Bury Town F.C.

Bury Town
Full name Bury Town Football Club
Nickname(s) The Blues
Founded 1872[1]
Ground Ram Meadow, Bury St Edmunds
Ground Capacity 3,500 (300 seated)[2]
Chairman Russell Ward
Manager Ben Chenery[3]
League Isthmian League North Division
2016–17 Isthmian League North Division, 11th of 24
Website Club website

Bury Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club, based in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. The club are currently members of the Isthmian League North Division and play at Ram Meadow.

History

Early history

The club was established by William Lake at a meeting in the Suffolk Hotel in 1872.[1] Initially named Bury St Edmunds Football Club, the first committee of the club elected to choose royal blue as the club's colours.[1] In 1885 they were one of eleven founder members of the Suffolk FA and voted to change their name to Bury Town.[1] In 1895 the club's name reverted to Bury St Edmunds, then to Bury United in 1908 and back to Bury Town in 1923.[1]

The club joined the Norfolk & Suffolk League in 1899, but left midway through the 1901–02 season.[4] They subsequently became members of the South East Anglian League in 1904 and finished bottom of the league in 1905–06.[5][6] They rejoined the Norfolk & Suffolk League in 1920, leaving again in 1929 and rejoining again in 1932.[4] During this time they also played in the Essex & Suffolk Border League. In 1935 the club moved into senior football by becoming founder members of the Eastern Counties League.[1] They gained their first honour when they won the Suffolk Senior Cup in 1936–37, a trophy they retained for the next two seasons.[7] 1937–38 saw the club achieve its best pre-war league position of runners-up,[1] before the competition was suspended due to the outbreak of World War II. Bury Town won the Suffolk Senior Cup for the fourth time in 1945 before resuming league action in 1946.[7]

Post-war

In 1958–59 Bury Town became the first ever winners of the Suffolk Premier Cup and went on to retain the trophy for the next three seasons. In 1961–62 the Eastern Counties League Cup was won for the first time and then in 1963–64 the club won the Eastern Counties League Championship for the only time in its history, recording a "treble" by winning the League Cup and the Suffolk Premier Cup for the fifth time. This success prompted the club to join the Metropolitan League in 1964 when once again, they won the Suffolk Premier Cup. During the 1965–66 campaign, Bury Town recorded yet another “treble” winning the Metropolitan League Championship, the Metropolitan League Professional Cup and for the seventh time, the Suffolk Premier Cup. In 1967–68 the Blues won the Metropolitan League Cup for the only time and finished runners-up in the league.

The Metropolitan League title was won for the second and final time in 1968–69 when the club reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history; 3,000 spectators saw the Blues hold Third Division leaders Bournemouth to a goalless home draw at Kings Road, but the replay at Dean Court was lost 3–0. The 1970–71 season was the club's last in the Metropolitan League when they finished as runners-up and also lifted the Suffolk Premier Cup for the eighth occasion. In 1971 the club switched to the Southern League but poor results prompted a return to the Eastern Counties League in 1976. A year later they won the Suffolk Premier Cup again.

1980s to present

In 1986–87, which proved to be Bury Town's last season in the Eastern Counties League, the club enjoyed another good run in the FA Cup reaching the fourth qualifying round. The Blues were drawn away to Football Conference leaders Enfield and forced a 0–0 draw before 842 spectators. A record crowd of over 2,500 saw the visitors win the replay at Ram Meadow. In 1987 Bury rejoined the Southern League and experienced mixed fortunes in the Southern Division. The 1995–96 season saw the club accepting a transfer across to the Midland Division. After completion of only one season in the Midland Division, Bury Town were relegated back to the Eastern Counties League. Despite relegation Bury won the Suffolk Premier Cup, beating Woodbridge Town in the final.

Bury saw little success until the 2004–05 season with the club finishing second in the league and winning the Westwood Shield, as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Vase for the second time. The following season saw the club finish second in the league again, allowing them promotion to Division One North of the Isthmian League, as well as reaching the semi-final of the FA Vase. Two seasons later the club were transferred into Division One Midlands of the Southern League as part of a geographical reorganisation. In the same season they reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in forty years, losing 4–2 away to Conference North club Alfreton Town.[8] The 2009–10 season ended with the club winning 3–0 on the final day of the season to claim the title,[9] earning promotion to the seventh level of English football, where they were placed in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The following season they won the Premier Cup for a tenth time, defeating Needham Market 2–0 in the final, and also finished third in the league, qualifying for the play-offs, where they lost 2–1 at home to Lowestoft Town. In 2011–12 the club won the Isthmian League Cup. After finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 2014–15 season they were relegated to Division One North.

Ground

The club took up residence at Kings Road, also known as the Cemetery Road ground, in 1888.[1] It became the first football ground in East Anglia to operate floodlights, when on 12 January 1953, Bury played their first ever floodlit game against Cambridge City in front of 2,105 spectators.[1] A total of 14 bulbs of 1,500 watts were used, with the lights financed by the Bury Town Supporters Club.[1] In 1976 they moved to their current Ram Meadow ground when the King's Road ground was required for development.[10] All four sides of the ground have covered areas for spectators, with 300 seats in two stands either side of the pitch and terracing behind both goals.[10]

Current squad

As of 13 March 2017.[11]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
GK Neil O'Sullivan
DF Andrew Cusack
DF Darcy De'Ath
DF Joe Boulter
DF Kyran Clements
MF Bradley Barber
MF Jed Wigley
England MF John Kennedy
No. Position Player
MF Leon Ottley-Gooch
MF Matt Collins
MF Noel Aitkens
MF Ollie Canfer
MF Ryan Jolland
FW Josh Mayhew
FW Luke Read
FW Ollie Hughes

Honours

Records

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 History Bury Town FC
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) Non-League Club Directory 2013, p536 ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0
  3. ↑ "Ben Chenery named manager of Ryman Premier side Bury Town". Greenun'24. Retrieved 2014-08-19.
  4. 1 2 Norfolk & Suffolk League 1897–1939 Non-League Matters
  5. ↑ 1904–05 Pride of Anglia
  6. ↑ 1905–06 Pride of Anglia
  7. 1 2 Honours Bury Town FC
  8. ↑ Alfreton Town 4–2 Bury Town – BBC Sport
  9. ↑ "Leabon hattrick helps Blues to title success". Non-League Daily. 2010-04-24. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  10. 1 2 Bury Town Pyramid Passion
  11. ↑ Player Stats Bury Town FC
  12. 1 2 Bury Town at the Football Club History Database
  13. ↑ Records Bury Town FC

Coordinates: 52°14′55.96″N 0°43′15.81″E / 52.2488778°N 0.7210583°E / 52.2488778; 0.7210583

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