Biggleswade Town F.C.

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Biggleswade Town
Biggleswade Town F.C. logo.png
Full nameBiggleswade Town Football Club
Nickname(s)The Waders
Founded1874
GroundLangford Road, Biggleswade
Capacity3,000 (300 seated)[1]
ChairmanMaurice Dorrington
ManagerChris Nunn
LeagueSouthern League Premier Division Central
2020–21Southern League Premier Division Central (season curtailed)
WebsiteClub website
Away colours

Biggleswade Town Football Club is a football club based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England. The club are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division Central and play at Langford Road.

History[]

The club were established in 1874 as Biggleswade, later becoming known as Biggleswade & District, and played only friendlies and cup matches until the late 1890s.[2] In 1902 they were founder members of the Biggleswade and District League, and were its first champions, also winning the Bedfordshire Senior Cup that year.[3] The club went on to win the league twice more before World War I, also playing in the Bedford & District League between 1909 and 1912 and winning one title.[2][3]

In 1920 Biggleswade Town joined the Northamptonshire League, which became the United Counties League in 1934, and won the in 1922–23 and 1927–28.[4] After World War II the club adopted its current name and joined the Spartan League in 1945. They returned to the UCL in 1951, before switching to the Eastern Counties League in 1955. During their time in the ECL they set the record for biggest away win with a 12–0 victory over Newmarket Town. In 1963 they returned to the UCL due to the increasing transport costs.[2] The 1975–76 season saw them finish bottom of the Premier Division, resulting in relegation to Division One. In 1980 they joined the Premier Division of the South Midlands League.[5] They were relegated to Division One in 1983, but were promoted back to the Premier Division in 1987. When the Spartan and South Midlands leagues merged to form the Spartan South Midlands League in 1997 the club were placed in the Premier Division North. The following season they were placed in the Senior Division, and after finishing fifth, were promoted to the Premier Division.

In 2007–08 Biggleswade Town won the Bedfordshire Premier Cup for a third time, beating Luton Town 3–2 in the final. The following season they won the league title, earning promotion to Division One Midlands of the Southern League. In 2010 the division was renamed Division One Central, and the 2010–11 season saw Biggleswade finish fourth, qualifying for the promotion play-offs and losing 2–0 to Daventry Town in the semi-finals.[6] In 2012–13 they finished fourth again, and in the subsequently play-offs they beat Godalming Town 2–1 in the semi-finals and Rugby Town 3–1 to earn promotion to the Premier Division.[5] In 2014–15 the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 4–1 at Stourbridge.[5]

Season-by-season record[]

Ground[]

The Main Stand, July 2015

The club originally played at the Fairfield Road ground, which was shared with a local cricket club. A wooden stand was erected in the 1920s, and for several years had an Anderson shelter on either side.[7] Floodlights were installed in 1989,[3] and the wooden stand was demolished after being condemned in the 1990s. In 2006 the club left Fairfield Road and groundshared with Bedford United & Valerio whilst a new ground was built on Langford Road.

The new ground, named the Carlsberg Stadium for sponsorship purposes, was opened for the start of the 2008–09 season, with the first game on 13 August 2008 between Biggleswade Town and Hertford Town resulting in a 1–0 for the home team.[8] The ground has a capacity of 3,000, of which 300 is seated.[1]

Current squad[]

As of 10 August 2021 [9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Pos. Nation Player
GK England ENG Jake Alley
DF England ENG Samuel Egole
DF England ENG Kane Farrell
DF England ENG Matthew Hall
DF Equatorial Guinea EQG Roke Nchaso
DF England ENG Luca Purse
DF England ENG Russell Short (player-coach)
MF Zimbabwe ZIM Wilson Chingoka
MF England ENG David Manu
Pos. Nation Player
MF England ENG Jamale McKenzie
MF England ENG Magloire Muyembe
MF England ENG James Peters
MF England ENG Sam Squire
FW England ENG Shane Bush (captain)
FW England ENG Luca Cardines
FW England ENG Blake D'Arcy
FW England ENG Joe Neal
FW Nigeria NGA Emmanuel Osilaja

The Southern Football League does not use a squad numbering system.

Management and coaching staff[]

Boardroom[]

As of 18 November 2020 [9]
Position Name
Chairman England Maurice Dorrington

Current staff[]

Position Name
Manager England Chris Nunn
Player-First Team Coach England Russell Short
Goalkeeper Coach England Ian Brown

Managerial history[]

Position Name
2006–2018 England Chris Nunn
2018–2019 England Lee Allinson
2019–Present England Chris Nunn

Honours[]

  • United Counties League
    • Premier Division Cup winners 1973–74
    • Division One cup winners 1963–64, 1979–80
    • Division One Cup winners 1979–80
  • South Midlands League
    • Premier Division Cup winners 1991–92
    • League Challenge Trophy winners 1992–93
    • Floodlit Cup winners 1995–96, 2002–03
  • Spartan South Midlands League
    • Premier Division champions 2008–09
  • Biggleswade & District League
    • Champions 1902–03
  • Bedfordshire Premier Cup
    • Winners 1922–23, 1927–28, 2007–08
  • Bedfordshire Senior Cup
    • Winners 1902–03, 1907–08, 1946–47, 1950–51, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1966–67, 1973–74, 2018–19
  • Huntingdonshire Premier Cup
    • Winners 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2002–03

Records[]

  • Best FA Cup performance: First round, 2013–14[5]
  • Best FA Trophy performance: Second qualifying round, 1974–75, 2014–15[5]
  • Best FA Vase performance: Quarter-finals, 2008��09[5]

See also[]

  • Biggleswade Town F.C. players

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Biggleswade Town Non League Club Directory
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Blakeman, M (2010) The Official History of the Eastern Counties Football League 1935–2010, Volume II ISBN 978-1-908037-02-2
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c History Archived 2 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Biggleswade Town F.C.
  4. ^ Club honours Archived 2 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Biggleswade Town FC
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Biggleswade Town at the Football Club History Database
  6. ^ 2010-11 Southern League Football Club History Database
  7. ^ Biggleswade Town Pyramid Passion
  8. ^ Picture Tour Archived 2 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Biggleswade Town FC
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "Biggleswade Town". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

External links[]

Coordinates: 52°04′36.7″N 0°16′7.8″W / 52.076861°N 0.268833°W / 52.076861; -0.268833

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