Greenwich Borough F.C.

Football club infobox |clubname = Greenwich Borough|

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Greenwich Borough F.C. is a football club based in Eltham, London, England. They were established in 1928 and joined the Kent League in 1984. In the 2007-08 season, they reached the 5th round of the FA Vase losing to Hungerford Town after a replay. They are currently members of the Kent League Premier Division.

One of the club's former players is Ian Wright, who transferred to Crystal Palace and later went on to play for Arsenal and the England national team, amongst others.

History

Woolwich Borough Council Athletic Club

Greenwich Borough FC was formed as Woolwich Borough Council Athletic Club in 1928 and played most of their home games at Danson Park, Welling. The club joined the Woolwich and District League and were champions at the first attempt. They also reached the final of the Woolwich and District League Cup but lost 0-3 to Fibrent Athletic at Bexleyheath Town's ground. Due to their success, Woolwich Borough Council was awarded Senior Status and joined the Kent Amateur League Division 1.

Borough started the 1929-30 season with 5 straight wins, but a run of poor form mid-season saw the club finish in 3rd place in their first season in the Kent Amateur League. However, that same season they introduced a 'B' team who had only been playing local friendlies into the Woolwich and District League Premier Division and they were unfortunate to finish bottom of the league following the withdrawal of other clubs.

The club moved to its present ground at Harrow Meadow, Eltham in 1933 and in 1939 felt that the Kent Amateur League was too strong and decided to apply to join the South London Alliance League. Shortly before the 1939- 40 season was due to start World War II broke out and the club disbanded.

Woolwich Borough Council reformed after the war but continued to play in the Kent Amateur League. In 1948 they eventually decided to relinquish their Senior Status and joined the South London Alliance League Division 2.

Success came quickly to the club when in 1955 they won the South London Alliance League Division 2 title. They were also runners-up in the Elizabeth Jacques Cup. The following season they won the Division 1 title and were promoted to the Premier Division. Interestingly, in 24 years in the competition the club held the record for being the only member never to have been relegated from the Premier Division.

The club then enjoyed their most successful period ever when they won the Premier Division title six years running from 1961 to 1966 inclusive. During this time they were runners-up in the Queen Mary Cup (1964) and then won the same competition for the following two seasons.

London Borough of Greenwich F.C.

In 1965 the club changed their name to London Borough of Greenwich FC following a change of London Borough boundaries.

Silverware returned to Harrow Meadow in 1974 when they won their seventh Premier Division title in 15 years. Two seasons later they were again runners-up in the Queen Mary Cup.

In 1976 the club moved to the London Spartan League, and the following year regained senior status. Two years later The Boro celebrated their Golden Jubilee by inaugurating their floodlights with a game against Charlton Athletic in front of over 2,000 spectators.

Borough won the London Spartan League Senior Division title in 1980 but this was to be their only League title while playing in the competition. However, they were successful in capturing the London Spartan League Senior Cup in 1983.The club entered the FA Vase for the first time in 1980 but were knocked out in the 3rd Round by Burgess Hill Town.

Greenwich Borough F.C.

In 1984-85 the Club joined the Kent League under the new name of Greenwich Borough FC, finishing sixth at the first attempt. That same year though they won the Kent League Cup and the Kent Senior Trophy. Borough then won the League and League Cup double in 1987, scoring some 113 goals along the way.

In 1988, the year of the 60th anniversary of the club, Boro again won the League, and hoped to progress with some major improvements to their Harrow Meadow ground. Sadly this was not to be, planning permission was not granted by the local council, and consequently a move to the then Southern League was thwarted.

The next ten years were barren for the club, and their future was jeopardised even further by the closure of the parent club at the end of the 1988/89 season. A year was spent ground sharing with Erith & Belvedere.

In the 1989-90 season Greenwich Borough reached the 4th round of the FA Vase, the furthest round to date for the club, only to be beaten 4-5 in a replay against Harefield Town. The club also finished a creditable sixth place in the League.

The club re-entered the FA Cup in 1993 and managed to progress to the 3rd Qualifying Round before being soundly beaten 0-4 at home to Molesey.

The 1997-98 season saw a restructuring of the Kent League and the Borough finish in 5th place in the newly formed Premier Division their highest position in 9 years. They did however win the Kent League Cup and the Kent Senior Trophy. Boro then finished as runners-up in the Kent League Cup in 2001, losing to Ramsgate in the final.

The 2006-07 season saw Greenwich Borough attain their highest league position for 6 seasons finishing in 6th place level on points with local rivals Thamesmead Town.

This season (2007-08) has seen the Boro set a new club record when they re-entered the FA Vase after one season's absence. Borough beat Horley Town, Thamesmead Town, Chichester City United, Wembley and Harefield United before finally bowing out of the competition to Hungerford Town losing 1-2 in a 5th round replay.

Leagues

*1928-29 - Woolwich & District League
*1929-39 - Kent Amateur League
*1946-48 - Kent Amateur League
*1948-76 - South London Alliance League
*1976-84 - London Spartan League
*1984-Present Kent Football League

Names

*Woolwich Borough Council 1928-65
*London Borough of Greenwich 1965-84
*Greenwich Borough 1984-present

Honours

*Woolwich & District League
**Champions 1928/29

*South London Alliance League
**Premier Division Champions 1960/61, 1961/62, 1962/63, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1965/66, 1973/74
**Division 1 Champions 1955/56
**Division 2 Champions 1954/55
**Elizabeth Jacques Cup Runners-up 1954/55
**Queen Mary Cup Winners 1964/65, 1965/66
**Queen Mary Cup Runners-up 1963/64, 1973/74

*London Spartan League
**Senior Division Champions 1979/80
**Senior Cup Winners 1982/83

*Kent Football League
**Champions 1986/87 and 1987/88

Club records

* Best league position: Kent League champions 1986/87 and 1987/88
* Best FA Cup performance: 3rd qualifying round, 1993/94
* Best FA Vase performance: 5th round replay, 2007/08
* Best attendance: 2000 vs Charlton Athletic 1978 - Friendly match

Ground

Boro originally shared Harrow Meadow with a cricket club and the distance from the changing rooms to the original football pitch ultimately caused the ground to fail league grading requirements, however the club subsequently gained full use of the facilities and were able to move onto the area formerly occupied by the cricket pitch. At one time there was a small stand behind one goal, but this has since been replaced by a couple of very basic shelters painted in the club colours along the left hand touchline. As a result the ground now has no seating and only a portion of the pitch perimeter has hard standing. The ground does have a clubhouse and floodlights.

Notable former players

Ian Wright played at this club between 1984-1985.

ources

* [http://www.geocities.com/greenwichboroughfc Official website]
*fchd|id=GREENWIB|name=Greenwich Borough

External links

* [http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/greenwich_borough.html Pyramid passion feature]