Epping Town F.C.

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Epping Town
Full nameEpping Town Football Club
Founded1888 (first incarnation)
1948 (as Coopersale)
2018 (renamed to Epping Town)
Dissolved1985 (first incarnation)
GroundUpland Road, Thornwood
ChairmanNiall McGowan
ManagerStuart Hoskins
LeagueEssex Olympian League Division One
2020–21Essex Olympian League Division Two, 3rd of 12 (promoted)

Epping Town Football Club is a football club based in Epping, Essex, England, currently playing in the Essex Olympian League Division One.

History[]

First incarnation[]

The original Epping Town were formed in 1888, winning the Woodford & District League in 1913 and 1920.[1] The club joined Division Two East of the Spartan League in 1936.[2] They moved into the Premier Division of the London League in 1955, and were Premier Division champions in 1963–64, the league's last season. They then became founder members of the Greater London League, and were placed in the "A" section. A seventh-place finish in 1964–65 was enough to earn a place in the Premier Division the following season. In 1966–67 they won the league, before joining the Metropolitan League in 1969. They won the league in 1970–71,[3] but at the end of the season the league merged into the Metropolitan–London League, which Epping won at the first attempt. The following season they were runners-up, before winning a second title in 1973–74. They then joined Division Two of the Athenian League, which they won in 1975–76 to earn promotion to Division One. After finishing sixth in Division One the following season, they moved up to Division Two of the Isthmian League.[3] The club resigned from the league at the end of the 1984–85 season due to financial problems and their record was expunged.[4] Epping Town played their final game on 2 May 1985, losing 7–0 at home to Leyton-Wingate.[5]

Second incarnation[]

Whilst the original Epping Town were in the Athenian League in the 1970s, Coopersale, formed in 1948,[1] competing in the Essex Olympian League. In 1992, seven years after the demise of Epping Town, the club changed their name to Eppingsale.[6] In 1999, the club again changed name, this time to Epping. In 2018, the club renamed themselves to Epping Town, signifying the first time in 33 years the name Epping Town had been used in Non-League football.[7] In 2021, Epping Town were promoted from Division Two to Division One of the Essex Olympian League.[8]

Ground[]

The original Epping Town club played at Stonards Hill in Epping.[4] The second incarnation of Epping Town also used Stonards Hill as their ground until 2020, before Epping Town Council refused to renew the license for the club to play at the site, forcing Epping Town to groundshare with Epping Upper Clapton Rugby Football Club at Upland Road in Thornwood.[9]

Honours[]

  • London League
    • Premier Division champions 1963–64
  • Greater London League
    • Premier Division champions 1966–67
  • Athenian League
    • Division Two champions 1975–76
  • Metropolitan League
    • Champions 1970–71
  • Metropolitan–London League
    • Division One champions 1971–72, 1973–74

Records[]

  • Best FA Cup performance: Fourth qualifying round, 1973–74[3]
  • Best FA Vase performance: Fifth round replay, 1976–77[3]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "History". Epping Town F.C. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  2. ^ Spartan League 1934–1955 Non-League Matters
  3. ^ a b c d Epping Town at the Football Club History Database
  4. ^ a b Epping FC (1) 1 v Letchworth Garden City Eagles (0) 2 Football Grounds in Focus
  5. ^ "Isthmian Division Two North". The Football Archives. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  6. ^ Coopersale at the Football Club History Database
  7. ^ Epping at the Football Club History Database
  8. ^ "2021-2022 E.O.F.L. Constitution". Essex Olympian Football League. 3 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Club Statement – Ground Move". Epping Town F.C. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
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