Raunds Town F.C. is a
football club based at
Raunds
Raunds is a market town in North Northamptonshire, England. It had a population of 9,379 at the 2021 census.
Geography
Raunds is situated north-east of Northampton. The town is on the southern edge of the Nene Valley and surrounded by ar ...
,
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by
two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. The play in the . They were
FA Vase semi-finalists in 1994–95.
History
Raunds Town was founded in 1946. There had been other teams with "Raunds" in the title as long ago as 1896–97, but at a meeting in the town's
Temperance
Temperance may refer to:
Moderation
*Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed
*Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion
Culture
*Temperance (group), Canadian danc ...
Hall in May 1946 a new amalgamated club was formed. The club is nicknamed "The Shopmates" in reference to the local
boot and
shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture ...
industry
Industry may refer to:
Economics
* Industry (economics), a generally categorized branch of economic activity
* Industry (manufacturing), a specific branch of economic activity, typically in factories with machinery
* The wider industrial sector ...
, which was largely
workshop
Beginning with the Industrial Revolution era, a workshop may be a room, rooms or building which provides both the area and tools (or machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods. Workshops were the on ...
-based.
In 1950 the Shopmates joined the
United Counties League
The United Counties League (also known after its sponsor as the ''Uhlsport United Counties League'') is an English football league covering Northamptonshire, Rutland and Bedfordshire and most of Leicestershire as well as parts of Buckinghamshi ...
(formerly the Northamptonshire League), playing in the Second Division. They did not set the league on fire, and after switching between the divisions settled in Division One after the former first division was redesignated the Premier Division. A season in Division Two in 1979–80 seemed to wake them up: after the division was disbanded at the end of that season, the Shopmates returned to Division One and were promoted as champions in 1982–83.
Raunds Town embarked upon an ambitious programme. Having played at Greenhouse Field for two years at the start, they moved to The Berristers for thirty-three seasons and in 1991 they moved to Kiln Park. The stadium adjacent to the
A45 was designed to host football at a higher level. The Shopmates' on-field performance matched this munificence. In 1992–93 they won at
Northwich Victoria 2–0 to eliminate their hosts from the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
in the Second Qualifying Round, thus far the only time a UCL club has eliminated
Conference opposition from the competition. In 1994–95 the Shopmates lost the
FA Vase semi-final against
Arlesey Town
Arlesey Town Football Club is a football club based in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, England. Affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the and play at Hitchin Road.
History
The club was established ...
having led 3–0 after the first (home) leg. The following season they were eliminated in the quarter-final by
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
club
Mangotsfield United. In 2006–07 the Shopmates eliminated
Isthmian League side
Enfield
Enfield may refer to:
Places Australia
* Enfield, New South Wales
* Enfield, South Australia
** Electoral district of Enfield, a state electoral district in South Australia, corresponding to the suburb
** Enfield High School (South Australia)
...
from the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
by way of a 2–1 away win, gaining revenge for a reverse in the same competition at their hands eight seasons before.
Meanwhile, in the United Counties League, the leadership of manager Keith Burt led an assault on the top of the table. Having lost out on the championship on goal difference in 1994–95, Raunds seized the title the following season. They were duly promoted to the
Southern League, where they took their place in the
Midland Division. However, they suffered from their geographical location close to the boundary between the divisions and in 1998–99, the Shopmates were shifted to the
Southern Division, which was renamed the Eastern Division the following season. This had financial implications, not least the cost of travelling, and for two seasons Raunds Town struggled. Manager Keith Burt resigned, and the club had little option but to apply for re-admission to the United Counties League at the end of 1999–2000.
In the 2012–13 season, Raunds Town were managed by Stuart Brown. 2013-14 saw the arrival of co-managers James Le Masurier and Scott Manning. At the end of the
2020–21 season the club were transferred to Division One of the
Spartan South Midlands League
The Spartan South Midlands Football League is an English football league covering Hertfordshire, northwest Greater London, central Buckinghamshire and southern Bedfordshire. It is a feeder to the Southern Football League or the Isthmian League, ...
.
Staff Positions
* Joint Managers: Luke Aridegbe/Dean McBride
* Head Coach:
* First Team Coach:
* Reserve Team Manager: Matt O`Connor
* U18 Manager: Steve Whitney/Eddie Mcgoldrick/Wayne Bellamy
Honours
*
United Counties League
The United Counties League (also known after its sponsor as the ''Uhlsport United Counties League'') is an English football league covering Northamptonshire, Rutland and Bedfordshire and most of Leicestershire as well as parts of Buckinghamshi ...
Premier Division
[Raunds Town at the Football Club History Database](_blank)
/ref>
**Runners-up 1991–92, 1994–95
*United Counties League Division One
**Champions 1982–83
Records
*FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
**Fourth Qualifying Round 1998–99
* FA Trophy
**Third Round 1998–99
* FA Vase
**Semi-finals 1994–95
References
External links
*
{{Coord, 52, 21, 08.14, N, 0, 32, 43.67, W, region:GB_type:landmark, display=title
Football clubs in England
Football clubs in Northamptonshire
Association football clubs established in 1946
United Counties League
Southern Football League clubs
1946 establishments in England
Raunds
Spartan South Midlands Football League