You don’t get many clubs who had England skippers from two different sports on their books – but it’s not why Boro’ know Scunthorpe United. Well, we clearly know who Ian Botham and Kevin Keegan are. What we mean, however, is that KK and Beefy’s times as Iron players are just not relevant to our story. Nope. Ours is one that starts much more recently; 2011 in fact. Boro’s promotion to League One brought them up against the Iron. And we didn’t have a great run of things to start with.
The 2012-3 campaign saw us trade 1-0 wins as the Iron tumbled down into League Two. As they came back up, Boro’ were on the way down themselves. It felt like that would be it for a while too. As they went from strength to strength in the seasons that followed, they finished third in League One and missing out on promotion by four points in 2016-7. A year later and they made the playoffs again. But then it all went badly wrong; relegated back down to League Two at the end of the 2018-9 campaign.
Worse still was to follow when the Iron limped out of the Football League in 2022.
Scunthorpe United: The Facts
Glanford Park
Doncaster Road, Scunthorpe, DN15 8TD
The Iron were born in 1899 as the 19th century knocked it on the head. Within 13 years (and just ahead of the First World War), the club turned pro; joining the Midland League in 1912. By this point too, they’d already merged with North Lindsey United to become Scunthorpe & Lindsey United. And, thanks to a failed application to become a Football League side in 1921, saw out the inter-war years in the Midland League; winning the title twice.
After the Second World War, the Iron felt the need for change. Each year, therefore, they put in their bid to join the Football League. . And, each year, the reply was “thanks, but no thanks”. But it was only for a few years. In 1949, the League decided to get bigger and that meant – in 1950 – there was finally space for the club to join. If, at first, you don’t succeed – right?
In 1958, there was more change as the Iron binned the ‘Lindsey’ bit of their name. It was also that saw ’em up into the second tier for the first time; peaking in the 1961-2 campaign, when the Iron finished fourth. But that didn’t last and, two years later, back down Scunny went to Division Three. And, by the end of the 1960s, they’d go down again into Division Four. In the years that followed, they returned to Division Three twice..
They also returned to Division Four twice too, however. And, between 1988 and 1992, they failed four times in the playoffs to stay in the basement division.
Why do we know Scunthorpe United?
The ups and downs continued into the 1990s and 2000s; the Iron back to the second tier in 2007 (for one season) and 2009 (for two seasons). But relegation at the end of the 2010-1 season meant it was back to League One. And coming up from the other direction was us.
How to get to Scunthorpe United – Travel Information – Distance: 156 miles
By Road
Scunthorpe United’s ground is handily located at the end of the journey from Stevenage, sited just off the end of the M181. To get there in the first place, take the northbound A1 and leave at Junction 35, taking the third exit on the roundabout for the eastbound M18. Leave the motorway at Junction 5 and take the third exit on the roundabout for the M180 towards Scunthorpe.
Stay on the M180 for nearly 12 miles until you reach Junction 3, at which point you will need to bear left onto the M181. At the end of this motorway, take the third exit at the roundabout for the A18 Doncaster Road. You’ll soon get to a second roundabout; again, take the third exit. Glanford Park is at the end of the access road.
It doesn’t seem as if parking should be too much of an issue at Scunthorpe United. The club has a decent-sized car park with space for 600; available to both home and visiting fans at £3 a pop. Like Roaring Meg here, however, local retail parks have restrictions in force on matchdays.
By Rail
Station: SCUNTHORPE
Services to: DONCASTER (for STEVENAGE)
Walking isn’t really an option from the station. It’s two miles between the station and the ground and will take you around 45 minutes at best. If it’s a nice day, however…
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