Trafford Athletic Club is a British athletics club based in Stretford, Greater Manchester, England. The club is based primarily at Trafford Athletic Stadium, also known as the Longford Park Stadium on Ryebank Road.
History
In April 1961, Stretford Council approved plans to build a new athletics stadium in Longford Park but the construction did not start until three years later in 1964.
In September 1964, the opening of the new stadium at Longford Park took place but the Mayor of Stretford, Councillor William Fearnhead, then called for a club to be set up there. A club duly followed with Ken Owen and Roger Colson sharing the club secretary role and Bill Murphy being the fixture secretary.
In October 1965 the club officially set up their winter headquarters at Longford Park and in February 1966, Streftord AC amalgamated with Cheadle and Gatley AC. Cheadle and Gatley had been based at Scholes Park in Gatley and had produced athletes the calibre of Derek Ibbotson and Peter Warden. Additionally the Cheadle stick man logo was retained by Stretford AC.
The club's first star was Jannette Champion (later Roscoe) who represented England at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. The club excelled at the 1971 AAA Championships with Sharon Colyear and Jannette Champion both winning titles.
The club's first Olympian was Andy Carter in the 800 metres, although Jannette Champion was also selected but did not start. In 1975 Christine Tranter won the English National Cross Country Championships for the club.
The club was renamed in circa.1992 to Trafford Athletic Club, although the press continued to refer to Stretford for some time afterwards. In 1998 the club received a national lottery award of £750,000 to improve facilities.
Honours British Athletics League, runner-up; 1977 UK Women's Athletic League; champions 1979, 1981, 1985 English National Cross Country Championships winners; (indiv) 1975,
Notable athletes Olympians
AthleteEventsGamesMedals/RefAndy Carter 800m 1972Jannette Roscoe (ns) 1972, 1976Sharon Colyear-Danville 100m, 100m h, 1976, 1984Janet Marlow 1500m 1980Shirley Strong 100m hurdles 1980, 1984Paula Dunn 100m, 200m, 1988Lesley-Ann Skeete 100m hurdles 1988, 1992Sandra Douglas 40m, 1992Louise Fraser 400m hurdles 1992Phylis Smith 400m, 1992, 1996Diane Allahgreen 100m hurdles 2000Chris Rawlinson 400m hurdles 2000, 2004Janine Whitlock pole vault 2000Andrew Steele 400m, 2008Seren Bundy-Davies 400m 2016
Other Geoff Hignett (1970 Commonwealth Games) Christine Tranter (1978 Commonwealth Games silver medal) Liz Fairs (1998 Commonwealth Games) Susan Jones (2002 Commonwealth Games silver medal)
References