| Full name | Long Eaton United Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Blues | ||
| Founded | 1956 | ||
| Ground | Grange Park, Long Eaton, Derbyshire (Capacity: 1500 (150 seated)) |
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| Chairman | Jim Fairley | ||
| Manager | Glyn Stacey | ||
| League | NCEL Premier Division | ||
| 2010-11 | 12th | ||
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Long Eaton United F.C. are a football club from Long Eaton, Derbyshire, England who currently play in the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division.
The club were established in 1956 and joined the Midland Football League in 1961. They were founding members of the Northern Counties East Football League in 1982.
Long Eaton United were formed in 1956 and since then have played at Grange Park, Long Eaton. In their first season, the team then known as ‘The Stripes’, finished second in the Central Alliance League, Division One (South), behind Skegness Town. In 1957-58 the Reserves won the Derby Senior League Cup, followed a year later by the senior team winning the Division One (South)Championship , Division One in those days being the highest division. In 1961-62 United were admitted to the reformed Midland Counties League and finished in a mid-table position. Fellow Derbyshire clubs Matlock Town finished as Champions and Alfreton Town finished in last place. The reserve team took the honours the following season by winning the Central Alliance Division One Championship and the Derbyshire Divisional Cup. In 1965 United were to win the Derbyshire Senior Cup by beating Alfreton Town 1-0 at The Baseball Ground in Derby.
Eleven years passed before United won the Derbyshire Senior Cup again and then Matlock Town were beaten 1-0 and 2-1 to bring the trophy back to Grange Park. The reserves again brought honours to the club by winning the Divisional Cup in seasons 1970-71 and 1971–72 and won the Notts Combination Premier Division Championship. At the end of the 1981-82 season the Midland Counties League and the Yorkshire League were merged to form the Northern Counties East League as part of the ‘pyramid’ system. Due to a lack of ground facilities United were placed in Division One (South) and, having lost a large number of players to nearby Ilkeston Town, they struggled for three seasons before Pete Johnson became the Manager. His guidance led United to become Champions and gain promotion to the Premier Division. That season also United were League Cup finalists losing in a replay to Alfreton Town.
In 1989-90, due to the lack of floodlights, United moved into the Supreme Division of the Central Midlands League and in 1990-91 were demoted to the Premier Division, again due to the lack of floodlights. In 1992-93 Jim Fairley Senior, having resigned previously following a heart attack, rejoined as Chairman. The club reorganised and in 1993/94 United were back in the Supreme Division and under Jim Fairley Jnr. a Youth Section was formed. In 1996 United won Lottery money to fund a Centre of Excellence and in 1998 work on floodlights, fencing, dressing rooms and multi activity areas began. In 1997 Women’s football was introduced for youngsters and now the club have two senior teams, Grange Park then became the home to over 200 footballers and promotion to the Northern Counties East League Division One, was gained in 2002 followed by promotion to the Premier Division at the end of the 2003-04 season. Northern Counties East Premier League Cup Winners 2009.
They reached Third Qualifying Round in FA Cup 4 times, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1970–71 and 1976–77