Stotfold F.C.

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Stotfold FC
Stotfold FC logo.png
Full nameStotfold Football Club
Nickname(s)The Eagles
Founded1946
GroundThe JSJ Stadium
New Roker Park
Arlesey Road
Stotfold
Capacity1,500
ChairmanRob Parkin
ManagerBrett Donnelly
LeagueSpartan South Midlands League Division One
2020–21Spartan South Midlands League Division One (season curtailed)

Stotfold Football Club is a football club based at Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. They play in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One. The club is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.

History[]

The first recorded football in Stotfold occurred in 1904 although it is certain the game was played in the town for a number of years before that.[1] In the early 1900s, Stotfold sides played in the Biggleswade and District League.[1] This was followed by a spell of nearly 30 years in North Herts football.[1] The first record of a trophy being won was 1911 when Potton were beaten 1–0 in the Biggleswade and District Championship.[1]

Stotfold FC was officially founded, with proper financing, stewardship and record-keeping, in 1946.[1] The club played for many years at the Hitchin Road Recreation Ground before moving into the newly-developed Roker Park ground in 1965.[1] This ground was just a meadow named "Roker" when it was first used by Stotfold Athletic in 1911.[1]

In 1951 the club joined the South Midlands League Division Two, finishing 2nd to gain immediate promotion to Division One.[1][2] They were Division One champions in 1953–54 and were promoted to the Premier Division, where they remained for thirty years.[2] Stotfold won the South Midlands League Premier Division for the first time in the 1980–81 season under the management team of Brian Parker, Peter Godden, and Geoff Heard.[2] They were also runners-up seven times.[2]

In 1984, the Eagles were transferred to the United Counties League.[2] They were admitted straight into the Premier Division, where they stayed until 2010.[2] Through the 1990s, the club generally finished high in the top ten.[2] After several changes of manager, the club re-appointed former Arsenal man Ian Allinson as manager for 2007–08, and he rewarded them by leading the club to their most successful season, including the UCL championship for the first time. He subsequently left to join Boreham Wood. The championship was clinched in dramatic fashion; starting the second half 0–4 down to closest challengers Long Buckby, Stotfold managed to equalise in the 90th minute for the point needed to clinch the title.

Stotfold transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League for the 2010–11 season.[2] They remained in the Premier Division before being relegated to Division One on the last day of the 2018–19 campaign.[2][3]

Stotfold achieved a landmark for the club in February 2020 when they moved to their brand new £2m step 4 ready stadium at New Roker Park on Arlesey Road.

Former players[]

1. Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club.

Management Team[]

  • EnglandManager - Brett Donnelly
  • EnglandAssistant Manager - Eddie McLoughlin
  • EnglandAssistant Manager - Paul Donnelly
  • EnglandGoalkeeper Coach - Michael Parkin
  • EnglandPhysio - Ryan Jeffries
  • EnglandDevelopment Team & U18s Manager - Jon Little
  • EnglandDevelopment Team Assistant Manager - Sean Lyness
  • EnglandDevelopment Team & U18s Assistant Manager - Darren Clarke
  • EnglandKit Man - Roy Ryall

Honours[]

  • United Counties League Premier Division[2]
    • Champions 2007–08
    • Runners-up 1993–94, 1995–96, 2008–09
  • South Midlands League Premier Division
    • Champions 1980–81
    • Runners-up 1955–56, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1977–78
  • Beds Senior Cup
    • Winners 1965, 1994, 2000, 2008
  • Beds Premier Cup
    • Winners 1982, 1992, 1999
  • Beds Senior Trophy
    • Winners 2020


Records[]

  • FA Cup[2]
    • Third Qualifying Round 2007–08
  • FA Vase
    • Fourth Round 1994–95, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2009–10

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Stotfold Club History on Official Website". Stotfoldfc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Stotfold at the Football Club History Database
  3. ^ "Sports Shots". Sports Shots. Retrieved 9 September 2019.

External links[]

Coordinates: 52°01′18.48″N 0°13′22.31″W / 52.0218000°N 0.2228639°W / 52.0218000; -0.2228639

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