Saltash United F.C.
| File:Saltash United Crest.png | |||
| Full name | Saltash United Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Ashes | ||
| Founded | 1946 | ||
| Ground | Kimberley Stadium, Saltash | ||
| Manager | Matt Cusack | ||
| League | Western League Premier Division | ||
| 2023–24 | Western League Premier Division, 13th of 18 | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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Saltash United Football Club is a Cornish semi-professional football club based in Saltash, Cornwall that plays in the Western League Premier Division.
Since its formation in 1946, the club has won three Western Football League Premier Division titles, one Western Football League Division One title and two South Western League titles.
The club crest adopts the heraldic seal used by the town of Saltash for many centuries. The shield is placed between two ostrich feathers and ensigned by a crown, which are taken from the arms of the Duchy of Cornwall.
The Charter of Incorporation refers to the town of Saltash as 'Essa', Latin for 'Ash' – to which the club takes its nickname.
History
Foundation, formation and the early years
Football in Saltash was first played as long ago as 1893. Teams played under several names – Essa, Saltash Stars and Saltash Town among them. The Saltash team disbanded with the onset of the Second World War but a new club, Saltash United, was formed for the 1946–47 season, playing in the Cornwall Senior League Eastern Section.
In the 1950–51 season the Ashes won the "Triple Crown" taking all three Cornish senior trophies: the Cornwall Senior Cup, the Durning Lawrence Charity Cup and the Herald Cup.
Two seasons later, they won the title in the 1953–54 campaign.[2] The club stayed in the South Western league until the end of the 1976 season except for a four-season period when they left the league at the end of the 1958–59 campaign and rejoined again for the 1962–63 season. In their last season in the South Western League, 1975–76, they won the league for a second time.
The 1980s
On gaining promotion from the South Western League to the Western League in 1976, Saltash won the First Division Championship in their first season. The Ashes went on to become one of the great forces in the Western League Premier Division during the 80's in which barely a season went by without the team securing at least one piece of silverware.
1987 Cup run
Irregular entrants since 1970, Saltash fell agonisingly close to reaching the FA Cup first round in 1987. Farnborough F.C., then of the Isthmian League Premier Division, won the Fourth Round Qualifying tie, ending the most successful run for Saltash in the famous knockout cup competition's history.[2] Farnborough went on to lose 2–1 to Cambridge United in the First Round.
Since 1990
By the end of the 1994–95 season the club returned to the South Western League as the high travelling expense of competing in the Western League took its toll. Former European Cup winner Allan Evans became manager in 2002 and his influence was immediately felt with new players and a new approach to club discipline and training. Despite rejoining the Western League First Division for 2 seasons in 2004–05 and 2005–06, the club have since been unable to repeat the success of the 1980s. In 2007, they joined the newly formed South West Peninsula League finishing the inaugural season as runners-up. On 29 May 2013, Saltash announced Martin Burgess as first team manager, succeeding Stuart Dudley who resigned at the end of the 2012–2013 season.[3] On 21 January 2015, Martin Burgess stepped down as manager with the Ashes second in the table, only a point behind the leaders citing player priorities and squad availability as the reasons for his resignation.[4] The club broke their record for most consecutive wins at the start of a season by beating St Blazey 5-0 on 27 August 2016.
Stadium
Saltash United play their home games at Kimberley Stadium, Callington Road, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6DX. The ground, holding up to 3,000 fans, is floodlit with a covered seated stand and licensed clubhouse.[5]
Playing in the Cornwall Senior League Eastern Section, the original ground was Maunders Field – 0.3 miles from their current home at Kimberley Stadium.
Tim Halford Stand
On July 12, 2008, the football club staged the first annual memorial day for Tim Halford in which Kimberley Stadium's main grandstand was renamed the Tim Halford Stand.[6] Tim was the Ashes manager when he died in September 2007 at the age of 45.
Rivalries
The club's traditional rivals are fellow East Cornwall side Liskeard Athletic F.C. (the game is known as the East Cornwall Derby). Although a rivalry also exists with Callington Town, it has been somewhat subdued in recent seasons due to the fact they compete a division below Saltash in the South West Peninsula League Division 1 West. On 8 July 2012, the club announced the signings of four Liskeard Athletic players, Demitri Kanakh, Matt Godfree, Lewis Russell and Richard Maddison. The four were to be joined by their former manager in late 2012, when Martin Burgess stepped down as manager of Liskeard to fill the vacant assistant managers post at Kimberley Stadium. On 29 May 2013, Saltash announced Burgess as first team manager, succeeding Stuart Dudley who resigned at the end of the 2012–2013 season.[3]
Honours
Saltash United's list of honours include the following.
| Honour | Number | Years | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | |||||
| Western Football League Champions | 3 | 1984–85, 1986–87, 1988–89 | |||
| Western Football League Runners-up | 2 | 1983–84, 1987–88 | |||
| Western Football League Division One Champions | 1 | 1976–77 | |||
| South West Peninsula League Runners-up | 2 | 2007–08, 2016–17 | |||
| South Western League Champions | 2 | 1953–54, 1975–76 | |||
| South Western League Runners-up | 4 | 1952–53, 1973–74, 1974–75, 2006–07 | |||
| Domestic Cups | |||||
| South Western League Cup Winners | 1 | 1952–5 | |||
| Cornwall Senior Cup Winners | 7 | 1950–51, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1992–93, 2017–18 | |||
| Cornwall Senior Cup Runners-up | 8 | 1951-52, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1988–89, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2016–17 | |||
| Cornwall Charity Cup Winners | 2 | 1950–51, 2000–01 | |||
| Western Football League Cup Winners | 2 | 1986–87, 1987–8 | |||
| South West Peninsula League Charity Cup Winners | 1 | 2007–08 | |||
† Limited details available, may have achieved more.
Records
- Best FA Cup performance: FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying (1987–88)[2]
- Best FA Trophy performance: First Round (1985–86, 1986–87)[2]
- Best FA Vase performance: Third Round (1996–97, 2013–14)[2]
- Most League goals in a season (by team): 127 (1974–75, South Western League, 36 games)
- Most League points in a season: 90 (2016–17, South West Peninsula League Premier Division, 38 games)
Players
Current squad
- As of 1 July 2018[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable former players
This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time.
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Club officials
Committee Members
| Position | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| President | Sheila Lennox-Boyd |  English
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| Vice President / Chairman | Colin Phillips | English
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| Vice Chairman | Bren Cummins | English
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| Secretary / Treasurer | Steve Morley | English
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| Football Secretary | Scott Cooksley | English
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| Head of Media | Craig-Rowberry Harrison | English
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Coaching positions
First Team
| Position | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Manager: | Matt Cusack | English
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| Assistant Manager: | Dane Bunney | English
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| First Team Coach: | Steve Sargison | English
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| Head Physio: | Richard Haydon | English
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Reserves
| Position | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Manager: | Steve Manuel | English
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| Assistant Manager: | Eddie Shapland | 
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| Physio/Fitness Coach: | Brendan Lightfoot | English
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Sponsorship
The club's current sportswear manufacturer is Puma. The club's main sponsor is PestFix, a company specialising in Pest Control Supplies & Consumables.
References
- ^ [1]. www.books.google.co.uk.co.uk. Retrieved 2013.
- ^ a b c d e SALTASH UNITED at the Football Club History Database
- ^ a b [2]. www.plymouthherald.co.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ [3]. www.plymouthherald.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ^ [4]. www.plymouthherald.co.uk Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ [5]. www.plymouthherald.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
- ^ "First Team - The Team". www.saltashunited.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
External links
- Official Club website
- Saltash United at the Football Club History Database