Ilkeston Town F.C.

On 30 June 2017, a company, Ilkeston Town F.C. Ltd was registered at Companies House.[1] On 20 July 2017, it was confirmed that Ilkeston Town was bought by Alan Hardy.[2] The club was formed in July 2017 after the previous football club in the town, Ilkeston F.C., folded months earlier. Taking the name of two earlier clubs to represent the town, Ilkeston Town were admitted into the Midland Football League as a late entry for their inaugural season, and were allocated a place in Division One.[3]

In their first season, Ilkeston finished 2nd in the league on 95 points, 15 behind runaway league champions Walsall Wood, to gain promotion to the Midland Football League Premier Division.[4]

The 2018–19 season would be much more successful for the Robins as they clinched the Midland Football League Premier Division title on 27 March 2019 and to earn their second promotion in two seasons as a club. They won the title in style, beating Loughborough University 8-1 on the final day of the season, pipping Walsall Wood to a spot in Step 4 on goal difference.[5]

On 16 October 2019, Alan Hardy sold the club to Manager Mark Clifford.[6]

On 27 November 2019, Mark Clifford announced a restructure at the club. As part of this restructure, the club appointed Martin Carruthers as Manager, reuniting him with Clifford with whom he had worked at Basford United F.C..[7]

On 16 May 2020, Ilkeston Town FC announced plans to run an U23 team for the coming season 2020/21. The side will be managed by Anthony Spencer, who will also head up the club’s academy. Mark Clifford said the move would ensure the correct pathway to the first-team was in place. He told the club’s official website: “I have known Anthony for over 30 years, his passion for developing young players cannot be questioned. Anthony has a good network to ensure that we continue to attract the best young players in our region. We will ensure that the pathway into the first team is an achievable goal for any player that shows the attributes and potential needed. We have a first team manager that isn’t afraid to use young players and will get the transition for this right. My role as Head Of Football is to ensure that we are producing players for the first team, the Academy and U23 teams are a vital part of the machine if we are achieve the goals that i and the Investors are aiming for in the next five years. The Academy through to first team will play the same way to ensure that moving through the teams is as seamless as possible.”[8][9]

As of 31 May 2020

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player GK Ross Durrant GK Richard Stainsby DF James Cullingworth DF Mitchell Tait DF Kieran Fenton DF Joe Maguire DF Alex Render DF Thomas Marshall MF James Reid MF Joe Wilson MF Fernando Bell-Toxtle

No. Position Player MF Billy Bennett MF Mason Lee MF Ben Clark MF Ayleal Dill MF Riece Bertram MF Ricco Spencer FW Nathan Watson FW Zak Goodson FW Alex Troke FW Kole Lambert