IN OPPOSITION

IN OPPOSITION TODAY HINCKLEY

Hinckley AFC is a community owned club that was established in January 2014, following the liquidation of Hinckley United. The club aims to promote football for all in the Hinckley and Bosworth community, and is built on a structure of one vote per member. The club is committed to investing its money into football at all ages in the community, with a constitutional promise not to take any profits out of the club.

The town of Hinckley has had a football team for many years, the earliest recorded team being Hinckley Town, who played in the Leicestershire Senior League in 1889. Following a name change to Hinckley Athletic, the club acquired land on Middlefield Lane, and in the mid-1990s they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Southern League on three occasions. Meanwhile, Hinckley Town were formed after changing their name from Westfield Wanderers in 1972, and they were promoted to the Southern League after a successful spell in the 1980s.

In the summer of 1997, the two chairmen, Kevin Downes (Town) and Mick Voce (Athletic) established that both sides had something positive to offer a merger. Thus, Hinckley Town and Hinckley Athletic became Hinckley United.

The intention of the merger was to create a higher standard of football in the town, something which was achieved when United won promotion to the Southern League Premier Division in 2001.

After finishing in 6th place in 2003/04, United were accepted into the newly formed Conference North. They moved into a new ground, on Leicester Road, in March 2005. After a successful start in 2006/07, tragedy struck when Matt Gadsby passed away while playing for the club at Harrogate Town on 9th September 2006. They went on to reach the play-off final, but lost out 4-3 to Farsley Celtic after conceding a last minute penalty.

Seasons of financial woe followed, and after being relegated from the Conference North in 2012/13, the club was liquidated six months later.

After appointing Carl Abbott as their first manager, Hinckley AFC’s first match was on 5th July 2014, a 4-2 win against landlords Heather St John’s. Abbott led AFC to a third-place finish in the Midland League First Division in their inaugural season, including setting a new league record for matches unbeaten. They went 27 without defeat in all competitions from 21st October until 28th April, when they were defeated in the Leicestershire Senior Cup Final.

The on-field success continued into the start of the 2015/16 season, when they overturned a Redditch United side from three levels higher in the pyramid to reach the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup in their first campaign in the competition. That season, the club finished fifth in the league and won their first piece of silverware: going one better than the previous season by winning the Senior Cup with a 5-1 victory over Oakham United in the Final.

Continuing the theme of building on their success each season, 2016/17 yielded a new best league finish, with AFC ending as runners-up behind unbeaten champions Bromsgrove Sporting. Alongside that there were best ever runs in the FA Vase, where Abbott’s men reached the last 16 stage but were beaten in extra time by Buckland Athletic, and the Polymac Packaging League Cup, where they reached the final.

Abbott stepped down the following October, and the club had several managers for short spells between then and the present day – Dale Belford, Richard Lavery, James Jepson and John Ramshaw all with brief tenures before Dale’s son Courtney Belford took charge in the summer to give renewed optimism after a disappointing campaign.

Covid regulations prevented him being able to complete either of his first two seasons in charge, ahead of the club’s move to the United Counties League in 2021/22.

But there the club mirrored their second-placed finish of five years previously, setting numerous records along the way. They hit a new FA Vase record 18-0 win at St Martin's in the FA Vase and set a 13-match winning streak on their way to the play-off final. Ultimately, though, defeat to Belper United in the final meant another crack at step six and lateral movement back to the Midland League after just one season away. Belford stepped down due to work commitments, with his assistant Joe Conneely taking charge.

The memory of Matt Gadsby lives on through his wife Sarah and daughter Amelia, who hold the membership Number One of Hinckley AFC.

JON & NEIL DIRECTORS UPDATE

First of all, we would like to welcome Hinckley, their players, staff and supporters to the NFU sports ground for our match this afternoon.

In addition, we would also welcome everyone associated with Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club and any groundhoppers that may be in attendance for what hopefully will be an entertaining game.

As you will read in the programme, on the field, the club is flourishing and the First team and The Knights have started the season strongly. We have seen a massive growth in the number of junior boys and girls teams and have a thriving Saturday Development and Soccer School. Personally, we would like to thank, all of the people involved on the football side, in making the summer and start of the season an enjoyable experience.

A lot of activity has been taking place off the field as well.

The date of 1st June 2020 was a significant milestone in the history of AIFC, as we reconstituted to Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club CIC, a company registered on Companies House. Several years of planning took place prior to this, in order that the new structure would provide sustainability to the football club, by diversifying and becoming a business.

Both myself and Neil Johnson became the named Directors with the responsibility to take the club forward, in the best interest of club and the community.

The formation of the CIC contributed massively in giving the club the ability to purchase the freehold of our ground. This had been put up for sale in the Autumn of 2019, as a result of the club’s landlord going into administration. At this time, the future of the club was in a precarious position, as there was another interested party in purchasing the ground, but as existing tenants, we worked proactively with the administrator’s to put our ourselves in a position to be given first choice as to whether we wished to purchase the ground. Despite the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, which affected everyone’s lives in one way or another, the CIC started the process of raising funds to acquire the freehold and following a turbulent journey, the date of 27th May 2021, will always be etched in my memory as the date that we finally completed the purchase of the freehold of the ground. The future of the Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club, that has been in existence since 1948, was secured. Personally, having been in business for nearly 40 years, the purchase and everything involved in the process was one of the toughest challenges that I have been involved with. For all parties involved in assisting us getting this over the line, thank you.

With the freehold of the ground secured, plans are being put into place to redevelop the NFU sports ground and we wish to share that towards the end of this year, a planning application will be submitted to provide a 2nd floor extension to the existing clubhouse, new changing rooms and a new 3G pitch, which will be located on the existing junior pitch and training areas.

Before this, we are totally aware that as a result of the number of spectators, players, parents that use our facilities on match days and training nights, our existing car park is constantly at breaking point and as a result, off site parking is very common occurrence. We are mindful of the disruption and inconvenience to our residential neighbours that this may cause. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that this week, we have agreed a lease with the current landowner to have a portion of the adjacent field as an overspill car park, and subject to receiving the necessary planning permission for change of use, then we are hopeful that this will be in operation by the end of the year. Further updates on the progress of this will be provided at the appropriate times.

Other exciting initiatives are being considered and are developing at pace and further announcements are to follow, but hopefully you will see that AIFC CIC has ambitious plans to provide a facility that you and the whole community can be proud of, enhance the enjoyment of people

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Email: knightsbar@ashbyivanhoefc.co.uk Web: www.ashbyivanhoefc.co.uk

Knights Bar, NFU Sports Ground, Lower Packington Road, Ashby De La Zouch, LE65 1TS

using the facilities and hopefully allow us to climb up the football pyramid.

Other key items that we wish to share, is that sponsorship is increasing and to date, we have over 50 sponsors, both new this season and existing ones that have supported the club over the years.

New signage to the front entrance is being manufactured ready to be installed, which will enhance the image of the club upon arrival.

From May 2022, the CIC became VAT registered and this month, we will be issuing our first VAT return to the HMRC.

The Knights bar is open from 4pm on weekdays and 12 noon at weekends and the number of people using the facility is continuing to rise. The catering team are performing very well on matchdays and we are constantly looking at ways of improving our offering.

With the partnership with LCFC Turf Academy and our groundsman’s infectious love of grass and white lines, we have obtain grants for new equipment and pitch maintenance, which is not an insignificant amount of money and will give us the impetus to hopefully continue to provide We are very proud of the achievements we have made to date and the current position that the club currently finds itself in. As you will see exciting times are ahead of us. We have got here through a very committed group of individuals that are all pulling in the right direction and long may this continue, however as always, we need additional people to join us and should anyone feel that they could contribute to our plans above, then please feel free to contact either Neil or myself to discuss in more detail.

There are too many people to name in person, but for all that have supported both Neil and myself in driving the CIC forward and for their tireless work that people put into undertaking their roles within the club, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, the support gives us the desire and strength to drive this club forward and to achieve new heights for all to enjoy.

Anyway, I’m off to the bar, hopefully the Chairman is in there to buy me a drink, and for all attending the game, enjoy the day and hopefully see you all back very soon.

Jon & Neil AIFC CIC Directors

SENIOR PLAYER SPONSORS

TREY WILKS DANNY TURNOCK CHRIS NETTLE

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