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3. Club History
The Star Hotel on the High Street on the corner with Sun Lane (presently Pizza Express) was the venue on Thursday 22 November 1877 of a meeting of football interests in the town. Newmarket Town Football Club was formed thus making them one of the oldest clubs in the country.
Under the presidency of Mr BT Chennel, Mr FG Postans informed the meeting that subscriptions of nearly £25 had already been collected. Flags, posts and all articles necessary for the game were on order. Players were to be supplied with a suitable uniform at half price.
The first committee was elected as follows:
President: Mr BT Chennel
Secretary: Mr FG Postans
Assistant Secretary: Mr A Hayhoe
Treasurer: Mr FR Crick
Committee Members: Mr CE Hammond, Mr AS Manning, Mr E Fyson, Mr H Feist, Mr H Palmer, Mr A Pace, Mr C Kemp, Mr T Browne, Mr W Moody, Mr CB Bosworth and Mr R Jacobs
It was further resolved that the headquarters would be at the Star Hotel and annual subscription would be five shillings (25p). The first practice was to be on the Severals on the afternoon of the following Thursday. Following on, a practice field was lent my Mr Norman Wiseman, and funds became available to purchase a tent in December.
The first match took place on the Severals (with the permission of the Jockey Club) on 1 February 1877 but Newmarket were beaten 3-0 by Pembroke College. They began life in local football on a pitch on the Heath near Sefton Lodge until moving to the present Town Ground in 1885. Few clubs have managed to stay at the same ground for 127 years. Initially the ground was shared with the Cricket Club, the Quoit Club, the Athletic Club, the Gun Club and the Hare and Hounds Club, a real sports centre! The inaugural game on the new ground was on Wednesday 21 October 1885 Newmarket Town and Bury School. For obvious reasons they soon became known as the Jockeys. Little success came until 1920 when they won the Cambs Senior League and also the Cambs Senior Cup. The Cambs Challenge was won in 1926. Moving into the Bury and District League resulted in them winning the title in three consecutive seasons, 1931-32, 1932-33 and 1933-34 and the Suffolk Senior Cup in the season 1934-35. Around this time crowds of 2000 or more were seen at major games. Wartime matches even saw International Players such as Stan Mortensen ‘guesting’ for the Jockeys.
The club had good times in these earlier days, even to the extent of forming an ‘A’ side that had its own share of success before fortunes changed for the worse. Following the war, the club finished bottom for five consecutive seasons, and by the end of the 1951-52 campaign, they again found themselves rooted at the bottom of the ECL, having lost all 34 league games, scoring 19 goals whilst 171 against, a claim to fame that will take some beating. Forced to return to Junior football the club joined the Peterborough and District League in 1959-60. Their best season was runners tup to Lowestoft in 1966-67. League honours having been elusive they have in recent years won the Suffolk Premier Cup four times in the five seasons to 1999.
The present clubhouse was completed, and floodlights were installed in 1985. The first league game under lights being against Ely City on 19 November. The old wooden stand was replaced by the present 144-seater stand in 1996.
In 2004-05 Newmarket Town Ladies was formed, although they disbanded after the 2008-09 season, they reformed for the 2014-15 season. Since then, the Ladies Division has grown from strength to strength and now features a first team, development side and an under 18 team. 2024-25 saw all sides finishing in their highest ever league positions. The Development side won the clubs first senior trophy in 10 years beating Leverington Ladies 2-1 in the County League Cup Final.
2013-14 season saw the Jockeys victorious in the Thurlow Nunn League cup final, beating Felixstowe and Walton 2-1 at Diss.
2016 saw a huge ground upgrade with the installation of a FIFA certified cork infill 3G pitch and energy efficient LED floodlights.
In 2023-24 the club, having finished in second place achieved promotion from the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division via a 2-0 play off victory against Mulbarton Wanderers. The game was played out in front of a 930 strong crowd. Newmarket Town were promoted to step four for the first time in their history and were placed in the Isthmian North League.
Under the presidency of Mr BT Chennel, Mr FG Postans informed the meeting that subscriptions of nearly £25 had already been collected. Flags, posts and all articles necessary for the game were on order. Players were to be supplied with a suitable uniform at half price.
The first committee was elected as follows:
President: Mr BT Chennel
Secretary: Mr FG Postans
Assistant Secretary: Mr A Hayhoe
Treasurer: Mr FR Crick
Committee Members: Mr CE Hammond, Mr AS Manning, Mr E Fyson, Mr H Feist, Mr H Palmer, Mr A Pace, Mr C Kemp, Mr T Browne, Mr W Moody, Mr CB Bosworth and Mr R Jacobs
It was further resolved that the headquarters would be at the Star Hotel and annual subscription would be five shillings (25p). The first practice was to be on the Severals on the afternoon of the following Thursday. Following on, a practice field was lent my Mr Norman Wiseman, and funds became available to purchase a tent in December.
The first match took place on the Severals (with the permission of the Jockey Club) on 1 February 1877 but Newmarket were beaten 3-0 by Pembroke College. They began life in local football on a pitch on the Heath near Sefton Lodge until moving to the present Town Ground in 1885. Few clubs have managed to stay at the same ground for 127 years. Initially the ground was shared with the Cricket Club, the Quoit Club, the Athletic Club, the Gun Club and the Hare and Hounds Club, a real sports centre! The inaugural game on the new ground was on Wednesday 21 October 1885 Newmarket Town and Bury School. For obvious reasons they soon became known as the Jockeys. Little success came until 1920 when they won the Cambs Senior League and also the Cambs Senior Cup. The Cambs Challenge was won in 1926. Moving into the Bury and District League resulted in them winning the title in three consecutive seasons, 1931-32, 1932-33 and 1933-34 and the Suffolk Senior Cup in the season 1934-35. Around this time crowds of 2000 or more were seen at major games. Wartime matches even saw International Players such as Stan Mortensen ‘guesting’ for the Jockeys.
The club had good times in these earlier days, even to the extent of forming an ‘A’ side that had its own share of success before fortunes changed for the worse. Following the war, the club finished bottom for five consecutive seasons, and by the end of the 1951-52 campaign, they again found themselves rooted at the bottom of the ECL, having lost all 34 league games, scoring 19 goals whilst 171 against, a claim to fame that will take some beating. Forced to return to Junior football the club joined the Peterborough and District League in 1959-60. Their best season was runners tup to Lowestoft in 1966-67. League honours having been elusive they have in recent years won the Suffolk Premier Cup four times in the five seasons to 1999.
The present clubhouse was completed, and floodlights were installed in 1985. The first league game under lights being against Ely City on 19 November. The old wooden stand was replaced by the present 144-seater stand in 1996.
In 2004-05 Newmarket Town Ladies was formed, although they disbanded after the 2008-09 season, they reformed for the 2014-15 season. Since then, the Ladies Division has grown from strength to strength and now features a first team, development side and an under 18 team. 2024-25 saw all sides finishing in their highest ever league positions. The Development side won the clubs first senior trophy in 10 years beating Leverington Ladies 2-1 in the County League Cup Final.
2013-14 season saw the Jockeys victorious in the Thurlow Nunn League cup final, beating Felixstowe and Walton 2-1 at Diss.
2016 saw a huge ground upgrade with the installation of a FIFA certified cork infill 3G pitch and energy efficient LED floodlights.
In 2023-24 the club, having finished in second place achieved promotion from the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division via a 2-0 play off victory against Mulbarton Wanderers. The game was played out in front of a 930 strong crowd. Newmarket Town were promoted to step four for the first time in their history and were placed in the Isthmian North League.