History
BANBURY UNITED FC - A BRIEF CLUB HISTORY
Banbury United's genesis is to be found in Spencer Villa, a works club formed in 1931. Friendly matches were played on a ground on the town's Middleton Road. The club joined the Banbury Junior League for the 1933-34 season and won the championship at their first attempt. They changed their name to Banbury Spencer in 1934 and moved to their current ground for the start of the 1934-35 season in which they competed in the Oxfordshire Senior League. This too they won at their first attempt. During the season they were elected to the Birmingham Combination for the start of the 1935-36 season.
After the war, Banbury resumed in the Birmingham Combination and turned professional for the 1946-47 season. In 1947-48, with attendances averaging 3,500, they finished runners-up in the league and reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 2-1 at Colchester United, at that time a Southern League club. The next season the ground attendance record was broken when 7,160 turned up to see Banbury lose to Oxford City in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup. The same season also saw Banbury reach the final of the Birmingham Senior Cup, losing 2-1 to Nuneaton Borough. Banbury's manager at this time was Jimmy Cringan, who had joined them in 1936 and was to remain 'The Boss' for no less than 25 years until his retirement in 1961.
The status of the Birmingham Combination began to decline in the early 1950s. At the end of the 1953-54 season the league disbanded and, along with most of its remaining clubs, Banbury joined the Birmingham League. In 1959-60 they reached the final of the Birmingham Senior Cup for the second time, again losing to Nuneaton, this time 1-0. In 1961-62, Banbury reached the first round of the FA Cup for the second time, travelling to Third Division Shrewsbury Town and losing 7-1.
The Birmingham League expanded further and renamed itself the West Midlands League for the start of the 1962-63 season. Around this time the club's owners indicated their wish to cut their links with the club and so in 1965 a group of local businessmen bought the club. Banbury Spencer became Banbury United. The new owners were ambitious and were looking to a higher grade of football. Former Chelsea, West Ham, Arsenal and England player Len Goulden was installed as manager. During the summer of 1966 Banbury were elected to the Southern League. Significant improvements were made to the ground. Floodlights were installed and the famous old railway coaches that had been used as changing rooms were removed and replaced by a new clubhouse.
United then embarked on an unbroken 24-season run as members of the Southern League. They came close to league honours in 1967-68 when they finished in seventh place in the First Division, just two points and three places behind Rugby Town who were promoted to the Premier Division. The first round of the FA Cup was reached twice more; in 1972-73, United lost 2-0 at home to Barnet, then a Southern League club, and the following season, after a 0-0 draw at home, they lost 3-2 away to Fourth Division Northampton Town in a replay. United twice reached the last sixteen of the FA Trophy, losing 1-0 in a replay to Hereford United in 1970-71 and, in 1973-74, by the same score in a second replay to eventual Southern League champions Dartford.
From the late 1970s United's fortunes declined sharply as debts mounted. The ownership of the ground was given up as security against the club's debts. On the field the team was also struggling, finishing in the top half of the table just twice in twelve seasons after 1978. In 1990, United finished 21st of 22 and were relegated for the first time in their history, starting season 1990-91 in the Hellenic League.
Those fans who expected a quick return to the Southern League were to be disappointed. Only in 1993-94, when they finished third, did United make look like making a serious promotion challenge. However, from 1997 onwards a revived and expanded committee brought about such an improvement in financial circumstances that the club was ready to aim for promotion. Former Oxford, Newcastle and QPR player Kevin Brock was appointed first team manager for the 1999-2000 campaign. United's form up to Christmas was good but they entered the New Year no fewer than nineteen points behind leaders Highworth Town. In only eight weeks they overhauled their rivals with a run of 13 consecutive victories. A 3-1 victory at Wantage Town clinched the Hellenic League championship with two games remaining and Banbury United were back in the Southern League almost ten years after leaving it.
United's first two seasons back in the Southern League saw them finish 13th and 15th, rather disappointing and in stark contrast to what was to follow. The 2002-03 campaign began with three straight league defeats but was then lit up by Norman Sylla, a 19-year-old, French-born striker signed from Oxford United's reserve team as a replacement for Matty Gooderick, the leading scorer for the previous three years who had broken a leg in a pre-season friendly match. Sylla went on a scoring spree as United soared up the table with an 18-match unbeaten run. Twice they led the Eastern division and though fading in the second half of the season, a final position of eighth was the best in the Southern League in 25 years.
The plans for the restructuring of the non-League Pyramid were announced during the spring of 2003. United were guaranteed promotion to the Premier division of a reformed Southern League if they could finish the 2003-04 season at least seventh, or take eighth place and win a play-off. That looked unlikely when Sylla departed for Conference football and results were modest well into the New Year. However, eight wins in the last twelve games took them to eighth and a home play-off against Sutton Coldfield Town of the Western Division, Banbury coming from behind dramatically to win in stoppage time in extra-time.
The 2004-05 season was anticipated as keenly as any in the history of the club and United were equal to the challenge of Premier Division football – but only just. Winless after five games, they rose to ninth by the end of October but then struggled and by February had sunk to within one place of the relegation zone and spent two months there before a late improvement saw them to safety with a game to spare.
Banbury's final position of seventh in season 2005-06 was an improvement of no fewer than ten places on the previous season but thirteenth in 2006-07 was a big disappointment in a season which included the worst losing streak (six games) for more than 16 years. However, it was troubles off the field that made the headlines. Club accounts showed a large deficit and big cuts were made to the playing budget. Shortly after the season, manager Kevin Brock resigned, citing the budget cuts as his reason for leaving. Long-serving defender Kieran Sullivan was appointed manager for the 2007-08 season and he was faced with the daunting task of running the team on the much reduced budget. This he did with some credit, taking the team to ninth place.
However, this performance was not repeated in season 2008-09 and with the club again facing relegation, Sullivan resigned seven weeks from the end of the season to be replaced by Billy Jeffrey, ex Oxford United midfielder and former manager at Stamford and Rugby. Although results improved, this was not enough to prevent the club finishing in a relegation place. However, the annual bout of resignations and demotions throughout the top three levels of the Pyramid earned the club a reprieve. 2009-10 saw a marked improvement with Jeffrey's young team finishing in 12th place and ensuring another season of Southern League Premier Division football but 2010-11 was another disappointing one in which relegation was a threat until the last fortnight. Jeffrey stepped down for health reasons at the end of season and was replaced by Ady Fuller, former Banbury defender who had played for the club than 450 times and led Daventry Town to the Division One Central play-offs in 2010-11.
The management is continuing to work hard with the local authority to provide a new stadium, although the economic conditions have delayed progress. The club is currently running over 25 teams, including ladies and one for players with learning disabilities, and has plans to expand further. The club has gained the FA Charter Standard club award and is applying for the Community Standard award.
Banbury United's genesis is to be found in Spencer Villa, a works club formed in 1931. Friendly matches were played on a ground on the town's Middleton Road. The club joined the Banbury Junior League for the 1933-34 season and won the championship at their first attempt. They changed their name to Banbury Spencer in 1934 and moved to their current ground for the start of the 1934-35 season in which they competed in the Oxfordshire Senior League. This too they won at their first attempt. During the season they were elected to the Birmingham Combination for the start of the 1935-36 season.
After the war, Banbury resumed in the Birmingham Combination and turned professional for the 1946-47 season. In 1947-48, with attendances averaging 3,500, they finished runners-up in the league and reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 2-1 at Colchester United, at that time a Southern League club. The next season the ground attendance record was broken when 7,160 turned up to see Banbury lose to Oxford City in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup. The same season also saw Banbury reach the final of the Birmingham Senior Cup, losing 2-1 to Nuneaton Borough. Banbury's manager at this time was Jimmy Cringan, who had joined them in 1936 and was to remain 'The Boss' for no less than 25 years until his retirement in 1961.
The status of the Birmingham Combination began to decline in the early 1950s. At the end of the 1953-54 season the league disbanded and, along with most of its remaining clubs, Banbury joined the Birmingham League. In 1959-60 they reached the final of the Birmingham Senior Cup for the second time, again losing to Nuneaton, this time 1-0. In 1961-62, Banbury reached the first round of the FA Cup for the second time, travelling to Third Division Shrewsbury Town and losing 7-1.
The Birmingham League expanded further and renamed itself the West Midlands League for the start of the 1962-63 season. Around this time the club's owners indicated their wish to cut their links with the club and so in 1965 a group of local businessmen bought the club. Banbury Spencer became Banbury United. The new owners were ambitious and were looking to a higher grade of football. Former Chelsea, West Ham, Arsenal and England player Len Goulden was installed as manager. During the summer of 1966 Banbury were elected to the Southern League. Significant improvements were made to the ground. Floodlights were installed and the famous old railway coaches that had been used as changing rooms were removed and replaced by a new clubhouse.
United then embarked on an unbroken 24-season run as members of the Southern League. They came close to league honours in 1967-68 when they finished in seventh place in the First Division, just two points and three places behind Rugby Town who were promoted to the Premier Division. The first round of the FA Cup was reached twice more; in 1972-73, United lost 2-0 at home to Barnet, then a Southern League club, and the following season, after a 0-0 draw at home, they lost 3-2 away to Fourth Division Northampton Town in a replay. United twice reached the last sixteen of the FA Trophy, losing 1-0 in a replay to Hereford United in 1970-71 and, in 1973-74, by the same score in a second replay to eventual Southern League champions Dartford.
From the late 1970s United's fortunes declined sharply as debts mounted. The ownership of the ground was given up as security against the club's debts. On the field the team was also struggling, finishing in the top half of the table just twice in twelve seasons after 1978. In 1990, United finished 21st of 22 and were relegated for the first time in their history, starting season 1990-91 in the Hellenic League.
Those fans who expected a quick return to the Southern League were to be disappointed. Only in 1993-94, when they finished third, did United make look like making a serious promotion challenge. However, from 1997 onwards a revived and expanded committee brought about such an improvement in financial circumstances that the club was ready to aim for promotion. Former Oxford, Newcastle and QPR player Kevin Brock was appointed first team manager for the 1999-2000 campaign. United's form up to Christmas was good but they entered the New Year no fewer than nineteen points behind leaders Highworth Town. In only eight weeks they overhauled their rivals with a run of 13 consecutive victories. A 3-1 victory at Wantage Town clinched the Hellenic League championship with two games remaining and Banbury United were back in the Southern League almost ten years after leaving it.
United's first two seasons back in the Southern League saw them finish 13th and 15th, rather disappointing and in stark contrast to what was to follow. The 2002-03 campaign began with three straight league defeats but was then lit up by Norman Sylla, a 19-year-old, French-born striker signed from Oxford United's reserve team as a replacement for Matty Gooderick, the leading scorer for the previous three years who had broken a leg in a pre-season friendly match. Sylla went on a scoring spree as United soared up the table with an 18-match unbeaten run. Twice they led the Eastern division and though fading in the second half of the season, a final position of eighth was the best in the Southern League in 25 years.
The plans for the restructuring of the non-League Pyramid were announced during the spring of 2003. United were guaranteed promotion to the Premier division of a reformed Southern League if they could finish the 2003-04 season at least seventh, or take eighth place and win a play-off. That looked unlikely when Sylla departed for Conference football and results were modest well into the New Year. However, eight wins in the last twelve games took them to eighth and a home play-off against Sutton Coldfield Town of the Western Division, Banbury coming from behind dramatically to win in stoppage time in extra-time.
The 2004-05 season was anticipated as keenly as any in the history of the club and United were equal to the challenge of Premier Division football – but only just. Winless after five games, they rose to ninth by the end of October but then struggled and by February had sunk to within one place of the relegation zone and spent two months there before a late improvement saw them to safety with a game to spare.
Banbury's final position of seventh in season 2005-06 was an improvement of no fewer than ten places on the previous season but thirteenth in 2006-07 was a big disappointment in a season which included the worst losing streak (six games) for more than 16 years. However, it was troubles off the field that made the headlines. Club accounts showed a large deficit and big cuts were made to the playing budget. Shortly after the season, manager Kevin Brock resigned, citing the budget cuts as his reason for leaving. Long-serving defender Kieran Sullivan was appointed manager for the 2007-08 season and he was faced with the daunting task of running the team on the much reduced budget. This he did with some credit, taking the team to ninth place.
However, this performance was not repeated in season 2008-09 and with the club again facing relegation, Sullivan resigned seven weeks from the end of the season to be replaced by Billy Jeffrey, ex Oxford United midfielder and former manager at Stamford and Rugby. Although results improved, this was not enough to prevent the club finishing in a relegation place. However, the annual bout of resignations and demotions throughout the top three levels of the Pyramid earned the club a reprieve. 2009-10 saw a marked improvement with Jeffrey's young team finishing in 12th place and ensuring another season of Southern League Premier Division football but 2010-11 was another disappointing one in which relegation was a threat until the last fortnight. Jeffrey stepped down for health reasons at the end of season and was replaced by Ady Fuller, former Banbury defender who had played for the club than 450 times and led Daventry Town to the Division One Central play-offs in 2010-11.
The management is continuing to work hard with the local authority to provide a new stadium, although the economic conditions have delayed progress. The club is currently running over 25 teams, including ladies and one for players with learning disabilities, and has plans to expand further. The club has gained the FA Charter Standard club award and is applying for the Community Standard award.
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