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Aylesbury United in the Southern League

The Early Years

Aylesbury's affiliation with the Southern League now goes back over 30 years to 1976 when they made the switch to semi-professional status and moved from the Athenian League into the Southern League Division 1 South.

Despite Brian Messher's side finishing bottom out of 18 clubs in their first season, the Ducks were undeterred and finished 6th the following season.

Managers Peter Lavers, Leo Markham and Fred Barnsby all came and went, with United's best finish being runner-up of the renamed Southern Division in 1979/80 as Aylesbury were pipped to the title by Dorchester Town with just one point less.

Season	League	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos
1976/77	SOUTHERN-DIV 1 SOUTH	34	5	6	23	27	68	16	18/18
1977/78	SOUTHERN-DIV 1 SOUTH	38	20	7	11	56	42	47	6/20
1978/79	SOUTHERN-DIV 1 SOUTH	40	16	9	15	54	52	41	10/21
1978/79	SOUTHERN-SOUTHERN	46	25	11	10	73	40	61	2/24
1980/81	SOUTHERN-SOUTHERN	46	20	10	16	67	60	50	11/24
1981/82	SOUTHERN-SOUTHERN	46	19	12	15	79	61	50	11/24
1982/83	SOUTHERN-MIDLAND	32	12	5	15	37	51	41	13/17

The Gould Era

New boss Trevor Gould arrived in 1983 and after a fifth placed finish in his first season, he gained promotion in the second as runner-up in the Midland Division.

The Ducks acquitted themselves excellently with their new found Premier Division status; the highest level of football in Aylesbury's history at that point.

In the first season Aylesbury finished 8th, before launching an all out assault for the Southern League Championship. They came close in 1986/87, eventually finishing three points behind Champions Fisher Athletic but in third place.

Then in 1987/88 United achieved their ambitions as Gould lead the team to the Championship, narrowly securing the title on goal difference over nearest challengers Dartford. With it came promotion to the Football Conference.

Season	League	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos
1983/84	SOUTHERN-MIDLAND	38	17	15	6	62	35	66	5/20
1984/85	SOUTHERN-MIDLAND	34	20	7	7	62	30	67	2/18
1985/86	SOUTHERN-PREMIER	38	14	10	14	52	49	52	8/20
1986/87	SOUTHERN-PREMIER	42	24	11	7	72	40	83	3/22
1987/88	SOUTHERN-PREMIER	42	27	8	7	79	35	89	1/22

The Second Coming

After the one-season brush with non-league elite, Aylesbury were relegated to the Isthmian League. They remained in there until 2004 when, as part of a major restructure of the pyramid system, the Ducks were returned to the Southern League after an absence of fifteen years.

A mid-table finish was secured by manager Danny Nicholls in 2004/05, but times were tough the following season and the Ducks were relegated to Division One Midlands.

Since then Aylesbury have been knocking on the doors of the promotion playoffs, but the league positions show they are getting further away each season with 6th, 8th and 10th placed finishes. Only time will tell what United's Southern League future holds.

Season	League	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos
2004/05	SOUTHERN-PREMIER	42	20	3	19	67	66	63	10/22
2005/06	SOUTHERN-PREMIER	42	9	12	21	43	69	39	21/22
2006/07	SOUTHERN-DIV 1 MIDLANDS	42	20	11	11	58	42	71	6/22
2007/08	SOUTHERN-DIV 1 MIDLANDS	40	19	9	12	64	49	66	8/21
2008/09	SOUTHERN-DIV 1 MIDLANDS	42	19	7	16	65	58	64	10/22

1000 Not Out

March 2009 saw Aylesbury reach the milestone of 1000 goals in the Southern League.

With his 68th minute strike in a 4-0 thumping of Marlow, Nathan Graham became the man to gain the distinction of reaching the figure for the club.

Aylesbury's first Southern League goal was scored by Chris Wilkins in 1976, when he netted just before half-time against Metropolitan Police.