Scunthorpe United F.C.

Scunthorpe United F.C. are an English football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England.

Scunthorpe United's official team mascots are the Scunny Bunny and the Scunny Hunny Bunny, who wear the same claret and blue kit as the team's players do. Nicknamed The Iron, they currently play in Coca-Cola League 1.

Kevin Keegan, the former Liverpool and England striker, began his career with Scunthrope during the late 1960s.

In 1988, Scunthorpe became the first English club in more than 30 years to build a new stadium when they relocated from the Old Showground to Glanford Park. Their original ground had been home to the first cantilever stand in the country, which was built in 1958. It was demolished along with the remainder of the Old Showground after efforts to move it to the new grounds proved impractical.

History

Early years

Scunthorpe United, formerly known as Scunthorpe and Lindsey United, among other names, has existed since 1899, but did not join the football league until 1950. Their first game was against Shrewsbury Town. At this time, their ground was the Old Showground.

Scunthorpe were the first club in England to build a cantilever stand, four years before Sheffield Wednesday's at Hillsborough.

Moving home

In the 1980s, Scunthorpe United became the first football club in the modern era to move to a new, purpose built stadium: Glanford Park.

Ups and downs

In 1992, the club made the third division play-off final, losing out eventually on a penalty shootout to Blackpool.

The club again made the play-off final in 1999, this time beating Leyton Orient 1-0 after a goal from Alex Calvo-Garcia. They were promoted to the Football League Division Two.

Their stay in this division was a short one and they were relegated again at the end of the following season.

They started the 2004/2005 season in Football League Two, but gained promotion to Football League One after a startling comeback season. The Club was nearly relegated to the Conference National the season before. In the 2004/5 season they led Chelsea, the Premiership champions, 1-0, in the FA Cup 3rd Round, but were denied as they eventually went down 3-1.

2005-2006 season

Before that season began, Scunthorpe were predicted to end up among the relegation battlers, having only been promoted to the division the previous season.

Close season signings included ex-Stockport County captain Jim Goodwin and former Celtic striker Tommy Johnson. The Iron also offered permanent deals to utility man Richard Hinds and central midfielder Richie Ryan. Shortly after the season began, Scunthorpe signed teenage striker Billy Sharp from Sheffield United for £100,000. Scunthorpe lost Paul Hayes and Richard Kell to Barnsley during the summer due to the players being out of contract, although due to Hayes' age, an F.A. tribunal set a fee of up to £150,000 for him. Terry Barwick, Wayne Graves and Russell Penn were released by the club.

Scunthorpe United opened the 2005-2006 season away at Brentford F.C., where they lost 2-0. However, after this early setback, things picked up for The Iron, who at a couple of points early in the season occupied first place in the division. Their early season good form hit a peak with an away victory to League One high-fliers Huddersfield Town by four goals to one. Teenage strike partnership Andy Keogh and Billy Sharp made a name for themselves at this time.

However, subsequently they slid down the league table somewhat, due in part to two 5-2 defeats, away at Blackpool and Barnsley. The club took Peter Till, a winger from Birmingham City and Michael Rose, a left-back from Yeovil Town on loan, though the former has now returned to his club, as well as Neil MacKenzie, originally loaned from Macclesfield Town before the move was made permanent in the January transfer window.

The club reached the third round of the F.A. Cup, beating Bury and Aldershot Town before losing 3-1 away to the Premiership's Manchester City after being 1-0 ahead.

In the 2005-06 season the club finished 12th in Coca-Cola League 1 with a record of P46 W15 D15 L16 F68 A73 Pts60 GD-5.

Billy Sharp finished the season joint top scorer of the season with 23 league goals.

Notable players

Over the years, their team has included such celebrated players as Kevin Keegan, Ray Clemence, Peter Beagrie and even cricketer Ian Botham.

Playing squad

As of July 8, 2006:

Records

Attendances

Record Attendance (Old Showground)

23,935 v Portsmouth FA Cup 4th rd. 30th Jan 1954

Record Attendance (Glanford Park)

8,775 v Rotherham United, Division 4, May 1st 1989

Scores

Record Victory

8-1 v Luton Town, Division 3, 24th April 1965 Team: - Sidebottom, Hornstead, Hemstead, Smith, Neale, Lindsey, Bramley (1), Scott, Thomas (5), Mahy (1), Wilson (1).

8-1 v Torquay United, New Division 3, 28th October 1995 Team: - Samways, Housham, Wilson, Ford (1), Knill (1), Hope (Nicholson), Thornber, Bullimore (Walsh), McFarlane (4) (Young), Eyre (2), Paterson.

Record Defeat

0-8 v Carlisle United, Division 3 (N) 25th November 1952 Team: - Malan, Hubbard, Brownsword, McGill, Taylor, Bushby, Daley, Haigh, White, Whitfield, Mosby