Spalding United Football Club, nicknamed “The Tulips,” is a non-league football club based in Spalding, Lincolnshire.
Established in 1920, 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 Sir Halley Stewart Field their home ground.
Founded following the amalgamation of two local clubs, Fulney Institute and Victorias, the union was confirmed at a meeting in a local hostelry, with the name Spalding United FC agreed upon. Early games were played at the Low Grounds and on Pinchbeck Road, at what is now the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
The club progressed from the Spalding & District League to the Peterborough League, claiming their first honour with the Lincolnshire Junior Cup in 1933, repeated in 1938. Senior silverware followed with the Lincolnshire Senior B Cup in 1951 and the Senior A Cup in 1953.
A record attendance of 6,973 was set in 1952 during an FA Cup qualifying round against Peterborough United. The club reached the FA Cup first round proper twice — losing 3-1 to Durham City in 1957/58, and 5-3 to Newport County in 1964/65.
The Tulips won the United Counties League title in 1955, 1975, and 1988, with the latter earning promotion to the Southern League. A notable FA Vase run in 1989/90 ended at the quarter-final stage against Guiseley, whose side included former England striker Frank Worthington.
Subsequent decades brought repeated movements between leagues and frequent managerial changes. The club’s strongest modern finish came in 2016/17, when they placed third in the Northern Premier League Division One South — their highest-ever pyramid position.