Calendar

History

The club was formed when a group of schoolboys from Wetheriggs Rise in Penrith decided to raise their own football team in order to play matches in 1963 - 64. Their first, a friendly game, was against a Keswick XI organised by Ross Brewster, who later became a journalist with the local newspaper, Cumberland & Westmorland Herald and who then went on to write a regular column in the Carlisle United match programme. The ball for the game was bought by an Uncle and Grandma of one of the players, Peter Brookes, but unfortunately due to players jubilation at winning this first game everyone forgot about the ball which was subsequently lost.

In the season 1964 - 65 they decided to enter a team in the newly formed Keswick and District under 18 League. After two seasons of playing under 18 football most of the original players became too old and had left to play in other senior team in the district (one team in particular was Castletown).

The club then decided to apply to join the Westmorland Senior Football League. Following discussions with the Heralds john Hurst and Eden District Councils Arthur Stamper, who gave some sound advice to the enthusiastic boys, they then notified Penrith Urban District Council in 1967 of their intentions and asked permission for the use of their pitch on Southend Road playing fields formally used by the Rugby Club. Permission was granted at a rent of ten shillings (50p) and the club was ready to start their first season in the Westmorland League Division 2 in 1968 as Wetheriggs FC. There were no goals, so the boys ended up digging out holes for the posts, sinking tubes and covering them with steel plates and sods. Every home game they had to erect the goals, nets and mark the pitch. Their first game ended in a 5 - 2 victory over County Hotel, Kendal. The season 1968 - 69 proved to be one of the best in the clubs history, as not only did they finish as second division champions but they also won the Mason and Freeman Cup (a cup competition for teams not in the first division). Their record in winning the league was: -

· Played 32

· Won 28

· Drawn 2

· Lost 2

· Points 58

· Goals for 165

· Goals against 43

A further 24 goals were scored in cup matches and the two leading goal scorers were Terry Osborne with 55 and Eddie Walker with 40.

Since being promoted to the first division, Wetheriggs have remained there ever since. Within three seasons of the club being promoted, they won the First Division championship in season 1971 - 72 and two further league titles were gained in seasons 1983 - 84 and 1984 - 85. In season 1983 - 84 they also won the Westmorland Senior Cup. To retain the league title in 1984 - 85 was a remarkable achievement as the club lost five of their championship winning team to Penrith FC, who played in a higher grade of football, the Bass North West Counties League Division 1.

During season 1980 - 81 Wetheriggs moved from Southend Road ground to another Council owned pitch on the Castletown recreation field ("The Rec"), where they have remained to this day.

Possibly the clubs finest hour came in 1986 when Wetheriggs reached the final of the Cumberland Cup after beating Marchon 2 - 1 in the semi-final in front of crowd of around 200. Unfortunately they lost the final 1 - 0 in extra time to Gretna FC. Gretnas team included Mike McCartney, ex Southampton and Carlisle United player, other ex-professionals along with paid players from the North East. This was a great achievement as competition included such teams as Workington, Penrith and Carlisle United Reserves.

In a bid to develop a stronger force Wetheriggs amalgamated with Penrith United and become Wetheriggs United in 1995.

Peter Brookes
Chairman