Who are ya! Needham Market FC profile
As we prepapre to face Needham Market FC in Back-to-Back matches at Garden Walk we take the opportunity to profile our next visitors. This Saturday (24th November) we face the Suffolk based side in the Buildbase FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying before next weekend (1st December) its back to the bread and butter of the Evo-Stik League South Premier Division Central fixture.
- Needham Market FC were formed in 1919 and will be celebrating their centenary year next year.
- Their nickname is ‘The Marketmen’.
- They began their footballing life in the Ipswich & District League.
- The club initially played at Young’s Meadow, before relocating to Crowley Park.
- After finishing as Runners-Up in division 3A in the 1931/32 season, they were promoted to Division 2A and won it in their first season in the new league!
- Following World War II, The Marketmen claimed the 1946/47 Division 2 title and followed that success up by lifting the Division 1 trophy 6 years later.
- In 1996 they moved to a new ground, thanks to a National Lottery grant and a gift from the estate of former player Arthur Rodwell. The new ground was named Bloomfields after former Needham Market player and clubman Derrick Bloomfield.
- Their highest attendance record was set when they entertained Cambridge United in an FA Cup fourth qualifying round game on 26 October 2013 in front of 1,748 spectators.
- In 2014/15 they were crowned Isthmian League Division One North champions.
- Just 3 years ago Needham Market suffered their heaviest defeat – losing 6–0 to Wingate & Finchley on the 8th September 2015 in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
- This year’s appearance in the Third Qualifying Round represents their best ever progress in the FA Trophy, having reached the Second qualifying round two seasons ago (2016–17).
- They are currently managed by former Colchester United, Cambridge United and Hereford midfielder Richard Wilkins.
