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Hinckley A.F.C.

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Hinckley
Full nameHinckley Association Football Club
Founded2014
GroundWelfare Park, Ibstock, Leicestershire
Capacity1000 (50 seated)
ChairmanSteve Jelfs
ManagerJames Jepson
LeagueUnited Counties League Premier Division South
2023–24Midland League Division One, 1st of 20 (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

Hinckley Association Football Club is a football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire, who play home games at Ibstock's Welfare Park.[1] The club was formed in January 2014 when fans of the dissolved Hinckley United formed their own Community Trust football club,[2] owned and democratically run by its supporters. The club competes in the United Counties League Premier Division South.[3]

History

Following the demise of Hinckley United in October 2013, people formed a working group and at a public meeting in December announced their intentions to form a co-operative community trust to launch a new football club for Hinckley.[4] After discussions with Supporters Direct the working group decided to adopt the same model as F.C. United of Manchester and AFC Wimbledon with a membership scheme allowing a 'one member one vote' ethos. In January 2014 at the next public meeting it was voted that the name of the new football club would be Hinckley AFC.[5] Further to that in February 2014 the club's badge and playing colours were voted on. The club crest chosen represented the town's history and future, and the playing colours would be a home kit of red & blue, with away colours of violet & white.[6] At that same meeting the working group announced a bid by a local businessman to purchase the De Montfort Park ground, and that his favoured tenant for the stadium would be Hinckley AFC.

In March 2014 the working group announced that the co-operative trust had finalised its constitution.[7] Members were informed that the club had applied to join the Midland Alliance, but would have to wait until the FA had fully scrutinised the business plan before they would make a final decision.

The club were informed in June 2014 that they had been allocated a place in the newly formed Midland Football League First Division,[8] level 6 of the Non League Pyramid.

The club won their opening league game 3-0 [9] away at Southam United and a week later set a club record victory beating Pelsall Villa 13-0,[10] but a run of 7 games without winning followed, leaving the club in the bottom reaches of the league table. On 18 October Hinckley AFC beat Cadbury Athletic 2-1,[11] and then proceeded to set a Midland League record of 26 games unbeaten in a season culminating with a final day victory over Southam United winning 5-1.[12] This unbeaten run lifted Hinckley AFC into a final league position of 3rd, ahead of Bolehall Swifts by virtue of goals scored.[13] In cup competitions, an early exit in the FA Vase losing 2-1 [14] at Tipton Town was balanced by reaching the final of the Leicestershire and Rutland Senior Cup, finishing runners-up to Bardon Hill, losing 1-0.[15]

Colours and crest

Historically the football clubs in Hinckley have either played in red, blue or a mixture of both. Hinckley Athletic played in red, Hinckley Town played in blue, and Hinckley United played in red & blue. The fans of Hinckley AFC voted to keep the tradition and the new club's home colours would be red & blue. The away kit was voted as being violet & white.[16]

Six designs of club crest were presented to members to vote on, each representing the town of Hinckley in a different way. The crest voted for by the members was an amalgamation of all the designs incorporating elements of each. The Arms of Honour of Hinckley (white & red divided vertically with a serrated line) has long been established with Hinckley, relating to Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester famously represented in a stained glass window at Chartres Cathedral, and has been incorporated in the previous clubs football crests, schools and other establishments in the town of Hinckley. The White Lion rampant also represents Simon de Montfort, considered to be one of the progenitors of modern parliamentary democracy, and represents the one member one vote ethos of the club. The Hansom Cab represents part of the history of Hinckley, as Joseph Hansom first developed and tested his Hansom Cab design in Hinckley. Finally the Phoenix represents the rebirth of the new football club after the dissolving of Hinckley United.

Ground

In March 2014 Steve and Joy Jelfs, who run a local business in Hinckley, and founder members of Hinckley AFC, made a bid to BDO Liquidators in regards to the De Montfort Park Stadium, former home of Hinckley United. Subsequently, Hinckley AFC entered an agreement with the Jelfs family for a 50-year lease upon completion of the Stadium purchase.[17] The bid was accepted by the creditors of Hinckley United Ltd, but legal issues regarding ownership and security of tenure, meant that any purchase could not be completed.

On 31 March 2014 Hinckley AFC announced plans to ground share at St John's Park the home of Heather St John's, for the 2014–15 season.[18] Hinckley AFC have since ground shared at Heather St John up to the 2017–18 season.

On April 9th 2018 the club announced an agreement had been reached to play home matches at the Miners Welfare Ground in Ibstock for the 2018–19 season, the former home of Ibstock United and the current home of the Hinckley AFC under 18’s team. [19]

Managers

On 6 May 2014 Hinckley AFC announced the appointment of the club's first manager, Carl Abbott, former manager of Wolverhampton Casuals. He was joined by his assistant, Paul Tomlinson and coach Simon Mellor. On 3 October 2017, Abbott stepped down from his role as manager after three and a half successful years in charge, in order to take the managerial position at Market Drayton Town, with his fellow backroom staff joining him at his new club.

Two days later it was announced that former Hinckley United player and manager Dean Thomas would take interim charge of the team whilst the search for a new man continued. On 13 October 2017, Dale Belford was appointed as the new permanent manager, with Richard Lavery to assist him alongside his playing duties. However, after just over two months in charge, Belford stepped down as manager on 27 December 2017.

Richard Lavery took on the role of interim manager whilst continuing his playing duties, alongside former first team coach Tom Cherry. Following mixed results and the conclusion of the 2017/18 season, the duo decided to step down from their roles at the club.[20]

On 29 May 2018 Lavery’s former player, James Jepson, took over as manager with John Ramshaw as his assistant.

Current Squad

[21] As of 11 June 2018

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF England ENG Richard Munday
— DF England ENG Chris Hollist
— MF England ENG Sam Belcher
— MF England ENG James Jepson
— MF England ENG Kai Tonge
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Tom Maddison
— MF England ENG Mahmoud Juma
— FW England ENG Louis Hamilton
— FW England ENG Steve Chaplin
— FW England ENG Darryl Thomas

Backroom Staff

Position Staff
Manager James Jepson
Assistant Manager John Ramshaw
Physiotherapist Sam Palmer
Chief Scout Donal Flynn
Under 18’s Manager Craig Rose

Honours

Leicestershire and Rutland Senior Cup

  • Winners: 2015-16 [22]
  • Runners Up: 2014-15 [23]

Midland Football League Cup

  • Runners Up: 2016-17

Seasons

[24]

Season ∆ Division Pos P W D L F A GD Pts
2014–15 10 Midland Football League Division 1 3rd 38 23 7 8 106 53 +53 76
2015–16 10 Midland Football League Division 1 5th 38 23 6 9 116 53 +63 75
2016–17 10 Midland Football League Division 1 2nd 38 27 4 7 133 47 +86 85
2017–18 10 Midland Football League Division 1 6th 42 25 5 12 136 76 +60 80

Club records

References

  1. ^ "Groundshare Confirmed". Non League Paper. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  2. ^ "New football club to be called Hinckley AFC". Hinckley Times. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  3. ^ "League Placement Announced". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  4. ^ "Fans' trust football club in Hinckley gets support from supporters". Hinckley Times. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  5. ^ "New football club to be called Hinckley AFC". Hinckley Times. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  6. ^ "Fans Decide on Colours and Crest". Hinckley Independent. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  7. ^ "Fans get to share in new club's future". Hinckley Times. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  8. ^ "League Placement Announced". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  9. ^ "Southam United 0 - 3 Hinckley AFC". Hinckley Independent. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  10. ^ "Hinckley AFC 13 - 0 Pelsall Villa". Hinckley Independent. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  11. ^ "Hinckley AFC 2 - 1 Cadbury Athletic". Hinckley Independent. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  12. ^ "Hinckley AFC 5 - 1 Southam United". Hinckley Independent. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  13. ^ "Midland League Division One". the FA Full Time. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  14. ^ "Tipton Town 2 - 1 Hinckley AFC". Hinckley Independent. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  15. ^ "Hinckley AFC 0 - 1 Bardon Hill". Hinckley Independent. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  16. ^ "Greene King dream bid for Hinckley AFC". Hinckley Times. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  17. ^ "Stadium Deal". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  18. ^ "Groundshare Confirmed". Non League Paper. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  19. ^ "Hinckley AFC sign Ibstock agreement". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
  20. ^ "LAVERY AND CHERRY OPT TO LEAVE". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
  21. ^ "Player Profiles". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  22. ^ "2016 Senior Cup Final report". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
  23. ^ "2015 Senior Cup Final report". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
  24. ^ "Midland Football League Division 1". The FA. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  25. ^ "FA Full-time Midland League Table 2016-17". Midland Football League. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  26. ^ "FA Cup Official match report". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
  27. ^ "Official match report". Buckland Athletic Official. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
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