20,000+ Results & Match Details .... 3,000+ Match Reports .... 50+ League & Cup Competitions .... Club Histories ....100s of News Stories .... Season Summaries .... Crimes & Misdemeanours
Leicestershire Football Archive, a not-for-profit research website designed, created and maintained by Nigel Freestone (Historian of the Leicestershire & Rutland Football Association), celebrates the history of football in Leicestershire, which is full of drama, excitement, controversy, violence, and even a tinge of sadness. The archive charts the rather “ugly” beginnings of the “beautiful game” in Leicestershire:
- Explore the incident-packed, controversial and at times farcical history of local cup and league competitions in addition to Leicestershire football successes and failures nationally.
- Discover stories about football clubs and players from your village/town or the area of Leicester where you live.
- Learn about and wince at the accidents and injuries sustained by players and be blown away by strange and bizarre incidents that occurred throughout the history of football in Leicestershire.
- Celebrate the results and achievements of Leicestershire teams past and present and read match reports exactly as they appeared in print at the time, that bring football of forgotten eras back to life.
- Create and Contribute items to the archive & become a storyteller by sharing your footballing memories.
- Participate in on-line discussions and research projects.
Initially the archive will concentrate on the development of the association game in Leicestershire during the Victoria era. With the help of the Leicestershire football community and other partners it is hoped to expand the archive to cover all eras up to the millennium. If you would like to volunteer please Get In Touch and show your support by telling your friends about the archive.
Leicester City Football Club Historian & Archivist
As the Official Historian of Leicester City Football Club, I am proud to be actively involved in the Leicestershire Football Archive, which has an incredibly extensive reservoir of information providing an unprecedented insight into Leicestershire’s football history in the nineteenth century. With the support of Leicestershire’s football community the archive will be expanded to include other eras.
John Hutchinson, BA, M.Ed [October 2024]
Unearth Your Local Football History
Ever wondered if your town or village had a football team back in the 19th century? Chances are, it did! Over 1,500 clubs, from fierce competitors to friendly village sides, were active across Leicestershire during that era.
We’ve made it easy for you to explore these fascinating local stories. Simply use the links below to dive into our archives and see which clubs emerged from your specific area:
- Clubs and Competitions: Did a team from your locality battle for glory in formal leagues and cups?
- Pre-1879 Leicestershire Football Clubs and clubs that Friendly Matches during the 1880s and 1890s: These sections are packed with hundreds of clubs that played friendly matches, often on the local village green or in community fields. Many of these teams formed the heart of their local communities.
By exploring these links, you’ll open up a wealth of information, including published match reports and compelling stories that bring Leicestershire’s early football history to life. You might be surprised by what you discover right on your doorstep!
Additionally, complete league and cup records for every club that played competitive football throughout the twentieth century are now available. You can find specific details for any team via our Club Name Search.
As a unique and fascinating aspect of our ever growing community engagement programme, DMU is proud to be supporting the development of the Leicestershire Football Archive. As a Leicester institution, we truly value cultural investment into the city and county, and projects such as the Leicestershire Football Archive are fundamental to preserving their cultural and community heritage. The University’s long-standing commitment to the study of sports history, embodied in the International Centre for Sports History and Culture, provides the Archive with academic expertise and support to help it achieve its potential
We have exciting news! The Leicestershire Football Archive has officially become a part of the De Montfort University (DMU) Special Collections. This will ensure the long-term preservation and professional accessibility of our unique materials, chronicling the rich history of football across Leicestershire..
World War I
There has ben a significant expansion to the collection, which now includes a dedicated focus on football matches and competitions played during the First World War (1914–1918).