Northampton Spencer

Northampton Spencer FC was a non-league football club from the town of Northampton. The club was originally known as Spencer School Old Boys by former members of the school team in 1936. The club played for several decades in local competitions.

Spencer joined the United Counties League for the 1968-69 season, playing their home games at Dallington Park. Their new status saw immediate success, with promotion as runners-up in Division Two in their debut season.

After a couple of years, the club moved to Duston High School to play their home games, before moving to a home of their own at Kingsthorpe Mill close to the main railway line in the north of the town.

The club continued playing in the top level of the competition, which was retitled as the Premier Division in 1972, from where they were relegated back to the second tier Division One in 1980-81. Former Northampton Town manager John Petts took over team affairs shortly after at the same time Graham Wrighting took over as chairman.

Spencer regained their higher status five years later when they won the Division One title in 1984-85. ‘The Millers’ went on to be crowned as Premier Division champions of the United Counties League in 1991-92 before finishing runners-up twelve months later.

Another second place followed in 1997-98 with the team also finishing in third and fifth place before their revenue streams dried up. Spencer finished in seventeenth place at the end of the 2011-12 season but took voluntary relegation. 

The team and club regrouped before being promoted as champions in 2014-15 under manager Ben Stone as Spencer returned to the Premier Division. The team ended in thirteenth place on their return to the topflight prior to chairman Graham Wrighting retiring.

Other options were explored but it was decided to dissolve the club, who were being watched by double figure crowds in their final season. 

The Spencer Community Trust took over residency of the Studland Road ground to set up underage teams as well community projects as unity through diversity in sport and football was championed. 

My visits

Friday 3rd August 2012

I was in Northampton for the day to hopefully enjoy a day of county cricket at Wantage Road and to cheer on Yorkshire before I would later take in the friendly between AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Luton Town in Wellingborough. I had walked to Sixfields, the home of Northampton Town in the morning. 

On the way back into town I also taking a look at Franklin Gardens, where Northampton Saints played top level rugby union. From there I headed to the former home of the Cobblers, The County Ground for some cricket action from the incredibly soulless concrete bus station.

Unfortunately the heavens opened just before lunch, so I was forced to take sanctuary in The Abington pub and look for a Plan B to fill in some time.

It was obvious that the weather wasn't going to relent in a hurry so I headed into town for lunch at The Eastgate. The sun had come back out, but through the beauty of Twitter I found out that there would be an inspection at 4.30pm back at The County Ground. There was only one thing to do in the meantime!

 

I set off using my map app on my IPhone to head towards Kingsthorpe Mill. It was a lot further than I had anticipated, but I was more than happy to walk my food off. Eventually after a trek down Kingsthorpe Road and then cut through a hosing and light industrial estate to find Studland Road.

A lane led down from the road and round the corner past a practice pitch. The main gate was open as someone from the club was loading his car, probably for a game the following day. He was more than happy for me to go inside the ground and take some photos.

As is often the case, he showed some curiosity about my hobby and what a Scarborough Athletic fan was doing there on a Friday afternoon.

The venue was neat and tidy with a hard standing path all the way around. The far side of the pitch had the dug outs and banking behind with the main railway a bit further behind. The spectator facilities were all down the entrance side. 

A modern seated stand stood on the half way line, with the main clubhouse and changing room buildings further up filling the rest of the touchline. A overhang provided cover for those wishing to stand to watch the game.

I left and thanked my host, before catching a bus back to the utterly dismal Greyfriars Bus Station. I like a walk, but I wasn't doing that one again!

Northampton Spencer 0 AFC Rushden and Diamonds 0 (Tuesday 14th July 2015) Pre Season Friendly (att: 120)

After finishing my night shifts I was looking for a season opener at a venue that I had hadn't already seen a game at. I had the opportunity to meet up with fellow Scarborough supporter Ian Anderson who I had some old programmes for. 

I killed two birds with one stone by meeting a friend for lunch near to Euston before taking the train to Milton Keynes Central where Ian collected me from his workplace.

Following a pleasant drive through the Northamptonshire countryside and a quick stop at my pals flat very close to Wantage Road cricket ground, we headed to the nearby fine Olde England pub for a quick snifter before going on to Studland Road, where we managed to park up.

Admission was £4. A kind fella on the gate followed us into the clubhouse and gave us the 4 page programme covering three home friendly games for nothing. We settled and had a couple of beers from the average selection on offer. We bought raffle tickets on the way into the ground.

The venue hadn’t changed since my visit for photos a few years previously. The pitch seemed to suffer from moles in places and the surrounds had plenty of rabbit droppings. The crowd mainly stood down the covered sides. 

We were a bit surprised that Diamonds didn’t have a greater support along with them for this derby game. Perhaps the initial thrill of a phoenix club was wearing off, especially without a home ground in their home town.

The game was of high pace, but there was a shortage of finesse on the rain soaked playing surface. Chances were most certainly at a premium, as often are in the early work outs after the summer recess. Spencer matched their higher status rivals.

We returned to the bar at the interval where good news awaited me. I’d won the half time raffle. Predictably enough I opted for the four cans of Tetley Bitter above a box of After Eight Mints! It would beat the catering back at the station if nothing else.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Neither goalkeeper had a lot to do, in what was a poor watch. The game became tetchy at times as players looked to impress their respective managers. Some of the challenges going in were not of a friendly nature. 

If ever a game was destined to end goalless, it was this one. And so it proved. It's as well I was in good company or I might have been tempted to abort it and catch an earlier train back to the capital.

Ian got a good start away from the packed car park as I held my bounty! I was dropped at the newly refurbished Northampton station in good time for my train back to London, allowing me time to catch a last beer in Kingsbury on my return.

Spencer had proved welcoming hosts, and I’d had a good day, but the actual match didn’t last very long in the memory.