The cup run of 75/76 proved to be the last throw of the dice from that successful side as financial difficulties struck the club hard.
Matters came to a head in February 1978 when the players walked out
the night before the home game against would be Champions Marine. A
scratch side managed to score two goals, the only problem being that
Marine managed to score 14. The club staged something of a recovery
at the start of the eighties as Glyn Watson managed to bring some respectability
back to the side. Trouble wasn’t far away though, and 1981/82
brought a high court battle for the club’s Dark Lane home. During
this time Rossendale United played their home games at Droylsden, and
despite all the problems had their most successful season for a number
of years. They finished fifth in the League and embarked on a FA Trophy
run which took them to the Second Round before losing 1-0 at Slough
Town.
In 1982 Rossendale United became founder members of the North West Counties Football League, and were placed in the Second Division on ground grading. Promotion to their rightful place in Division One was achieved in 1985/86 when they finished Runners-up to Kirkby Town. This proved to be the start of another successful period in the clubs history. 1986/87 brought a comfortable mid table finish, plus an eventful FA Vase run which eventually ended in Round Five at Emley.
NWCFL Division One Runners-Up spot was claimed in 87/88, Rossendale losing out to Colne Dynamoes on goal difference for the title. They went one better the season after, claiming the Championship and setting a couple of League records on the way. They remained unbeaten in the League until February, a run spanning 22 games, and set a new points record of 56 from just 34 matches (in the days of two points for a win). With the title came promotion to the Northern Premier League First Division (now UniBond League) and a respectable mid-table finish in their first season.
1990/91 proved to be the start of the decline as the club struggled both on and off the pitch. The extra cost of the higher League, combined with falling gates and increasingly poor performances on the field led to the inevitable relegation back to the NWCFL in 1992/93. The club’s final season in the NPL was a shambles. Three managers failed to halt the slide as the campaign ended with 18 straight defeats in the club’s worst ever season.
Back in the NWCFL for the 93/94 season, the club spent heavily to try to gain an immediate return to the NPL. Atherton LR pipped them to promotion as Rossendale finished Runners-up. They did however win the Challenge Cup, beating St Helens Town 1-0 in a drab Final at Gigg Lane.
The cost of that season had a tremendous effect on the club. With little or no money, the facilities at Dark Lane fell into disrepair, as the team struggled to avoid relegation. Rossendale United celebrated their centenary season in 1998/99, and until new owners took over at the end of the campaign, it could well have been the last season in the club’s history.
