Who are King’s Lynn?
So, who are the Linnets? Well, first things first – this is a sad case of a club that were. It’s now 10 years since the club were wound up at the High Court with debts of £77,000. That we’re now here talking about ’em is pure coincidence. But don’t confuse ’em with the new club that now exists. This incarnation formed way back in 1879, although they went by the name Lynn Town until 1953. And they were quite the force in local footballing circles.
A member of the Eastern Counties, United Counties and Midland Leagues at different stages of the mid-20th century, they joined the Southern League for the start of the 1958-9 season. After relegation to Division One in 1962, the 1963-4 season saw ’em be league buddies with Stevenage Town. It had an effect – the Linnets went up to the Premier Division. Back down they went in 1971, however; lining up against another Stevenage side in the form of Athletic.
Why do we know King’s Lynn?
The Linnets were on the scene when Athletic went bust after the 1975-6 season. But there was no chance of making it a Stevenage treble after Boro’ came into being. We went into the Isthmian League when they were still in the Southern. So, little chance of coming up against them. Cup competitions didn’t throw us together at any point, either. To the best of our knowledge, then, our first (and only?) meeting was sometime in the early-to-mid 2000s in a friendly*.
*If we met them before that in a friendly, do let us know.
