Leiston F.C.

Coordinates: 52°12′15.84″N 1°34′17.13″E / 52.2044000°N 1.5714250°E / 52.2044000; 1.5714250
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Leiston
Full nameLeiston Football Club
Nickname(s)The Blues
Founded1880
GroundVictory Road, Leiston
Capacity2,250 (250 seated)[1]
OwnerAndy Crisp
ChairmanAndy Crisp
ManagerChris Wigger
LeagueSouthern League Premier Division Central
2023–24Southern League Premier Division Central, 13th of 21
Websitehttp://www.leistonfc.co.uk/
Current season

Leiston Football Club is a football club based in Leiston, Suffolk, England. They are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division Central and play at Victory Road.

History

Established in 1880, the club was initially closely linked to the Richard Garrett Engineering Works. They reached the final of the Suffolk Senior Cup in 1892, 1897 and 1904, losing on each occasion, although the club did win the Junior Cup in 1895. In 1894 Leiston joined the North Suffolk League, which they played in until 1909. In 1900 the club also joined the Ipswich & District League (later the Suffolk & Ipswich League) and were champions in their first three seasons.[2] In 1904 they transferred to the South East Anglian League, but left in 1907 before rejoining in 1911 (when it had been renamed the East Anglian League).[3] Between 1912 and 1914 the club also played in the Ipswich & District League.

After

Essex & Suffolk Border League. At the end of the 1920–21 season the club left both the IDL and ESBL to join the Norfolk & Suffolk League before rejoining the IDL in 1926. After finishing bottom of the table in 1934–35 they were reformed as Leiston and dropped into Division 2B.[2]
The club won all seventeen league matches in 1937–38 and were promoted to Division One after defeating Division 2A winners Manningtree Rovers in a play-off.

In 1948 Leiston rejoined the Norfolk & Suffolk League, but transferred back to the Ipswich & District League in 1953. Despite finishing bottom of the Senior Division in 1979–80, the club avoided being relegated as the division was expanded.

yo yo club as they were relegated in 1988–89, promoted back in 1989–90, relegated again in 1991–92 and returned to the Senior Division in 1996–96. After finishing third in 2000–01 the club stepped up to Division One of the Eastern Counties League
.

The

Conference North club Fleetwood Town, they drew 0–0 in front of a record crowd of 1,250, before losing the replay 2–0.[5]

Leiston (in red) playing Margate in 2013

In 2010–11 Leiston won the Eastern Counties League Premier Division, earning promotion to Division One North of the Isthmian League. In 2011–12 they won Division One North, achieving back-to-back promotions and moving up to the Isthmian League Premier Division.[6] They finished fifth in the Premier Division in 2017–18, going on to lose 1–0 in the play-off semi-finals to Dulwich Hamlet. The club were transferred to the Premier Division Central of the Southern League at the end of the 2017–18 season as part of the restructuring of the non-League pyramid.

Ground

Leiston initially played at the old Recreation Ground, today known as Park Hill,[2] with players changing in the White Horse Hotel or at the Works Hall. In 1921 they moved to their current ground on Victory Road, then known as the Leiston Works Athletic Association, after Garretts bought the ground. It was later renamed the Leiston Town Athletic Association.

Current squad

As of 8 February 2025[7][8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Pos. Nation Player
GK England ENG Billy Johnson
DF England ENG Kyran Clements
DF England ENG Seb Dunbar (captain)
DF England ENG Eddie Jackson
DF England ENG Rossi Jarvis
DF Canada CAN Wyatt Hill
DF England ENG Oli Yun
MF England ENG Fraser Alexander
MF England ENG Albie Armin
Pos. Nation Player
MF Portugal POR Ismael Fatadjo
MF England ENG Ryan Jarvis
MF England ENG Spencer Keller
MF England ENG Adam Mills
MF England ENG Cameron Rayworth
MF England ENG Ollie Saunders
MF England ENG George Quantrell
FW England ENG Ben Fowkes
FW Jamaica JAM Jamar Loza

The Southern Football League does not use a squad numbering system.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
MF England ENG Jack Manly (at Ipswich Wanderers)

Management and coaching staff

Boardroom

As of 24 December 2024 [7]
Position Name
Chairman Andy Crisp

Current staff

Position Name
Manager England Chris Wigger
Head Coach New Zealand Lee Norfolk
Player-coach England Ryan Jarvis
Head of Football Strategy England Darren Eadie

Managerial history

Period Manager Notes
2006–2007 England Jason Dozzell
2008–2010 Carl Chenery
2010–2013 Mark Morsley
2013 Danny Laws
2013 Steve Pitt [9]
2013–2014 England Steve Ball [10]
2014–2016 England Richard Wilkins
2016–2018 Glen Driver [11]
2018–2019 England Stuart Boardley [12]
2019 Ian Cornforth [13]
2019–2020 Glen Driver [14]
2020–2024 Darren Eadie & Chris Wigger [15]
2024– Chris Wigger

Honours

  • Isthmian League
    • Division One North champions 2011–12
  • Eastern Counties League
    • Premier Division champions 2010–11
    • Division One Cup winners 2001–02
  • Suffolk & Ipswich League
    • Champions 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03
    • Division 2B champions 1937–38
  • East Anglian Cup
    • Winners 2007–08
  • Suffolk Premier Cup
    • Winners 2017–18, 2018–19
  • Suffolk Junior Cup
    • Winners 1894–95, 1982–83, 1983–84

Records

  • Best FA Cup performance: First round, 2008–09[6]
  • Best FA Trophy performance: Fourth round, 2022–23[6]
  • Best FA Vase performance: Quarter-finals, 2010–11[6]
  • Record attendance: 1,250 v Fleetwood Town, FA Cup first round, 8 November 2008[1]
  • Most league goals: Lee McGlone 60[16]
  • Most league appearances: Gareth Heath, 201

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Club Information Leiston F.C.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1-908037-02-2
  3. ^ East Anglian League Non-League Matters
  4. ^ a b c Suffolk & Ipswich League 1979–1999 + 2000–2004 Non-League Matters
  5. ^ Fleetwood Town 2–0 Leiston BBC Sport, 18 November 2008
  6. ^ a b c d Leiston at the Football Club History Database
  7. ^ a b "Leiston". www.leistonfc.co.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Leiston: Squad". Soccerway.
  9. ^ Brammer, Chris (20 October 2013). "Leiston chief reveals reasons behind appointments of Steve Pitt and Steve Ball". Green'Un. Ipswich. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  10. ^ Bacon, Mike (4 December 2013). "New Leiston boss Steve Ball takes charge with Rob Bate at Victory Road". Green'Un. Ipswich. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  11. ^ "Glenn Driver appointed new Blues boss". Leiston F.C. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  12. ^ Boardley and Head take over at Leiston as Victory Road club announce new management team East Anglian Daily Times, 30 October 2018
  13. ^ "Blues manager Stuart Boardley resigns". Leiston F.C. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  14. ^ "Glen Driver and Tony Kinsella return to Victory Road". Leiston F.C. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  15. ^ "BLUES APPOINT DARREN EADIE AND CHRIS WIGGER AS JOINT FIRST TEAM MANAGERS". Leiston F.C. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  16. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0

52°12′15.84″N 1°34′17.13″E / 52.2044000°N 1.5714250°E / 52.2044000; 1.5714250

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