Scunthorpe United Football Club is a professional
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
club based in
Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe () is an industrial town in Lincolnshire, England, and the county's third most populous settlement after Lincoln, England, Lincoln and Grimsby, with a population of 81,286 in 2021. It is the administrative centre and largest settleme ...
,
North Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Lincolnshire, England. At the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 Census, it had a population of 167,446. T ...
, England. The team competes in the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
, the fifth tier of the
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in England, with five teams from Wales, one from Guernsey, one from Jersey and one from the ...
.
The club was formed in 1899 and turned professional after joining the
Midland League
The Midland Football League, officially known as the Capelli Sport Midland Football League since January 2025 for sponsorship reasons, is an English football league that was founded in 2014 by the merger of the former Midland Alliance and Midl ...
in 1912. Crowned Midland League champions in the 1926–27 and 1938–39 campaigns, they were elected into the
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...
in 1950. They went on to secure promotion as champions of the
Third Division North in 1957–58 and spent six seasons in the
Second Division, before they were relegated in 1964 and then down to the
Fourth Division in 1968. United spent 34 of the next 37 seasons in the basement tier, punctuated by one-season stays in the third tier after they secured promotions in 1971–72, 1982–83 and 1998–99.
Brian Laws
Brian Laws (born 14 October 1961) is an English former professional footballer and manager.
Playing as a defender, Laws made over 100 appearances for each of Burnley, Middlesbrough, and Nottingham Forest. In 1994, Laws became player-manager of ...
saw the club promoted out of
League Two at the end of the 2004–05 season and his successor,
Nigel Adkins
Nigel Howard Adkins (born 11 March 1965) is an English professional football manager and former footballer and physiotherapist. He was most recently the manager and technical director at Tranmere Rovers.
Adkins played as a goalkeeper for Tran ...
, led the club to the
League One title in 2006–07. Scunthorpe spent just one season in the
Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this sys ...
, but victory in the
2009 League One play-off final saw the club promoted back to the Championship. They remained in the second tier for two seasons, until back-to-back relegations saw them back in the fourth tier by 2013. Scunthorpe were promoted to League One at the end of the 2013–14 season and remained there until relegation to League Two in 2018–19. In 2021–22, the club was relegated to the National League, ending a 72-year spell in the Football League, and a year later suffered further relegation to the
National League North
The National League North, officially known as Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Association football league in England. National League North is the second division of the National League (English footb ...
. At the end of the 2024–25 season, Scunthorpe were promoted back to the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
.
The team is nicknamed "The Iron", and has played in a home strip of claret and blue for most of the club's history. They play their home games at
Glanford Park
Glanford Park, currently known as The Attis Arena for sponsorship reasons, is a association football, football stadium in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, and is the home of team Scunthorpe United F.C., Scunthorpe United.
Opened in 1988 at ...
—currently known as The Attis Arena for sponsorship reasons—having moved from their original stadium, the
Old Show Ground, in 1988. They used to contest
Humber derby games with local rivals
Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England, that competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system.
Nicknamed "the Mariners", the club was f ...
and
Hull City, as well as
Lincolnshire derby games with
Boston United,
Gainsborough Trinity and
Lincoln City.
History
1899–1958: Early years

Scunthorpe United was formed in 1899.
In 1910 they merged with local rivals North Lindsey United to become Scunthorpe & Lindsey United and joined the
Midland Football League
The Midland Football League, officially known as the Capelli Sport Midland Football League since January 2025 for sponsorship reasons, is an England, English association football, football league that was founded in 2014 by the merger of the form ...
in 1912.
After an unsuccessful application to join the
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...
in 1921,
Scunthorpe & Lindsey won the Midland League in 1926–27 and in 1938–39.
When the 1939–40 season came to an abrupt end, due to the outbreak of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Scunthorpe & Lindsey finished as runners-up in the second emergency competition, losing 3–2 to
Peterborough United in an unofficial play-off game.
After the end of the war, in 1945, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United re-applied to join the Football League at every opportunity.
The club finished as runners-up in the Midland League in 1947–48,
and in
1950
Events January
* January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed.
* January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...
was accepted into the Football League, ahead of
Workington
Workington is a coastal town and civil parish in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. The town is at the mouth of the River Derwent on the west coast, south-west of Carlisle and north-east of Whitehaven. At the 2021 census the ...
and
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system.
Founded in 1932, they have p ...
when the league structure was expanded.
The club's first game in
Third Division North was against fellow new entrants
Shrewsbury Town.
After an unremarkable few years in the Football League, which included the club's first-ever third and fourth-round FA Cup ties (against
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...
and
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
respectively), the "& Lindsey" was dropped from the club's name in 1958.
1958–1964: The Second Division years
In 1958 Scunthorpe United won promotion to the
Second Division as champions of the
Third Division North under the guidance of manager
Ron Suart. The Iron then began a steady rise through the Second Division over the next four years under a variety of managers, improving its league position each season until reaching fourth place at the close of the 1961–62 season, the club's highest league position to date. This was despite the sale of its leading marksman
Barrie Thomas to
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Since th ...
for a reported £40,000.
The year 1962 proved to be a turning point in the fortunes of the club, and in 1964 they finished bottom of the Second Division and were relegated to the now national
Third Division. At the same time Scunthorpe United stalwart
Jack Brownsword retired after 597 Football League appearances for the club, and
Freddie Goodwin replaced
Dick Duckworth as the club's manager.
1964–1987: Decline and stagnation
After relegation from Division Two, the Iron spent the next four years bouncing around in the Third Division. Freddie Goodwin left the club during the 1967–68 season, but his replacement
Ron Ashman was unable to save the club from relegation to
Division Four at the end of the season. A slight resurgence occurred in the early '70s, with the Iron defeating First Division
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system.
Formed in 1867 as an off ...
in the FA Cup during January 1970 and gaining promotion back to the Third Division in 1972. During this period, a young
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan (born 14 February 1951) is an English former footballer and manager. Nicknamed "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse", Keegan was recognised for his dribbling ability, as well as his finishing and presence in the air, and is regard ...
was discovered and developed by Ashman before being sold to
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
in 1971 for £35,000, having made 124 appearances and scored 18 goals for Scunthorpe.
The Iron were unable to cement a place in the Third Division, and relegation back to the Fourth Division followed immediately in 1973. At the same time, Ashman departed to manage local rivals
Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England, that competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system.
Nicknamed "the Mariners", the club was f ...
, only to return in 1976. The period between his two tenures saw several management changes and a disastrous league campaign which saw the Iron finish bottom of the Football League in 1975. In 1980, the club signed the cricketer
Ian Botham, who played until 1984, making 14 appearances. He was also a regular in the Central League for Scunthorpe United Reserves, once scoring a hat-trick against Blackpool at the Old Show Ground. The next five years saw United remain in the bottom half of Division Four, finishing second-bottom at the end of the 1981–82 campaign. Promotion to Division Three was achieved under manager
John Duncan in 1983, but immediate relegation followed under his successor
Allan Clarke, with United then entering a further period of stagnation in the middle of the Fourth Division table.
1987–1997: New home, new horizons

In 1988 Scunthorpe United became the first English football club in the modern era to move to a new, purpose-built stadium,
Glanford Park
Glanford Park, currently known as The Attis Arena for sponsorship reasons, is a association football, football stadium in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, and is the home of team Scunthorpe United F.C., Scunthorpe United.
Opened in 1988 at ...
.
While preparations for the new ground were under way, the club's final season at the Old Show Ground very nearly yielded success as United qualified for the Division Four play-offs under the management of
Mick Buxton
Michael James Buxton (born 29 May 1943, Corbridge) is a former association football, footballer and football Coach (sport), manager in England.
He has managed Huddersfield Town A.F.C., Huddersfield Town, Scunthorpe United F.C., Scunthorpe Unite ...
. However, the Iron lose 3–2 on aggregate to
Torquay United
Torquay United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Torquay, Devon, England. The team currently compete in the National League South, the sixth level of the English football league system. They have played their ho ...
in the semi-final. The second leg of this semi-final was the last game played at the Old Show Ground, with
Steve Lister being the last player to score at the ground.
The club's first season at Glanford Park ended in another play-off semi-final defeat, 5–1 on aggregate to
Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in the North East Wales, north-east of Wales. It lies between the Cambrian Mountains, Welsh mountains and the lower River Dee, Wales, Dee Valley, near the England–Wales border, borde ...
. Further play-off failure occurred in 1991 as the Iron lost to 3–2 on aggregate to
Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
in the semi-final under Buxton's replacement,
Bill Green. Finally, in 1992 the club made it to the Fourth Division play-off final at
Wembley
Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in the London Borou ...
, but lost 4–3 to Blackpool in a
penalty shootout
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pe ...
. This was the club's first appearance at Wembley.
The following four seasons saw United sit consistently in the middle of the now Third Division table under a succession of managers, namely
Richard Money and
David Moore. Mick Buxton made a surprise return to the club as manager following Moore's sacking in 1996.
1997–2010: The Brian Laws and Nigel Adkins era
In February 1997,
Brian Laws
Brian Laws (born 14 October 1961) is an English former professional footballer and manager.
Playing as a defender, Laws made over 100 appearances for each of Burnley, Middlesbrough, and Nottingham Forest. In 1994, Laws became player-manager of ...
was appointed manager.
In 1997–98, his first full season in charge, the Iron finished one point outside the play-offs. The following season, the club finished fourth in Division Three. This ensured qualification for the play-offs, which they won after a 3–2 aggregate win in the semi-finals over
Swansea City and a 1–0 win over
Leyton Orient in the final at Wembley. They were unable to maintain their
Division Two status the following season, finishing in 23rd place.
Laws guided the Iron to their second play-off position finish during the 2002–03 season, with the club finishing in 5th place.
However, Scunthorpe were ultimately denied by their county rivals
Lincoln City, losing the semi-finals 6–3 on aggregate.
On 25 March 2004, Laws was sacked from his position as Scunthorpe United manager after a poor run of results saw the Iron sitting just 6 points above the Division Three relegation zone. However, only three weeks later, it was announced that Laws had been reinstated as the manager of the Iron after a boardroom shake-up. Ultimately, the Iron finished four points ahead of the relegation zone, finishing 22nd.
Laws remained with the Iron for the following season, which Scunthorpe started in the newly rebranded
Football League Two
The English Football League Two, simply known as League Two and for sponsorship purposes as Sky Bet League Two, is a professional association football league in England. EFL League Two is the fourth division of the English Football League (EFL ...
. The Iron gained promotion to
Football League One
The English Football League One, known as Sky Bet League One for sponsorship reasons, or simply League One, is a professional association football league in England. EFL League One is the second-highest division of the English Football League an ...
as runners up. In the FA Cup, Scunthorpe visited
Chelsea but lost 3–1 despite briefly going ahead in the match. In the 2005–06 season, the club secured a mid-table League One finish. After a successful start to the
2006–07 season, Laws was offered the job of manager at Sheffield Wednesday, which he accepted, ending almost a decade in charge of the Iron.
Following Laws' departure, physiotherapist
Nigel Adkins
Nigel Howard Adkins (born 11 March 1965) is an English professional football manager and former footballer and physiotherapist. He was most recently the manager and technical director at Tranmere Rovers.
Adkins played as a goalkeeper for Tran ...
was put in temporary charge. After obtaining good results, his role was made permanent. Under Adkins, the club went on to win League One and promotion to the
Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this sys ...
that season, in the process setting a club record 16-match unbeaten run
and accumulating 91 points.
In the following league campaign, Scunthorpe were unable to cement their place in the second tier, and were relegated in 23rd place.
The
2008–09 season saw Scunthorpe reach
Wembley
Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in the London Borou ...
twice. The Iron qualified for the
Football League Trophy
The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from the Premier Le ...
final, but were beaten 3–2 after extra time by
Luton Town
Luton Town Football Club is a professional association football, football club from Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The club currently competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system. Nicknamed "The Hatters", L ...
. The club then qualified for the League One play-offs before defeating
MK Dons on penalties in the semi-finals, before beating
Millwall in the Wembley final 3–2 to achieve promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking. In
2009–10, the Iron managed to retain their second-tier status, a feat no Scunthorpe side had achieved since 1963. Seven games into the
2010–11 season, Nigel Adkins left Scunthorpe to become
Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
's manager. After spells from
Ian Baraclough and
Alan Knill as manager, Scunthorpe were ultimately relegated in bottom position.
2011–2022: The final Football League years
They finished the
2011–12 season in 18th place with 52 points.
With the Iron struggling in the following season,
Brian Laws
Brian Laws (born 14 October 1961) is an English former professional footballer and manager.
Playing as a defender, Laws made over 100 appearances for each of Burnley, Middlesbrough, and Nottingham Forest. In 1994, Laws became player-manager of ...
returned after a six-year absence, but was unable to stop the club's slide back into League Two, with relegation confirmed on the last day of the next season. At the end of the 2012–13 season, the then chairman Steve Wharton stepped down from his position with immediate effect. Businessman
Peter Swann was appointed as his successor on 24 May 2013.
Laws was sacked in November 2013 and was replaced by
Russ Wilcox who oversaw a 28-game unbeaten run, which broke the all-time football league record. The unbeaten run was ended with a defeat at
Exeter City, on the same day Scunthorpe achieved instant promotion back to
League One. However, Wilcox could not sustain momentum into the following season and was sacked in October 2014. The club eventually finished 16th.
After narrowly missing out on the play-offs on goal difference in the previous
2015–16 campaign, the Iron finished in third, having never been outside the top six during the season.
In the play-off semi-final, Scunthorpe lost 3–2 to
Millwall.
In the
2017–18 season, Scunthorpe finished in 5th place but lost 4–2 on aggregate against
Rotherham United in the play-off semi-finals.
Scunthorpe were relegated at the end of the
2018–19 season in 23rd position.
Due to the
impact of COVID-19, the
2019–20 season was terminated early and decided on a
points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player or team per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of poi ...
basis, placing Scunthorpe 20th.
In
2020–21, the majority of fixtures were played
behind closed doors; Scunthorpe finished 22nd, after not winning any of their final ten fixtures, avoiding relegation by three points.
On 31 March 2022, with the Iron bottom of League Two and 10 points from safety, chairman
Peter Swann announced his resignation with immediate effect. On 15 April 2022, Scunthorpe lost 3–0 at
Leyton Orient and were relegated from League Two, ending a 72-year spell in the Football League.
The club's final league game was a 7–0 hammering away at
Bristol Rovers, leaving the Iron bottom of the table with just 26 points.
2022–present: non-League football
On 14 September 2022, the club was reported to be "in genuine danger of entering
administration
Administration may refer to:
Management of organizations
* Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people.
** Administrative assistant, traditionally known as a se ...
" after a proposed takeover deal collapsed.
In January 2023, with a takeover yet to be completed and the club at the bottom of the National League, the club were served with a
winding-up petition over an unpaid tax bill. On 25 January 2023, the club announced the immediate takeover of the club by former
Ilkeston Town chairman David Hilton.
Hilton settled the club's
HMRC
His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (commonly HM Revenue and Customs, or HMRC, and formerly Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) is a Departments of the United Kingdom Government, department of the UK government responsible for the tax collectio ...
tax debt, spelling the end of a transfer embargo
but ownership of the ground continued to be disputed.
To cut costs, the club's academy was closed and some staff redundancies went ahead.
At the end of the 2022–23 season, the club suffered a second successive relegation to the
National League North
The National League North, officially known as Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Association football league in England. National League North is the second division of the National League (English footb ...
.
In September 2023, Hilton put the club up for sale. On 28 September 2023, after the emergence of details relating to previous criminal offences committed by Hilton, and a damning expose article in The Athletic online football magazine, plus subsequent disagreements with various fans groups and individuals on social media, he withdrew the club's funding.
With going out of business seemingly immediately ahead for the club, an online initiative by longstanding fans website Iron Bru raised over £70k which was then used to pay some of the wages of staff, players and management (who had gone unpaid under Hilton for two months). On 4 October 2023, the club was sold to local businesswoman Michelle Harness
and a new board of directors was formed. They finished their first season in the sixth tier as runners-up but lost on penalties in the play-off semi-final to
Boston United, after which Jimmy Dean was relieved of his managerial duties.
The
2024–25 season saw the club earn promotion back to the National League at the second time of asking, defeating
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...
2–1 in the play-off final having finished second in the regular season.
[ ]
Stadiums
The Old Show Ground
The Old Show Ground was club's original home from 1899 to 1988. The site, in the centre of Scunthorpe, hosted events including the annual Scunthorpe show as far back as 1867. The site was also initially known simply as 'the Showground', but it is unclear when the prefix 'Old' was added.
The Old Show Ground needed significant investment to maintain its fabric and ensure compliance with new regulations introduced in the wake of the
Bradford City stadium fire
The Bradford City stadium fire occurred during a Football League Third Division match on Saturday 11 May 1985 at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, killing 56 spectators and injuring at least 265. The stadium was k ...
. In 1987, with the club hampered by financial difficulties, it announced plans to relocate. The ground was sold to the former supermarket chain
Safeway (and later to
Sainsbury's
J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is a British supermarket and the second-largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom.
Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company was the largest UK r ...
) and the search was started for a new location. In 1988 Scunthorpe United became the first English football club in the modern era to move to a new, purpose-built stadium,
Glanford Park
Glanford Park, currently known as The Attis Arena for sponsorship reasons, is a association football, football stadium in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, and is the home of team Scunthorpe United F.C., Scunthorpe United.
Opened in 1988 at ...
.
The site of the former ground is now home to a Sainsbury's store, at the junction of Doncaster Road and Henderson Avenue. When the store was opened a plaque (since removed) marked the location of the centre-spot, just in front of the delicatessen counter. A carved stone commemorating the site's previous use was incorporated into the exterior wall of a 2011 extension, beside the cashpoints.
Glanford Park
Land was secured at an out of town site in what was then the administrative area of
Glanford meaning that the new ground was outside the boundaries of Scunthorpe (although this changed with the re-organisation of local government in 1996 as both Scunthorpe Borough Council and Glanford Borough Council merged to become North Lincolnshire Council).
At this time there were no grants available and the development had to be funded with the cash from the sale of the Old Show Ground, sponsorship, directors' loans and bank loans. This lack of outsider cash means that Glanford Park was built in a rather simplistic, box-like style, with a capacity of 9,088—significantly smaller than the Old Show Ground. The ground was so named because it was sponsored by Glanford Borough Council. The ground has been officially known as the Attis Arena since 6 January 2024, when the naming rights were purchased by Leeds-based company Attis Insurance Brokers.
Glanford Park property dispute
In May 2021, the then Scunthorpe United owner, Peter Swann revealed to fans that he had transferred Glanford Park, the training ground, car park and surrounding land to his other business Coolsilk Property and Investment Ltd, in exchange for £11 million worth of loans. At the same time, Swann told the fans they could expect stadium improvements and that the club would have a 99-year lease so they couldn't be evicted. In January 2023, David Hilton had completed a takeover of Scunthorpe and announced the deal included the stadium and surrounding land. The deal provided a four-month exclusivity period for Hilton to conclude a £3m agreement to buy the property.
However, Hilton's legal team raised concerns about the valuation, the stadium's status as a community asset and issues of planning permission and access.
Hilton did not buy the stadium within the agreed timeframe;
instead he found a loophole solution: a lease agreement that let the club stay at Glanford Park for 7p a week rent - something Swann considered to be
trespass
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person (see below), trespass to chattels, and trespass to land.
Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery ...
and
squatting
Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building (usually residential) that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estimated in 2003 that there wer ...
.
Hilton claimed that Swann was demanding an unreasonable £1.5 million upfront before starting legal paperwork for the sale. Swann, through a fan message board, claimed Hilton was lying about the whole thing and didn't want to buy the stadium at all. In late May 2023, the gates at Glanford Park were bolted shut and a sign explained the club were legally allowed to 'squat' at Glanford Park.
Swann began legal proceedings to sue both Hilton and the club, with an initial court hearing being adjourned until between January 2024 and March 2024. However, in September 2023, the club said that fixtures after 7 October 2023 would be played at
Gainsborough Trinity due to the dispute.
However, the club continued to play at Glanford Park in late October as negotiations over the ground's ownership continued. On 16 November 2023, the club exchanged contracts with Swann to buy back Glanford Park.
Tahina Akther, a local born barrister, crafted a deal that enabled The New Show Ground Community Interest Company, a not for profit entity, to purchase the stadium alongside the local council purchasing the surrounding training fields and car parks for development. The purchase was completed on 29 November.
Club identity
The club's nickname, ''The Iron'', marks the town's association with the iron and steel industry. The club was also nicknamed The Nuts in the early 20th century.
The club's first choice playing colours are claret and blue.
Mascots
Scunthorpe United's
official team mascots are 'Scunny Bunny' who has the number 99 and 'Honey Bunny' who has the number 66. They both wear the same kit as the outfield players do.
Rivalries
Scunthorpe are considered to be a part of two main derbies: the
Humber derby and the
Lincolnshire derby. The Humber derby is a contested between Scunthorpe,
Hull City and
Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England, that competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system.
Nicknamed "the Mariners", the club was f ...
. The three clubs are all situated on the banks of the
River Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between ...
, hence the name given to the derby. The Lincolnshire derby is contested between a number of clubs throughout the county of
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...
, including Scunthorpe,
Lincoln City,
Boston United,
Gainsborough Trinity and Grimsby. Scunthorpe have not played Gainsborough competitively since an FA Cup game in 1930, though the two often play pre-season friendlies.
Doncaster Rovers F.C., Doncaster Rovers are also considered a rival, as they are the nearest club, geographically, to
Glanford Park
Glanford Park, currently known as The Attis Arena for sponsorship reasons, is a association football, football stadium in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, and is the home of team Scunthorpe United F.C., Scunthorpe United.
Opened in 1988 at ...
. Despite this, Grimsby are traditionally viewed as Scunthorpe's fiercest rivals. Fans also consider York City F.C., York City a rivalry, though the two teams rarely play each, only six times in the last 20 years. During Scunthorpe's rise to the second and third tiers of English football, rivalries with Barnsley F.C., Barnsley, Sheffield United F.C., Sheffield United and
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system.
Formed in 1867 as an off ...
emerged, although none of these clubs saw Scunthorpe as a rival.
Players
First-team squad
Notable former players
Full international players while at Scunthorpe
Grant McCann played 12 matches for Northern Ireland national football team, Northern Ireland during his time at Scunthorpe,
a club record. McCann scored three goals at international level
– a tally also reached by New Zealander David Mulligan.
George Thomas (footballer, born 1997), George Thomas was the most recent Scunthorpe player to make a full international appearance, for Wales against Trinidad and Tobago national football team, Trinidad and Tobago on 20 March 2019, during a season-long loan spell from Leicester City F.C., Leicester City.
a Capped while on loan to Scunthorpe United.
Other notable former players
In the early 1990s Perry Cotton played 10 internationals for New Zealand, scoring 1 goal.
Other notable players with full international caps after or before their times at Scunthorpe include (in alphabetical order):
*Graham Alexander – Burnley F.C., Burnley and Scotland national football team, Scotland
*Jermaine Beckford – Everton F.C., Everton, Leicester City F.C., Leicester City and Jamaica national football team, Jamaica
*Jack Bowers – English national football team, England, ex-Derby County F.C., Derby County and Leicester City F.C., Leicester City, began his professional career in 1927 at Scunthorpe & Lindsey United club.
*Ray Clemence – goalkeeper who played for
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
,
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...
and England national football team, England.
*Jack Cork – Burnley F.C., Burnley, England national football team, England and Great Britain men's Olympic football team, Great Britain in the Olympic Games, Olympics
*Matthew Elliott (footballer), Matt Elliot – Leicester City F.C., Leicester City and Scotland national football team, Scotland
*Duane Holmes – currently at Huddersfield Town A.F.C., Huddersfield Town, having played for United States men's national soccer team, USA
*Ken Jones (footballer born 1936), Ken Jones – goalkeeper in the Wales national football team, Welsh 1958 FIFA World Cup squads#Wales, squad at the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden
*
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan (born 14 February 1951) is an English former footballer and manager. Nicknamed "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse", Keegan was recognised for his dribbling ability, as well as his finishing and presence in the air, and is regard ...
– twice European Footballer of the Year, played for
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
and England national football team, England, with subsequent managerial career including England and
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Since th ...
.
*Andy Keogh – Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., Wolves and Republic of Ireland national football team, Republic of Ireland
*Ian Storey-Moore (Youth team) – Nottingham Forest F.C., Nottingham Forest, Manchester United F.C., Manchester United and England
England cricket team, England cricket all-rounder and national Test team captain
Ian Botham played as a defender (association football), centre-half and made eleven appearances in the
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...
for Scunthorpe.
Botham was also the president of Scunthorpe from 2017 to 2023.
Team management
Records and statistics
Attendance records
*Record attendance (Old Show Ground)
**23,935 vs.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
, 1953–54 FA Cup, FA Cup fourth round, 30 January 1954
*Record attendance (Glanford Park)
**9,086 vs
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...
, 18 May 2025
Position records
*Highest position
**4th in
Second Division, 1961–62
*Lowest position
**2nd in
National League North
The National League North, officially known as Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Association football league in England. National League North is the second division of the National League (English footb ...
, 2023–24 National League, 2023–24, 2024–25 National League, 2024–25
Record results
*Record victory
**8–1 vs.
Luton Town
Luton Town Football Club is a professional association football, football club from Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The club currently competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system. Nicknamed "The Hatters", L ...
, Third Division, 24 April 1965
**8–1 vs.
Torquay United
Torquay United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Torquay, Devon, England. The team currently compete in the National League South, the sixth level of the English football league system. They have played their ho ...
, Third Division, 28 October 1995
*Record defeat
**8–0 vs. Carlisle United F.C., Carlisle United, Third Division North, 25 December 1952
Transfer records
*Highest fees paid
**Rob Jones (footballer born 1979), Rob Jones – £700,000 from Hibernian F.C., Hibernian
**Martin Paterson – £335,000 from Stoke City F.C., Stoke City
**Paddy Madden – £300,000 from Yeovil Town F.C., Yeovil Town
**Kevan Hurst – £200,000 from Sheffield United F.C., Sheffield United
**Jonathan Forte – £200,000 from Sheffield United F.C., Sheffield United
**David Mirfin – £150,000 from Huddersfield Town F.C., Huddersfield Town
*Highest fees received
**Billy Sharp – £2.5 million to Sheffield United F.C., Sheffield United
**Gary Hooper – £2.4 million to Celtic F.C., Celtic
**Martin Paterson – £1.6 million to Burnley F.C., Burnley
**Conor Townsend – £756,000 to West Bromwich Albion F.C., West Brom
**Andy Keogh – £750,000 to Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., Wolverhampton Wanderers
Honours
Sources:
League
*
Third Division North /
League One (level 3)
**Champions: 1957–58 Football League Third Division North, 1957–58,
2006–07
**Play-off winners: 2009 Football League play-offs#League One, 2009
*
Fourth Division /
Third Division /
League Two (level 4)
**Runners-up: 2004–05 Football League Two, 2004–05, 2013–14 Football League Two, 2013–14
**Promoted: 1971–72 Football League Fourth Division, 1971–72, 1982–83 Football League Fourth Division, 1982–83
**Play-off winners: 1999 Football League play-offs#Third Division, 1999
*
National League North
The National League North, officially known as Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Association football league in England. National League North is the second division of the National League (English footb ...
(level 6)
**Play-off winners: 2024–25 National League#National League North, 2025
*
Midland League
The Midland Football League, officially known as the Capelli Sport Midland Football League since January 2025 for sponsorship reasons, is an English football league that was founded in 2014 by the merger of the former Midland Alliance and Midl ...
**Champions: 1926–27, 1938–39
Cup
*
Football League Trophy
The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from the Premier Le ...
**Runners-up: 2008–09 Football League Trophy, 2008–09
*Lincolnshire Senior Cup
**Winners (23): 1938–39, 1939–40, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1977–78, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Scunthorpe United F.C.,
Association football clubs established in 1899
Football clubs in England
English Football League clubs
Sport in Scunthorpe
Football clubs in Lincolnshire
1899 establishments in England
National League (English football) clubs