History
The club was established in 1896 and spent a single season in the East Midlands League. After several years without league football, the club joined the Northamptonshire League in 1909, and won the title in 1911–12. In 1933 the league was renamed the United Counties League.
They left the league in 1939, but after a season in the Peterborough & District League, they rejoined the UCL in 1946. They won the league's Knockout Cup in 1952, a season in which they also won the Lincolnshire Senior B Cup. In 1955 they left the league again to join the Central Alliance, before joining the Midland League. In 1972 they returned to the UCL. They were champions in 1975–76 as well as winning the league cup and reaching the final of the FA Vase, where they lost 1–0 to Billericay Town after extra time. They won the league again in 1977–78 and the Lincolnshire Senior A Cup in 1978–79. They then went on to win the league three times in a row between 1979–80 and 1981–82, as well as the Knockout Cup in 1979–80 and 1981–82 and the FA Vase in 1979–80, when Guisborough Town were defeated 2–0 in the final. In 1983–84 they reached the final for a third time, but lost 3–2 to Stansted.
After the winning the UCL Premier Division title again in 1996–97 and 1997–98, Stamford joined the Midland Division of the Southern League, which was renamed the Eastern Division at the end of their first season. In 2003–04 they finished seventh and were promoted to the Premier Division due to league restructuring, but were relegated after a single season. In 2005–06 they reached the promotion play-offs, and after defeating Barking & East Ham United 3–2 in the semi-finals, they beat Wivenhoe Town 2–1 in the final to earn promotion.
Stamford fared better in their second Premier Division stint finishing the campaign in eighth place. The season ended with silverware as the Daniels claimed their fifth different county cup, beating Brigg Town to win the Senior Shield at Lincoln City’s Sincil Bank Stadium.
After a single season in the Southern League Premier Division they were transferred to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. However, they were relegated to Division One South at the end of the season after losing manager Graham Drury and half the squad to Corby Town in mid season.
The Daniels were unable to bounce straight back to the Premier Division after narrowly missing out on a play off place despite a club record twenty league game undefeated streak. Although the club missed out on a play off berth they were able to defeat Boston United 4-1 in the final of the Lincolnshire Senior Shield to win the competition for the second time in three seasons.
In the 2009-10 season Stamford reached their first Northern Premier League cup final but fell to 3-1 scoreline against Belper Town in the President’s Cup at Quorn.
Stamford's 2010-11 season was largely one of disappointment as the team finished in 19th, their lowest ever league position at Step 4 but did regain the Lincolnshire Senior Shield again beating Boston United this time on penalties.
Despite making a decent start to the 2011/12 season and heading the table, they fell away and missed out on a play-off spot, finishing seventh.
Graham Drury returned to the club as manager in May 2012, replacing Tommy Bookbanks. He had been the Daniels boss prior to spending four seasons in charge at neighbours Corby Town.
The club made history when they played Rotherham United in a pre-season friendly at the start of August by becoming the first sports club in the world to wear the Twitter handle, and display a QR code, on the back of their playing shirts.
At the end of July 2012 Chris Rivett joined the board of directors and was appointed as Chairman two weeks later. At the time of writing (28/01/13), at the age of 33 Rivett is believed to be the third youngest chairman of a football club in England, after Ralph Burditt of AFC Rushden & Diamonds (27) and Matthew Conridge of Tiverton Town (28). During the 2012/13 season the club announced that toghether with the towns college they were going to move in to a new stadium on Ryhall road of the town.
Read more about this topic: Stamford A.F.C.
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