page_title: Southport F.C.
section_title: Return to part-time: from 2008
hierarchical_section_title: Southport F.C. / History / Return to part-time: from 2008
caption_attribution_description: English: Blue Square North champions trophy
context_page_description: Southport Football Club is an association football club based in Southport, Merseyside. They play their home matches at Haig Avenue, currently called The Pure Stadium for sponsorship reasons, which has a capacity of 6,008. They are known by their nickname "the Sandgrounders". The club's main honour is winning the 1972–73 Football League Fourth Division Championship and they have won a number of titles in non-League football.
  Founded in 1881, the club were members of regional leagues such as the Lancashire League, the Lancashire Combination and The Central League for many years until 1921 when they were invited to become a founding member of the newly formed Football League Third Division North. Southport held membership of The Football League from 1921 to 1978. They failed to gain re-election in 1978 and since then have been members of the Northern Premier League, the Football Conference and then the Northern Premier League Premier Division for its final season. Southport were transferred to the new National League North in 2004 and, since then, have played in either that division or the tier 5 National League.
context_section_description: On 30 June 2008 the club's official website confirmed that Liam Watson had rejoined Southport as first team manager following his resignation from Burscough.
  This change saw the arrival of numerous part-time players, following Watson from Burscough including Conference North top scorer Ciaran Kilheeney, Watson's co-Players of the Year – Adam Flynn and Anthony McMillan, as well former Southport players, Matty McGinn, Earl Davis, Robbie Booth and Steve Daly. Retained players, Michael Powell and Neil Robinson, chose to return to part-time football, whilst Matt Hocking, Neil Prince and club captain, Chris Holland left the club. Kevin Lee and Tony Gray signed new part-time contracts at the start of the season, and thus Southport practically returned fully to a part-time club. During that season Tony Gray and John Doolan departed the club, as well as Craig Noone, who moved to Championship side Plymouth Argyle.
  The 2008–09 season saw Southport reach the Conference North play-offs, having finished in fifth place. However, a home defeat, followed by an away draw against Gateshead left Southport to battle for a further season in the Conference North. Only four defeats during 2009–10 saw Southport finally secure the League title following a 3–0 away victory at Eastwood Town on the final Saturday of the season, spurred on by over 700 travelling Sandgrounders. They finished just one point ahead of near neighbours Fleetwood Town. The success of the first team, who also lifted the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy following victory against Clitheroe at the Reebok Stadium, was mirrored by the club's youth team who won both the Lancashire League and Conference North Youth League.
caption: Conference North trophy awarded to Southport, 2009–10 season.
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