Erith Town Football Club is a football club based in Thamesmead in South East London, England. They are currently members of the Isthmian League South East Division and play at Bayliss Avenue.
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| Full name | Erith Town Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Dockers | ||
| Founded | 1959 | ||
| Ground | Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead | ||
| Chair | Kay Deveney | ||
| Manager | Adam Woodward | ||
| League | Isthmian League South East Division | ||
| 2023–24 | Southern Counties East League Premier Division, 4th of 21 (promoted via play-offs) | ||
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History
editThe club was established in 1959 as a Sunday league club under the name Woolwich Town. They initially played in the London Metropolitan Sunday League and were Senior Section champions in 1965–66, 1970–71 and 1974–75.[1] In 1989 the club was renamed Woolwich Heathway, but reverted to their original name within a year.[2][1] In 1991 they began playing Saturday football,[1] joining Division Two of the Spartan League.[3] Despite only finishing ninth in their first season in Division Two, the club were promoted to Division One due to league restructuring.[1] In 1994–95 they finished second in Division One, earning promotion to the Premier Division.[4]
In 1996 Woolwich transferred to the Kent League, and at the end of the 1996–97 season were renamed Erith Town due to their move to the Erith Stadium.[1][4] They won the Kent League's Premier Division Cup in 2007–08, beating Hythe Town 1–0 in the final.[5] The club reached the final again the following season, losing 3–1 on penalties to Croydon after a 1–1 draw. A proposed merger with Dartford Town in the summer of 2010 was abandoned,[6] and the club went on to win the Kent Senior Trophy in 2010–11 with a 3–1 win over Tunbridge Wells in the final.[5] In 2013 the league was renamed the Southern Counties East League.[7] In 2023–24 they won the League Challenge Cup, beating Corinthian 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw,[8] as well as winning the Kent Senior Trophy for the second time with a 3–2 win against Croydon in the final. The club went on to finish league season in fourth place, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Glebe 2–1 in the semi-finals, they defeated Corinthian on penalties in the final to earn promotion to the South East Division of the Isthmian League.[9]
Ground
editDuring the club's time in Sunday league they played at the Woolwich Barracks Stadium. When they joined the Spartan League, they moved to Greenwich Borough's Harrow Meadow ground.[2] In October 1995 they moved to the Erith Sports Stadium,[1] an athletics stadium. They temporarily returned to Harrow Meadow during the 1998–99 season whilst the Erith Sports Stadium was renovated.[1]
In 2008 the club began groundsharing at Thamesmead Town's Bayliss Avenue,[10] before returning to the Erith Sports Stadium the following season.[11] In 2013 they moved to Cray Valley PM's Badgers Sports Ground in Eltham.[1] In 2016 they returned to the Borough of Bexley, moving to VCD Athletic's Oakwood ground.[1] The club moved back to the Erith Sports Stadium in 2018.[12] They returned to Thamesmead in June 2023 for the following two seasons.[13]
Honours
edit- Southern Counties East League
- Premier Division Cup winners 2007–08
- Challenge Cup winners 2023–24
- London Metropolitan Sunday League
- Senior Section champions 1965–66, 1970–71, 1974–75
- Kent Senior Trophy
- Winners 2010–11, 2023–24
Records
edit- Best FA Cup performance: Second qualifying round, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12[7]
- Best FA Vase performance: Fourth round, 2022–23, 2023–24[7]
- Record attendance: 444 vs Portsmouth, FA Youth Cup first round, 3 November 2021[14]
- Biggest victory: 9–0 vs Sporting Bengal United, 15 January 2011[15]
- Most appearances: Alan Hanlon, 363[15]
- Most goals: Steadman Callender, 100[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Erith Town - A Brief History Erith Town F.C.
- ^ a b Erith Town Pyramid Passion
- ^ Spartan League 1983–1997 Non-League Matters
- ^ a b Woolwich Town at the Football Club History Database
- ^ a b Honours Erith Town F.C.
- ^ Merger wasn't going to work, admits Erith Town chief Kentish Football, 11 July 2010
- ^ a b c Erith Town at the Football Club History Database
- ^ "SCEFL Challenge Cup Final". Southern Counties East League. 29 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ "Premier Division Play Off Final". Southern Counties East League. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
- ^ Tompkins leaves Dockers' in lurch with late resignation Kentish Football, 6 August 2008
- ^ Royston misses Dockers' homecoming Kentish Football, 6 August 2009
- ^ We need to get back to the stadium and make it our own home, says Erith Town boss Adam Woodward Kentish Football, 2 May 2018
- ^ "Erith Town Announce Ground Share With SC Thamesmead". Erith Town F.C. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ Record crowd Erith Town F.C.
- ^ a b Club Info Erith Town F.C.
- ^ Callender is on winning side versus his old pals The Non-League Football Paper, 30 July 2023