TODAY’S OPPONENTS
We welcome to Keys Park the players, officials and supporters of
Gainsborough Trinity FC
Gainsborough Trinity FC were founder members of
the Northern Premier League in 1968 and remained
there for 36 years until a tenth place finish in 2003/04
secured qualification for the then new Conference
North. The club has remained in the Conference North
ever since and only in the last two seasons has the
club finished in the top ten with a fourth place finish in
2011/12 leading to a play-off final defeat to Nuneaton
Town.
Gainsborough Trinity FC have reached the first round
proper of the FA Cup three times in the last ten years,
losing each time; 7-1 to Brentford in 2003/04, 3-1 to
Barnet in 2006/07 and 6-0 to Hartlepool United in
2007/08. This season the club were removed from the
competition in the qualifying rounds due to them
fielding an ineligible player, which enabled Rushall
Olympic to be reinstated.
Last season Gainsborough Trinity FC had a fantastic
run to the semi-finals of the FA Trophy, where they
were beaten 4-3 on aggregate by eventual winners
Wrexham, having already beaten Hinckley United,
Harrogate Town, Forest Green Rovers, Tamworth and
Barrow.
Gainsborough Trinity FC have had a settled time on
the pitch in recent seasons but off the pitch it has not
gone so smoothly. Peter Swann became chairman of
the football club in October 2008 and he arrived with
big plans. He increased the club’s budget and
announced plans to acquire the stadium, the
Northolme, from its owners with the long-term aim of
building a new stadium for the club and the
community. Unfortunately, citing health reasons and
the refusal of the owners to sell the ground to him,
Peter Swann resigned from his position at the end of
last season, taking over the chairman’s role at local
8
thePitmen
Football League outfit Scunthorpe United. The club
has struggled this season with a reduced budget as
the chairman’s position has remained vacant until
two weeks ago when the club announced Mark
Tinker as the new chairman.
During the years in which Swann was involved with
the club, Gainsborough Trinity FC managed to attract
former Aston Villa and Leicester City manager Brian
Little to manage the football club and recent
Hednesford players who moved on to Gainsborough
were experienced Football League duo goalkeeper
Gavin Ward and midfielder Sam Aiston.
Gainsborough is a town in the county of Lincolnshire
situated 15 miles to the south of Scunthorpe, 15
miles north-west of Lincoln and 45 miles north of
Nottingham. Gainsborough's recent league results
have been mixed with wins against Worcester City,
Workington and a thrilling 5-4 win against Altrincham,
amongst a home defeat by Colwyn Bay and a 6-0
thrashing at local rivals Boston United.
Although we only have ten games to play this season,
we still have to play Gainsborough away as well in
four weeks’ time and results in these two games in
particular will go a long way to helping or hindering
our hopes of reaching the play-offs this season.
Article by: Lee Kempson [email protected]
Trinity Fact File
Nickname: Trinity
Founded: 1873
Ground: The Northolme,Gainsboro’
Manager: Steve Housham
2012-13: 8th Conference North