St Albans City F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = St Albans City


fullname = St. Albans City Football Club
nickname = The Saints, The Friars
founded = 1908
ground = Clarence Park
St Albans
capacity = 4,500 (900 seated)
chairman = John Gibson
manager = Ryan Mann
league = Conference South
season = 2007–08
position = Conference South, 19th
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St Albans City F.C. (nicknamed "The Saints") is a football club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in 1908 and plays its home matches at Clarence Park, about 800 yards from the city centre. The club is in the Conference South division of the Football Conference, having been promoted at the end of the 2005-06 season by beating Histon 2-0 in the Conference South play-off final at Stevenage Borough's Broadhall Way ground and then being relegated the following season with a last place finish.

City's most famous match was on November 22 1922 in a first round FA Cup match. Having been held by Dulwich Hamlet to a 1-1 draw at Clarence Park on November 18, the replay drew a gate of 4,060. City's New Zealand-born goalkeeper W. Tennant did not appear, his place taken by Alf Fearn who was usually a half-back with the reserves. Dulwich put eight goals past him, the winning goal coming in near darkness at the end of extra time. What put the game in the record books was that City scored seven times, with all seven goals being scored by Wilfred Minter. His feat remains the highest tally by a player on the losing side of an FA Cup tie.

Promotion to the Conference

On 7 May 2006, St Albans City beat Histon 2-0, in the 2005/2006 Conference South Play Off Final at Stevenage's Broadhall Way ground. Goals from Lee Clarke and Paul Hakim meant that St Albans was promoted to the Conference National for the first time.

Following the team's promotion, Clarence Park was redecorated and improved slightly, a noticeable difference being the acquisition of a new club sponsor, as well as new advertising boards. There were rumours at the time of the promotion that St Albans were possibly moving to a larger venue. However, nothing was confirmed or denied.

2006-07 season

The Saints' first three games in the Conference were a mixed affair, with the team winning, drawing and losing their first three games respectively. After then St Albans had a bad run of games and were hovering around the relegation zone. Their hopes being restricted by being a part-time team whilst going up against full-time opponents. However, Colin Lippiatt remained positive about his team's chances. Having been knocked out in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round by Yeading, the team started concentrating on staying in the Conference for another season.

St Albans started the second half of the season just one place off the relegation zone. In terms of transfers, The Saints allowed defender Dave Theobald to return to the Conference North team Kettering Town, but have re-signed defender Djoumin Sangare on loan from Grays Athletic until the end of the season. Lippiatt also signed Chris Watters and Leon Archer from neighbours Boreham Wood for an undisclosed fee on two year contracts.

In January 2007, director (and chief football writer for "The Mail on Sunday") Ian Ridley left the club amid disagreement over policy. Ridley argued that the club needed to bring in older, more experienced players (citing Steve Claridge) to bolster the campaign to stay in the Conference; the remainder of the board wanted to maintain a strong reliance of "young, hungry" players. [http://www.stalbansobserver.co.uk/sport/localsport/display.var.1101944.0.city_director_quits.php]

St Albans continued throughout the new year with a run of poor results. On April 9, 2007 (Easter Monday), a 1-1 draw with Tamworth guaranteed St Albans relegation from the Conference and the team finished bottom of the table. [http://www.footballconference.co.uk/News/FC_Story_Page/0,14288,_2048567,00.html] The Saints were the first team to be relegated from the Conference, but were later joined by Southport, Tamworth and Altrincham.

The Saints will return to the Conference South next season. To add to the uncertainty to next season, Colin Lippiatt resigned as manager at the end of the season. In a statement he stated that it was 'right and proper' for him to leave. He has now rejoined Conference side Woking (where he was once manager) as a director.

Back To The Conference South

After relegation to the Conference South, St Albans appointed inexperienced Ritchie Hanlon as their new manager, who had only retired through injury in January. He had a huge task to rebuild the squad; Nick Roddis had left the club after finding out that he would not be interviewed for the vacant manager position, Chris Watters rejoined his old club Boreham Wood for a nominal fee, only 5 months after joining the Saints. Goalkeeper Paul Bastock was released by 'mutual consent', later joining Rushden & Diamonds.

More players where to leave Clarence Park as Striker Leon Archer joined Braintree and Midfilder Tom Davis joined Lewes, after both made it clear that they did not want to play for St Albans. Dean Cracknell also left the club to join Hemel Hempstead. Hanlon however bolstered the squad with numerous new signings, Gary Burrell joined from Heybridge Swifts, Mark Beard joined from Stevenage Borough as Player/Assistiant Manager, Paul Bruce joined from Dagenham & Redbridge & So Solid Crew Rapper, Former AFC Wimbledon player Junior Harvey was recruited, another player from Dagenham & Redbridge was brought in, Nick Eyre, signed to replace Veteran Paul Bastock. This was backed up with two youth singings, Hector Mackie & Reis Noel, and finally Hanlon added Hassan Sulaiman & Paul Semakula to the ranks..

Not long into October after a bad string of results, Richie Hanlon was sacked as St Albans manager. Former Hendon and AFC Wimbledon manager Dave Anderson was given the role, and has since taken City to one win at Bromley and a draw. He has wasted no time in adjusting the squad and has signed Jon Stevenson and Gary O'Connor amongst others.Anderson became another managerial casualty after the 4-0 New Year defeat to Cambridge City.

England U19 scout and former City boss Steve Castle was next put in the position, and he declared his ambition to bring former players of the Saints back to Clarence Park. This prompted rumours of returns for Matt Hann and Patrick Ada amongst others. In January 08, Castle signed Dean Cracknell and Simon Martin, who are both former Saints.

Steve Castle signed these former Saints:Simon MartinDean CracknellPaul HakimPaul Bastock

The little support that remains for the chairman is rapidly decreasing alongside attendance levels. His recent rants to the press have increased fans views that he is running the club into the ground, with cries of "Gibson Out" frequently stemming from the terraces.

Things began to look up for the team, with goalkeeper Paul Bastock, who was later voted Player of the Season by fans, rejoining from Rushden and Diamonds, helping City to long unbeaten run. Included in this run of results was the 2-0 victory over top of the league Lewes, thanks to Paul Hakim and a stunner from Lee Clarke, later voted goal of the season. Soon City were on the tail of Weston Super Mare for survival.

With a stunning 3-2 victory over playoff chasers Eastleigh City secured their safety in the Blue Sqare South. Eastleigh brought many a fan to Clarence Park with drums and all, and they took the lead when former Saint Matt Hann went down in the box and Eastleigh converted the penalty. The Eastleigh fans went wild, and they maitained the lead and their singing voices until half time. In the second half City loanee Bradley Gray equalized with a shot from the edge of the area that squeezed inside the post, before Akanni Sunday Wasiu put City ahead moments later. By now the City fans were going crazy, and the result seemed beyond doubt when Sunday completed his brace. Another former Saint, Steve Watts, scored a great effort but City survive in both the game and the lead.

Rumours of a new ground on Green Belt land continue to dog the chairmen, with fan opposition likely to prove increasingly hostile.

External links

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