Club History |
In 1935 a group of Northgate schoolboys formed Achilles cricket club and two years later Achilles Football Club emerged from the marriage of St Clements United and St Clements Institute, with HQ in Fore Hamlet, Ipswich and Murray Road as the home ground. The Club became a member of the Ipswich Emergency League and won the Ipswich & District league (Division 1) Championship in 1943-44, 1945-46 and 1948-49.
1950 saw success in both the FA and FA Amateur Cups leading, ironically, to one of the worst upheavals in the Club’s history and several senior players broke away to form Ipswich Wanderers. Outstanding Minor teams won the IDL Minor League in 1952-53, 1953-54 and later in 1966-67 and Achilles were County Cup finalists in 1952-53 and 1963-64.
The first Championship success of the Premier League continued to eluded the Club when, in 1958-59, having been up to 10 points ahead for much of the season they settled for runners-up position after Waterside Works won their last game, incredibly by 13-0, to win on goal average.
The late sixties saw a move of HQ to Pauls, where Achilles were able to play football, cricket and hockey in delightful surroundings. The 1st XI football record during the mid-1980’s, under the managership of ex-player and current SIL Chairman Keith Norton, was outstanding. The Premier Championship was taken twice, the McNeil Cup and the Cranes’ 7’s once. The 2nd XI were runners-up in both League and League Cup before the League Cup was finally won.
The 1990’s saw a brief period in Division 1, but the 2nd XI lifted the Mann Broadbent Cup in 1993/94. The years since have been matters largely of survival for the Senior football team, but the Inter A side (the Reserves) have done well finishing runners-up twice and winning the Ryan Cup.
Season 2004-05 saw new mangers for both teams. Alan Middle, who was a player in one of Keith Norton’s triumphant teams, has had his first taste of senior team management, securing two excellent top six positions, while the vastly experienced Alf Cook has also done well for the Reserve team. The Stone Lodge ground has been developed and this includes a sparkling new Clubhouse.
The Reserves did the Intermediate B and JR Travel Cup double in 2007/08 and also won the JR Travel Cup in 2009/10 and the 1st team are currently back playing in the Senior Division.
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