‘THE TOWN GROUND’ CLUBHOUSE TO GET INVOLVED AND ENJOY BEING PART OF OUR
The club owes its humble beginnings to long before their 1883 formation at the Rays Arms Hotel. Teams representing the town and playing under the name of ‘Heanor’ or ‘Heanor Town’ were recorded in 1878, but it was not until a public meeting was called in September 1883 that these fragmented issues were drawn together under one roof and the Club affiliated to the Derbyshire County FA. They joined the Derbyshire League, but within a decade the Club had established itself as a top Midland League side, on one occasion finishing seventh when the top four were promoted to the Football League. And four times during this period reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup (today’s equivalent would be the Third Round because the competition then had six Qualifying Rounds) losing to Aston Villa (away) 1-4, Nottingham Forest (away) 0-1, Bury (home) 0-3 and Southampton St. Mary’s (home) 0-1. In the latter game only a broken leg suffered by centre forward Sam Widdowson ensured that Heanor played with ten men for almost 80 minutes this after a 1-1 draw at Southampton. During this period such teams as Mansfield Town, Chesterfield, Lincoln City and Northampton Town were beaten in the Qualifying Competition. Since then, the Lions have played in the Derbyshire League, Mid-Derbyshire League, Midland League (four times), Central Combination, Central Alliance, Notts Alliance, West Midlands (Regional) and Northern Counties East. In 1986 they joined the Central Midlands and are the only Club to have held continuous membership of the Supreme Division since its formation. Last season they added the new East Midlands Counties League to the list in which they have competed. In 1958 Heanor entertained Fourth Division Carlisle United at The Town Ground in the FA Cup First Round losing 1-5 before 6,511 spectators. At the time they were members of the Central Alliance League Division One (North). But the strength of that league at the time can be judged by the fact that Ilkeston Town and Creswell Colliery was other clubs who also graced the FA Cup competition proper. In 1963 The Lions were a Midland League side and once again when they lost at the same stage away to Fourth Division Bradford Park Avenue containing one Kevin Hector and managed by Jimmy Scoular at Bradford in front of a crowd 5,799. The club’s best Midland League finish was in 1966 when they were runners-up and twelve months later, they were one of only six Midland League clubs with the best record selected to become founder members of the Northern Premier League. However, the Heanor Committee at the time declined the opportunity because of the costs involved and their place was taken by Goole Town. The Club has three times reached the Fourth Round Proper of the FA Vase; in 1989 they drew at this stage at home to Eastwood (Hanley) 1-1 but lost the replay by the odd goal of three. And the other two occasions also saw they lose by the same score to Rushden Town (Home) in 1990 and Arnold Town (away) in 2002. They have reached the Third Round Proper on two other occasions losing to Warrington Town and Eccleshill United both away. Honours decorated the Town Ground trophy cabinet at regular intervals during the 90’s with two Central Midlands League Supreme Division titles in 1995 & 1997 and the last being the Central Midlands League Cup won in a thrilling 5-3 finale against Ollerton Town in 2007. In 2009 the Club appointed Joint Managers Craig Hopkins and Glenn Kirkwood who set themselves a target to win the East Midlands Counties League championship within three years. In their first season they finished seventh, the season after they improved to third then in their third season, they achieved their goal when they were crowned champions in front of a home crowd of 154, beating local rivals Blackwell Miners Welfare 1-0 courtesy of a Josh Royce goal in the penultimate game of the season. Managers Kirkwood and Hopkins left Heanor Town giving short notice on the 12 January 2013 to join local strugglers Mickleover Sports. Jordan Hall, one of the players, was appointed as interim manager later that day and guided the club to an 11th place finish in the NCEL Premier league. In June 2013 local businessman Geoff Clarence purchased the club and immediately spent thousands of pounds updating the facilities at the Town Ground including a complete renovation of the ageing clubhouse. Glen Clarence was appointed first team manager building a young local squad which improved the club to an 8th place finish in the league along with two semi-final appearances in the Derbyshire and League cups. With the re-shape of the football leagues from step three downwards Heanor took the sideways move to the Midland Football League. With that league folding Heanor moved to the United Counties North league. In 2024 Heanor Town reached the Derbyshire Cup Final and proudly played at Pride Park in front of a match record crowd of 1400. Then in 2025 the club reached the FA Vase quarter finals for the first time in its history. Bright things are on the horizon for the club as a total ground upgrade including an all-weather pitch is due to finish by early 2026.
GRESLEY ROVERS
EMIRATES FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND
ISUZU FA VASE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Versions of football evolved in many early civilisations, example of these can be found in ancient China, Greece and Rome. In England the original games were played between villages in fields and streets. This Mob Football involved hundreds of players and was little more than prolonged and violent street battles. In the 19th century a more refined version of the game grew in popularity within the public schools and universities, each playing to their own sets of rules. During the 1850s the enthusiasm and influence of ex-public school and university students spread the popularity of the game around Sheffield. In the summer of 1857 William Prest and Nathaniel Creswick agreed that the game would be a splendid candidate for organised sport during the winter months. The pair wrote to the Public Schools for information, regarding their varying rules, with the aim of drawing up a set of laws embodying the best points from each. On October 24th, 1857, the world's first football club was born in a greenhouse. Among the first rules drawn up were laws asserting that "no hacking or tripping up is fair under any circumstances", "no player may be held or pulled over" and it is not lawful to take the ball off the ground [using hands]". Upon the formation of the Football Association in 1863, Sheffield Club's insistence on these laws helped lead the evolution of the game we recognise globally today. Heading, crossbars, corner kicks, free-kicks for fouls, throw-ins, a half-time change of ends and floodlit matches can all be traced to the innovators of Sheffield F.C. Initially early matches, such as Married men vs Unmarried, were played between club members. Records also show games against local army sides. Following victory over the 58th Army Regiment in 1860 a local report stated that, "most of the officers were adepts at the game, having, in their younger days, played in the public school matches, and the victory of the civilians was quite unexpected." Following the birth of Hallam F.C., the world's first inter-club game took place on Boxing Day in 1860. The match "was conducted with good temper and in a friendly spirit", concluding in a 2-0 win for Sheffield. For several years all matches were played locally, against a rising number of new sides, before the first 'out of town' match was played in Nottinghamshire in 1865. In 1866 Sheffield became the first non-London side to play under FA Laws when they met London at Battersea Park. The FA Cup was founded in 1871 and in its third season Sheffield became the first northern side to take part and the first non-London side to win a tie. They succeeded in reaching the quarter finals in this and two further seasons also, 1876 and 1878, the club's support helping the FA Cup nearly treble in size and become a nationwide competition. 1872 saw the first international game, between England and Scotland in Glasgow, with Sheffield's Charles Clegg playing for the England side. Clegg would later go on to be Chairman, and President, of the FA and receive a knighthood for his services to the game. THE WORLD'S FIRST FOOTBALL CLUB From the 1880s onwards the rise of professionalism and Sheffield Club's firm insistence on retaining their amateur status saw them overtaken and overshadowed by other sides in the area. During these years the very survival of the club owed much to the leadership of former players Harry Chambers and Harry Broughton Willey. It wasn't all doom and gloom though! In fact, Sheffield enjoyed possibly their greatest hour in 1904 when they won the Amateur Cup, beating Ealing 3-1 at Valley Parade, Bradford. 1949 brought admission to the Yorkshire League and a resurgence, which saw the side promoted to Division 1 in their third season and reach the League Cup final in 1953. In 1957 they celebrated their Centenary year and reached their first Sheffield & Hallamshire FA Cup final in 1962. After a period of yo-yoing between divisions the 1977 side were crowned Division 2 Champions and reached that season's FA Vase final at Wembley. They established themselves as a top division side in the Yorkshire League, lifting the League Cup in 1978, before joining the newly founded Northern Counties East League in 1982. It wasn't all doom and gloom though! In fact, Sheffield enjoyed possibly their greatest hour in 1904 when they won the Amateur Cup, beating Ealing 3-1 at Valley Parade, Bradford. 1949 brought admission to the Yorkshire League and a resurgence, which saw the side promoted to Division 1 in their third season and reach the League Cup final in 1953. In 1957 they celebrated their Centenary year and reached their first Sheffield & Hallamshire FA Cup final in 1962. After a period of yo-yoing between divisions the 1977 side were crowned Division 2 Champions and reached that season's FA Vase final at Wembley. They established themselves as a top division side in the Yorkshire League, lifting the League Cup in 1978, before joining the newly founded Northern Counties East League in 1982. The Club made an instant impact in reaching the 2008 play-off final, narrowly losing only on penalties. that first season also saw games against Inter Milan and Ajax at Bramall Lane, as part of the 150 birthday celebrations, and a few years later a win at Hallam’s Sandygate ground to mark the same anniversary of the first inter-club match. Sheffield were then twice more involved in the play-offs over the next few seasons and lifted the Sheffield &Hallamshire Senior Cup again in 2008 & 2010. after finishing 9 in 2012/13 the side languished in the bottom half of the table for 5 years before finishing 4 and reaching the play-offs in 2019. Last season saw the club again reach the play-offs but unfortunately losing out to Tadcaster in the semi-finals. With thriving Women’s, Disability & Development teams, the club goes from strength to strength and stays true to its roots in playing for the love of the game.
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