Hitchin Town can trace its roots back to 1865 when Hitchin FC was formed. The club took part in the first FA Cup in 1871-72, and reached the quarter finals of the competition, losing to eventual finalists Royal Engineers. That first Hitchin club, a struggling professional outfit, folded in 1911, debt-ridden and the victims of a fire at their ground.

It was not until 1928 that Hitchin Town FC was formed, and it was at this point that the nickname, “The Canaries”, was established. The club colours of yellow and at that time, blue, were also agreed upon. Prior to that, the old club played in white and magenta. Hitchin gained admission to the Spartan League and in the 1928-29 season, enjoyed a hugely successful campaign, winning the Herts Charity Shield and promotion to the Spartan League Division One.
The 1930s were halcyon days for Hitchin Town FC. Promotion to the Spartan Premier Division was won in 1931, but it was the cup successes that captured the imagination of the Hitchin public. Although there is little doubt that Hitchin won more games than at any time in their history, the standard of opposition has to be considered when determining whether the Canaries’ side of the period was the finest in the club’s history.
Nevertheless there is little doubt that this was a golden age for Hitchin Town. The club won the AFA Senior Cup in 1932, beating Derbyshire Amateurs in the final and in 1935, won the Spartan League Premier Division. The club entered the Athenian League in 1939, but after two league games and a Herts Charity Cup tie, all of which saw Hitchin score seven goals, Adolf Hitler intervened.

In an age when clubs seem to lurch from crisis to crisis financially, Hitchin’s recent history has been relatively stable. Andy Melvin stepped down in 2001, handing over to his assistant Robbie O’Keefe. Robbie was the mastermind of the club’s youth academy, and at times, O’Keefe promised to bring success back to Hitchin. In 2003, however, he left the club, and former Chelsea and England striker Kerry Dixon took over. At the end of the 2003-04 season, Hitchin left the Isthmian League after more than 40 years, and moved to the Southern League. At the halfway stage of the following season, Dixon, who was unable to commit himself fully to the job, was replaced by Darren Salton. Salton had to rebuild a team that had alarming weaknesses in every department. The last few months of the season were tough and Hitchin failed to win any of their last 11 games. But the following year was better and at the end of 2005-06, the Canaries won the Southern League Cup, beating Bromsgrove Rovers in the two-legged final.
In 2006-07, the Canaries started well and at the halfway point were among the title challengers. But a spectacular collapse, fuelled by player unrest, saw Hitchin fall down the table and into relegation trouble. Eventually, Hitchin finished 11th, perhaps a flattering position, but nevertheless one which secured Premier Division football in 2007-08. After a lack lustre start to 2007-08, Darren Salton was released by the club and former player Darran Hay was appointed as manager. Hay had to rebuild his team and it took time to turn things around, but a revitalised squad, with a strong team spirit, lifted Hitchin out of trouble.
After a poor start to the 2008-09 season, Darran Hay left Hitchin in January 2009. Colin Payne, the former Chertsey, Northwood and Boreham Wood manager was appointed in February 2009, but despite an improvement, the club was relegated at the end of the campaign. Payne rebuilt the Hitchin squad in the summer of 2009, with the aim of achieving promotion at the first attempt.
Hitchin enjoyed a successful 2009-10, winning 31 of 42 league games. A vibrant young side was moulded by Payne and his assistant Carl Williams and for long periods, the Canaries topped the Zamaretto Midlands Division. Hitchin lost just four games in the league but Bury Town topped the division by two points - despite Payne’s men amassing 100 points. As only one team was automatically promoted, Hitchin had to enter the play-offs for the second promotion place. Sadly, the young Canaries ran out of steam and lost the play-off semi-final to Slough, a team that finished 23 points behind Hitchin!
A few days after the end of the season, Payne left the club to join Hemel Hempstead. In his place, Carl Williams was appointed as manager. He had a tremendous first season in charge and for much of the 2010-11 campaign, Hitchin looked certainties for the title. But a mid-season drop in form gave local rivals Arlesey the chance to take top place. On the final day of the season, the two clubs met at Top Field for the title decider. Arlesey won 1-0 in front of over 1,500 people, but the occasion was marred by the ungentlemanly behaviour of Hitchin's opponents. Williams and his team cast that disappointment aside to beat Slough and Daventry in the play-offs to claim the second promotion spot. In their first season back in the Premier, Hitchin enjoyed some bright moments, notably beating eventual champions Brackley and promotion chasing AFC Totton and Cambridge City. Once again, the goals of John Frendo lit up the campaign and attendances at Top Field were among the best in the division. The final placing of 14th was considered satisfactory and the club went into 2012-13 looking to improve on that showing.
Carl Williams’ second season in charge started brightly but despite the massive goals contribution of John Frendo (who won the non-league football “Golden Boot” the previous season with 44 goals), it proved a difficult season overall. However, despite a couple of months where confidence had ebbed away and relegation looked a distinct possibility. Previous manager Colin Payne returned to assist the Management team, and the Canaries managed to pull through with three or four astute loan signings bolstering both confidence and results. They finished a creditable thirteenth, but despite this Carl decided it was time to take a break from the managerial role and focus on his young family.
Mark Burke was appointed manager in the summer of 2013 and Carl’s side almost entirely moved on. Despite this Burke and his assistant Adam Parker recruited some new young talent and finished in a creditable 13th position, same as the previous season.
For 2014-15, most of the squad have been retained from last season, with some new faces being added including Jonny McNamara from Arlesey and Robbie Burns returns from Cambridge City. Mark hopes that the huge promise shown by youngsters such as Sam Barker, Matt Lench and Lewis Rolfe in their first full season can be carried forward to the present campaign and that the flowing football produced last term can be served up again this time.

1931-32 AFA Senior Cup winners
1934-35 Spartan League Champions
1953-54 Athenian League Runners-up
1960-61 FA Amateur Cup Semi-finalists
1962-63 FA Amateur Cup Semi-finalists
1968-69 Isthmian League Runners-up
1969-70 London Senior Cup Winners
1972-73 East Anglian Cup Winners
1992-93 Isthmian League Division One Winners
1994-95 FA Cup giant-killers (beat Hereford 4-2 after replay in R1)
1995-96 FA Cup giant-killers (beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 in R1)
1998-99 Isthmian League Division One runners-up
2005-06 Southern League Cup Winners
2010-11 Promoted to the Southern League Premier Division