Wivenhoe Town F.C.

Football club infobox |

clubname = Wivenhoe Town
fullname = Wivenhoe Town Football Club
nickname = The Dragons
founded = 1925 (as Wivenhoe Rangers)
ground = Broad Lane, Wivenhoe
capacity = 3000
chairman = Julia Boyle / Mike Boyle
manager = Richard Carter
league = Eastern Counties Football League
Premier Division
season = 2007–08
position = Isthmian League
First Division North, 22nd (relegated)
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Wivenhoe Town is a football club from Wivenhoe, Essex, England. They currently play in the Eastern Counties Football League Premier Division and play at Broad Lane. The ground has a capacity of 3,000.

History

Early years in local football

Wivenhoe Town FC, also known as the Dragons, was formed in 1925 as Wivenhoe Rangers by a teacher and some students from Colchester Grammar School. They first entered competitive football in 1929 in the Brightlingsea and District League, and won the League Championship in 1932 after remaining undefeated the entire season.

They won the championship again in 1936 and 1937, and other titles gained in local football included the Colchester & East Essex league Premier Division (1953 and 1956) and Division One (1960 and 1970) championships and several local knockout trophies, including the Amos Charity Cup on five consecutive occasions from 1951-52 to 1955-56.

Promotion through intermediate and senior divisions

Having had many homes around the village, by the 1970s Rangers were playing at the University of Essex and, by joining the Essex & Suffolk Border League Second Division, moved up to intermediate football . By 1972 Wivenhoe Rangers had won two league titles and promotion to the Premier Division, before changing their name to Wivenhoe Town Football Club.

In 1978 Wivenhoe won the Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division Championship and, because they now owned a ground with the prerequisite facilities, were granted senior status and a place in the Essex Senior League.

Improvements to the ground, and on-pitch successes including four top three finishes in their first seven years at senior level, earned The Dragons entry into the Isthmian League Division Two North in 1986. In their second season at this level they completed the double of the league title and the Essex Senior Trophy. This promotion was followed by another two years later, as in 1990 they won the First Division Championship with 100 points.

Financial and footballing decline

Although runs in the FA Trophy brought an attendance record at Broad Lane of 1,992 for a match against Runcorn in 1990, and an away record of 4,923 spectators against neighbours Colchester United the following year, the Dragons hit financial problems while in the Isthmian Premier division, and difficulties in recruiting and retaining players of sufficient standard lead to seasons of struggle, and eventually successive relegations in 1994 and 1995.

Financial stability was regained with the purchase of the Broad Lane site in 1996, and footballing stability with five successive seasons in the Second Division. In the 2001-02 season, restructuring of the league placed Wivenhoe in the new formed Isthmian League Division One North. After 11 defeats in the first 12 games of the 2007-08 season, Malcolm Price was replaced by new manager, and from February 2008 also chief executive, Richard Carter. They were relegated at the end of the season and joined the Eastern Counties Football League Premier Division.

Current squad

(as at 17 September 2008)

Goalkeepers *Aaron Reid * *Paul Rutherford

Defenders *Pip Boyland *Sam Collins *Tom Kemp *Lee Kidger * *Danny May *Miles Mitchell-Coop *Joe Nightingill *Jack Sibbons * *Ollie Thorne

Midfielders *Jamie Baker *Aaron Churchyard *Mark E'Beyer *Jamie England *Ozie Foster *Wayne Goddard *Louis Harper *James Raby * *John Sargent *Gareth Simpson

Forwards *Karl Andrade *Anthony Blandford *Adam Hampson *Charlie Ide *Lee Underwood

* indicates player currently out on loan.

External links

* [http://www.wivenhoetownfc.co.uk/ Official site]

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