Billericay Town F.C.
| File:Billericay Town F.C. Logo.png | |||
| Full name | Billericay Town Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Ricay, The Blues | ||
| Founded | 1880 | ||
| Ground | New Lodge, Billericay | ||
| Capacity | 3,500 | ||
| Chairman | Steve Kent | ||
| Manager | Craig Edwards | ||
| League | Isthmian League Premier Division | ||
| 2015–16 | Isthmian League Premier Division, 9th | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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Billericay Town Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Billericay, Essex. They currently compete in Isthmian League Premier Division.
Billericay Town is one of only two clubs to have won three FA Vases.[1]
History
Billericay Football Club was formed in 1880,[2] though the 1977 FA Vase Final programme mentions that the club celebrated its centenary in 1976,[3] and played in local Essex leagues until 1966 when they became founding members of the Essex Olympian League,[4] and then became founder-members of the Essex Senior League five years later.[4]
When the club was 'reformed' after the war for the 1946-47 season 'Town' was added to the club name.[5]
Until 1920 the town was also represented by Billericay Albion FC who played at Newlands Road. There was also Billericay Thursday FC who played on a pitch near New Lodge as well as sharing Archer Memorial Hall either side of the war.[5]
They won the Essex Senior League three times and the league cup four times during the 1970s. Billericay also won the FA Vase twice during their time in the Essex Senior League.[4]
They were promoted to the Athenian League in 1977, winning the league cup in their first season and the championship in the following two.[4] Due to this success the club was promoted to the Isthmian League.[4] In 1978–79, their last season in the Athenian League, Billericay Town became the first club to win a third FA Vase; it was also notable as Dougie Young scored the first hat-trick at Wembley in a final since Geoff Hurst in 1966.
Entering the Isthmian League at Division Two, they won the title in their first season and were promoted to Division One. The following season the club were promoted to the Premier Division as runners-up. During the 1980s they were relegated twice and played in Division Two North until 1992, when they finished third and were promoted to Division One. In 1997–98 the club finished runners-up and were promoted back to the Premier Division. Billericay finished second in the Isthmian League Premier Division in the 2004–05 season, but failed to earn promotion as they lost 1–0 to Leyton in the end of season playoffs. In the 2006–07 season Billericay again came close to promotion, losing on penalties in the play-off final to Bromley. After 4 more seasons of mid-table finishes Billericay Town finally won promotion to the Conference South by winning the Isthmian League Premier Division championship.[4]
FA Cup
Billericay Town have reached the FA Cup First Round Proper on three occasions.[4]
The first appearance came during the 1997–98 season. Having beaten Camberley Town in the Fourth Qualifying Round in a replay Billericay Town hosted Wisbech Town. The visitors left New Lodge with a 3–2 victory.
Prior to this Billericay had reached the Fourth Qualifying Round twice. In 1977 they lost to Hendon and in 1995 they lost a replay against Wisbech Town.
In 2005 The Blues travelled to Stevenage Borough and left having only lost 1–0.
The last time Town reached the First Round was in 2007–08. League One Swansea City travelled across the country to visit New Lodge. Billericay took the lead but the league side won the match 2–1.
Club Badge
It appears that the current design for Billericay Town's club badge was created when the club were granted senior status in 1971. The badge features an image of the Mayflower, which set sail for North America in 1620. Some of the ship's passengers were from Billericay.[6]
First team
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Management
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Craig Edwards
|
| Assistant manager | Kevin Ramsay
|
| First team coach | Alex Fiddes
|
| Goalkeeping Coach | Vacant |
| Physiotherapist | Kevin Head
|
Stadium
Billericay Town play their home games at New Lodge,[7] which has a capacity of around 3,500 and seating for over 400. The ground was opened in 1970.
Prior to the clubs move to New Lodge they used to play at Archer Hall on Laindon Road.[5]
Honours
Leagues
- Isthmian League Premier Division
- Winners 2011–12
- Runners-up 2004-05
- Playoff finalists 2006–07
- Isthmian League Division One
- Runners-up 1980–81, 1997–98
- Isthmian League Division Two
- Champions 1979–80
- Third 1991-92 [8]
- Isthmian League Division Two North
- Third 1990-91 [8]
- Athenian League
- Champions 1977–78, 1978–79
- Essex Senior League
- Champions 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76
- Runners-up 1971–72, 1973–74
- Essex Senior League Reserve Division [4]
- Champions 1974–75
- Runners-up 1972–73, 1975–76
- Third 1973–74, 1976–77
- Essex Olympian League [9]
- Winners 1969–70, 1970–71
- Chelmsford & District League Division Three[10]
- Winners 1932–33
Cup Competitions
- FA Vase
- Winners 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79
- Essex Senior Cup [11]
- Winners 1975–76, 2010–11
- Runners-up 1985–86, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2014–15
- Essex Senior Trophy[12]
- Winners 1977–78, 1979–80
- Isthmian League Cup
- Runners-up 2005–06
- Athenian League Cup
- Winners 1977–78
- Essex Senior League Cup
- Winners 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1976–77
- Runners-up 1974–75
- East Anglian Cup[13]
- Runners-up 1979–80
- Essex Thameside Trophy[13]
- Winners 1986-87, 1991–92
- Runners-up 1990-91
- Essex Olympian League Senior Division Cup[9]
- Winners 1970–71
- Essex Olympian League Challenge Cup[9]
- Winners 1970–71, 1971–72 (Shared)
- J.T. Clark Memorial Trophy[13]
- Winners 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
- Phillips Electrical Floodlight Trophy[13]
- Winners 1976–77
Awards
- Rothmans Merit Award
- Winners 1978 [14]
Records
Club
- Biggest victory: 11–0 v Stansted (away), Essex Senior League, 5 May 1976
- Biggest defeat: 3–10 v Chelmsford City (away), Essex Senior Cup, 4 January 1993
- Highest Attendance (Non-competitive): 3841 v West Ham United, 1977.
- Highest Attendance (Competitive): 3193 v Farnborough, Competitive, 1976
- Most league goals in a season: 105 in 34 matches, 1969–70
Players
- Most appearances: 418 – John Pullin
- Most goals: 275 – Fred Claydon
- Most goals in a season: 51 – Leon Gutzmore, 1997–98
Top Scorers
References
External links
51°37′18.5334″N 0°24′11.8008″E / 51.621814833°N 0.403278000°E |