History
Although records show the existence of a Needham Market Football Club during the late 1890s, the modern club was officially established in 1919, initially playing at Young's Meadow. They later moved to Crowley Park, and joined the Suffolk & Ipswich League, winning Division Two in 1946–47 and Division One in 1952–53. They won the League Cup in 1978 and again in 1980. The Suffolk Junior Cup was won in 1985, and the Suffolk Senior Cup in 1990.
In 1995–96 the club won the Senior Division, and were promoted to Division One of the Eastern Counties League. In the same year, the club bought its current ground, after a former player, Arthur Rodwell, died and left the club money, which together with a grant from the National Lottery, was enough to purchase the site and build the necessary facilities.
The club finished runners-up in 2004–05 and were promoted to the Premier Division, winning the Senior Cup in the same season. A new record crowd of 750 was set for a Suffolk Premier Cup match against Ipswich Town reserves during the 2006–07 season, in which they also won the East Anglian Cup. The following season the club won the Suffolk Premier Cup and the League Cup, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the FA Vase, losing 4–2 on aggregate to Kirkham & Wesham. A new record attendance of 1,375 was set during the home leg.
In 2009–10 the club won the Premier Division of the Eastern Counties League and the League Cup, earning promotion to Division One North of the Isthmian League. In their first season in Division One, Needham finished as runners-up, but lost 3–1 at home to Brentwood Town in the play-off semi-finals. The following season the club finished third and reached the play-off final, but lost 1–0 to Enfield Town.
Read more about this topic: Needham Market F.C.
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