The Club was founded in 1880 and immediately joined the Bolton & District Amateur Football League. It took 25 years for the club to win its first piece of silverware when the 2nd Division Championship and promotion to the 1st division was won.

It was not long before success at the higher level came in the form of the 1st Division Championship in 1907/08. This was followed by an excellent run of success when the Club won the 1st Division Championship on a further four occasions over the following seven years, 1908/09, 1912/13, 1913/14 and the last in 1914/15 prior to the League closing down because of the First World War.

In 1920/21 the Club won the Lancashire Junior Shield for the first time in its history.
Resuming as members of the 1st Division of the Bolton & District Amateur Football League following the war success soon followed when the Club were 1st Division Champions for five consecutive seasons, 1921/22 to 1925/26, and also won the Brown Cup in 1923/24.

In order to seek a higher standard of football the Club joined the West Lancashire League, which at that time was composed mainly of the ‘A’ teams of Football League clubs. The step up in standard was demonstrated by the teams in the West Lancashire League being eligible to play in the F.A. Challenge Cup.

In the 1926/27 season the Club swept the board in the West Lancashire League, winning both the League and the League Cup. In the same year there was also success in both the Richardson Cup and the Parks Cup. However, because of the financial burdens of having to pay expenses to players for loss of wages for mid-week games (there were no floodlights in those days), the Club was forced to leave the West Lancashire League and rejoin the Bolton & District League and it was not until 1936/37 that the Club had any further success, that year winning the Bolton Charity Cup.

The Club closed down during World War II during which time the clubhouse was used as Headquarters of the local Home Guard.

After the Second World war the club did not immediately rejoin a league however on 22nd July 1953 the Trustees of the Club, guided by Club President Alderman Tom Glaister J.P., purchased the land now known as Moss Park.

The Club did not resume as members of the Bolton & District League until 1960/61 when they competed in the 2nd Division. In 1961/62 the Club was admitted to the 1st Division of the Bolton & District League but as team building was required, success on the field was limited, barring two semi-finals and two final appearances in the Lancashire Junior Shield between 1962 to 1968.

The Club’s only successes during this eight year period was in 1964/65 and 1966/67 when the Stanley Jackson Cup and the Lancashire Junior Shield were won respectively.
At the end of the 1967/68 season there was a change of management and many seasons of disappointment followed. Nevertheless the Management Committee members struggled on and kept the Breightmet United flag flying, sometimes having to dip into their own pockets to do so.

Following a number of fruitless years in the Bolton Combination under the new title of the Bolton & District Amateur Football League, the Club decided to once again move to a higher level of football and such they applied and were accepted into the Manchester Football League in 1989/90.

Although major trophies have not been forthcoming the Club has had some real successes over the past few years including a victory in the Murray Shield (1992/03) and the 3rd Division Championship in 1998/99. In 2002/2003 the club achieved a league and cup double when the Atherton Charity Cup was secured together with the Manchester league 1st Division title. This of course lead to promotion to the Premier Division where they currently play.

In addition to these successes the Club has also been awarded the A. Booth Sportsmanship Award on two occasions in 2000/01 and 2002/03 and the Secretary of the Season Award in 1994/95.

JUNIOR SECTION

In 1986/87 Breightmet United decided to introduce a Junior Section at Under 18’s level which was soon followed by an Under 14’s team. Success was just around the corner for those teams when the U18’s won the Jubilee Cup in 1987/88.

In 1990/91 the Under 14’s were Runners-up in the T.S.B. Shield and over the next three seasons the Under 18’s were just short of ultimate success finishing Runners-up in their league in 1992/93, 1993/94 and 1994/95.

The Club’s first major league title came in 1994/95 when the Under 14’s won the Championship. This was followed in the 1995/96 season with both teams winning their respective Championships, and the Under 18’s just missing out on the double, losing in the final of the Cup.

As Champions the Under 16’s were invited to represent the Bolton Lions in the National Lions Cup Competition and having won the North West section, the team went on to win the Northern Section, giving them the opportunity to compete in the National Final. This was played at Northampton Town’s ground were they were unfortunately beaten by Cowley Lions from Cornwall.
Virtual success followed in 1996/97 and 1997/98 when the Under 18’s finished Runners-up in their Championship whilst the most recent silverware came in 2002/03 when the Under 14’s won their Championship.

These up and coming youngsters are the future for Breightmet United and the club continue to give youngsters an early opportunities to prove their potential out in open-age football both in the 1st and 2nd teams in the Manchester League.

THE FUTURE IS LOOKING BRIGHT!