Harchester Saint was formed in 1883. Football was becoming popular in Britain, and teams were forming all over the country. A group of men from a local infirmary came together to form the team, now known as Harchester United. Harchester had a proud history of medical care for its people at the time, starting with the old dispensary, which was set up in 1831 by a group that included Gordon Rords; head of Harchester's banking family. The idea for an infirmary was first put forward two or three years afterwards, but it wasn't until 1869 that firm moves were made to have such an institution. Three years later, the infirmary finally began life in a building that was intended to be a gin palace at the corner of Parker Street and Maple Street. The infirmary was a success, and 11 years on, so was football. A group of doctors from Harchester Infirmary decided to start a team off, deciding to call themselves after their town. The team were named Harchester Saint. Years went by, and the team were getting more and more well known. It was supported by many, especially the local council. During 1883, Harchester were able to play in a local sports ground called Saint Augustines Recreational Ground. Matches became a weekly occurrence, and the Harchester support grew bigger and bigger on home days, with children and adults alike turning up to support the team in white.

 

In the 1885/86 season, Harchester Saint turned professional. They now competed with the best, and had a brilliant fan base. A year later, Harchester Saint, still expanding moved to a new ground called Dial Fields. This ground was very similar to Saint Augustines but was now situated in the heart of Harchester, and not on the outskirts where the infirmary was built. In 1887, the team changed their name, from Saint to United, to prove the team and its fans that they were there together for the long run and that the team would not disband. They also changed their colours from white to purple, there wasn't really a big reason except they wanted a change. Purple has been related to Harchester the town ever since. During the year of 1875, Birmingham also had a local team formed called Small Heath Alliance. By 1888 the team had become well known in their town, just like Harchester United. They also decided to change their name and became Small Heath. Over the years, these two teams formed a friendly rivalry and relished playing and beating each other. Harchester were now well known to the Division 2 league, finding it difficult to pull together enough points to register in Division 1. But in the 1897/98 season, Harchester were on their way to Division 1, having to win their final game of the season to finish league champions. The pressure didn't faze them and the team won in style, pulling off their record win (11-3) against Loughborough Town. That season saw Harchester get most league goals as well, collecting a whole 119.

Due to the clubs success in the late 1880's, Harchester United was finally able to afford a proper stadium. In 1899/1990 they moved to Palmerston Road stadium. This was a beautiful stadium and at the time was one of the best in the country. Harchester, now in top flight, was a team to be feared with, but teams still relished coming to Palmerston Road to play in the stadium. On the final day of the 1907/08 season, at home against Birmingham FC (Previously called Small Heath) a fire ripped through one of the stands in the stadium, killing a handful of the players who were situated in the dressing room at the time. Local authorities and the Harchester Police never found out what or who caused the fire but many people say it could have been a group of hardcore Birmingham FC fans, setting their rival's stadium alight. The five players that died in this tragedy were never forgotten. Because of this tragedy, Harchester United needed a new stadium, as Palmerston was beyond repair and many players refused to play where their best friends and colleagues had died. Thus the team at the start of the 1908/09 season, moved to Addiston Road which became their stadium for a further 91 years, until 1999. The move was heavily funded by the council and compensation due to the horrific incident the season before.

Addiston Road brought a new record win - 13-0 v Banstead Mental Hospital, which was won in 1911. Cough (5), Traction (3), Plumb-Bunge (2), Tibicund, Slapper and even Spume, United's goalie managed to grab a goal. Arthur Slapper, who was a long serving member to Harchester United. He was a massive hit with the fans. As a person, he knew he had skill, and so was a very big headed, cocky person. This didn't stop him being liked though. Local papers and cameraman were always over him, so the other players loved being around, to get a little bit of the spotlight. He was due to leave at the end of the 1907/08 season after falling out with the manager. He scored in the final game of the season but during half time a fire broke out, leaving many of his friends dead.He vowed to put all his petty arguments behind him and signed a contract for life with Harchester United. He promised to score more than ever, and promised to change his attitudes, for the good of the club. He later became Harchester's top scorer and scored most league goals - bagging 247, from 1897-1913.

Like most teams, during World War 1 Harchester took a break from football. Men were assigned to the army to help their country defeat Kaiser and Germany. Many players volunteered. Thankfully for Harchester, most of the full squad came home alive and well except for Daniel Simons, Harchester's dependable and mature Defender and their highly sort after Midfielder, Clement Sween. During World War 2, players were not forced to enlist in the army, so many teams carried on playing. Quite a lot of teams lost their stadiums due to bombs being dropped all over the country, but thankfully, the small town of Harchester kept theirs intact. The year of 1942 caused massive heartbreak to all of Harchester though. The Harchester United manager, Phil Read, died due to a bomb raid while he was away on business in Liverpool. The highly regarded manager was away on club business, hoping to secure the signing of Everton's midfield maestro, Steven Porter. Sadly though, as he stayed overnight, an air raid was called and he was one of the men that didn't get to safety in time. Steven Porter was never signed.

 

By 1950's Harchester had stability and was firmly fixed in Division 1. During the 1950's, they produced a wonderful talent, who came up from the youth team, to be idolized by Harchester fans all over the country. His name was Ronnie Gravel. He was a midfield maestro, who was able to dictate how the game was played. He could defend and attack. When he played well, the team played well. Ronnie made 490 appearances for Harchester between the years 1953-1966. He was defiantly a fans favourite. In the 1961/62 season, Gravel really made for himself. He dragged Harchester through the league, keeping the team in an automatic place to feature in next season's European Fairs Cup. Even when the team was playing badly, he played his heart out. Next season, 1962/63, they got to the 2nd round of the cup, getting knocked out by the Italian side, Sampdoria. They got themselves into the European Fairs Cup once again in 1966/67. In the first round they knocked out favourites Inter Milan, who had won the European Cup the year before. The team, who went out to celebrate, ended up not celebrating at all. Ronnie Gravel, who had got himself drunk, got himself into a fight with a group of thugs. He was stabbed and died a week later in hospital. This news rocked the team, and they went out in the second round to Osasuna, losing 5-1.

As the league stood, the 1960's and 70's were not consistent years. Harchester yo-yoed between Division 1 and 2. From 1963/64 - 1974/75 Harchester were in Division 1. They dropped down 1975/76 - 1977/78, staying there for two seasons until they were once again competing with the best, from 1978/79 - 1986/87. During the 1975/76 season, when they were in Division 2, Harchester discovered that one of their youth players was a big talent. His name was Michael Jacobs. He came straight into the first team, and was a huge success. His skill took Harchester to the top of the league, and they stayed there from September till December. In a Boxing Day game though, he was the victim of a terrible challenge, which destroyed his knee and ended his career.

Harchester were back in the top league by the 80's, and this brought along a top class manager named Harry Sidwell. He did a good job but never succeeded, taking Harchester to the top, which the fans demanded. In 1985, Kenny Bruce took over, in his first year in charge, he took Harchester to Division 1 glory. They won the league. More was expected of Bruce for the next season. The season did not start well. Both Terry Glover and Kevin Nelson had shone the season before and both handed in transfer requests to go to bigger clubs. They received a lot of money for the pair, especially Kevin, who had shone in Mexico 86. This sent the team into turmoil, losing two of their best and youngest players. The team brought in new players with the cash, but these were not team players. Jonny Fletcher, who was Harchester's best player, ended up breaking his leg in a home clash with Everton, which meant he missed the whole season due to injury. Harchester went down in the 1986/87 season, finishing second from bottom. They stayed in Division 2 from 1987/88 - 1991/92. Jonny Fletcher decided to retire in the 1988/1989 season.

In 1990, Michael Jacobs, who was a youth team player for Harchester, and had idolized and befriended Ronnie Gravel, returned to Harchester, deciding to buy the club. A year later he manager to persuade Ron Atkinson to manage the club, and a year later in 1992, Harchester signed to the Premiership. Harchester stayed in the Premiership from 1992/03 - 1994/95. Back in Division 1, Karl Fletcher, Jonny Fletcher's son, broke from the youth team bringing them straight back up a year later. Karl managed to score an amazing 36 goals that season. At the beginning of the 1998/99, The Jacobs sold the club to Jerry Block. Jerry wanted the team to be a force in The Premiership so he signed up Luis Amor Rodriguez from Argentina. He was a real asset to the club and by the end of the season Harchester won the FA Cup, with a winner from Rodriguez. The day ended in tragedy though. As the team paraded the cup around the stadium, John Black, the ever dependable defender was killed by gunshot. Mrs. Lynda Block, Jerry Block's wife, was also shot, but managed to escape death. During summer 1999 Jerry Block funded the building of a new stadium- "The Dragon's Lair".

Another terrible tragedy struck Harchester during the 1999/00 season. Harchester, who had beat Ajax in the Uefa Cup on the away goal rule, could not get home because of delayed flights. First team players, Leon Richards, Sean Hocknell and Victor Tankiev were offered to be flown home on a private jet. None of the players returned and were suspected dead. People believe the plane was hit by lightening. A match fixing scandal rocked Harchester in the 2002/03 season. It was found, that the manager, Patrick Doyle had bet on the club to be relegated. He had help from Harchester goalkeeper, Jamie Parker, who took the team hostage on the final game of the season. Harchester United needed to win this game to stay up but it was abandoned at Half Time due to the circumstances. The team were allowed to replay the game, but it meant they couldn't play there FA Cup Final match, and the cup went straight to Arsenal. The club beat Everton in the replay and stayed up. 2003/04 brought relegation to Harchester. They were embroiled in yet another match fixing scandal, they finished 4th in The Premiership but Uefa chose to punish and relegate the team. They managed to keep their place in the Champions League, but had to settle for a place in Division 1, newly named The Coca-Cola Championship.

During the 2004/2005 the team reached the Quarter Final of the Champions League, getting knocked out by Arsenal. They reached the play-off final, winning promotion back to The Premiership, but Harchester United were hit by the worst tragedy to hit the club since 1906/08 when many of the first team died because of a stadium fire. The team, who were celebrating on the team coach, were hit by a car filled with petrol, causing the end for the whole team except for Ryan Naysmith, Danny Sullivan and Tyson. The manager, Vivian Wright was never found in the wreckage.

 

2005/06 brought an unknown organization taking control of the club and inputting a large amount of money to rebuild the team and appointed experienced German manager, Felix Hahn, who made a number of controversial signings.