Wallingford Town F.C.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wallingford Town
AFC Wallingford Badge.png
Full nameWallingford Town Football Club
Nickname(s)Wally
Founded1922
GroundHithercroft, Wallingford
Capacity1,500
ChairmanGlenn Goudie
ManagerLee Matthews
LeagueCombined Counties League Division One
2020–21Hellenic League Division One East (transferred)
WebsiteClub website

Coordinates: 51°36′00.07″N 1°08′30.64″W / 51.6000194°N 1.1418444°W / 51.6000194; -1.1418444

Wallingford Town Football Club are a football club based in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Division One and play their home matches at Hithercroft stadium.

History[]

The club was founded in 1995 as the result of a merger of two local teams: the original Wallingford Town, a Hellenic League side at the time, founded in 1922, and neighbours Wallingford United, who had been founded in 1934. The newly merged club was named AFC Wallingford.

In 1997–98, the club became champions of the Chiltonian League, and gained promotion into the Combined Counties League.

In 2001–02, AFC Wallingford won the Combined Counties League championship comfortably, and then were runners-up to Withdean 2000 and AFC Wimbledon in the succeeding two years. However, the facilities at their ground, Hithercroft, did not meet the standards of the Isthmian League and thus they were denied further promotion. A Football Association grant of £100,000 was used to fund ground improvements which would make promotion possible if they were to again win the Combined Counties League.

However, after disruption caused by heavy player turnover (with several leaving for Didcot Town, who then won the FA Vase), the 2004–05 season saw AFC Wallingford unable to avoid last place and relegation. The 2005–06 season saw an upturn in fortunes for the club, with a runners-up finish in the Combined Counties League Division One, which resulted in a promotion and with it a switch to the Hellenic League Premier Division, a league deemed better suited to AFC Wallingford's geographical location in Oxfordshire.

In 2011, Wallingford set up its first junior teams. During the close season of 2013, the club reverted to its former name, to become Wallingford Town AFC, as part of its bid to become more synonymous with and representative of the town itself and switched from the red and black kits of the past 40 years back to the original 1922 club colours of red and white stripes.

After numerous seasons in the North Berks League, the club was successful in their application to move into the non-league pyramid as Chairman Simon Cowlard and Manager Duncan Mitchell presented the clubs case to The FA at Wembley.

In the 2016–17 season, the club resumed competing in the Hellenic League, which saw the club continue to develop on and off the pitch. Manager Mitchell oversaw a solid 7th-place finish before moving into the Vice Chairman role.

The club hired manager Glenn Goudie who had previous experience at several non-league clubs as well as managing a very successful period for Thames Valley Premier League side, Reading YMCA. After three seasons of mid-table finishes, the club moved back to the Combined Counties League after The FA performed a re-structure of Step 5 & 6 leagues. FIrst team manager Glenn Goudie stood down to take on the Chairman's role after COVID-19 halted the season proper and the club installed former Didcot Town Development, Ardley United and Abingdon Town manager Lee Matthews, to the role of First Team Manager for the 2021–22 season.

Stadium[]

Wallingford Town play their home games at The Hithercroft, Wallingford Sports Park, Hithercroft Road, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 9RB.

Honours[]

  • Combined Counties League Premier Division: Champions 1998–99
  • Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy: Runners-up 2000-01[1]
  • North Berks Charity Shield: Winners 2014-15

Records[]

  • Best league position: 1st in Combined Counties League (then level 9), 1998–99
  • Best FA Cup performance: 2nd qualifying round in 2000–01, 2002–03 and 2003–04
  • Best FA Vase performance: 3rd round in 2001–02, 2021–22

Sources[]

References[]

  1. ^ "The History of Didcot Town Football Club". Didcot Town FC. 2006-05-18. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-12-12.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""