HINCKLEY AFC

Hinckley AFC is a community owned club that was established in January 2014, following
the liquidation of Hinckley United. The club aims to promote football for all in the Hinckley
and Bosworth community, and is built on a structure of one vote per member. The club is
committed to investing its money into football at all ages in the community, with a
constitutional promise not to take any profits out of the club.

The town of Hinckley has had a football team for many years, the earliest recorded team
being Hinckley Town, who played in the Leicestershire Senior League in 1889. Following a
name change to Hinckley Athletic, the club acquired land on Middlefield Lane, and in the
mid-1990s they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Southern League on three
occasions. Meanwhile, Hinckley Town were formed after changing their name from Westfield
Wanderers in 1972, and they were promoted to the Southern League after a successful spell
in the 1980s.

In the summer of 1997, the two chairmen, Kevin Downes (Town) and Mick Voce (Athletic)
established that both sides had something positive to offer a merger. Thus, Hinckley Town
and Hinckley Athletic became Hinckley United. The intention of the merger was to create a
higher standard of football in the town, something which was achieved when United won
promotion to the Southern League Premier Division in 2001.

After finishing in 6th place in 2003/04, United were accepted into the newly formed
Conference North. They moved into a new ground, on Leicester Road, in March 2005. After
a successful start in 2006/07, tragedy struck when Matt Gadsby passed away while playing
for the club at Harrogate Town on 9th September 2006. They went on to reach the play-off
final, but lost out 4-3 to Farsley Celtic after conceding a last minute penalty.

Seasons of financial woe followed, and after being relegated from the Conference North in
2012/13, the club was liquidated six months later.

After appointing Carl Abbott as their first manager, Hinckley AFC’s first match was on 5th
July 2014, a 4-2 win against landlords Heather St John’s. Abbott led AFC to a third-place
finish in the Midland League First Division in their inaugural season, including setting a new
league record for matches unbeaten. They went 27 without defeat in all competitions from
21st October until 28th April, when they were defeated in the Leicestershire Senior Cup
Final.

The on-field success continued into the start of the 2015/16 season, when they overturned a
Redditch United side from three levels higher in the pyramid to reach the Second Qualifying
Round of the FA Cup in their first campaign in the competition. That season, the club
finished fifth in the league and won their first piece of silverware: going one better than the
previous season by winning the Senior Cup with a 5-1 victory over Oakham United in the
Final.

Continuing the theme of building on their success each season, 2016/17 yielded a new best
league finish, with AFC ending as runners-up behind unbeaten champions Bromsgrove
Sporting. Alongside that there were best ever runs in the FA Vase, where Abbott’s men
reached the last 16 stage but were beaten in extra time by Buckland Athletic, and the
Polymac Packaging League Cup, where they reached the final.

Abbott stepped down the following October, and the club had several managers for short
spells between then and the present day – Dale Belford, Richard Lavery, James Jepson and
John Ramshaw all with brief tenures before Dale’s son Courtney Belford took charge in the
summer to give renewed optimism after a disappointing campaign.

Covid regulations prevented him being able to complete either of his first two seasons in
charge, ahead of the club’s move to the United Counties League in 2021/22. But there the
club mirrored their second-placed finish of five years previously, setting numerous records
along the way. They hit a new FA Vase record 18-0 win at St Martin’s in the FA Vase and set
a 13-match winning streak on their way to the play-off final. Ultimately, though, defeat to
Belper United in the final meant another crack at step six and lateral movement back to the
Midland League after just one season away.

Upon the return to the Midland Football League Hinckley AFC finished 3rd, but yet again
suffered play off defeat, this time at the hands of Droitwich Spa in the semi final. The club
though did go one better in the Midland Football League Cup, winning the final, at Walsall,
beating Premier Division Whitchurch Alport 2-0.

The 2023-24 season saw Hinckley remain in the Midland League and have the best start to
a campaign since formation, staying in the top 5, losing only 2 matches up till January 2024.
Undefeated throughout March, including an important win against nearest rivals Droitwich
Spa, saw Hinckley AFC win the Division One Championship at Heather St Johns on 6th April
2024, with an 82nd minute winning goal by Chandler Pegg, winning 2-3.

Admission Prices: First Team 

Adults £8.00

Concessions: (Over 60s and Students with valid ID) £6, Under 16s £2

Programme: £1.50

Refreshments: Hot and cold food & drinks available from the ground canteen.

Directions:

Hinckley AFC play our home matches at Barwell FC, Kirkby Road, Barwell, Leicestershire,
LE9 8FQ. There is parking on site for 100 plus cars, free of charge, at the complex.
From M69

Exit the M69 at Junction 1 for Burbage, and take the exit onto Rugby Road/B4109. After just
over a mile, at the traffic lights, turn right onto Brookside. At the end of the road, turn left onto
Burbage Road. Follow the road past the Tesco and the Holywell pub, and follow the road to
the right.

At the traffic lights, turn right onto Leicester Road, and after nearly two miles, take the
second exit at the roundabout onto The Common.

Continue on to Chapel Street, then take the second exit at the roundabout before a quick
right onto Kirkby Road, and the ground is around 400 yards on the right.
From M1 North

Exit the M1 at Junction 22 then at the roundabout turn right onto the A511 towards Coalville.
Take the A511 for three miles then at the roundabout take the second exit A447 towards
Hinckley.

After 12 miles go through Stapleton village then after sharp bend turn left signposted to
Barwell for one mile. Take the third left into Kirkby Road and the ground is around 400 yards
on the right.

By Bus

The Sports Club bus stop, directly outside the ground, is served by the number 2 bus, while
the more frequent 158 bus calls at The Square bus stop, at the bottom of Kirkby Road at the
junction with High Street. From there, it is a short walk up Kirkby Road to reach the ground.
Both of those buses start from The Crescent bus station in Hinckley town centre.

By train

The nearest train station is Hinckley. From there, make the short walk along Station Road to
The Crescent Bus Station and follow the By Bus instructions above