Wivenhoe Town F.C.
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| Full name | Wivenhoe Town F.C. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | The Dragons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Founded | 1925 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Broad Lane, Wivenhoe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capacity | 3000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman | Julia Boyle / Mike Boyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Steve Pitt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Isthmian League First Division North |
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| 2006-07 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wivenhoe Town is a football club from Wivenhoe, Essex, England. They currently play in the Isthmian League First Division North from 2006-07 and play at Broad Lane. The ground has a capacity of 3000.
Club History
Wivenhoe Town FC, or the Dragons as we are known in local footballing circles have been entertaining the town of Wivenhoe for almost 80 years. The club was originally formed in 1925 as Wivenhoe Rangers by Frank Slaughter and half a dozen students from Colchester Grammar School, but did not enter competitive football until 1929 when they became members of the Brightlingsea & District League, finishing 3rd in their inaugural season. Runners-Up in 1931/32, they gained their first honours the following season by winning the League Championship after going the entire campaign undefeated.
Rangers remained a force in local Junior football throughout the thirties with their most successful season being the 1936/37 campaign when, boasting the most formidable forward line ever seen in the area, they retained the Brightlingsea & District League Championship, won the League Challenge Cup, the League Knock-Out Cup and the Amos Charity Cup (defeating Tollesbury 8-1 in the final before a record crowd of 1,500). After the War they were section ‘A’ Champions in 1947/48 and also won the League Knock-Out Cup the same season.
Another successful period was enjoyed by the club during the early fifties and in 1952/53 they won five trophies in the shape of the Colchester & East Essex League Premier Division Championship, the League Challenge Cup, The Stopes Cup, the Wivenhoe Charity Cup and the Amos Charity Cup. Indeed Rangers won the latter trophy on five consecutive occasions from 1951/52 to 1955/56. Wivenhoe also managed to reach the final of the Essex Junior Cup in 1955/56 where they unfortunately lost 2-3 to Heybridge Swifts.
Consolation was gained however as, in addition to the Amos Charity Cup, the Club also won the Colchester & East Essex League Premier Division Championship and the League Knock-out Cup the same season. Wivenhoe went into a decline during the late fifties, but appeared to be on their way back in 1959/60 when they won the Colchester & East Essex League Division One title but, alas, it was not to be as they were relegated from the Premier Division again the following season.
The Club’s fortunes did not improve as they entered the sixties as they eventually slipped into the Second Division. The turning point came in 1968/69 when Rangers were promoted back into the First Division as Runners-Up to Colchester Minors. The following season they won the Division One Title to regain their place back in the top flight of Colchester & East Essex League football. By this time, having had many homes around the village, Rangers were playing at the neighbouring University of Essex . Runners-Up in the Premier Division to Mersea Island at the end of the 1970/71 campaign, Rangers took the opportunity to move up into Intermediate Football by joining the Essex & Suffolk Border League Second Division. The club had originally attempted a move into the Border League back in 1936 but had seen their application rejected on that occasion.
Two successive titles in their first two seasons in the competition saw Wivenhoe Rangers gain promotion to the Premier Division, while at the same time enjoying a great deal of success in local cups. The club ended their first term in the top flight in a creditable 3rd place, however, followed this with a disappointing 12th position, their first season under the new title of Wivenhoe Town Football Club.
1977/78 was an important campaign for the Club as they purchased a carrot field on the outskirts of the village for £2,500 and, with the aid of grants, built a clubhouse and dressing rooms on the site. The next season Wivenhoe won the Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division Championship and was granted senior status, which enabled them to join the Essex Senior League.
The Dragons ended their first season as Runners-Up to Basildon United and followed this up by finishing 3rd in 1980/81. Runners-Up again in 1981/82, Wivenhoe reached the fifth round of the F.A. Vase the following season before going down 1-2 away to Burnham. The club won the Harry Fisher Memorial Trophy for the first time in 1983/84, a feat they repeated again in 1985/86, for the third time, they finished Runners-Up in the Essex Senior League and thus gained entry into the Vauxhall Opel (Isthmian) League Division Two North after making further improvements to Broad Lane. Finishing their inaugural season in 12th place, the Dragons went on to win the Division Two North Championship in 1987/88 and capped a fine season by also winning the Essex Senior Trophy after defeating Rainham Town 2-1.
Having finished their first term in Division One in 5th place, Wivenhoe Gained promotion to the Premier Division by winning the First Division Championship with 100 points in 1989/90, a season that also saw them establish a new attendance record for Broad Lane when 1,992 people saw them draw 1-1 with Conference League outfit Runcorn in the F.A. Trophy. Having ended their initial season in the top flight in 10th place and played neighbours Colchester United in the F.A. trophy at Layer Road in front of 4,923 spectators, the Dragons hit financial problems and virtually all the players and Football Management deserted the club. For the next two seasons the Dragons did well to maintain their Premier status and, against the odds, managed to reach the Final of the Essex Senior Cup in 1992/93 where they finished Runners-Up to Chelmsford City after suffering a narrow 0-1 defeat.
Financing the club playing at this level proved too great and so the decision was taken by the committee to reduce the budget so the club could afford to remain in business. This being the case the 1993/94 campaign was one of severe struggle. Just before Christmas came the bombshell that the ground would be closed down on January 2nd 1994 unless a purchaser could be found. Unable to find the £150,000 asking price, some frantic negotiations enabled the club to finish the season, which, with many players drafted in from the Under-18’s, not surprisingly ended in relegation from the Premier Division. With the main aim being the purchase of Broad lane, very little money was available for player expenses which not surprisingly finding themselves being relegated to the First Division at the end of the 1994/95 campaign.
1995/96 saw the Dragons check their freefall as they finished 6th in the Second Division table. In addition, the Club also equaled their best ever run in the F.A. Vase before going out in a 5th Round Replay at Mangotsfield United but, more importantly than that, Wivenhoe Town's future at Broad Lane was finally secured when the purchase of the site went through at last on 15th February 1996.
For the next five seasons, the Dragons remained stabilised in the Second Division despite operating on a tight budget and entered the record books when Julian Hazel, at the age of 24, became the youngest Player/Manager in senior football when he was appointed in the summer of 1998. In 1999 Kevin Foskett was elected as Chairman and together with an active committee and with the appointment of Steve Pitt as joint first team manager the club went on to enjoy two highly successful seasons finishing 6th and 5th in the Ryman League Division 2.
In the 2001/2002 season, the Ryman League controversially restructured itself which resulted in the club playing 42 league matches with nothing more than pride at stake as no matter where they finished in the league they were guaranteed promotion into the new formed Ryman League Division 1 North. The club lost the services of manager Steve Pitt at the start of the season followed by Kevin Foskett a few months later which resulted in Maz Brook taking over the hot seat as the clubs first female chairman.
In 2002/2003 both Steve Pitt and Kevin Foskett returned as Manager and Chairman. Just prior to Christmas the club broke it’s record transfer fee for young hot shot Darren Bethall who was being tracked by Northampton Town, Everton, Colchester Utd and Dagenham & Redbridge at the time. They also signed Ben Fuller and former Colchester Utd defender Nicky Haydon in the same period. Whilst the club found playing at the higher level a challenge it remained out of the relegation zone all season finishing 10 points clear of relegated Wembley and Hertford.
The 2003/2004 season began with high expectation with a much stronger squad assembled. After early season promise the Dragons slump in form during mid-season left them at the wrong end of the table. The Club gained some useful results towards the end of the campaign to push them into a comfortable 17 th position. Highlights of the season were saved for cup competitions with the Dragons reaching the Quarter-Finals of the Essex Senior Cup, defeated in extra-time by Southend United with the home side only equalising in injury time despite fielding many first team players. During the campaign the Dragons captured the signing of Adrian Coote, previously with Colchester United who paid their highest ever signing on fee for the Northern Ireland International from Norwich City . Changes off the field saw Phil Reeve step into the Chairman’s role and with new faces added to the board expectation is once again high as the Dragons look to the 2004/2005 season for success as they venture for the first time into the restructured Southern League.
2004/2005 saw Wivenhoe finish 5th in the League after being beaten in the play-off semi-final by Uxbridge. Dragons also had their best FA cup run for a number of years which ended with them being beaten in the 3 rd Qualifying Round by Conference League South team Hayes.
Wivenhoe Town FC Club Shop An extensive range of merchandise for the discerning Dragons fan is currently available, with additional items to those below becoming available during the season.
Jacquard Woven Scarves: £5.00 Lapel Badges: £3.00 Mugs: £3.00 Car Stickers: £1.00 T-Shirts: £7.50 Pennants: £3.00 Bobble Hats (Blue & White): £2.00 Key Rings: £0.75 Baseball Caps: £4.00 Pens & Pencils: £0.50 Bronx Hats: £7.00 Car Taxdisc holders: 75p
The shop boasts the most comprehensive stock of non-league matchday programmes in the region, along with a large number of league programmes - especially Ipswich Town and Colchester United. All are reasonably priced at 20p for non-league and 30p for league.
A selection of 'Big Match' programmes - Internationals and Cup Finals, etc - along with current season programmes, are also available. Why not visit the Club Shop, open prior to kick off, half time and for a short time after every match. All money raised helps fund the Supporters Club in its efforts to finance coaches for away games and the general upkeep of the Broad Lane pitch.
Wivenhoe Town FC Fixtures Season 2006/07
Date Day Comp Home Away Result Att Scorers
18- Jul Tue Fr Wivenhoe Town (@ Uni) Stanway Rovers 22- Jul Sat Fr Wroxham 2.30pm ko Wivenhoe Town 25- Jul Tue Fr Halstead Town Wivenhoe Town 29- Jul Sat Fr Billericay Wivenhoe Town 05-Aug Sat Fr Southend Manor Wivenhoe Town 08-Aug Tue Fr Wivenhoe Town Heybridge Swifts 12-Aug Sat Fr Wivenhoe Town Chelmsford City 19-Aug Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Ilford 22-Aug Tue LC Tilbury Wivenhoe Town 26-Aug Sat RL1N AFC Hornchurch Wivenhoe Town 28-Aug Mon RL1N Wivenhoe Town AFC Sudbury 02-Sep Sat FAC Prel Halstead or Harefield Wivenhoe Town 09-Sep Sat RL1N Wingate & Finchley Wivenhoe Town 16-Sep Sat FAC 1 Halstead or Harefield or Wivenhoe Town Chalfont St Peter or Hullbridge Sports or Yaxley 19-Sep Tue RL1N Wivenhoe Town Arlesey 23-Sep Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Harlow Town 30-Sep Sat RL1N Potters Bar Town Wivenhoe Town 07-Oct Sat RL1N Tilbury Wivenhoe Town 14-Oct Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Waltham Forest 17-Oct Tue RL1N Canvey Island Wivenhoe Town 21-Oct Sat FAT1 Wivenhoe Town Margate 28-Oct Sat RL1N Enfield Town Wivenhoe Town 31-Oct Tue RL1N Wivenhoe Town Enfield 04-Nov Sat RL1N Great Wakering Rovers Wivenhoe Town 11-Nov Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Ware 18-Nov Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Bury Town 21-Nov Tue RL1N Enfield Wivenhoe Town 25-Nov Sat RL1N Waltham Abbey Wivenhoe Town 02-Dec Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Aveley 09-Dec Sat RL1N Flackwell Heath Wivenhoe Town 16-Dec Sat RL1N Redbridge Wivenhoe Town 23-Dec Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Maldon Town 26-Dec Tue RL1N Wivenhoe Town Witham Town 30-Dec Sat RL1N AFC Sudbury Wivenhoe Town 06-Jan Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Tilbury 13-Jan Sat RL1N Ilford Wivenhoe Town 20-Jan Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Great Wakering Rovers 27-Jan Sat RL1N Ware Wivenhoe Town 03-Feb Sat RL1N Bury Town Wivenhoe Town 10-Feb Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Waltham Abbey 17-Feb Sat RL1N Aveley Wivenhoe Town 24-Feb Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Flackwell Heath 27-Feb Tue RL1N Wivenhoe Town Canvey Island 03-Mar Sat RL1N Harlow Town Wivenhoe Town 10-Mar Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Potters Bar Town 17-Mar Sat RL1N Waltham Forest Wivenhoe Town 24-Mar Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Enfield Town 31-Mar Sat RL1N Arlesey Town Wivenhoe Town 07-Apr Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town AFC Hornchurch 09-Apr Mon RL1N Witham Town Wivenhoe Town 14-Apr Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Wingate & Finchley 21-Apr Sat RL1N Maldon Town Wivenhoe Town 28-Apr Sat RL1N Wivenhoe Town Redbridge
- = After extra time
Fr = Friendly RL1N = League LC = League Cup FAC = FA Cup FAT = FA Trophy ESC = Essex Senior Cup Pl = Playoffs
[edit] Current squad
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Goalkeeper
Defenders
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Midfield
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Forwards
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| Isthmian League Division One North 2006/07 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A.F.C. Hornchurch | AFC Sudbury | Arlesey Town | Aveley | Bury Town | Canvey Island | Enfield | Enfield Town | Flackwell Heath | Great Wakering Rovers | Harlow Town | Ilford | Maldon Town | Potters Bar Town | Redbridge | Tilbury | Waltham Abbey | Waltham Forest | Ware | Wingate & Finchley | Witham Town | Wivenhoe Town | edit |
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