Union
Manchester
Emerging from Manchester's industrial heritage, Union Manchester, formerly Ancoats Union Street FC, symbolizes the union of local factory owners and worker bees, as they embrace a new era at New Islington Basin ground.
Club Motto
For Community & Industry
Nickname
The Cotton Millers
Founded
1884
Original Name
Ancoats Union Street FC
City
Manchester
Stadium Name
New Islington Basin
Storyline
Born of Manchester’s textile industry, which developed in the industrial revolution, Union Manchester - formerly Ancoats Union Street Football Club - celebrate being put together by local factory owners and nurtured by the human resources in their “Cotton Millers” nickname and the worker-bee kit.
Indeed, some fans often informally refer to the side as “The Bees”, but this is regarded by others as a giveaway sign of johnny-come-lately-dom. The recent return to Ancoats after groundshares and a nomadic existence, through the construction of the modern-yet-cosy New Islington Basin ground, has juxtaposed the working-class roots of the club with the moneyed professional looking for weekend entertainment.
Despite the clash of cultures, fans new and old enjoy a convivial relationship which rarely escalates beyond gentle teasing. The rivalries include, for example, antipathy towards the now Liverpool Front - even when the two sides find themselves in different divisions - and several sides from the south of England, so infighting wastes energy best used elsewhere.
The transformation from Ancoats Union Street FC to Union Manchester encapsulates a story of growth and adaptation, a narrative that resonates deeply with fans who've been there from the start.