Biggleswade Town F.C.

Not to be confused with Biggleswade F.C..

Biggleswade Town
Full nameBiggleswade Town Football Club
Nickname(s)The Waders
Founded1874
GroundLangford Road, Biggleswade
Capacity3,000 (300 seated)[1]
ChairmanMaurice Dorrington
ManagerJimmy Martin
LeagueSouthern League Premier Division Central
2023–24Southern League Division One Central, 1st of 19 (promoted)
Websitehttp://www.pitchero.com/clubs/biggleswadetownfc

Biggleswade Town Football Club is a football club based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England. The club are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division Central and play at Langford Road.

History

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The club were established in 1874 as Biggleswade, later becoming known as Biggleswade & District, and played only friendlies and cup matches until the late 1890s.[2] In 1902 they were founder members of the Biggleswade and District League, and were its first champions, also winning the Bedfordshire Senior Cup that year.[3] The club went on to win the league twice more before World War I, also playing in the Bedford & District League between 1909 and 1912 and winning one title.[2][3]

In 1920 Biggleswade Town joined the Northamptonshire League, which became the United Counties League in 1934, and won the Bedfordshire Premier Cup in 1922–23 and 1927–28.[4] After World War II the club adopted its current name and joined the Spartan League in 1945. They returned to the UCL in 1951, before switching to the Eastern Counties League in 1955. During their time in the ECL they set the record for biggest away win with a 12–0 victory over Newmarket Town. In 1963 they returned to the UCL due to the increasing transport costs.[2] The 1975–76 season saw them finish bottom of the Premier Division, resulting in relegation to Division One. In 1980 they joined the Premier Division of the South Midlands League.[5] They were relegated to Division One in 1983, but were promoted back to the Premier Division in 1987. When the Spartan and South Midlands leagues merged to form the Spartan South Midlands League in 1997 the club were placed in the Premier Division North. The following season they were placed in the Senior Division, and after finishing fifth, were promoted to the Premier Division.

In 2007–08 Biggleswade Town won the Bedfordshire Premier Cup for a third time, beating Luton Town 3–2 in the final. The following season they won the league title, earning promotion to Division One Midlands of the Southern League. In 2010 the division was renamed Division One Central, and the 2010–11 season saw Biggleswade finish fourth, qualifying for the promotion play-offs and losing 2–0 to Daventry Town in the semi-finals.[6] In 2012–13 they finished fourth again, and in the subsequently play-offs they beat Godalming Town 2–1 in the semi-finals and Rugby Town 3–1 to earn promotion to the Premier Division.[5] In 2014–15 the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 4–1 at Stourbridge.[5] In 2018 the club were placed in the Premier Division Central of the Southern League as a result of league reorganisation. The 2021–22 season saw them finish second-from-bottom of the Premier Division Central, resulting in relegation to Division One Central. In 2023–24 they were Division One Central champions, earning promotion back to the Premier Division Central.[7]

Season-by-season record

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  1. ^ Season was curtailed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic
  2. ^ Due to the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, the season was officially curtailed in January

Ground

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The Main Stand, July 2015

The club originally played at the Fairfield Road ground, which was shared with a local cricket club. A wooden stand was erected in the 1920s, and for several years had an Anderson shelter on either side.[8] Floodlights were installed in 1989,[3] and the wooden stand was demolished after being condemned in the 1990s. In 2006 the club left Fairfield Road and groundshared with Bedford United & Valerio whilst a new ground was built on Langford Road.

The new ground, named the Carlsberg Stadium for sponsorship purposes, was opened for the start of the 2008–09 season, with the first game on 13 August 2008 between Biggleswade Town and Hertford Town resulting in a 1–0 for the home team.[9] The ground has a capacity of 3,000, of which 300 is seated.[1]

Managerial history

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Years Manager
2006–2018 England Chris Nunn
2018–2019 England Lee Allinson
2019–2022 England Chris Nunn
2022–2023 England Robbie O'Keefe
2023–2024 England Danny Payne

Honours

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  • Southern League
    • Division One Central champions 2023–24
  • United Counties League
    • Premier Division Cup winners 1973–74
    • Division One cup winners 1963–64, 1979–80
    • Division One Cup winners 1979–80
  • South Midlands League
    • Premier Division Cup winners 1991–92
    • League Challenge Trophy winners 1992–93
    • Floodlit Cup winners 1995–96, 2002–03
  • Spartan South Midlands League
    • Premier Division champions 2008–09
  • Biggleswade & District League
    • Champions 1902–03
  • Bedfordshire Premier Cup
    • Winners 1922–23, 1927–28, 2007–08
  • Bedfordshire Senior Cup
    • Winners 1902–03, 1907–08, 1946–47, 1950–51, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1966–67, 1973–74, 2018–19
  • Huntingdonshire Premier Cup
    • Winners 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2002–03

Records

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Biggleswade Town Non League Club Directory
  2. ^ a b c Blakeman, M (2010) The Official History of the Eastern Counties Football League 1935–2010, Volume II ISBN 978-1-908037-02-2
  3. ^ a b c History Archived 2 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Biggleswade Town F.C.
  4. ^ Club honours Archived 2 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Biggleswade Town FC
  5. ^ a b c d e f Biggleswade Town at the Football Club History Database
  6. ^ 2010-11 Southern League Football Club History Database
  7. ^ "Pitching in Southern League Division One Central | Final weekend review". Southern League. 28 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  8. ^ Biggleswade Town Pyramid Passion
  9. ^ Picture Tour Archived 2 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Biggleswade Town FC
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52°04′36.7″N 0°16′7.8″W / 52.076861°N 0.268833°W / 52.076861; -0.268833

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