Here’s another Boro’ – but not one we reckon many of you know too well; Desborough Town being one of the teams we faced during our early days. So, this is a tale that’s going to take us right back to where it all started. It’s 1981. Aston Villa are the best club in the country. Bucks Fizz win Eurovision. And Boro’ (that’s us) win the first of many promotions to step up into the United Counties League Premier Division. There, Ar Tarn are a side who are more familiar with the UCL than most. After all, they first joined the competition in 1934 and still competing in it to this very day.
Desborough Town: The Facts
Waterworks Field
Braybrooke Road, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2LJ
First, don’t worry about this being a Boro’-on-Boro’ situation. They don’t ever call themselves Boro’. Some people might. The nickname thing, going by the United Counties League site, is a bit of a strange one. It looks as if their nickname is Ar Tarn, which is how you say “our town” in that part of the world. But it also says they went by The Buckets or even Dirty Desborough.
We’ll stick with Ar Tarn.
Ar Tarn’s long story goes back deep into Victorian times. And, by deep, we mean five years. In 1896, the club was born; joining the Northamptonshire League straight off the bat. In the first decade of the 20th century, success wasn’t too far away either. This was a level they were happy at, however. Well, that’s what we know. There’s no evidence they’d ever went up, down, left or right during the 1910s or 1920s. From what we can see, anyway.
In 1934, the Northamptonshire League changed name to the United Counties League. And the rest is history. Except it’s not. Because the point of this is to talk about us and them…
Why do we know Desborough Town?
As 1980-1 United Counties League Division One, the next step for a fledgling Boro’ side was the Premier Division. By this point, Ar Tarn were now part of the furniture. But a pair of titles (1949 and 1967) and a runners-up medal (1980) were all they had to show for their efforts in the years since rejoining the competition a season late after the Second World War. Still, did their experience of the competition count against us?
How to get to Desborough Town – Travel Information – Distance: 62 miles
By Road
Heading to Desborough? Take the A1(M)/A1 north as far north as the interchange with the A14. Join the westbound A14 towards the Midlands for around 26 miles. Leave at Junction 3, however, for the A6 towards Leicester and Market Harborough. After leaving the A14, at the roundabouts at the top of the slip road, take the fourth and second exits respectively.
In around 2.5 miles, you get to yet another roundabout. Take the third exit for Braybrooke Road. The football ground is down this road on the left in about three quarters of a mile.
The car park at Desborough Town should be more than adequate. But you’ll find street parking nearby if needs be.
By Rail
A railway line runs more or less behind the stadium, but finding a station is a whole different matter. It looks as if Kettering is the nearest, and this is quite some distance.
