Leiston Town Football Club were first established in 1880 and at the time were undoubtedly closely associated with the thriving Richard Garrett Engineering Works that was based in the town. The first known record of a match was against Framlingham College in March 1882, a 2-2 draw on the grounds of Newhaven (Fens Meadow) what is now called the Summerhill School. The club became affiliated with the Suffolk FA in 1885 and in the early years friendly fixtures were held mainly against local colleges before the club entered the inaugural North Suffolk League in 1894. Early games were initially played on Newhaven meadow and also what is now called Junction Meadow the home of Leiston St Margarets FC before moving to the old Recreation Ground adjacent to Gas Hill (now known as Park Hill) and players would change either at the White Horse Hotel or at the Works Hall across the road. During these early years the club were beaten Suffolk Junior Cup Finalists, twice runners up in the Suffolk Senior Cup before winning the Suffolk FA Junior Cup in 1895.

At the turn of the new century Leiston joined the Ipswich & District League in 1900, choosing to also compete in the North Suffolk League. It was a successful start in the new League, with a hat-trick of League titles in seasons 1900/01, 1901/02 & 1902/03 and then runners up in the fourth season (1903/04). They then joined the South East Anglian League in 1904 for three seasons. They still remained in the North Suffolk League and another season 1911/12 in the South East Anglian League before returning to the Ipswich & District League for the 1912/13 season. The 1912/13 season saw the Blues claim three trophies, winning the North Suffolk League, Suffolk Senior Cup (presented by the FA) and Suffolk Charity Cup while the following season the side almost repeated this feat. But after claiming the North Suffolk League title they were defeated in both the Suffolk Senior Cup and Suffolk Charity Cup finals.

Following the First World War, Richard Garrett’s purchased the land off Victory Road in 1920, providing a sports area and clubhouse for the local community naming it the Leiston Works Athletic Association. The football pitch was first available at the start of September in the 1921/22 season with a 5-0 victory over Sheringham in the Norfolk and Suffolk League the first ever fixture making a successful start and this has been the home for the Football Club for over 100 years although the ground name was changed in the 1980’s to LTAA (Leiston Town Athletics Association) following the closure of the Garrett’s Works. The club then changed from Leiston Town to Leiston Works Athletic for the opening season after the end of World War One where they competed in the East Anglian League and the Ipswich & District League.

The Blues entered the Essex & Suffolk Border League at the start of the 1920/21 season, lasting just a single season as well as the Ipswich & District League. At the start of the 1921/22 season the side joined the Norfolk & Suffolk League for the first time where they remained for five seasons before returning to the Ipswich & District League where they then spent 21 years. In 1936 and coinciding with changes at the Garretts Works, the club returned to be called Leiston Town and had to revert back to Junior status due to the name change before retaining their Senior status in 1938. During the Second World War the King’s Regiment, which included a number of players from Liverpool FC, were stationed at Leiston and they played some of their matches at the LWAA ground and Leiston faced a near full strength Liverpool side in a War time Charity match. Some of the players also turned out for Leiston in War time fixtures.

After the Second World War Leiston spent four years in the Ipswich & District League before returning to the Norfolk & Suffolk League where they spent five seasons. In the 1948/1949 season the club reached the final of the Suffolk Senior Cup when participating in both Leagues. The Suffolk Senior Cup Final saw a 5-0 defeat to a strong Lowestoft Town side at Portman Road, Ipswich Town FC on Easter Monday. In 1953 the club returned to the Ipswich & District League where they stayed for the next 48 years although they never managed to finish higher than third in the League’s top Division. In the mid 1980’s the club dropped the Town part to become just Leiston FC.

Leiston Town were ‘full members’ of the Football Association from the mid 1940’s until 1982 when they lost this status following their relegation from the Suffolk and Ipswich League Senior Division (the only other Suffolk teams to be full members at this time were Ipswich Town, Lowestoft Town and Sudbury Town). Following continued strides back up the non league ladder the club was able to regain its Full Membership with the FA in 2020 after a few years as Associate Members.
Leiston first entered the FA Cup in September 1919 where they were beaten at home by Lowestoft Town as Leiston Works Athletic and even earlier (1900) entered the FA Amateur Cup as Leiston Town facing Kirkley in November 1900. Later this century the club first entered the FA Vase in 1987 before first entering the FA Trophy in 2011. The clubs Youth team were the first club in Suffolk to enter the FA Youth Challenge Cup reaching the First Round and a trip to Highbury to face Arsenal in 1954 where they took an early lead before losing 8-1 to the Gunners. Season 2008/2009 will be long remembered in the history of Leiston as we became only one of three sides to ever reach the First Round proper of the FA Cup after starting the competition at the Extra Preliminary Round stage. Memorable wins at higher ranked Carshalton Athletic and Conference Premier Lewes in a run that lasted nine games and ended in a replay defeat at the then Conference North Fleetwood Town in front of 2000 fans after a crowd of 1250 had watched the First Round goal less draw at Victory Road.

In 1980 the club received the ‘Illuminated Address’ from the Football Association to celebrate the club’s centenary but this decade saw some indifferent form in the Suffolk & Ipswich League including relegation to Division One in 1982 and 1989 and a third place finish in the Senior Division in 1986. Further relegations and promotions followed into the 1990’s before the club achieved their long term goal of progression to the Eastern Counties set up in 2001 finishing third and the necessary promotion placing. Promotion also saw the club install floodlights for the first time, the first floodlit match taking place against Halstead Town in November 2001.

During their history, Leiston Football Club has had a number of fortunes with regards to silverware over the past 140 odd years. After a hat-trick of Ipswich & District League titles in 1900, 1901 and 1902 the club won the North Suffolk League in 1913 and 1914 and have also been successful in winning the Suffolk Charity Cup four times (including the first ever final) in 1908, 1913, 1920 & 1921 and were runners up in 1909, 1912, 1914, 1922 & 1931. They also won the Suffolk Senior Cup in 1913 however, they never saw another County Cup after the Suffolk Charity Cup success of 1921 until 1983, a 62 year gap! After four times ending as runners up in the Suffolk FA Premier Cup (2006, 2007, 2008 & 2016) the club won ‘back to back’ Suffolk FA Premier Cups defeating Bury Town 3-0 in 2018 and Felixstowe & Walton United 3-2 in 2019, all six finals played at Portman Road. In 2022 the side was beaten 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw against Needham Market at the home of Colchester United FC and again in 2025, a penalty shoot out proved to be their downfall as they lost 4-3 on penalty kicks to Felixstowe & Walton United after the sides were tied 2-2 after the 90 minutes. Just the one Suffolk Senior Cup Final (presented by the Football Association) success in 1913, defeating Bury United 3-0 in the final. All the other eight final appearances (1892, 1897, 1904, 1914, 1949, 1966 and 1986) ended in defeat including the 2022 final where the Reserves were narrowly defeated by Ipswich Wanderers. However, in the Suffolk Junior Cup fortunes have fared more favourably. Six finals and four wins, in 1895, 1909 (Leiston Reserves), 1983 and 1984, with 1984 also seeing the club lift the Suffolk & Ipswich League Division One trophy and being named the SIL Junior Team of the Year.

Following promotion from Step 7 to Step 6 in 2001 and in their first Jewson (Eastern Counties) League season, Leiston lifted the Division One Knockout Trophy in 2002. The club also lifted the prestigious East Anglian Cup after a penalty shoot-out over higher ranked Brentwood Town in May 2008 and then the club achieved back to back titles winning the Ridgeons Premier Division in 2011 and the Ryman League Division One North a year later in 2012 which included a fantastic 26 game unbeaten run. Efforts on and off the field also saw the club win prestigious awards for Respect and Fair Play from the Ryman League and the club is extremely proud to collect such achievements.

It is now thirteen seasons at Step Three and the club achieved its highest ever finish in the Isthmian League Premier Division, finishing 5th at the end of the 2017/2018 season and reached the end of season play offs, narrowly defeated 1-0 against Dulwich Hamlet. Movement across to the newly formed Southern League Central Premier Division saw the side struggle in the opening seasons and a first season during the 2018/2019 season saw a 19th placed finish while the Blues occupied the same position in both 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 after the seasons were ended early due to the COVID pandemic. Season 2021/2022 saw a big improvement and a seventh placed finish. The next season, 2022/23, saw the clubs highest ever finish at Step Three as they finished third, narrowly missing out on the title they had chased all season. In the ensuing Play Offs Nuneaton Borough defeated the Blues 2-1 after extra time at the Semi Final stage.
Both the Reserves and U18’s saw their seasons ended due to the COVID pandemic. The youthful Reserve side has played some great football and after two thirteenth placed finishes and a fourth placed finish (the latter two due to the COVID pandemic) they managed a good ninth placed finish as well as reaching the Suffolk FA Senior Cup Final at Colchester United FC. Last season they finished in 17th position. The Under 18’s have also had strong seasons including Champions of the Thurlow Nunn Youth League Central Division at the end of the 2023/24 season. The clubs youth section continues to strive with the number of age group sections increasing and continuing to link with Junior sides in the community that will see the club further evolve for the future. Various sides participate in the South Suffolk Youth Leagues on Saturday’s and the Eastern Junior Alliance on Sunday’s.

Over the years, Leiston have been blessed with many able and willing Chairmen, Secretaries, Committee Members and Volunteers and the club prides itself on its family attitudes. The club has also been very fortunate over the years to have players of note in their ranks and includes many links with professional clubs including William Bailey, Ian Gillespie, Ted Phillips, Ray Warne, Geoff Hammond, Tom Cooper, Stuart Boardley, Byron Lawrence, Kyle Hammond, Robert Eagle, Jason Dozzell, Lee Norfolk and Darren Eadie to name but a few. The club continues to improve its facilities in line with FA grading requirements and now has some of the best Non League facilities in Suffolk and the club is forever striving to improve. The efforts of Chairman Andy Crisp and Vice Chairman Peter Mayhew have been the main driving factors behind the changes and the meteoric rise of the club to step three of the national pyramid.

Since March 2020 the side had been under the guidance of former Leicester City and Norwich City midfielder Darren Eadie alongside Chris Wigger as Joint Managers in the Southern League Central Division Premier. Changes to roles within the club meant Darren Eadie moved to a Head of Football role meaning that Chris Wigger took over sole control of First Team matters ahead of the start of the 2024/25 season.