Walton & Hersham F.C.

Walton & Hersham
Full name Walton & Hersham Football Club
Nickname(s) The Sham
The Swans
The Waltz
Founded 1945
Ground The Sports Ground,
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
Ground Capacity 2,000 (444 seats)[1]
Chairman Alan Smith
Manager Simon Haughney
League Combined Counties League Premier Division
2015–16 Isthmian League Division One South, 22nd (relegated)

Walton & Hersham Football Club is an English football club located in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, currently playing in the Combined Counties League Premier Division. They play in a red and white home kit at Stompond Lane.

Walton F.C. was formed in 1895, and in 1945, following World War II, amalgamated with Hersham F.C. to form Walton & Hersham F.C. At first, they played in the Corinthian League, winning it three consecutive times from 1947 to 1949 (a league record). After the dissolution of the Corinthian League, they joined the Athenian League, winning its Premier Division in 1969. Their biggest highlight is winning the FA Amateur Cup in 1973.

History

For a detailed list of season standings, see List of Walton & Hersham F.C. seasons.

1945–1963

In 1945, after World War II, Walton F.C. amalgamated with Hersham F.C. to form Walton & Hersham. The club joined the Corinthian League, winning it first in the 1946–47 season and then again the following two seasons.[2] They won the Surrey Senior Cup in the 1947–48 season.[3] They were elected to the Athenian League for the 1950–51 season and won the Surrey Senior Cup again.[3]

Walton & Hersham reached the FA Amateur Cup semi-finals in 1951–52[4] and in 1952–53.[5] They achieved their all-time record crowd when ten thousand spectators turned up to watch an FA Amateur Cup tie with Crook Town. The team included defender C. R. "Jack" Neale who represented Great Britain at the Olympics[6] and the club's record goal-scorer Reg Sentance.

Walton & Hersham reached the FA Cup first round proper for the first time in 1957–58.[7] They won the Surrey Senior Cup for a third time in 1960–61[3] and retained the trophy the following season.[3]

1963–1994

The Athenian League expanded in 1963 and Walton & Hersham were placed in the Premier Division. A period of mid-table football followed until the 1967 appointment of Allen Batsford as manager heralded a new era of success. In 1968–69 he won the Athenian League.[2] This was followed by two successive visits to the FA Cup first round proper (in 1969–70 and 1970–71)[7] and the Surrey Senior Cup was won again in 1970–71.[3]

Walton & Hersham were elected to the Isthmian League in 1971. The 1972–73 season is statistically their greatest ever. They won the Surrey Senior Cup,[3] came runners-up in the league,[2] reached the FA Cup second round proper for the first time[7] and, most prestigiously, won the FA Amateur Cup,[8] defeating Slough Town at Wembley Stadium. They set a unique record by winning the competition without conceding a goal. Players including Dave Bassett, Willie Smith and Roger Connell became regulars in the England amateur international team. In 1973–74, the club reached the FA Cup second round proper again, having beaten Brian Clough's Brighton & Hove Albion at Goldstone Ground 4–0.[7] Following the defeat Clough almost got into a fight with comedian Eric Sykes, who was associated with Brighton & Hove Albion at the time and was laughing about the result to a friend during a phone call.[9]

In 1974, Batsford left to manage Wimbledon and took players with him. Walton & Hersham were relegated in 1975 and, although they reached the FA Cup first round proper again in the 1975–76 season,[7] they went close to extinction in the late 70s. They inspired the name of punk band Sham 69 (who formed in 1976), as they derived it from a piece of graffiti which read 'Walton & Hersham 69'.[10] Despite briefly having Sir Stanley Matthews as President, the club endured a lean period throughout the 1980s.

1994–present

Walton & Hersham were promoted to the Isthmian top flight in 1994 (and reached the FA Cup first round proper that season[7]), although relegation followed in 1996.[2] They were promoted again the following year but relegation followed again in 2000.[2] After a spell in the Isthmian League First Division, they appointed long-serving player Alan Dowson as manager and he led them to a successful 2004–05 season, with promotion secured as runners-up.[2]

After the resignation of Alan Dowson in October 2006, former Gillingham first-team coach Bobby Paterson took over after a long search for a new manager. Walton & Hersham were relegated that season and Paterson's contract was terminated. The assistant manager Les Cleevely—the former Carshalton Athletic player/assistant manager for whom he made over 500 appearances—took over. Former Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis became a member of Walton & Hersham's board of directors. After a mid-table finish to the 2007–08 season, Les Cleevely became the academy coach while Jimmy Bolton took over to become the manager. At the beginning of March 2009, Jimmy Bolton was replaced for the rest of the season by Matt Elverson as caretaker manager.[11] During the 2009 off-season, John Crumplin was appointed manager[12] although his reign only lasted until September 2010.[13] Chuck Martini was appointed soon after.[14]

At the end of the 2015-16 season Walton & Hersham were relegated to the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division. The club confirmed Simon Haughney as first team manager on 22 June 2016, with former Guyana international Howard Newton as assistant manager.

Stadium

Walton & Hersham play their home games at the Sports Ground, Stompond Lane, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1HF.

Players and staff

Current squad

As of 28 August 2016.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
England GK Liam Beach
England DF Sam Bates
England DF Connor Channon
England DF Anthony Charles
England DF Corey Haywood-Roye
France DF Benoni Kabuiku
Guyana DF Jake Newton
England DF Leavan Sullivan
England DF Jamie Thoroughgood
England MF Sebastien Castello
England MF Adam Francis
No. Position Player
England MF Cameron Gyeabour
Guyana MF Howard Newton
England MF Louis Taylor
England MF Charlie Ten-Grotenhuis
England MF Scott Todd
England FW Victor Asombang
Bermuda FW Casey Castle
England FW TJ Nkoma
England FW Matt Rose-Hazel
England FW Elliott Simpson

Coaching staff

As of July 2016.[15]
Position Name
Manager England Simon Haughney
Assistant manager Guyana Howard Newton
Club Physio England Tiffany Weedon
Youth Coach England Tim Nurding

Achievements

Winners (3): 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49
Runners-up (1): 1949–50
Winners (1): 1968–69
Runners-up (3): 1950–51, 1969–70, 1970–71
Winners (1): 1972–73
Winners (6): 1947–48, 1950–51, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1970–71, 1972–73
Runners-up (5): 1946–47, 1951–52, 1969–70, 1973–74, 2004–05
Runners-up (1): 1973–74

Former players

1. Players that have played/managed in the Football League or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Stompond Lane Track". runtrackdir.com. UK Running Track Directory. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Walton & Hersham". fchd.info. Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Saturday Senior Cup". surreyfa.com. Surrey County FA. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  4. ↑ "F.A. Amateur Cup 1951–52". fchd.info. Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  5. ↑ "F.A. Amateur Cup 1952–53". fchd.info. Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  6. ↑ "C R Neale". olympics.org.uk. British Olympic Association. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The FA Cup Archive". thefa.com. The Football Association. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  8. ↑ "F.A. Amateur Cup 1972–73". fchd.info. Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  9. ↑ Clough, Brian (1995). Clough: The Autobiography. Corgi Books. ISBN 978-0-552-14003-4.
  10. ↑ "Sham 69". unionsquaremusic.co.uk. unionsquaremusic. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  11. ↑ "Elverson aims to put 'swing' into new Walton era". surreyherald.co.uk. Trinity Mirror Southern Ltd. 2009-03-11. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
  12. ↑ "Swans unveil new boss". elmbridgeguardian.co.uk. Newsquest Media Group. 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  13. ↑ "Walton & Hersham boss Crumplin dramatically quits the club". surreyherald.co.uk. Trinity Mirror Southern Ltd. 2010-09-15. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  14. ↑ "Football: Godalming boss quits for Walton & Hersham". getsurrey.co.uk. S&B media. 2010-09-22. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  15. ↑ "Officials". waltonandhershamfc.org.uk. Walton & Hersham Football Club. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
  16. ↑ "Saturday Senior Cup Previous Winners". SurreyFA. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
  17. ↑ "Memorandum Of Procedures For Dealing With Misconduct Occurring". Docstoc.com. 2010-04-24. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
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