Leamington F.C.

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 It has been suggested that New Windmill Ground be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)
Leamington
Image:Lfc-badge-small-b.jpg
Full name Leamington Football Club
Nickname(s) The Brakes
Founded 1891
Ground New Windmill Ground,
Leamington Spa
(Capacity 1,400[1])
Chairman David Hucker
Manager Jason Cadden
League Southern League Division One Midlands
2006-07 Midland Football Alliance, 1st
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Away colours

Leamington Football Club is the main football club in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, currently playing in the Southern League Division One Midlands.

In 2005 the team beat 5 teams (with 2 replays) to make excellent progress in the FA Cup, gaining significant national media coverage, culminating in a 9-1 defeat to Colchester United, a professional team six leagues above Leamington, in the First Round Proper. Midfielder Alex Rodman was awarded FA Cup Player of the Round for his two goals scored against Woodford in the Third Qualifying Round.

Contents

[edit] History

The club was founded in 1891 as Leamington Town, becoming Lockheed Leamington, gaining their nickname "The Brakes" in 1946. By 1973 the team was known as AP Leamington, as the works team for Automotive Products.

With the club at its playing pinnacle, Automotive Products decided to sell the Windmill Ground in Tachbrook Road for housing. The last match was played in April 1988.

The club was re-launched in 2000 playing at the New Windmill Ground in Harbury Lane and winning two successive promotions: the Midland Football Combination Division Two title in the first year and as runners-up in Division One a year later. Three years later Leamington got promotion to the Midland Alliance

[edit] Key Events

[edit] Ground

[edit] The Windmill Ground

Home to Leamington Town, Lockheed Leamington and AP Leamington the Windmill Ground was situated on the Tachbrook Road, Leamington Spa, just outside Whitnash.

The ground began its life known simply as the "Tachbrook Road Ground" with the first "Leamington FC" match taking place in late September, 1891, between "Leamington Association Football Club" and Queen's College Birmingham.

By 1913, when Leamington Town moved back to the ground (after using various sites around the town), it had been renamed as "The Windmill Ground", taking the name of the pub adjacent to its site. The pub (which still stands) had taken its name from the fact that a Windmill once stood at the site.

In 1937 Leamington Town fell foul to money matters, the club was voluntarily wound up, and the Windmill Ground was sold to Coventry City. Coventry paid £1,739 6s and 8d for the ground which was to be used for their 'A' team. During the 2nd World War the ground also hosted Forces matches and Birmingham City F.C. matches.

Lockheed, the company situated opposite the Windmill Ground, formed a club in 1946 called Lockheed Leamington and bought the ground back from Coventry City to house their team.

It was after this time that the ground saw most of its development work - stands, terracing, etc. The floodlights were installed in 1965. By its demise it boasted a 440 seater stand running half the length of the Tachbrook Road side. At the left hand side (looking from the pitch) were the changing rooms.

To the right, and extending behind the northern goal, was terracing. The terracing gradually faded into a gently sloping gravel bank that continued round the other 2 sides of the pitch. The north end was covered, as was a very small section of the embankment opposite the stand.

The stated capacity of the ground was 5,000 - with cover for 1,600 spectators. The clubhouse (built in the late 1970s) sat behind the stand, up towards the northern end of the ground.

A First Round FA Cup tie, vs Stafford Rangers in the 1975/76 season, saw the largest attendance at the ground. 3,200 turned up to see Stafford triumph 3-2.

With the ground's owners, Automotive Products, struggling financially, property developers AC Lloyd purchased the ground in 1985. The downfall of the club could be said to have started two years previously. Despite winning the Southern League championship in 1983, the club was denied promotion to the GM Vauxhall Conference due to the condition of the ground. Kidderminster Harriers were promoted instead, and a sad downward spiral was put in motion.

The final league match at the ground was on 16 April, 1988 against Walsall Wood. The very last match played at the ground was between teams managed by two old (AP) Leamington managers a "Farewell to the Windmill Ground".

Where the ground once stood there is now a housing development. The turnstiles were sold to VS Rugby and of the some stand went to Stratford Town. The floodlights, originally from Manchester City's Maine Road ground, were sold to a security firm.

[edit] The New Windmill Ground

The New Windmill Ground has been Leamington FC's home since the 2000/01 renaissance.

The ground is built in the shadow of nearby Chesterton Windmill on Harbury Lane, just outside Leamington Spa. It is fully owned by Leamington Football Club.

As of December 2007, the ground contains a match pitch and a practice pitch, car park, licensed clubhouse and changing rooms, a snack bar, club shop and a tuck shop, and an electronic scoreboard. There is covered terracing on the South side ("The Harbury Lane End"), covered seating on the East side ("The Sheepside"), terracing on the North side ("The North Bank"), and an uncovered stand on the West side. The ground has full floodlighting and PA facilities. Entrance is via turnstiles at the South-West corner.

In June 2007, planning permission was granted for further development, intended to bring the ground to the standards required by the Southern League. This planned development includes a new stand on the West side of the ground, and an extension to the clubhouse.

[edit] Supporters

Leamington FC fans display their flags at the New Windmill Ground
Leamington FC fans display their flags at the New Windmill Ground

Leamington enjoys an unprecedented level of support for the club's position in the league system. Average attendance for home matches is over 530, and the club took over 1,000 supporters to Colchester for their 2005 FA Cup match. The highest attendance at a New Windmill Ground match was 1,380 when Retford United visited on 17 February 2007. Below are the top five ever attendances at the NWG:

Attendance Opponents Match Date
1,380 Retford United FA Vase February 2007
1,263 Rugby Town Midland Football Combination Division Two May 2001
1,204 Rugby Town Midland Football Combination Division One April 2002
1,151 Racing Club Warwick Midland Football Alliance April 2007
1,045 Bemerton Heath Harlequins FA Vase April 2007

[edit] Rivals

Leamington's primary rivals are Bedworth United. Other rivals are Racing Club Warwick from the nearby town of Warwick, and Stratford Town from Stratford-upon-Avon, another town close to Leamington. Nuneaton Borough and Rugby Town AFC are also based nearby but play in the Conference North and Southern League Premier Division respectively.

[edit] Honours

[edit] League Championships

[edit] Cups

  • Birmingham Junior Cup: 1912/13, 1920/21 (both Leamington Town)
  • Birmingham Senior Cup: 1951/52, 1955/56, 1960/61, 1969/70, 1971/72 (all Lockheed Leamington)
  • Southern League Cup: 1973/74 (AP Leamington), 1983/84 (Leamington)
  • Southern League Champions Cup: 1973/74 (AP Leamington), 1983/84 (Leamington)
  • Midland Football Alliance League Cup: 2006/07 (Leamington)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Warwick District Council (2007). Report to the Planning Committee 29 May 2007.  Page 10 states existing capacity of 1,400. Page 12 proposes an increase of 833.

[edit] Sources

[edit] External links


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