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 HISTORY
OF WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN F.C (The Doughboys)
UP TO THE PRESENT CLUB, WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN F.C.2004.
The
original club was formed in 1867 and is the sixth oldest football
club in the country.
The club was a founder member of the first professional football
club in the country.
Wellingborough Town are also the oldest club in the County
of Northamptonshire.
Upon
formation in 1867 the club played under part Handling Code
until 1869 when they became a true soccer club. At that time
the club ground was in Broad Green, Wellingborough. The club
colours were old gold and black. The first secretary was a
gentleman by the name of Thomas Slinn.
In
1879 Wellingborough Town became the first club to play under
floodlights when they entertained Bedford at the Bassett's
Close, Wellingborough. The game was a close encounter with
Bedford winning 1-2. The lights were powered by generators
positioned at each end of the pitch.
In
the 1880's Wellingborough F.A was formed as was the East Midlands
Association and in 1887 these two Associations merged to become
the Northamptonshire F.A.
In
1894 the Wellingborough Charity Cup Competition started and
by this time the Club was playing on the Thomas Field, Union
Lane. Wellingborough.
In the same year the Club became founder members of the Leicestershire
& Northants League and in the following season joined
the Midland League. The first recorded winners of the now
1st Division of the United Counties League were Wellingborough
Town Reserves. The following year, 1896-97, saw the Club become
founder members of the United league.
In
1899-00 the Club were runners-up in the Midland League before
joining Division 1 of the Southern League in 1901-02. It was
at this time they moved to their current ground at the Dog
& Duck, London Road, Wellingborough. The Secretary at
that time was a Mr S.J.Burns.
In
1905 the Club changed it's name to Wellingborough Redwell
but resigned at the end of the season after finishing bottom
of Division 1. The first recorded silverware was won when
they became League Champions in 1910-11. The Club continued
to be known as Wellingborough Redwell until 1919 when they
reverted back to their former name of Wellingborough Town
F.C.
In
1922 the Club ground record of 7,169 was set when they entertained
Kettering Town in the Maunsell Cup Final, winning 2-1. The
Wellingborough goals were scored by Harry Loasby and Stevens.
The
Club records during the twenties, thirties and forties in
the Northants, East Midlands, United Counties and Central
Alliance leagues are somewhat scant and it was not until the
fifties that that the league history of the Club was recorded
in more detail. However, there were lean periods in the fifties
before some success was recorded when Wellingborough became
winners of Division 1 of the United Counties league in 1962-63.
They repeated this success in 1964-65 during which time they
only dropped six points.
They successfully applied to join the Metropolitan League
in 1968-69 and finished a creditable 7th. The following year
however, they were League Champions and in 1970-71 they joined
the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division finishing
a creditable 3rd. With their ambitions now on a 'high' the
Club joined the Southern League Division One North in 1971-72.
The
Club was able to maintain mid-table positions throughout the
seventies before a reorganisation of the league saw them entered
into the Midland Division of the Southern League after the
League was split into Southern and Midland Divisions with
no Premier Division. They remained in what was known as the
Southern league, Midland Division until 1988-89 when they
were relegated to the United Counties l
League.
There
then followed 13 years of struggle with the Club avoiding
relegation from the Premier Division of the United Counties
League on several occasions. Their worst dreams became a reality
when in season 2001-02 they folded and resigned from the League.
This was a black period in the history of a club that had
formed the back-bone of the first professional league.
Wellingborough
Town has figured prominently in the annals of the F.A.Cup
and many exciting encounters have been recorded against old
opponents such as Peterborough United, Kettering Town, Corby
Town and Cambridge City. The pinnacle of their Cup success
was when they reached the First Round proper in 1965 being
drawn against Aldershot, who at that time were in the Football
League Third Division. Despite losing 2-1 Wellingborough were
not disgraced.
The
Club has been traditionally known as 'The Doughboys' which
derived from the traditional local dish of 'Hock & Dough'.
Wellingborough's
most 'famous' son is Phil Neal who started his career at the
Town before moving to Northampton and then to Liverpool. His
glittering career with Liverpool and England was followed
closely by his many local admirers who saw him progress from
the Dog & Duck to such exalted venues as Wembley, the
San Siro and numerous other international stages.
The
Town had been without a senior football team for a period
of two years when a local retired Senior police Officer, Laurie
Owen, formed group of sporting friends in an attempt to resurrect
the 'Doughboys'. He was joined by a local businessman, Alan
Warwick, whose father played for the 'Doughboys' in the twenties
and the then Mayor of Wellingborough, David Smith. David's
brother was formerly Manager of Aberdeen and St. Mirren in
the Scottish League.
Together
these three persons recruited other friends including Peter
Ebdon the former World Snooker Champion who agreed to be President
of the Group, Paul Joy a local Magistrate and Brian Hill,
the former Premiership referee. Each member recruited additional
friends until there were 24 people who were prepared to get
the Club back on it's feet.
The
Dog & Duck Football Ground was owned by Geoff Coles a
local businessman who has since moved to Portugal. During
the early days of his tenancy of the ground part of it was
sold to Whitbread's who built a travel-lodge. This obviously
reduced the overall size of the ground but the pitch, training
ground, grandstand and clubhouse remained.
In
their first season back in senior football the team finished
2nd in the Eagle Bitter United Counties League Division One
and were promoted to the Premier Division after losing just
one game. The NFA Junior Cup was also won after beating Peterborough
Northern Star 2-0 after extra-time at Northampton Town's Sixfields
stadium.
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