King's Lynn Town F.C.

King's Lynn Town Football Club is a football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. They are currently members of the National League, the fifth tier of English football, and play at the Walks.

King's Lynn Town
Full nameKing's Lynn Town Football Club
Nickname(s)The Linnets
Founded2010
GroundThe Walks, King's Lynn
Capacity8,200 (1,200 seated)[1]
ChairmanStephen Cleeve
ManagerIan Culverhouse
LeagueNational League
2019–20National League North, 1st of 22 (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

History

The club was established in 2010 after King's Lynn F.C. were wound up in 2009.[2] They were admitted to the Premier Division of the United Counties League and were runners-up in their first season in the league, also reaching the semi-finals of the FA Vase, where they lost 6–2 on aggregate to Coalville Town.[3] After finishing as runners-up again in 2011–12 the club were promoted to Division One South of the Northern Premier League. They won Division One South at the first attempt, earning promotion to the Premier Division.[3] In 2015 the club were transferred to the Premier Division of the Southern League. In 2016–17 they won the Norfolk Senior Cup, beating Fakenham Town 2–0 in the final.[4] The club were runners-up in the Southern League Premier Division in 2017–18, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Weymouth 3–0 in the semi-finals, they lost 2–1 to Slough Town in the final. The club were placed in the Premier Division Central for the 2018–19 season, going on to finish as runners-up and qualifying for the play-offs. After defeating Stratford Town and Alvechurch, they were promoted to the National League North following a 3–2 win against Warrington Town in the super play-off final.

The 2019–20 season was abandoned due to the coronavirus pandemic with the club second in the league, two points behind leaders York City with two games in hand. The National League later decided the final league table would be based on points-per-game, resulting in King's Lynn being declared champions, earning promotion to the National League. In 2020–21 the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time after Notts County were forced to cede the fourth qualifying round tie due to a COVID outbreak in their squad. In the first round, King's Lynn defeated League Two club Port Vale 1–0 at Vale Park.[5] In the second round, they lost 6–1 at Portsmouth.[6]

Current squad

As of 30 January 2021[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF  ENG Aaron Jones
3 DF  ENG Alex Brown
4 DF  IRL Kyle Callan-McFadden
5 DF  ENG Chris Smith
6 DF  ENG Rory McCauley
7 MF  MAS Michael Clunan (captain)
8 MF  ENG Jordan Richards
9 FW  ENG Michael Gash
10 FW  ENG Adam Marriott
14 MF  ENG Ryan Jarvis
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF  ENG Tai Flemming
17 MF  SCO Cameron King
18 MF  ENG Sam Kelly
19 FW  GRN Kairo Mitchell
20 FW  ENG Dayle Southwell
21 GK  SCO Archie Mair (on loan from Norwich City)
22 DF  ENG Ross Barrows
23 FW  ENG Alex Kiwomya
24 MF  ENG Sonny Carey
25 DF  ENG Tyler Denton

Reserve team

The club's reserve team joined the Reserve Division Two of the United Counties League in 2010, going on to win the division in their first season and earn promotion to Reserve Division One.[2] After winning Reserve Division One the following season and the first team leaving the United Counties League, the reserves joined Division One of the Peterborough & District League in 2012. They secured a third successive title, earning promotion to the Premier Division. After winning the Premier Division the following season, the reserves joined Division One of the Eastern Counties League.[8] They won the Division One Cup in 2016–17, beating Wisbech St Mary 1–0 in the final.[9]

Ground

The Walks Stadium

The club took over the Walks ground from King's Lynn, who had played there since being formed in 1881. Canvas screens were erected around the ground in 1892 to prevent people watching matches without paying.[2] In 1893 a match was played against Wisbech Town under electric lights.[2] A stand was built in 1896, although it was demolished in 1905, replaced by a 500-seat wooden grandstand built at a cost of £250.[2] In the mid-1950s the Supporters Club installed terracing for 4,000 and 780 seats on the northern side of the pitch. In 1955 the wooden stand was sold to a company in Spalding and a new grandstand seating 1,400 with a terraced paddock holding 3,000 was built at a cost of £27,000 and opened by then FIFA President and FA Chairman Arthur Drewry on 18 August 1956.[2]

Floodlights were installed in 1963 and used for the first time in a Culey Festival Cup match against Cambridge City on 25 September.[2]

Honours

  • National League
    • National League North champions 2019–20
  • Northern Premier League
    • Division One South champions 2012–13
  • Norfolk Senior Cup
    • Winners 2016–17

Records

See also

  • King's Lynn Town F.C. players
  • King's Lynn Town F.C. managers

References

  1. King's Lynn Town Non-League Club Directory
  2. History King's Lynn Town F.C.
  3. King's Lynn Town at the Football Club History Database
  4. Senior Cup Norfolk FA
  5. Port Vale 0–1 King's Lynn Town BBC Sport, 7 November 2020
  6. Portsmouth 6–1 King's Lynn Town BBC Sport, 28 November 2002
  7. "KLTFC First Team". King's Lynn Town F.C. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  8. King's Lynn Town Reserves at the Football Club History Database
  9. 2016-2017 Division One KO Cup FA Full Time

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