Stotfold F.C.
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| Full name | Stotfold Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Eagles | ||
| Founded | 1904 (as Stotfold Athletic) | ||
| Ground | Roker Park The Green Stotfold | ||
| Capacity | 1,500 | ||
| Chairman | Phil Pateman | ||
| Manager | Rob Bates | ||
| League | Southern League Division One Central | ||
| 2023–24 | Southern League Division One Central, 7th of 19 | ||
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Stotfold F.C. is a football club based at Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. They play in the Southern League Division One Central.
History
Though the club was officially formed in 1904, it is believed that there was a football club in the town earlier than this. In 1911, the Eagles’ current ground was a meadow called "Roker", used by Stotfold Athletic. The Eagles first played in the Biggleswade League, then for thirty years in the North Hertfordshire League. The club played for many years at the Hitchin Road Recreation Ground before returning to Roker in 1954. In 1951 the club joined the South Midlands League. In 1953 they were promoted to Division One and to the Premier Division in 1955, staying for thirty years, usually finishing in the top ten or thereabouts, before winning the league for the first time in the 1980–81 season under the management team of Brian Parker, Peter Godden, and Geoff Heard.
In 1984, the Eagles were transferred to the United Counties League. They were admitted straight into the Premier Division, where they have stayed ever since. Through the 1990s, the club generally finished high in the top ten, but the current millennium has been less consistent. After several changes of manager, the club re-appointed former Arsenal man Ian Allinson as manager for 2007–08, and he rewarded them by leading the club to their most successful season, including the UCL championship for the first time. He subsequently left to join Boreham Wood. The championship was clinched in dramatic fashion; starting the second half 0–4 down to closest challengers Long Buckby, Stotfold managed to equalise in the 90th minute for the point needed to clinch the title.
Stotfold attempted to join the Spartan South Midlands League for 2008–09, in order to cut down on the time and expense of travelling[citation needed], but they were unsuccessful.
In the 2011–12 season, Stotfold are playing in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, led by manager Gordon Bickerstaff.
The club is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.
Former players
1. Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club.
Mitchell Cole – (2011)- Darren Dykes – (2005–06)
- Graeme Tomlinson – (2003–04)
- Ian Allinson – (2005–08)
Phil Gray – (2005)
Liam George – (2005)
Honours
- United Counties League Premier Division[1]
- Champions 2007–08
- Runners-up 1993–94, 1995–96, 2008–09
- South Midlands League
- Champions 1980–81
- Runners-up 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1977–78