1886 – 1888
The first newspaper record of a side bearing the name Kirkley came in December 1886, when the Lowestoft Weekly Press recorded a game to be played between East Suffolk FC and Kirkley FC on 4th December at the Crown Meadow, the home of the Lowestoft Athletic club in Beccles Road (now St Peters Street). The result went unrecorded, but 2 weeks later on 18th December there was a re-match, reported in the Christmas Day issue as a 1-0 (JB Smith) win for Kirkley. Games also took place with Beccles College and St Margaret's Institute, before another match with East Suffolk, again a 1-0 win for Kirkley and East Suffolk FC's agreed to merge to form Lowestoft FC.

1890 - 1914
After a one-off trial run on 19th October 1889, when a Kirkley XI were beaten by Lowestoft FC's Second XI, a second Kirkley FC had been knocked out of the Suffolk Senior Cup, several of their Second XI players, presumably from south of the bridge, split off from the Club. The new Club were rumoured to be taking the name South Lowestoft FCs name on 9th December 1890, but they chose to continue as Kirkley FC. On 15th November 1890 they played their first game, a 1-1 draw with Clifford House School.
Playing at St Aubin's College ground at the rear of Beaconsfield and Salisbury Roads, over the next 3 years Kirkley formed a strong allegiance with the College run by Mr John Bruce Payne, who had employed several varsity men as teachers, many of them former Cambridge Blues at soccer. From them and the best of the local men, a formidable side was assembled and Kirkley's first major trophy arrived with the Suffolk Junior Cup of 1893-94.
Kirkley went to rival and for a while surpass Lowestoft Town, reaching the FA Amateur Cup semi-final of 1896-7, before being cruelly expelled after a 1-0 Quarter Final replay victory over Marlow, for unknowingly playing ex-professional Mullen (aka Mulvey) from Grantham Rovers. Earlier, for the start of the season, several local businessmen, fronted by fish merchant William Geaning, had banded together to form the Kirkley Recreational Ground Company and been instrumental in the purchase for £746 17s 6d and laying out a new ground, the new Kirkley Recreation Ground at the end Action Road opening on 5th September 1896.
The Suffolk Senior Cup also saw 5 final appearances in the 6 seasons between 1897 and 1903, winning in 1900-01 and 1901-02 and the Reserves adding 1897-98's Junior Cup. The split in Amateur Football also saw 2 victories in the Suffolk Senior Cup and 5 final appearances in the 6 seasons between 1897-02 and the Reserves adding 1897-98's Junior Cup. The split in Amateur Football also saw 2 victories in the Suffolk Cup presented by the FA of 1907-08 and 1908-09.
An elusive Norfolk & Suffolk League "Sterry Cup" title was sadly never achieved, although the Club was twice runners-up to arch rivals Lowestoft Town in 1898-99 and 1903-04. They had more success in the local North Suffolk League, winning in 1894-95, 1896-97 (conceding just 1 goal in 14 matches), 1901-02, 1905-06, 1907-08 and 1908-09. Kirkley FC No.2 played in a variety of colours - black shirts and green sleeves, green and white halves, green and white diagonal halves, pink and black halves before adopting their most famous kit of pink and black quarters.
In 1907-08, Kirkley and Lowestoft Town decided to merge at a time when both Clubs had fallen on hard times. However, an incident that became known as The Good Friday Fiasco, put an end to such thoughts. Due to meet 3 times over the Easter period, the Lowestoft players refused to turn out for a North Suffolk League game, fielding four Reserves and 7 players from District League side Lowestoft Mechanics, as other meetings of the clubs were due in the Hospital Cup on Saturday and the Suffolk Cup presented by the FA on Monday. Kirkley were so incensed by Lowestoft's action that the merger was almost immediately called off. At the annual Kirkley FC Dinner their Chairman, to much applause, stated that the merger would not go ahead, adding that a Committee that could not control its own players to play when selected, could certainly not be trusted in controlling players in another club.
However the agreed sale of the Recreation Ground to Lowestoft Corporation for the sum of £1,600 still went ahead and Kirkley were forced to re-group at a new ground at The Run on Carlton Road, much handier though for their HQ at the Marquis of Lorne PH. Eventually, though at the end of 1913-14 season, financial difficulties again surfaced and coupled with the likely closure of The Run for building, Kirkley were forced to disband. Their best players, including a lad named Stanley Rous (later Sir Stanley) again had to switch their allegiance north of the harbour. However, 1914-15 was just 2 weeks old when the Great War (WWI) curtailed organised football until 1919.

1919-1935
Having folded, unlike most sides, the 3rd Kirkley FC did not arise until well into 1919-20, not entering any League until the following 1920-21 season. The team initially wore blue and white stripes as Lowestoft Town, with no Kirkley in 1919, had adopted a similar pink and black halved shirt. Kirkley eventually returned to their favourite pink and black quarters in 1924-25, when Lowestoft Town adopted their now familiar royal blue. Kirkley re-grouped at The Run as the planned building had also been halted by the War. Within 3 years however, they were back to the site of their former glory, as the Kirkley Recreation re-opened.
The 1924-25 change back to pink and black coincided with a trophy once more, as the Suffolk Senior Cup was again won and The Kirks also became the towns 2nd club again, re-taking their place in the Norfolk & Suffolk League upon Mortons Athletic Ground folding. For the 1929-30 season, Kirkley merged with Waveney Athletic, a side from the coach-building firm who completed the Ipswich and District League, becoming known as Kirkley & Waveney. Athletics most famous player Bill Dodgin, played just a handful of games for the new combined side before being transferred to Huddersfield in October 1929 for a reputed £2,000, quite a sum in those days, especially for an amateur side to receive. Bill went on to become a successful manager, notably with Southampton. The Waveney tag was eventually dropped for the 1932-33 season. Despite the hopes from the merger, Norfolk & Suffolk League glory was never attained, but 2 more Suffolk Senior Cup Final appearances were made in 1932-33 and 1934-35.
With the advent of the Eastern Counties League for 1935-36 season, a further merger saw the Lowestoft Town and Kirkley Clubs from the Borough to take on the new challenge. Despite obvious outcry and dissent from the die-hards and a protracted wrangle over what the club should be called. This initially proved an excellent decision, as in 2 out of the first 3 seasons the combined clubs carried off the ECL title. An FA Amateur Cup Quarter-Final followed in 1946-47 and turning semi-professional in 1958, with gates seldom below the 1,500 mark Lowestoft Town FC (which incorporated the original Kirkley FC) held a strong position in East Anglian non-league football during the 1960's and 1970's. However, as The Blues failed to progress to the Southern League and with the advent of the conference effectively dropped down a level, the teams and the crowds diminished.

1978 to 2007
With Lowestoft geographically divided by Lake Lothing and just 2 crossing points, those South of the Bridge still hankered for a side to call their own. In January 1975, Anglian Combination side Brooke Marine, who played on the site of the former Kirkleys pitch 1 at Walmer Road, applied for permission to change their name to Kirkley FC, hoping to resurrect past glories. As Lowestoft Town FC still owned the name of Kirkley and indeed still incorporate it to their club rules to this day, the Town's committee suggested that a name such as Kirkley Rovers be adopted to differentiate from their adopted charges of 1935.
Eventually, for the 1978-79 season, Kirkley United FC came in to being as Brooke Marine changed their name, immediately winning Division II to regain senior status and Division I the following season to quickly establish themselves in the top flight of the Anglian Combined Premier Division. The United, although still part of their title as confirmed by the Suffolk County Handbook, tends to be seldom used now, and Lowestoft Town seem to have little or no objection to it being overlooked. In the 1980s, the club was fortunate that as the Lowestoft Golf Course closed down, the Council took the opportunity to build a new pitch south of the existing site of Walmer Road. With the parents of Kirkley Sports and Social Club taking on the 19th hole clubhouse as a HQ, a fine and almost enclosed setting was provided for the famous name of Kirkley. On the pitch, the Suffolk Senior Cup semi-final was reached in 1983-84 and 1996-97, with an Anglian Combination Senior Knockout Cup final appearance in 1987-88. Then, in 1999-2000 under the inspirational leadership of the General Manager Harry Goldspink, Team Manager Nick Shorten and Coach Paul Graham, the ultimate goal was achieved as Kirkley finally carried off the Sterry Cup, a last gasp, game winner giving them Lovewell Blake Anglian combination title. The 2000-01 season saw them finishing third in the league and the highlight coming at Portman Road where they beat Ipswich Athletic 3-1 to claim the Suffolk Senior Cup.
The 2001-02 season saw the club rise to new heights as they retained the Suffolk Senior Cup in a thrilling 4-3 extra time win over Jewson League opponents Haverhill Rovers, won the Anglian Combination Senior Knock-Out Cup for the first time in their history by defeating Cromer 2-0 and saw the coveted Sterry Cup return to Walmer Road as the blues romped home in the Lovewell Blake Anglian Combination, winning 12 points ahead of their nearest rivals. The season ended with them winning 35 of their 41 competitive matches, a remarkable record by any standard. The following 2002-03 season once again brought success to South Lowestoft, retaining the Sterry Cup by a massive 28 point margin. The start of the new season heralds many changes with Walmer Road undergoing major ground improvements, the addition of floodlights and the fresh challenge of entry into Ridgeons League Division One. With the recent success on the pitch, such a ground could allow a step-up the non-league pyramid to again rival their North Lowestoft neighbours. A possible full-circle, as much of the early football in Lowestoft originally took place at the then Athletic clubs ground in Beccles Road (now St Peters Street), close to Lowestoft Town's present day Crown Meadow.
In season 2004-05, it proved a memorable second half to the campaign as Kirkley went on an amazing 18 match unbeaten run, which included nine matches without conceding a goal and promotion into the Premier Division in 3rd position. Kirkley entered the FA Vase for the first time and went through two rounds at Saffron Walden and Hoddeston before losing 4-1 at Wroxham. In the League Cup a massive crowd of over 900 saw a local derby at the Meadow which Town won after extra time. Along with Ridgeons Premier football 2005-06 heralds our first ever entry to the FA Cup at Aylesbury Vale. A record 2005 Boxing Day attendance at Walmer Road of 1,124 saw the first Ridgeons Premier Division League local derby against Lowestoft Town. 876 attended the return fixture at the Crown Meadow on Easter Monday. A mid-table position of 13th was achieved in this first season in the premier division, which was improved in the 2006/7 season to 7th place.

PRESENT
2007 heralds the dawn of another new era as Kirkley FC has amalgamated with Pakefield FC formerley Pakefield Boys which was established in 1981, to become Kirkley and Pakefield FC at the start of 2007-08 season
TO BE CONTINUED….