A.F.C. Sudbury

Football club infobox
clubname = A.F.C. Sudbury

|
fullname = Amalgamated Football Club
Sudbury
nickname = Yellows, The Suds
founded = June 1, 1999 (merger)
ground = King's Marsh, Sudbury, Suffolk
capacity = approx 3,800
chairman = Keith Morris
manager = Nicky Smith
league = Southern League
Division One Midlands
season = 2007–08
position = Isthmian League
Division One North, 2nd| pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=FFFF00|body1=FFFF00|rightarm1=FFFF00|shorts1=0000FF|socks1=FFFF00
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=FF0000|body2=FF0000|rightarm2=FF0000|shorts2=FF0000|socks2=FF0000

A.F.C. Sudbury is an English semi-professional football club from Sudbury, Suffolk. The club was formed in 1999 by the merger of Sudbury Town and Sudbury Wanderers, the process giving rise to the name Amalgamated Football Club Sudbury. A.F.C. Sudbury won the Eastern Counties League Premier Division five seasons in a row and reached the final of the FA Vase three years in a row, both records for the respective competitions. [cite web|url=http://www.fchd.info/cups/favasesummary.htm|title=FA Vase Summary|publisher=Football Club History Database|accessdate=2008-05-22] Their home ground is the King's Marsh Stadium in the Ballingdon part of Sudbury and their home colours are yellow and blue. The club competes in the Southern Football League Division One Midlands having been transferred from the Isthmian League Division One North after the end of the 2007–08 season.cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7402814.stm|title=Leagues agreed for 2008/09 season|publisher=BBC Sport Online|accessdate=2008-08-08]

History

A.F.C. Sudbury was formed on 1 June 1999 by the amalgamation of the town's two previous clubs, Sudbury Town (founded 1885) and Sudbury Wanderers (founded 1958).

The club's relatively short history has, thus far, been very successful. In their debut season (1999–2000) Sudbury finished in 3rd place in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division. The following 5 seasons all resulted in Sudbury winning the same league's title - a league record.cite web|url=http://www.afcsudbury.com/club/history.asp|title=History|publisher=www.afcsudbury.co.uk|accessdate=2008-01-22] Sudbury did not take promotion at any of these opportunities, despite being entitled to. The financial constraints of owning two grounds led the board not to apply for promotion until the beginning of the 2005–06 season. After finishing 3rd in 2005–06, and passing the necessary ground inspection, Sudbury were invited to take promotion into a resurrected Isthmian League Division One North, following the re-structuring of the National League System. Potential legal action from the Northern Premier League nearly scuppered this move, [cite web |url=http://www.sudburytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=851&ArticleID=1397333 | title=Promotion plans look set to stall |accessdate=2007-12-21 |date=2006-03-23 |publisher=www.sudburytoday.co.uk] but Sudbury started 2006–07 in the new division. [cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/NR/rdonlyres/646409C9-CBE4-4F0E-9679-B503F259AD66/85198/CLUBALLOCATIONS.doc | title=National League Club allocations agreed. |accessdate=2007-12-21 |publisher=www.thefa.com] The management team of Gary Harvey and Michael Cheetham, who took the team up, both resigned before the season could begin, citing work and family commitments, respectively. New manager Mark Morsley was appointed in May 2006, signed from Needham Market. Sudbury's first season at this level saw the club finish in fifth place, qualifying them for the promotion play-offs. After beating Enfield Town in the semi-final, Sudbury lost to Harlow Town in a penalty shoot-out. [cite web |url=http://www.afcsudbury.com/match/matchreports.asp?ID=3321 | title=Harlow Town 5 - 3 AFC Sudbury |accessdate=2007-12-21 |author= Richard Whiting|date=2007-05-05|publisher=www.afcsudbury.com] ] Sudbury again qualified for the play-offs in 2007–08, finishing 2nd in the table, but were defeated in the semi-final by eventual winners Canvey Island. [cite web|url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=49770|title=MORSLEY STILL HURTING|date=2008-05-02|publisher=www.nonleaguedaily.com|accessdate=2008-05-06] In the close-season manager Morsley resigned [cite web|url=http://www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk/sport/AFC-Sudbury-Morsley-quits.4062127.jp|title=AFC Sudbury: Morsley quits|publisher="Suffolk Free Press"|date=2008-05-13|accessdate=2008-06-24] and was replaced by his assistant, Nicky Smith. [cite web|url=http://www.afcsudbury.com/squad/players1detail.asp?playerid=133|publisher=www.afcsudbury.com|title=Squad > First - Player details - Nicky Smith|accessdate=2008-06-24]

Sudbury were moved into the Southern Football League Division One Midlands for 2008–09 following a restructuring of the English football pyramid. As well as consistently good league performances, Sudbury have enjoyed several successful runs in the national cup competitions. In 2000–01 the club reached the first round proper of the FA Cup before being comprehensively defeated away at Darlington. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/football/fa_cup/1028042.stm|publisher=BBC Online|title=Darlington 6–1 AFC Sudbury|date=2000-11-18|accessdate=2008-01-22] Sudbury have mostly made a name for themselves nationally in the FA Vase. In 2001–02 the club reached the competition's semi-finals, before being knocked out by Tiptree United. The following three seasons saw Sudbury reaching the final each year (a Vase record), but being defeated every time, by Brigg Town, [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/sport/2003/05/10/sudbury_lose_final.shtml|title= AFC Sudbury lose FA Vase final|publisher=BBC Suffolk|date=2003-05-10|accessdate=2008-01-22] Winchester City [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/sport/clubs/football/ridgeons_league/2004/05/fa_vase_report.shtml|title= AFC Sudbury 0-2 Winchester City - FA Vase Final|date=2004-05-16|accessdate=2008-01-22] and Didcot Town, respectively. Sudbury have also won the Suffolk Premier Cup three times, in 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04, and the Eastern Counties League Cup in 2005–06.fchd|id=AFC-SUDB|name=A.F.C. Sudbury]

Colours and badge

A.F.C. Sudbury's colours are yellow shirts with blue shorts and yellow socks. Perhaps surprisingly, these were the colours of "both" the former Sudbury teams.

The club badge is the town crest of Sudbury, which incorporates a talbot dog with its tongue sticking out.

Ground

Sudbury play their home games at the King's Marsh Stadium in the Ballingdon part of Sudbury, previously home to Sudbury Wanderers. [cite web|url=http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/afc_sudbury.html|title=AFC Sudbury|publisher=www.pyramidpassion.co.uk|accessdate=2008-05-21] At the time of A.F.C. Sudbury's formation the ground consisted of two pitches, a training area, clubhouse, floodlights, a 200-seat stand on the West side of the main pitch and covered ends behind the goals. A 300-capacity terrace (The Shed) was constructed on the East side of the pitch in 2000 and houses the more vocal section of the crowd. The ground is enclosed by fencing and there are three turnstiles.

A.F.C. Sudbury sold Sudbury Town's former ground, the Priory Stadium, to a housing developer in June 2007. The money from this sale was earmarked for paying off loans, and capital gains tax, as well as a new clubhouse and changing rooms. [cite web |url=http://www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk/sport/Football-Priory-Stadium-sold.2936760.jp |title=Priory Stadium sold |publisher=www.sudburytoday.co.uk | accessdate=2007-12-21 | date=2007-06-07] A planning permission request was lodged with Babergh District Council in May 2008 for the construction of the new facilities. [cite web|url=http://planning.babergh.gov.uk/dcdatav2//AcolNetCGI.gov?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeResultDetail&TheSystemkey=89706
publisher=Babergh District Council|title=Details of Planning Application - B/08/00881|date=2008-05-20|accessdate=2008-05-21]

Current squad

:"As of August 10, 2008." [cite web|url=http://www.afcsudbury.com/squad/players1.asp?squad=first|title=Squad > First|publisher=www.afcsudbury.com|accessdate=2008-08-10]

Honours, achievements and records

*Isthmian League
**League Cup Runners-up 2008
* Eastern Counties League
**Premier Division Champions 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05
**League Cup Winners 2006
*FA Vase
**Runners-up 2003, 2004, 2005
*Suffolk Premier Cup
**Winners 2002, 2003, 2004
*FA Cup
**1st round proper 2000–01
*FA Trophy
**1st round 2006–07
*Biggest win
**Harwich & Parkeston 0–10 A.F.C. Sudbury, 10 December 2002, Eastern Counties League Premier Division
*Biggest defeat
**Darlington 6–1 A.F.C. Sudbury, 18 November 2000, FA Cup First Round

League history

* Each time the club turned down the opportunity of promotion for financial reasons.

References

External links

* [http://www.afcsudbury.com/ AFC Sudbury Official Site]
* [http://www.sudbury-suffolk.co.uk/ sudbury-suffolk.co.uk]
* [http://www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk/ Suffolk Free Press Newspaper]