Hitchin Town Football Club, nicknamed “The Canaries,” is a non-league football club based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
They currently compete in the Pitching In Southern Football League Premier Central, which is part of the seventh tier of English football. The team calls Top Field their home ground.
History
Hitchin Town has a rich history tracing back to 1865 with its original football club participating in the inaugural FA Cup season. After the original club folded in 1911, Hitchin Town FC was reestablished in 1928, adopting the nickname “The Canaries” and establishing its amber and black colors. The club enjoyed early success in the Spartan League and experienced a golden age in the 1930s with significant cup victories. Post-World War II recovery was slow, but the 1950s and early 1960s brought notable achievements, including reaching the FA Amateur Cup quarter-finals and engaging in memorable FA Cup matches against Football League teams.
The latter decades of the 20th century saw fluctuating fortunes for Hitchin Town, with notable cup runs and the occasional brush with financial hardship. The club experienced its first relegation from the Isthmian Premier in 1988 but achieved promotion back by the early 1990s under Andy Melvin’s stewardship. The 1990s also saw Hitchin making headlines with FA Cup giant-killings. Transition into the 21st century brought stability and occasional success, including a move to the Southern League and winning the Southern League Cup in 2005-06.
More recent years have seen Hitchin Town continue to contend competitively, achieving notable league positions and playoff appearances in the Southern League. Despite near misses for higher promotion, the club celebrated its 150th anniversary with a notable friendly against Norwich City and continued to demonstrate resilience and community spirit, retaining the Hertfordshire Senior Cup and aiming to build on its storied legacy in the challenging league environment.
Legal
Hitchin Town Football Club Limited is a registered company in England and Wales