In 1935, some Northgate schoolboys formed a cricket club, which operated until WW2 in 1939.  Two years later Achilles FC emerged from the marriage of St Clements United and St Clements Institute, with HQ in Fore Hamlet and Murray Road as the home ground.  The Club became a member of the Ipswich Emergency League and under the leadership of George Rozier won the IDL [Division 1] Championship in 1943-44, 1945-46 and 1948-49.
 
A Youth Section was formed in July 1942 with activities including cricket, cycling, athletics and camping. HQ moved to Arcade Street, shared with the Arcadians Youth Club.  The cricket team, consisting mainly of ex-Northgate School players, won the Ipswich Youth League in four consecutive seasons [1945-48].  When Arcadians disbanded at the end of the War several of their members joined Achilles.  In 1948, under the Chairmanship of the late Arthur Pells, the Club moved its HQ to the Driftway in Spring Road and success continued with the winning of the Whitmore Trophy for Athletics in the next year.
 
1950 saw football success in both the FA and FA Amateur Cups leading, ironically, to one of the worst upheavals in the Club's history when several senior players broke away to form Ipswich Wanderers.  The young inexperienced 2nd XI became the Premier side overnight and finished a creditable third.

In the early 50s the late Mr W A [Jock] Anderson, a Director at Cocksedges, became President, the late George Rozier was elected Chairman and Cyril Garnham became General Secretary.  Mr Anderson proved a tremendous benefactor to the Club and his close association with fellow Scot, Mr A Scott Duncan, led to several young Achilles players appearing in the ITFC 'A' side.
 
The Club soon moved to Castle Hill Community Centre and, at this stage, the cricket and hockey teams matched the best clubs in the region while, football-wise, outstanding Minor Teams won the IDL Minor League in 1952-53, 1953-54 and later in 1966-67 and were County Cup finalists in 1952-53 and 1963-64.  In May 1956, Cyril Garnham became Chairman and David Routh General Secretary. Bolton Lane  became HQ and, during this period, the first championship success of the Premier League eluded the Club when, in 1958-59, having been ten points ahead for much of the season we settled for runners-up after Waterside Works won their last game, incredibly 13-0, to take the title.  The late 60s saw an inspired move of HQ to Pauls, where it was possible to play football, cricket and hockey in delightful surroundings and this happy relationship continues to this day.  Although HQ had often moved, Murray Road had been the 1st and 2nd XIs football spot for many years.  A brief move to Kesgrave with Stan Hewitt was replaced by the excellent Pauls' pitch for the 1st XI but only in 1982-83 did the 2nd XI relocate, first to Gainsborough and then Whitton Sports Centres and, now, back  to Gainsborough. 

The late sixties also saw the emergence of the 'Team Manager' filled, notably, by Stan Hewitt, John Shorten, Bob Berriman, Clive Beale, John McNally, Peter Crossley and Keith Norton, all [ex]players of the Club.  This period saw the acquisition of a number of talented footballers from Ipswich Dynamos and Whitton.  In addition, although the Hockey Section  had disbanded, the Cricket Section had gone from strength to strength as top Suffolk Club in the Two Counties' League with the 2nd XI runners-up under the leadership of John McNally. In the early 80s the Chairmanship passed from Clive Beale to Dave Morgan and the Presidency from John Seabrook to John McNally; again all [ex] players of the Club, thus maintaining the continuity and loyalty so dearly valued.  It is this, which, surely, has ensured the survival of Achilles as an independent Club to this day.

The 1st XI football record over the mid 1980s, under manager, Keith Norton, was outstanding with the Premier Championship taken twice, the McNeil Cup and the Cranes' 7s once and, for the 2nd XI, runners-up in both League and League Cup [plus two previous final appearances under earlier management teams] and to the delight of Managers, the late Joe Cooper and Paul Sparke, the League Cup finally won. Towards the end of the 1990 season Keith Norton indicated his intention to resign as Manager.  His dedication to the Club had been unstinting and his collaboration over the seven years with Chairman, Dave Morgan, had registered, together with the late forties/early fifties, the most successful footballing period in the Club's history. Glen Westley was promoted to take his first taste of managing and the Club was pleased to welcome David Routh back as President.  Glen's immediate task was difficult to the extent that, for the first time in its history, the 1st XI lost its Senior status and was relegated to the 1st Division.  However, Glen displayed great resilience and with support from a loyal and club-spirited squad was most unlucky to miss an immediate return to the Senior League on goal difference.  The next year, Champions, and this feat was emulated by the cricketers winning the 2-Counties 2nd Division in fine style also to return to the 'big time'.

The 1993/94 soccer season saw a magnificent effort with the 1st XI finishing an excellent third and the 2nd XI, led by Steve Bloomfield, deservedly lifting the Mann Broadbent Cup.  The cricketers, after a fine start, clung to senior league status and carried the name of the Club to the 2-Counties Cup Final where we lost to a strong Bury St Edmunds' team.  Glen then took a rest and his assistant, Ian Crick, took over helped by Jimmy Fitzgerald[Jnr].  Meanwhile the 2nd XI were relegated to Inter B but 'Gunk' Parker who rejoined the Club took them back in style to Inter A as Champions that same season.

Until recently, the years since the mid-90s have been modest affairs for the Senior footballers [and the cricket section now down to one team].  Keith Norton returned to the fold and ran the Senior team single-handed for three years.  Then Trevor Childs was player-manager. Ricky Osborn then took over the Senior team and, with Keith's help, chased relegation away!  The Inter A side [the Reserves] did exceptionally well over the same period finishing runners-up twice and winning the Ryan Cup led by, first, Julian Paine, and then 'Boozer' Sayer.  Season 2004-5 saw new managers for both teams. Alan Middle, who was a player in one of Keith's triumphant teams in the mid 1980s, returned to the Club for his first real taste of senior management, securing an excellent top six position, while the experienced Alf Cook achieved a creditable mid-table position for the InterAs.  The following year, under Alan, the seniors reached the semi finals of the Suffolk Senior Cup and, in a traumatic finale, finished runners-up in the Senior League (after winners East Bergholt had been 'gifted' three points from a replayed abandoned game they had been losing 1-2 with 72 seconds left) and in the Omnico League Cup final against Ransomes, having already beaten them three times, we succumbed 1-2 after extra time.  Meanwhile, the Inter As were relegated to Inter B in circumstances as annoying as the 72 seconds situation!  Even worse the following season, with many of the Senior players moving on, relegation for only the second time in our history, and the Inter Bs denied promotion in the penultimate game when their opponents fielded virtually their first team, having called off three days earlier.
 
Season 2007/08, with Alan, saw instant promotion missed by four points for the (former) seniors, but the Inter Bs with Alf, did the cup and league double.  Season  2008-9 saw further success with the 1st team gaining promotion as runners-up back to Senior level and winning the SCFA Junior Cup against the League champs, Old Newton, in fine style at Portman Rd.  The Inter As held on to that status and the cricketers, now at Bourne Vale, were promoted as runners-up.
 
Season 2009/10 - joy and sorrow.  The Inter As won the JR Travel Cup (the fifth success in this competition) and finished 5th in a very strong league.  The Seniors lost 4-2 in the final  decider to the champs, Old Newton, and finish 3rd after fine runs in both the Senior and League Cups.  Well done, again, to Managers, Alan Middle, Alf Cook/Jamie King.