Prestwich Heys Amateur Football Club, nicknamed “The Heys,” is a non-league football club based in Whitefield, Lancashire.
They currently compete in the NWCFL Premier Division, which is part of the ninth tier of English football. The team calls Adie Moran Park their home ground.
History
Prestwich Heys A.F.C. was founded on February 9, 1938, as a result of a meeting initiated by Elgar Lumsden to form an Old Boys Association, which later evolved into Heys Old Boys AFC. Despite the challenges posed by World War II, the club prospered and achieved its initial success by winning the Woodward Shield four times starting in 1943. The sixties marked a period of significant triumph for Prestwich Heys, especially under Peter Gilmore’s management, as they secured numerous titles, including the Lancashire Amateur Cup in 1967 and a remarkable series of victories in the Lancashire Combination Grand Slam during the 1970/71 season.
The seventies brought challenges with the advent of professionalism, leading to restructuring and the club’s eventual move into the North West Counties League in 1982. After experiencing ground grading issues and a brief period in the Manchester Football League, the club found a new home at Sandgate Road in 1991. Prestwich Heys enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-2000s, capturing multiple Manchester League Premier Division titles and experiencing a particularly notable season in 2016-17, when they achieved a series of victories that culminated in their return to the North West Counties League after three decades.
The club continued to progress in recent years, with significant managerial changes and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic shaping its journey. Heys were promoted to the North West Counties League Premier Division following the FA’s non-league restructure and achieved their highest-ever finish in the 2022-23 season under the new management of Lee O’Brien and James Hampson.