Long Eaton United
Long Eaton United F.C. currently play in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division. They were established in 1956 and joined the Midland Football League in 1961. They were founding members of the Northern Counties East Football League in 1982.Since their formation they have played at Grange Park, Long Eaton. In their first season, the team then known as ‘The Stripes’, finished second in the Central Alliance League, Division One (South), behind Skegness Town. In the 1957/58 season, the Long Eaton United Reserves won the Derby Senior League Cup, followed a year later by the senior team winning the Division One (South) Championship. In those days Division One was the highest divison. In 1961/62 United were admitted to the reformed Midland Counties League and finished in a mid-table position. Fellow Derbyshire clubs Matlock Town finished as League Champions while Alfreton Town finished bottom. The reserve team took the honours the following season by winning the Central Alliance Division One Championship and the Derbyshire Divisional Cup. In 1965 United went on to win the Derbyshire Senior Cup by beating Alfreton Town 1-0 at The Baseball Ground in Derby.
Eleven more years passed before United won the Derbyshire Senior Cup again by beating Matlock Town 1-0 and 2-1 to bring the trophy back to Grange Park. The club secured more success with the Reserves winning the Divisional Cup in seasons 1970/71 and 1971/72. They also won the Notts Combination Premier Division Championship. At the end of the 1981/82 season the Midland Counties League and the Yorkshire League were merged to form the Northern Counties East League as part of the 'pyramid’ system. Because there was a lack of ground facilities United were placed in Division One (South) and, as they lost a large number of players to rivals Ilkeston Town, they struggled for three seasons until Pete Johnson became the Manager. Through his guidance he led United to become Champions and thus securing promotion to the Premier Division. That season United were also League Cup finalists, but ended up losing in a replay to Alfreton Town.
In 1989/90, because United had no floodlights, they were moved into the Supreme Division of the Central Midlands League and in the 1990/91 season they were demoted to the Premier Division, again due to the lack of floodlights. In 1992/93 Jim Fairley Senior, who had resigned previously after he suffered a heart attack, once again rejoined as Chairman. The club went through reorganisation and in the 1993/94 season United found themselves back in the Supreme Division. Under Jim Fairley Junior a Youth Section was formed. In 1996 United won Lottery money to fund a Centre of Excellence and in 1998 work began to install floodlights, new fencing, dressing rooms and multi activity areas. In 1997 Women’s football was introduced for youngsters and later for women, so now the club have two senior teams. Grange Park then became the home to over 200 footballers and promotion to the Northern Counties East League Division One, was gained in 2002 followed by promotion to the Premier Division at the end of the 2003/04 season.Statistics
Ground: Grange Park.
Ground Capacity: 1,500 (500 under cover, 150 seated).
Record Attendance: 2,019 (Against Burton Albion in 1973 FA Cup).
Home Kit: All blue shirt, shorts and socks.
Away Kit: All green shirt, shorts and socks.
Sponsors: McDonalds.
Managers: Glyn Stacey, Mark Harvey.
Chairman: Jim Fairley Snr.
Youth Section Chairman: Jim Fairley Jnr.
Main Matchday: Saturday.
Mid-week Matchday: Tuesday.
Nickname: The Blues.
Teams: Long Eaton United - first team.
Long Eaton United Reserves.
Long Eaton United Ladies.
Long Eaton United under 19s.
Long Eaton United youth teams: Under 8s through to under 16s.
Long Eaton United Girls: under 16s and under 14s.
The Club Badge