{{short description|Association football club in England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Debenham LC | fullname = Debenham Leisure Centre Football Club | image = Debenham LC FC.PNG | image_size = 200px | nickname = The Hornets | founded = 1991 (as Debenham Angels) | ground = Friends' Meadow, Debenham | capacity = 1,000<ref name=NLCD>Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) ''Non-League Club Directory 2013'', p650 {{ISBN|978-1-869833-77-0}}</ref> | chairman = Gary Barber | manager = Mark Peck | league = {{English football updater|DebenhLC}} | season = {{English football updater|DebenhLC2}} | position = {{English football updater|DebenhLC3}} | pattern_la1 = _whiteborder | pattern_b1 = | pattern_ra1 = _whiteborder | pattern_sh1 = _yellowsides | pattern_so1 = _hoops_yellow | leftarm1 = 000000 | body1 = FFFE10 | rightarm1 = FFFE10 | shorts1 = 000000 | socks1 = FFFE10| }}
'''Debenham Leisure Centre Football Club''' is a football club based in the village of Debenham, in Suffolk, England. The club are currently members of the {{English football updater|DebenhLC}} and play at Friends' Meadow.
==History== The club was founded as '''Debenham Angels''' in 1991 and joined Division Seven of the Suffolk & Ipswich League.<ref name=MB>Blakeman, M (2010) ''The Official History of the Eastern Counties Football League 1935-2010, Volume II'' {{ISBN|978-1-908037-02-2}}</ref> After an unbeaten first season, they won the division and were promoted to Division Six. In 1993–94 they were promoted again to Division Five. They were renamed '''AFC Debenham''' in 1994. They were promoted to Division Four at the end of the 1995–96 season. The club won Division Four at the first attempt, and were promoted to Division Three, which they won in 1999–2000. In 2000–01 the club were promoted to Division One. However, after missing out on promotion to the Senior Division in 2001–02, the following season they narrowly avoided being relegated back to Division Two in 2002–03. After Mel Aldis was appointed manager in the summer of 2003, the club won Division One in 2003–04 to earn promotion to the Senior Division. The title was claimed following a 10–0 win against Ipswich Exiles to overtake Framlingham Town on goal difference.<ref name=MB/>
In their first season in the Senior Division, Debenham finished runners-up to East Bergholt United, and were promoted to Division One of the Eastern Counties League. Upon moving up the club adopted their current name. In 2008-09 they were promoted to the Premier Division, after winning 7–0 at March Town United on the final day of the season to pip Halstead Town to third place on goal difference, having needed to win by three goals and hope Halstead failed to win (they drew 1–1 with Great Yarmouth Town). They were relegated back to Division One after finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 2010–11. In 2013–14 the club won the Division One Knockout Cup, beating Whitton United 2–0 in the final.<ref>[http://www.dissexpress.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/no-targets-set-as-debenham-bid-to-build-on-cup-success-1-6225650 No targets set as Debenham bid to build on cup success] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911174913/http://www.dissexpress.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/no-targets-set-as-debenham-bid-to-build-on-cup-success-1-6225650 |date=11 September 2016 }} Diss Express, 8 August 2014</ref> They finished bottom of Division One in 2022–23 and were relegated to the Senior Division of the Suffolk & Ipswich League.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dissexpress.co.uk/sport/i-didn-t-want-to-see-the-club-fail-the-debenham-lc-chair-9332774/|title=Debenham LC: Relegation from the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North, 22 players departing and a new chairman who stepped up|website=Diss Express|date=29 September 2023}}</ref>
==Honours== *'''Eastern Counties League''' **Division One Knockout Cup winners 2013–14 *'''Suffolk & Ipswich League''' **Division One champions 2003–04 **Division Three champions 1999–2000 **Division Four champions 1996–97 **Division Seven champions 1991–92
==Records== *Best FA Cup performance: Second qualifying round, 2007–08<ref name=FCHD>{{fchd|id=DEBENHLC|name=Debenham LC}}</ref> *Best FA Vase performance: Second round, 2008–09<ref name=FCHD/> *Record attendance: 1,026 vs AFC Wimbledon, FA Cup second qualifying round, 29 September 2007 *Most appearances: Steve Nelson<ref name=NLCD/> *Most goals: Lee Briggs<ref name=NLCD/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://debenhamlcfc.weebly.com/ Official website]
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Category:Men's football clubs in England Category:Football clubs in Suffolk Category:Association football clubs established in 1991 Category:1991 establishments in England Category:Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Category:Eastern Counties Football League