HISTORY OF LEISTON FC

Leiston Town were ‘full members’ of the Football Association from the early 1950’s until 1982 during which time the club received the ‘Illuminated Address’ from the Football Association to celebrate the club’s centenary. In the early 1980’s the club dropped the Town part to become just Leiston FC but the club regained its Full Membership with the FA in 2020 after a few years as Associate Members. Leiston Youth side were the first club in Suffolk to enter the FA Youth Challenge Cup reaching the First Round and a trip to Highbury to face Arsenal in 1954. Later this century the club first entered the FA Vase in 1987 before first entering the FA Trophy in 2011. Leiston have been successful in winning various Suffolk FA County cups namely the Premier Cup (2), Senior Cup (1), Junior Cup (4) and Charity Cup (4). In the last 20 years, as well as League titles, they have also won the Jewson League Division One KO Trophy and the East Anglian Cup. Season 2008/2009 will be long remembered in the history of Leiston Football Club as this was the only occasion to date the club has reached the First Round of the FA Cup, culminating with a replay defeat at Conference North Fleetwood Town in front of 2000 fans after a record crowd of 1250 had watched the First Round goal less draw at Victory Road. The Reserves and Youth sides continue to make great progress while continued links with Junior sides in the community continues to see the clubs future evolve further. The efforts of Chairman Andy Crisp and Vice Chairman Peter Mayhew have been the main driving factors behind the impressive changes on and off the field helping the meteoric rise of the club to step three of the national pyramid, ably assisted by a host of Committee Members & Volunteers. This is now a fifth season in the Southern League and now under the guidance of former Norwich City midfielder Darren Eadie and Chris Wigger for a third season, these are certainly exciting times at the Watson & Hilhouse Stadium.