Kettering Town FC

Official page of The Poppies. Est in 1872. #KTFC Kettering Town were originally formed in 1872, turning professional in 1891.

The club graduated through twelve different leagues from 1892 until they became founding members of the Alliance Premier League in 1979. The club maintained its status in the top flight of semi-professional football until the 2000–01 season. Many honours have found their way to Rockingham Road, winning the Midland Football League title in 1896 and 1900. The Southern League Championship was won on

three occasions by the club, in 1928 and 1957 under Tommy Lawton and in 1973 under the guidance of Ron Atkinson. In the 1930s the club won the East Midlands League and in 1948 the Poppies became Birmingham League Champions. In a Southern League game against Bath City on 24 January 1976, Kettering became the first British club to play with a sponsor's name printed on their shirts after signing a deal with local firm Kettering Tyres. The club finished runners-up in the Football Conference in 1981, 1989, 1994 and 1998. The GMAC Cup, (the non-league, league Cup) was won in 1987 and the Poppies were runners-up in 1995. County competitions have been won regularly by Kettering Town, with the Northants Senior Cup won on 28 occasions and the Maunsell Cup 13 times. The FA Cup has brought success and publicity to Rockingham Road with the first round proper being reached on 41 occasions. The third round in 1991–92 loss to Kenny Dalglish's Blackburn Rovers and during the 1994–95 season, the club made their debut live on Sky TV in a first round tie against Plymouth Argyle. The Poppies have scored more goals than any other team in the FA Cups history. Wembley has been reached on two occasions before. The Poppies lost 2–0 to Stafford Rangers in the 1979 FA Trophy Final. More recently, the FA Trophy Final in 2000 saw the Poppies lose a closely fought final with Kingstonian 3–2. Season 2005–06 was to be one of massive change at Rockingham Road. In 2005 England legend Paul Gascoigne was installed as manager, replacing Kevin Wilson, and ex-Arsenal stalwart Paul Davis was recruited as assistant manager. The eyes of the world were on Gascoigne and the Poppies, and media interest was massive. Chairman Imraan Ladak installed former Tamworth manager Mark Cooper as the new Kettering Town manager for the 2007–08 campaign. The club finished the season as Conference North champions, breaking several records along the way (including seven consecutive wins at the start of the season, 29 wins overall, and a divisional record of 87 points). As a result, the club was promoted to the Conference National. In the 2008–09 season, Kettering Town beat Lincoln City, Notts County and Eastwood Town to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they faced Fulham at home. While twice pulling even with the Premier League squad and looking like they could possibly produce a draw late in the 2nd half, they gave up two goals and ultimately lost the spirited match, 4–2. The Poppies also did well in the FA Cup in the 2009/10 season, having drawn 1–1 to Leeds United at home on 29 November 2009, live on ITV. Kettering replayed the match at Leeds' stadium Elland Road and after a valiant effort in normal time, the ninety minutes ended 1–1. The score stayed equal throughout the first half of added time however Leeds scored twice in one minute in the second half and then scored another two goals. The game ended 5–1 to the home side.

11/06/2026

✍️ Lewis Coyle is here to stay!

The club is delighted to announce that Coyley will be with us for the upcoming season. 🤝

Having initially joined on loan from Bedford Town, his performances and that deadly delivery from set pieces, quickly made it a permanent move.

Gaffer had this to say..…

“Coyle made a huge impact last season and contributed to a number of crucial goals last season. Experienced and a leader in the dressing room. Glad to have him on board this season.”

We’re thrilled to see you back, Lewis! 👊

11/06/2026

🔒 RETAINED PLAYER 🔒

KETTERING TOWN FC

We’ve got news coming your way…
A familiar face is staying with the squad!

📢 ANNOUNCEMENT DROPS AT 7PM
Don’t miss it!

11/06/2026

Kettering Town FC fans getting into the World Cup spirit!

Taken towards the end of the season, these pictures capture the fantastic spirit of Kettering Town FC supporters. 🙌
With the World Cup just around the corner, excitement is building for our England Fan Zone at Latimer Park - where fans can expect a festival-style matchday experience with live coverage on a giant LED screen, pre and post-match entertainment, DJs, food vendors, bars, and a fully themed England atmosphere. ⚽🎉

11/06/2026

BIG DAY TODAY! 🚧⚽
We’ve got MJN Entertainment on site over the next two days kicking off the build of the England World Cup Fan Zone 2026.
Stay tuned as we give you sneak peeks of what’s to come!

kettering

10/06/2026

Kettering Town are delighted to announce the signing of imposing defender Tom Leak ahead of the new season!

The 25-year-old joins the Poppies after a strong campaign at Step 2 with Chester, where he clocked up 2,588 minutes across 32 appearances last term.

In 2024/25, Tom featured 17 times for Boston United in the National League before joining Chester on loan, making a further 11 appearances. He began his career in League Two with Walsall, followed by spells at Kidderminster Harriers and Boston United where he played a key role in their promotion to the National League.

Toms says…”Poppies fans delighted to have signed for this big club! Buzzing to meet you all and excited for the season to come see you soon!
UP THE POPPIES!

Liam says…”Tom’s a fantastic addition. He’s played at a higher level, has great experience for his age and we’re confident he’ll be a key player for us this season in. We wanted to improve on last season back line and we’ve done that with this signing.”

Please give Leaky a massive Poppies welcome! 🔴⚫️

10/06/2026

As suspected, there’s been a leak at the football club. More information to follow…

09/06/2026

Hear what our midfield maestro Ish had to say…a message to our unbelievable fans ❤️

09/06/2026

We have had an amazing response to our 2026 Golf Day in July - but we have space for 3 more teams to completely sell out.

Please let us know if you would like to enter a team of 4 - £55 for non Kettering Golf Club members and just £27.50 for Kettering Golf Club members.

Day includes an 18 hole team Stableford competition. Lunch beforehand and dinner afterwards - prizes, nearest the pins, longest drive and a Hole in One prize of £10,000!

Contact us if you would be part of an amazing day. [email protected]

09/06/2026

✅ New terms agreed! ✅

The club is delighted to announce that Ismael “Ish” Fatadjo has signed for the upcoming season.

An outstanding campaign last time out, Ish was pivotal in our playoff run, battling in every midfield duel and driving us forward when it mattered most.

🔴⚫️ |

08/06/2026

The countown is on...Who’s joining us for the first game?

Live screening of England World Cup matches on a giant LED screen
Pre-match build-up and entertainment to get the atmosphere going
DJ and live music
Food vendors serving a range of matchday favourites
Bars open throughout for fans to enjoy responsibly
A fully themed England fan experience

MJN Entertainment LTD

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Kettering Town FC

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