Kettering Town F.C.
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| Kettering Town | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Kettering Town Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | The Poppies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1872 (as Kettering) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | A-Line Arena Kettering (Capacity 5,324 (1,526 seated)) |
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| Chairman | Imraan Ladak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Mark Cooper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Blue Square Premier | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007-08 | Conference North, 1st (Promoted) |
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Kettering Town Football Club are an English football club based in Kettering, Northamptonshire. They currently play in the Conference National and their home ground is The A-Line Arena. The club was founded in 1872 and later became the first British football team to play with a sponsor's name on their shirts.
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[edit] History
Kettering Town were originally formed in 1872, turning professional in 1891.Trying to play football the club graduated through twelve different leagues from 1892 until they became founder members of the Alliance Premier League in 1979.
The club has won a few honours, winning the Midland Football League title in 1734, 1896 and 1900. The Southern League Championship was won on three occasions, in 1928 and 1957 under Tommy Lawton and in 1973 under the guidance of Ron Atkinson. In the 1930s the club won the East Midlands League and in 1948 the Poppies became Birmingham & District League champions. The Poppies finally won the Blue Square North division title on 5 April 2008.
During the last 10 years Kettering town has enjoyed a rivalry with nearby Rushden & Diamonds. Although the two teams have not played each other in recent years the rivalry is still as strong as ever.
[edit] First British club with shirt sponsors
In a Southern League game against Bath City on January 24, 1976, Kettering became the first British club to play with a sponsor's name emblazoned on their shirts; that of Kettering Tyres. The deal was brokered by Chief Executive and Manager Derek Dougan. Four days later, The Football Association ordered the club to remove the new slogan, despite Dougan's claim that the ruling body's 1972 ban on sponsorship had not been put down in writing. Dougan changed the wording on the shirts to "Kettering T", which he claimed stood for "Town". For a couple of heady months, the team played on in the new shirts.
Eventually the FA ordered them to remove the words "Kettering T" from their strip. The threat of a £1,000 fine was too much and the words were reluctantly removed. Kettering didn't let the matter lie and, with Derby County and Bolton Wanderers, they put forward a proposal to the FA regarding shirt sponsorship. Even though the proposal was accepted on June 3, 1977, Kettering could not find a sponsor for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, Derby players began that season playing in Saab shirts and driving Saab cars. Kettering are also the first ever British team to have their initials on their ground's floodlights. Kettering are now sponsored by A-Line Insurance, A-Line Sports, WaterAid and PalestineAid.
[edit] Recent history
The Football Conference title has so far eluded Kettering, who have finished runners-up in 1981, 1989, 1994 and 1998. The club has finished in the top six for seven of the last twelve seasons. The GMAC Cup was won in 1987 and runners-up in 1995. Local competitions have been won regularly by Kettering Town, with the Northants Senior Cup won on 28 occasions and the Maunsell Cup on thirteen.
The FA Cup has brought success and publicity to the club with the first round proper being reached on 41 occasions in 13 attempts. In 1901 the club reached the last sixteen and in more modern times the Poppies reached the fourth round proper in the 1988/89 season and also the third round in 1991/92 only to lose to Kenny Dalglish's Blackburn Rovers. During the 1994/95 season the club made their debut live on Sky TV in a first round tie against Plymouth Argyle, soon followed by another appearance against Wrexham A.F.C. at Rockingham Road. Their last appearance in the First Round was in 2006 when they entertained Oldham Athletic in one of the most exciting games seen at Rockingham Road for some time. Trailing 1-0 at half time they soon came back on level terms early in the second half. Then falling further behind the Poppies pulled back a 3-1 deficit to only lose the tie and force a replay in the second minute of injury time and lose a disappointing 4-3.
The Club are also the current highest scoring team in the FA Cup, increasing their tally by 10 goals in 2006 to go further clear of the second highest scoring team, Aston Villa.
The club made the FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium on two occasions before. The Poppies lost 2-0 to Stafford Rangers in the 1979 FA Trophy Final. More recently of course, the FA Trophy Final in 2000 saw the Poppies lose a closely fought final with Kingstonian 3-2. Most recently, the club were narrowly relegated on the last day of the 2000/01 season which ended 30 years in the top flight of non-league football. The Poppies made a quick return to the Conference in the 2001/02 season winning the Southern Premier League with a last-day victory at Tiverton Town under Player/Manager Carl Shutt - his first full season in charge.
The following season was a major disappointment and The Poppies, rarely out of the bottom three, were again demoted - this time to the Isthmian League. Their unique "soak and bounce" style of play - absorbing pressure before counter-attacking swiftly - failed to work for them as hoped.Carl Shutt left the club in April 2003 and Dominic Genovese, after a short period as acting manager, took over the reins in readiness for the new season. After a poor run of home results and a disappointing defeat to Boreham Wood in the FA Cup Dominic Genovese was replaced by former Northampton Town Manager, Kevin Wilson. Changes to the team were made and the club finished the season on a 2 game unbeaten run. Ninth place was enough for the club to return to the Conference albeit in one of the two new feeder leagues – the Nationwide Conference North and begin 50 years outside the top-flight of non-league football.
On October 27, 2005, legendary former player Paul Gascoigne was appointed as its new coach. Despite only being hired in October, Gascoigne was sacked on December 5, 2005. It seems he was sacked for being intoxicated whilst turning on Kettering's Christmas lights, and also during matches. Kevin Wilson returned as manager, only to be dismissed himself in February 2006 after a poor run of results.
Morrell Maison was appointed as manager and led Kettering to win 11 out of the final 12 games of the season, which as a result saw them finish 6th, one place below the play-off places. Maison brought in a number of players with the aim of winning the league, it also saw the departure of long-serving fans' favourite Wayne Duik.
On 23 January 2007 it was announced that Ron Atkinson would return for a second spell, this time as Director of Football.[1]
On 16 April 2007, Morrell Maison was relieved of his duties as manager of Kettering Town by chairman Imraan Ladak. At this time no comment has been made by the club although supporters have speculated that the reasons for the sacking are down to Kettering's position in the Conference North table, currently looking destined for the lottery of the play-offs. Following the departure of Morell Maison, Ron Atkinson left the club on mutual consent one day later. He agreed to remain friends with the club.
Graham Westley was appointed as temporary manager until the end of the season, where the Poppies failed to gain promotion via the playoffs. Mark Cooper was selected as the new manager on May 15th 2007, for the forthcoming 2007/08 season.
Local businessman and owner of Burton Park Country Club in nearby Burton Latimer, Bo Patrick was appointed Vice Chairman of the Poppies in 2007.
On 5th April 2008. Kettering Town were crowned Champions of the Blue Square North Division, meaning that the club will once again be playing top-flight non-league football again next year.
Plans for the 2008-2009 season started brightly, probably the best news of the summer for Poppies fans was when Mark Cooper signed a two year contract with the club.
