CLAY CROSS TOWN FC

Although it was thought that a Clay Cross Town team had been founded during the summer of 1909 the rumours that circulated over the years suggested that they had also been in existence before the turn of the twentieth-century. However recent information came to light to substantiate those rumours and it was recorded in an 1891 census that a Mr John Whitworth was the secretary of the town club. Old microfiche records are therefore now being scrutinised to gather more information about their football in that era. There are also strong claims that the club made an appearance in the FA Cup in the 1880’s and research will also clarify whether there is any substance in this. We do know that an appearance was made in that competition though when the club bowed out to Chesterfield Municipal FC in 1921.
It was the team of 1909/1910 that was the inspiration for our current club secretary, Dave Clark to bring a ‘Town’ club back to Clay Cross and give the club a true geographic identity that the previous twenty-three years as Parkhouse FC had failed to achieve.
The team of 1909 had been built by local businessman, Colonel GM Jackson and he had amalgamated the two top Clay Cross clubs, the Clay Cross Zingari and Clay Cross Works teams. In that first season they won the Derbyshire Senior Cup beating New Tupton Ivanhoe 2-1 after two previously drawn games.
That club folded though in 1911 with debts owing to the princely sum of £12. The club re-emerged again in 1919 and played their football in the Derbyshire Senior League. They enjoyed a period of success for the next five-years winning the Shirebrook Charity Cup in 1921 and the Clay Cross Senior Nursing Charity Cup in 1922 before once again closing the doors as the premier team of the town in 1924.
Eighty-Eight years later and we chose to take the club, for the first time into the twenty-first century and so once again Clay Cross could officially boast a ‘Town’ club.
In that year (2012) a new management team was also appointed with Asa Ingall and Julian Capuano taking the reins. They finished the season third making it the best ever season in the Central Midlands League to date. It was also the season that Rockie White recorded the clubs highest tally of goals in one season (39) a record that was only beaten in 2017/18 by Lee Clay who notched 44 goals.
The following season it was proposed by a few members of the club committee that the management duo of Ingall and Capuano should be relieved of their positions and the appointment was then made of Ant Lynam and Andy Thornton. Their first season saw a whole new team rebuilding process take priority after many players had left and it was a sixth-place finish in the north division that we hoped would provide the foundations for future years.
In the 2014/15 season the club finished another credible third in the league and lost out in the Floodlight Cup final to Belper United 3-2.
In 2015/16 the club was in turmoil in the early stages of the season and only an injection of young players enabled the club and management to continue. The reward for the club’s desire to continue was reaching the Floodlight Cup final but once again lost out on that league when after having been moved to the South Division by the league committee we finished in our lowest ever position of twelfth.
2016/17 was though, in contrast. the season that ended in such a dramatic fashion when after holding pole position in the Central Midlands League North Division and with only minutes remaining our opposition on the last game of the season, Collingham scored to inadvertently hand the league title to FC Bolsover. It was on the last game of the 2017/18 season that once again we saw our club lose out on promotion to the NCEL. Although we beat the league champions, Harworth in that game, goal difference denied us that pole position. The following season was equally painful when after leading the division from the outset we lost out in the run-in to Retford FC and once again finishing in the second position. A semi-final appearance in the Derbyshire Senior Cup was another highlight of the campaign but the Step 5 opposition, Mickleover Sports proved too much a bridge to cross in the end.
The 2019/2020 season, despite being interrupted by the outbreak of Covid-19, was an entertaining one until the pandemic finally closed the doors on all football. Before that closure though we had a superb run in the FA Vase reaching the third round proper only to be knocked out by Step 5 club South Normanton Athletic under circumstances that we felt unjust and bias. We also took the Derby County Academy side to extra-time and penalties after earning a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes. We also looked in a comfortable place for promotion from the South Division but once again the pandemic put an end to our hopes of Step 6 football.
2021 saw a change in our management team to further bolster our promotion hopes when in April we announced the appointment of Jonney Rushby and Joe Tomlinson.

The 2022/2023 campaign saw us play in the CMFL South Division and we knew it would be a difficult division to win or even achieve promotion but we reached our ultimate goal with almost the last kick of the season. This campaign also saw us reach the final of the League Cup competition, that was played on the Alfreton Town FC ground. Unfortunately, it was an occasion when we failed to meet the pre-match expectations and lost the game 4-2 to a well drilled Mickleover RBL side.

2023/24 was an entirely new adventure for us when we joined the Northern Counties East Football League, Division One, our first ever appearance in Step 6 football. It was a real test of our humble resources but we gave it our best efforts both on and off the field and completed the season in 17th position.

2024/25 sees us transferring to the United Counties League, that we assumed we’d be members of after our promotion in 2023, and after a massive close season saw the installation of new facilities at our ground to support our quest for further promotions.

Admissions:  Adults £6 Concessions £4 U16 free if accompanied by an adult.

Programme: £2 for a 24page full colour issue.

Refreshments: The ‘Tunnel Cafe’ is open on match days for hot & Cold food and drinks and our newly built clubhouse ‘The Town Lounge’ will be open for alcoholic drinks and post match hospitality.

Directions: From M1 (Junction 29) follow the A6175 towards Clay Cross for approximately 4 miles until the it meets with the junction at the A61 (Market Street). This is a one-way road and at the junction turn right, then immediately left. This is Holmgate Road and remain on this road for approximately one mile. The ground will be visible on the right hand side when Holmgate Road merges with Mill Lane.

Parking: Currently being extended for the new season to accommodate approx 70 cars and further parking is available on Mill Lane adjacent to the ground.

Nearest Train Station: Alfreton or Chesterfield stations are equidistant but Chesterfield is used most and then boarding the No51 bus from beside the famous Crooked Spire Church will take you 300m from our ground.