Reepham Town was formed in 1931 and they were given the nickname “The Robins” to echo the shade of the bright red shirts they played in. Prior to this point the town of Reepham had a football team named Reepham Band and Hope (a Salvation Army team) and then Reepham United.

Records are erratic in the ensuing years, but the first mention of a cup final appearance comes in 1935 and this was an outing in the Reepham Nursing Charity Cup when Reepham defeated Hevingham in the final. Throughout the next thirty years or so The Robins played in the Reepham and District League, then from there into the Norwich and District League. From 1957 the club went into the Norfolk and Suffolk League and when in 1964 the Anglian Combination league was formed and Reepham Town took their place in Division Two (second tier) and in the first season finished 13th out of 16.

It was eight seasons before tangible success came when the first team under the guidance of Colin Reeve won the division and was promoted to the top division. The Robins stayed in the top sector for a further seven years, but they never really made an impact. Their best placing was eighth, before they were relegated in 1980. A second successive relegation in 1981 saw the Robins slip into junior football for the first time.

During 82/83 season an influx of new players saw a Reepham revival. Their change in fortune saw them bounce back into senior football as runners up of division two behind Swaffham Town. The same two teams met in the Junior Knockout final at Beccles Town where the Robins won 1-0 with a Wayne Rutland goal.

For the next ten years Reepham hovered around the lower echelons of the second tier. There were glimmers of league success, but there were some great Senior Cup days. In the 85/86 season Norwich City were visitors to Stimpson’s Piece where around 600 spectators saw goalkeeper and current treasurer Barry Haggerty perform heroics before the Canaries eventually ran out as 4-0 winners. In 92/93 the Robins effected possibly one of the biggest shocks in the cups’ history. Reepham who were struggling for senior football survival met high flying Diss Town of the Eastern Counties (Ridgeon’s) League. With 66 places separating the two clubs a crowd of 500 saw goals from Paul Carman and Paul Reeve win 2-1. Although this result was no fluke the fortunes of the two clubs were to be poles apart Diss went onto win the FA Vase at Wembley the next season and The Robins were relegated into junior football again. The following year Reepham Town was relegated again into what was by then division three (the fourth tier).

Two seasons later The Robins were back in Division Two and in both 98 and 99 they were close to promotion, but generally Reepham epitomised middle table mediocrity.

By 05/06 season the club was struggling. The committee had dwindled and club stalwarts David Norris and Barry Haggerty were doing most jobs and the future was somewhat bleak as they grappled with the huge workload. New players did not want to join the club and there was no youth set up and thus no influx of young blood. The last game of the season saw manager Ian Pratt take the team to Division Two champions Mundford. The draw which the team gained that day saw the club’s continued existence in division two. This draw saved the club from the possibility of folding, which may well have happened if relegation had occurred.

This was a watershed for the club and here was an opportunity of a brand new start. The transformation came, when in May 2006 the club appointed Marcus Wilkinson as chairman and within a space of months things started to happen. Once again Reepham had a Sunday team and a youth set up. The committee was strengthened, finances were improved and players started to reappear on the scene. Derek Dewson was appointed as first team manager for the 06/07 season and quite quickly replaced by former player Glenn Chipperfield. Glenn moved side wards into an ever growing youth section the following season (07/08) and Shane Lutkin and Paul Belton, who had been successful at Fakenham Town, took over the first team and started building a squad with a winning mentality.

All round 08/09 season was a good one. Reepham Town Sunday stormed on and achieved back to back promotions as Gary Easton lead his men to victory after victory. The reserves have had better seasons, but Chris Holmes held together a difficult situation and should take credit for that. Shane Lutkin and Paul Belton saw the first team lose four of their first seven games and then lost one and drew one out of the next 27, winning 25 and getting promotion as runners up and winning the cup in the process. However team of the season was Dale Holland’s under 16’s. The 16’s went one better than the first team and won the championship and the cup. The nucleus of this under 16’s team is to be a third mens team. The future is bright, the future is Robin Red. enquires@reephamtown.co.uk