Milton Keynes Irish F.C.

Milton Keynes Irish Football Club is a football club based in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, England. They are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Division One and play at Manor Fields.

Milton Keynes Irish
Full nameMilton Keynes Irish Football Club
Founded2020
GroundManor Fields, Milton Keynes
ManagerTerry Shrieves
LeagueSpartan South Midlands League Division One
2019–20Spartan South Midlands League Division One (season abandoned)

History of Milton Keynes Robins

The club were established as Buckingham Town in 1883, playing their first match against Banbury United.[1] They won the Aylesbury & District League in 1902–03 and 1936–37 and the North Bucks League in 1924–25, 1928–29, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1948–49 and 1949–50.[1] They were founder members of the Hellenic League in 1953, but left after only four seasons.[2] They won the Aylesbury & District League again in 1967–68.[1]

Buckingham joined Division One of the South Midlands League in 1971,[3] where they played until joining Division Two of the United Counties League in 1974. Their first season in the league saw them finish second, earning promotion to Division One. After finishing as Division One runners-up in 1975–76, the club secured a second successive promotion, moving up to the Premier Division.[2] They were Premier Division champions and Knockout Cup winners in 1983–84, and the following season they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first (and to date only) time in their history, losing 2–0 at home to Orient.

In 1985–86 Buckingham won the Premier Division again and were promoted to the Midland Division of the Southern League. After being transferred to the Southern Division in 1988, they won the division in 1990–91, but were not promoted as their ground failed to meet the standards required. They were moved back to the Midland Division in 1994, but returned to the Southern Division in 1996. However, after finishing bottom of the division in 1996–97, they were relegated back to the Premier Division of the United Counties League. The 2006–07 season saw them finish bottom of the Premier Division, resulting in relegation to Division One. The club announced that they were folding at the end of the 2017–18 season.[4] However, the decision was later reversed.

The club was renamed Milton Keynes Robins in January 2019.[5]

History of Unite MK

Wolverton Town F.C. was founded in 2004, joining the Milton Keynes Sunday League. In 2005, the club joined the North Bucks & District League.[6] In 2012–13, the club joined the Spartan South Midlands League Division Two. In July 2016, the club renamed to Unite MK. Unite MK entered the FA Vase for the first time in 2018–19.[7]

Merger

In May 2020, Milton Keynes Robins, Unite MK and Milton Keynes Irish Veterans merged to form Milton Keynes Irish F.C.[8]

Ground

Buckingham Town played at Ford Meadow from 1883 until being evicted at the end of the 2010–11 season.[9][10] They then played at the Winslow Centre in Winslow for the 2011–12 season, before moving to Manor Fields in the Bletchley area of Milton Keynes.[10]

Wolverton Town played at The New Park in Greenleys until they moved to Manor Fields in 2016.[6]


Honours

Buckingham Town

  • Southern League
    • Southern Division champions 1990–91
  • United Counties League
    • Premier Division champions 1983–84, 1985–86
    • Knockout Cup winners 1983–84
  • Aylesbury & District League
    • Champions 1902–03, 1936–37, 1967–68
  • North Bucks League
    • Champions 1924–25, 1928–29, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1948–49, 1949–50

Records

Buckingham Town

  • Best FA Cup performance: First round, 1984–85[2]
  • Best FA Trophy performance: First qualifying round, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97[2]
  • Best FA Vase performance: Quarter-finals, 1990–91, 1992–93[2]
  • Record transfer fee received: £1,000 from Kettering Town for Terry Stevens[11]
  • Record transfer fee paid: £7,000 to Wealdstone for Steve Jenkins, 1992[11]

Unite MK

  • Best FA Vase performance: First qualifying round, 2018–19

See also
  • Buckingham Town F.C. players
  • Buckingham Town F.C. managers

References
  1. History Buckingham Town F.C.
  2. Buckingham Town at the Football Club History Database
  3. South Midlands League 1966-1983 Non-League Matters
  4. BREAKING: Sad news as Buckingham Town Football Club are forced to fold Buckingham Today, 3 May 2018
  5. End of an era as Buckingham Town Football Club change their name to Milton Keynes Robins Buckingham Today, 17 January 2019
  6. "Club History - Wolverton Town FC to Unite MK FC". Milton Keynes Irish Centre. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  7. Unite M K at the Football Club History Database
  8. "Club Merger!". Milton Keynes Irish F.C. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  9. Arsonists reignite discussion over future of ground Buckingham Today, 6 February 2015
  10. Good and bad news for Buckingham United Counties League
  11. Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) Non-League Club Directory 2013, p797 ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0

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