Bottesford Town

Bottesford Town FC is a non-league football club based on the outskirts of Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire, having been formed in 1974 and playing local football until becoming members of the Lincolnshire League.

The club suffered relegation but recovered to lift the league title in 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92. A fourth consecutive title was denied as they finished as runners-up in 1992-93.

Bottesford became members of the Central Midlands League Premier Division in 1999-00, winning promotion to the Supreme Division at the first attempt, before dropping back down in 2002-03. Town returned to the Supreme Division at the end of the 2005-06 campaign.

The surge continued as ‘The Poachers’ were crowned as the 2006-07 Central Midlands League champions to win promotion to the Northern Counties East League, joining Division One.

The club have a strong community ethic and has many teams of different age groups as the club continued to ply its trade in Division One of the NCEL. One player to bring publicity to the club was goalkeeper Sam Slocombe who sealed a move to Scunthorpe United in 2008.

A third-place finish in 2013-14 was followed up with a repeat in 2015-16. The NCEL had introduced play-offs, with Bottesford defeating Hallam and then AFC Emley in a penalty shoot out to secure promotion to the Premier Division.

The team consolidated their position with steady finishes, including twelfth place under manager John Corbett in 2018-19. Jimmy McNeil was appointed as manager in May 2020, staying in the post for three years before the arrival of Mike Thompson whose side continued at the bottom end of the Premier Division table. 

Bottesford Town FC will play in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

Bottesford Town 3 Scarborough Athletic 1 (Saturday 22nd October 2007) Northern Counties East League Division One (att: 196)

I set off to Scunthorpe by train to go to this NECL Div 1 clash at Bottesford Town, who are located to the the south of the main town. I quickly worked out that the bus service was sporadic at best so I returned to the station for a taxi. 

The Asian driver insisted my location should be Glanford Park, home of Scunthorpe United. After I gave him some feedback we agreed we needed Ontario Road. On arrival the Scarborough fans already there to watch the Merseyside derby in the clubhouse had also found difficulties in finding the ground.

The clubhouse was spacious and friendly as well as cheap which is always a bonus. Outside in the beer garden there was a burger van which was already doing a roaring trade from the hungry Seadogs.

Birch Park itself was quite a basic venue. The far end backed onto lots more pitches and no access was available behind that goal. Entry was at the other end which was shallow flat standing which backed onto the changing rooms. 

There were several boulders lying around which was an eye opener, although in fairness the progressive club had made great strides over the past five years, moving up from local football. One side was again flat standing with the dug outs. 

The other had a stand of around thirty yards straddling the half way line. There were 2 policemen on a visit as they thought with around 150 away fans, there may be a problem. As it transpired they ended up watching the game.

The game itself ended in a 3-1 win to the home side after coming from behind which was the start of a long unbeaten run. The highlight in what was a very disappointing performance from Boro was the winding up of a home player when trying to get him sent off. It turned into one of the better comedy sketches I've ever seen.

View big nose at 4min 25 seconds by clicking here

After the game I blagged a lift with Fred to Hull where I stayed in the Station Hotel for the evening after a top night in the city while watching the Rugby World Cup Final. The city of Hull has certainly been transformed over the last few years and is somewhere I look forward to visiting again.

A great weekend apart from the two results!

Bottesford Town 2 Scarborough Athletic 1 (Wednesday 17th August 2011) Northern Counties League  Cup (att: 125) 

I was up in Scarborough to see my Dad and friends as well as taking in play at the 125th Scarborough Cricket Festival and couple of Boro games. I left play at North Marine Road early to head to the station and travel on the coach that allowed fans to travel with the team. It was my first experience of this and was interested to see how it worked.

The first thing to note is the early departure time to allow players to prepare at their destination, but this suited me fine as I'm never against a few pints before a game. Some familiar faces were on the coach. 

The players obviously, but some fans as well. I was in good company with Irish Mark, who I knew I'd have a good drinking partner in! A football fan on holiday also joined the bus and asked many questions to anyone who showed the remotest interest.

We made our way rather slowly as we were stuck behind a tractor for a while as we headed over the Yorkshire Wolds. We picked up more players and support staff at The Ketch on the outskirts of Hull, before crossing over the majestic Humber Bridge, much to the delight of the fan at the front who was filming everything on his camera.

There were promising signs on arrival as the clubhouse had a sign outside for Batemans Ales, but alas it was not to be. Instead we ended up with a disastrous pint of Worthington's before we changed to Guinness. The away support slowly built up until kick off, when it was time to go and get behind the lads.

Birch Park had improved since my last visit. The whole ground now had a perimeter fence and a new changing room and office block had been built to save players using the sports centre behind the goal.

I was looking forward to the game as Boro had kicked off their league campaign with two wins. Manager Rudy Funk was to try some players out who had not yet appeared against our hosts from the division below. While nothing too dramatic happened in the first half, Boro seemed reasonable in control although the Bottesford lads really were up for the challenge.

The second half was a different tale, as Town found yet another gear and generally wanted it more. The Boro players sauntered around as though a victory was a formality. It was not a million miles away from the same game I'd witnessed there a few years previously. 

They went ahead with a piece of brilliance from Joe Naylor who half volleyed home from fully thirty yards, but the goal inspired the home side who were most unlucky to be in arrears.

They fought back and scored a couple of well deserved goals in quick succession. It did for the Seadogs who couldn't move up a gear. Funk tried to make a couple of changes, but the home side defended resolutely and broke with pace. They thoroughly earned their victory in front of a crowd that was somehow officially announced as just 125!

We returned to the packed clubhouse and awaited the players. Manager Funk came in shaking his head. He was obviously unhappy and felt he'd been too loyal to certain individuals. The Boro players came in and had time for a drink. One fans favourite was pretty angry as he felt they were letting themselves down to that point.

We trooped back to the coach and travelled through the industrial-filled air of Scunthorpe as our new friend continued to film. I managed to nod off and woke up near Scarborough, before Mark and I walked up the hill home to Sandybed.

At least we had the cricket the following day to look forward to.