Hamilton Panthers FC were formed in 1988, and since then have evolved into one of York's most successful football clubs, writes Spencer Brown.

The Knavesmire side works closely with several local primary schools and is a feeder club for York City.

The club boasts an impressive trophy haul at junior level, through all of the age groups. Indeed, barely a season has gone by without a number of cup competition and league victories.

Hamilton Panthers are renowned for producing good footballing sides and the club website states they "encompass a proud tradition of playing the games in the correct manner and spirit".

The original name for the team derived from the location of the founding meeting in Hamilton Drive, where a committee, led by chairman and ex-York City 'keeper Neil Sanderson, decided to set up a junior football team with the aim to improve the skills of personal members and further the interest of the game of football.

The club is based at Little Knavesmire, Knavesmire Road, and they have strategic links with Oaklands, All Saints' and York College.

The junior section had a somewhat golden era under the guidance of Gary Farthing from 1991 to 1999, which finished with a record of: P 189, W 151, D 8, L 30, F 1,176, A 272.

The true scale of the team's quality and ability can be summed up by the fact that, over the course of eight seasons, they averaged more than six goals per game while only conceding on average little more than one a game.

In the 1995-1996 season, Panthers triumphed 27-3 over Easingwold on their way to the league and cup double with M Bradley netting 13 times.