Winners in the Notts Alliance, Central Midlands, and the East Midlands Counties, during a three-decade spell, mid-1980s to mid-2010s, United Counties League Division One, Dunkirk, on the south-eastern outskirts of the City of Nottingham, are one of the counties most endearing, successful clubs.

Formed in the aftermath of World War Two, ‘The Boatmen,’ as they are nicknamed, would, following a spell in the Notts Amateur League (won title in 1975), they would go on to join the Notts Alliance League, winning the Division Two title (1982) and Division One title (1985), and continue their rapid climb.

Once in the Senior Division of the Notts Alliance, it would be a case of, forever the bridesmaid, finishing as runners-up over three consecutive seasons (1989-91) whilst also lifting the cup in ’88, Mark Frettingham bagging a hat-trick, before changing leagues again in 1995 and joining the Central Midlands League.

It was here that success began to come more regular for ‘The Boatmen,’ as club stalwart, Cyril Allen alludes to, telling the Nottingham Sport; “I joined the club as a player back in what, 1969, playing for them until the mid-eighties.

“It was just a natural thing for me to do, and I also turned out for their Sunday team as well.

“We were in the Notts Amateur League when I first started there, then worked our way through the Notts Alliance divisions.

“But that began to disintegrate, so we moved into the Central Midlands League, in the mid-90s, and we just did what we had to do (on-and-off the field of play), and made things work.”

Cyril Allen, who has put in over five decades of service to ‘The Boatmen,’ as a player, numerous management and behind-the-scenes roles, has, in recent years, stepped away from the club overall, due to family reasons.

Cryil Allen (left) in action for Dunkirk during his playing days *Source Lenton Times

But ‘The Boatmen’ are never far from his thoughts, with his son having also having been, until recently, secretary for two decades.

“I do still try to get to Lenton Lane, when time allows,” admits the club stalwart.

“When I first played here, Lenton Lane was just a ploughed field, back in the early seventies.”

They’ve come a long way since then, going as far as reaching the Fifth Round Proper of the FA Vase back in 1994, losing out to Tiverton Town, that success a pre-curser for what was to come in the Central Midlands.

“We played nine games that season, including replays,” added Allen about the Vase run.

“There was no sponsorship, or other financial rewards then, like it is now, but we had some good runs, in both the Vase and the FA Cup, with the highlight for me being the win away to Grantham Town, in the (2010-11) FA Cup.

“They were leagues above us; promotion to Step Five also stands out, a great achievement.”

That FA Vase run of 1993/94, beginning in the Extra Preliminary Round, saw the following results – Cradley Town (h, won 6-1), Daventry Town (a, won 3-0), Rushall Olympic h, drew 4-4; replay away, won 3-2), Louth United (home, won 4-2), Maltby Miners Welfare (h, won 2-1), Whickham (a, drew 0-0; replay home, won 1-0), Tiverton Town (h, lost 2-0).

Dunkirk have reached the Third Round Proper twice since then, in back-to-back seasons, 2010 and 2011, losing out to Pickering Town and Ashington respectively.

That thirteen season spell in the CML (1995-2008) would see runners-up, and promotion, in their first season, finishing second to Killamarsh Juniors in the Premier Division, netting 130 goals (conceding just 34), before finishing second again, this time in the CML Supreme Division, twelve months later, Heanor Town lifting the title.

Following a League Cup success in ’98, 2-0 versus Clipstone, the club would be league runners-up again in 1999, finishing the season five adrift of champions Mickleover Sports, ‘The Boatmen’ becoming very accustomed to life in the CMLs top division; in-fact, during their twelve seasons there, they only finished tenth or lower, twice (2001 and 2003), winning it in a glorious, 2005 campaign.

Sixteen points ahead of joint-second place Dinnington Town and another Notts club, Teversal (who had two points deducted), Dunkirk also came close to making it a double, losing the League Cup final, 1-0 to Sandiacre Town – they’d also lost the 2003 final, 2-0 against Dinnington, whilst lifting the Floodlit Cup for the first time, defeating Sutton Town (a former Notts club) on penalties.

The club added another League Cup success, defeating Blidworth Welfare, 1-0 in 2008, departing for the East Midlands Counties League, where they were founder members, the following season, and with it, a yo-yo between there, and the Midland Alliance/Midland League.

“The East Midlands was at Step Six, but the jump to Step Five, that was massive,” continued Allen.

“We did okay though, even having the honour of playing Hereford (FC, formerly United) in their first ever game (Hereford won 4-1 on 8 August 2015).

“That was in front of more than 4,000 fans, and it was hard to play in front of that many people.

“Gaining promotion to Step Five though, it was something we never expected, travelling to play in some really good stadiums, with great facilities.”

During that, again thirteen season period (2008-2021), ‘The Boatmen’ were twice East Midlands champions, in 2010 under the guidance of David Harbottle and Ian Upton, and again in 2018 under Dave Robinson, Jimmy Albans, and Craig Clark; they were also League

Cup winners (2017), and runners-up (2010) during this period, whilst their debut at Step Five would also see the passing of ling-time chairman, Jack Riley.

Covid though, in 2020, ruined all that, and in 2021 Dunkirk, along with a swathe of clubs, joined the United Counties League, where they currently reside in Division One, finishing fourth as recently as 2024, coming up short in the play-off semi-final against another Notts club, Newark Town.

For Dunkirk however, the story continues, as does that of their stalwart, Cyril Allen, who himself has a deeper connection to football in the area.

Walter William Dudley, the brother of his grandfather, and who served with the Royal Garrison Artillery in World War One, earning a Military Medal, was himself a stalwart in the annals of history of Nottingham Forest.

Between 1900 and 1914, Dudley made some 299 competitive appearances for the Reds, as a full-back, winning an old, Second Division Championship in 1907, when they finished three points ahead of Chelsea.

Dudley was also part of the Forest side that toured Argentina and Uruguay two years earlier, in 1905, before finishing his career with brief spells at Mansfield Mechanics, and Doncaster Rovers.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @Dunkirk_FC Cyril with his son Phil who would eventually become Secretary at the club.