked and Steve Waywell became the club's fourth manager in less than 12 months when he was appointed in October 1987. Relegation was only avoided when the division was expanded from 19 to 22 clubs. Waywell was relieved of his duties in February 1993, and after Alan Zelem briefly held the reins, Winsford United assistant manager David "Taffy" Jones was appointed, following which Curzon recorded their best ever win against local rivals Ashton United, beating them 7–0 on Easter Monday.
The 1995–96 season saw Curzon finish 4th in the league table, their best ever position, under the guidance of Derek Brownbill, but before the start of the 1996–97 season Brownbill resigned and joined Runcorn F.C. Halton. Vauxhall GM manager Terry McLean took over, only to resign in September. Changes were taking place in the boardroom and Dave Denby was appointed to succeed McLean, bringing with him Ged Coyne as his assistant.
The team struggled and Denby resigned before the end of the season, with Coyne being invited to take over. After finishing in a relegation position along with other North West-based clubs Warrington Town and Atherton Laburnum Rovers, Curzon moved to the Northern Counties East League following a meeting of the Northern Joint Liaison Committee (NJLC), a decision which shocked not only the club but many others connected with football in the region. An appeal to the National League System Sub-Committee proved to be fruitless and so the club became the first side to be moved in this way since the pyramid system was introduced.
Many difficulties in the Northern Counties East League followed with the club ending the season next to bottom. The NJLC moved Curzon back to the North West Counties league at the end of the 1997–98 season.
In November 1998, Joe Murty was appointed manager and brought Martin Farnworth in as his assistant. The 1999–2000 season saw the club gain promotion to Division One of the First North Western Trains League.