MARCH 12, 1962 - the day Accrington Stanley disappeared as a Football League club.

"It was heart-breaking" said one fan; "I couldn't believe it had happened," said another; "The whole town was in shock," added a third.

Many remember the trials of that last season.

Accrington had been formed in 1878, they became Accrington Stanley in 1893 and spent years in the Lancashire Combination, the Third Division (north) and enjoyed decent FA Cup runs.

They hit the high point in the 1950s when Walter Galbraith took the Reds to their highest ever position - narrowly missing out on promotion to the Second Division.

Then came the lows of the early 1960s when relegation, poor crowds and debt let to Stanley's demise.

In December 1961, Stanley were banned from buying any new players because of outstanding debts and dropped to the bottom spot in the Fourth Division following a 4-0 loss to Colchester - and they never moved on.

The Reds went five games without finding the back of the net but a 2-2 draw at Aldershot gave some hope.

A crowd of 2000 on a bitterly cold day watched Stanley draw with Stockport at Peel Park in February and the Observer reporter wrote:

"With 5,000 or 6,000 giving the same support between now and the end of the season the Reds might weather the stormiest part in their history."

Sadly it was not to be.

Their last home game at their former ground Peel Park was against Rochdale which they lost 2-0 although, thanks to appeals for support, 2727 watched the game.

A young Mike Ferguson scored Stanley's last league goal in a 1-1 draw with Doncaster in their penultimate game.

And a 4-0 hammering by Crewe was the last game Stanley played in the Football League on March 2, 1962.

On March 5, a creditors meeting was told Stanley owed £60,000 including money to the Inland Revenue and Ministry of Pensions. Burnley chairman Bob Lord, who had got involved through Stanley chairman Sam Pilkington, recommended closure and a letter of resignation was sent to the league on March 5.

Stanley president Sir Willam Cocker asked them to disregard the letter after discussions with local businessmen but the initial resignation was accepted - and Stanley ceased to be a league club.

Letters poured into the Observer:

'It is with deepest regret that I have heard of the passing of Stanley. I can always remember their last four years in Division Three North when promotion was nearly won.

I expect others will fall under the axe with the new deal but none will be missed more than Stanley - a Watford supporter.'

'I am deeply hurt to think that a town the size of Accrington stood by without lifting a finger and watched its football team die.

When Stanley died, the town lost its pride and its place in the world and they just let it happen.'

Those were dark days but the club sprung back into life in 1968 when Cllr Bill Parkinson held a meeting in Accrington Library and Accrington Stanley 1968 was formed.

A committee raised money, a team entered the Lancashire Combination, they moved to the Crown Ground - their current site - and gradually started climbing the league's again.

In 1995, Eric Whalley took over as chairman and in 1999 he appointed John Coleman as the boss. The Reds had just been relegated to the UniBond First Division but bounced straight back. In 2003, they clinched promotion to the Conference and on 14 April, 2006, Paul Mullin scored the goal at Woking to take them back to the Football League.

Stanley are back.

DIVISION FOUR
TABLE
March 3 1962
P
W
D
L
PT
Colchester
35
20
7
8
47
Wrexham
32
18
7
7
43
Millwall
34
17
8
9
42
Carlisle
33
17
6
10
40
Aldershot
32
16
6
10
38
York
32
15
7
10
37
Crewe Alex
33
16
5
12
37
Workington
32
13
6
11
32
Barrow
33
12
11
10
35
Rochdale
32
15
5
12
35
Tranmere
33
16
3
14
35
Oldham
31
13
8
10
34
Southport
33
14
6
13
34
Darlington
31
14
6
11
34
Mansfield
31
13
6
12
32
Bradford City
32
12
7
13
31
Gillingham
35
11
9
15
31
Stockport
32
11
7
14
29
Exeter
35
10
9
16
29
Doncaster
33
10
5
18
25
Chesterfield
31
7
8
16
22
Chester
34
4
12
18
20
Hartlepool
32
6
7
18
20
STANLEY
33
5
8
18
18