MATLOCK are probably over 125 years old, for it is believed they were formed in the late 1870s.

Friendly matches were played before they joined the Derbyshire League, where they were champions in two successive seasons, 1890/91 and 1891/92. They had taken on the name of Matlock Town during the 1885/86 season.

Their next challenge was the strong Midland League, but in the 1902 /03 season they lost every one of their matches. Only nine goals were scored and a mammoth 130 conceded, so it goes without saying that they were relegated.

They were disbanded during World War Two after competing in the Counties League, the Derbyshire Senior League and the Central Combination League.

After hostilities had ceased, Matlock Town reformed joining the Chesterfield and District League. Later they spent a number of seasons in the Central Alliance League and after finishing as champions in 1959/60 and 1960/61, they were promoted to the Midland Counties League.

These were successful times for Matlock as they won the league title at the first attempt. After they won the league again in 1968-69, Matlock made the bold but successful move to the Northern Premier League where they have remained ever since.

Matlock struggled in the early days in the then top flight of non-league football, but in the summer of 1974, former Sheffield Wednesday and England centre-half Peter Swan took over the managerial reins. He transformed Matlock into a potent attacking force, and in December they thrashed Lancaster City 10-0 away from home, which was a record victory in the league until September 2000 when Worksop Town beat Frickley Athletic 12-0. Swan guided Matlock into the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for only the second time in their history. A crowd of 5119 packed into Causeway Lane to see Matlock lose 4-1 to the eventual Third Division champions Blackburn Rovers.The best was yet to come. Swan capped a dream first season in club management as he took unfancied Matlock to Wembley for the 1975 FA Trophy Final and his team thumped favourites Scarborough by a record 4-0 margin.

The Fenoughty brothers, Tom, Mick and Nick all played, the only time three brothers have appeared for the same team in a Wembley final. The crowd of 5,123 for the home leg of the semi final represents the club's record home attendance. Just for good measure Matlock beat Glossop to win the Derbyshire Senior Cup for the first time. Swan and his players paraded the FA Trophy before kick off in the home second leg which Matlock won 6-1 to take the cup by a 9-3 aggregate score.

When Swan resigned in the summer of 1976 hoping to find a full time manager's job, captain Tom Fenoughty took over. In December Matlock thrashed eventual Third Division champions Mansfield Town 5-2 on their own ground in the second round of the FA Cup before losing to a physical Carlisle United side in round three, the furthest Matlock have ever progressed in the competition.

This remarkable run was covered by the Daily Mail and published in Brian James's excellent book “Tividale to Wembley”.

For much of the 1976/77 season it looked as if Matlock would win the championship  but defeat in their final game at the hands of Northwich Victoria scuppered these hopes. They had to settle for third spot, but had the consolation of winning the Derbyshire Senior Cup.

In the following season, Matlock defeated champions Boston United 3-0 to win the NPL Challenge Cup at Maine Road and captured a double by again lifting the Derbyshire Senior Cup. Boston were again beaten as Matlock won the NPL Shield in the following August.

The NPL Cup win allowed them entry into the prestigious Anglo-Italian Non-League Tournament, where they lost narrowly 2-1 at both Chieti and Pisa, before 2-0 victories against Juniorcasale and Cremonese at home saw them finish as English runners-up to Sutton United.

Tom Fenoughty resigned in November 1980 due to business commitments. Peter Swan returned to the hot seat but was sadly unable to repeat his previous feats, and with Matlock bottom of the NPL in December 1981, Swan was relieved of his duties. Mick Fenoughty replaced him, and although Town had to apply for re-election, there was a marked improvement in form.

They finished tenth in 1982/83, a season when striker Bobby Mountain smashed in a record total of 49 goals in a productive partnership with Wayne Biggins. In 1983/84, Town achieved their highest ever league position, finishing as runners up to Barrow, and won the Derbyshire Senior Cup.

An average season in the league followed but they did reach the semi finals of both the League and Presidents Cups and retained the County trophy.

Fenoughty resigned during the summer and was replaced by Mick Wadsworth, current coach of DR Congo. Wadsworth only stayed 60 days as he was handed a key FA coaching appointment. Coach Ernie Oliver took over but Town finished next to bottom and had to apply for re-election. Oliver brought in experienced players during the next campaign which saw them finish seventh.

Dave Pugh was the next manager but success did not come Matlock's way again until the 1989/90 season under Dave Wilton when Matlock beat Conference clubs Boston United and Enfield on their way to the first round proper of the FA Cup. Scunthorpe United beat them 4-1, and the Gladiators have not reached that stage of the competition since.

The 1990s were a disappointing decade for Matlock. They were relegated from the UniBond Premier Division in 1996 under Imre Varadi's management, and apart from winning the Derbyshire Senior Cup in 1992, they failed to fill the Causeway Lane trophy cabinet.

Since relegation, they have not seriously threatened a return but at least in the 2000/01 season, they gave their loyal fans something to cheer about with a fine FA Trophy run which saw them unluckily defeated by finalists Forest Green Rovers in a fourth round replay. Another Conference side, Northwich Victoria, had been well beaten in the previous round.

Ernie Moss was appointed as team manager in the summer of 2001 and after a season of consolidation which saw a mid-table finish and the Gladiators beaten in the League Challenge Cup semi-finals, a much improved season followed but Matlock narrowly missed out on a play-off place. However the foundations had been laid for Matlock's most successful season for 20 years in 2003/04.

They led the table for much of the season but eventually had to settle for second spot behind Hyde United. They did however lift the Derbyshire Senior Cup with a 4-1 aggregate victory over Ilkeston Town two-legged final and narrowly lost at Premier Division champions Hucknall Town in the League Challenge Cup semi finals.

An official supporters club was formed during the season which is busy raising money for the parent club and appears to be going from strength to strength.

Ironically after this most successful campaign, Ernie Moss and Sean O'Neill left to take over at Hucknall in the close season, but the Gladiators opted for continuity as senior players Phil Brown and Gareth Williams were named as joint player managers.

Phil and Gareth led Matlock to an excellent season during the 2006/7 campaign, guiding them to a playoff place in the league, and two finals, with the blues unfortunately missing out both times.