Match Preview proudly sponsored by Northumbria Print

Date: Saturday 29th January 2022

Venue: Greenwich Avenue, Basford, Basford, Nottingham, NG6 0LD

Kick Off: 3pm

Competition: Northern Premier League Premier Division

Match Coverage: Twitter Mixlr

Highlights: Highwaymen TV

Morpeth will look to continue their good run of form on Tuesday evening when they entertain Basford United at Craik Park.

History

The History of Basford United dates back to 1900.

Basford United’s birthplace was the Old Pear Tree Inn in 1900. It wasn’t long before they moved to the Dolly Tub pitch, which is now part of the Highbury Estate. In 1903 they moved to Catchems Corner where they stayed for 27 years until they moved to Vernon Avenue. A few years later they moved to Mill Street and in 1991 Greenwich Avenue.

Basford United started their football life in the Notts Combination League and were League Cup Runners Up in 1903. They were winners of the Cup the following season.

In 1905 Basford United joined the Notts Alliance and were Champions in their first season.They were runners up the following season but regained the Championship in 1907.They were runners up in 1908, 1909, 1912 and 1913. Club Secretary Wallace Brownlow, who was appointed at the age of 19 in 1907, insisted the club become full members of the Football Association in 1910. Brownlow remained Club Secretary until his death in 1970, setting a world record of 63 years.

Basford United resumed playing football after WW1 and were Champions of the Notts Alliance in 1920 and Runners up the following season.In 1937 in a FA Cup tie against Grantham united set their record attendance of 3,500. In 1939 they again won the League Cup. They managed to keep a team going through the WW2 period but played in the Notts Amateur League before returning to the Notts Alliance in 1946.

In 1947 Basford United won the Notts Senior Cup for the first time in their history.

The trophy cabinet was bare for many a season and in 1971 the club was relegated for the first time in their proud history. Despite fighting their way back up to the Senior Division they were relegated again in 1982. They returned to the Senior League in 1985. In 1988 as underdogs Basford United defeated Hucknall Town to win the Notts Senior Cup.

In 1991 the club relocated the short distance to Greenwich Avenue, as the Mill Street ground became a housing estate and during the 1990s the club flitted between the Senior Division and Division One of the Notts Alliance, being promoted as Division One runners up in 1994 and champions in 1998.

As the club entered its second century, it settled in the lower reaches of Notts Alliance Division One and when the lower divisions of the Alliance merged with the Notts Amateur League in 2004 they moved into the newly formed Notts Amateur Alliance.

In 2006 they joined the Notts Senior League. In their first season they finished 3rd. The next few seasons saw them come 5th, 3rd, 2nd and 2nd.

In 2011-12 Basford United won the Central Midlands League South in their first season in the competition as well as wining the League Floodlit Trophy.

This success earned them promotion to the East Midlands Counties League for 2012-13 where they again ran out champions, setting a new record points total as well as becoming the first club to complete the EMCL League and Cup double when they also won the League Cup.

That success earned the club promotion to the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, where they finished in a creditable fifth place in 2013-14. That was to be their only season in the NCEL as they were moved into the newly formed Midland League Premier Division for 2014-15.

This was to prove a memorable season for the club as they won the Premier Division in some style, finishing six points clear of their nearest challengers and also winning the Notts Senior Cup for the first time in 27 years.

The Midland League success earned the club promotion to the Evostik Northern Premier League Divison One South.

Last Match

Morpeth secured a 1-1 draw on Tuesday evening when they entertained Stalybridge Celtic at Craik Park. A game with plenty of chances looked like it would remain goalless until Andrew Johnson curled home a freekick on 83 minutes. However, Celtic snatched a share of the points on 86 minutes when Raul Correia lobbed Dan Lowson from the edge of the area.

Basford secured a 1-0 win with success over Nantwich Town. Ryan Wilson scored the only goal of the game on 49 minutes to give manager Mark Clifford his first win.