Accrington Stanley

Accrington Stanley FC were formed in 1968 after the original club was dissolved in 1966, 75 years after it was first established. Stanley are known for their strong community ties under chairman Andy Holt. The team currently play in League Two of the English Football League.

Accrington Stanley Updates

At the time of writing, Stanley currently sit in the bottom six of League Two having won just once in their last six matches. Morale is likely to be low given their proximity to the relegation zone but there is plenty of the season left for the club to move into a comfortable mid-table position. To stay up to date with news about Accrington Stanley, visit The Real EFL.

Accrington Stanley Transfer News and Rumours

Midfielders Ben Woods and Seamus Conneely's contracts are due to end in June 2025 which should mean the club will be on the lookout for replacements if neither seem set to sign new deals. Stanley have struggled to score goals this season and a striker will surely be towards the top of their list to recruit although the January window is deemed generally a tough time to find a front man.

Accrington Stanley Signings

Accrington's summer signings arrived predominantly from fellow League Two and National League clubs whilst complimenting them with loan signings Dara Costelloe, Sonny Aljofree and Zach Awe from Championship side Burnley and Premier League Clubs Manchester United and Southampton.

Player	Age	Nationality	Left	Fee	Contract Duration
Farrend Rawson	27	English	Morecambe League Two	Free	2 years
Donald Love	29	English Scottish	Morecambe League Two	Free	2 years
Michael Kelly	27	English	Mk Dons League Two	Free	2 years
Jimmy Knowles	23	English	Boston United National League	Free	2 years
Dara Costelloe	27	Irish	Burnley Championship	Loan	31st May 2025
Sonny Aljofree	20	Singapore	Manchester United Premier League	Loan	31st May 2025
Zach Awe	19	Nigeria	Southampton Premier League	Loan	31st May 2025
Ashley Hunter	28	English	AFC Fylde National League	Free	1 year

Accrington Stanley Key Matches of the season

These ten matches below will prove crucial to the outcome of Accrington Stanley's season. Sitting only a few points above the relegation places Stanley need to ensure they pick up the points against those sides around them and those below. With over half the season still to play there is enough time to pick up the points needed to reach the 50 point marker which is deemed safety.

Whilst these ten matches are a screenshot to the season winning the games against teams around them in the table will prove crucial come in May if Stanley are to retain their Football League status. You can find a full rundown of the season's fixtures here.

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Accrington Stanley Key achievements

The club became well known back in 1989 featuring in a Milk Marketing Board advert. Their first title at a notable level came in 2005-06 when they were promoted to the English Football League and their only other championship arrived in 2017-18 and promotion to League One.

• Club reformed in 1968
• Northern Premier League Champions 2002-03
• Conference Champions 2005-06
• League Two Champions 2017-18

Accrington Stanley Current Squad

The current squad contains a majority of English and Irish players along with six players on loan from various clubs totalling 30 players in all.

Accrington Stanley Attackers

Josh Woods is one of three Stanley players with five goals in all competitions to their name. The lack of a prolific striker is shown in Accrington's current league position with winger Dara Costelloe and midfielder Tyler Walton chipping in with a similar amount of goals.

Accrington Stanley Midfielders

Stanley are reliant on goals from elsewhere across the pitch than just their striking output. Numerous players have appeared in Accrington colours across the middle of the park so far this year, only Costelloe and Walton have found the way to the net on a semi-regular basis.

Accrington Stanley Defenders

Despite the lack of clean sheets, Stanley have used pretty much the same defenders through the season in Farrend Rawson, Connor O'Brien, Donald Love, Zach Awe and Sonny Aljofree. The squad does lack some experience in players but this area of the pitch is where there isn't so much the case.

Accrington Stanley Goalkeepers

Billy Crellin and Michael Kelly have shared the keeping duties so far this season. Crellin arrived from Everton on loan for the season and has kept three clean sheets so far, something Stanley will need to improve upon to keep away from the relegation places come next May.

Accrington Stanley Managing and Coaching Staff

John Doolan is the current manager of Accrington Stanley assisted by Ged Brannan and Andy Dibble.

Manager - John Doolan

John Doolan spent four years as a player with Wigan Athletic with the remainder of his time spent playing non-league football. His coaching career has taken him into Scotland and onto Rotherham before returning to Accrington in 2017. He was appointed permanent manager in March 2024 after a three game interim spell.

Assistant Manager - Ged Brannan

Ged Brannan is best known for his time at Tranmere Rovers in the early 1990's but a spell at Accrington Stanley finished just before the club won promotion to the Football League. His coaching career began at Morecambe before returning to the Wham Stadium at the beginning of the 2024/25 season.

Goalkeeping Coach - Andy Dibble

Andy Dibble played almost 400 games in his professional career whilst being capped on three occasions by Wales. A majority of those games were spent at Manchester City, his playing time finishing with a one off appearance for Stanley and a move into coaching. Dibble is in his second spell at Accrington Stanley having seen service with Coventry City, Peterborough Utd, Rotherham Utd and Cardiff City before a return to Lancashire in August 2022.

Accrington Stanley Former Managers & Key Coaches

• Paul Cook's short spell at the club lasted just 33 games in which he won just 8 of those.
• Leam Richardson become permanent manager after Cook's departure but he himself only lasted 35 games winning just one more game than Cook managed to do.
• Ex-England and Southampton star James Beattie oversaw 58 games in charge of the club having originally joined Stanley as a player/coach in 2012.
• John Coleman returned for a second spell at the club in September 2014 and went on to manage over 500 games, winning 200 of those. He led the club into League One for the first time since it's reincarnation but was sacked in March 2024 over disagreements off the pitch.

Accrington Stanley Legends

Sean McConville

Sean McConville played almost 400 games for Stanley across two spells with the club scoring 68 goals. Most of those appearances and goals came during the club's spell in League One.

Seamus Conneely

Seamus Conneely is a current midfielder for Accrington Stanley with over 300 appearances for the club. A winner of international caps at Under 21 and 23 level for the Republic of Ireland, Conneely has been a mainstay with the Stanley team since arriving in Lancashire in 2015.

Andy Procter

Andy Procter played over 370 games for the club also over two spells with all his games played in League Two.

Billy Kee

Billy Kee scored 77 goals for Accrington Stanley over two spells with the club, making over 200 appearances. Kee starred as an international youngster winning caps with Northern Ireland Under 19's and Under 21's either side of his first spell at the club.

Colby Bishop

Colby Bishop's average of just over a goal every three matches in his time at Stanley earned him a move to Portsmouth with the striker now plying his trade in the Championship. A return of 32 goals over 109 appearances in three years made Bishop one of the most sought after players at League One level.

 Accrington Stanley Team Metrics and Performance

A the time of writing, Stanley have only won four of their eighteen league matches to date. Whilst scoring twenty-five goals so far in those matches the side have conceded thirty-three to leave the club in 18th position in the table. Accrington have kept just three clean sheets this season in League Two.

Last season the club finished 17th in League Two and the expectation is for a similar finishing position in 2024-25. Historically the club have spent a majority of their time in non-league until 2005-06 when they returned to the Football League. Barring five seasons in League One their time has been spent in the Football League basement division since promotion from the National League.

Watch Accrington Stanley Latest Highlights

Pitch and Amenities

Accrington Stanley have played at the Crown Ground since 1968, now known as the Wham Stadium under sponsorship, It has undergone a huge transformation since Andy Holt's arrival at the club in 2015. New stands and hospitality areas have been built in the period since to improve both the spectator experience and increase the commercial revenue into the club.

The Jack Barret Stand is the newest addition to the stadium which runs half the length of the pitch and houses the added features mentioned above.

Fan Base and Support

Stanley have a small but loyal fanbase and while often outnumbered compared to others in their division, they relish the role of underdog quite often.

The Official Accrington Stanley Supporters Trust are well known within the game and have their own website here.

Rivalries and Notable Matches

The club's main rivals are considered to be Morecambe, Rochdale and Bury although the latter pair are currently competing in non-league circles.

The nearest clubs to facilitate a derby are Blackburn Rovers and Burnley but neither side contest league matches against Stanley. Only four matches in history have been played against Burnley with a win apiece and two draws whilst the record against Blackburn Rovers stands at two wins each and one draw.

Facts

History

Accrington Stanley were original founder members of the Football League in 1888 before succumbing to resignation just five years. The club did rejoin the League in 1921 where they remained until their demise in 1962. The current reincarnation began in 1968 with a journey that culminated in a return to The EFL in 2006 where they have remained since.

Under John Coleman the club won three promotions in seven seasons and Conference Champions in 2005-06 to give them their Football League place. Chairman Andy Holt has been instrumental in bringing about improvements to their Wham Stadium and trying to improve community relations since taking over the club in 2015.

Accy are situated in a top heavy area for football and struggle to attract good crowds on a regular basis, this does an impact on what they can spend compared to those around them and within their division.

Social Media Links

To get all the latest news on Accrington Stanley, follow the club on X (https://x.com/ASFCofficial) or via the club website (accringtonstanley.co.uk). Alternatively you can find out the latest news on Facebook (Accrington Stanley FC) and Instagram (@accringtonstanley).

Outlook and Forecast

The club will be expected to improve on last season's 17th place finish and the use of the loan market will be crucial in how their season shapes up. Despite clubs with bigger budgets competing within their division, Stanley are good at defying the odds and matching their rivals man for man.

Frequently Asked Questions on Accrington Stanley Football Club

How much would it cost to buy Accrington Stanley Football Club?

The cost to buy Accrington Stanley is currently unknown.

Why are Accrington called Accrington Stanley?

A team called Stanley Villa already existed at the time, named as such because they were based at the Stanley Working Men's Club on Stanley Street in Accrington. With the demise of Accrington, Stanley Villa took the town name to become Accrington Stanley.

What is Accrington famous for?

The town is famed for manufacturing the hardest and densest building bricks in the world, "The Accrington NORI" (iron), which were used in the construction of the Empire State Building and for the foundations of Blackpool Tower and the Haworth Art Gallery which holds Europe's largest collection of Tiffany glass.

Is Accrington Stanley in the Premier League?

No, Accrington Stanley compete in League Two.

Who owns Accrington Stanley FC?

Andy Holt is the current owner of the club.

Is Accrington Stanley a big club?

Accrington Stanley are a club in the shadows of more illustrious neighbours such as Burnley and Blackburn Rovers.

Where to watch Accrington Stanley FC?

Accrington Stanley play at the Crown Ground, currently known as the Wham Stadium.