IRCHESTER UNITED RESERVES

The club was formed as Irchester Excelsior in 1883, changing its name to United two years later.

In the early years the club played at “The Boundleys”, changing at the Working Mens Club. The present Alfred Street ground was first used in 1921 although it was ploughed up during the war. The club resumed football at the Recreation Ground before going back to Alfred Street in 1952.

The Roman’s first success of note came in 1929 when they won the first of a record nine Rushden & District League titles. A year later the championship was retained with further success in the Northants Junior Cup and Irchester Charity Cup, which the Romans won on ten occasions up to 1961.

The Northants League 2nd Division was won in 1931 and 1932 before Irchester briefly competed in the semi-professional 1st Division. In 1936 they returned to the Rushden League, winning it as the reserves had done in 1933 and 1934, when they also won the Northants Junior Cup.

In the post war era more success followed as the Romans won the Junior Cup in 1949 and carried off four Rushden League titles between 1947 and 1957.

Irchester returned to the UCL in 1969 and won promotion to Division One in 1974. Highlights since have included Northants Junior Cup success in 1976, runners up in the same competition seven years later and a superb run in the first open Knockout Cup in 1981-82, three Premier scalps claimed en-route to a semi-final defeat at Stamford.

The nineties saw the Romans struggle but in 2003 they enjoyed their best seasons in almost thirty Division One campaigns under Bob Reed & John Dower, narrowly missing out on the title and eventually finishing third. The success helped drive the club forward from a facilities perspective, with floodlights installed at the Alfred Street ground in the summer of 2005

After a series of lowly finishes, the appointment of Daren Young as manager in 2009 revitalised the club and the Division One title was won in 2009-10. Ground improvements saw the Romans promoted to the Premier Division, briefly topping the table in September 2010 for the first time in the clubs history. After 3 seasons in the top flight the club returned to Division One for the 2013-14 season.

Admission Prices: Adults £4 Concessions £2

Refreshments: Hot drinks, food and licensed bar

Directions: From A509 Wellingborough/Newport Pagnell Road, Past Little Irchester, Turn Left at Roundabout into Gipsy Lane to Irchester. Left at Mini Roundabout onto Wollaston Road. Third Left into Alfred Street

Parking: Limited parking available at the ground

Nearest Train Station: Wellingborough

Honours
UCL Division 1 Winners: 1931, 1932, 2010

NFA Junior Cup Winners: 1930, 1934, 1949, 1976

Rushden & District League Winners: 1929, 1930, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1957

East Midlands Alliance Lower Division Cup Winners: 1981

Northants Combination Veterans League B Winners: 2018