Corby Town (England)

Corby Town hail from the Northamptonshire steel town of the same name, and first kicked a ball under that name in 1948. However, the works side of the Stewarts & Lloyds steel factory played in the United Counties League from at least the early 1930s, and were thought to be the basis on which Corby Town were formed. The club's nickname, The Steelmen, pays testament to this possibility.

There's is a history of slow but steady progress up the leagues. Two UCL titles in the fifties saw them invited to the Midland Football League, and it was five years later that their Occupation Road ground saw Southern League action - at that time the very top of the non-league tree. Indeed, they applied for election to the Football league on a number of occasions, but were clearly never successful. After a spell of non-league reoganisation saw the Southern League lose its seniority, Corby stayed in one or other of their divisions until 2009, when they battled their way to win the unfeasibly massive Southern League trophy and get themselves into the Blue Square North - the second tier of non-league football.

Along the way they had a change of ground, and Occupation Road made way for the all-purpose sports ground at the council-owned Rockingham Triangle in 1985. Famous former players include Mark Lawrenson, who spent a season there towards the end of his career, West Ham striker Trevor Morley, who started his career there, and the free-scoring and much travelled Dixie McNeil, who currently manages fellow stripes Cefn Druids in Wales.

The club are famous for the self- mocking humour of their fans. A huge number of local residents came down from Scotland to work in the steelmills of Corby, so they often refer to themselves as The Plastic Jocks, and sing songs about ASBOs, poor diets and nicking hubcaps to get the jokes in before their rival fans do. To that end it's always a pleasure to share a game with them, so if they're ever playing around your way, make sure you pay them a visit.

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