Whitby

Foundation and early years

The club was founded as Streaneshalch Football Club in October 1880, soon after its foundation the club changed its name to Whitby Church Temperance and played a friendly game against Scarborough on 8 January 1881, which Whitby won 2–0. The name was changed in late 1882 to Whitby Football Club and continued to play friendly games as well as competing in the Scarborough & East Riding County Cup. At this time, rugby football codes were more popular, however, Whitby and some other sides proved to be important in gaining a foothold for the code of association football especially in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The most prominent player of the early years was John Nicholson, who captained the side for nearly a decade.

During this early period, Whitby and Scarborough's rivalry was intense: Whitby beat them in the final of the 1886–87 County Cup, before in the two seasons following Scarborough beat Whitby in the final. There was also a situation in the 1889 FA Cup where Scarborough knocked Whitby out in the First Round, with Whitby complaining that Scarborough's Recreation Ground was an illegal size. Unfortunately, the rivalry culminated in one of the first football riots, after a disagreement about a goal, Whitby players were attacked on the pitch by Scarborough fans and eventually chased out to the Scarborough railway station. Nineteen-year-old Whitby player Albert Drabble, who was attacked at the game, died the following month of a heart attack. Though links between the incidents were not conclusive it put a large shadow over the fixture.

Whitby joined the Northern League for the first time in 1893, only to return to the Cleveland Amateur League two seasons later. They returned to the Northern League in 1899 and won the Second Division the same season. Again, the cost of travelling forced the club to leave the Northern League and for a time Whitby reverted to playing friendlies only, a step which put the club into near obscurity. After the First World War, the town of Whitby had two clubs, both playing in the Scarborough and District League, Whitby Whitehall Swifts and Whitby Town. Ever conscious of Whitby's more illustrious past, the two clubs decided to amalgamate in 1926 as Whitby United. The new club was admitted into the Northern League and the club's name was changed to Whitby Town in 1949.

Post-war success

The club reached a new height in the Amateur Cup days. In 1964, they reached the quarter finals and the following year they made it all the way to Wembley, losing 3–1 to Hendon. The Northern League Cup has been won six times and the North Riding Senior Cup won on five occasions. Whitby were also successful in the short lived Rothman's National Knockout Cup, winning it in 1976 and 1978.

In 1983–84, Whitby came to national prominence when they came back from two goals down to beat Halifax Town 3–2 in the FA Cup first round proper. They were beaten by a late penalty at Wigan in the following round. The same season, Whitby reached the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy for the first time losing to Dagenham in a replay.

In 1992–93, Whitby Town won the Northern League Championship for the first time in their history. Unfortunately due to circumstances completely beyond their control, the club were denied promotion to the Northern Premier League.

First Harry Dunn era

In December 1995, the club appointed Harry Dunn as manager. By the end of the season, he had taken Whitby to another Northern League Cup Final victory.

The following season, 1996–97, the Club went from strength to strength. A 0–0 draw against Hull City in the first round proper of the FA Cup, was played at Scarborough on police advice, in a remarkable replay at Boothferry Park, Whitby came from behind to take a 4–3 lead which was held until the dying moments of the game. With only 49 seconds remaining, Hull levelled the score and went on to win 8–4 in extra time. Superior fitness told in the end. This was to be one of only five defeats in the entire season.

The club came from behind in the Northern League race, winning the Championship in style from neighbours, Billingham Synthonia, before completing an amazing "double" by winning the FA Vase at Wembley, beating North Ferriby United 3–0.

The following season, 1997–98, saw continued success at the Turnbull Ground when the club won the Northern Premier League First Division Championship by a margin of 7 points at their first attempt as well as beating York City 3–0 in the final of the North Riding Senior Cup to become holders for a fifth time. Whitby again reached the final of the NRSC in 1999 only for York to gain revenge by winning 4–2. In the 1999–2000 season, the Seasiders finished 12th in the Northern Premier League and were beaten finalists in the President's Cup, losing over two legs to Trafford after a penalty shootout.

The 2001–02 season saw Whitby finish in a disappointing 15th in the league, but got to the FA Cup 1st round for the 7th time, only to lose out to Plymouth Argyle after a replay, 3–2. The first game at the Turnbull Ground which finished 1–1 was played in front of the BBC Match of the Day cameras.

The 2003–04 season saw another strong cup run halted at the hands of Hartlepool United, however, the Blues fell to a 4–0 defeat. Whitby also managed to finish in the play-off zone for the new Conference North but went out on penalties to Radcliffe Borough, a team they had beaten 5–0, 6–2 and 1–0 in the regular season.