Bury Town FC was founded by Mr William Lake at a meeting at the Suffolk Hotel in 1872, making the club one of the oldest non-league clubs currently still in existence in England.

The first official name of the club was Bury St Edmunds FC and royal blue and white were chosen as the club’s official colours.

The clubs first home ground was located on Kings Road, and was also known as the Cemetery Road ground. The Club was a founder member of the Suffolk County Football Association in 1885.

A notable player for the club in the early days was Reginald De Courtney Welch who appeared as a defender for Bury St Edmunds in 1877. De Courtney Welch was a member of The Wanderers side that won the first ever FA Cup in 1872 and he also played in the first ever official international match for England, against Scotland in November 1872.

The club played in various local leagues until it became a founder member of the Eastern Counties Football League in 1935. The Club spent 22 consecutive seasons in the League, winning the League Challenge Cup on two occasions in 1961-62 and 1963-64.

Kings Road was the first football ground in East Anglia to operate floodlights when on Monday 12th January 1953, the Blues played their first ever floodlit game against Cambridge City in front of 2,105 spectators. A total of 14 bulbs of 1500 watts illuminated the Suffolk skyline for the first time and history was created. The lights were financed by the Bury Town Supporters Club.

The 1963-64 season was a memorable one for the club as it lifted the ECL league championship, the League Cup and the Suffolk County FA Premier Cup to record an historic treble.

This success saw the club elect to move to the Metropolitan & District Football League for the 1964-65 season and it was another period of success as the Club won the Metropolitan League championship in 1965-66 and 1968-69. There was another treble in 1965-66 as along with the championship, the Club won the Metropolitan League Cup and the Suffolk Premier Cup again.

In 1968, the Blues reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup and drew Third Division side Bournemouth & Boscombe at Kings Road. 3,000 spectators assembled and witnessed Bury hold the Football League side to a goalless draw. The replay saw Bournemouth win through by 3 goals to 0 at Dean Court.

After the Metropolitan League folded at the end of the 1970-71 season, the Club joined the Southern Football League for the first time in their history. Success at the higher level was harder to come by and after 5 seasons, the Club elected to drop back down to the Eastern Counties League.

On Wednesday 28th April 1976, Bury Town played their final match at the historic Kings Road ground when West Ham United were the visitors. 1,750 watched on as the sides drew 2-2, and a pitch invasion signalled the end of the Blues spiritual home.

It was another two years before the club had a permanent home, with the proposed new ground at Ram Meadow under construction. During this time the club were forced to play home matches on a local heath with a blanket collection before each game the only source of income and the club was in very real danger of ceasing to exist.

Thankfully the new home at Ram Meadow was completed and opened in 1978 and was celebrated with a visit from FA Cup holders Ipswich Town who paraded the trophy around the pitch before the opening game.

The Club stayed in the Eastern Counties League from 1976 to 1987. During this period the Club set the Ram Meadow record attendance when they took on Enfield FC in a 4th Qualifying Round FA Cup Replay. 2,500 packed into the ground with many more outside. The ground was creaking at the seams as Enfield won 1-0 to progress.

The Blues were promoted back to the Southern League for the 1987-88 season after finishing 3rd in the Eastern Counties League. Despite a promising first few seasons, the Club struggled at this level, finishing bottom of the Southern Division in 1992-93 and 1993-94. In 1995, the Club swapped places with Forest Green Rovers to move into the Midland Division, but fortunes did not favour any better and the club were relegated back to the Eastern Counties League for the 1995-96 season.

After some early seasons of struggle, the Club turned the corner with the appointment of former Colchester United captain Richard Wilkins. He led the club to consecutive runners-up spots in 2004-05 and 2005-06 and also the Semi Final of the FA Vase, narrowly going out over two legs to Hillingdon Borough.

At the end of the 2005-06 season, the club’s board decided to accept promotion to the Isthmian Football League for the first time in the club’s history. They entered in the newly re-organised Division One North and spent two seasons there before an FA re-organisation saw the Club moved to the Southern League for their third spell of membership.

It was during this spell that the Club reached the FA Cup First Round Proper for the second time in its history, progressing through five qualifying rounds before bowing out at Alfreton Town.

The 2009-10 season saw the Blues storm to the Southern League Midland Division championship recording 102 points and with it promotion to the Premier Division of the Isthmian League, clinching the title at home on the final day of the season in front of 1,550 spectators against Marlow FC.

The Club enjoyed a successful start to life at Step 3 in the Isthmian League and finished 3rd in 2010-11 season and 5th in the 2011-12 season, qualifying for the end of season Play Off’s on both occasions, but losing to Lowestoft Town and AFC Hornchurch respectively.

The 2011-12 season saw the Club pick up honours in the form of the Isthmian League Challenge Cup, defeating the now defunct East Thurrock United 1-0 in the final at Staines Town’s Wheatsheaf Park.

The Club spent a total of 5 seasons in the Isthmian Premier Division and won the Suffolk County FA Premier Cup on three occasions in 2010-11, 2012-13 and 2013-14 before relegation in the 2014-15 season, with the side placed back in Division One North.

For the past 9 seasons, the club competed in the Isthmian Division One North. Despite some encouraging seasons, the Club did not come close to a return to step 3 until the appointment of former professional Cole Skuse, who led the club to runners up spot in the 2023-24 season, but the Blues were defeated in the Play Off’s by Brentwood Town.

The 2024-25 season saw the club again reach the Isthmian League play off’s, defeating Waltham Abbey 4-0 in the semi final and then a dramatic 93rd minute winner from Ed Upson saw the Blues clinch promotion with a 1-0 win over Brightlingsea Regent in front of 2,136.


1	Real Bedford	32	13
2	Bury Town FC	31	14
3	BromsgroveSporting	27	12
4	Rushall	27	14
5	Needham Market	23	13
6	Sports	23	13
7	Kettering	22	12

Bury Town

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