Basford United were switched from the Northern Premier League Premier Division by the FA’s National League System’s Committee at the end of last season.
The Nottinghamshire club had struggled last season, finishing third-from-bottom which was somewhat of a surprise as that had been just about their only poor campaign for the past ten years or so.
Basford United's birthplace was the Old Pear Tree Inn in 1900. It wasn't long before they moved to the Dolly Tub pitch, which is now part of the Highbury Estate.
In 1903 they moved to Catchems Corner where they stayed for 27 years until they moved to Vernon Avenue. A few years later they moved to Mill Street and in 1991 to their current Greenwich Avenue home.
Basford United started their football life in the Notts Combination League and were League Cup runners-up in 1903. They were winners of the cup the following season.
In 1905 Basford joined the Notts Alliance and were champions in their first season.
They were runners-up the following season but regained the championship in 1907.
They were runners-up in 1908, 1909, 1912 and 1913.
Club secretary Wallace Brownlow, who was appointed at the age of 19 in 1907, insisted the club become full members of the Football Association in 1910. He remained club secretary until his death in 1970 - setting a world record of 63 years!
Basford resumed playing football after the First World War and were champions of the Notts Alliance in 1920 and runners-up the following season.
In 1937 in a FA Cup tie against Grantham United set their record attendance of 3,500.
In 1939 they again won the League Cup and they managed to keep a team going through the Second World War period but played in the Notts Amateur League before returning to the Notts Alliance in 1946.
In 1947 Basford won the Notts Senior Cup for the first time in their history.
The trophy cabinet was bare for many a season and in 1971 the club was relegated for the first time in their history.
Despite fighting their way back up to the Senior Division they were relegated again in 1982.
They returned to the Senior League in 1985 and three years later, as underdogs, Basford defeated Hucknall Town to win the Notts Senior Cup.
In 1991, the club re-located the short distance to Greenwich Avenue, as the Mill Street ground became a housing estate and during the 1990s the club flitted between the Senior Division and Division One of the Notts Alliance, being promoted as Division One runners-up in 1994 and champions in 1998.
As the club entered its second century, it settled in the lower reaches of Notts Alliance Division One and when the lower divisions of the Alliance merged with the Notts Amateur League in 2004 they moved into the newly formed Notts Amateur Alliance.
In 2006 they joined the Notts Senior League and in their first season, they finished third. The next few seasons saw them come fifth, third and second twice.
In 2011/12 Basford won the Central Midlands League South in their first season in the competition as well as winning the League Floodlit Trophy.
This success earned them promotion to the East Midlands Counties League for 2012/13 where they again ended up as champions, setting a new record points total of 95 as well as becoming the first club to complete the EMCL League and cup `double` when they also won the League Cup.
That success earned the club promotion to the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, where they finished in a creditable fifth place in 2013/14. That was to be their only season in the NCEL as they were moved into the newly formed Midland League Premier Division for 2014/15.
This was to prove a memorable season for the club as they won the Premier Division in some style, finishing 6 points clear of their nearest challengers and also winning the Notts Senior Cup for the first time in 27 years.
The Midland League success earned the club promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One South.
Their first two seasons in the NPL saw them finish fourth and then sixth, but in 2017/18 saw the club win the Division One South title under Martin Carruthers.
Basford finished their first season at Step 3 level in a creditable seventh place but, of course, lost the next two campaigns due to the global pandemic and also lost Carruthers to league rivals Ilkeston.
In January 2022, Basford announced a change to their managerial structure with former Ilkeston Town owner and player Mark Clifford stepping up from head coach to take over as first team boss with Steve Chettle, who had been in charge since April 2019, becoming director of football.
Clifford, 44, made over 60 League appearances for Mansfield Town and Boston United as well as spending several years in East Midlands non-League football with the likes of Ilkeston, Nuneaton Borough and Stamford.
In readiness for the new challenge of the Southern League Premier Division Central, Clifford has already made several new signings.
Young forward Tyreace Palmer has returned to Basford on a more permanent basis after being on loan at Greenwich Avenue from Vanarama National League neighbours Notts County last term.
Clifford has also added experience with former Northern Ireland under-21 international Adam Chapman moving from Ilkeston and strikers Anthony Dwyer and Gregg Smith joining from Nuneaton Borough and Spalding United respectively.
Basford have also added younger talent in Stern Irvine from Ilkeston, Harvey Grice from Alfreton Town and Ben Starkie from Spalding.
Most clubs are looking for volunteers. Find out more on the button below:
www.PitchingInVolunteers.co.ukAll the news and results in one place.
REGISTER