Egham Town F.C.

Infobox Football club
clubname = Egham Town


fullname = Egham Town Football Club
nickname = The Sarnies
founded = 1963
ground = The Runnymede Stadium, Egham
capacity = 5,565
chairman = Steve Bennett
manager = Steve Bennett & Steve Webb
league = Combined Counties League
Premier Division
season = 2007–08
position = 12th

Egham Town Football Club is a football club based in the town of Egham, in Surrey, England.

History

The club's forerunners were a team called Runnymede Rovers who were established in 1877 and played in red and white - colours the present club have now adopted as their own. Rovers were reformed as Egham FC in 1905 and were founder members of the Surrey Senior League, claiming the inaugural Championship. The club had an unsuccessful six-year spell in the Spartan League between 1927-33 before returning to the Surrey Senior League, in which they played until disbanding upon the outbreak of World War II.

Unlike many clubs, Egham FC did not reform at the end of the War and it was not until a public meeting at the town's Literary Institute on December 9 1963 that the present club came into being. The local council offered the use of part of a recreation ground for the new club to play on and this remains the club's home, although it is now an impressive ground for a club of Egham Town's stature. The former park has been developed into the Runnymede Stadium as it is known today. The ground has cover on all sides.

Having played in the Parthenon League in 1964-65 season, Town returned to the Surrey Senior League in 1965, and then moved back into the Spartan League, claiming the title in 1971-72. They were then elected into the Athenian League and captured the Second Division Championship at the first attempt in 1974-75 and finishing as First Division runners-up the following season. When the Isthmian League expanded in 1977, the Sarnies were duly elected but after finishing 6th in their first season success always eluded them. They have reached the fourth round of the FA Vase once in their history - the 1984-85 season. They narrowly missed promotion from the final season of the regionalised Division Two in 1990-91, when what was Divisions Two North and South was reorganised for the following season as Two and Three. Egham finished third in Division Two South with a tally of 87 points and 100 goals - both would have been good enough in almost any other season to secure one of the two promotion spots. In that season, they also had the best ever run in the FA Cup, reaching the 4th Qualifying Round before losing at Telford United. The 1991-92 season saw the Sarnies reach the Finals of the Surrey Senior Cup and Loctite Trophy but lose both. The club then went into a decline that culminated in relegation from Division Two of the Isthmian League in 1997-98.

The Club was promoted to Division One South of the Isthmian League as part of a re-organisation of non-league football but were switched to the Southern League in 2004, which proved disastrous. In the 2005-06 season they played in the Isthmian League Division Two but as a result of the restructuring of non-league football they now play in the Combined Counties League Premier Division. Season 2006-07 began promisingly, but more managerial upheaval and injuries to key players saw the club finish a disappointing 10th.

External links

* [http://www.eghamfc.co.uk/ Egham Town official site]
** [http://www.eghamfc.co.uk/club/club_history/ Club History from that site]
* [http://www.football.co.uk/egham_town/index.shtml Latest club news]
* [http://www.fchd.info/EGHAMT.HTM Year by year league placings]
* [http://www.stevemccarthy.dsl.pipex.com/html/index6.html Images of the team in action]