Walton & Hersham F.C.

Coordinates: 51°23′57.851″N 0°24′44.122″W / 51.39940306°N 0.41225611°W / 51.39940306; -0.41225611
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Walton & Hersham
Logo
Full nameWalton & Hersham Football Club
Nickname(s)The Swans
The Sham
The Waltz
Founded1945
GroundElmbridge Sports Hub
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
ChairmanAlan Smith
ManagerGary Taylor
LeagueSouthern League Premier Division South
2023–24Southern League Premier Division South, 7th of 22
WebsiteClub website

Walton & Hersham Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Founded in 1945 after the amalgamation of Walton F.C. and Hersham F.C., they currently play in the Southern League Premier Division South. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association.

Walton F.C. was formed in 1895, and merged with Hersham F.C. following World War II. The club first played in the Corinthian League, winning it a league record three consecutive times from 1947 to 1949. After the dissolution of the Corinthian League, they joined the Athenian League and won the Premier Division in 1969. The club's most successful period soon followed with an FA Amateur Cup win at Wembley Stadium in 1973.

After a brief spell with Sir Stanley Matthews appointed club president, Walton & Hersham were promoted to the Isthmian top flight in 1994 but saw relegation just two years later. Former Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis became a member of the board of directors in the 2000s. The club were relegated to the Combined Counties League Premier Division following the 2015–16 season. In August 2017, Walton & Hersham left Stompond Lane and moved into the Elmbridge Sports Hub - a £20 million sports complex development shared with Walton Casuals.

The Swans inspired the name of punk band Sham 69 (who formed in 1976), as they derived it from a piece of graffiti which read 'Walton & Hersham 69'.

History

For a detailed list of season standings, see List of Walton & Hersham F.C. seasons.

1945–1963

In 1945, after World War II, Walton F.C. amalgamated with Hersham F.C. to form Walton & Hersham. The club joined the newly formed Corinthian League and after a poor first season, won the league three consecutive times from 1946 to 1949. They won the Surrey Senior Cup for the first team in the 1947–48 season, beating Kingstonian 2–1 at Crystal Palace. The club were elected to the Athenian League for the 1950–51 season, and won the Surrey Senior Cup for a second time after beating Dulwich Hamlet.

Walton & Hersham reached the FA Amateur Cup semi-finals in both the 1951–52 and 1952–53 seasons. During this period the club gained a substantial following, and set a record crowd of 10,000 at Stompond Lane when Crook Town visited. The team included England and Great Britain Olympic defender C.R. "Jack" Neale, and the club's record goalscorer Reg Sentance.

The club reached the FA Cup First Round for the first time in 1957–58, losing 6–1 to Southampton in front of 6,000 people. They won the Surrey Senior Cup for a third time in 1960–61, and retained the trophy the following year.

1963–1994

The Athenian League expanded in 1963 and Walton & Hersham were placed in the Premier Division. A period of mid-table football followed until the 1967 appointment of Allen Batsford as manager heralded a new era of success. In 1968–69 he won the Athenian League, followed by two successive visits to the FA Cup First Round in 1969–70 and 1970–71. The Surrey Senior Cup was won again in 1970–71.

Walton & Hersham were elected to the Isthmian League in 1971, and the 1972–73 season proved statistically their greatest ever. They won the Surrey Senior Cup, finished as runners-up in the league, reached the FA Cup Second Round for the first time and, most prestigiously, won the FA Amateur Cup, defeating Slough Town at Wembley Stadium. They set a unique record by winning the competition without conceding a goal. Players including Dave Bassett, Willie Smith and Roger Connell became regulars in the England amateur international team. In 1973–74, the club reached the FA Cup Second Round again, having beaten Brian Clough's Brighton & Hove Albion at Goldstone Ground 4–0. Following the defeat, Clough almost got into a fight with comedian Eric Sykes, who was associated with Brighton & Hove Albion at the time and was laughing about the result to a friend during a phone call.

In 1974, Batsford left to manage Wimbledon and took several players with him. Walton & Hersham were relegated in 1975 and, although they reached the FA Cup First Round again in the 1975–76 season, they went close to extinction in the late 1970s. They inspired the name of punk band Sham 69 (who formed in 1976), as they derived it from a piece of graffiti which read 'Walton & Hersham 69'. Despite briefly having Sir Stanley Matthews as President, the club endured a lean period throughout the 1980s.

1994–present

Walton & Hersham were promoted to the Isthmian top flight in 1994, and reached the FA Cup First Round again that season, although relegation followed in 1996. They were promoted the following year, but relegation followed again in 2000.[1] After a spell in the Isthmian League First Division, they appointed long-serving player Alan Dowson as manager and he led them to a successful 2004–05 season, with promotion secured as runners-up.

After the resignation of Alan Dowson in October 2006, former Gillingham first-team coach Bobby Paterson took over after a long search for a new manager. Walton & Hersham were relegated that season and Paterson's contract was terminated. The assistant manager Les Cleevely - the former Carshalton Athletic player/assistant manager for whom he made over 500 appearances - took over.

Former Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis became a member of Walton & Hersham's board of directors, and after a mid-table finish to the 2007–08 season, Les Cleevely became the academy coach while Jimmy Bolton took over as manager. In March 2009, Jimmy Bolton was replaced for the rest of the season by Matt Elverson as caretaker manager. During the 2009 off-season, John Crumplin was appointed manager, although his reign only lasted until September 2010. Chuck Martini was appointed soon after.

At the end of the 2015-16 season Walton & Hersham were relegated to the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division. The club appointed Simon Haughney as first team manager on 22 June 2016, with former Guyana international Howard Newton as assistant manager.

Stadium

From October 2017 Walton & Hersham play their home games at New Stompond Lane, off Waterside Drive, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 2JP. Prior to this they played at The Sports Ground, Stompond Lane which will soon become housing.

Main article: The Sports Ground, Stompond Lane

Players and staff

Current squad

As of 3 April 2018[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Canada CAN Brendan Norris
— GK England ENG James Russell
— DF England ENG Jim Fenlon
— DF England ENG Charlie Holmes
— DF England ENG Julian Hornby
— DF England ENG Billy Jeffreys
— DF Guyana GUY Jake Newton
— DF England ENG Adam Thompson
— DF England ENG Jamie Thoroughgood
— MF England ENG Jamel Johnson
— MF England ENG Jesse Kewley-Graham
— MF Guyana GUY Howard Newton
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Chris Onoufriou
— MF Northern Ireland NIR James Simmonds
— MF England ENG Elliott Simpson
— MF England ENG Leon Solomon
— MF England ENG Louis Taylor
— FW England ENG Abdeen Abdul
— FW England ENG Cameron Gyeabour
— FW England ENG Karl Parker
— FW England ENG Tinashe Nkoma
— FW England ENG Athan Smith-Joseph
— FW England ENG Sam Shaban

Coaching staff

As of 3 April 2018.[3]
Position Name
Manager England Gary Taylor
Assistant
First Team Coach
Club Physio

Achievements

Winners (3): 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49
Runners-up (1): 1949–50
Winners (1): 1968–69
Runners-up (3): 1950–51, 1969–70, 1970–71
Winners (1): 1972–73
Winners (6): 1947–48, 1950–51, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1970–71, 1972–73
Runners-up (5): 1946–47, 1951–52, 1969–70, 1973–74, 2004–05
Runners-up (1): 1973–74

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.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Walton & Hersham". fchd.info. Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  2. ^ "Profiles". Walton & Hersham FC. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Officials". waltonandhershamfc.org.uk. Walton & Hersham Football Club. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
  4. ^ "Saturday Senior Cup Previous Winners". SurreyFA. Archived from the original on 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2013-04-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Memorandum Of Procedures For Dealing With Misconduct Occurring". Docstoc.com. 2010-04-24. Archived from the original on 2014-04-16. Retrieved 2013-04-09. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

External links

51°23′57.851″N 0°24′44.122″W / 51.39940306°N 0.41225611°W / 51.39940306; -0.41225611

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