Officially, documented accounts reflect Galleywood Football Club was formed in 1912, though there is some discussion here. Certainly Galleywood Football Club, or Galleywood Social as it was formerly known, has been based within the community and playing at Clarkes Field, Slades Lane for most of this past century

No club of any sporting interest can withstand the test of time without the support of the community and it’s members. Perhaps one of the club’s greatest strengths is it’s ability and willingness to draw on the families living near to it’s base to afford them the opportunity of an environment of friendship and team spirit. Certainly the club’s greatest assets are it’s members.

Though not unique there are many sides to Galleywood Football Club, past, present and planned future.

A considerate mix of senior and youth football teams now exist and play under one badge. This has not always been so, though the black and white kit colours retain their original form.

The Chelmsford and Mid-Essex League formed in 1898, a short time before Galleywood Football Club, and was the first League affiliated to by the Club for the 1920-21 season. As with many local football clubs, Galleywood were drawn to this League not necessarily by its locality but its high standard and esteem among those other local Leagues being created. Such high standards ensured trophies were hard to come by and it was not until the 1930’s that Galleywood Football Club began to leave it’s mark on the League’s Honours boards.

It was in the 1929-30 season that the League introduced a domestic knock out cup competition to be run "along the lines of the F.A. Cup" as proposed by Mr Finch of Chelmsford Rangers and it was introduced as the Hugh Wright Cup. Considering the League had now grown to over 40 teams, it was decided this level could support such a competition. Easter Monday became the firmly fixed date of the competition final and Galleywood Football Club excelled by winning in both 1937-38 and 1939-40 seasons. For cup competitions, the 1939-40 season remains one of the most successful in the Clubs history with success in both the Knock Out Trophy and League Cup. On the League front the 1933-34 and 1935-36 seasons saw Galleywood Football Club win the Minor Division and then the Division Two titles.

Former Chelmsford and Mid-Essex League Hon. Secretary and Treasurer W.T. Spurgeon had the foresight at this time to see the value of introducing "Minors" Football or youth sides to the League to assist the continued support of players. Galleywood were one of the first clubs to adopt and introduce to the new Division Four of the League, an Under 18’s side which during the 1930’s were Division winners in their own right.

Having firmly established themselves on the playing field, Galleywood Football Club attracted and kept those closest to its heart. By the 1940’s many of the club’s officials had been with it for going on 25 years, certainly Mr A.W. Lodge went further and retained the position of Hon. Secretary for 42 years until 1964. The League and Galleywood Football Club maintained a minor but morale boosting administration during the war years and it was the "Big Freeze" year of 1947 which saw Galleywood take the Division Two title again for promotion to Division One.

The following 1947-48 season saw success for Galleywood again by winning the Division One Cup. Success cannot be taken for granted and Galleywood have had their share of bad luck. Hopefully it will not equal the 1950-51 season Premier Division Cup Final which attracted over 2000 spectators and saw Maldon Town beat Galleywood by the comfortable margin of 11 goals to 0.

Although reduced to three Divisions during the 1950’s, the high standard of football within the now renamed Mid-Essex League continued to attract major local town reserve teams. Further Division Two Honours were won during the 1956-57 season, at a time when further restructuring was made by narrowing the Leagues due to the loss of younger players to National Service. As certain as more clubs joined newly formed Leagues and bolstered existing administrations to new levels, competition for Club Honours was greater. Galleywood maintained its success with the Mid-Essex League and won the Division One title in season 1961-62. The introduction of a reserve side to the Mid-Essex League was a natural progression and the reserves began to find their own success with the 1978-79 season Division Three winners. The reserve side gained further honours winning the Junior Cup in the 1979-80 season, the senior first side later taking the trophy in the 1985-86 season.

The senior first side was affiliated to the Essex Intermediate Football League in 1990 bringing a new level and standard of the game to Slades Lane. A third senior Saturday side now also plays as a reserve side within the Mid-Essex League ans this year saw the launch of a veterans side playing in the Mid-Essex Veterans league.

Sunday senior football is played within the Chelmsford Pope & Smith Sunday Football league and the Chelmsford Invitation League where Galleywood Football Club has been represented for some years now.

Perhaps the biggest development within the club occurred at the end of the 1995 season. For some years, the Galleywood "Eagles" Youth Football Club activities had been interwoven with the senior club. Club members were approached and the two factions merged to play under the one Galleywood Football Club banner. The advantages of this move were undoubtedly to provide an easier transition for players from the older youth sides to the senior sides. Obviously, it also brought more people into the club as membership extended from senior down to those parents of the Under 7’s age group.

The Galleywood "Eagles" youth sides had been in existence for many years in their own right and successful within the Chelmsford Youth League, Echo Youth League and Colchester Youth League. As managers became appointed from the Under 9’s age grouping, they tended to stay throughout the youth setting, up to and including Under 17’s. Season 1995-96 saw the Under 17’s at that time come runners up in the Pelly Cup, one of the County Cup competitions and the Under 14’s achieve a League and League Cup double within the Echo League.

The standard of youth football within Essex is very high and Galleywood Football Club actively encourages involvement and participation at age groups based on school year ages. More recently, the Football Association’s decision to extend organised football down to Under 8’s children on a small sided scale was embraced with enthusiasm. This involved major expense by the club for investment in pitches, goals, training equipment as well as small sized kit for two age groups below the normal age for entrance to League football. However, with the support of the parents and membership through the club, successful introduction to organised football at this young age has been accomplished.

Those involved with the younger youth age within the club have always maintained that there is no standard setting at Galleywood Football Club. This basically means anyone is welcome and entitled to play football. The past few years has seen a number of younger children coming along mid season to Galleywood having started the year at other clubs but rejected mid season as not quite meeting the grade. We regard this as a worrying aspect of football within the community which is being geared for stronger and more elitism within some clubs. Equally worrying is the increasing costs involved with training and playing football within the immediate area. These costs can provide extreme hardship on some families. The fund raising activities entered by the club members is established to in part subsidise those one parent families and those families on support finances. This as well as moving the club forward to better facilities means that many club activities and events are organised each season.

It is the intention of Galleywood to welcome and expand upon the introduction of girls’ football during the past three years. More girls are welcomed as the weeks pass and we were delighted to establish our first girls’ League side registered and playing under the colours of Galleywood Football Club last year.

Approximately 150 boys are registered with Galleywood Football Club covering age groups from Under 9’s through Under 16’s. Children as young as 5 years of age attend regular Saturday training sessions and generally continue until they come of age for League representation.

As previously mentioned, Galleywood Football Club is not unique in what it does or stands for, but as a community outlet for sport and social activity, it’s contribution is indeed valuable.



The History of Galleywood Football Club was
researched and written by Steve Walton