History


The club was a founder member of the North Berks Football League when it was first formed in 1909 and played under the name Milton Hill. Playing in the North Berks League for two seasons before returning again for the 1920-21 season, under the name Milton and finally 'Milton United' in the following season. In 1926 Milton gained their first trophy for beating Aston Tirrold by 8 to 2 in a play-off for the Division 2 (Abingdon) League title. Milton United continued after the war but folded in the early 1950s. The club reformed in 1958 and regained entry to the North Berks League.
Milton became champions of the North Berks league for the first time in the 1962-63 Season. The club would then enjoy more league title success during the sixties with three further successes in the 1963-64, 1965-66 and 1969-70 seasons. While the club remained in the top flight throughout most of the seventies, the club suffered relegation to the second tier of The North Berks league at the end of the 1978-79 season. Two seasons later the club bounced back to the top flight when they finished as Champions of Division Two, at the end of the 1980-81 season. After being promoted back to the top division in the league the club, then went on to win the league a further three times, during the eighties, in the 1985-86, 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons. The club also ended as runners-up in the Berks and Bucks intermediate cup in 1984.
In 1989 they applied to join the Hellenic Football League. The application was successful and finished as runners up in their first season in both the First Division and the Division One Cup, also winning the Berks and Bucks Intermediate cup. Because of their runners-up position, they were promoted to the Premier Division and became Champions of the Hellenic League at their first attempt. They also retained the Berks and Bucks Intermediate Trophy.
The Season after winning the Premier Division, Milton made its debut in the FA Vase, reaching the first round before being knocked out by Thame United. Staying in the Premier Division until the end of the 1993-94 season, when the Club was demoted to Division One because of not having floodlights.
1998 brought the move to the current home at Milton Heights, with floodlights being installed and the clubhouse erected. The first season at the new ground secured promotion back to the Premier Division, however after finishing bottom of the table in the next two seasons the club was relegated to Division One East. Promotion was achieved once more in the 2003-04 season, which saw the club reach the final of the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy, losing in the final on penalties. The club stayed in the Premier Division until the end of the 2008-09 season when they were relegated back to Division One East, where they remained for six years. Season 2013-14 saw the team finish the season as Division One East champions by a margin of five points and promotion back to the Premier Division. This was the first time the club had ever been promoted as the division champions.
The 2014-15 Season saw Milton re-establish their Step 5 Status, compete in the FA Cup and achieve the Ground Grade F required for Step 5. Milton’s FA Cup run surpassed their previous best and, in the process, defeating Combined Counties Chertsey Town and Southern League Marlow FC. The League campaign resulted in a respectable 14th place. The ground improvements introduced another 50 covered seats under the main stand (taking the total seating to 100) and the introduction of 150 person covered standing area.
After relegation at the end of the 2015-16 season, Milton was placed in Hellenic Division One West for one season before moving back into League One East for the 2017-18 season. Managerial changes, the Covid outbreak and a re-structuring of the NLS, resulting in the dissolution of the East Division, proved extremely challenging.
However, 2022/23 saw Milton start their second season in Hellenic League Division 1 with a new Management Team led by Christian Lawrence and Assistant Manager Tom Tatford. After achieving the goal of reaching the play-offs, a dramatic home semi-final win against Clanfield 85 FC, resulted in a Play-off final away at Hartpury University. What a night, what a game and what a result. 2-2 at Full-Time and a 4-1 penalty shoot-out win and the rest is history.
Milton United FC is now preparing for Step 5 football once again, as well as a move east into the Combined Counties League. We wave goodbye to the Hellenic League, but our move sees us awaken old rivalries with several clubs from the old Hellenic East Division 1.
The Club is currently going through a period of notable change and visitors to The Heights will be very aware of the housing developments emerging around the grounds. In recent times several projects have been completed and we now have a new LED Floodlight System, new pitch surrounds and dugouts. We have also invested a lot of time and effort in improving the main pitch playing surface, with considerable help from Football Foundation grants. By the end of 2023, the expectation is to launch the much-awaited plans for a replacement clubhouse, as providing a new Community and Sporting facility is the Clubs aspiration.