{{Short description|British athletics club}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use British English|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox athletics club | name = Trafford Athletic Club | type = | image = 150px | image_size = | alt = | caption = | founded = 1964 | ground = Trafford Athletic Stadium | location = Longford Park, Ryebank Road, Stretford, Manchester M21 9TA, England | coordinates = {{coord|53|26|47|N|2|17|22|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | league(s) = | activities = | affiliations = | colors = | colours = | website = {{URL|https://www.traffordac.co.uk/ |official website}} }}
'''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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.traffordac.co.uk/php/index.php?script=longfordsContactUs&menu_id=73 |title=Contact Us |website=Trafford Athletic Club |access-date=31 March 2025}}</ref>
== History == thumb|right|250px|Longford Park Stadium in 2016 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.<ref name=CH>{{cite web|url=https://www.traffordac.co.uk/php/index.php?script=clubHistory&menu_id=130 |title=Club History |website=Trafford Athletic Club |access-date=31 March 2025}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004984/19640907/012/0012 |title=We'll win two or three Golds, says Brightwell |work=Manchester Evening News |date=7 September 1964 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=31 March 2025 }}</ref> A club duly followed with Ken Owen and Roger Colson sharing the club secretary role and Bill Murphy being the fixture secretary.<ref name=CH/>
In October 1965 the club officially set up their winter headquarters at Longford Park<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004984/19651023/005/0005 |title=Shock news |work=Manchester Evening News |date=23 October 1965 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=31 March 2025 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003853/19660225/062/0062 |title=Shock news |work=Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser |date=25 February 1966 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=31 March 2025 }}</ref>
The club's first star was Jannette Champion (later Roscoe) who represented England at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1970/athletes |title=Edinburgh 1970 Team |website=Team England |access-date=5 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001753/19700625/022/0022 |title=Jannette Champion |work=Runcorn Guardian |date=25 June 1970 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=31 March 2025 }}</ref> The club excelled at the 1971 AAA Championships with Sharon Colyear and Jannette Champion both winning titles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004984/19710719/017/0017 |title=Stretford in top gear |work=Manchester Evening News |date=19 July 1971 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=31 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001723/19710718/021/0021 |title=Women's AAA Results |work=Sunday Sun (Newcastle) |date=18 July 1971 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=31 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19710719/231/0025 |title=Golden Girls - But they haven't that medal look |work=Daily Mirror |date=19 July 1971 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=31 March 2025 }}</ref>
The club's first Olympian was Andy Carter in the 800 metres, although Jannette Champion was also selected but did not start.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68946 |title=Andy Carter Biographical information |website=Olympedia |access-date=31 March 2025}}</ref> In 1975 Christine Tranter won the English National Cross Country Championships for the club.<ref>{{cite book|last=Matthews/Morrison |first=Peter/Ian |title=The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records and results, pages 73|year=1987 |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |isbn=0-85112-492-5}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004985/19980221/007/0007 |title=Athletes win £3/4, Lottery cash race |work=Manchester Evening News |date=21 February 1998 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=31 March 2025 }}</ref>
== 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 === <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/affiliations/6746 |title=Trafford AC, Manchester (GBR) |website=Olympedia |access-date=31 March 2025}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- !width=180|Athlete !width=250|Events !width=150|Games !width=100|Medals/Ref |- |Andy Carter || 800m || 1972|| |- |Jannette Roscoe || {{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} (ns) || 1972, 1976|| |- |Sharon Colyear-Danville || 100m, 100m h, {{nowrap|4 × 100 m}} || 1976, 1984|| |- |Janet Marlow || 1500m || 1980 |- |Shirley Strong || 100m hurdles || 1980, 1984||16x16px |- |Paula Dunn || 100m, 200m, {{nowrap|4 × 100 m}} || 1988|| |- |Lesley-Ann Skeete || 100m hurdles || 1988, 1992|| |- |Sandra Douglas || 40m, {{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} || 1992||16x16px |- |Louise Fraser || 400m hurdles || 1992|| |- |Phylis Smith ||400m, {{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} || 1992, 1996||16x16px |- |Diane Allahgreen || 100m hurdles || 2000|| |- |Chris Rawlinson || 400m hurdles || 2000, 2004|| |- |Janine Whitlock ||pole vault || 2000|| |- |Andrew Steele || 400m, {{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} || 2008||16x16px |- |Seren 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 == {{Reflist}}
Category:Sports clubs and teams established in 1964 Category:1964 establishments in England Category:Athletics clubs in Manchester