Aylesbury Vale Dynamos F.C.
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| Full name | Aylesbury Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Moles | ||
| Founded | 1930 (as Stocklake) | ||
| Ground | Haywood Way Aylesbury Buckinghamshire | ||
| Capacity | 1,300 | ||
| Chairman | Danny Martone | ||
| Manager | Steve Bateman | ||
| League | Southern Football League Division One Central | ||
| 2014–15 | Southern Football League Division One Central, 3rd | ||
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Aylesbury F.C. are a football club based in Aylesbury, England. They changed their name from Aylesbury Vale F.C. to their present name in 2009, and before then were known as Haywood United and Stocklake F.C. For the 2014/15 season, they are members of the Southern Football League Division One Central. The club play their home games at Haywood Way in the northern outskirts of the town. Craig Faulconbridge who was appointed player-manager in May 2012, departed the club in the autumn of 2013, and was replaced by former Slough boss Steve Bateman.
History
Aylesbury F.C. (as a name) only came into existence in May 2009 but the club has enjoyed a long history in senior and junior football dating back to the 1930s under the previous names of Aylesbury Vale, Haywood United, Belgrave and Stocklake.
Stocklake F.C.
Stocklake F.C. was founded in the 1930s by workers at the Negretti and Zambra company which was then based in London’s King’s Cross district. The name Stocklake was adopted after a move to the Stocklake Industrial Estate, Aylesbury, in 1949. The football club joined the Aylesbury and District League in 1954. Under the chairmanship of Mr Ernie Crotty the club gained many honours including runners-up in the ADL’s top divisions before gaining intermediate status in the Wycombe and District League’s First and Senior divisions. After gaining senior status and promotion to the Chiltern League in 1988, Stocklake enjoyed many further successes including Division One runners-up in 1991, Premier runners-up and League Cup runners-up in 1991, and Wycombe Senior Cup winners in 1995.
Belgrave F.C.
Belgrave F.C. was started up in 1983 by Jim Sullivan of Belgrave Road (just one street away from the present ground at Haywood Way). Jim had two sons who were passionate about football but at that time there was little choice of where to play so he decided to organise a team himself with help of his neighbours, Lynne and David Hatcher. By 1990 Belgrave had grown to five youth teams, providing over ninety boys with training and league competition. In 1996 the club expanded to include two senior (men’s) teams and by the new millennium there were squads at every level from under-8s to seniors, totalling over 200 registered players including Stocklake Ladies. In 2000 four Belgrave youth squads won league and cup honours while the seniors won the Aylesbury District League Cup, the Field Shield and finished ADL Premier runners-up.
Haywood United F.C.
For the 2000–01 season Belgrave and Stocklake merged (though the juniors remaining as Belgrave Youth for another year) to form Haywood United, named after the road their ground was on. United joined the Spartan South Midlands League and won promotion into Division One after two seasons. Notable achievements during the 2001/02 season included league awards for best kept ground, most improved ground (that included the installation of floodlights and perimeter fencing) and the best matchday programme were recognition of how much the club was developing.
Promotion to the South Midlands Premier was gained in the 2003–04 season under manager, Jon Franklin after a campaign that saw 23 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses. That season also saw four Haywood United Youth teams (Under 11s, 12s, 15s, and 16s) finish as Champions of their respective divisions in the Wycombe and South Bucks Minors League. Haywood proved themselves capable of staying up in the Premier when they finished in 3rd place in season 2004–05 after a campaign that included only one loss in the twenty matgches after the Christmas period. The club also entered the FA Vase for the first time.
Aylesbury Vale F.C.
At the beginning of the 2005–06 season the members of Haywood United voted to change the club’s name to Aylesbury Vale F.C. in order to enhance its identity both with local people as well as those outside the town as the club was entering the FA Cup for the first time in its history. The club again finished high up the South Midlands Premier League table and owing to the restructuring of the league system almost gained promotion. They reached the second qualifying round of the FA Cup in season 2008–09.
Aylesbury F.C.
At the end of the 2008–09 season Aylesbury Vale changed its name to Aylesbury F.C. with the goals of improving Haywood Way to get promoted to the Southern League and in the longer term going up to the Conference. A proposed merger with Aylesbury United fell through.[1]
During their first season under their new guise, Aylesbury went on the club's best FA Cup run beating local rivals Chesham United before losing to Wealdstone in the 4th Qualifying Round with the club's best ever attendance of 682.[2]
Aylesbury then went onto win the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division title on 25 April 2010, with one game to spare[3] after a win against Leverstock Green and title rivals Chalfont St Peter lost to Broxbourne Borough V&E. Aylesbury also made it a league and cup double as they won the Premier Division Cup Final 2–1 against Hanwell Town.[4]
Craig Faulconbridge era 2012–2013
Having joined the club in January 2012, Faulconbridge was appointed player manager for the start of the 2012–13 season replacing Steve Smith. Despite an excellent first season in the Southern Football League in 2010–11, the following season was a battle against relegation for the most part as the Moles finished just one place above the drop zone in 20th. Long serving manager Mark Eaton left – later taking over at Hemel Hempstead – replaced by Greg Williams and then Smith. Former Woking striker Faulconbridge was given the task of rebuilding the side and was hopeful that most of the squad would stay on. He also bolstered the team with several additions including highly rated winger Wayne O'Sullivan who arrived from Northwood. O'Sullivan had played for Stevenage, Braintree Town and Hendon before enjoying two spells as a Bedfont Town and laterly a Northwood player.
However, in late 2013, Faulconbridge left his post as manager with Jon Franklin taking the reigns as interim boss before ex Slough and Chesham United manager Steve Bateman was appointed as his successor.
Steve Bateman takes over, 2013–
Steve Bateman had an illustrious non league career. Starting his playing days with Hemel Hempstead Town before joining Everton, who he went on to win the FA Youth Cup with, he later played over 300 games for Chesham United.
Bateman's managerial career started at Chesham United but he also managed Berkhamsted Town guiding them to the FA Vase Final at Villa Park and Hemel Hempstead Town who he guided to promotion to the Southern Premier League. Bateman took over at Slough Town in the 2008/09 season, leading them to safety and in the following season reached the Midland Division playoffs.
In 2010/11, Bateman guided Slough to the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, while Slough also ran St Neots Town close to the Southern League Division One Central title the following season (2011/12), losing in the playoff semi-final against landlords Beaconsfield, after finishing as runners-up. In 2012/13 Slough reached the first Round of the FA Cup where they drew away at Mansfield Town forcing a replay in front of a crowd of 1600 where they lost out on a penalty shoot out.
Bateman took over at Haywood Way on 13 November 2013 as the replacement for Craig Faulconbridge, guiding the team away from relegation finishing 16th. Bateman appointed Danny Gordon as his No2 for the 2014/15 season along with returning Head Coach Fraser McLachlan, although Gordon would leave to become joint manager at Burnham in December 2014.
At the start of the 2015/16 season, Adam Logie was appointed Assistant Manager to Bateman, with Fraser McLachlan continuing on his role as Head Coach.
Nickname
Aylesbury Vale adopted the nickname of "The Moles" after the moles that live under their pitch at Haywood Way. The moles there proved so stubborn and hard to eradicate that the club took them up as the team's nickname.
Players
Current squad
as of October 2015[5]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Development Squad
as of May 2015[6]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Former players
- Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
- Players with full international caps.
Senior club honours
- Spartan South Midlands Premier Division:[7]
- champions: 2009–10
- Spartan South Midlands Premier Division Cup:
- winners: 2009–10
- Spartan South Midlands Division One:[8]
- champions: 2003–04
- Spartan South Midlands Division Two:[8]
- Runners-up: 2001–02
- Chiltonian League Premier Division:[9]
- Runners-up: 1990–91, 1996–97
- Chiltonian League Division One:[9]
- Runners-up: 1989–90
- Aylesbury & District Thomas Field Shield:
- winners: 1999-00
- Wycombe Senior Cup:[10]
- winners: 1994–95
Club records
- Highest League Position:[7] 3rd in Southern League Division One Central 2014/15
- FA Cup best performance:[7] Fourth qualifying round 2009–10
- FA Trophy best performance:[7] First qualifying round 2010–11, 2011–12
- FA Vase best performance:[11] Third round 2008–09
Ground
Aylesbury play their games at Haywood Way, Aylesbury HP19 9WZ.[12] During the 2001/2002 season the club won a league award, from the Spartan South Midlands League for the best kept and most improved ground, after work was done on installing Floodlights and perimeter fencing.[10]
References
- ^ Aylesbury to get new semi pro football club
- ^ Ashley Bartlett (24 October 2009). "Aylesbury Football Club". Aylesbury Football Club. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ^ Ashley Bartlett (24 April 2010). "Aylesbury Football Club". Aylesbury Football Club. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ^ Ashley Bartlett (28 April 2010). "Aylesbury Football Club". Aylesbury Football Club. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ^ http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/aylesburyfc/s/the-team-77541.html
- ^ http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/aylesburyfc/l/the-team-77637.html
- ^ a b c d AYLESBURY at the Football Club History Database
- ^ a b HAYWOOD UNITED at the Football Club History Database
- ^ a b STOCKLAKE at the Football Club History Database
- ^ a b Ashley Bartlett (19 February 2011). "Aylesbury Football Club". Aylesbury Football Club. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ^ AYLESBURY VALE at the Football Club History Database
- ^ "Evostik League Southern – Club Directory". Southern-football-league.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2012.