Ashby Institute FC was a non league football club located
in the Ashby district of Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire. The Institute was formed
in 1908 as an educational and social organisation for local men. It was located
on Ashby High Street.
In 1917 the football club was formed, starting out
playing on several local pitches. In 1930 Ashby joined the Scunthorpe and
District League, before moving to the Lincolnshire League in 1949, moving into
a new ground called The Screeds a year later, close to the Institute.
In 1968 Ashby progressed to the Midland League, where
they remained until 1982 when the league was disbanded. The club turned down
the opportunity to join the newly formed Northern Counties East League, instead
returning to the Scunthorpe & District League.
The club folded in 1989 with The Screeds being demolished
for new housing in 1993. The old Main Stand was dismantled and re-erected at
nearby Bottesford Town.
My visit
Ashby Institute 0 Scarborough 2 (Saturday 4th
October 1969) FA Cup Second Qualifying Round (att: 1,323)
This match marks one of my earlier football memories. My
Dad took me along for a ride in the car with his good pal Ray Gough and other
regulars. I believe it’s the day they discovered I suffered from car and coach
sickness!
Naturally enough my memories are pretty hazy, but I do
recall the players coming from a clubhouse behind the goal. Apart from the
small stand there was shallow grass banking in parts.
I do remember one of my earliest Boro heroes Gerry Coyne running
out to play. The game ended in a 2-0 Boro win, with Alan Franks and Alan Cooper
netting the goals.
My Dad later regaled me with the story that the
Scarborough Evening News and Mercury sports reporter Bill Jenkins having to run down to the High Street to find
a public telephone to ring in his match report for the sports edition as there
was no phone at the ground!
Boro went on to defeat another now defunct club; Hull
Brunswick, in the next round.
Many thanks must go
to Colpic from the excellent Non-League Matters website forum, and Martyn
Girdham, who supplied him with information following my requests.
