Washington F.C.: Difference between revisions
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clubname = Washington | |
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image = [[Image:Washington fc.JPG|Washington crest]]| |
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|fullname = Washington Football Club | |
|fullname = Washington Football Club | |
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|nickname = The Mechanics | |
|nickname = The Mechanics | |
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Revision as of 14:54, 27 December 2015
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| Full name | Washington Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Mechanics | ||
| Founded | 1947 | ||
| Stadium | Nissan Sports Ground | ||
| Capacity | 1,000 | ||
| League | Northern Football League Division One | ||
| 2014–15 | Northern Football League Division Two, 2nd (promoted) | ||
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Washington F.C. is a football club based in Washington, Tyne and Wear, England. The club was originally formed by the local miners at the local "F-Pit" Colliery, and hence, originally founded in the early 20th century as Washington Colliery F.C. The modern club was established in 1947 and joined the Wearside League in 1968. In the 1977–78 season, they reached the 3rd round of the FA Vase. The club won promotion to the Northern Football League Division One after winning their last seven games of the 2014-15 season. It will be their highest league standing since the 2003-04 season.
History
Little is known of the club prior to 1926-27 when the club became a founder member in division 2 of the North Eastern League. Prior to this it was known the club did exist but mainly in playing friendlies against other local pits such as Usworth Colliery. A notable player from the early era was Ronnie Starling, who went on to captain Sheffield Wednesday to the FA Cup and won two caps for England.
The club won the Division 2 title in the 1927-28 season and were promoted to division one but didn't enjoy much success. This period however did produce their most famous son, Jimmy Hagan, who went on to represent England (winning one full international cap against Denmark in Copenhagen in 1948). He later managed the famous Benfica team that won three successive Portuguese championships between 1971 and 1973. He was also briefly manager of Sporting Lisbon during the 1976-77 season.
After the war the club were founded as Washington Colliery Mechanics and joined the Washington and District football league (known as the Durham Alliance league from 1996), with the club managing a great amount of success in the 1950s including winning the league title 5 years in a row, and the coveted Durham Trophy.[citation needed] The Colliery stayed in the league until 1964 when they moved to the Northern Alliance League. Their tenure in that league lasted only one year where then club secretary Billy Benson was successful in applying to become a member of the Wearside league under the name Washington F.C.. Their greatest moment was in 1970/71 reaching the FA Cup 4th qualifying round where they were defeated 3–0 by professional league team Bradford Park Avenue. Currently Washington play in the Northern league and are semi-professional with paid players.
In recent times the football club finds itself under financial hardship due in part to having its changing rooms burnt in an arson attack;[1][2] and with league rules stating each team should provide suitable facilities for home and away teams they have had to rely on the help of teams in the two divisions of the Northern Football League until financial support is provided within the club. These problems caused the club to abandon its Albany Park home during the 2010-11 season and take up residence at the Nissan Sports and Leisure Complex in Sunderland, the former home of Northern League rivals Sunderland Nissan, who folded in 2009.
Achievements
- 1927/28: North Eastern League Division 2 Champions
- 1955/56: Washington & District Football League, Champions, League Challenge Cup Winners
- Gateshead Charity Cup: 1955–56
- Chester-Le-Street Aged Miners Cup: 1956–57
- League Champions: 1956-67
- League Champions: 1957-58
- League Champions, League Challenge Cup Winners: 1958-59
- League Champions: 1959-60
- League Runners Up, League Challenge Cup Winners, Aged Peoples Trophy Winners: 1960-61
- League Champions, Aged Peoples Trophy Winners: 1961-62
- League Champions, Aged Peoples Trophy Winners: 1962-63
- League Challenge Cup winners, Aged Peoples Trophy Winners: 1964-65
- Aged People Trophy Winners: 1965-66
- Washington Amateur League: 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63
- Durham Trophy: 1956–57, 1960–61, Runners-Up 1962–63
- Wearside League: Runners-Up: 1966–67, 1974–75
- Sunderland Shipowners Cup: Runners-Up 1971–72
- Wearside League Challenge Cup: Runners-Up 1973–74
- Washington League Challenge Cup: 1955–56, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1964–65
- Washington Aged People's Cup: 1955–56, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66
- Northern League Div 2: Runners-Up 2000–01, 2014-15; 3rd Place 2006–07
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.
