Harborough Town Football Club, nicknamed “The Bees,” is a non-league football club based in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
Established in 1975, they currently compete in the Pitching In Southern Football League Premier Central, which is part of the seventh tier of English football. The team calls Bowden Park their home ground.
Harborough FC was founded in 2007 from the merger of three local football groups: Harborough Town Juniors, Harborough Spencers, and Harborough Minis, aiming to create a unified club that could serve all ages, genders, and abilities within the Market Harborough community. The club, which became an FA Charter Club in 2004, prides itself on having achieved the FA Charter Standard Community Club Status, the highest accolade awarded for best practices, ongoing development, and positive community impact. It hosts a variety of teams ranging from Minis to Veterans, inclusive of gender-specific teams and abilities.
The club’s foundation traces back to Harborough Town Juniors, established in 1975, which initially ran two teams and developed their facilities on Northampton Road in the 1990s. The merger in 2007 was largely driven by the aim to provide a pathway for senior football. Harborough Spencers, known previously as Spencer United, and Harborough Minis, started in the early 2000s for under-11s, also joined the merger, solidifying the club’s infrastructure and providing a broad developmental platform for young players.
Notable former players include Richard Stearman, Chris Carruthers, Tom Fielding, and Martin Johnson, highlighting the club’s role in nurturing talent that progresses to professional and international levels. The club has also seen several young players move into Centre of Excellence and Elite squads at professional clubs, demonstrating its effectiveness in player development. Recent accolades include winning the Northern Premier League Midlands Division Play-Off in 2023-24, among other local and regional titles, showcasing the club’s competitive success across various levels.