Heworth AFC - The History
04 Mar 2007

The origins of The Club are somewhat hazy; However, we do know that it was in existence towards the end of the 19th Century.
An extract from the York Gazette of 23rd April 1898, reports on the AGM of Heworth Parish Church F.C, being held in The Nags Head, Heworth (Hence the Club Badge), where the club was contemplating joining the Second Division of the York & District Football League the following season.
A report regarding the League AGM in the same paper confirmed that W.Spink was elected as Hon Sec, F.Kitchin as Treasurer, B.Hopkins as Captain and H.Ward as Vice Captain.
The club were accepted and were soon promoted to the First Division, appearing to be a power without winning anything. A Reserve Combination League was formed shortly after the York & District League. Although this was run separately it only had a membership of Reserve teams of the clubs playing in the York & District League. Heworth also had a team in that league, winning the competition twice before the outbreak of the First World War. At sometime within the first ten years of formation the "Parish Church" title was dropped, with the club now being called Heworth AFC.
After the First World War the League was reformed and started with Heworth still in the First Division with 46 registered players. The Club continued it’s membership without setting the world on fire, however, one result in the 1922-23 season showed The Club winning 2-0 at home to the newly formed York City in a league game. The Club’s membership of the York & District League lapsed for a couple of seasons, before they reappeared as members of the Third Division in the 1926-27 season. The Club then appeared to fold in the 1930's. There are no records of The Club playing in the York & District League after that, whether it continued in another league or simply played friendlies we do not know.

HEWORTH AFC RE-FORMED (1958)

The Club was re-formed in 1958 by the late Harry Southwood, initially playing at Fulford Barracks, rejoining the York & District League at the start of the 1959-60 season with a Reserve Team entering two years later. The Club moved to Elm Park Way, Heworth the following year. Under Harry Southwood's leadership and that of the late George Asher, The Club's progress was rapid and by the 1966-67 season the First Team finished in the top half of the Third Division and the Reserve Team won Reserve Section B. Ten years later the First Team finished 5th in Division One and the Reserve Team 3rd in Reserve Section A. The ground at Elmpark Way was gradually being developed by Pete Wood and George Asher, unfortunately however, in 1978 disaster struck with the untimely death of George Asher.
The Cub continued to progress. A Team of Juniors played in the Sunday Afternoon League for a couple of seasons and a "Nags Head" Sunday morning team played in The John Smiths League.
In 1980, the club formed it's first recognised Junior Team, playing at U12 level in the York Mitchell Sports League and continued through the junior age groups to U17's. A member of that squad, Nick Flanagan still plays for the club to this day. The Junior Section developed rapidly and The Club soon had teams in every age group from U12's to U17's. By the mid 1980's Heworth was arguably the top junior club in the area winning silverware every season.
As the Juniors were going from strength to strength the fortunes of the two Senior Teams declined. Players were getting older and retiring with the result being that both teams were eventually relegated from the top divisions. Tragedy struck once again towards the end of the 1983-84 season, when 21 year old Paul Jarvis died on his way home after a game against Cliftonville. The First Team never picked up another point that season and were consequently relegated to the Third Division.
Further work was being undertaken to improve the pitches at Elmpark Way. Heworth Cricket Club were expanding and needed wickets for their third and fourth teams. A request was made by the Cricket Club to be able to use the pitches during Summer when football was not being played. This was agreed and the necessary work completed. Two Portakabins were obtained and used as changing rooms.
The 1987-88 Season saw the First Team relegated to the Fourth Division. This set back was followed in the Summer of 1988 by an even bigger one, when the club was given a years notice to quit Elm Park Way.
The priority now became the Junior teams and to try and keep them together. It was decided the best way forward was to move them to a club that could accommodate six Junior teams. This was done and they moved en-block to Cliftonville.
The Senior Teams were given an ultimatum by the League and were given 72 hours to decide whether or not they were going to continue. Club Secretary Malcolm Allerton and Stalwart Pete Wood along with Terry Baker met with the players and the decision was taken to field one team. This resulted in the Reserves being withdrawn from the League. All that was needed now was a new ground and with the help of the York area Youth Service a home was found at Burnholme School and a new era was about to begin.

AFTER ELMPARK WAY

May 1989 was a busy year re-organising The Club. Russ Caddie took football training at Tang Hall Primary School. Malcolm Allerton fulfilled the same task at Park Grove Primary School and with the encouragement of Terry Baker it was decided to pool the players from both schools and reform the Junior Section. Teams were entered at U12 level in the York Mitchell Sports League and U11 level in the Ryedale Junior League.
The 1989-90 season started with The Club fielding Three teams, the First Team and U12's playing at Burnholme School and the U11's playing at Stockton-On-Forest. By October of that season, demand was such that The Club were able to start an U10 team based at Park Grove School. Links were formed with Schools such as Park Grove, Haxby Road, Heworth, Hempland, Tang Hall and St Aelred's. The Club became a registered member of the youth organisation which allowed it use of the Sports Hall and Gymnasium at Burnholme School which proved invaluable for Winter training.
More good news came about in 1990 when the club's application to enter a team in the York & District League Reserve section was approved. This meant that the club had gone from One team to Six teams in two years.
Local sponsors for playing strips were obtained and the new landlord of the Nags Head, Derek Grange sponsored both Senior Teams. Derek also issued an open invitation for the players of the senior teams to visit the Nags Head for after match socialising.
Whilst the help The Club was getting as far as playing was greatly appreciated, it was felt that The Club needed a ground that belonged to them. Terry Baker, Malcolm Allerton and Keith Wilkinson who had recently joined the club as Manager of the U8 team, spent many hours in talks with Ryedale and York Councils and various local farmers, trying to obtain some land. Eventually, with the help of local Heworth Without Parish Council Chairman, Mick Bradley and Ryedale District Council, some land on Malton Road near to Hopgrove was allocated for The Club to share with Huntington Junior Football Club.
Funding was needed to develop the area and a company specialising in lottery bids, Projex of Halifax was employed. As a consequence of receiving any lottery funding the application had to incorporate various different sports. To this end York Archers and Stockton and Hopgrove Cricket Club were also brought on board. Heworth introduced Girls & Womens teams as part of the bid. Special mention must be made of Steve Mattingley who drove the application from Heworth’s perspective and was the original Chairman of the Committee. Unfortunately, ill health took Steve from us just as the complex had been built.
During this time many fundraising schemes had taken place ranging from Sponsored Bike Rides to Race Nights and a Football Tournament was introduced in 1996, by another new recruit to the club, Dave Cowan. This has since become the major source of income for the club.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Unfortunately, Heworth Valkyries Ladies team lasted only 1 season, however the Girls team under the guidance of Sue Wilkinson have continued to prosper.
The two Saturday Senior Teams are slowly starting to improve, indeed the Reserves are currently pushing strongly for promotion from Section B.
The Sunday Morning team is doing well under Gareth Sullivan.
The Junior Boys have had to register with the NRCFA as a separate club (Heworth Juniors AFC), as have the Girls (Heworth Girls AFC), but all come under the banner of Heworth AFC. All the teams play and train at the Hopgrove Sports Complex, with the exception of the U7’s and U8’s,who, after The Club reached an agreement with City of York Hockey Club now play at our old home at Elmpark Way, but continue to train at Burnholme Community College.
The Junior teams continue to do well and are all now managed and coached by qualified FA coaches. The infrastructure of The Club is more solid than ever and many new members, too numerous to mention are very committed to the future of The Club.
The Club is dedicated to the rules and regulations of the F.A’s Charter Standard and was successful in achieving this prestigious award in April 2005.

* The above information was compiled with the help of our former Chairman and my friend Malcolm Allerton who was "Mr Heworth AFC".
Sadly, Mal is no longer with us and we miss him greatly. Without Mal's influence we would not be The Club we are today.

Keith Wilkinson
Club Secretary/Chairman
(04/03/07)