Roade FC - Past & Present:
The precise date of Roade FC's formation is unknown, but team photographs dated 1910 and 1920-21 exist. Prior to the Second World War, the club was known as Roade Albion. After the war, the club joined the Central Village League and won the Yarde Cup in the 1947-48 season. For the 1948-49 season, the club entered the North Bucks & District League. The club's headquarters and changing rooms at this time were at the George Hotel. A change of landlord necessitated the club moving to the White Hart. In the 1954-55 season, the club won the North Bucks League, Division 2.
In March 1956, the club purchased its present ground, off Hyde Road, from the late Mrs B Dunkley, and also bought and erected a wooden hut from the former RAF Unit at Salcey Forest for use as a changing room. In the 1962-63 season, the 'big freeze' meant that the club did not play a match from Boxing Day until March. In the 1965-66 season, the club won, once again, the North Bucks League, Division 2. In the 1968-69 season, the club entered the South Midlands League, which necessitated the building of more facilities. Considerably more travelling was required in this league, with teams as far away as Welwyn Garden City, Letchworth and Hemel Hempstead to play on match days. The 1974-75 season saw the government impose the 'Three-Day Week' to conserve electricity due to the miners' strike. The club struggled to field teams due to some players being required to work on Saturdays. In response, the club rejoined the North Bucks & District League for the 1975-76 season, continuing its relationship with the league for many more years. The 1991-92 season saw the club winning the North Bucks Premier Division.
The club initially focused on providing adult men's football, but this began to change following the establishment in the 1988-89 season of a youth football club in the village, known as Roade Rangers Youth FC. Although Roade Rangers Youth FC, with teams from U11s to U16s, was run separately to Roade FC, both clubs co-operated closely. The youth teams were given access to the pitches and facilities at Roade FC, as well as playing matches at the village hall field off Bailey Brooks Lane. In 2011, adult women's football arrived at Roade FC when some players previously at Kingsthorpe Ladies & Girls FC joined Roade FC. A year later, Roade Rangers Youth FC was officially incorporated into Roade FC, creating the club structure that exists today.
Since the turn of the century, Roade FC has established itself as one of the top clubs within Northamptonshire, with the club enjoying FA Charter Standard and the 1st Team playing in the Premier Division of the Northants Combination Football League (Step 7 of the FA Pyramid). The 2021-2022 season saw the 1st Team secure the club's first ever Northants Combination Premier Division Title, having been denied in the previous two seasons whilst in top position by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 1st Team won the 2024 Premier Division KO Cup Final thanks to a dramatic last minute winner against local rivals, Blisworth FC.
The Reserve Team play in Division 1 of the Northants Combination Football League. A Sunday Team is usually fielded too in one of the local leagues. The Ladies Team also enjoyed considerable success in the Northants Women's & Girl's Football League for a number of years, culminating in winning the league in both the 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 seasons. Sadly, Ladies football could not continue beyond 2023 due to players leaving for other clubs. The last decade has also seen the club host highly successful weekend tournaments each year for junior football teams from across the East and West Midlands.
Demand for football-playing opportunities among the junior age groups has continued to rise as a result of the extensive new housing developments within the village of Roade and the surrounding catchment area. The influx of families has enabled the number of junior teams to grow considerably, with all age groups between U7 and U16 now represented at Roade FC. There are currently more than 200 football-playing youngsters training and playing regularly for the club. All the junior/youth teams play in the Northampton & District Youth Alliance Football League. In addition, U5 and U6 age groups take part in weekly training at Roade FC.
The existing clubhouse reflects the amount of football at the site, the requirements of the leagues that the club has participated in, and of course the financial resources of the club. From its roots as a wooden hut in the 1950s, some parts of the present brick-built clubhouse date back to the 1960s and 1970s, while a re-build of the bar and lounge took place in 1982, and both were extended with the help of lottery funding in 1997. Grant funding from the Football Foundation (funded by the Premier League, The Football Association and the Government) and South Northants Council has facilitated the latest development of a new pitch-side changing room pavilion, incorporating four changing rooms, two officials' rooms, store room, kitchen and toilets, to enhance the match-day experience for both players and spectators. This new facility was ready for the start of the 2019-2020 season.
The facilities at Roade FC have enabled the club to support the local community by providing a venue for local organisations/groups, including 1st Roade Scout Group and the Roade & District Branch of the Royal British Legion, as well as weekly bingo, skittles and darts. In addition, the clubhouse is the only establishment in the village to show live sporting action from Sky Sports on its screens, while a regular events programme brings live music, quiz nights, discos and much more.
In March 1956, the club purchased its present ground, off Hyde Road, from the late Mrs B Dunkley, and also bought and erected a wooden hut from the former RAF Unit at Salcey Forest for use as a changing room. In the 1962-63 season, the 'big freeze' meant that the club did not play a match from Boxing Day until March. In the 1965-66 season, the club won, once again, the North Bucks League, Division 2. In the 1968-69 season, the club entered the South Midlands League, which necessitated the building of more facilities. Considerably more travelling was required in this league, with teams as far away as Welwyn Garden City, Letchworth and Hemel Hempstead to play on match days. The 1974-75 season saw the government impose the 'Three-Day Week' to conserve electricity due to the miners' strike. The club struggled to field teams due to some players being required to work on Saturdays. In response, the club rejoined the North Bucks & District League for the 1975-76 season, continuing its relationship with the league for many more years. The 1991-92 season saw the club winning the North Bucks Premier Division.
The club initially focused on providing adult men's football, but this began to change following the establishment in the 1988-89 season of a youth football club in the village, known as Roade Rangers Youth FC. Although Roade Rangers Youth FC, with teams from U11s to U16s, was run separately to Roade FC, both clubs co-operated closely. The youth teams were given access to the pitches and facilities at Roade FC, as well as playing matches at the village hall field off Bailey Brooks Lane. In 2011, adult women's football arrived at Roade FC when some players previously at Kingsthorpe Ladies & Girls FC joined Roade FC. A year later, Roade Rangers Youth FC was officially incorporated into Roade FC, creating the club structure that exists today.
Since the turn of the century, Roade FC has established itself as one of the top clubs within Northamptonshire, with the club enjoying FA Charter Standard and the 1st Team playing in the Premier Division of the Northants Combination Football League (Step 7 of the FA Pyramid). The 2021-2022 season saw the 1st Team secure the club's first ever Northants Combination Premier Division Title, having been denied in the previous two seasons whilst in top position by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 1st Team won the 2024 Premier Division KO Cup Final thanks to a dramatic last minute winner against local rivals, Blisworth FC.
The Reserve Team play in Division 1 of the Northants Combination Football League. A Sunday Team is usually fielded too in one of the local leagues. The Ladies Team also enjoyed considerable success in the Northants Women's & Girl's Football League for a number of years, culminating in winning the league in both the 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 seasons. Sadly, Ladies football could not continue beyond 2023 due to players leaving for other clubs. The last decade has also seen the club host highly successful weekend tournaments each year for junior football teams from across the East and West Midlands.
Demand for football-playing opportunities among the junior age groups has continued to rise as a result of the extensive new housing developments within the village of Roade and the surrounding catchment area. The influx of families has enabled the number of junior teams to grow considerably, with all age groups between U7 and U16 now represented at Roade FC. There are currently more than 200 football-playing youngsters training and playing regularly for the club. All the junior/youth teams play in the Northampton & District Youth Alliance Football League. In addition, U5 and U6 age groups take part in weekly training at Roade FC.
The existing clubhouse reflects the amount of football at the site, the requirements of the leagues that the club has participated in, and of course the financial resources of the club. From its roots as a wooden hut in the 1950s, some parts of the present brick-built clubhouse date back to the 1960s and 1970s, while a re-build of the bar and lounge took place in 1982, and both were extended with the help of lottery funding in 1997. Grant funding from the Football Foundation (funded by the Premier League, The Football Association and the Government) and South Northants Council has facilitated the latest development of a new pitch-side changing room pavilion, incorporating four changing rooms, two officials' rooms, store room, kitchen and toilets, to enhance the match-day experience for both players and spectators. This new facility was ready for the start of the 2019-2020 season.
The facilities at Roade FC have enabled the club to support the local community by providing a venue for local organisations/groups, including 1st Roade Scout Group and the Roade & District Branch of the Royal British Legion, as well as weekly bingo, skittles and darts. In addition, the clubhouse is the only establishment in the village to show live sporting action from Sky Sports on its screens, while a regular events programme brings live music, quiz nights, discos and much more.
Roade Football Club 1920-1921
|
Football Fact:
In September 2003, Sheffield United FC trained at Roade FC before an evening league match against Milton Keynes Dons FC. Sheffield United won the match 2-1. The framed shirt (right/below) was presented to Roade FC by Sheffield United FC shortly afterwards. |
|
Club Documents & Policies:
Roade FC - Football & Club Development Plan (PDF) - find out more about the club's aims and objectives for the next five years by downloading the Development Plan.
Roade FC - Safeguarding Children Policy (PDF)
Roade FC - Equal Opportunities Policy (PDF)
Roade FC - Covid-19 Return Plan & Risk Assessments (PDF)
Roade FC - Safeguarding Children Policy (PDF)
Roade FC - Equal Opportunities Policy (PDF)
Roade FC - Covid-19 Return Plan & Risk Assessments (PDF)