Stamford Association Football Club, nicknamed “The Daniels,” is a non-league football club based in Stamford, Lincolnshire.
Established in 1970, 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 Borderville Sports Centre their home ground.
History
Stamford’s football history began in 1870, culminating in the formation of Stamford Town in 1894 after merging with Rutland Ironworks. Adopting the name “The Daniels,” the club played at Hanson’s Field, potentially one of the world’s oldest football grounds. Early successes included multiple trophy wins, notably the Hinchingbrooke Cup in 1907 and 1908. Turning professional in 1909, Stamford achieved Northants League triumph and an impressive FA Cup run by 1914. Post-World War II, the club won several cups in the United Counties League and experienced a golden period in the 1970s under Norman Rigby, including a notable FA Vase final at Wembley in 1976.
The 1980s and 1990s brought further successes, with Wembley appearances and league titles, partly due to Steve Evans’s managerial impact in the 1990s. The club transitioned to the Southern League, facing promotions and relegations. In 2005, Graham Drury led Stamford to the Premier Division, but fluctuating fortunes followed, including relegation. The move to Zeeco Stadium in 2014 marked a new chapter, though it began with challenges, including relegation. Frequent managerial changes ensued, with Drury’s third tenure unable to prevent another relegation despite a late improvement in form.
Legal
Stamford Association Football Club Limited is a registered company in England and Wales under company number 00453270 .
Alumni
Former players and managers elsewhere in the non-league pyramid