Barton Rovers F.C.

Barton Rovers

Full name	Barton Rovers Football Club
Nickname(s)	Rovers
Founded	1898
Ground	Sharpenhoe Road, Barton-le-Clay (Capacity: 4,000)
Chairman	Malcolm Bright
Manager	Gary Fitzgerald
League	Southern League Division One Central
2010–11	Southern League Division One Central, 12th
Home colours Away colours

Barton Rovers F.C. are a semi-professional association football club located in the village of Barton-le-Clay, near Luton in Bedfordshire, England. They currently play in the Southern Football League Division One Central and play their home games at Sharpenhoe Road.

The club is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.

Contents 1 History 2 Notable former players 3 Club records 4 References 5 External links

History

Barton Rovers F.C. was formed in 1898. An article in the local church newsletter dated January 1899 records:

“

Another venture was the Football Club, which is now in full swing, and bids fair to flourish. The following matches have already been played :- Oct. 8th At Barton, 3 goals; Toddington, 2 goals. Oct. 29th At Toddington, 3 goals; Barton, 2 goals. Nov. 12th At Silsoe, 2 goals; Barton, 2 goals. Several more fixtures have been made, and we trust that the January list will show somewhat different results. The members of the Club take the present opportunity of thanking Mr. W. Hill for the use of his field.

”

The team played in local leagues such as the Luton & District League prior to joining the South Midlands League some time prior to 1969. They were South Midlands champions eight times in ten years during the 1970s and were finally rewarded with a step up to the Isthmian League on 1979. Rovers also reached the final of the FA Vase in 1978, losing 2-1 to Newcastle Blue Star at Wembley Stadium.

The team played in the Isthmian League until 2004, playing mainly in Division Two. In 2004 a re-organisation of the Pyramid saw them switched to the Southern League, where they remain to this day.

In 2008 Barton Rovers signed a number of ex Luton Town players including Tony Thorpe, Scott Oakes and Liam George.

Notable former players

• Kevin Blackwell - The Ex-Leeds United manager began his career as a goalkeeper with the club.
• Dean Brennan
• Tony Thorpe
• Jamie Pace
• Liam George
• Scott Oakes

Club records

• Best league performance: 8th in Southern League Eastern Division, 2004-05
• Best FA Cup performance: 1st round proper, 1980-81
• Best FA Trophy performance: 3rd round, 2000-01
• Best FA Vase performance: Final, 1977-78^[1]

References

1. ^ "Football Club History Database - Barton Rovers". F.C.H.D.. http://www.fchd.info/BARTONR.HTM. Retrieved 2007-06-05. 

External links

• Official website

Southern League Premier Division Arlesey Town AFC Totton Banbury United Barwell Bashley Bedford Town Brackley Town Cambridge City Chesham United Chippenham Town Cirencester Town Evesham United Frome Town Hemel Hempstead Town Hitchin Town Leamington Oxford City Redditch United St. Albans City Stourbridge Swindon Supermarine Weymouth Division One Central Ashford Town AFC Hayes Aylesbury Barton Rovers Beaconsfield SYCOB Bedfont Town Bedworth United Biggleswade Town Burnham Chalfont St. Peter Chertsey Town Daventry Town Fleet Town Leighton Town Marlow North Greenford United Northwood Rugby Town Slough Town St Neots Town Uxbridge Woodford United Division One South & West Abingdon United Bideford Bishop's Cleeve Bridgwater Town Cinderford Town Clevedon Town Didcot Town Gosport Borough Halesowen Town Hungerford Town Mangotsfield United North Leigh Paulton Rovers Poole Town Sholing Stourport Swifts Taunton Town Thatcham Town Tiverton Town Wimborne Town Yate Town Seasons 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12