Aylesbury United Football Club is a football club based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England. They are currently members of and play at Chesham United's Meadow ground. They were based in Aylesbury until being evicted from their Buckingham Road ground in 2006. They are nicknamed the Ducks due to the Aylesbury duck.
History Aylesbury United were formed in 1897 as a merger of Night School, Printing Works and Aylesbury Town.The history of Aylesbury United Aylesbury United F.C. After playing in local leagues, the club joined the Western Division of the Spartan League in 1908, which they won in their first season. This was followed by a play-off with the winners of the Eastern Division, Luton Clarence, which Aylesbury won 4–1. The following season they were placed in the league's A Division, in which they finished as runners-up. With the league becoming a single division in 1910, the club remained in it until World War I, finishing as runners-up again in 1913–14.
After the war the league expanded to two divisions, with Aylesbury placed in Division One. They remained in the division until 1928 when league re-organisation saw Division One split into East and West divisions, with Aylesbury winning Division One West in 1928–29.Spartan League 1907-1934 Non-League Matters Further league reorganisation at the end of the season saw the creation of a Premier Division, in which Aylesbury were placed. However, after finishing bottom of the table in 1932–33 they were relegated to Division One. Two seasons later, a second-placed finish saw them promoted back to the Premier Division. The 1937–38 season saw the club relegated again, although they won Division One the following season.Spartan League 1934-1955 Non-League Matters However, the league was then suspended due to World War II.
The league resumed in 1945 and was split into three geographic divisions, with Aylesbury in the Western Division, finishing as runners-up in 1945–46. Several clubs left the league at the end of the season, resulting in it being reduced to a single division. In 1951 Aylesbury were founder members of the Delphian League, and the 1951–52 season saw them reach the first round of the FA Cup for the first time. Drawn at home to Watford, they lost 1–0, but the attendance of 7,440 remains a club record. After finishing second in 1952–53, they were league champions the following season. The club remained in the league until it merged into the Athenian League in 1963, with Aylesbury placed in Division Two. A second-place finish in 1967–68 saw them promoted to Division One, where they remained until being relegated at the end of the 1972–73 season.
In 1976 the club joined Division One South of the Southern League, which became the Southern Division in 1979. In 1981 they were transferred to the Midland Division, and were promoted to the Premier Division after finishing as runners-up in 1984–85. The following season saw them reach the first round of the FA Cup again, this time losing 5–2 to Slough Town in a replay after a 2–2 draw. They reached the first round again in 1986–87, losing 3–2 to Bath City. In 1987–88 they won the Premier Division, earning promotion to the Football Conference; they also reached the first round of the FA Cup for the third consecutive season, this time losing 1–0 at Bristol City. At the end of the season the club were the unlikely opponents for the England national team as a warm-up match prior to Euro 88; the match attracted a record crowd of 6,031 to Buckingham Road to see England win 7–0.Club v Country When Saturday Comes, issue 302, April 2012
Although Aylesbury were relegated at the end of the first season in the division, dropping into the Isthmian League Premier Division, a 1–0 defeat of Waterlooville saw them reach the second round of the FA Cup for the first time, where they lost 1–0 to Sutton United. They remained in the Isthmian League's Premier Division for eleven seasons, finishing as runners-up in 1998–99, and advancing to the first round of the FA Cup in every season between 1989 and 1995; the 1989–90 season saw them beat Football League opposition for the first time when they defeated Southend United 1–0, before losing by the same scoreline to Northampton Town in a second round replay. After being beaten by Walsall in the first round in 1990–91, they reached the second round again in 1991–92, eventually losing 3–2 to Hereford United. Another first round defeat took place in 1992–93 when they were beaten 8–0 at West Bromwich Albion, but the 1994–95 season saw their best performance to date, reaching the third round after defeating fellow non-League clubs Newport (IOW) and Kingstonian before losing 4–0 at QPR. The run included the "duck walk" celebration by Cliff Hercules, the club's record appearance holder and goalscorer,A true hero The Bucks Herald, 2 May 2002 which was featured on the BBC's They Think It's All Over programme. In the same season they won the Isthmian League Cup.
Aylesbury were relegated to Division One in 1999–2000, but a third-place finish in 2000–01 saw them promoted back to the Premier Division; they also reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1994, this time losing 3–0 at Port Vale. In 2002–03 they reached the semi-finals of the FA Trophy, but lost 2–1 to Burscough over the two legs. In 2004 Aylesbury were transferred to the Premier Division of the Southern League, but were relegated to Division One Midlands in 2005–06. In July 2009, the Aylesbury United Supporters Trust was able to gain control of the club.Aylesbury United Is Now A Fan Owned Club Aylesbury United F.C., 15 July 2009 However, in 2009–10 they finished bottom of the division and were relegated to the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League. After finishing as runners-up in 2012–13, they were promoted to Division One Central of the Southern League.
Season-by-season SeasonDivisionPositionSignificant events1908–09Spartan League Western Division1/6Champions1909–10Spartan League A Division2/71910–11Spartan League4/101911–12Spartan League5/131912–13Spartan League6/131913–14Spartan League2/121919–20Spartan League4/111920–21Spartan League Division One7/121921–22Spartan League Division One5/141922–23Spartan League Division One10/141923–24Spartan League Division One4/141924–25Spartan League Division One12/141925–26Spartan League Division One8/151926–27Spartan League Division One8/151927–28Spartan League Division One8/151928–29Spartan League Division One West1/13Champions1929–30Spartan League Premier Division10/141930–31Spartan League Premier Division10/141931–32Spartan League Premier Division7/131932–33Spartan League Premier Division14/14Relegated1933–34Spartan League Division One4/141934–35Spartan League Division One2/14Promoted1935–36Spartan League Premier Division12/141936–37Spartan League Premier Division10/141937–38Spartan League Premier Division13/14Relegated1938–39Spartan League Division One1/14Promoted1945–46Spartan League Western Division2/10League reduced to single division1946–47Spartan League10/141947–48Spartan League6/141948–49Spartan League10/141949–50Spartan League3/141950–51Spartan League3/141951–52Delphian League6/141952–53Delphian League2/161953–54Delphian League1/15Champions1954–55Delphian League3/151955–56Delphian League5/151956–57Delphian League4/141957–58Delphian League5/151958–59Delphian League7/151959–60Delphian League 5/131960–61Delphian League 9/151961–62Delphian League 5/141962–63Delphian League AbandonedDelphian League merged into Athenian League1963–64Athenian League Division Two13/151964–65Athenian League Division Two13/161965–66Athenian League Division Two15/161966–67Athenian League Division Two10/161967–68Athenian League Division Two2/16Promoted1968–69Athenian League Division One11/161969–70Athenian League Division One11/161970–71Athenian League Division One10/161971–72Athenian League Division One 15/161972–73Athenian League Division One15/16Relegated1973–74Athenian League Division Two10/161974–75Athenian League Division Two11/151975–76Athenian League Division Two9/16Joined the Southern League1976–77Southern League Division One South181977–78Southern League Division One South6/201978–79Southern League Division One South10/21Moved to Southern Division1979–80Southern League Southern Division2/241980–81Southern League Southern Division11/241981–82Southern League Southern Division11/24Moved to Midland Division1982–83Southern League Midland Division13/171983–84Southern League Midland Division5/201984–85Southern League Midland Division2/18Promoted1985–86Southern League Premier Division8/201986–87Southern League Premier Division3/221987–88Southern League Premier Division1/22Champions, promoted1988–89Football Conference20/21Relegated1989–90Isthmian League Premier Division3/221990–91Isthmian League Premier Division3/221991–92Isthmian League Premier Division7/221992–93Isthmian League Premier Division10/221993–94Isthmian League Premier Division12/221994–95Isthmian League Premier Division4/221995–96Isthmian League Premier Division11/221996–97Isthmian League Premier Division7/221997–98Isthmian League Premier Division18/221998–99Isthmian League Premier Division2/221999–2000Isthmian League Premier Division20/22Relegated2000–01Isthmian League Division One14/222001–02Isthmian League Division One3/22Promoted2002–03Isthmian League Premier Division17/242003–04Isthmian League Premier Division24/24Transferred to Southern League2004–05Southern League Premier Division10/222005–06Southern League Premier Division21/22Relegated2006–07Southern League Division One Midlands6/222007–08Southern League Division One Midlands8/212008–09Southern League Division One Midlands10/222009–10Southern League Division One Midlands22/22Relegated2010–11Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division6/232011–12Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division4/222012–13Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division2/22Promoted2013–14Southern League Division One Central12/222014–15Southern League Division One Central13/222015–16Southern League Division One Central19/222016–17Southern League Division One Central13/222017–18Southern League Division One East13/22Division renamed2018–19Southern League Division One Central15/20Division name reverted2019–20Southern League Division One Central–Season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic2020–21Southern League Division One Central–Season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021–22Southern League Division One Central14/20Source: Non-League Matters, Football Club History Database
Ground Aylesbury played at Turnfurlong Lane until moving to Buckingham Road in the mid-1980s. In July 2006 the lease on the ground expired and they were forced to play matches outside the town. They played at the Meadow in Chesham (groundsharing with Chesham United), before moving to Bell Close in Leighton Buzzard in 2009, where they shared with Leighton Town. In 2015 they began a groundshare at Thame United's Meadow View Park.Aylesbury United announce groundshare with Thame for the next two seasons Bucks Herald, 27 March 2015 The club moved back to Chesham United's Meadow ground in 2017.Southern Premier side Chesham United get new manager and new tenants The Non-League Football Paper, 28 March 2017
Honours Southern League Premier Division champions 1987–88 Isthmian League League Cup winners 1994–95 Delphian League Champions 1953–54 Spartan League League champions 1908–09 Western Division champions 1908–09 Division One West champions 1928–29 Division One champions 1938–39 Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division Cup winners 2012–13 Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Winners 1913–14, 1985–86, 1996–97, 1999–2000 Berks & Bucks Senior Shield Winners 2012–13 Berks & Bucks Benevolent Cup Winners 1932–33, 1933–34, 1952–53, 1953–54
Records Best FA Cup performance: Third round, 1994–95 Best FA Trophy performance: Semi-final, 2002–03 Best FA Vase performance: Fourth round, 1975–76 Record attendance: