PUTTING THE BOOT IN?

Missed a  day yesterday (did anyone notice?). I was in Cumbria climbing mountains (well staggering around them). I was near Kendal so I thought I would let you know a bit about the "Westmorland" club, Kendal Town, founded in 1919.  Shoe manufacturing has been part of the town's industrial development since 1842 long established by Somerfield Brothers.
Just after the 1st World War, the K Shoes factory was sited in an area south of the Town centre where the football club was formed, known as Netherfield AFC. The owners of the shoe factory were very happy to have the workers take part in physical activity and give them a sense of pride in their firm. So did K Shoes make football boots?
http://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/a-z-of-industries/footwear/k-shoes/

Here is the factory team with the Westmorland Cup the team won in 1925. The club also developed the pitch at local Parkside after the Second World War. as club members paid one penny into the Sports' Association Fund that gradually helped develop the ground, The club joined the Lancashire CombinationLeague and often playing some Football League clubs in the FA Cup, such as local rivals Barrow Town where over 10,000 spectators watched two ties between them. There were other memorable cup ties against Gateshead and in 1950 having knocked out Penrith, Kells Welfare, Aspatria Spartans, Workington and North Shields, they took on Watford away with 15,000 in the crowd, eventually capitulating 6-0 in a first round tie.
Other league clubs they have met in their cup runs include Wrexham (3-3 and losing 0-4) and Grimsby Town. Kendal Town FC reached the First Round proper 5 times in 8 years in the 1950/60s.
The 1963 FA Cup tie at Parkside against Chesterfield in Rd 2, holding the Spireites to a draw 1-1 at home and losing 1-4 away.

In the FA Trophy, Kendal (Netherfield) holds a record for the longest cup tie measuring 13 and a half hours, with 7 matches played against Bridlington Town, Kendal winning eventually 2-0.

These days, Kendal Town plays in the Evo-Stick (West Division), presently resting 19th out of 20 in the division, with 34 matches played, 4 won and 5 drawn (30 goals for, 77 against). Not so good! There are Youth teams and Ladies teams boosting the club now, supported by the Westmorland FA and Bolton Wanderers FC and a Community Development Centre for football.

Needless to say the demise of the shoe industry in Kendal could have brought the club down but new floodlights were erected with Manchester United helping to "open" their gates to even more football.
KTFC are often nicknamed the Mintcakes. You should know why.
One of their more famed club members is Alan Kennedy.