Buckingham Town Football Club, known as Milton Keynes Robins for the last year of their existence, was a football club based in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England. They were established in 1883 and were one of the founding members of the Hellenic League in 1953. After lasting only four seasons they returned to local football, not re-emerging at a higher level until 1974. Having fallen into financial trouble by 2017 and having been evicted from their ground in 2011, they relocated permanently to Milton Keynes in 2019. The club was merged into Milton Keynes Irish a year later.
History The club was established as Buckingham Town in 1883, playing their first match against Banbury United. They won the Aylesbury & District League in 1902–03 and 1936–37 and the North Bucks League in 1924–25, 1928–29, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1948–49 and 1949–50.History Buckingham Town F.C. They were founder members of the Hellenic League in 1953, but left after only four seasons. They won the Aylesbury & District League again in 1967–68.
Buckingham Town joined Division One of the South Midlands League in 1971,South Midlands League 1966–1983 Non-League Matters where they played until joining Division Two of the United Counties League in 1974. Their first season in the league saw them finish second, earning promotion to Division One. After finishing as Division One runners-up in 1975–76, the club secured a second successive promotion, moving up to the Premier Division. They were Premier Division champions and Knockout Cup winners in 1983–84, and the following season they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first (and to date only) time in their history, losing 2–0 at home to Orient.
In 1985–86 Buckingham Town won the Premier Division again and were promoted to the Midland Division of the Southern League. After being transferred to the Southern Division in 1988, they won the division in 1990–91, but were not promoted as their ground failed to meet the standards required. They were moved back to the Midland Division in 1994, but returned to the Southern Division in 1996. However, after finishing bottom of the division in 1996–97, they were relegated back to the Premier Division of the United Counties League. The 2006–07 season saw them finish bottom of the Premier Division, resulting in relegation to Division One. The club announced that they were folding at the end of the 2017–18 season.BREAKING: Sad news as Buckingham Town Football Club are forced to fold Buckingham Today, 3 May 2018 However, the decision was later reversed.
The club was renamed Milton Keynes Robins in January 2019.End of an era as Buckingham Town Football Club change their name to Milton Keynes Robins Buckingham Today, 17 January 2019 In May 2020 the club merged with Unite MK and Milton Keynes Irish Veterans merged to form Milton Keynes Irish.
League record SeasonDivisionPositionNotes1953–54Hellenic League71954–55Hellenic League151955–56Hellenic League141956–57Hellenic League Premier Division131974–75United Counties League Division Two2Runners–up1975–76United Counties League Division One2Runners–up1976–77United Counties League Premier Division111977–78United Counties League Premier Division81978–79United Counties League Premier Division131979–80United Counties League Premier Division111980–81United Counties League Premier Division111981–82United Counties League Premier Division41982–83United Counties League Premier Division101983–84United Counties League Premier Division1Champions1984–85United Counties League Premier Division31985–86United Counties League Premier Division1Champions, promoted1986–87Southern League Midland Division131987–88Southern League Midland Division111988–89Southern League Southern Division161989–90Southern League Southern Division31990–91Southern League Southern Division1Champions1991–92Southern League Southern Division51992–93Southern League Southern Division121993–94Southern League Southern Division121994–95Southern League Midland Division61995–96Southern League Midland Division91996–97Southern League Southern Division22Relegated1997–98United Counties League Premier Division111998–99United Counties League Premier Division91999–00United Counties League Premier Division192000–01United Counties League Premier Division172001–02United Counties League Premier Division162002–03United Counties League Premier Division42003–04United Counties League Premier Division2Runners–up2004–05United Counties League Premier Division132005–06United Counties League Premier Division142006–07United Counties League Premier Division21Relegated2007–08United Counties League Division One82008–09United Counties League Division One82009–10United Counties League Division One13
Ground Buckingham Town played at Ford Meadow from 1883 until being evicted at the end of the 2010–11 season.Arsonists reignite discussion over future of ground Buckingham Today, 6 February 2015Good and bad news for Buckingham United Counties League The 3.58-acre site included a football pitch, two stands, a clubhouse, changing rooms and a large hard area. After leaving Ford Meadow, the club played at the Winslow Centre in Winslow for the 2011–12 season, before moving to Manor Fields in the Fenny Stratford area of Milton Keynes.
Honours Southern League Southern Division champions 1990–91 United Counties League Premier Division champions 1983–84, 1985–86 Knockout Cup winners 1983–84 Aylesbury & District League Champions 1902–03, 1936–37, 1967–68 North Bucks League Champions 1924–25, 1928–29, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1948–49, 1949–50
Records Best FA Cup performance: First round, 1984–85 Best FA Trophy performance: First qualifying round, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97 Best FA Vase performance: Quarter-finals, 1990–91, 1992–93 Record transfer fee received: £1,000 from Kettering Town for Terry StevensMike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) Non-League Club Directory 2013, p797 Record transfer fee paid: £7,000 to Wealdstone for Steve Jenkins, 1992
See also Buckingham Town F.C. players Buckingham Town F.C. managers
References