WHITBY WANDERERS- PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE...
21 Jun 2011

While there had been exhibition games involving a team of Whitby Town Supporters in the past, it was Andrew Snaith who took over in December 2004 and made the matches a regular event.

The first encounter was a six a side in Derbyshire, where Matlock ran out 10-6 victors, before a 1-1 draw between the two senior teams that afternoon.

Regular friendlies with ASC Ilkeston for a few years followed with Matlock, Hyde United and Blyth Spartans also involved.

After a bit of cajoling from Ilkeston supremo Alex Middleton, Snaith looked into joining the Internet Football Association in 2008.

The Blues held a poll on the official unofficial Town website to come up with a proper name. Whitby Wanderers then kicked off their IFA career with a 7-0 drubbing at FC Buxton. Since then, the margins got slimmer with York enjoying back to back victories, including a narrow 3-2 at the Turnbull Ground when Whitby Town left-back Alex Janes took part for the Minstermen.

The Seasiders enjoyed their first ever success, at local rivals Scarborough, 3-1 in May 2008, with fifth-placed Halifax put to the sword, albeit in a friendly, the following day.

The next season saw the Blues play their full 20 IFA games as well as regular friendlies, with games against the supporters of Hull City, Darlington and memorably Doncaster Rovers, when Whitby Town's former midfielder Tom Claisse turned out. Only five of the league's 87 teams managed to play their maximum 20-game allocation.

It was an amazing achievement, with Wanderers going on to earn second place to West Ham United in the IFA Team of the Year award.

Wanderers then went on to Glasgow in June for the Ian Younger 6 a side competition at Hampden Park. After despatching Queens Park 1-0(Darren Magill) and Leyton Orient 2-1(Dan Wilson, Darren Magill), Wanderers lost out 5-3 to Paris St Germain in the quarter-finals.

The Blues then went to Leeds for Worldnet 2009 but found Bradford(0-3), Welling(0-5) and Watford A(0-1) too hot to handle, before losing out 2-0 to Crystal Palace in the Plate competition EARLY the next day.

Wanderers did well to make 15 games in 2009/10, including a shock win over Grimsby, but the following campaign was to be Snaith's last in charge.

He handed the reins over to former club skipper Mark Jackson after defeat at Newcastle on October 17th 2010. In total, under Snaith, Wanderers played 47 competitive matches- winning 7 and drawing 1- includes ties against the supporters of Ayr, Queens Park, Newcastle United, Sunderland, Hull City, Darlington, York City, Grimsby Town, Crystal Palace, Bradford City, Watford, Bury, Barnsley, Halifax and many more.

Jackson became Wanderers' second-ever manager winning his debut friendly over Fishburn Park Veterans on November 14th 2010.