History
During the 1930s Corby was represented in the United Counties League by steelworks side Stewarts & Lloyds. But by the 1948 it was decided that the expanding town could support an independent football club and Corby Town was formed. Their nickname of the Steelmen derives from the link with Stewarts & Lloyds.
Corby Town played their first game in August 1948 at Occupation Road, which was to be their home until 1985. They won the United Counties League championship in both 1950–51 and 1951–52, and these successes prompted a step up the Midland Football League in 1952. The Steelmen spent five seasons in the Midland League before switching to the Southern League. They were promoted to the League's top division in 1965 and making several applications for Football League membership without success.
Corby were relegated from the Premier Division in 1968 and remained in various forms of Division One until league re-organisation in 1982 saw them placed in the new-look Premier Division. 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 and for the remainder of the 90s the club struggled to stay in the Southern League.
Since 2002, however, the club's fortunes have turned around, culminating in a return to the Southern League Premier Division in 2006 following a fantastic season with Rob Dunion at the helm. Following a tough year back in the Premier Division that saw the departure of both Dunion and his successor Dougie Keast, the club were saved from relegation by Farnborough Town's demise from the Conference South. 2007–08 looked really positive for The Steelmen, with a new board led by ex-Kettering Town Chairman Peter Mallinger, Mick Leech & Les Manning of Corby based construction company Weldon Plant, as well as former Kettering director Dave Dunham. However the side assembled by Kevin Wilson vastly underachieved and following his sacking by the club and an influx of new players by new manager Graham Drury, The Steelmen avoided relegation with just one week of the season remaining. Following a number of new signings and complete team restructuring the Steelmen, promotion to the Conference North was achieved on 25 April 2009, at the Rockingham Triangle in front of a strong crowd of 1,990. The record gate at the Triangle was set in a pre-season game with Rangers with 2,300 supporters present. The record at Occupation Road was 10,239 against Peterborough United.
In July 2011 the club announced the appointment of a fifth director, Chris Rivett, who joins Acting Chairman David Mallinger, Director Graham Starmer, Ian Hopewell and Helen Thompson on the club's board. Helen later resigned and was replaced in December 2011 by Martin Harris. And, prior to the 2012/13 season Chris Rivett also left the board.
In May 2012, manager Graham Drury left the club, after the board decided not to offer him a new contract. He was replaced by former Northampton Town manager Ian Sampson a few weeks later. However after five straight defeat at the start of the 2012-13 season Ian Sampson resigned as manager at Corby Town F.C.
Read more about this topic: Corby Town F.C.
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