AFC Dunstable
AFC Dunstable
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Wikipedia - AFC Dunstable
AFC Dunstable are a football club based in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. The club are members of Division One Central of the Southern League, and are affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association. They play at Creasey Park.
History
The club was established in 1981 as Old Dunstablians, named after a club for former pupils of Dunstable Grammar School. The new club played at Manshead School, which had succeeded the grammar school. They initially played in the Dunstable Alliance Football League, before joining the Luton District and South Befordshire League in 1983. In 1989–90 the club won the Bedfordshire Junior Cup.
In 1994 the club moved to Totternhoe, when Dunstable Town Cricket Club opened a new sports facility in the village. The new ground allowed the club to join Division One of the South Midlands League in 1995. In 1997 the league merged with the Spartan League to form the Spartan South Midlands League, with the club placed in Division One North. In 2001–02 they won the Division One Cup, and in 2003–04 were champions of the renamed Division Two. However, failure to achieve the ground grading regulations meant that the club was unable to take promotion.
In 2004 the club changed their name to AFC Dunstable, although reference to the former name was retained in the club's nickname of the OD's. After winning Division Two again in 2006–07, a season in which they also won the Division Two Cup and the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy the club were again refused promotion. They won the Senior Trophy for a second time in 2007–08, and after finishing third in Division Two 2008–09 and moving to Creasey Park, they were promoted to Division One. In 2010–11 AFC Dunstable finished as runners-up in Division One and won the Division One Cup, earning promotion to the Premier Division. In 2015–16 they won the Premier Division and were promoted to Division One Central of the Southern League. In 2016–17 the club won the Bedfordshire Senior Cup, defeating Dunstable Town 2–0 in the final, going on to defeat Luton Town by the same scoreline in the Bedfordshire Premier Cup.
The 2017–18 season saw Dunstable finish fifth in the renamed East Division, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. However, they were beaten 2–0 in the semi-finals by Hartley Wintney.
League history
| Season | Division | Position | Significant events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–82 | Dunstable Alliance | ||
| 1982–83 | Dunstable Alliance | ||
| 1983–84 | Luton & District League Division One | ||
| 1984–85 | Luton & District League Division One | ||
| 1985–86 | Luton & District League Division One | 2 | |
| 1986–87 | |||
| 1987–88 | |||
| 1988–89 | |||
| 1989–90 | |||
| 1990–91 | |||
| 1991–92 | |||
| 1992–93 | Luton & District League Division One | 2 | |
| 1993–94 | |||
| 1994–95 | |||
| 1995–96 | South Midlands League Division One | 14/17 | |
| 1996–97 | South Midlands League Division One | 13/18 | League reorganised after merger with Spartan League |
| 1997–98 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One North | 12/16 | League reorganisation creates Division One |
| 1998–99 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 9/17 | |
| 1999–2000 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 7/17 | |
| 2000–01 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 6/18 | Division One renamed Division Two |
| 2001–02 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 4/16 | |
| 2002–03 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 2/15 | |
| 2003–04 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 1/17 | Champions |
| 2004–05 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 6/16 | |
| 2005–06 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 2/18 | |
| 2006–07 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 1/16 | Champions |
| 2007–08 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 4/15 | |
| 2008–09 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 3/17 | Promoted |
| 2009–10 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 5/21 | |
| 2010–11 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 2/21 | Promoted |
| 2011–12 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 3/22 | |
| 2012–13 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 8/22 | |
| 2013–14 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 9/22 | |
| 2014–15 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 3/22 | |
| 2015–16 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 1/22 | Promoted |
| 2016–17 | Southern League Division One Central | 7/22 | |
| 2017–18 | Southern League East Division | 5/22 | |
| 2018–19 | Southern League Division One Central | 10/20 | |
| 2019–20 | Southern League Division One Central | – | Season abandoned |
De club is opmerkelijk vanwege het feit dat ze in de seizoenen 1967-1968 en 1968-1969 de FA Vase wonnen. De FA Vase is een bekercompetitie voor Engelse clubs op het negende niveau en lager. AFC Dunstable is de enige club die de FA Vase twee keer achter elkaar heeft gewonnen.
In de jaren zeventig speelde AFC Dunstable in de Southern League Premier Division, het hoogste niveau dat de club ooit heeft bereikt. De club degradeerde in 1983 naar de Southern League Division One South en speelt sindsdien op lager niveau.
AFC Dunstable heeft een aantal gerenommeerde spelers voortgebracht, waaronder John Barnes, Tony Cottee en Gary Mabbutt. Deze spelers gingen allemaal door naar het spelen op het hoogste niveau van het Engelse voetbal.
De club heeft ook een sterke jeugdopleiding en heeft een aantal talentvolle jonge spelers voortgebracht. AFC Dunstable is een belangrijk onderdeel van de gemeenschap van Dunstable en trekt een grote schare fans naar Top Field.