AFC Dunstable

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AFC Dunstable
AFC Dunstable logo.png
Full nameAssociation Football Club
Dunstable
NicknameThe OD's [1]
Founded1981 (as Old Dunstablians)
GroundCreasey Park, Dunstable
Capacity3,065 [2]
ChairmanDan Bedi
ManagerJames Townsend
League Southern League Division One Central
2024–25 Southern League Division One Central, 14th of 21

AFC Dunstable are a football club based in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. The club are members of Division One Central of the Southern League, and are affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association. They play at Creasey Park.

Contents

History

The club was established in 1981 as Old Dunstablians, named after a club for former pupils of Dunstable Grammar School. [1] The new club played at Manshead School, which had succeeded the grammar school. They initially played in the Dunstable Alliance Football League, before joining the Luton District and South Bedfordshire League in 1983. In 1989–90 the club won the Bedfordshire Junior Cup. [1]

In 1994 the club moved to Totternhoe, when Dunstable Town Cricket Club opened a new sports facility in the village. [1] The new ground allowed the club to join Division One of the South Midlands League in 1995. [1] In 1997 the league merged with the Spartan League to form the Spartan South Midlands League, with the club placed in Division One North. In 2001–02 they won the Division One Cup, and in 2003–04 were champions of the renamed Division Two. However, failure to achieve the ground grading regulations meant that the club was unable to take promotion. [1]

In 2004 the club changed their name to AFC Dunstable, [3] although reference to the former name was retained in the club's nickname of the OD's. [1] After winning Division Two again in 2006–07, a season in which they also won the Division Two Cup and the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy the club were again refused promotion. They won the Senior Trophy for a second time in 2007–08, and after finishing third in Division Two 2008–09 and moving to Creasey Park, they were promoted to Division One. In 2010–11 AFC Dunstable finished as runners-up in Division One and won the Division One Cup, earning promotion to the Premier Division. [3] In 2015–16 they won the Premier Division and were promoted to Division One Central of the Southern League. In 2016–17 the club won the Bedfordshire Senior Cup, defeating Dunstable Town 2–0 in the final, [4] going on to defeat Luton Town by the same scoreline in the Bedfordshire Premier Cup final. [5]

The 2017–18 season saw Dunstable finish fifth in the renamed Division One East, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. However, they were beaten 2–0 in the semi-finals by Hartley Wintney. The division was renamed Division One Central again the following season. The club finished third in 2021–22, subsequently losing their play-off semi-final against Ware on penalties after the game had ended 0–0. Another third place finish in 2023–24 was followed by another play-off semi-final defeat on penalties, this time by Waltham Abbey.

Proposed merger with Dunstable Town

On 18 January 2026, Dunstable and Dunstable Town issued a joint statement outlining plans for a potential merger at the end of the 2025–26 season. [6] [7] Having notified the FA of their intentions in December 2025, the clubs have until March to reach an agreement and formalise the merger. [8]

Honours

Records

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "AFC Dunstable – Club History" Harefield United programme, 27 February 2016
  2. ↑ AFC Dunstable Southern League
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 AFC Dunstable at the Football Club History Database
  4. ↑ Christie scores twice as AFC lift Beds Senior Cup Luton Town, 5 April 2017
  5. ↑ Hatters beaten by AFC in Premier Cup final Luton Today, 29 July 2017
  6. ↑ Smith, James (18 January 2026). "Joint statement: Dunstable Town FC and AFC Dunstable". Dunstable Town FC. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  7. ↑ Team, The Non-League Football Paper (25 January 2026). "TOWN'S TOP TWO HOPE TO CLINCH A DUN DEAL". The Non-League Football Paper. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  8. ↑ Lee, Jason (20 January 2026). "Two non league clubs explain plans to merge at the end of the 2025/26 season". Fan Banter. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  9. ↑ Senior Trophy finals 2002–2013 Bedfordshire FA
  10. ↑ Junior Challenge Cup finals 1938–2015 Bedfordshire FA
  11. ↑ AFC Dunstable Player Profiles Dunstable Town F.C.
  12. ↑ Cashman is named new AFC skipper Luton Today, 24 May 2018

51°53′34.429″N0°32′20.951″W / 51.89289694°N 0.53915306°W / 51.89289694; -0.53915306

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