Barton Rovers F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Barton Rovers


fullname = Barton Rovers Football Club
nickname = "Rovers"
founded = 1898
ground = Sharpenhoe Road
Barton-le-Clay
Bedfordshire
capacity = 4,000
chairman = Malcolm Bright
manager = Gary Fitzgerald
league = Southern League Division One Midlands
season = 2007–08
position = Southern League Division One Midlands, 11th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=0000FF|body1=0000FF|rightarm1=0000FF|shorts1=0000FF|socks1=0000FF
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=F1EF00|body2=F1EF00|rightarm2=F1EF00|shorts2=F1EF00|socks2=F1EF00

Barton Rovers F.C. are a semi-professional association football club located in the village of Barton-le-Clay, near Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. They currently play in the Southern League Division One Midlands and play their home games at Sharpenhoe Road.

History

Barton Rovers F.C. was formed in 1898. An article in the local church newsletter dated January 1899 records:

The team played in local leagues such as the Luton & District League prior to joining the South Midlands League some time prior to 1969. They were South Midlands champions eight times in ten years during the 1970s and were finally rewarded with a step up to the Isthmian League on 1979. Rovers also reached the final of the FA Vase in 1978, losing 2-1 to Newcastle Blue Star at Wembley Stadium.

The team played in the Isthmian League until 2004, playing mainly in Division Two. In 2004 a re-organisation of the Pyramid saw them switched to the Southern League, where they remain to this day.

In 2008 Barton Rovers signed a number of ex Luton Town F.C. players including Tony Thorpe, Scott Oakes and Liam George.

Notable former players

Ex-Leeds United manager Kevin Blackwell began his career as a goalkeeper with the club.

Club records

*Best league performance: 8th in Southern League Eastern Division, 2004-05
*Best FA Cup performance: 1st round proper, 1980-81
*Best FA Trophy performance: 3rd round, 2000-01
*Best FA Vase performance: Final, 1977-78cite web|title=Football Club History Database - Barton Rovers|publisher=F.C.H.D.|url=http://www.fchd.info/BARTONR.HTM|accessdate=2007-06-05]

References

External links

* [http://www.bartonrovers.co.uk/ Official website]