The 61 FC (Luton)

[Rhodes]

Some YouTube action, courtesy of The Cold End, of Codicote v The 61 FC (Luton in a 2019/20 SSML Division Two fixture, at the John Clements Memorial Ground on Saturday 7 December 2019, Codicote won 3-0 with goals from Alfie Warman, Max Evans and Price Perry, the game was already all over bar the shouting at the interval with Codicote leading 2-0:

http://thecoldend.blogspot.com/2019/12/another-defeat-for-61-fc-luton.html

 

[Rhodes]

The 61 FC (Luton) Reserve side are in a new look Division One of the Bedfordshire County League for the coming season along with a number of new and returning teams, the devised format looks a little bit confusing though. The 61 FC (Luton) have had a Reserve side in Division One of the  Bedfordshire County League since 2016/17, prior to that they were in the SSML Reserve Division North & West but finished with the wooden spoon in 2015/16 as was also the case in 2014/15, the Kingsway Recreation Ground Club are certainly gluttons for punishment but epitomise what the Non League game is all about:

[Rhodes]

Two links from when The Cold End and Pie & Mushy Peas visited the Kingsway Recreation Ground:

http://thecoldend.blogspot.com/2016/12/one-of-lutons-other-teams-spotlight-on.html

http://pieandmushypeas.blogspot.com/1991/04/61fc-luton.html

[Rhodes]

An interesting link to 1990/91 and a South Midlands League Premier Division fixture between The 61 FC (Luton) and Thame United at the Kingsway Recreation Ground, Thame United lifted the Championship that season and were promoted to the Isthmian League Division Three. The 61 FC (Luton) joined the South Midlands League Division One from the Hellenic League in 1973/74 and were founder members of the SSML in 1997/98 when the South Midlands League merged with the Spartan League, the Club were unfortunately relegated from the Senior Division to Division One at the end of that 1997/98 campaign due to ground grading issues and then to Division Two at the end of the 2003/04 season for the same reason, they lifted the Division Two Championship in 2008/09, losing just one League game at home to runners up Hadley, but were unable to gain promotion, Hadley and AFC Dunstable were promoted:

https://sites.google.com/site/hellenicgroundsprogrammes/home/the-61fc-luton

[Rhodes]

The 61 FC (Luton) Reserve team are in Division One 'B' of the Bedfordshire County League, arguably the more difficult of the two divisions, and they will meet Pitstone & Ivinghoe Reserves and Ampthill Town Development as well as local rivals The Pines (Luton) FC who have been promoted from Division Two and ply their trade at Markyate Football Club who of course used to be a SSML Club, playing in Division Two, until they sadly left the League at the end of the 2008/09 campaign:

[Rhodes]

Following the release of the first two weeks of League fixtures, The 61 FC (Luton) travel to the salubrious surroundings of Kings Langley's Orbital Fasteners Stadium to take on Berkhamsted Raiders on Saturday 19 September for their first SSML Division Two fixture of the new 2020/21 campaign, they then welcome Codicote to the Kingsway Recreation Ground the following Saturday. Coincidentally The 61 FC (Luton) entertained Codicote in their first League game of last season losing 2-0 and also 3-0 at the John Clements Memorial Ground in December, Berkhamsted Raiders took three points from them with a 5-0 win at the Kingsway Recreation Ground in September however the return fixture at Kings Langley failed to materialise when it was postponed on 7 March just before the curtain came crashing down on the season. 

[Rhodes]

The 61 FC (Luton) Reserve side travel to fellow Division One 'B' outfit Bedford SA in the First Round of the Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Challenge Cup on Saturday 26 September with the winners travelling to another Division One 'B' Club Pines (Luton) in the Second Round:

[Rhodes]

On 05/09/2020 at 20:12, Rhodes said:

The 61 FC (Luton) Reserve side travel to fellow Division One 'B' outfit Bedford SA in the First Round of the Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Challenge Cup on Saturday 26 September with the winners travelling to another Division One 'B' Club Pines (Luton) in the Second Round:

The 61 FC (Luton) Reserve side will kick off their Bedfordshire County League Division One 'B' campaign with a home game against Pitstone & Ivinghoe Reserves on Saturday 3 October, kick off 2.30pm, they then travel to Stopsley United the following week followed by an exciting local derby with newly promoted Pines Luton on Saturday 17 October at the Kingsway Recreation Ground. The two Luton rivals could well lock horns again the following week, this time at Pines Luton's Markyate FC home on Saturday 24 October, in the Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Challenge Cup Second Round should The 61 FC (Luton) Reserves win at Bedford SA in their First Round tie on Saturday 26 September.

Edited September 14, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

The very less said about the start to The 61 FC (Luton)'s campaign the better, both for the First team and, even more so, for the Reserves in the Bedfordshire County League Division One 'B' who were beaten 16-0 on 26 September by Bedford SA in the First Round of the Intermediate Challenge Cup. It's impossible to know where to start however it was a Godsend that both the First team's SSML Division Two fixture at Sarratt and the Reserves first League game of the season with Pitstone & Ivinghoe Reserves were called off last Saturday (3 October) due to the inclement weather conditions and the Reserves now make their belated bow at Stopsley Unted tomororrow, kick off 2.30pm, before entertaining neighbours Pines (Luton) the following week. The First team began their SSML Division Two campaign with a 7-1 defeat at Berkhamsted Raiders but at least had their day in the sun at the salubrious Orbital Fasteners Stadium, unlike last season when the fixture on 7 March was postponed just days before the season was prematurely curtailed. Their only other game so far has been a 6-1 defeat to Codicote at the Kingsway Recreation Ground on 26 September (see match report), they new embark on three successive home fixtures starting with Berkhamsted Comrades tomorrow and, God forbid, Old Bradwell United the following week:

https://www.codicotefc.co.uk/item.php?pg=fixtures&pd=1011&sort=sdate&order=asc&fsea=all&frt=all&offset=2&it=205#report

[Rhodes]

Beleaguered The 61 FC (Luton) come face to face with Old Bradwell United tomorrow at the Kingsway Recreation Ground having yet to break their duck in three SSML Division Two fixtures this season thus far, conceding seventeen times and only netting twice through Nana Osei Boffah when hosting Codicote in a 6-1 defeat and Darrell Mills at Berkhamsted Raiders in a 7-1 reverse on the opening day of the campaign. Richard Evereritt's men sat last week out with their last fixture on Saturday 10 October resulting in a 4-0 home defeat to new boys Berkhamsted Comrades, their opponents first win as a SSML Club. Meanwhile The 61 FC (Luton) Reserve side's Bedfordshire County League Division One 'B' campaign isn't fairing any better and in the two League games played so far they have conceded nineteen goals, an 11-0 defeat at Stopsley United and a 8-3 reverse at home to local rivals Pines (Luton) last Saturday, at least Wesley Nembhard and Jevar Brown with a brace kept the score 'respectable', tomorrow (24 October) they travel to Flitwick Town Reserves, kick off 2.30pm. The 61 FC (Luton)'s plight is a crying shame as it is such a wonderful Football Club, founded in 1961, and named after that year, they joined the Hellenic League in 1972 switching to the SSML Division Two the following year for geographical reasons and the rest is history, the hallowed Kingsway Recreation Ground turf is looking particularly pristine at the moment (see below):

Edited October 23, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Over ninety photographs from the 2016/17 SSML Division 2 Cup Final, held at Cow Lane on Wednesday 19 April 2017, between Mursley United and The 61 FC (Luton) which Mursley United won 3-1 despite The 61 FC (Luton) taking the lead:

Edited November 19, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

The 61 FC (Luton) have never participated in the FA Cup, this is their full FA Vase record, never having progressed beyond the Second Round proper of the competition:

1982-83   PRE   SAFFRON WALDEN TOWN                 A    1-0
          1     ROYSTON TOWN                        H    2-2
          1r    ROYSTON TOWN                        A    0-2
1983-84   PRE   HATFIELD TOWN                       A    2-0
          1     SELBY                               A    3-1
          2     IRTHLINGBOROUGH DIAMONDS            A    2-2
          2r    IRTHLINGBOROUGH DIAMONDS            H    0-1
1984-85   PRE   TANSLEY                             H    3-0
          1     WOODFORD TOWN                       H    0-1
1985-86   PRE   HANWELL TOWN                        H    1-2
1986-87   PRE   HERTFORD TOWN                       H    0-4
1987-88   EP    WARE                                A    1-3
1988-89   EP    BEACONSFIELD UNITED                 H    3-0
          PRE   HORNCHURCH                          A    2-1
          1     RUISLIP MANOR                       H    1-0
          2     TILBURY                             A    1-4
1989-90   EP    WALTHAM ABBEY                       H    0-2
1990-91   EP    PIRTON                              A    0-3
1991-92   EP    COCKFOSTERS                         H    1-4
1992-93   EP    HARPENDEN TOWN                      A    0-6

[Rhodes]

Photographs, courtesy of Sports Shots, from Loughton Manor v The 61 FC (Luton) in a 2017/18 SSML Division Two fixture, at the New Bradwell Recreation Ground on Saturday 20 January 2018, Loughton Manor won 3-1 with Bradley Currington scoring The 61 FC (Luton)'s consolation goal:

Edited December 28, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

The 61 FC (Luton) reached the Final of the 2010/11 SSML Division Two Cup where they met Winslow United at Ampthill Park on Wednesday 4 May 2011, going down 2-0 in front of an attendance of 185 including Winslow Boy, they defeated Risborough Rangers, Bletchley Town and Kent Athletic along the way. The Second Round tie at Bletchley Town was abandoned on 73 minutes due to a home player breaking his leg however the 3-0 score at the time stood as the result and Bletchley Town didn't quibble, TringArmy happened to be in attendance at that tie:

Edited December 30, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

The 61 FC (Luton) v Bedford match programme from a 2007/08 Bedfordshire Senior Trophy First Round tie on Saturday 13 October 2007, SSML Division One Bedford won 2-1. The Club, often unfairly tagged as the 'whipping boys' of Division Two, have been in that division ever since the 2004/05 campaign when they were relegated from Division One in 2003/04 for ground grading reasons, despite winning the Championship in 2008/09, and losing just one League game in the process, the Club were denied promotion:

  

Edited February 21, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

As we know the 2020/21 SSML season has been unceremoniously 'curtailed' as was officially announced by the FA last week that 'Steps 3-6 will be curtailed' although, in the case of the Bedfordshire County League, it has been declared null and void with no promotion or relegation taking place. The League are preparing to run end of season supplementary cup competitions across all its five divisions, these will commence on Saturday 10 April and run until Mid-May. That includes Division One 'B' where The 61 FC (Luton) Reserve's campaign hit the buffers after just four League fixtures played although some may argue that it was a blessing in disguise with the side rock bottom of the table with four defeats and 30 goals conceded, there was also an embarrassing 16-0 defeat at Bedford SA in the Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Cup on 26 September. Their last outing was Saturday 12 December when going down 5-0 at Sporting Lewsey Park however, prior to that, they last saw action as long ago as Saturday 24 October when losing 6-2 at Flitwick Town Reserves, Wesley Nembhard and Jevar Brown scored the goals. The 61 FC Luton's First team meanwhile completed five SSML Division Two League fixtures prior to the curtailment and, again, all resulted in heavy defeats, they last tasted action on Saturday 31 October losing 7-1 at home to Bovingdon (pictured), the previous week it had been Old Bradwell United's turn to enhance their goal difference, winning 5-0 at the Kingsway Recreation Ground although the score was still level at the break:

[Rhodes]

On 09/10/2020 at 02:57, Rhodes said:

The very less said about the start to The 61 FC (Luton)'s campaign the better, both for the First team and, even more so, for the Reserves in the Bedfordshire County League Division One 'B' who were beaten 16-0 on 26 September by Bedford SA in the First Round of the Intermediate Challenge Cup 

 

It is understood that the Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Challenge Cup competition, for Bedfordshire County League Club's at Division One level, will proceed next month (see link). Unfortunately however, Division One 'B' The 61 FC (Luton) Reserves fell heavily, to put it mildly, at the first hurdle, 16-0 to fellow Division One 'B' side Bedford SA at their Miller Court base in Bedford on Saturday 26 September, in a First Round tie. The Reserve side will be Managed by Grafton Barbour next season, ably assisted by Lennux Ferdinand, they will work closely with new First team supremo Tony Armitage who will be assisted by former Bedford and Ampthill Town Coach Simon Wedd, Tony was previously with Codicote, Langford and Tring Athletic:

Results - Bedfordshire FA

Intermediate Challenge Cup - Competition to proceed
Junior Challenge Cup - Competition to proceed

09/03/2021

Edited March 17, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

An interesting team sheet from a 1988/89 South Midlands League Premier Division fixture between Brache Sparta and The 61 FC (Luton), at the Foxdell Recreation Ground on Saturday 24 December 1988 with an 11.00am kick off, those were the days weren't they. I see Richard Everitt was Manager and I gather former player Patrick Miller went on to Referee at Football League Championship level:

[Rhodes]

The 61 FC (Luton) Reserves lock horns with Ampthill Town Develpment, Cranfield United Reserves and Totternhoe Reserves in Division One Group 2D of the Bedfordshire County League supplementary cup competition, dates for the three group fixtures have yet to be confirmed. New boss Grafton Barbour and his trusted assistant Lennux Ferdinand will be looking forward to finally being able to roll up their sleeves however surely it is far too much to ask of them, and too soon, to work a miracle having taken on a side that conceded 46 goals in just 5 matches played prior to the halt in play shortly before Christmas however they will have no doubt bolstered that defence since their arrival and since the side last kicked a ball in anger in a 5-0 defeat at Sporting Lewsey Park on Saturday 12 December. The 61 FC (Luton) Reserves were in the same Division One 'B' as Ampthill Town Development and Cranfield United Reserves however had yet to face them this season, both of those sides are still engaged in the Quarter Finals of the Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Challenge Cup if it's any consolation at all to Grafton Barbour:

e8925aaedd740e40a9591f1a588a84f9.pdf (bedfordshirefootballleague.co.uk)

Edited March 26, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

The 61 FC (Luton) appear to be, at long last, going places under their newly appointed joint supremo's Shane Scott and James Potter who are as keen as mustard to get started at the Kingsway Recreation Ground, albeit not until Saturday 21 August with a home Division Two fixture against new boys Eynesbury United. The Club's Twitter page is now updated to the micro-second whereas, prior to their arrival, it was impossible to find any information whatsoever on the Club, later today (31 July) the First team host Bedfordshire County League outfit Marston Shelton Rovers in a pre-season friendly fixture, kick off 3.00pm, with the Reserve side playing their counterparts at 12.30pm:

Edited July 31, 2021 by Rhodes