Nuneaton Borough

Nuneaton Borough FC is a non-league football club from the Warwickshire town of Nuneaton, who have existed in three incarnations, with the original club initially formed as Nuneaton St Nicholas back in 1889 before changing their name to Nuneaton Town in 1894.

In their early years the team played at the following locations in the town; Higham Lane, Rose Inn on Coton Road, Arbury Road and Edward Street as they became members of the Warwickshire Junior League, Coventry & District League, Coventry and North Warwickshire League before joining the Leicestershire Senior League for the 1899-00 season.

From there the club played more locally in the Nuneaton & District League before changing to the Trent Valley League in 1903-04 where a move was made to an enclosed ground at Queens Road. After a season the club joined the Coventry and North Warwickshire League winning the title in 1904-05.

The changes continued as Nuneaton became members of the Birmingham Junior League in 1906, as Town were crowned as champions in their debut season, prior to a move to Newdigate Arms in 1908, where they remained until moving into Manor Park in 1915.

In the final 1914-15 season before the outbreak of the Great War, the team won the Birmingham Combination. Once peace was restored Nuneaton became members of the Birmingham & District League before switching to the Eastern Section of the Southern League in 1924.

The club returned to more regional football in 1926 as they returned to the Birmingham Combination, going on to lift further titles in 1928-29 and 1930-31. A return to the Birmingham & District League followed in 1933 where they remained until 1937.

In May of that year a shareholders meeting decided to shut the club down, despite it carrying no financial troubles. Within two days Nuneaton Borough FC had been formed, playing in the Central Amateur League in 1937-38 before joining the Birmingham Combination where the side ended as runners-up in 1945-46, 1948-49 and 1950-51.

The 1949-50 campaign saw the Boro go on an FA Cup run through the qualifying rounds before defeating King’s Lynn and Mossley. Exeter City were too strong in the third round tie, winning 3-0 at St James Park.

Nuneaton moved to the Birmingham & District League in 1952, and then reaching round two of the FA Cup in 1952-53. Watford were defeated 3-0 at Manor Park before Boro went out 2-1 at home in a replay against Queens Park Rangers.

The team went on to become Northern Division champions in 1954-55 in the same season they went out in the first round of the FA Cup to Brentford, before lifting the top tier title in 1955-56 leading to progression to the North Western Section of the Southern League, from where they were relegated to Division One in 1959-60.

Promotion to the Premier Division was won in 1962-63 prior to finishing as league runners-up in 1966-67. The same season saw another FA Cup run, with Wealdstone and Swansea Town disposed of before Rotherham United won the third round tie in front of 22,114 fans at Manor Park.

The following campaign saw an exit in the competition at the first round stage after a second replay at Ashton Gate against Exeter City. A second Southern League runners-up place came in 1974-75 prior to the club becoming founder members of the Alliance Premier League in 1979.

The 70’s had seen several other forays into the first rounds of the FA Cup. Boro also went out at the second round stage in 1976-77 away to Lincoln City and then in 1977-78 when they surprisingly went out at home to Tilbury. More first round appearances would come in the following decade.

Boro were relegated to the Southern League Midland Division at the end of the 1981-82 season, before winning the title at the first attempt under manager Graham Carr, but then losing the competitions’ championship match against Wealdstone.

Manor Park

The performance was enough to ensure a return to the Alliance Premier League as the side finished as league runners-up in 1983-84 and 1984-85 as the prolific Paul Culpin put away the goals before he was signed by Coventry City and Carr headed off to Northampton Town.

Boro were relegated to the Southern League in 1986-87 before they went down once again to the Midland Division in 1987-88 as financial troubles hit the club. An "A" was added to their title to become Nuneaton Borough AFC in 1992 to make them a new club as far as creditors were concerned.

With debts cleared, the Midland Division title was won in 1992-93 before they dropped back down twelve months later. In 1993-94 AFC Bournemouth won a replay in the second round of the FA Cup at Manor Park before Boro became champions of the Midland Division again in 1995-96.

Former Boro midfielder Brendon Phillips was appointed manager in 1997. Leading his side to the Southern League title in 1998-99 before he departed to be replaced by Steve Burr. Stoke City were defeated in a home FA Cup replay in 2000-01 before Boro bowed out in the second round away to AFC Bournemouth.

Alan Lewer took over as manager in 2003-04 after the team had been relegated to the Southern League before Roger Ashby had a short spell at the helm prior to being replaced by striker Kevin Wilkin as player-manager.

Behind the goal at Manor Park

His appointment proved a masterstroke. In 2004-05 the club became members of the newly formed Conference North where they lost in the semi-finals of the play-offs against Altrincham. However, it was in the FA Cup in which the club came to wider attention.

Victories over Ramsgate and Histon set up a third round tie at Manor Park against Middlesbrough which ended in a 1-1 draw before Nuneaton lost the replay 5-2. Gez Murphy netted a last minute equaliser in the first game before grabbing a brace at the Riverside Stadium.

In 2005-06 the side lost in the semi-finals of the play-offs to Droylsden before financial strife once again blighted the club, even after the sale of Manor Park, with its last game against Vauxhall Motors in May 2007.

In 2008 Borough folded after moving to Liberty Way to share with Nuneaton Rugby Club to be reformed as Nuneaton Town FC as the FA insisted on a name change. The club was demoted two tiers to Division One Midlands of the Southern League.

Wilkin remained as manager as the team won promotion in 2008-09 via play-off victories against Chesham United and then Chasetown. The momentum continued in 2009-10 as another promotion was achieved, again through the play-offs. This time Brackley Town and Chippenham Town were the defeated sides as Nuneaton reached the Conference North.

At the start of the 2010-11 season new directors joined the club with a view to enhance their commercial viability. In the 2011-12 season Nuneaton once again reached the play-offs where Guiseley and then Gainsborough Trinity were despatched as the town once again welcomed a return to the top level of non-league football.

Manager Kevin Wilkin continued to impress with Town in contention for the Conference play offs until he departed for Wrexham with results dipping off for the last ten games. Brian Reid was appointed to replace Wilkin, but he was sacked in September 2014, with Liam Daish taking over at the helm.

Despite investment from Lee Thorn that allowed the club to become owners of Liberty Way, the team was relegated to National League North at the end of the 2014-15 season as Kevin Wilson was appointed as the new manager.

Tommy Wright took over the role for the 2016-2017 season before Dino Maamria replaced him for the following season, who was succeeded briefly by Gary Charles who was then replaced by Nicky Eaden for the 2018-19 campaign after the club changed their title to Nuneaton Borough.

Rows broke out with the rugby club whose land needed to be accessed to reach the ground. They blocked the entrances to Liberty Way while playing their games on the outside pitch. Youngsters were signed while experienced players left the club as Thorn put the club and ground up for sale.

Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite bought Liberty Way in October 2018. Amenities were cut off as the club teetered on the brink of folding once again while players departed after wages were unpaid and the club academy folded.

Nottinghamshire businessman, Nick Hawkins became the new owner in November 2018 before Eaden called it a day to be replaced by his assistant Lee Fowler. Fowler departed after two matches in charge as more players followed suite, with local man Jimmy Ginnelly taking over as manager.

He was given Hawkins’ shares when he stepped down in February 2019 as a winding up order against the club was issued the following month. The club averted two winding up orders before the end of a horrific season which saw the team relegated to the Premier Division Central of the Southern League.

Neil Robinson, a long-standing Nuneaton Rugby Club sponsor, purchased Liberty Way in November 2019 while the football side rebuilt the squad, who sat in ninth place when the 2019-20 season ended prematurely owing to the outbreak of COVID-19. The 2020-21 campaign also ended prematurely with Boro in fifteenth position.

After a poor comeback season, Boro reached the play-offs in 2022-23, missing out on promotion when losing in the final to Rushall Olympic after earlier defeating Leiston. However, problems soon returned to the club in late October 2023. 

An eviction letter was placed on the gates of Liberty Way as the club found itself locked out. Matches were moved to other venues, with other fixtures being reversed while the situation continued with Boro stating that the club found itself in a perilous position.

Nuneaton Borough FC will play in the Southern League Premier Division Central in the 2023-24 season.

My visit

Nuneaton Borough 0 Scarborough 4 (Saturday 4th March 1981) Alliance Premier League (att: 958)

My visit to Manor Park to see Borough play my "Boro" - Scarborough was a memorable day out as it resulted in quite an emphatic 4-0 away win. My Dad had been to Nuneaton for an epic FA Trophy win for Boro in 1977 during the run which would see the club lift the trophy for the third time. 

He said how volatile the atmosphere was that night with a crowd of over 5,000 in attendance and how they had to get to the floor of the supporter's bus as rocks were thrown at it from Nuneaton hooligans.

My visit was altogether more pleasurable. the supporters club got there about 2pm and there was an excellent programme shop and friendly clubhouse for us to pass the time. Boro winger Pat Olney scored two screamers from about twenty-five yards to add to Brian Magee and Neil Sellers goals. Boro had a decent side that season and ended up finishing third in the Alliance Premier League.

I quite liked Manor Park, no doubt helped by the excellent programme shop, catering and 4-0 away end. The entrances were in a corner behind the goal and immediately to our left was a great cover which was called the Cock and Bear End after a nearby pub. To its left was a cover over about half of the Canalside Terrace. 

A mixture of flat open standing and a few steps of terracing continued round the far Beaumont Road End towards the small barrel roofed main Stand. Flat standing and the clubhouse, refreshment kiosk and programme shop completed that side of the ground. 

The record crowd was 22,114 against Rotherham United in 1967 but I'm not sure I'd have wanted to be there. It must have been extremely uncomfortable. In later years the Main Stand got a new roof and seats. The final game at the ground was on 28th April 2007 against Vauxhall Motors when 2,007 fans said goodbye.

The images on this page have been taken from the internet.