Banbury United can trace their origins back to August 1931 when the football club was formed, starting off with no more pretensions than to be a recreational activity for the employees of the Spencer Corsets Factory in Brittania Road, Banbury.

The club had in their first two seasons played only friendly matches. However, an application was made to join the Banbury Division of the Oxfordshire Junior League for season 1933/34. The club were accepted and placed in Section C, the lowest level and the level at which new clubs started. When the league constitution was released in early September, the club appeared in the listings as Spencer Sports but by the time of their first fixture they had opted to be known as “Spencer Villa”. The other teams in Section C were village sides Brailes, Mollington, Hornton, Shenington, Bourton, Swalcliffe and Sibford, together with Banbury based sides Midland Marts (livestock market works side), St Johns, Grimsbury and a team representing the army’s 400th Battery Artillery which was based in the town.

Spencer’s first competitive game took place at their then Middleton Road ground on Saturday 23rd September 1933, 90 years ago to this day. Their league opponents were St Johns (Catholic Church side) who took a 2-0 half time lead, but Spencer fought back to reduce the deficit fifteen minutes from time through Joe Hobbs. Spencer then pressed for an equaliser and it duly came through Jack Almond. The game finished 2-2. The Spencer Villa line up that afternoon was: Penrice (Goalkeeper), Fred Varney (Right Back), Hubert Manning (Left Back), S. Caisbrook (Right Half), Eric Lowe (Centre Half), Mervyn Laver (Left Half), Joe Hobbs (Outside Right), Joe Taylor (Inside Right), Jack Ballinger (Centre Forward), Wally Kearse (Inside Left), Jack Almond (Outside Left).

Subsequently, after a narrow 3-2 home victory over Grimsbury in mid-October, the club showed its ambition by appointing ex-professional Football League centre-forward Horace Williams to take charge of the club’s playing staff! Horace’s first game in charge saw a 5-0 home win over Sibford and the club went on to be unbeaten in their next six league games which saw Spencer move up to the top end of the table, challenging both Grimsbury and Mollington for the Championship.

In February 1934 club officials demonstrated their ambitions to represent the town, as well as the Spencer Company, when the club’s name was changed from “Spencer Villa” to “Banbury Spencer”.

A 6-0 away win at Mollington on Good Friday 30th March 1934, with Cyril Windrow notching four of the Spencer goals, was crucial in the club’s successful quest for the Championship, as a 2-0 win at St Johns the next day meant that the title was won by a single point from both Mollington and Grimsbury. It had been a most satisfactory first season of competitive football and the club was now eager to move from junior football into senior football.

Spencer’s application to join the Oxfordshire Senior League for season 1934/35 was accepted at that league’s annual general meeting which was held at the Oxford Town Hall on Saturday evening, 16th June 1934, thus brining to a close Spencer’s one season in competitive junior football. Spencer had already acquired the use of the old Britannia Works football ground off Station Approach in anticipation of the switch to senior football, a ground that was to be the home of the club for the rest of its existence as Banbury Spencer and is still today the home of Banbury United.

The photo below shows a Banbury Spencer team photo for season 1933/34, as the photo includes eight players who played in the club’s first competitive game, it is thought this was taken soon after the appointment of Horace Williams as manager.

Back Row (left to right): Cyril Windrow (plain clothes), Harold Hands, Mervyn Laver, Penrice, Archie Bywater, Fred Varney, Horace Williams (manager).

Front Row: Joe Hobbs, Joe Taylor, Geoff Carter, Jack Ballinger, Hubert Manning, Eric Lowe.