Queens Athletic FC

After losing their first division status in 1999-2000, Queens Athletic bounced back in the best possible way. Queens won the 1B title last season after regrouping and adding to their squad. They had their sights on a league and cup double but lost by a solitary goal to West Bowling in the final. The club was formed for the first season of the Alliance when a group of Bradford-based Leeds United followers wanted to form a Sunday team. They kicked off under the banner of FC Aztecs but it was as Delvers FC that they gained Alliance prominence. They were first promoted from division 3A in 1994-95 in third place. That earned them a place in division 2A where they had some great league and cup tussles with Drum FC. Eventually they finished runners-up and made the step up to division 1B. In 1997-98 they were celebrating another promotion when they finished second to clinch a spot in the first division. Life proved much tougher in the first division  Delvers – who by now had changed to Queens Athletic – finished eighth in their first season with 19 points. Strangely enough, that was a point less than they managed the following season when they were relegated! Adding former Guiseley and Park Avenue defender Dave Morgan to the managerial stuff was a stroke of genius by long-serving manager and secretary Paul Armitage. Morgan helped inspire the side to the division 1B title last season. Now they hope to establish themselves in the first division  and continue the progress of last year.