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| Full name | Winslow United Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Ploughmen | ||
| Founded | 1891; 134 years ago (1891) | ||
| Ground | Elmfields Gate,Winslow | ||
| Capacity | 2,000 (100 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Andy Setterfield | ||
| Manager | Alex Woodfine | ||
| League | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | ||
| 2024–25 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, 10th of 18 | ||
| Website | https://www.winslowunitedfc.co.uk/ | ||
Winslow United Football Club is an association football club based inWinslow, Buckinghamshire, England. Founded in 1891, they are nicknamedThe Ploughmen and currently compete in theSpartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division, which is at Step 5 of the National League System, corresponding to the ninth tier of theEnglish football league system.
Winslow United play their home matches atElmfields Gate, known locally as "The Gate", which has a capacity of around 2,000, including 100 seats. The club is recognised for its strong community engagement, operating extensive youth football programmes from under-7s to under-18s throughWinslow United Juniors F.C., as well as a dedicated disability football team. Winslow United is also anFA Charter Standard Community Club, reflecting high standards in coaching, management, and safeguarding at grassroots level.
Winslow United was established in 1891, initially asWinslow Town F.C., closely linked to the town's Reading Room, which promoted recreational sport in the late Victorian period. The founding meeting was held at the Parish-rooms, Market-square on 13 October 1891, chaired by Mr. Herbert Bullock.[1]
The first officers were:
The club's first recorded match took place on 31 October 1891, when Winslow defeated Granborough 3–1 on the Flower Show Field, lent by local landowner T. P. Willis. The original team colours were dark blue and white. Some sources suggest 1890 as the founding year, but contemporary records and the Football Club History Database list 1891 as the official year.[2]
The club quickly became a community fixture. For example, a match on 4 February 1893 raised funds to distribute a hundredweight of coal to thirty needy families.[3]
The current name,Winslow United F.C., was adopted at the start of the 1895–96 season, following the merger of Winslow Town and the junior club Winslow Rovers.
The club became a founding member of the Buckingham & District League and also competed in the Aylesbury & District League Division I by 1897–98. Regional league participation included the North Bucks & District League before joining the South Midlands League in 1968.[2]
The 1970s marked the club’s most successful period. Under managerJohn Webster, Winslow United won theSouth Midlands League Division One title in1974–75 and finishedrunners-up in the Premier Division the following season.[2]
In the1983–84 season, Winslow reached theSecond Round Proper of theFA Vase, defeatingWare andRoyston Town before narrowly losing toTiptree United.[2] This remains one of the club’s strongest national cup performances.
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Winslow regularly finished in the top five of the South Midlands League Premier Division, cementing its reputation as one of Buckinghamshire’s most consistent non-league sides.
By1991–92, Winslow United were relegated after recording only two league wins that season.[4]
Following league restructuring in the early 2000s, the club competed inDivision Two of the newly formedSpartan South Midlands Football League. Winslow finished runners-up in 2003–04 and won theAnagram Records Trophy in 2004–05.[2]
In2009–10, senior sides were temporarily withdrawn to focus on youth development, maintaining U18, U17, and U16 squads throughWinslow United Juniors F.C..[5]
Senior football returned in the2010–11 season, beginning a period of gradual rebuilding and community growth. Winslow United’s partnership with Winslow United Juniors expanded youth participation from under-7s to under-16s and strengthened ties between local schools, families, and the club.
Winslow United achievedthree consecutive top-three finishes in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One (2017–18, 2018–19, and 2021–22), with intervening seasons cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]
In2023–24, Winslow United finished third in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One and won the promotion play-off final 3–1 againstNorthampton Sileby Rangers, earning a place inStep 5 of the English non-league pyramid — thePremier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League, returning there for the first time in32 years since the 1991–92 season. Winslow's goals were scored by anown goal from a Northampton Sileby Rangers player,Aaron King, andCourtney Massay, while Northampton Sileby's lone goal came fromJosh Drain.[7]
In the2024–25 season, the club finished 10th in the Premier Division. On18 October 2025, Winslow United reached theSecond Round Proper of the FA Vase for the first time since 1983–84, matching a 42-year-old club record with a 3–2 victory overCoalville Town, courtesy of two goals fromEthan Flanagan and one fromScott Valentine.[8]
The club also won regional honours including theBuckingham Senior Charity Cup (2018–19, 1–0 vs Aylesbury FC)[9] and theAnagram Records Trophy (2004–05, 4–1 vs White Ensign).[2]
The club crest displays a crown above a football, symbolising Winslow and the sport itself.
Winslow United's traditional home colours are yellow shirts, blue shorts, and blue socks. This colour scheme has been consistently used in senior fixtures, youth teams, and official club merchandise. Historical records show that the club's original colours, when formed as Winslow Town in 1891, were dark blue and white, before the current yellow and blue scheme was adopted.
The club occasionally wears an alternate kit for away fixtures to avoid colour clashes. Historical records and images show that these kits have sometimes incorporated different combinations of blue, white, or black, but yellow and blue remain the defining colours of Winslow United.
| Season | League | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968–69 | South Midlands League Division One | 24 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 53 | 46 | 27 | 6/13 |
| 1969–70 | South Midlands League Division One | 30 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 69 | 47 | 36 | 5/16 |
| 1970–71 | South Midlands League Division One | 30 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 49 | 49 | 30 | 8/16 |
| 1971–72 | South Midlands League Division One | 30 | 18 | 3 | 9 | 62 | 41 | 39 | 5/16 |
| 1972–73 | South Midlands League Division One | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 82 | 51 | 36 | 6/16 |
| 1973–74 | South Midlands League Division One | 34 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 63 | 47 | 39 | 8/18 |
| 1974–75 | South Midlands League Division One | 34 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 83 | 29 | 56 | 1/18 |
| 1975–76 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 57 | 28 | 41 | 2/16 |
| 1976–77 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 49 | 46 | 33 | 7/16 |
| 1977–78 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 44 | 54 | 28 | 9/16 |
| 1978–79 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 40 | 44 | 25 | 11/16 |
| 1979–80 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 40 | 45 | 25 | 11/16 |
| 1980–81 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 34 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 53 | 45 | 39 | 7/18 |
| 1981–82 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 32 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 59 | 44 | 39 | 5/17 |
| 1982–83 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 36 | 42 | 28 | 10/16 |
| 1983–84 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 58 | 57 | 25 | 9/15 |
| 1984–85 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 52 | 32 | 36 | 5/16 |
| 1985–86 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 34 | 52 | 34 | 12/16 |
| 1986–87 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 56 | 38 | 49 | 5/16 |
| 1987–88 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 32 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 37 | 51 | 28 | 14/17 |
| 1988–89 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 46 | 72 | 35 | 13/18 |
| 1989–90 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 36 | 10 | 7 | 19 | 53 | 92 | 37 | 17/19 |
| 1991–92 | South Midlands League Premier Division | 40 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 20 | 194 | 6 | 21/21 |
| 1992–93 | South Midlands League Division One | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 117 | 62 | 71 | 7/22 |
| 1993–94 | South Midlands League Senior Division | 26 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 55 | 58 | 40 | 7/14 |
| 1994–95 | South Midlands League Senior Division | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 45 | 65 | 27 | 10/14 |
| 1995–96 | South Midlands League Senior Division | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 43 | 57 | 29 | 8/14 |
| 1996–97 | South Midlands League Senior Division | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 40 | 51 | 35 | 9/14 |
| 1997–98 | Spartan South Midlands League Senior Division | 30 | 10 | 2 | 18 | 55 | 78 | 32 | 11/16 |
| 1998–99 | Spartan South Midlands League Senior Division | 42 | 7 | 5 | 30 | 42 | 104 | 26 | 21/22 |
| 1999–2000 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 32 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 84 | 34 | 68 | 4/17 |
| 2000–01 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 34 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 81 | 41 | 64* | 4/18 |
| 2001–02 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 38 | 7 | 3 | 28 | 30 | 86 | 24 | 19/20 |
| 2002–03 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 28 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 62 | 49 | 51 | 6/15 |
| 2003–04 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 32 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 90 | 43 | 72 | 2/17 |
| 2004–05 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 32 | 17 | 5 | 10 | 80 | 56 | 56 | 6/17 |
| 2005–06 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 32 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 48 | 73 | 33 | 14/17 |
| 2006–07 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 30 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 40 | 76 | 22 | 15/16 |
| 2007–08 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 36 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 64 | 107 | 31 | 18/19 |
| 2008–09 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 40 | 16 | 8 | 16 | 71 | 88 | 56 | 12/21 |
| 2010–11 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 28 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 76 | 34 | 55 | 4/15 |
| 2011–12 | Spartan South Midlands League Division Two | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 59 | 43 | 41 | 7/14 |
| 2012–13 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 40 | 12 | 7 | 21 | 65 | 113 | 43 | 14/21 |
| 2013–14 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 53 | 59 | 43 | 14/20 |
| 2014–15 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 40 | 21 | 9 | 10 | 78 | 51 | 72 | 5/21 |
| 2015–16 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 68 | 60 | 62 | 7/20 |
| 2016–17 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 40 | 21 | 8 | 11 | 93 | 58 | 71 | 6/21 |
| 2017–18 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 38 | 27 | 2 | 9 | 127 | 60 | 83 | 3/20 |
| 2018–19 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 38 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 113 | 66 | 74 | 3/20 |
| 2019–20 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 27 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 81 | 50 | 55 | Abandoned |
| 2020–21 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 17 | 13 | Abandoned |
| 2021–22 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 38 | 25 | 5 | 8 | 104 | 40 | 80 | 3/20 |
| 2022–23 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 38 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 70 | 62 | 54 | 9/20 |
| 2023–24 | Spartan South Midlands League Division One | 38 | 23 | 7 | 8 | 85 | 50 | 76 | 3/20 |
| 2024–25 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 56 | 58 | 44 | 10/18 |
| Champions |
|---|
| Relegated |
| Play-off winners |
Winslow United play atWinslow Sports Club, located at Elmfields Gate, Winslow, Buckinghamshire (MK18 3JA). The ground, commonly called "The Gate," hosts senior, junior, and disability football fixtures and serves as a central hub for community sports activity in the town.[10]
The site has a long history, originally known asMill Close in the 14th century, where it served as pasture and was the location of Winslow’s windmill. By the 16th century, it was renamedBell Close (or Bell Closes), with ownership recorded in various manor court documents. The 1767 Winslow Enclosure Award reallocated the land while maintaining its boundaries. The name began to shift eastward to the current Recreation Ground site in the 19th century when Bell Closes were converted to freehold, and some areas were gradually built over.
During World War II, the fields were ploughed for crops. Post-war, growing demand for a permanent public recreation space led the Parish Council to purchase the land from Brigadier N. McCorquodale in 1947–48, supported by Ministry of Education grants.Winslow Recreation Ground was officially established in 1949, with a Management Committee formed to oversee its use for football, cricket, and the wider community. The creation of Elmfields Gate in the 1950s–60s slightly altered the layout, but the site has continuously hosted Winslow United FC, Winslow Cricket Club, and school sports ever since.[11]
14th century: Area known as Mill Close; pasture and site of Winslow’s original windmill
16th–17th centuries: Renamed Bell Close/Bell Closes; ownership recorded in manor court documents
1767: Winslow Enclosure Award reallocated the Bell Closes
19th century: Bell Closes converted to freehold; name gradually shifted east to current Recreation Ground
World War II: Fields ploughed for crops; post-war demand for public recreation space
1947–1948: Parish Council purchased Bell Closes; Ministry of Education grants approved
1949: Winslow Recreation Ground officially established; Management Committee formed
1950s–1960s: Elmfields Gate created; site continues to host Winslow United FC, Winslow Cricket Club, and school sports
Present day: Hosts senior, junior, and disability football; central hub for community sports
Winslow United operates one of Buckinghamshire’s most active youth football programmes, offering teams from under-7s to under-18s through Winslow United Juniors F.C. The system provides a structured pathway to senior football and supports the club’s ethos of community development.[12]
The club also operates a dedicated disability football team, providing opportunities for players with physical or learning disabilities. Winslow United Juniors F.C. holds the status of anFA Charter Standard Community Club, which recognises high standards in coaching, management, and safeguarding at grassroots level.
