Hinckley United Football Club was an English football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire, which last played in the Southern Football League Premier Division during the 2013–14 season. They were formed in 1997 as the result of a merger between Hinckley Athletic and Hinckley Town. The club latterly played their home games at De Montfort Park, having moved to the purpose-built football stadium in March 2005.
On 7 October 2013 Hinckley United were wound up in the High Court.
After the club was dissolved, two clubs were formed to replace them; Hinckley AFC and Leicester Road.
History The town of Hinckley had an established football team for over one hundred years. The earliest recorded team was Hinckley Town, formed in 1889 and competed in the Leicestershire Senior League, playing their games at the Holywell Ground, behind the Holywell Inn pub. A short spell in the Midland League in 1900 was followed by a name change to Hinckley United and a return to the Leicestershire Senior League in 1905, where the club remained until the outbreak of the First World War. After the war Hinckley United competed in the Birmingham Combination, becoming champions twice in 1923–24 and 1926–27.
After the war, the brewery owners of the Holywell Ground decided they wanted the land for other uses and the football club found themselves without a ground. The club managed to purchase land on Middlefield Lane, for the sum of £500, in August 1946, and following a name change to Hinckley Athletic in September 1946, the club resumed playing in the Nuneaton Combination league.
Hinckley Athletic subsequently competed in the Birmingham Combination again, the Southern League and West Midlands League before becoming founder members of the Midland Alliance. At the height of their success manager Dudley Kernick took the club into the Southern League Premier Division in 1964, before a financial crisis led to a relegation and eventual resignation from the Southern League. The club struggled to survive in the West Midlands League for the next 25 years. The early 1990s saw a turn around in fortunes for Hinckley Athletic and manager John Hanna saw the club become founder members of the Midland Alliance.
Meanwhile, in 1958 Westfield Wanderers were formed and played in the Hinckley District League. In 1972 they changed their name to Hinckley Town and joined the Leicestershire Senior League, before their successful period in the 1980s with a switch to the Central Midlands League, then the West Midlands (Regional) League and gaining promotion to the Southern League in 1990.
Hinckley United, was formed on Wednesday 18 June 1997. A meeting on that date saw shareholders of Hinckley Athletic approve a merger with neighbours Hinckley Town. Merger moves were made immediately at the end of the 1996–97 season when Athletic narrowly missed out on promotion to the Southern League for the third consecutive campaign following finishes of 2nd, 3rd and 2nd again. A meeting of the respective chairmen, Mick Voce (Athletic) and Kevin Downes (Town), established there was some common ground with each club having something positive to offer, and the merger was completed.
Consequently, the new club were to play at Middlefield Lane with Town's Leicester Road set up being used as a training ground, and once the FA and Southern League had approved the merger, United inherited Town's Southern League Midland Division place.
The aim was to provide better quality football in Hinckley and this success was achieved within four years. After a mid table finish in their first season, Hinckley United improved with finishes of fourth, third and then won the Southern League Midland/West Division in season 2000–01. That season saw Hinckley score 102 league goals and extend an unbeaten home record to 51 games.
This success was further compounded by becoming founder member of the Conference North. The first two seasons in the Southern League Premier Division Hinckley had mid-table finishes, but the following season finished in sixth place, also meaning they finished in a position to be accepted into the newly established Conference North division for 2004–05.
After two mid table finishes consolidating in Conference North, season 2006–07 was accepted as the season Hinckley would make a serious challenge for the title. However, after a good start tragedy struck the club when defender Matt Gadsby collapsed and died on the pitch at Harrogate on 9 September 2006. The practical response in the days following Gadsby's death included fans voluntarily organising bucket collections at games across the country to donate to Gadsby's widow and daughter. These events culminated in a memorial match at the Marston Stadium featuring a Legends XI and a Gadsby Select XI, featuring players from Gadsby's previous clubs. Hinckley players took a month away from football and spent the rest of the season playing catch up. When Hinckley returned to action the season was one of up and down, but held on to a play-off spot, eventually rallying on and off the field to secure fourth place in the league, reaching the play-off final, but missing out on promotion conceding a last minute penalty.
Off the pitch things gathered pace with the development of the club. Middlefield Lane was sold for £4 million which funded De Montfort Park, a purpose-built 4329-capacity football ground. The move away from Middlefield Lane happened on 5 March 2005 when the first game at the new De Montfort Park Stadium was played. Attendances increased at the new stadium and a home league attendance record was set for Hinckley when nearly 2900 watched Hinckley draw with Nuneaton on boxing day 2006.
Following from the play-off final defeat, Hinckley United struggled the following season and were involved in a relegation battle throughout. Despite being bottom of the league at Christmas, relegation was avoided by a nine-game unbeaten run at the end of the season, ensuring survival in the penultimate game.
The next few season were treated as consolidation, as financial hardship hit the club off the field. Lack of proper budgeting the previous seasons meant the club were unable to meet debts, and the HMRC petitioned the courts for a winding up order. The football club was also sanctioned with a registration embargo, limiting the number of players at the club to a maximum of 16. Over two years were spent with the club trying to finance and settle the debts, gaining adjournments from the courts, and the debt was finally settled in November 2010.
Players left the club, due to the financial issues, and season 2010–11 saw a virtual fresh team of players start for Hinckley. Again it was a battle against relegation, but after the registration embargo was lifted in November 2010, some new players were brought in and Hinckley dragged themselves away from the relegation zone towards a mid table finish.
Another season of struggle and financial hardship followed in season 2011–12 and the club were relegated on the final day of the season, though finished on 48 points, the highest points total to be relegated from the Conference North. On 25 May 2012, the F.A published their proposed club allocations for the 2012–13 non-league season proposing Hinckley United would be in the Conference North after both Darlington and Kettering Town were relegated further divisions after financial problems. In June this reprieve was officially confirmed at the Football Conference AGM.
On 10 October the only manager in the club's history, Dean Thomas, resigned following a poor start to the season and increasing financial restrictions and was replaced by assistant manager, Carl Heggs. The club were again playing under a transfer embargo, even having to postpone one home game due to lack of players, and in other matches playing Youth team players. The team went on a winless run and, following a 4–1 defeat at Gloucester City, they were relegated. Heggs resigned, and long-serving player and 1st team coach Stuart Storer became the new manager.
On 7 October 2013 Hinckley United were wound up in the High Court of Justice.
Successor clubs After the club was dissolved, supporters of Hinckley United formed two clubs: Hinckley A.F.C. and Hinckley Leicester Road F.C. AFC was registered as a Community Trust football club. and accepted into the Midland Football League First Division for the 2014–15 season. Leicester Road were accepted into Division Two of the newly formed Midland League for the 2014–15 season.
Following their formation, both Hinckley AFC and Leicester Road attempted to secure the right to use Leicester Road Stadium.On-field rows and off-pitch wrangles at Greene King Stadium Hinckley Times, 1 May 2014 Leicester Road were ultimately successful in purchasing the stadium,Leicester Road Football Club defends no access to pitches gate BBC News, 8 February 2016 with Hinckley AFC having to groundshare at Heather St John's.Groundshare Confirmed Hinckley A.F.C.
The two played each other for the first time in November 2015.Countdown to derby day for Leicester Road and Hinckley AFC The Hinckley Times, 19 November 2015
Disputes over the legacy of the original United club and the stadium have led to numerous incidents and disagreements between the two clubs.
Managers In August 1997 Dean Thomas became team manager with former Hinckley Athletic boss John Hanna being appointed general manager, although Hanna relinquished his position in the new year of 1998, leaving Thomas in sole charge. He won the Southern League Western Division championship with Hinckley United in season 2000–01, and guided the club to the FA Cup 2nd round in December 2001 and December 2004. His assistant manager during that time was former Notts County player Charlie Palmer, however at the start of the 2007–08 season Palmer was replaced by Nick Platnauer. Platnauer had previously managed Rothwell Town, Kettering Town and Bedford Town.
For the 2010–11 season Platnauer, took more of a coaching role, whilst first team coach Stuart Storer took over the role of assistant manager. In July 2011 Platnauer started the season again in the assistant manager's role, but left the club in August 2011, and was replaced by Mark Faulkner. In June 2012 Marc Faulkner was replaced as assistant manager by former Hinckley United striker Carl Heggs.
Following a very poor start to the 2012–13 season, and after an early exit in the FA Cup, Thomas resigned as manager on 10 October 2012. Thomas had been Hinckley United's manager for 16 years and was granted a testimonial season in 2007–08. Assistant manager Carl Heggs was placed in temporary charge and said on several occasions he would love the job on a permanent basis. On 15 November Heggs was offered the job on a permanent basis until the end of the 2012–13 season in a board meeting, but on a further reduced budget after the discovery of more debt being placed upon the club. On 28 February 2013, it was announced in the Hinckley Times that Heggs had signed a new contract until the end of the 2013–2014 season after being given the assurances he was looking for from the board. However, on 21 May 2013, Carl decided to resign as manager after being offered the chance to become a PE teacher at Ascot College, Derbyshire. The job was offered to long-serving first team coach, Stuart Storer, who accepted the offer on 27 May. Storer's first move as boss was to appoint former Knitters' defender Andrew Penny as his assistant. Penny had worked as reserve team manager at Chasetown since 2011.
DatesName Notes 1997–1998 Dean Thomas & John Hanna- 1998–2012 Dean Thomas Southern League Midlands/West Division Championship winner 2001, guided Hinckley to the F.A Cup second round in 2001 & 2004. Longest-serving manager in the club's history. 2012–2013 Carl Heggs Oversaw Hinckey United's first relegation under difficult financial circumstances. 2013 Stuart Storer-
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