SLEAFORD TOWN FC

The summer of 2023 has seen Sleaford Town Football Club celebrate their 100^th anniversary and the club ushered in that milestone by registering a record-breaking campaign last season. The Greens 5^th place finish in United Counties League Premier Division North represented the clubs highest ever finish and this was achieved alongside a record points total and a record wins total. The Greens took their chances of promotion into the final week of the campaign and with Player/Manager Tom Ward gathering another strong squad for season 2023/24 – hopes are high for another successful campaign in NG34.

The current club can trace their roots right back through to the summer of 1923 when amateur side Sleaford Red Triangle entered the Ruskington League for 1923/24. The clubs name was changed to Sleaford Amateurs during the 1927/28 season before their first silverware arrived in the form of the Culverthorpe Cup in 1931/32.

1952 saw the club claim the prestigious Lincoln Amateur Cup at Lincoln City’s Sincil Bank ground before a move to a new council-owned recreation ground in 1966/67 bought a Lincoln League title and a second Lincoln Amateur Cup. The clubs current name of Sleaford Town was adopted in June 1968 and with it came a switch into the Lincolnshire League and the club subsequently won Division Two at the first time of asking. More silverware followed including another Culverthorpe Cup, the Billingborough Cup, the Lincolnshire Junior Cup and most notably, the Lincolnshire League Charity Cup in 1973/74.

Summer 1979 saw club legend Brian Rowland appointed Player/Manager at the club and, over the next three decades, he became one of the longest serving managers in the country as well as the most successful manager at county league level. The club were to become Lincolnshire League champions in 1980/81 and 2003/04, Challenge Cup winners in 1980/81, 1989/90 and 1990/91 and Supplementary Cup winners in 1988/89, 2001/02 and 2002/03 amongst a plethora of other silverware.

The club moved to RAF Cranwell in 2004/05 as a result of their long-anticipated promotion into the United Counties League Division One with the facilities at The Rec not meeting league standards. The club won the Division One title the following season but, with the clubs new facilities at Eslaforde Park not quite complete, the Greens were unable to take promotion to the Premier Division. That long-awaited move to Eslaforde Park arrived the following season as did promotion to the United Counties League Premier Division which allowed the club to enter the FA Cup and FA Vase for the first time.

Brian Rowland retired at the end of the 2011/12 season following a staggering 33 years in charge triggering short spells for a succession of managers including two more club legends, Jamie Shaw and Paul Ward. Alongside new club Chairman Dean Williams, it was Paul’s son Tom who arrived in September 2021 to complete a family line of succession that saw Grandad Brian, Dad Paul and Son Tom all take on the managers role at Sleaford Town. Tom immediately set about transforming the fortunes of a struggling club, taking the Greens from rock-bottom of the Premier Division North into mid-table safety before registering last season’s record-breaking campaign with a squad packed with local, homegrown talent.

(Abridged Club History – Information: Lloyd Harmston. Writing: Oliver Atkin)

During the 1927/28 season there was a change of name to Sleaford Amateurs. In 1931/32, the club won its first trophy, the prestigious Culverthorpe Cup. The next few seasons brought wins in the Culverthorpe League and Cup, the Ruskington League, the Bourne Hospital Cup and the Blankney Hunt League.

In keeping with many other organisations, Sleaford Amateurs went into hibernation for the duration of the Second World War, to be reformed in 1946/47. The next two decades brought various ups and downs, with wins in the Culverthorpe Cup, Ruskington Medals and the Blankney Hunt League and Cup. The biggest win came in 1952 with the capture of the renowned Lincoln Amateur Cup, the final played at Sincil Bank. On the other side of the coin, a crisis in the early 1960s almost brought the club to its knees, only to be saved by a committee of players determined to keep it afloat.

For the 1966/67 season there was a move to a new council-owned recreation site a short distance from the old ground, along with a second Lincoln League title, several local cup competitions and another win in the Lincoln Amateur Cup. This new ground, known (appropriately) as The Rec., brought disenchantment and many years of controversy, as the facilities fell way below required standards, holding back further progress.

Another change of name in June 1968 brought the adoption of the current designation of Sleaford Town. (There had been several other organizations known as Sleaford Town at various times in the past, but none with any line of succession to the present-day club). Also, there was a switch from local football into the Lincolnshire League, with a Division 2 title at the first attempt and promotion to the top bracket of county-league football. Further successes came in the Lincolnshire Junior Cup, the Billingborough Cup, the Culverthorpe Cup and two local Challenge Cups. In 1973/74, the club won the prized Lincolnshire League Charity Cup.

In the summer of 1979, former Sleaford Amateurs player Brian Rowland returned to the club as Player-Manager, after spells with Lincoln City and Grantham Town, among others. In the three decades of his stewardship, he became not only one of the longest-serving managers in the country, but the most successful manager at county-league level. Those successes include…

Lincolnshire League titles – 1980/81, 2003/04

Lincolnshire Senior B Cup – 1985/86, 1999/2000, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2005/06

Lincolnshire League Challenge Cup – 1980/81, 1989/90, 1990/91

Lincolnshire League Supplementary Cup – 1988/89, 2001/02, 2002/03

United Counties Division One – 2005/06

Sleaford Town’s move into the United Counties League came in 2004/05. However, to meet the required standards of the competition it meant leaving The ‘Rec’ after almost forty years, for the temporary venue of RAF Cranwell. There was a Division 1 title the next season but promotion to the top bracket had to wait, as work on the new purpose-built facility of Eslaforde Park was not quite complete. That move came the following year when the side won promotion to the Premier Division from second place. Recent years have brought the realization of long-standing ambitions, with the club entering the FA Vase and the FA Cup.

The 2010-11 season saw Jamie Shaw reach 250 goals scored for the club and Manager Brian Rowland pass 1,200 games in charge.

The end of the 2011-12 season brought the end of an era with the retirement of Manager Brian Rowland after 33 years in charge. His successor Glen Maddison lasted just short of one season with Reserve team boss Kris Jones taking the reigns for the final 3 games of the 2012-2013 season assisted by Brian Rowland.

Season 2013-14 and now, Kris Jones takes full control of the 1st Team Squad ably assisted by Ex-Professional Terry Fleming.

Former player Paul Ward took over the First Team Manager ahead of the 2015-2016 season and brought Mark Wheatley (Asst) and Ben Brown (Player-Coach) both of whom are also former players.

Jamie Shaw another former player took over from Paul Ward for the 2017-18 season. Now in his second season at the helm he continues to chip away at the games played column now in excess of 500. Third place in the clubs all-time appearances record.

——————————————————————————-

Sleaford Town a potted history courtesy of Lloyd Harmston.

Admission Prices: Adults £7, Concessions £4, U16 free if accompanied by an adult.

Programme: £1.50 at turnstile

Refreshments: Our snack bar stocks a variety of snacks and hot and cold food and drinks, including fresh filled rolls, chips, pies and pasties, chocolate bars and crisps. A full menu is attached to the snack bar hatch.

Directions To The MKM Stadium:

From A17 South: Exit the A17 at the Kirkby-la-Thorpe junction (the first slip road off duel-carriageway). Turn right at the junction towards Sleaford and follow Boston Road past the power station and the MKM Stadium will appear on the right-hand side.

From A17 North/A15 North & South: At Holdingham Roundabout take the A17 exit onto the duel-carriageway and follow signs for Kings Lynn. Follow the duel-carriageway to the Kirkby-la-Thorpe junction and follow Mount Lane round and over the bridge. Merge onto Boston Road back towards Sleaford and follow the road past the power station and the MKM Stadium will appear on the right-hand side.

Parking: We provide a large car which is open on matchday’s free of charge, this is clearly visible on your left as you enter through the site gates. For larger games, a steward will be on hand to direct you towards the nearest available bay.

Nearest Train Station: Sleaford Station in the town centre. It is a 22 minute walk down Boston Road from the town centre.

Culverthorpe Cup Winners: 1931/32, 1937/38, 1938/39, 1946/47, 1948/49, 1966/67, 1968/69.

Culverthorpe Cup Runners-Up: 1947/48, 1957/58

Quadring Cup Runners-Up: 1933/34

Bourne Hospital Cup Winners: 1937/38

Ruskington League Division One Champions: 1937/38, 1947/48

Ruskington League Division One Runners-Up: 1948/49

Ruskington Medals (Division One) Winners: 1937/38, 1946/47, 1947/48, 1948/49

Lincoln Amateur Cup Winners: 1951/52

Lincoln Amateur Cup Runners-Up: 1949/50, 1966/67

Lincoln League Division One Winners: 1967/68

Lincoln League Division One Runners-Up: 1950/51

Bicker Challenge Cup Runners-Up: 1958/59

Billingborough Cup Winners: 1965/66, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1968/69

Cranwell Jubilee Trophy Winners: 1968/69

Lincolnshire League Division Two Winners: 1968/69

Lincolnshire League Champions: 1980/81, 2003/04

Lincolnshire League Runners-Up: 1989/90, 2002/03

Lincolnshire Junior Cup Winners: 1968/69

Lincolnshire League Charity Cup Winners: 1973/74

Lincolnshire League Challenge Cup Winners: 1980/81, 1989/90, 1990/91

Lincolnshire League Challenge Cup Runners-Up: 1984/85, 1998/99, 2000/01, 2002/03

Lincolnshire League Supplementary Cup Winners: 1988/89, 2001/02

Lincolnshire League Supplementary Cup Runners-Up: 2003/04

Lincolnshire Senior ‘B’ Cup Winners: 1985/86, 1999/2000, 2002/03, 2005/06

Lincolnshire Senior ‘B’ Cup Runners-Up: 1997/98

United Counties League Division One Champions: 2005/06

United Counties League Division One Runners-Up: 2006/07

South Kesteven Charity Cup Winners: 2023/24

Record FA Vase Run: 4^th Round (vs. Sunderland Ryhope CA, 2015/16)

Record FA Cup Run: 1^st Qualifying Round Replay (vs. Matlock Town, 2009/10)

Highest League Finish: 5^th – United Counties League Premier Division North (2022/23)