Men’s football was being played in an unstructured fashion in the years leading up to the 1^st World War on a field in Astrop Road, beyond the current playing field and a little later, on a field close to the Primary School on the site of the Dands Drive estate.  The Red Lion public house provided the changing room.

The first recorded game for MCFC was played in 1884 against Kings Sutton Ramblers – MCFC won the match 3 – 1. The tradition of playing Kings Sutton continued into the late 1990s, with games being played alternately between the villages either on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

The Lord Jersey League was founded in 1894 but there is no surviving record of MC entering this league although their rivals Kings Sutton were playing, together with Heyford, Fritwell and Ardley (all connected in those days by the railway).  However it is recorded that MCFC played Byfield with all our players walking to Byfield and then back again after the match – one wonders how many players would do that today!

In those days the younger men of the village found it difficult to get into the men’s side so they got together and formed their own team and were known as “The Flashlights”.

The side was still going strong into the 1940s with well known village names receiving a mention in the Banbury Guardian; Christie, Gibbard, Fortnum and Barnes to name but a few.  There was even a record gate attendance of 2,400 at Banbury United’s Spencer Stadium in 1947 for the Banbury Charity Cup on Whit-Monday night, the gross takings exceeding £130!  Middleton retained the trophy.  In those days, Middleton were playing in the Oxfordshire Junior League, in which they remained right up to the early 1960s when the Banbury League was formed and Middleton entered a reserve side.  As the village was developing, a youth team was formed and entered in the South Northants Junior League playing on Sundays.  A well known name, A Markham (Chairman of the Social Club) no doubt paving the way for 40 years of involvement in sport in the village.

Much progress was made during the 1970s with Middleton boasting 5 sides, 3 senior and 2 junior (U14 and U19) with 1976/77 being the most successful season in the history of the club.  The first team won the North Bucks Premier League, the Byfield Bethel Cup and the North Bucks Premier Knock-Out Cup.  The Reserves won the Mid-Oxon Jersey Cup and finished mid-way in the Lord Jersey Division 1.  The Third Team won the Arthur Crawford Cup and the Sunday side won the Wakefield Trophy and the South Northants Cup.  The U/14s won the McArthur Shield.

Leading up to the present day the 1980s saw MCFC move back into the Banbury League until they moved again, this time to the Oxfordshire Senior League, but not before they won the Northants Lower Junior Cup.

Middleton Cheney Football Club adult teams remain in the Oxfordshire Senior League, with the First team in Division 1 and the Reserves in Division 2A.

For over 100 years football has been played competitively in the village and we are now proud to be running 8 junior sides who will hopefully keep football in the village for another hundred years