'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #31: South Liverpool Red Star

Known as Red Star from the beginning of last season, South Liverpool were founder members of the Football Alliance First Division (second level) in 1980-81, winning promotion to the Championship that season with a final second-placed finish, although their stay in the top flight was brief, for what has proved the one and only season in their history to date, as they suffered an immediate relegation, thereafter spending their time shuttling between the second and fourth tiers.

'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #30: Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday were original members of the Football Alliance in 1980, inaugural winners of the Second Division (third level) and rising to the Championship in 1987.
In 1989, they were crowned champions, following this honour with further league titles in 1995 and 2006 - only four clubs have won more.
Wednesday were relegated from the top flight at the conclusion of 2011-12, and have finished 6th, 4th and 4th in the second tier since, narrowly missing out on a return in each of the last two seasons in particular, when, in each case, the three teams above them have been promoted. Could 2015-16 finally be their year?

'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #29: Newcastle-Gateshead Dynamo

Formed during this summer from a merger between Gateshead Dynamo and Newcastle United, the latter of whom were relegated from the Second Division at the end of last season, having been controversially elected, as a then fourth tier club, to the new two-division national league structure.

Newcastle United and Gateshead United were both original members of the Football Alliance, in the Championship and First Division respectively.

Relegated from the top flight at the end of the second season, 1981-82, Newcastle United spent 20 years out of the Championship before returning in 2002, going on to win the league in 2004 and retain their championship the following season, one of only four clubs to have successfully defended their title in the Alliance's history to date. After this period of success, they were relegated from the Championship in 2010 and the First Division in 2012.

Gateshead United, who became Dynamo for last season, had a less prominent league career, but spent a total of 8 seasons in two spells in the Championship, most notably a six-term stay from 1999 to 2005, otherwise spending their time at the second and third level.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #28: Newcastle Blue Star

Original members of the Football Alliance Second Division (third tier) in 1980-81, Newcastle Blue Star have mostly been a solid second and third level club throughout their league history, although they did achieve Championship status by winning the First Division in style in 1997-98, and followed this with a runners-up finish in their debut season in the top flight, the high point of their history. Subsequently relegated the season after, Blue Star returned to the Championship in 2006, enjoying a four-season stay on this occasion before suffering relegation, along with Newcastle United, in 2010.
Relegated again in 2012-13, Blue Star were elected to take up a place in last season's restructured Second Division despite finishing 2013-14 only a point and a place above demotion to the fourth tier, at least justifying the decision with a mid-table final position, whereas United, who were similarly the beneficiaries of this election system after having ended 2013-14 in a third tier relegation berth, finished bottom and lost their national league place.

'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #27: Merthyr Tydfil

 

Founder members of the Football Alliance First Division, Merthyr Tydfil finished bottom of the table at the end of that inaugural 1980-81 season and were relegated to the third tier, but subsequently revived to become the first team from Wales to achieve promotion to the Championship in 1992.

Although their stay was brief, suffering instant demotion back to the second level in 1993, and not having returned to the top flight since, Merthyr Tydfil remain one of only three Welsh clubs, with first Caernarfon Town and then Wrexham, to have played at Championship level.

Despite a ninth-placed finish in the third tier in 2013-14, Merthyr Tydfil were elected to take up a place in last season's reformed Football Alliance Second Division, finishing 15th, a mere place and point from relegation.





'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #26: Marxist Polytechnic

 

Newly-elected to the Football Alliance, Marxist Polytechnic are another Manchester-based club and sure to bring a philosophical dimension to the league.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #25: Manchester Newton Heath

 

Known as Harpurhey Borough until 2002, when two successive relegations had seen them decline from their league high point of six seasons' membership of the First Division (the then second tier), the club then relocated the mile or so east across Manchester to Newton Heath, by which name they subsequently became known, to begin life in the old Third Division.

Promoted as champions in 2004, Manchester Newton Heath suffered an immediate return the following season before repeating their division-winning feat in 2007-08, then climbing again to the First Division in 2011. Two top-five finishes have been followed by a couple of seasons spent struggling in the lower regions of the second level, and it will be interesting to observe whether the team can buck this most recent trend in 2015-16.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #24: Inter-Italiano

 

 

Formed by the Italian immigrant community, Inter-Italiano made a stylish debut in the Football Alliance last season, finishing in 13th place in the Second Division.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #23: Hendon Hotspur

Founder members of the Football Alliance Championship, Hendon United achieved a highest-ever third-place finish in 1983-84 before suffering relegation two years later. Making an immediate return to the top flight in 1987, they were demoted again 1n 1992 and subsequently failed to reclaim a position in the Championship, spending the time since at the second and third levels, before merging last summer with north London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur, original members of the Second Division (the then third tier), most of whose history was spent in the lower leagues.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #22: Excelsior Benelux

 

Newcomers to the Football Alliance for 2015-16, Cambridge-based Excelsior Benelux draw their players from the expat Low Countries' ethnic community, their orange and red halved shirts representing the colours of the Netherlands, and Belgium and Luxembourg, with the design on the change shirts combining the colours of the respective nations' flags.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #21:Crystal Palace

 

Original members of the Championship back in 1980, Crystal Palace were relegated at the conclusion of the third season, returning to the top flight in 2006-07 for a brief one-term sojourn. Most of the club's league career has been spent at the second and third levels. They finished last season one point from relegation from the Football Alliance and will be hoping for better things in 2015-16.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #20: Caledonia Thistle

 

Newcomers to the Football Alliance, Newcastle-based Anglo Scots Caledonia Thistle have joined the Second Division for 2015-16. Their halved shirt colours represent the thistle and heather.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #19: Bradford Park Avenue

Original members of the Football Alliance Championship, Bradford City merged with Fourth Division neighbours Park Avenue at the end of that first season and continued under the City name, winning the league title for the only time in their history in 1997-98. They were relegated from the top flight in 2003 and have yet to return.
This summer, the club has relocated to the renovated Park Avenue stadium and taken the name of the original tenants in recognition of this, whilst retaining Bradford City's traditional claret and amber striped shirts and black shorts.

'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #18: Bohemians

 

 

Bohemians have been one of the summer's new additions to the Football Alliance Second Division and, smartly turned out as they will be, home or away, will be hoping to acquit themselves well during their first season at national league level.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #17: Atletico Espanol

 

Beginning the roster of Second Division clubs and their colours for the coming season with Atletico Espanol, formed with a distinct Spanish bias and representing that footballing community in the UK, joining the Football Alliance last season, at the conclusion of which they finished in 12th position.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #16: Wrexham

Founder members of the original Football Alliance First Division (second level), Wrexham began a descent down the league structure with relegation the following season (1981-82) but subsequently rose to achieve Championship status for the first time in 1995. Demoted two seasons later, they regained their place in the top tier in 2002 (winning the Second Division) only to be relegated again in 2003. Promoted once again as runaway Second Division champions in 2008, Wales' premier club have subsequently established themselves in the highest echelon, winning the Championship twice, in 2011 and 2013.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #15: Stalybrdge Celtic

 

 

Reigning champions Stalybridge Celtic were original members of the Football Alliance Championship, winning the league title for the first and only other occasion in their history in 1985.

Having subsequently at one point been relegated to the third tier, they most recently returned to the top flight in 2012.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #14: Spartak-Slavia

 

Newcomers to the Football Alliance last season, London-based Spartak-Slavia won promotion to the Championship at the first attempt, finishing in second place in the closely-fought Second Division.

'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #13: Red Star Mossley

 

 

Founder members of the Championship, Mossley (rebranded 'Red Star' for the coming season) hold the joint record of league titles, with five achieved, the first in 1982, then again in 1984, 1991, 1996 and, most recently, 2007.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #12: Northwich Victoria

Following three successive promotions from Fourth Division to the Championship, Northwich Victoria acquitted themselves admirably at the top level last season and will be hopeful of establishing themselves this coming term.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #11: Marine

 

 

Original members of the Football Alliance's Second Division (then the third tier of the league structure), Marine won promotion in 1982 and then again from the First Division the following season to achieve Championship status and quickly become a force to be reckoned with, eventually winning the league title in 1992, for what has proved to be the only time in their history so far.

Second Division champions last season to regain the top level status they had surrendered the previous term.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #10: Manchester Central

Rebranded over the summer as 'Central', Manchester City were founder members of the original First Division (second tier) of the Football Alliance, winning promotion to the Championship in 1983. After frequently flirting with relegation, City were demoted in 1990, finally returning to the top flight in 2008, where they achieved three successive runners-up positions between 2011-12 and 2013-14 before finishing fifth last season.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #9: Locomotive Crewe Alexandra

 

Champions back in 1982-83, the third season of the national Football Alliance, Crewe Alexandra became 'Locomotive' during this summer following their elevation to the Championship.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #8: Liverpool St Helens

 

 

Then-Third Division St Helens Town became Liverpool St Helens in time for 2002-03, at the end of which season they were crowned divisional champions, progressing to achieve Championship status in 2012, with last season's joint-second being their highest league position to date.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #7: Hungaria

 

 

Formed during the summer of 2014 from a merger of the East End's West Ham United, then an established Championship club (and taking their place in the top tier), and Walthamstow Avenue, and named Hungaria in recognition of both clubs' founding heritage, the new club took as their colours those of the Hungarian flag.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #6: Hartlepool Petrochemical

 

 

Hartlepool Petrochemical are another of the new season's new entities, formed from the merger of Hartlepool United and Red Star Sunderland, both of last season's Championship, and sponsored by local industry from which they take their name.

 

Both clubs were founder members of the Football Alliance, Hartlepool in the First Division (second tier) and Sunderland in the Second. Hartlepool United achieved promotion to the Championship in 1984, quickly establishing themselves to become champions four times in eight seasons, '86, '87, '90 and '93, after which they have been less successful but are still one the Alliance's great historical clubs.

Sunderland had spent seventeen consecutive seasons in the Championship prior to the merger, last term as 'Red Star' (which features on the kit, of course), achieving three second-place finishes during that time.



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #5: Gainsborough Trinity



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #4: Excelsior Marlow



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #3: Dynamo Burnley

 

 

One of the new names for the coming season, Dynamo Burnley were formed and rebranded this summer as a result of the merger between the Burnley and Nelson CBR, assuming Burnley's place in the Championship.

 

Burnley were founder members of the Football Alliance's Fourth Division back in 1980, promoted in 1986 and then steadily climbing the league structure until achieving Championship status in 1993 whereupon they promptly won the title at the first attempt, the only newly-promoted club ever to do so. Champions again in 1997, Burnley spent all but three of the subsequent seasons in the top flight, regaining their place again most recently in 2013 after a season's absence.

 

Colne Dynamoes were founder members of the Second Division, merging later with Nelson to become Nelson and Colne Dynamoes, then Nelson and Colne United, which club merged last summer with former champions  (in 2002) Blackburn Rovers (the 'BR' in Nelson CBR).



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #2: Blyth Spartans

 

 

Original members of the Championship, relegated in 1992 and then absent apart from a single season, 2005-06, until 2007-08, with a highest position of 3rd achieved twice, Cup winners in 1982-83, beaten finalists last season, Blyth Spartans have recently begun to feature around the top four on a regular basis - a team to watch for the forthcoming season, perhaps?



'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #1: Audenshaw Dynamo

Throughout August, we'll be running a series of drawings representing each of the Football Alliance's club colours for the coming season, both their first choice 'home' kits and the alternative strip to avoid colour clashes, in order for the reader to be able to imagine which colours each team might be sporting in any given fixture.

First up, we'll present the sixteen clubs in the Championship and then do the same for the Second Division, beginning the process, alphabetically, with Audenshaw Dynamo, known as such since beginning last season back in the top tier, previously being Audenshaw Athletic, who,  historically,  were founder members of the old Fourth Division, then the fifth level, of the original national Football Alliance back in 1980-81, finishing that season 14th of 16 teams, but subsequently steadily rising through the divisions until achieving Championship status in 1997-98, at which level they've since spent all but one season (2013-14),  mostly in mid- to the lower half of the table, with a few examples of relegation brinksmanship along the way.

 

('Home' kit left, change to the right)

The models for the drawings of the players were taken from the Belgian 'Football 76' sticker album published by Panini, being stylistically in keeping with how we imagine the retro appearance of the Football Alliance to be, existing forever in its own aesthetic timewarped bubble.