Newbury Town F.C. was a football club based in Newbury, England. During their long history, they twice won the Hellenic League and in 1994 they won Division 2 of the Isthmian League and reached the Quarter-finals of the national FA Vase, but within a year had ceased to exist. Since then there have been two successor clubs playing at the same venue.
Club history
Newbury Town were founded in 1887 and initially played only friendly fixtures. In the 1890s they began entering the FA Cup, where they were defeated 0–14 by Southampton at the Antelope Ground in the 1894–95 season. However, during this time Newbury recorded plenty of success locally as they won the numerous Berks & Bucks Cups, including the Senior Cup in 1897–98.
After playing at several different locations within the town, the club settled at Faraday Road but all throughout their existence faced numerous problems such as lease renewals and property development, not to mention problems with the actual pitch itself.
In 1914 Newbury Town joined the Great Western Suburban League winning the league in the 1925–6 season. They remained in the league until 1927 when they joined the Hampshire League where they remained for just one season before entering the Reading League. Here the club would become a powerful force, winning the league title five times as well as the Reading Senior Cup in 1931–32. In 1952 Newbury stepped up to the now defunct Metropolitan League where they would play for seven seasons, and won the cup which was presented to the highest scoring amateur team in the league, five times. The club was managed by a former professional left back, Les Gaunt, who previously played for Leeds United and Reading.
A tough season in 1961–62 saw Newbury transfer to the Hellenic League, where they took the place of their Reserves who had joined the league as founder members in 1953. Here they soon got back on track and twice won the League Cup in 1959–60 and 1968–69.
After relocating the pitch and make numerous ground improvements, the 1970s saw Newbury's fortunes take off. They twice won the Hellenic League title in 1977–78 and 1980–81 (also finishing runners-up in 1977–78). In 1982 the club switched to the now defunct Athenian League and again enjoyed great success, winning the league title at the first attempt. During this time Newbury enjoyed several good runs in the national cup competitions. In 1979–80 they reached Round 5 of the FA Vase and the following season reached the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.
In 1983 Newbury made a successful application to join Division 2 of the expanding Isthmian League and here they held down a comfortable mid-table position for a number of seasons. In 1993–94 Newbury had a fine season as they won promotion as champions and reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Vase where they were knocked out 0–2 by Taunton Town.
The success was short-lived, as they were relegated straight back the following season and, tragically, worse was to follow in the summer of 1995 when a severe financial crisis forced the club to withdraw from the competition and fold.
Honours Isthmian League Division 2 Champions 1993/94 Athenian League Champions 1982/83 Hellenic League Premier Division Champions 1978/79 & 1980/81 Hellenic League Cup Winners 1959/60 & 1968/69 Reading League Champions 5 times Great Western Suburban League Champions 1925/26 Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Winners Reading Senior Cup Winners 1931/32
Playing records
League history 1952-95 SeasonDivisionPositionSignificant events1952/53Metropolitan & District League4/161953/54Metropolitan & District League12/181954/55Metropolitan & District League3/171955/56Metropolitan & District League8/171956/57Metropolitan & District League6/181957/58Metropolitan & District League9/181958/59Metropolitan & District League6/191959/60Metropolitan & District League9/201960/61Metropolitan & District League6/181961/62Metropolitan & District League15/17left competition1962/63Hellenic League Premier Division 6/161963/64Hellenic League Premier Division 14/181964/65Hellenic League Premier Division 12/181965/66Hellenic League Premier Division 11/181966/67Hellenic League Premier Division 14/181967/68Hellenic League Premier Division 14/171968/69Hellenic League Premier Division 8/171969/70Hellenic League Premier Division 10/181970/71Hellenic League Premier Division 15/181971/72Hellenic League Premier Division 10/171972/73Hellenic League Premier Division 17/17Relegated1973/74Hellenic League Division 13/21Promoted1974/75Hellenic League Premier Division 5/171975/76Hellenic League Premier Division 5/16 1976/77Hellenic League Premier Division 7/161977/78Hellenic League Premier Division 2/16Runners-up, not promoted 1978/79Hellenic League Premier Division 1/14Champions, not promoted1979/80Hellenic League Premier Division8/161980/81Hellenic League Premier Division1/16Champions, not promoted1981/82Hellenic League Premier Division4/16left competition1982/83Athenian League 1/20Champions, promoted1983/84Isthmian League Division 216/221984/85Isthmian League Division 2 South18/191985/86Isthmian League Division 2 South4/201986/87Isthmian League Division 2 South20/211987/88Isthmian League Division 2 South18/221988/89Isthmian League Division 2 South19/211989/90Isthmian League Division 2 South7/211990/91Isthmian League Division 2 South8/221991/92Isthmian League Division 222/22Not relegated1992/93Isthmian League Division 29/221993/94Isthmian League Division 21/22Champions, promoted1994/95Isthmian League Division 120/22Relegated, then folded
FA Cup (Post War) SeasonRoundOpponentsResult1945/46Preliminary RoundH v Banbury SpencerL 0–81961/621st Qualifying RoundA v CowesL 1–31962/631st Qualifying RoundA v Chichester CityW 3–2 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Alton TownL 1–91963/641st Qualifying RoundH v Hemel Hempstead TownD 0-0 ReplayA v Hemel HempsteadL 0–61964/651st Qualifying RoundH v Abingdon TownW 2–0 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Oxford CityL 0–21965/661st Qualifying RoundA v SalisburyL 0–41966/671st Qualifying RoundH v AndoverL 0–31977/781st Qualifying RoundH v Bridgwater TownL 0–11978/79Preliminary RoundA v AndoverD 1-1 ReplayH v AndoverL 1–21979/801st Qualifying RoundH v Didcot TownW 2–1 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Barry TownL 1–21980/81Preliminary RoundH v PaghamW 1–0 1st Qualifying RoundH v Chichester CityW 2–0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Bognor Regis TownW 2–1 3rd Qualifying RoundA v Farnborough TownL 1–41981/821st Qualifying RoundH v BurnhamW 4–3 1st Qualifying RoundA v Camberley TownW 2–0 2nd Qualifying RoundH v WealdstoneL 1–61982/83Preliminary RoundA v Mangotsfield UnitedL 2–31983/84Preliminary RoundH v Devizes TownW 4–2 1st Qualifying RoundA v Hungerford TownL 1–61984/85Qualifying RoundH v Slough TownL 1–51985/86Preliminary RoundH v Melksham TownW 2–1 1st Qualifying RoundA v AFC TottonD 3-3 ReplayH v AFC TottonL 0–21986/871st Qualifying RoundH v Petersfield UnitedW 2–1 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Fareham TownL 0–51987/88Preliminary RoundH Welton RoversD 2-2 ReplayA v Welton RoversW 4–2 1st Qualifying RoundA v Radstock TownL 0–51988/89Preliminary RoundA v SalisburyL 2–41989/90Preliminary RoundH v Bristol Manor FarmD 2-2 ReplayA v Bristol Manor FarmL 1–31990/91Preliminary RoundH v EastleighW 2–1 1st Qualifying RoundA v Trowbridge TownL 0–31991/92Preliminary RoundH v HorndeamW 1–0 1st Qualifying RoundA v Romsey TownL 1–21992/93Preliminary RoundA v Cinderford TownL 0–31993/94Preliminary RoundH v LancingW 6–1 1st Qualifying RoundA v Maidenhead UnitedW 2–1 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Dorchester TownW 3–0 3rd Qualifying RoundA v Newport IOWL 2–41994/951st Qualifying RoundA v Fleet TownW 1–0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Dorchester TownL 2–4
FA Trophy SeasonRoundOpponentsResult1994/951st Qualifying RoundH v Buckingham TownD 0-0 ReplayA v Buckingham TownD 1-1 2nd ReplayA v Buckingham TownW 2–0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Forest Green RoversD 1-1 ”Replay"H v Forest Green RoversW 2–1 3rd Qualifying RoundA v Atherstone UnitedW 2–1 1st RoundH v Rothwell TownL 1–2
FA Vase SeasonRoundOpponentsResult1974/75Round 1A v BrockenhurstL 0–11975/76Round 1A v Winsor & EtonL 0–21976/77Preliminary RoundH v Thatcham TownL 1–31977/78Round 1A v Sholing SportsW 4–2 Round 2H v HounslowW 4–3 Round 3H v Gosport BoroughW 2–1 Round 4H v BurnhamL 0–11978/79Round 1A v Sholing SportsW 1–0 Round 2A v Abingdon TownW 3–1 Round 3A v Winsor & EtonL 2–41979/80Round 2H v Fleet TownW 3–1 Round 3H v Devizes TownW 1–0 Round 4H v Almondsbury GreenwayW 2–1 Round 5A v Cray WanderersL 0–11980/81Round 2A v Farnham TownW 1–0 Round 3A v Friar Lane Old BoysL 3–41981/82Round 2A v Swanage Town & HerstonW 2–0 Round 3H v BrockenhurstL 0–11982/83Round 2A v Sholing SportsW 3–2 Round 3H v EastleighL 2–41983/84Round 2A v Chippenham TownW 2–1 Round 3H v Yate TownW 3–1 Round 4H v Bristol Manor FarmL 0–11984/85Round 2H v Exmouth TownL 5–61985/86Round 2H v Exmouth TownL 1–41986/87Round 1H v SupermarineL 0–21987/88 Preliminary RoundH v BashleyD 1-1 ReplayA v BashleyL 0–51988/89Preliminary RoundH v Romsey TownL 2–31989/90Preliminary RoundA v Bicester TownW 3–1 Round 1A v Headington AmateursD 1-1 ReplayH v Headington AmateursW 1–0 Round 2A v Wimborne TownW 2–0 Round 3A v Falmouth TownL 1–21990/91Preliminary RoundH v Bishops CleeveL 0–11991/92Preliminary RoundH v AFC TottonW 3–0 Round 1H v EastleighW 3–0 Round 2A v Yate TownL 0–31992/93Preliminary RoundH v Romsey TownW 6–2 Round 1A v Thatcham TownL 2–41993/94Preliminary RoundH Westbury UnitedW 4–1 Round 1H v Sandhurst TownW 2–0 Round 2A v Chertsey TownW 3–0 Round 3A v Bracknell TownW 2–1 Round 4A v Canvey IslandW 2–1 Round 5A v Hinkley AthleticW 3–0 Quarter-FinalA v Taunton TownL 0–2
Successor clubs
Football soon returned to Faraday Road when in 1996 a new club, A.F.C. Newbury was formed. This new club was formed from three different local teams along with the ashes of the defunct Town club and took the place of the ambitious Ecchinswell in Division 1 of the Hampshire League and within a year had won promotion to the Wessex League where they would enjoy great success. Sadly 10 years later history would repeat itself as they too would suffer badly from financial and ground problems and after being demoted from the league's top flight they folded and withdrew from the competition early in the 2006–07 season.
Football still continues at Faraday Road today as upon taking up residence in 2006, Reading League side Old London Apprentice FC changed their name to Newbury F.C. In 2007–08 they won promotion to Division 1 East of the Hellenic League. They have since taken the previous clubs youth sides under their umbrella and are ambitious to progress further.
References
External links Newbury Town League Record – https://www.fchd.info/NEWBURYT.HTM Stadium Aerial View – https://wikimapia.org/52664/