The club was formed in 1908 at a meeting in the old school hall. The first nickname of the football club was the “Rabbits” as the old pitch was on a rabbit warren on Caister beach, near the site of the Never Turn Back pub just off Beach Road. Today the clubs current nickname is the “Lifeboatemen” after Caister’s most famous service and motto ‘Caister Men never Turn Back’. The moto is more commonly seen these days across social media as #CMNTB.

Caister were one of the founder members of the Great Yarmouth and District League and for 60 Years were one of the most competitive and successful teams in Norfolk, competing in the Great Yarmouth League and Norfolk Primary cup including finishing runners up on three occasions in The Wiltshire Cup.

In the mid 60’s Caister joined the Anglian Combination as the club expanded along with a village. The 1st team moved up through the leagues to the 2nd Division where they resided for 20 years.

Throughout the 90’s Caister had five adult sides made up of the 1st team, Reserves, A Team, B Team on Saturdays and a Sunday side. Even though there has been a decline in grass roots football, Caister still operates three adult sides, which makes them one of the largest adult clubs in the county.

In the 2006-2007 season Caister 1st team won the Norfolk Junior Cup, with a dramatic last minute goal by Lee Snowling, which saw them beat Mattishall Reserves 1-0 at Carrow Road, the home of Norwich City FC. This was the first major trophy in the clubs history.

The following season Caister 1st team finished runners up in the Cyril Ballan league cup at Trafford Park, narrowly losing 1-0 to Corton FC.

The 06/07 and 07/08 cup runs gave the club a platform to progress. In the 2008-2009 season Caister 1st team were promoted to division 1 of the Anglian Combination, under the guidance of Paul Brooking. This saw the club reach Senior football status for the first time in its 100 year history.

Caister Reserves under the management of Scott Hansell enjoyed a historic hatrick of promotions, from 2004 they rose from Anglian Combination division 6 to division 3.

In recent years both the 1st team and Reserves have enjoyed further success. In the 2012-2013 season Adam Mason and David Thompson guided the 1st team to runners up in division 1 and earned automatic promotion to the Anglian Combination Premier division. Whilst Danny Parker achieved back to back promotions for the Reserves taking them from division 4 in the 2012-2013 season to division 2, where they currently reside as one of the highest “reserve” sides in the whole league.

The 1st team reached the Mummery Cup Final in the 2015-2016, where Danny Parker and David Thompson’s side narrowly lost 1-0 to Spixworth FC at the FDC Bowthorpe.

In recent years the club has continued to progress on and off the field, with the introduction of new Chairman and former player Alan Peace. The Allendale has seen significant improvement, which has also been reflected on the pitch, with the 1st team narrowly missing out on winning the Premier division in 2018/2019, finishing runners up to Sheringham FC.

Caister FC kick started their 2019 / 2020 campaign with an impressive 6-0 victory over UEA in the Don Frost Memorial Cup at the FDC Bowthorpe.

The club continues to grow on and off the field, throughout our history we have spent periods combined with Caister Roma which is the youth set up, during which the club achieved FA Community status, during this time we were known as Caister United. We have recently merged back together as one club, with the ambition of the club to give everyone child the opportunity to participate in grassroots football and progress into adult football.

A full collage of Caister Football Club photos, old news stories and memories is on display in the pavilion tunnel at Allendale Road.

Caister Football Club

August Fixtures - Anglian Combination