History

History2023-06-04T19:34:20+00:00

2024

Old UCL Club programmes.

The League Historian, Andy Goldsmith has produce a fascinating item for the History pages of the website.

If anyone has any old memorabilia including old programmes of the UCL please contact Andy at the email address in the article header in the lick below. Click the item:

Old UCL Programmes

2023

UCL Season Review

The 2022-2023 season review prepared by Andy Goldsmith can be viewed by Clicking here.

It is, as usual a full review of the seasons divisions and competitions. The UCL is extremely grateful to Andy Goldsmith for yet another comprehensive review which can be added to the ‘Nene to the Wash’ book to complete the current set.

2022

2022

2021

History of the UCL

The 125 year  history of the UCL from 1894 to 2019 written by Andy Goldsmith is now available at the reduced price of £10 plus P&P (£2.50). Included we can also send you the 2020 and 2021 seasons by Microsoft word to bring the book up to date.There are just a few copies of this well researched book available so place your oder now.

If you are interested please respond to chairman@theucl.co.uk who will arrange to post the book and the send the downloads to you.

2021

2020

Season 2019/20 Review. The season that never was Covid 19

The 2019 season review is available by clicking on the link below. The review contains all information including tables at closure, results grid and goal scorers.

Uhlsport United Counties League Review 2019-20

Our thanks go to Andy Goldsmith for the collation of this document above and for the publication of the 125 year book which can be purchased from the League office.

2017

2017 Goal Keeper record breaker Paul Bastock

Wisbech Town goalkeeper Paul Bastock breaks the world appearance record set by Peter Shilton for competitive matches. The 47 year old marked his 1,250th career club appearance with a victory as the Fenmen swept past Thetford Town 4-1 in the Buildbase FA Vase Second Round tie

2017

2017 League office moves

In March of 2017 the UCL Head Office moved from its location at Wulfic Square to new offices but remains in Peterborough at the Nene Valley Community Centre

2014

2014-15 Under 21 Division Launched

The League starts a new Under 21 Division with six clubs: MK College, Kettering Town, Kempston Rovers, Histon, Football CV Reds, AFC Rushden & Diamonds

1995

1995 – Centenary dinner at Wicksteed Park

The league celebrated the completion of its first hundred years with a centenary dinner at Wicksteed Park in 1995, FA secretary Graham Kelly and former England players Trevor Brooking and Emlyn Hughes the guests of honour.

1994

1993-4/1994-95 FA Vase success

The league has representation in the FA Vase Semi-finals for two successive seasons; Boston Town’s goal touch deserted them as they lost both legs 1-0 to Taunton Town in 1994 and Raunds Town suffered heartbreak the follow year, winning their first leg 3-0 at Kiln Park to have one foot in the final, but Arlesey Town booked a Wembley place after a pulsating second leg 5-0 victory, to record a 5-3 aggregate score.

1989

1989 – Junior leagues introduced

In 1989 the league launched its own pyramid of junior leagues with Northampton Vanaid becoming the first club to step up in 1993.

1987

1987 – 3 points for a win

In 1987 the league introduced three points for a win for the first time and in 1992 Northampton Spencer became the first club to break the 100 point barrier as they won the Premier Division crown.

1985

1985 – Leagues first full sponsorship obtained

In a time of change the league had obtained sponsorship for its Knockout Cup competition from Bury St Edmunds brewers Greene King in the late 70s, while the league’s first full sponsorship was provided by Northampton based Nene Group in 1985.

1983

1983 – Rushden Town step up – 1986 Buckingham Town promoted

By this time a pyramid of leagues was being put in place and the UCL became an official feeder to the Southern League. Expansion of the latter competition had seen Rushden Town step up in 1983, the first club to move directly between the competitions since 1945. Buckingham Town became the first club to win promotion to the Southern League in 1986.

1982

1982-83 Holbeach FA Cup run

Holbeach brought national attention to the league as they made it through to the First Round of the FA Cup after overcoming challenges of Long Eaton, Rushall, Moor Green and Corby to earn a home tie against Wrexham, a club with an impressive cup fighting tradition. As Carters Park was deemed unsuitable to stage such an important tie, the game was switched to Peterborough United’s London Road ground. The Tigers were far from disgraced in a 4-0 defeat with one of the Wrexham’s marksmen being Dave Gregory who later in his career pulled on Holbeach shirt!

1980

1980 – League restructuring

In 1980 further league restructuring saw Division One become a first team competition only and a new Reserve Division formed to cater for second strings who had previously played in Divisions One and Two. A second Reserve Division was added in 1983.

1978

1978 – 1992 – Floodlit Era

A new floodlit era came to the league when Irthlingborough Diamonds installed lights in 1978 and over the years they were joined by many other clubs the Premier Division becoming fully floodlit in 1992.

1975

1970s – FA Vase Competition Introduced

In the mid 1970s the Football Association introduced the FA Vase competition in place of the Amateur Cup and this gave clubs the opportunity to make their names known nationally. Stamford reached three Wembley finals, losing to Billericay in 1976 and Stansted in 1984 but beating Guisborough 2-0 in the 1980 final. Irthlingborough Diamonds were also prominent in the competition’s early years but a place at Wembley proved elusive.

1972

1972 – Premier Divison formed

At this stage all divisions featured first and reserve teams but in 1972 a Premier Division was formed with first teams only, clubs having to comply with higher facility standards.

1968

1968 – Further expansion with a third division

Further expansion of the competition took place in 1968 as a third division was formed with 16 teams in membership.

1966

1966-67 St Neots FA Cup run

For the second season running a UCL member club brought media attention to the league as they faced League opposition in the FA Cup. St Neots Town reached Round One for the first time with wins over Desborough Town, Rushden Town and Wisbech Town. A trip to Fellows Park was St Neots’ reward and they were applauded from the field after a gutsy display restricted Walsall to a 2-0 win with two second half goals. 10,429 spectators watched the Saints carry the league banner with honour

1965

1965-66 Wellingborough Town FA Cup run

Wellingborough Town reached the First Round of the FA Cup, they added Harwich & Parkstone to earlier scalps of Bigglewade, Desborough and Bourne Town. The First Round draw sent the Doughboys to Football league side Aldershot where they were narrowly beaten 2-1 in front of a crowd of 5,019.  A familiar face helped condemn Wellingborough to defeat, former Dog & Duck favourite Peter Kearns scoring the Shot’s second goal before Barry Daldy scored for the Doughboys in the 50th minute.

1961

1961 – Teams returned and league expanded to two divisions

For many of the departing clubs the grass did not prove greener elsewhere and in 1961 a number of familiar faces returned to the fold as the league again expanded to two divisions.

1956

1956 – Reduced to a single division

The league’s peak seasons of pre eminence were quickly followed by a fall as many clubs moved on to other leagues, forcing a contraction to a single division in 1956, many of the teams remaining being second strings of established clubs whose first teams had moved on.

1953

1952-43 – Record crowd reported

The years after the war saw the league enjoy its best ever attendances, many club records remaining to this day. The best crowd recorded was 6,925 who watched the 1952-53 Knockout Cup final between Bedford Town Reserves and Spalding United.

1949

1949-50 – 21 clubs joined

The league expanded in the early post war years and by 1949-50 had 21 clubs in membership. The following season a second division was again introduced.

1945

1945-46 – Bedford Avenue Champions

Post war the league resumed with eight clubs for the 1945-46 seasons, Bedford Avenue becoming champions.

1939

1939 – Outbreak of Second World War

The outbreak of the Second World War saw the competition abandoned but for the first two seasons of the war a war period league was run with reduced boundaries.

1934

1933-34 – Knockout Cup Competition was introduced and name changed to United Counties League

A Knockout Cup competition was introduced for the first time in 1933-34, with Rushden Town the first winners.

By this time the competition had expanded its boundaries with six of the thirteen clubs based outside Northamptonshire, prompting a change of name to the United Counties League.

The thirties saw Rushden Town enjoy the most spectacular run of success enjoyed by any club in the league’s long history as they claimed four successive championships.

1929

1929 – 1933 decline in numbers

The thirties saw a decline in numbers and from 1929 to 1933 clubs played some of their rivals three times to make up the fixture list.

1926

1926-27 Desborough FA Cup run

Desborough became the first Northants League side to reach the FA Cup competition proper post World War One, defeating Westwood Works, Wellingborough, Stamford, Petterborough & Fletton and Waterlows to go into the hat with the Football League clubs. The First Round draw saw them paired with Doncaster Rovers. Fog caused an abandonment with ten minutes remaining, Desborough’s determined defensive display keeping the score at 0-0. A return visit to Belle Vue five days later saw Desborough defeated 3-0 despite a fine performance in goal by skipper A. E. Bennett.

1919

1919 League Resumed

The league resumed in 1919 and a second division was again introduced in 1925 before the lower section was again dropped after eight seasons.

1914

1914 – Abondonded mid season due to World War One

The league continued when World War One started in 1914, but was abandoned in mid season as numerous clubs withdrew as players departed to join the war effort.

1904

1904-05 – Single Division

The league reverted to just a single division in 1904-05 with just seven clubs in membership, but a year later the competition reverted to a two section format, lasting until 1911.

1901

1901 – Current championship trophy presented to the league

The current championship trophy was presented to the league by Conservative candidate for East Northants, Mr JC Denham-Parker, in 1901!

1900

Bedford Queens joined in 1900

In 1900 Bedford Queens became the first club from outside the county to join the league.

1897

Northampton Town joined in 1897

Northampton Town joined the league in 1897 and became champions in their second season before moving up to the Southern League. They would become the league’s first former member to reach the Football League in 1920.

1895

First Season 1895

Eleven clubs across the county competed in the first season with the first matches played on 7th September 1895. Kettering Church Institute beat Rushden 3rds 3-1 and Wellingborough Reserves beat Wellingborough Midland Cottages 4-1.

Wellingborough Reserves became the first champions of the league and for its second season the competition expanded into the divisions with the word ‘Junior’ dropped from the title as some clubs of a higher standard joined.

1895

1895 – League was formed

he league was formed in May 1895 at a meeting at the Granville Hotel, Wellingborough as the ‘Northamptonshire Junior League’.

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