The desirable Greater Manchester town that could soon have a football team to match its growing reputation

The closing stages of April mean, for a football fan, the dying embers of another season. If your team is in a play-off spot, then you’ll start to dream of promotion- but having to subsequently do it the hard way. 

For Altrincham Town fans, a spot in the Vanarama National League play-offs was cemented with a game to spare. The side defeated bottom of the table Oxford City in front of more than 3,300 fans at their J Davidson Stadium home.  

They’re now in the lottery of the play-offs, with a chance to reach the Football League for the first time ever becoming a tantalising carrot dangling in front of them. Standing in their way is first was to be Halifax Town, but off-the-field issues elsewhere with league rivals Gateshead means that Alty have been given a bye and will be in the semi-finals - just one game from the final at Wembley. 

This semi-final is a trip to Bromley on Sunday April 28, with a 4pm kick-off. The club have said they will have ticket details on their website. Defeat Bromley, and fans will be pencilling in a date under the famous arch, which if they got there would take place on Saturday, May 4. 

Before even kicking a ball in the play-offs, Altrincham can be pleased in the knowledge that they secured their highest league finish in more than30 years after a top season. Phil Parkinson’s side scored 83 goals in an exciting campaign for supporters who had seen their side playing in the Northern Premier League not so long ago.

Off the pitch, things aren’t looking too bad for Altrincham as a town either. In 2022, it was named as the Sunday Times’ Best Place in the North West to live, a title that in 2024 was claimed by nearby Stockport.  

These titles are nothing new for Altrincham, and the town received the same titles in 2018 and 2020. Earlier this year, Altrincham was named as the second happiest place in the North West to live according to property site Rightmove. Altrincham’s transformation is one that has been well acknowledged by those who call it home. 

Another benefit to Altrincham is the logistical ease of getting there. In an age where there are calls to use public transport to get around, the town has it set up perfectly. Having its own Metrolink stop, you can be in Altrincham in around 25 minutes on either the purple or green lines. 

Alternatively, it’s easy to get to and from Altrincham via bus. Services from Manchester, Sale, Warrington, Macclesfield to name a few depart from the town’s transport interchange, which plays a big part in connecting Altrincham with Greater Manchester and beyond.  

A nice place to visit, that is easy to get to and has a local football team on the rise. Altrincham has been mentioned in the same conversations about the best parts of Greater Manchester as other popular areas such as Stockport. With all of this in mind it’s easy to see why and if the football club does make it to the Football League then this will do no harm to the growing reputation of this town.