Leighton Town

Leighton Town FC are a non league football club from the Bedfordshire town of Leighton Buzzard, which was the opening point of the Grand Union Canal and was the nearest town to where the Great Train Robbery took place.

'The Reds' were formed in 1885, playing local league football before changing their name to Leighton United and becoming founder members of the South Midlands League in 1922. Thirty years later the club were also founder members of the Hellenic League, but they reverted to their previous league after just two years.

In 1963 the club reverted to becoming Leighton Town, going on to be crowned league champions four years later. They joined the United Counties League for the 1974-75 season, but after a two year spell they re-joined the South Midlands League.

The 1991-92 season saw Town being crowned champions of the Premier Division, which led to promotion to the Isthmian League. A couple of divisional titles followed in the ensuing campaigns before the re-organisation of non league football saw the club placed in the Southern League. From the 2009-10 season, neighbours Aylesbury United shared an agreement to share Bell Close after they were evicted from their home ground.

Leighton Town FC will play in the Southern League Division One Central in the 2013-14 season.

My visit

Aylesbury United 0 Kidlington 2 (Sunday 14th October 2012) FA Vase Round One (att: 159)

I entered Bell Close for the first time not quite sure what to expect? What I found was a decent enough homely old fashioned ground, which was now looking a little tired. A lick of paint and the repairs of one or two of the fences would have made it look good, but I guess it must have been extremely frustrating if vandals undo the previous good work.

The near end had a couple of steps of terracing and the clubhouse and changing rooms behind. The snack bar had its own little roof for diners. The left hand side of the pitch bordered the towns cricket club, with spectators only having access down a third of the pitch. Opposite this was a mixture of open flat hard standing and grass, with a neat seated stand straddling the half way line. At the far end stood a long cover with a couple of steps of terracing, with an exit and turnstiles in the centre, which were out of use.

It wasn't the best stadium I'd ever visited, but give me something traditional close to the town centre like Bell Close rather than a souless out of town site with plastic and metal stands.

For a description of my day out and a match report, please go to the Aylesbury United page at:

 http://worldgroundhoptwo.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Aylesbury%20United