Leighton Town

Leighton Town FC is a non-league football club from the Bedfordshire town of Leighton Buzzard, which was the opening point of the Grand Union Canal and was the nearest town to where the Great Train Robbery took place.

The 'Reds' were formed in 1885, playing local league football before changing their name to Leighton United and becoming founder members of the South Midlands League in 1922. Thirty years later the club were also founder members of the Hellenic League, but they reverted to their previous league after just two years.

In 1963 the club reverted to becoming Leighton Town, going on to be crowned league champions four years later. They joined the United Counties League for the 1974-75 season, but after a two year spell they re-joined the South Midlands League.

The 1991-92 season saw Town being crowned champions of the Premier Division, which led to promotion to the Isthmian League. A couple of divisional titles followed in the ensuing campaigns before the re-organisation of non league football saw the club placed in the Southern League. 

From the 2009-10 season, neighbours Aylesbury United shared an agreement to share Bell Close after they were evicted from their home ground. Craig Wells was given the onerous task of managing the team for the 2013-14 season, as the club decided not to play its players in a bid to correct the financial troubles and debt. 

He lasted a full season before being replaced by Craig Bicknell. Former Town boss was put in charge for the 2015-16 season, but he departed in October, with Stuart Murray taking over team affairs as Town were relegated to the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League a few months later.

Paul Burgess had a short spell in charge of the side before being replaced by Scott Reynolds. The new boss led the team to fourth place in 2016-17 before the appointment of Danny Nicholls. His side reached the last eight of the FA Vase in 2017-18, before going out to 1874 Northwich.

The management team of Joe Sweeney and Paul Copson were appointed in October 2018. 2019-20 saw another vase quarter final appearance, this time bowing out to Corinthian. The same stage was reached twelve months later where Walsall Wood ended any dream of a Wembley appearance.

 

Lee Bircham arrived as manager before the commencement of the 2021-22 campaign leading the Reds to fourth place in the league, before they went on to become crowned champions in 2022-23. Bircham left to take the Bedford Town job to be replaced by Gary Flinn.

Leighton consolidated on their return to Step 4 football in Division One Central of the Southern League.

Leighton Town FC will play in the Southern League Division One Central in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Aylesbury United 0 Kidlington 2 (Sunday 14th October 2012) FA Vase Round One (att: 159)

I entered Bell Close for the first time not quite sure what to expect? What I found was a decent enough homely old fashioned ground, which was now looking a little tired. A lick of paint and the repairs of one or two of the fences would have made it look good, but I guess it must have been extremely frustrating if vandals undo the previous good work.

The near end had a couple of steps of terracing and the clubhouse and changing rooms behind. The snack bar had its own little roof for diners. The left hand side of the pitch bordered the towns cricket club, with spectators only having access down a third of the pitch. 

Opposite this was a mixture of open flat hard standing and grass, with a neat seated stand straddling the half way line. At the far end stood a long cover with a couple of steps of terracing, with an exit and turnstiles in the centre, which were out of use.

It wasn't the best stadium I'd ever visited, but give me something traditional close to the town centre like Bell Close rather than a soulless out of town site with plastic and metal stands.

For a description of my day out and a match report, please click here.