AFC Fylde

Following their West Lancashire League championship success in 2006–07, the club were accepted into Division Two of the North West Counties League for the 2007–08 season. At the club's annual general meeting (AGM) in July 2007, a 15-year plan was put forward with the stated aim of reaching the Conference National by 2017, and the Football League by 2022.[7] The club's first match in the North West Counties League was a home game on 11 August 2007, against Darwen in front of 101 fans, which they won 5–0.[8] The following Tuesday they played their first ever home match under floodlights, winning 2–0 at home to Holker Old Boys[9] On 8 September the club played their first ever match in the FA Vase, beating Northern Counties East League Division One club Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 3–0. The club had also arranged for the FA Vase trophy to be on display before the game.[10] On 26 January 2008 the club reached the last sixteen of the FA Vase when they beat Studley 3–0.[11] On 9 February they reached the quarter-final after they beat Sussex County League leaders, Crowborough Athletic 2–0 in front of a record crowd of 772 at Crowborough's Alderbrook Recreation Ground.[12] They subsequently defeated Midland Football Alliance club Coventry Sphinx 1–0 in a replay after a 3–3 draw.[13] In the two-legged semi-final against Eastern Counties League Premier Division club, Needham Market, Kirkham & Wesham won 4–2 on aggregate.[14] On 11 May, Kirkham & Wesham won the FA Vase in their first season in the competition, beating Lowestoft Town 2–1 in the final at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 19,537, with about 14,000 from Lowestoft and about 3,500 Kirkham & Wesham supporters. A goal down for most of the game, Kirkham & Wesham scored twice in the last six minutes, both goals coming from seventeen-year-old substitute Matt Walwyn, son of former Blackpool player Keith Walwyn, who only played the last 11 minutes of the game. Kirkham & Wesham secured prize money of £20,000 for their win,[15][16] although the total amount the club earned was expected to be around £75,000.[17] The season also saw the club win the Division Two knockout trophy with a 1–0 win over Bootle, as well as securing promotion to the Premier Division when they beat Castleton Gabriels 3–1 on 26 April.[18]

For the start of the 2008–09 season, the club changed their name to AFC Fylde.[2][9] They won the Premier Division at the first attempt, finishing above New Mills on goal difference and earning promotion to Division One North of the Northern Premier League.[19]

Long-serving manager Mick Fuller was moved upstairs in September 2010 and Kelham O'Hanlon was brought in as first team coach. The club finished in mid-table with a high turnover of playing staff. The following season the club finished fifth, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Skelmersdale United 1–0 in the semi-final, they lost 2–1 to Chorley in the final.[19]

In the 2011–12 season they were installed as early promotion favourites, but O'Hanlon was replaced as manager in November 2011 after a poor run of results and was quickly replaced by a new management team of Dave Challinor and Colin Woodthorpe. Challinor left Conference North side Colwyn Bay to drop two divisions to join the Coasters, pointing to the club's ambition and plans for the future as the factor that made them move to the Fylde Coast. The club were 16 points off the top of the table when the new management duo arrived at the club but claimed the title with a 1–0 win over Salford City,[20] earning promotion to the Premier Division.

In 2012–13 the club finished fifth, qualifying for the play-offs. However, following a 3–3 draw, they lost out 3–1 on penalties to Hednesford Town in the semi-final.[21] The 2013–14 season saw the club win the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy (beating Chorley 4–1 at the Reebok Stadium), the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup (with a 1–0 win against Skelmersdale United at Edgeley Park) and gain promotion to the Conference North via the play-offs. After beating Worksop Town 3–1 at home in the play-off semi-final, they defeated Ashton United 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw.[19]

AFC Fylde finished their first season in the Conference North in second place with 85 points, losing to Guiseley 3–1 on aggregate in the subsequent play-off semi-final.[19] Three Fylde players, Ben Hinchcliffe, Josh Langley and Brad Barnes, were selected in the Conference North Team of the Season at end of season AGM awards. Fylde finished the 2015–16 season in third place in the renamed National League North. After beating Harrogate Town 2–1 on aggregate in the two-legged semi-final, they lost 2–1 to North Ferriby United after extra time. In 2016–17 they won the National League North, earning promotion to the National League. In their first season in the National League the club reached the second round of the FA Cup for the first time after beating Kidderminster Harriers 4–2 in the first round.[22] In the second round Fylde drew 1–1 at home to Wigan Athletic before losing the replay 3–2.[23] They went on to finish seventh in the league, qualifying for the expanded play-offs, but lost 2–1 by Boreham Wood in the quarter-final.[19]

In 2018–19 Fylde finished fifth in the National League. They defeated Harrogate Town in the play-off quarter-final and Solihull Moors in semi-final to qualify for the final at Wembley against Salford City. Although the final saw them lose 3–0, the club returned to Wembley a week later in the FA Trophy final and won the competition with a 1–0 victory over Leyton Orient. In October 2019, after eight years with the club, Dave Challinor was sacked with Fylde in the relegation zone.[24] The 2019–20 FA Cup saw the club reach the third round of the FA Cup for the first time; after beating Nantwich Town 1–0 in the first round and Kingstonian 2–0 in the second, they lost 2–1 at Sheffield United in the third round.[19] In 2019–20 Fylde finished second-from-bottom of the division, resulting in their relegation back to the National League North after the season had been cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] They finished third in the National League North in 2021–22 before losing 2–0 to Boston United in the play-off semi-finals. However, in 2022–23 the club were National League North champions, earning another promotion to the National League.[26]