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History to date |
Competitive football was first played by the original Mistley FC in 1908-09, who were members of the Harwich and District league until 1913-14, doubling up in the Ipswich and District League for the last two seasons before World War One. They re-emerged after the war in the Harwich League and spent one season, 1922-23, in the Border League Division two B.
Following this team was the Mistley Lads Club, which began in 1935 and played in the Ipswich and District League from 1936. The Lads played at Tunnel Meadow, off Green Lane, and the players initially had to change at home before changing rooms were provided by the White Horse public house.
A new team, Mistley Rangers, formed after the Second World War, playing friendly matches and based at Furze Hill. This evolved into Mistley United, which was formed in 1949. They joined the Harwich Junior League in 1949-50, and the Reserves joined Section B in the following season.
Having finished third in the Harwich league in 1951-52, they decided to join the Colchester and East Essex league, where they finished as runners up in Division One. This predicated an eight year run in the Premier Division, with runners up in both League and Amos Cup achieved in 1959-60. In addition, Mistley were losing finalists in the League Cup in 1955-56.
The Reserves joined the Colchester league in 1953-54, when they remained between Divisions Three and Five until 1964-65 when they joined the Tendring Hundred League and later the North East Essex Coastal League, before rejoining the Colchester league, Combination Division, in 1969-70.
After suffering relegation from the Premier Division in 1960-61, the First XI spent three years in Division One before suffering relegation to Division Two. They remained at this level for seven seasons before returning to Division One.
The headquarters of the club moved from the White Horse, to the Thorn and then to the Lord Denman, while the changing facilities at Furze Hill were enhanced in the 1970s.
When the Border League expanded to four divisions in 1978/79, Mistley United were successful with an application to join the new Division Three and a third place finish in their first season was sufficient to secure promotion. Runners up in Division Two the following season saw a second successive promotion.
The Reserves joined the Border League in 1979/80 and stayed in the Third Division for the following twenty seasons.
Off the pitch progress was made by way of the establishment of a social club, this being developed by moving a demountable classroom from the former Mistley Norman School to Furze Hill. The new club house opened in 1983/84 and remained in use for many seasons, before the move to the purpose built clubhouse as part of the Village Hall complex in 1999.
The First XI won Division One in 1987/88 but found the Premier Division difficult and were eventually relegated back to Division One in 1992/93. Two seasons later however they won promotion again, and the following year saw third place in the Premier Division achieved. Two Border League Cup finals were also reached, in 1996/97 and 1997/98, although the ultimate trophy was not attained. Relegation followed in 1998/99, but promotion was achieved just one year later and the First XI has been in the Premier Division since that time. Second place was achieved in 2003/04, the best ever league finish.
The First XI has enjoyed some success in the Harwich Charity Cup, winning the Junior Cup in 1983/84 and the Intermediate Cup in 1994/95, 1995/96 and 2003/04.
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