The History of Borrowdale United Football Club

In May 1986 Ken Inckle together with his wife Brenda and their 3 sons, Chris, Anton and Matt moved into number 10 Borrowdale Drive, Burnley.
Kens older sons Chris and Anton and 11 of their friends started to play football on a nearby field on a regular basis, they decided they wanted to play for a team. The boy’s approached Ken and he sent them away and told them to think of a name, not thinking they were serious, a few day’s later Borrowdale United Football Club was founded.

After being a Youth Club Leader for Briercliffe St James for 18 years and the manager of the Pegasus Cub Football Team at St James Briercliffe Cub Pack for 10 years he was really starting from scratch, no pitch, no kit, no money and no help.

Ken approached Belvedere, they said “Yes”, a wonderful local businessman, Mr Wilf Sparks said “Yes” to sponsorship and a dad of one of the players Don Calverley said “Yes” I will help.

What changes the next couple of years saw, the second year we had 2 teams the 3^rd year we had 3 teams, then we were asked to leave by Belvedere because we were too big, things looked pretty bleak, then disaster, Don was tragically killed, Don was big strong and full of life, what a thing to happen.

Ken found the Club a new home at Barden Community Association which is based at Barden High School, part of the deal was for Ken to become the Chairman of the Community Association, Ken agreed and the football club has grown and grown, Summer competitions saw the first silverware, Cups followed together with League Titles, then League and Cup Doubles, individual honours, League Goalkeeper of the Year Awards, League Goal Scorer of the Year, League Footballer of the Year and so on, Players have gone on to Professional Clubs and now the girls have joined in, league runners up and Cup Finalists in their first season, the Club now has a Senior Men’s team, followed by the Open Age Women’s side, the story goes on.

In August 2005 the Club was dealt a serious blow by Lancashire County Council. The government had announced 210 million pound new schools development and The Building Schools for the Future Programme was born. We were given 1 year to vacate the 5 pitches at Barden. These fields had been selected to be the site for the new Burnley Sixth Form College.

Despite promises made by the B.S.F. Team no other fields were found and the Club was grateful to Burnley Borough Council for coming to the rescue. We have lost several teams but the Club must look forward to the future and will start a re-building programme.
The 6th Form Campus was built and after many many meetings in September 2010 we moved back home.
The Story will continue