Accrington Stanley overview

INTRO:

Accrington Stanley F.C based in the County of Lancashire were founded in 1968 and play their football at The Wham Stadium formerly known as The Crown Ground. Despite no one knowing the club’s true meaning of how the club earned the suffix of ‘Stanley’, its commonly understood that patrons of the Stanley Arms pub on Stanley Street in Accrington formed a football team called Stanley Villa in the late nineteenth century.

After the club’s reestablishment in 1968, The Reds joined the Lancashire Combination in 1970’s where they were promoted 8 years later before transferring to the newly created Chesire County League Division Two where it didn’t take long before the league merged with their former division to become the North West Counties Football League. With much success before the turn of the century, Stanley joined the Conference National in 2004/05 and within two season earned their place in the Football League after winning the league in 2005/06 with a total of 91 points.

Since then, the club’s progress has been steady. Whilst cementing themselves as a solid outfit in the Football League, Stanley won promotion to the third tier in 2017/18 finishing 1st place that season and stayed there for five seasons before dropping back down to League Two. After finishing in 17th last campaign, manager John Doolan will be hoping to drag his side out of the current struggle and back to League One.

MANAGER: JOHN DOOLAN

Accrington Stanley appointed interim head coach John Doolan as their first team manager on a three-year deal back in March 2024 after taking over from former long-serving manager John Coleman following his sacking. The English manager has been a coach at Stanley since 2017 and was part of the backroom staff who helped The Reds to the League Two title in 2018.

As well as also playing for Accrington in his senior career, Doolan has had a fair journey on the touchlines working at the academies of Liverpool and Everton and also coaching at while during their spell in the top-flight.

Doolan then traded England for Scotland in 2014 where he joined Hibernian and was part of their management which saw them lift the Scottish Cup in 2016

However, with a 17th place finish last season and currently sitting in 20th this current campaign, the former Red may come under pressure if result don’t soon change in their favour.

3 KEY PLAYERS:

Shaun Whalley:

Whalley re-signed for Stanley in the summer of 2022 after previously playing for the club between 2005 and 2008. The midfielder signed on a two-year deal and since extended his contact for a further year from League One side Shrewsbury Town where he spent seven seasons. After leaving Stanley, the winger went onto make 257 appearances for The Shrews and scored 39 goals for the club.

On his return to Lancashire, Whalley has been a staple in the Accrington front line making over 35 league appearances in back-to-back seasons and has become a fan favourite with accolades such as being named EFL League Two Player of the Month in January 2025.

He has certainly made his impact this campaign being the club’s shining light in a below par season with 11 goal contributions in 23 league appearances which have earned his team vital points with winners against Barrow, Colchester and Crewe.

Tyler Walton:

After spending his youth career with the likes of Manchester City, Leeds United and Barnsley, Tyler Walton began his senior career at York City in 2016 at the age of 17. After a tough few years trying to break into consistent game-time and first-team football, Walton broke through at Farsley Celtic making 65 appearances for the club between 2019-2022 and subsequently signed for Southport where he made a eye-catching impact earning himself a move to professional football with Accrington in May 2024 on a two-year contract.

His first season with Stanley has been promising, forming a creative partnership with Whalley in the final third by contributing to 10 goals in 28 appearances in all competitions including 3 goals in 3 FA Cup games before getting knocked out in the third round to Premier League leaders, Liverpool.

Billy Crellin:

Born in Blackpool, Crellin has been a vital part of Accrington’s side this season keeping 4 clean sheets out of a possible 8 since the turn of the new year. The man currently on loan from Premier League side Everton has settle into life in Lancashire becoming Stanley’s first choice goalkeeper making 21 league appearances out of a possible 28. His clean sheets have been pivotal in keeping Accrington above the relegation zone including a standout performance in their 0-1 away win over promotion challenging Crewe Alexandra where Crellin made four saves in the game.

After spending his youth career with fellow League Two club Fleetwood Town, he stepped foot into professional football back in 2018 and spent 4 seasons at the club including loan spells and FC United of Manchester, Chorley and Bolton before transferring to Everton in January 2022 where he signed on a two-and-a-half-year deal and became a permanent fixture in their under-23 squad.