1st Team
08 Jul 2006

By the 2004/05 season we found ourselves challenging for promotion into the top London division, and achieved this by beating the second placed team, Hitchin Town, in the last game of the season to move above them. 2004/05 also saw us enter the FA Cup for the first time in our history, with considerable success as we navigated the qualifying rounds to reach the first round proper. The same season also saw an outstanding run in the London FA County Cup, knocking West Ham United out in the last eight to reach the semi finals along with national Premier League clubs Arsenal, Charlton and Fulham. We eventually succumbed to the latter in a memorable semi-final, but the memory will be with everyone for a long time.

Most people outside the club seemed to expect us to struggle in the higher league, but we proved everyone wrong with another excellent season in 2005/06. After leading the way for much of the season, we eventually lost out on the title by just 3 points. This resulted in a play off against the runners up of the South East league, Horley Town. Unfortunately due to a combination of missing several key players and having had a six week break between the last game of the season and the play off we were never in the game and were comfortably beaten.

The 2006/07 season didn't begin too well, with a goal less home draw with Garston followed by a 6-3 defeat at Coney Hall. However, five consecutive wins sent us flying up the table, only to come back down with a bump after an undeserved 2-1 defeat at London Colney, followed by a 1-0 reverse at Clapton Orient.

This was followed by four wins and a draw, including a hugely impressive 9-2 victory against Kent Magpies, and with Coney Hall run away leaders at the top we found oursleves in a two way scrap for second place with London Colney.

Our next game was Coney Hall at home. For 42 minutes things went very well, as we dominated against the league leaders and came close to scoring on several occasions. The it all went wrong as two opposition players were dismissed, one of whom then threw a punch at the ref causing the game to be abandoned.

Astonishingly we then went five consecutive Sundays without a game, only to be then forced to play the vital game against London Colney on a bank holiday weekend. We were missing key players through holiday, and were at a massive disadvantage having not played for so long, and these factors contributed us slipping to a 3-1 defeat. The season then ended on a low with a 2-1 defeat at Garston.

2007/08 will see a number of changes for the first team. Russell Howes resigned as manager, and has been replaced by Jon Hurrell, who will be assisted by Simon Peat. Russell remains at the club in a general manager role.

Reserves
07 Jul 2006

The original team's move up through the leagues, and the associated increase in playing standard, left several players unable to hold down a regular place. Additionally we were being contacted by an increasing number of players looking to join us, and at the start of the 2004/05 season it was decided to form a reserves section.

Whilst the reserves have found the going tough in the first two seasons, the signs of improvement are there for all to see, and we are hopeful of a much improved campaign in 2006/07.

[Update: Sept 2008]

Continued improvement has seen the reserves finish 2nd in Res. Div 2 for season 2006/07, and clinch the club's first piece of silverware the following season, winning the Sue Sharples Memorial Trophy.

The reserves will compete in Div 3 south for season 2008/09, following the league re-structure.