Corby Town

Full name	Corby Town Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Steelmen
Founded	1948
Ground	Rockingham Triangle, Corby
Capacity	3000 (1150 covered, 960 seated)
Chairman	James Kane CBE
Manager	Robert Dunion
League	Southern League Eastern Division
2004-05	Southern League Western Divsion, 12th
Home colours Away colours

Club Sponsors: English Partnerships and Corus Tubes December 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → 31 December 2005 (Saturday) 25-year-old Scottish human rights worker Kate Burton and her parents are freed unharmed in the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian gunmen who kidnapped them two days earlier. ... Image File history File links CorbyTownFCLogo. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... This is a list of major football (soccer) stadiums, grouped by country and ordered by capacity. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... soccer jersey left arm with black shoulders File links The following pages link to this file: Newport County A.F.C. IF Elfsborg Djurgårdens IF Fotboll User:Johan Elisson/football kits Categories: GFDL images | Football kit templates ... Image File history File links soccer jersey with black shoulders File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... soccer jersey right arm with black shoulders File links The following pages link to this file: Newport County A.F.C. IF Elfsborg Djurgårdens IF Fotboll User:Johan Elisson/football kits Categories: GFDL images | Football kit templates ... Image File history File links Kit_shorts. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links soccer jersey with thin black sides File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links Kit_shorts. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football...

Midweek Matchday: Wednesday

Local Press: Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph, Herald & Post, The Citizen

Local Radio: BBC Radio Northampton, Northants 96, Connect FM, Corby Radio

History

Since 1935 the former rural village of Corby in Northamptonshire had been represented in the United Counties League by steelworks side Stewarts & Lloyds - hence the club's nickname of the Steelmen. But by the end of the 1947/1948 season it was decided that the new town of Corby had grown sufficiently enough to support an independent football club and Corby Town was born.

Local MP William Mongomery was elected chairman - a position he had previously held with S&L - and former Millwall, Dundee and England player Reg Smith was appointed player/manager.

Corby Town Football Club played its first game against Wellingborough Town at Occupation Road - home until 1985 - on Saturday, August 21, 1948 and began with an impressive 5-1 victory in front of a crowd of 2,300. Reg Smith departed just a month into that first season for family reasons, however and results were generally disappointing until senior player Wally Akers was given the manager's job in the summer of 1950.

The United Counties League championship was then won in style in both 1950/1951 and 1951/1952 by a side skippered from centre half by the imposing Scot Jimmy Strathie and with ace goalscorer Ernie Middlemiss setting a club goalscoring record of 135 in 136 games which was to last for more than forty years until being broken by David Hofbauer.

Those successes prompted a step up the Midland League in 1952 and in their first season Corby were pipped to the championship by Nottingham Forest Reserves in a last game decider. The Steelmen spent the next five seasons in the Midland League and although they were never able to match that initial success they did have their moments.

In 1954/1955 they reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time losing 0-2 at home to Watford before a crowd of 6,763. The following season two products of the club's youth system - Andy McCabe and Len Chalmers - were transferred to Chesterfield and Leicester City respectively for fees totalling almost two thousand pounds. And in 1956/1957 Corby won their home league encounter Gainsborough Trinity (who turned up without a recognised goalkeeper) by a club record score of 14-0!

The year of 1958 was a momentous one for the club. In February floodlit football came to Corby when an All Star XI took on the Steelmen in the inaugural game under lights and in March it was announced that the club was leaving the Midland League in favour of the Southern League. In May it was revealed that former Manchester United, Derby County, Leicester City and England inside forward Johnny Morris was taking over as player/manager.

During his three years in charge Morris brought a number of well known ex-league players - including his former Manchester United and England colleague Henry Cockburn - to Occupation Road. But this policy almost bankrupt the club and at the end of 1960/1961 he was informed that he was not having his contract renewed for financial reasons.

Morris was succeeded by ex-Corby player Tommy Hadden and under his clever management and astute chairmanship of Fred Deely things improved both on and off the pitch. Promotion to the Premier Division was narrowly missed in 1963/1964 - when the capture of the Merit Cup as the Southern League's highest scoring team was some consolation - but the following year they did achieve promotion to the top flight. During this period the club made several applications for Football League membership and in 1966 actually picked up one vote!

In 1963/1964 Corby were knocked out ot the FA Cup in the First Round Proper by Bristol City and the following season they were defeated at the same stage by Hartlepool United. In 1965/1966 the Steelmen overcame that hurdle at home to fellow non-leaguers Burton Albion and in the Second Round faced Luton Town at Occupation Road. Hopes of an upset appeared to have been dashed when Luton earned a 2-2 draw with a late disputed penalty but on the most glorious night in a club's history a goal by local boy Maurice Goodall gave Corby victory over the Hatters at Kenilworth Road in the replay. In the Third Round a trip to Plymouth Argyle resulted in a 0-6 thrashing and in general the club's fortunes have been on a downward spiral ever since.

Corby were relegated from the Premier Division in 1968 and remained in various forms of Division One until earning a place in the new-look Premier Division in 1982. The Steelmen were relegated again in 1990 - by which time they had moved to a new home at the multi-purpose Rockingham Triangle sports complex - but bounced back after just one season as Midland Division runners up and Merit Cup winners.

In 1992/1993 under the management of Elwyn Roberts and with an experienced side which included Steve Collins, Gerry McElhinney, Bryn Gunn and skipper Dougie Keast they finished third in the Premier Division but just two seasons later following a cash crisis which had threatened the club's very existence they were relegated and ever since have struggled just to stay in the Southern League.

It appeared that the battle had been lost at the end of 1997/1998 but Corby were handed a late reprieve and switched to the Southern Division for the first time.

The 2000/01 season saw Corby finish in a respectable mid-table position but they struggled in their next season, and only managed to hold onto their Dr Martens league status by the skin of their teeth. Following the departure of Eddie McGoldrick senior player Wayne Spencer took over as manager and on a very dramatic last day of the season, bottom of the table Corby, gained an unexpected home win over Eastbourne Borough to leapfrog Wisbeach Town and condemn the 'Fenmen' to relegation.

After a good start to the 2002/03 season things went downhill and a run of 21 games without a win left the club precariously placed. Following the arrival of former Nottingham Forest player Lee Glover as manager, just before Christmas 2002, Corby lost only three of their last fifteen league matches, followed by a season of consolidation in 2003/04. Despite Lee Glover joining Grantham Town The Steelmen had an even better season in 2004/05, with new manager Rob Dunion at the helm, just missing out on a play-off place.

The Rockingham Triangle

Rockingham Triangle Sports Stadium, home of Corby Town Football Club, is the last word in state-of-the-art sports venues and the Club is justly proud of having one of the leading grounds in the Southern League Eastern Division. Venture into the stadium and there, among the magnificent all-seater stand, you will find two press boxes and the directors box. But step back outside in the car park and marvel at the giant stand before you.

Walk through the entrance and be welcomed by the directors in the board room. If you carry on through the corridor you will find the Secretary's Office, the directors box and the Manager’s Office. On match days, the same buzz of excitement echoes round the corridors, as in the days of Occupation Road. In the dressing room, the shirts bear the names of the Steelmen from across the country, successors to yesterday's home-bred heroes.

Corby Town's first home was the famous Occupation Road ground, which they occupied from 1948 until 1985. Their first ever game as Corby Town FC being played on 21 August 1984 against Wellingborough Town. Goals from Berry, Akers (2) and McPherson (2) giving Corby a 5-1 winning start in front of a crowd of 2,300.

In July 1983, it was announced that Corby Town Football Club were to move home as part of a massive £20m town development. The club sold the Occupation Road to the Council for £40,000. Corby played their last match at Occupation Road on 22 April 1985, beating Crawley Town in the league. John Lane wrote himself into the history books by netting both goals in the 2-0 victory.

Corby Borough Council provided the club with a brand-new £800,000 multi purpose, out of town, sports stadium, The Rockingham Triangle. The club moved to before the start of the 1985/86 season despite a few hiccups during building.

The Rockingham Triangle was officially opened by Neil Kinnock on 6 September 1985 and is essentially an athletics stadium. Elwyn Roberts was the first player to score in a Southern League game on the ground, when he equalised in a 1-1 draw with visitors, Gosport on Saturday August 31 1985.

The Rockingham Triangle included a grandstand which was erected with room for 1150 people. With people also able to stand on the grass banks around the running track, the official capacity of the stadium was decided to be 3000.

The opening match, in August 1985, was set to be a grand affair. The opposition were Mile Oak Rovers. Shaun Diver became the first player to score at the Stadium, by netting in the 7-1 friendly victory.

Behind the goals at each end are grass banks, and also around the opposite side to the Mainstand. There is also a sports centre attached to the stadium, which includes an indoor football pitch, sports hall and a gym.

All these features add up to an enviable package of first-class facilities which Corby offer.

Enter the trackside bar and you are in a world where the air is heady with tradition. This is the home of legends, where great names of the past live on, up the staircase, in the famous Trophy Cabinet and all over the walls. The Trophy Cabinet, contains all the Club’s Championship pennants. The display cabinet features vast quantities of silverware, porcelain, crystal and medals. There’s even a trophy for the supporters for winning a national football quiz.

The Club Store, which supplies supporters with a comprehensive range of official merchandise, now stands at the top of the back staircase in the pressbox.

Ground Address: Rockingham Triangle Stadium Rockingham Road, Corby, Northants, NN17 2AE

Capacity: 3000

Cover: 1150

Seats: 960

Clubhouse: Trackside Bar (open on matchdays only)

Clubshop: Yes (Contact Chris Woolmer 01536 260900)

Directions: On Northern Outskirts of town at juction of A6003 and A6116 opposite entrance of Rockingham Castle.

Nearest Railway Station: Kettering Station

Links

Official Corby Town FC Website

Online Fanzine