Tag: Histon FC

Special event planned for The Stutes penultimate game
Histon FC will be fundraising for charity and commemorating a landmark occasion in the club’s history this weekend when they will be hosting G.N.G Oadby Town FC at Bridge Road. Kick-off for the match on Saturday 5th April is at 3pm.
The club will be raising funds for the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity at the match. They recently announced an 18-month partnership with the cause, and will be helping to fundraise and increase awareness of the charity’s work. One generous local business has even gifted the charity advertising space at the ground and paid its sponsorship for two matches.
Charity partnership
The hospice relies on donations to support its work. Photo credit: Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will be attending Saturday’s game, collecting donations and answering any questions supporters may have. Histon FC has also gifted matchday tickets to the family of a patient who was cared for by the charity.
The cake stand will be selling homemade sweet treats before the game and at half time. Mascots Arthur Bear and Histon Hound will be making appearances throughout the day and will be around for photos with supporters.
Paul Smart, Finance Director at Histon FC, said: “The charity has supported many members of the Histon Football Club family both past and present and no doubt will support many many more in the future. They have an excellent facility and staff, but would simply not survive without donations.”
The sponsorship partnership will continue for the remainder of this season and throughout the 2025/26 season. Jodie Vaughan, from the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, added: “Our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved!”
Celebrating past achievements
The occasion will also be celebrating The Stutes’ past achievements, including their famous win against Leeds in the FA cup in 2008 and near promotion to the football league.
Past players have also been invited to Saturday’s game and will be mingling with supporters. Among them will be record goal scorer Neil Kennedy who scored over 300 goals for the club.
Donate to the Histon FC fundraising page for the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.
Update 9/4/2025. HI HUB has been informed a photograph sent for publication in this original story was not of Neil Kennedy, Histon FC’s record goal scorer. It was actually Adrian (Ade/Aidy) Cambridge. Histon FC has apologised for the mistake, particularly to Neil and Ade. The match’s final score was 3-1 to Histon FC and raised just under £1,000 for the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.
03/04/2025
Histon Football Club prepares to pump up the volume
This week’s match for Histon FC’s under 18s team is set to be much ‘louder’ than previous games, thanks to the village club being gifted a brand new PA system.
Funded, in part, by a grant from the Football Foundation, the new system will make the Histon matchday experience more enjoyable for all, as well as opening up new entertainment opportunities for fans within the stadium.
It was hoped that the replacement PA system would be fully operational at the first home fixture of the season on 4 January but, with bad weather causing that match to be postponed, fans have had to await this week’s U18s’ 9 January Haverhill Rovers game to hear the benefits of this new sound system.
The new kit will be operated by club volunteers, and is the latest phase in the continuous redevelopment of the Bridge Road Stadium. It replaces an outdated model that has been around since the advent of the CD.
According to club spokesperson John Payne: “The old system has been repaired more times than anyone can remember and any hope of obtaining spare parts was abandoned years ago.
“The ‘play’ button fell off the control panel, so music could only be played in the stadium by poking a sharpened pencil into the gap where the button once was! Other buttons and dials had stopped working completely and the microphone had taken on a personality of its own – some days it would work, but on others it would just let out a deafening shriek of defiance”.
Catch Histon FC First Team for their next United Counties Premier Division South home fixture on Saturday 18 January against Daventry Town. Kick off is at 3pm. Or watch Histon U18s v Haverhill Rovers on Thurs 9 January, with kick off at 7.45pm.
09/01/2025
Histon FC reaches out to budding sports photographers
Photo: Brian Whitehead
Aspiring photographers are being offered a unique opportunity to develop the techniques and knowledge needed to master the art of capturing football in motion.
Thanks to a partnership between Histon FC and Cambridge photography retailer Campkins Cameras, experienced sports photographer Ben Phillips will be giving expert insights and practical tips on capturing breathtaking football shots on a busy matchday at Histon’s Bridge Road ground.
For more than six years Ben has been capturing sports events on camera, both locally and nationally, and he is also the official photographer for Cambridge United FC.
The workshop will take place on 8 April at 2pm, and spaces are limited. Tickets for the photography session, which include a match ticket, are available online. Parking is limited and on a first come, first served basis.
23/02/2023
Reserve Team Manager – Histon Football Club
Histon Football Club is looking for this role, following the re-formation of a Reserve Team at Bridge Road for the 2022/23 season that will play in the Cambridgeshire County League.
Reserve Team Manager for the 2022/23 campaign to ensure the transition of Youth and Academy team players into senior football, with the aim of future inclusion within the First Team set up. Applications close midnight, Friday March 25th, with interviews to be held week commencing Monday March 28th.
See the Job Description
17/03/2022
Histon v Spalding United
Saturday 1st January. Kick-off at 3pm
This is the first First Team fixture in the Pitching In Northern Premier League.
Details about the Covid-19 arrangements can be found here
03/12/2021
Fans Forum – Histon FC
Histon FC would greatly appreciate attendance from it’s supporters and local residents this coming Monday November 8th at 7.30 as they host a Fans Forum.
Join them in the club bar to find out what is new at Histon FC and have the opportunity to pose questions to board members and footballing staff.
Vic and Amanda shall have the bar fully stocked with drinks and snacks available.
Everyone welcome.
03/11/2021
Histon FC faces up to challenges in its new league
It’s been a tricky start to the season for new young players earning their spurs in the club’s First team. John Payne reports on some highs and lows on the pitch.
It’s early days, but the size of the task faced by Histon FC in the Northern Premier League has become a lot clearer after some mixed results in the first month of the season. Injuries to key players and a shortage of experienced campaigners has also hindered manager Lance Key’s plans, and he’s still actively seeking players of the right calibre to add some depth to his young squad. The Stutes currently sit in 16th position in the league table.
After defeats in the opening two matches of the season, the club got their season up and running with a solid 2-1 victory at Wisbech Town. That was followed by a draw at home to Sutton Coldfield Town but a 3-0 defeat at Spalding United on Bank Holiday Monday dented any hopes of a run of results.
The need to strengthen the squad was no better demonstrated than on Tuesday evening when a squad deprived of three key players had to travel to Warwickshire to face Bedworth United. With six teenagers in the starting eleven, the game ended in another defeat and left the Stutes with a record of one win, one draw and four defeats to their name
One of the main talking points among Stutes fans has been the number of players used so far this season, with many of the club’s own youngsters being given their opportunity to show the manager what they are capable of. But it is clear that the First team squad is still a work in progress as Lance looks to strengthen in some positions while looking for his best combinations in others.
Many of the fresh faces to have appeared in the red and black shirts this season have graduated from the under 18s side, having developed their skills last season and impressing further in the pre-season friendlies. Seventeen-year-old Alex Stevens-Lee scored the club’s first goal of the season after coming on as a second-half substitute at Belper Town on day one of the season and promptly slotting home an equalising goal. Finley Wilkinson has also found the net on a couple of occasions this season and had shown maturity seldom found in a nineteen-year-old. Lewis Mair, Kai Nicholls have also featured as they look to progress in the game.
The Stutes entertain Coleshill Town on Saturday with a 3.00 pm kickoff and are again at home on Tuesday of next week against old rivals Corby Town with a 7.45 kickoff. Tickets are available from the club website at www.histonfc.co.uk where details of all future matches can also be found.
09/09/2021
Full steam ahead for Histon FC
Following a turbulent period of uncertainty for Histon FC, the team is all ready to go as the new season begins – and the supporters will be with them all the way! John Payne reports.
The fixtures schedule for Histon FC’s first season in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division was released yesterday and the reaction from Bridge Road is one of relief and positivity. There was some trepidation within the camp over the possibility of players and fans having to make round trips of 200 miles or more to fulfil evening fixtures away from home but that fear has largely been alleviated.
These concerns followed the FA’s rejection of Histon’s appeal against being moved into the Northern Premier League on the basis of the disproportionate travelling times the club and its fans will face.
First team fixtures
The club welcomes the League’s announcement despite the season kicking off with a 235-mile round trip to Belper Town on 15^th August, which is the furthest the Stutes have been asked to travel for a league fixture for many years.
“The schedule has been quite kind to us on the whole” said a club spokesman. “The trip to Derbyshire to play Belper Town had to be made at some point over the season and to get it out of the way so early on is a positive. There are worse times of year to be making a visit the edge of the Peak District and, with it also being the club’s first ever match in the Northern Premier League, many of our fans will want to be able to say “I was there”. I wouldn’t be surprised if some take the family and turn the trip into a mini-vacation.
“It is good to see that the fixtures list has thrown up only one evening match away from home which is not within a one-hour journey time, and even this trip to Bedworth United near Coventry is in September rather than later in the season when the risk of last minute postponements becomes greater.”
The Stutes host Daventry Town in their opening home fixture on Tuesday 17^th August, which will be the first time fans have been permitted to attend a league match at Bridge Road for almost nine months. The following Tuesday the club makes the trip to Wisbech Town to meet another of the four Cambridgeshire-based clubs allocated to the NPL Midlands Division, followed by a home fixture on 28^th August against Sutton Coldfield Town.
Other notable early fixtures at Bridge Road are Soham Town Rangers on Sat. 25^th September, Yaxley on Sat. 23^rd October and the Cambridge City “away” match on 27^th December.
The full fixture list is available on the Histon FC website at First Team – Histon FC
The build-up begins!
The Stutes pre-season campaign is currently under way with the club fielding a mixture of First Team players, Youth team members and trialists in their two matches to date. The first was a 0-2 defeat against Walsham-Le-Willows in the Stephen Parker Memorial Trophy match followed by a 1-0 reverse at Enfield last night. The build-up to the new season continues with a friendly match against Biggleswade Town on Tuesday 27^th July, kicking off at 7.45.
Enjoyed supporting the UK teams in the Euros? Supporting your very own local team can be just as much fun – with matches on your own doorstep. Admission to Histon FC v Biggleswade Town is just £5.00 with accompanied Under-14’s admitted free. See you there!
15/07/2021
Challenges ahead for Histon FC following FA league ruling
An unsuccessful appeal against the Football Association’s decision to move Histon FC out of the Isthmian league and into the Northern Premier League has left the club considering how it will tackle the problems arising from its new opponents being located much further away from home.
The club will from now on be competing in the Northern Premier League (NPL) Midlands Division, and the club had explained its fears about the implications of this to the Appeal Board. These include the additional costs, loss of players, recruitment difficulties, weakened squads, reduction in away support, and impact on sponsors, volunteers, and youth structure.
The area where first team football will be played has moved from the south and east of Cambridge to the north and west, and the club is concerned about the implications of fewer local fixtures and therefore fewer opportunities for generating income. The Histon FC Board explained: “…the practical implications relate not just to the additional travel, but to where our new opponents are situated – away from our connections in East Anglia, and away from the home and work locations of our players”.
“Disregard” of club needs
The club argued for financial compensation if it could not remain in the Isthmian League, but the Appeal Board has not only firmly rejected the claim, but also made clear that, because of the club’s geographical position, it could potentially face the disruption of being moved between leagues every season from now on.
The Board is highly critical of the Football Association’s handling of the whole process. In a statement, they said: “This appeal was not about the club not wanting to be in the NPL, it was about the disregard the FA has shown to clubs like ours who have been ignored whilst the FA announce the wide-ranging benefits for other clubs at the expense of those in a similar position to us. We wanted to make our point and have now done so.”
Addressing the losses
The club now faces bridging both an income gap and the loss of experienced, talented players. The Board explained: “The move into the Northern Premier League Midlands Division really will have a significant negative impact on our costs, and has already resulted in the loss of a number of senior players from our playing squad. We will of course face these problems head on, and the Board remains 100% committed to ensuring that the club continues on a solid financial footing.
Danny Gould – sadly leaving Histon FC following the league reshuffle
“We are working hard to bring new sponsors to the club and are involved in a number of negotiations over deals with various potential suppliers to try to mitigate the financial impact as much as possible. There will inevitably have to be some savings made somewhere however and to that end we are currently reviewing all areas of club operations and will take any actions necessary where and when appropriate.”
Although some players in the First Team squad are now leaving, the club is sympathetic with their reasons for doing so: “… the huge increase in travel times for those affected is just too much for them to be able to deal with, and… our thanks go to them all.”
Looking ahead
Recruitment plans for new players are now being pursued “with renewed vigour” and the club will be holding First Team trials shortly.
The Board is keen now to draw a line under the problems related to the league and move ahead with confidence: “We look forward to getting back to playing the game we all love, making new friends and visiting clubs we’ve never visited before whilst welcoming new clubs to The Bridge.
“We remain optimistic and excited for the future and look forward to seeing you all back at The Bridge soon.
“We thank all of you who have shown us so much support during this process, it is good to know that you are behind us.”
01/07/2021
Maintenance Day – Histon FC
On Sunday 27th June Histon Football Club are holding a Maintenance Day at the Bridge Road Stadium.
They are looking for people who can spare a few hours to help get the home of Histon FC ready for the start of the 2021/22 season.
Gates open at 1pm
24/06/2021