Altrincham were founder members of the Alliance Premier League (now the Conference) at the beginning of the 1979-80 season and were champions of the league in its first two seasons, but each time failed to gain election to the Football League via the voting system in place at the time. more...
They never made another serious push for the title and were relegated to the Northern Premier League in 1997. They won that division title two years later, only to go back down again after just one season. It was five years before they gained promotion, in 2005 as winners of the Conference North/Conference South playoffs beating Eastbourne Borough of Conference South in the final match.
In the 2005-06 season Altrincham finished 18th in the Conference, outside of the relegation zone. However, they were found to have fielded an ineligible player for 15 matches, during which he scored 6 goals. This led to an 18 point deduction which saw them finish in bottom place. An appeal to the FA on May 23 failed, which meant that Altrincham finished in bottom place. However, with Canvey Island resigning from the league and Scarborough suffering a total points deduction for an as yet undeclared breach of the league's rules, Altrincham remained in the Conference. The 2006-07 season saw Altrincham relegated on the final day of the season, after a 0-0 draw with Aldershot Town, although they were later reprieved when Boston United were expelled from the Conference National.
Altrincham have also given a fine account of themselves in the FA Cup against top league opposition; they held Tottenham Hotspur to a draw at White Hart Lane in 1978 and defeated Birmingham City 2-1 at St. Andrews in 1986. This was only the second time in history that a non-league side had beaten a 1st Division club in a FA Cup tie away from home; Wimbledon were the only previous non-league side to achieve this when they beat Burnley 1-0 in 1975.
When segregation is in force, the home supporters' terracing is at the Golf Road end (the end nearer to Altrincham town centre); normally two of the four turnstiles are open into this end on match days. more...
The Golf Road End was renamed the Debbie Dawson Stand for 2004-05 as a prize in the STAR raffle and in 2006/07 by the same process it was named the Dawn Abbott Stand If you want to drink inside the club, there is a licensed bar inside the ground which is open on match days before, during and after the match- this is known as the Noel White Suite. It is situated under the main stand at its Golf Road end. Also, at the Golf Road end, is the Robins' Shop (between the bar and Golf Road) as well as a mobile catering unit. Another catering unit is situated at the Hale end of the ground and toilets are to be found adjacent to this, as well as at the Golf Road end and near the main stand.
