HISTORY

Founded in 1948, Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club takes its name from Sir Walter Scott’s 1819 novel Ivanhoe, which features a tournament scene set at Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle. The club currently plays at Step 5 of the non-league pyramid in the GCE Hire Fleet United Counties League Premier Division North.

For many years, the club played at Hood Park before moving to the NFU Sports Ground on Lower Packington Road in 2012, thanks to the efforts of local supporters who renovated the derelict ground.

Between 2010 and 2017, Ashby Ivanhoe saw a series of successes, including a league and cup double in 2010/11, promotion to Step 6 in 2013/14, and a memorable FA Cup run in 2016/17, which saw us progress to the 1st Qualifying Round. Other highlights include reaching successive Leicestershire Senior Cup finals and securing qualification for the FA Cup in 2015/16.

Despite challenges in the 2017/18 and 2019/20 seasons, the club continued to push forward. In 2020/21, we secured our highest ever league finish, coming 4th in the division and qualifying for the play-offs. This resulted in a thrilling play-off semi-final victory, but a narrow 4-2 defeat in the final.

The 2022/23 season was one for the record books as the club celebrated its 75th anniversary in style. The first team finished as league runners-up, securing a home play-off semi-final win. The play-off final was a historic moment, with a 2-1 victory over Droitwich Spa in front of a record gate of over 1000 supporters. This triumph sealed our promotion to Step 5 for the first time in the club's history. The season was topped off by winning the Leicestershire Senior Cup to complete a memorable double.

Youth
Our youth section is thriving, with 47 junior teams competing across various regional leagues and over 500 junior players at the club. We also run a successful soccer school and development school, helping children gain confidence and move into teams following coaching.

A special thanks goes out to all our volunteer coaches and assistants, and everyone who helps the club run smoothly—you’re all amazing!

Facilities
As an FA two-star accredited club, we are ambitious and are currently undergoing major ground improvements to continue our progress up the league pyramid. Following successful planning permission for additional pitches, we are also upgrading our ground to meet Step 5 standards. Planning permission has been secured for clubhouse and changing room upgrades, improving our facilities for both the club and the wider community.

Sponsorship
We are proud of our fantastic sponsors and welcome more support as we continue our exciting journey. If you're interested in getting involved, please contact: getinvolved@ashbyivanhoefc.co.uk