Hullbridge Sports F.C.

Infobox Football club
clubname = Hullbridge Sports
fullname = Hullbridge Sports Football Club
nickname = The Sports
founded = 1945
ground = Lower Road, Hullbridge
capacity = 1,500 (60 seated)
chairman = Robin Ogilvie
manager = Enrico Tiritera-Steve Davidson
league = Essex Senior League
season = 2007-08
position = Essex Senior League, 14th

Hullbridge Sports F.C. are a football club based in Hullbridge, Essex, England. The club is in the Essex Senior League, and play in blue and white stripes,blue shorts and socks.

HistoryFormed in 1945, by local residents wishing to play football.The local Council purchased a piece of land by the river Crouch for use as a recreational park and that is where the first football pitch was laid. The club first played in the Chelmsford Mid-Essex League, before joining the Southend District league, where they remained until 1982. In that year, the league merged with the Southend Borough Combination to form the Alliance League, which the club assumed membership of.

In 1984, they joined the Essex Olympian League Division Two, and were promoted to Division One in their first season. They narrowly avoided relegation in their first season in the first division, finishing 13th out of 15, but the following season (1986-7) finished bottom and were relegated back to Division Two. They won the League Cup in 1987-88. The 60's saw the expansion of the club into other sports and social activities and so became Hullbridge Sports & Social Club. In the late 70's negotiations began with the local Council to purchase their own ground and in 1980 the members tackled the mammoth task of transforming 16.5 acres of farming land into a sports complex complete with clubhouse and changing facilities which were to be second to none. The transformation was gradual and in 1983 the Clubhouse was officially opened and now boasts a licensed bar, function hall which is available to hire for private functions to members and non members, kitchen, pool room, darts, table tennis and match room, tennis court, netball, cricket square and extensive changing rooms and showers. Forever looking for ways forward, 1989 saw the necessity for alterations to the ground to enable the club to gain senior status and for acceptance into the Essex Senior Football League. The very first ESL game played at Hullbridge was on the 25th August 1990 against Stansted in front of a crow of over 200 spectators and Hullbridge has remained in the ESL since then. A few years back, it was decided to further improve facilities at the Club, and an appeal was launched. Many fund raising activities were undertaken to raise funds to install floodlighting at Lower road.Following much hard work by many of our members, the floodlights were completed in time for the start of the 1998-99 season. Hullbridge Sports turned on their new floodlights for the first time on 3rd September in a FA Youth Cup tie with Buckingham Town that 43 attended to see their side win 5-0. The official opener was on the 15th against Great Wakering Rovers with 143 turning up. Their most successful season was 1997-8, when they finished 6th (out of 14). Since taking over in February 2006, Italian manager Enrico Tiritera, working with previous manager Steve Davidson, they managed 18 points in the last 12 games to lift them to third from bottom in 2005-06.

The following season, 2006-07, with the youngest team in the ESL, they finished 12th out of 16th, best finishing in the last 6 years and won the ESL Sportmanship awards of 2006-07 and 2007-08. They won away to Chalfont St Peter 1-0 in the FA Cup and lost to Yaxley in the first round 2-0 at home. On 30th April 2008 Hullbridge youth team whom many players played in the first team, won the club second U'18's Essex County Cup(Pelly Cup) beating Billericay Town 2-1 at New Lodge ground, with goals from Alex Cohglan and Joe Gardner. The season 1999-2000 saw our best achievement when our very strong U18's squad reached the 3RD round proper of the FA Youth Cup, (only Essex side to ever do so) which was played under the lights at Hullbridge on 1st December 1999 against Blackburn Rovers. Nearly 1000 locals turned out to cheer the boys on and although Hullbride was not to go any further in the competition the boys didn't disgrace the Club with their performance. Hullbridge Sports FC have come a very long way since playing" down the rec" in 1945 and the journey is by no means over.For all at the club are determined to continue development of the facilities for the current squads, and to ensure the highest quality for future generations of sportsmen and women.

Records

*Record attendance: 800 vs Blackburn Rovers, FA Youth Cup 1999-00

External links

* [http://www.hullbridgesports.com Official website]
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