Club History
In the beginning...
In 1975 a group of lads from All Hallows Youth Club got together in Croyland Park and put down jumpers for goalposts, started to worry about the wind resistance of their flares and whether or not it was time to retire to The Hind for a few pints.
These lads managed to arrange a few friendly games of football against the likes of Riseley, Weekley Glebe and, appropriately enough, The Saxon Hotel. Little did they know or expect that the team they thought about calling The Graveyard Wanderers, or Church Street Cloggers, and eventually decided to call Wellingborough Saxon FC was going to grow from these humble beginnings.
Somewhere around 1976 the team were joined by Mick Sanders and Tony Greaves, who having spotted the quality of training undertaken by the boys down at Croyland Park, either thought, “that's the perfect set up for keen professionals like us”, or “they're sh*t, surely we can get into that team!”.
This was clearly the beginning of bigger and better things: the club borrowed £25 from a local teacher, Phil Ramsey, bought a kit and decided to enter the league. With this in mind, and very proud of themselves, Andy Byles and Mick Freeman picked up the kit and walked to the door of then league Secretary, John Prentice, showed him the kit and asked whether or not they could be included in the following weeks league's fixtures!!
All went well and the following season, 1977-1978, Wellingborough Saxon FC entered the Rushden & District Sunday Football League.
The first team to play consisted of Nigel Grimmitt, Martin Byles, Andy Byles, Gregg Owen, Phil Ramsey, Andy Short, Mick Sanders, Steve Hughes, Jeff Underdown, Mick Freeman and Tony Greaves. Others involved in that first match included the likes of Bob Bates, Gary Grimmitt, Carlo Bertozzi, Nick Grimmitt, Phil Byles and Nando. To top it off, Saxon won 4–2!
Now 30 years down the line, with four teams in three different leagues and 60+ players signed-on (not forgetting all those ex-Saxon players who still support the teams), Saxon Football Club is a force to be reckoned with!
See some of the original teams in action.
10th September 2006 - History was made...
Saxon Taverners FC put out 4 teams today. The newly formed Vet's team made their debut against Wollaston at Croyland Park. The Vet's won with a staggering 6 goals.
For other photographs from the Vet's first match see the Photo Archive .