The Griff Story

Nuneaton Griff Football Club has been a cornerstone of grassroots football in Nuneaton for over five decades.

 

From nine founders pooling £1 each to get started, to winning back-to-back championships and making history at some of English football's most iconic grounds, the story of the Heartlanders is one of community, resilience and an enduring love of the game.

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The Beginning: 1972

 

The club was born out of a dispute.

 

In 1972, a disagreement at the well-established Co-op Sports FC prompted a group of players and officials to break away and form something new.

 

Nine founding members each contributed £1 to establish the club, taking up residence at the Nuneaton Griff and Coton Miners Welfare Ground and adopting the name Nuneaton Amateurs.

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From the very beginning, the club showed ambition.

 

Former Rugby Town, Lockheed Leamington and Bedworth Town player Colin Wetton was appointed as the club's first manager, with Colin Rathbone serving as Chairman and Derek Brown as Treasurer.

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The very first competitive match ended in a 2-1 away victory over Jet Blades, and that winning mentality carried through the debut season.

 

The Amateurs were arguably denied a championship in their first year when opponents failed to appear for a late-season replayed fixture and the Coventry and North Warwickshire League ruled there was insufficient time to reschedule.

 

Despite that frustration, the club made a considerable impression in the Birmingham Junior Cup, defeating both Kingswinford and Solihull Borough, before rounding off a fine first season by lifting the Coventry Telegraph Cup.

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Early Growth: The 1970s and 1980s

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Acceptance into the Coventry and Alliance Suburban League Premier Two marked the next chapter, and another strong season quickly earned the club promotion into the top division, where they more than held their own.

 

Treasurer Derek Brown went on to earn representative honours for the league side, a proud individual milestone that reflected the quality the club was already producing.

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May 1975 marked the end of Colin Wetton's tenure, and with it the club's name changed to Nuneaton Griff, the name that has endured ever since. Progress continued in the years that followed, with the club collecting a number of honours before a difficult period brought a slide down the divisions.

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It was during the mid-1980s that current long-serving Chairman John Gore stepped forward to take charge of team affairs.

 

His steady hand proved to be exactly what was needed, gradually reversing the club's fortunes and rebuilding Griff into one of the more formidable sides in the Coventry Alliance.

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The Mark Green Era: 1996 to the 2000s

 

When John Gore retired in 1996 after a decade of dedicated service, he made what many regard as the most significant decision in the club's history, persuading the then 34-year-old Mark Green to come out of retirement and take the managerial reins.

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The impact was immediate and transformative.

 

Green, who had previously turned Arley WMC FC into a dominant force in the same competition, set about rebuilding Nuneaton Griff with the same vision and intensity.

 

The club swept through the Coventry Alliance, and by 1998-99 the decision was made to apply for membership of the Midland Football Combination.

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Placed controversially in the Premier Division from the outset, Griff repaid that faith in the most emphatic fashion, winning the championship in their very first season.

 

They then retained the title the following campaign in 2000-01, completing back-to-back championships while also capturing the Endsleigh Challenge Cup for good measure.

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That cup victory produced one of the most remarkable nights in the club's history.

 

Griff lifted the Endsleigh Challenge Cup at Villa Park one evening, then returned the following night to win the Coventry Telegraph Cup at Highfield Road, making them the only club in history to contest two cup finals on consecutive days at two different Premier League grounds and win them both.

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Consolidation and Cup Runs: 2000s to 2014

 

Having established themselves in the Midland Football Combination Premier Division, the club entered a period of steady consolidation.

 

A succession of managers came and went, each leaving their own mark, while the club continued to develop local talent through a thriving youth section, giving many young players from the area their first taste of competitive football.

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The 2012-13 season produced the club's finest run in the FA Cup.

 

Replayed victories over Earlswood Town and Sporting Khalsa set up a tie at Dudley Town, which Griff won to reach the Second Qualifying Round, where they pushed former Conference side Hednesford Town all the way before narrowly losing 3-2.

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The Farmer family became synonymous with the club during this period.

 

Steve Farmer managed the side for four seasons from 2007, before elder brother John took over in 2011.

 

John's knowledge of the club and the local area made him an ideal custodian, and his two separate spells in charge spanned some of the most talked-about moments in recent Griff history.

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The Midland League and Recent Years: 2014 Onwards

 

In 2014, Nuneaton Griff made the step up to the Midland League at Division One level, sitting at Step 6 of the non-league pyramid.

 

A challenging first season saw the club finish 17th, but the response was significant, with a third-place finish demonstrating just how quickly they could adapt to the new level.

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During Charlie Reardon's tenure in 2015-16, the club enjoyed their deepest ever run in the FA Vase, reaching the last eight before bowing out.

 

The run attracted a record crowd of 870 supporters to The Pingles Stadium, a figure that stands as testament to the excitement that cup football can generate in the town.

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John Farmer returned to the club at the start of 2016-17 before stepping down in September 2017, when Courtney Belford was appointed in his place.

 

Following Belford's resignation a year later, Brett Clark took charge, before himself departing on Christmas Eve 2018.

 

Former Rugby Town and Chasetown manager Dave Stringer then stepped in to steady the ship.

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For the 2019-20 season, local cousins and former Griff players Adam and Iain Green were appointed as joint managers, bringing a fresh energy and a deep understanding of the club.

 

Following their departure in the summer of 2021, former player Sam Belcher took on the role, stabilising the squad after a difficult start to 2021-22 before building a side that finished the season in a creditable eighth place.

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The Griff Today

 

After a decade competing at Midland Football League Division One level, the 2025-26 season brought the disappointment of relegation, and the Heartlanders now begin the 2026/27 campaign in Division Two.

 

But for everyone at The Pingles Stadium, the mood is one of renewed determination rather than deflation.

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The history of Nuneaton Griff is filled with moments where the club has faced adversity and responded with character.

 

From those nine founders with £1 each, to winning back-to-back championships on arrival in the Midland Combination, to reaching cup finals at Villa Park and Highfield Road.

 

This club has always found a way to write the next chapter.

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The story of Nuneaton Griff is far from finished.

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Pret D'Accomplir - Ready to Accomplish.