Club History Chronology 1 Chronology 2 Chronology 3

Stotfold is a small country town with a population in the region of 9000. It is situated in the county of Bedfordshire, but being near the North Herts border has strong links with the Hertfordshire towns of Baldock, Hitchin and Letchworth. The first recorded football in the town was 1904, however it is certain that the game was played for a number of years before that. In those early 1900s, Stotfold sides played in the Biggleswade and District League. This was followed by a spell of nearly 30 years in North Herts Football. The first record of a trophy being won was 1911 when Potton were beaten 1-0 in the Biggleswade and District Championship.

Stotfold FC was officially founded after WW2 in 1946. In 1951 we joined the South Midlands League Division 2 and in 1953 were promoted to Division 1. Up until 1965 our home ground was located at Hitchin Road Recreation Ground. Football was very much at the centre of the community and locals in the village clubbed together sufficient funds to purchase a meadow named 'Roker', (previously used in 1911 by Stotfold Athletic), and developed the ground aptly named Roker Park which we have occupied for 54 years.

In 2001 after the club gained planning permission for a ground improvement, Town Council asked us to consider giving up our long term lease for a new stadium along Arlesey Road. We agreed subject to the facility being suitable for playing at Step 4 which would be a significant upgrade on our existing ground allowing us to play at a higher level. This was agreed but became more complex with the project integrating a whole community concept. As such costs spiralled at a time of recession and the project stalled as monies were transferred from it. Revised plans were drawn up when an offer to build 60 properties on Roker Park was accepted in return for a £1.8M Step 4 stadium being built for us. Revised planning approved, the build is due for completion February 2020.

In 1955 we were promoted to the SSML Premier Division, where we stayed for 30 years winning the championship in 1980 and were runners-up 9 times. The club joined the United Counties League in 1984/85 season and finished runners-up twice in 1993/94 and 1995/96 under the guidance of ex-Arsenal player Ian Allinson who after the 199798 resigned to manage Barton Rovers with Phil Pateman stepping up after managing the reserves to League championship and Beds Intermediate success. During 1998-2001 under his charge the club won The Beds Senior and Premier Cups, UCL League Cup, and the Hinchingbrooke Cup as well as being runners-up and finalists in two North Beds Charity Cups. The club also reached the last 32 of the FA Vase and the 3rd Qualifying Rd of the FA Cup. Pateman stepped down to become Chairman in 2001 and Kenny Davidson took over the side reaching the final of the Beds Senior Cup but abruptly resigned in Dec 2002.

Phil Pateman took temporary charge of the side again until the end of the season guided the team from relegation candidates to 10th in the league, retaining the won NBCC and were finalists in the Hunts Premier Cup. However, their most notable success came from being awarded national fair play team of the year by Ladbrokes in association with The Non League paper as well as the UCL fair play award.

In 2004, ex-player and former St. Albans City and Baldock manager, Steve Cook to the reins. Steve left the club for Borehamwood after one season, and Jim Benton, stepped forward to take charge for the 05/06 season. This saw many familiar faces drift away from the club and many new ones appear. Poor discipline and performances on and off the pitch resulted in a bad year all round for the club and this was too continue for 18 months with Glen Clarke, Ian Williscroft and Mark Teeling all unable to turn the club around. After gaining just 11 points from 17 league games and some heavy defeats, Mark was replaced in December by the return of Ian Allinson and Ian Donnelly. A partnership that turned out to be the most successful in Stotfold's history thus far.

With the club staring relegation in the face, Ian recruited several senior players and the club hauled themselves out of the bottom two, winning 8 of the last 10 games. During the summer of 2007 the squad strengthened further, culminating in the most successful season in the club's history. Both first and second team squads won their respective league and county cup competitions, (the first club and to date only to do so), with the second team under John Philbin remaining unbeaten in the league. The club were the only UCL club to reach the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup before losing to Tonbridge Angels. So it was a shock and bitter disappointment when the UCL decided against awarding Ian Allinson the Manager of the Year Award. During the summer Ian was offered the Managers job at Ryman Premier League Borehamwood and he remains one of the best non league managers of our time currently in charge at St Albans City. However he left a great legacy and we promoted Ian Donnelly to the position with reserve manager Terry Kitchener stepping up to assist him. Success continued, winning the UCL League Cup and North Beds Charity Cup and finishing League Runners Up. The Reserves and the Under 18 Academy continued to sweep all before them under Gordon Bickerstaff's management and after Ian Donnelly stepped down with Terry at the end of the previous season, it was easy to promote from within again, with Gordon bringing his Assistant Cecil Lee with him.

In what turned out to be the club's final season in the UCL, 2009/10 saw the first team produce a very creditable performance reaching the 4th round of the FA Vase and finishing 7th in the league.

Having finally been granted a move to the Molten Spartan South Midlands League in 2010/2011 the Eagles struggled to adapt until the new year and eventually finished mid-table. The first team reached the final of the NBCC, losing to Biggleswade Town 2-1. The reserves lost many of their players who needed a fresh challenge after being so successful, leaving Manager Malcolm Ward with a difficult task and they also finished in a respectable mid-table position.

The Academy continued to go from strength to strength with the U15 and U18 Academy teams winning the Beds County Cup. The U18s also won the County Floodlit Cup and the Ridgeon's League West title under Manager Ryan Brooke.

In season 2012-13 Gordon Bickerstaff stood down and Steve Young took charge of first team duties, supported by Roy Ryall. Gary Hoy took over the Reserves whilst continuing to run our Under 17 and 18 Academy teams. After another poor start the first team secured a respectable mid-table position whilst the Reserves, made up almost entirely of Academy players, won the Biggleswade KO Cup. Our Under 18s reached the first round of the FA Youth club for the very first time despite playing mostly 16-year-old players before going out to Leyton Orient. The U17s finished 2nd and U18s first in their respective leagues.

In 2013 the Academy again flourished, reaching the 3rd QR of the FA Youth Cup before losing to full-time Academy side Cambridge United on penalties. They also reached 2 semi-finals and finished 3rd in the league. The first team turned their season around from being 3rd from bottom of the SSML Premier Division with just 18 points at Xmas, to three cup finals and a semi-final place in another. They also moved away from the foot of the table with a further 29 points in the second half of the season.

During the close season the club reappointed Steve Young as Manager but were left stunned when Coach Tony Lamacraft collapsed after an abandoned first team friendly caused by the double leg fracture of one of the Stotfold players. Despite the valiant efforts of club officials and paramedics including an air ambulance crew Tony passed away. Over 500 attended his funeral and Tony is sadly missed not just by Stotfold but the whole of the local football community.

Steve promoted from within the club, Michael Parkin and Matt Endersby stepping up and the with ex Colchester pro Pro Rob Bates as Academy Manager. The under 18 side finished second in the Southern Counties Olympian Division and won the Colwyn Cup Final beating league winners Cockfosters.

The 2014/15 season was once again a challenge. Steve Young decided to resign in January 2015 for personal reasons with Rob Bates stepping up. During his 5 months in charge he managed to mould a team to stave off relegation from the Premier League and finish a creditable 16th. He also reached the NBCC final beaten 2-1 by Biggleswade United.

Seasons 2015/18 continued the slide into decline both on and off the pitch. 2015/16 saw a re-formed reserves as an U25 side winning the Biggleswade KO cup. The first team won the NBCC defeating Biggleswade United 2-0 in the final in what turned out to be the last game under Rob Bates and his management team who resigned shortly after. This turnaround of managers matching that of the players as Mick Reardon kicked it off lasting less than 2 months, suffering a humiliating club record a FA Cup 12-1 loss to Berkhamsted. Michael Parkin stepped in but despite an amazing run of wins at the end of the season we finished bottom on goal difference. Parkin unfortunately resigned down to work commitments.

Back on the Manager merry-go-round we were given a lift when the FA reprieved us but we weren't so lucky in 2018/19 when we finished 3rd from bottom and went down on goal difference on the last day of the season. Julian Robinson, Gary Burkett (Temp), Mark Nervais, and finally Marce Collington all having a hand in managing in excess of 100 players. The only saving grace for the season being runners up in the U25 Development Cup losing out 1-0 to Ampthill Town. The U25s themselves having 5 managers/assistants by Christmas before Brad Gillham supported by Pateman steered them to calmer waters.

The club needed a reboot and the new stadium rising before our eyes has given us the opportunity to do just that. Probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to get back on track.

The club are completely restructuring. A merger of Senior & Junior clubs with an ongoing program of inclusive football for a Charter Standard Club comprising of in excess of 60 teams and 700 participants.

Success off the field as important as on it but the First Team are the standard bearer. In this regard we were delighted that our former player Luke Gregson can see our vision for the future and agreed to be Club Manager after a wonderful spell at Baldock where he took them from the SSML Div 1 to 4th in the Premier League in just 3 seasons. An exceptional footballer in his own right with Hitchin Town & Borehamwood among those more Senior clubs he has represented Luke has started the rebuild. Local players, some returning to the club with a Management Team that includes Assistants his Baldock team of Jim Starling & Louis Lee, the club are looking to bounce back to the Premier Division as the first step to moving up further through the pyramid.

Club Honours

BEDS FA
Senior Cup Winners - 1964/65, 1993/94, 1999/2000, 2007/08
Runners Up - 2001/02
Premier Cup Winners - 1981/82, 1991/92, 1998/99
Intermediate Cup Winners - 1958/59, 1991/92, 1997/98, 2001/02, 2007/08
Runners Up - 2008/09
U18 Challenge Cup Winners - 2010/11
U18 Floodlit Cup Winners - 2010/11
Runners Up - 2009/10, 2011/12
Quarter-finalists 2012/13
U15 Challenge Cup Winners - 2010/11
U16 Challenge Cup Runners Up - 2011/12

UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
Premier Division Winners 2007/08
League KO Cup Winners - 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2008/09
Premier Division Runners Up - 1993/94, 1995/96, 2008/09
Fair Play Winners - 2002/03
Reserve Division One Champions - 1987/88, 1991/92, 1996/97, 2001/02, 2007/08, 2008/09
Reserve KO Cup Winners - 1991/92, 2004/05, 2009/10

SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE
Premier Division Champions - 1980/81
Division One Champions - 1953/54
Challenge Trophy Winners - 1981/82
Finalists - 2013/14
Reserve Division One Champions - 1954/55, 1957/58, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1960/61, 1970/71, 1983/84
Reserve Shield Winners - 1965/65
Reserve Floodlit Cup Winners - 2008/09
Runners Up - 2009/10, 2013/14

OTHER HONOURS
Ladbrokes National Fair Play Award Winners - 2002/03
North Beds Charity Cup Winners - 1955/56, 1956/57, 1961/62, 1981/82, 1987/88, 1990/91, 1997/98, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2016/17
Finalists 2010/11, 2014-15
Southern Combination Cup Winners - 1994/95, 1995/96
Southern Combination Res Cup Winners - 1994/95, 1995/96
Biggleswade KO Cup Winners (Most recent) - 1997/98, 1999/2000, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2012/13
Runners Up - 2009/10
Hinchingbrooke Cup Winners - 1999/2000
Runners Up - 2011/12, 2013/14
Jan Anderson Memorial Trophy (Most recent) - 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2001/02 (shared), 2002/03
Jess Piggott Trophy - 2001/02, 2002/03
Hunts Premier Cup Finalists - 2002/03
Ridgeons Under 18's League Championship Winners - 2008/09, 2010/11, 2011/12
Ridgeons Under 18's League KO Cup Winners - 2004/04
Southern Counties League U18's Pegasus Division Champions - 2012/13
Olympian Division Runners Up = 2014/15 Brian Hitchings Cup U18's Quarter-finalists - 2012/13
Eastern Junior Alliance U16's Northern Division and Championship play off final Winners - 2006/07
Eastern Junior Alliance U15's Herts Division Runners Up - 2010/11
Eastern Junior Alliance U16's Beds Division Runners Up - 2011/12
Eastern Junior Alliance U17's Herts Division Runners Up - 2012/13
Eastern Junior Alliance U17 League Cup Quarter Finalists - 2012/13
Colwyn Youth Cup U18 Winners - 2014/15
Biggleswade KO Cup U21 Winners - 2015/16 Eastern Junior Alliance U13 Herts Brown Division Winners - 2016/17
Eastern Junior Alliance U13 Harrison Trophy Winners - 2016/17
Eastern Junior Alliance U13 League Cup Finalists - 2016/17
Herts U13 County Cup Winners - 2016/17