|
Founded 1901 |
West Wickham Football Club |
History |
|
| TODAY Home The Main Feature Match Review Training TEAMS MATCH REPORTS THE CLUB
|
The League The club was founded in 1901 and registered with the A.F.A. in 1931/32. In 1955/56 saw the first successes in the league with the 3rd XI winning their division (scoring 105 goals in 18 games) and the 2nd XI also being promoted on goal average. In 1956/57 saw the 4th XI enter the league and the 5th XI followed in 1958/59. In 1963/64 saw the 1st XI promoted to Division One for the first time ever and maintained that status until 1998/99. Only one other club in the whole world has more teams that are currently running and that is REAL MADRID. The 1977/78 1st XI was under the guidance of Ross Allen and Ian Freeman was running the 2nd XI who won the 2nd XI championship in 1978/79 being unbeaten (W 16, D 6, L 0 ) and walked the league by seven points. In 1979/80 saw the 1st & 2nd XI's both win their championships and the 3rd XI win the second division. In 1987/88 saw the first team win the league by 11 points and the next season another league win saw us concede only 9 goals in 22 games. A record 5th consecutive league championship saw us eclipse the record of the New Crusaders who won the league for 4 consecutive seasons after it's formation in 1907. During this period we were blessed with some exceptional players and Neil Linter, Graham Open, Alex Guild and Steve and Martin Norris all played for the League side on a regular basis. The 2006/7 was an exceptional season with the First Team winning the AFA Senior and Kent/Surrey Senior Cups and the Reserves under Paul Jennings winning the League Division One Championship. AFA CUP Last season 2006/7 saw the First Team win the AFA Senior Cup for the first time since 1992 when they hammered Old Hamptonians 4 - 0 at Old Parkonians ground. Skipper Adam freeman lifted the cup --- Jon Waite got two goals and Ashley Everett and Jay Askew the others. Waite also won the Man of the Match award. This was the second Cup that Freeman had lifted in the last few weeks as we also won the Kent/Surrey Senior Cup with a convincing victory over the Honourable Artillery Company at the Bank of England. The final score of 3 - 1 was thanks to goals from Marcus Elliott, Jon Waite and Chris Rose. We were in a good position to win the League Championship as well but the fixture pile up beat us and Nottsborough ran out worthy winners. The First Team went out of the Kent Senior Trophy in the semi final at Whitstable who went on to win the Trophy and the League. After dominating the game we went into extra time at 0 - 0 but the Whitstable keeper denied us and we went out on Sudden Death Penalties 6 - 5. A very successful season and Manager Alan Cotton is confident that we can still improve. The first time the A.F.A Senior Cup was won was in the 1971/72 season. The match was played at Dulwich Hamlet F.C Champion Hill ground. We ran out 2-0 victors over EBOGS. With a relatively poor team we reached the final in 1975/76 but went down 2-1 to Old Aloysians. The next final was victorious in the 1980/81 where an excellent game saw us beat South Bank Polytechnic 4-2. Alas, two further final appearances saw us finish runners up twice, firstly in 1987 we lost 3-2 a.e.t to Old Aloysians. The other loss was in 1990 where we lost 2-1 to our S.A.L rivals Old Salesians. During this time we have had the opportunity to complete the "double" of SAL and AFA Cup but, so far, that achievement has eluded us. In 1991/92 we beat Midland Bank 2-1 at Cuaco's ground but that was our last success of the century. 2000 to 2005 The First Team slipped into the Second Division early in the new century due to the over reliance on older players who were responsible for the glory years. Neil Linter took over the reins with a new young side and a more experimental approach and his side won promotion in 2002/3. We quickly re-established ourselves again in the top flight and Neil decide to give playing a final go -- but didn't get far due to niggling injuries. He then devoted his attentions to coaching the very young juniors and handed the management to Alan Cotton in 2005/6. During this period Paul Clapham captained the SAL Representative side and was joined in the side by Adam Freeman and Neil Currie. 2005 to 2010 The 2005/6 season almost resulted in a championship win but we were denied by one point with the excellent Old Owens side taking the trophy by beating Winchmore Hill with an extra time goal. The game finished 3 - 2 -- if it had remained 2 - 2 Wickham would have been Champions. The current team has youth on it's side and is gaining in experience and the future looks bright. Recently we have been well represented in the AFA and SAL league teams by Neil Currie, Adam Freeman, Dave Adams, Adam Wadey,Chris Rose , Ashley Everett, Marcus Elliott, Jon Waite and James Gibson and I am sure that more honours will follow shortly. The 2006/7 season has already been successful as we won the AFA Kent/Surrey Cup by beating The Honourable Artillery Company 3 - 1 with goals from Jon Waite, Chris Rose and Marcus Elliott. This season Paul Jennings took over the Management of the Reserves squad after a distinguished playing career with the First Team and won the Division One Championship of the Reserve Section. Scott Holmes is managing the Third Team. The Fours, Fives and Sixes are managed by Dave Page, Paul Newton and Stuart Abrey respectively. Season 2007/8 saw Alan Cotton take the First Team squad into another campaign with the aim of doing the Treble which will be a tall order. mark Roberts is managing the Reserves -- Scott Holmes is at the helm in the Threes while Steve Salter and Stu Abrey are managing the Fives and Sixes.
|
1st Team
Honours
S.A.L 1st Div Champions:1977/78, 1979/80, 1981/2, 1984/85, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91 S.A.L 2nd Div Champions: 1963/64 S.A.L 3rd Div Champions: 1960/61 A.F.A Senior Cup Winners: 1971/72, 1980/81, 1991/92 and 2006/7. A.F.A Surrey Senior Cup Winners: 1936/37, 1961/62, 1962/63 AFA Kent/Surrey Cup Winners 2003/4 and 2006/7 Reserve Team Honours S.A.L 1st Div Champions: 1978/79, 1979/80, 1988/89, 1989/90 and 2006/7. S.A.L 2nd Div Champions: 1957/58, 1971/72, 1986/87 S.A.L 3rd Div Champions: 1967/68, 1970/71 Kent Intermediate Cup Winners: 1977/78, 1981/82, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1995/6, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2002/03 3rd Team Honours S.A.L 2nd Div Champions: 1976/77, 1979/80, 1984/85 S.A.L 3rd Div Champions: 1955/56, 1990/91
A.F.A Kent Junior Cup Winners: 1947/48, 1951/52, 1959/60, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1964/65, 1970/71, 1971/72, 1975/76
4th Team Honours S.A.L 1st Div Champions: 1986/87 S.A.L 2nd Div Champions: 1977/78, 2001/02 A.F.A Minor Cup Winner: 1957/58. 2001/2
5th Team Honours S.A.L 2nd Div Champions: 1965/66 S.A.L 3rd Div Champions: 1997/98 6th Team Honours S.A.L 2nd Div Champions: 1967/68, 1980/81 Sunday XI Team Honours O.B.S.F.L Senior Div Champions : 1980/81 , 1981/82 O.B.S.F.L Premier Div Champions : 1998/99 O.B.S.F.L 1st Div Champions : 1997/98 O.B.S.F.L 2nd Div Champions : 1996/97 O.B.S.F.L Presidents Charity Cup Winners : 1979/80 , 1982/83 O.B.S.F.L Charity Shield Winners : 1980/81 O.B.S.F.L Reg Logan Invitation Cup Winners : 1978/79
|
|