Hinckley United Football Club

Members of the Southern League (Midland Division)

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    • OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE CLUB

    The newest club in senior non league football, Hinckley United, was formed as recently as Wednesday 18th June 1997. A meeting on that date saw shareholders of Hinckley Athletic (Interlink Express Midland Alliance) approve a merger with neighbours Hinckley Town (Dr Marten's Southern League Midland Division).

    Merger moves were made immediately at the end of last season when Athletic narrowly missed out on promotion to the Dr Marten's League for the third consecutive campaign following finishes of 2nd, 3rd and 2nd again. A meeting of the respective chairmen, Mick Voce (Athletic) and Kevin Downes (Town), established there was some common ground with each club having something positive to offer.

    Formed in 1889, Athletic had the traditional support of the Hinckley people, averaging 250 and a Dr Marten's League approved ground at Middlefield Lane with good and ever improving facilities as well as exciting development plans in hand. Town were formed in 1958 and made rapid strides from local football to the Dr Marten's League with the 1980's being a successful decade. Consequently, the new club were to play at Middlefield Lane with Town's Leicester Road set up being used as a training ground, and once the FA and Southern League had approved the merger, United inherited Town's Dr Marten's League spot.

    The new club acted quickly in appointing it's managerial team as Dean Thomas had been released from his contract with Bedworth United and he became team manager with former Athletic boss John Hanna being appointed general manager, although Hanna relinquished his position in the new year leaving the former Notts County player in sole charge. United are running a reserve side in the Endsleigh Combination Reserve Division, a youth side playing in the Midland Floodlit Youth League, and four junior sides.

    Off the field, the board of directors has fourteen members, seven from either club, with Kevin Downes taking the chair, whilst Mick Voce has moved on to become chairman at The Dovecote.

    The club colours are red and blue stripes, a blend of the main colours from Athletic and Town whilst the club held a competition for fans to come up with a nickname and The Knitters was chosen reflecting one of the longest standing industries associated with the town. The club quickly established themselves with an excellent run in the FA Cup, the highlight being a win at GM Vauxhall Conference side Kettering Town before Colwyn Bay ended dreams of a lucrative first round tie with a 2-1 victory in the final qualifying round.

    The new club clearly has a great future in Non-League football - but let's not forget its great traditions:

  • The Formative Years and the "Holy Well Curse"

  • Triple Crown Heroes - the First Great Team

  • The Last Season at the Holy Well Ground

  • The Dudley Kernick Era - League and Cup Glory

     [We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Steve Holmes for permission to quote from the Hinckley United Official Programme]

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