Appleby Frodingham

Appleby Frodingham FC is a non league club based in the town of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. The club was formed as part of a sporting club for the workers of the Appleby Frodingham Steel Company, playing their home games at the Brumby Hall Sports Ground.

The club joined the Midland League in 1978 and then the Northern Counties East League in 1982, before disappearing back into local league football and then rejoining in 2008 after restructuring took place in 1990.

'The Steelmen' finished bottom of the table at the end of the 2011-12 season, but were reprieved from relegation owing to an extension of the league. The team just avoided relegation in 2012-13 but finished bottom again in 2013-14.

Appleby Frodingham were relegated to the North Division of the Central Midlands League where the club put in five consecutive top half finishes, including fourth place in 2015-16.

Appleby Frodingham will play in the Central Midlands League North Division in the 2019-20 season.


My visit

Appleby Frodingham 0 Scarborough Athletic 2 (Saturday 25th April 2010) Northern Counties East League Division One (att: 272)

I had just arrived back in the UK from my annual cricket holiday in Thailand and was on night shift at my job with London Underground. I fancied travelling up to the game to get a new ground in. I managed to find trains that suited both my times and wallet and so I decided to go.

It was a glorious spring day and after changing trains at Doncaster I was soon in Scunthorpe. Brumby Hall was just a ten minute walk from the station and I was soon in the busy car park. The Boro Supporters Club had generously provided free travel to supporters. This was the final game of a championship winning season.

The clubhouse was a magnificent building whose windows looked out onto the pitch from the upper floor. It had all the facilities a working mans club could dream of. The venue also housed other sports grounds for the clubs various sections.

The football ground had basic accommodation down the clubhouse side where the changing rooms and catering was also housed. The far side was flat open standing. There was no spectator accommodation behind either goal. Fans had to walk on the side of the pitch to reach the far side! It was all very neat and tidy.

The game itself was a bit of a damp squib with the title been secured some weeks previously. The home side put in a decent performance despite their lowly league position. It all had the feel of a pre season friendly. The Seadogs missed plenty of chances, but the only real action in the first half was when the visitors notoriously niggly winger, Mark Griffin got involved with a slight altercation with a home defender who was sent off for throwing the ball at Griffin from close range. It was all pretty ordinary fare.

The clubhouse was a very tempting proposition for the rest of the game, but I had work that evening, so I went back outside. Boro eventually won the game with strikes from Danny Gray and Craig Hogg, but it had been hard work. I wandered off and was on the train home in no time, ensuring I still had time for a snooze before work.

Highlights of this game and most other Scarborough Athletic encounters are available through the superb work of a Boro fan who posts as "Old Git" on the Surfing Seadog forum and as Bionic Barmby on you tube by clicking here.

Thanks to Kevin Child, a lifelong Boro fan for allowing me to use pictures on this post from his excellent blogsite, "Come on you Reds" http://athletic2007.blogspot.com/