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Walton & Hersham F.C.

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Walton & Hersham Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Founded in 1945 following the amalgamation of Walton FC and Hersham FC, they currently play in the Southern League South Division. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association.

Walton & Hersham
Club crest
Full nameWalton & Hersham Football Club
Nickname(s)The Swans
The Sham
The Waltz
Founded1945; 79 years ago (1945)
GroundElmbridge Sports Hub
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
Capacity2,097 (318 seated)
ChairmanSartej Tucker
ManagerBilly Rowley
LeagueSouthern League Premier Division South
2023–24Southern League Premier Division South, 7th of 22
Websitehttp://waltonhershamfc.com/

The club joined the Corinthian League upon formation, and after a difficult first season won three consecutive league titles. In 1950, the club moved to the Athenian League, and were later placed in the Premier Division upon expansion in 1963. Walton & Hersham were named league champions for a fourth time during the 1968–69 season, and shortly after joined the Isthmian League. The club's most successful period soon followed, which saw them reach the FA Cup Second Round and win the FA Amateur Cup at Wembley Stadium, although the departure of manager Allen Batsford and several players to Wimbledon saw the club quickly relegated to the Isthmian League Division Two.

After coming close to extinction in the late 1970s, former Ballon d'Or winner Sir Stanley Matthews was briefly named as president and the club later managed to find consistency throughout the 1980s. The Swans regularly earned promotion and suffered relegation between the Isthmian League divisions throughout the next decades, and named Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis as a board member for several years. Following the 2015–16 season, the club suffered relegation to the Combined Counties Premier Division and began to struggle once again.

In August 2017, Walton & Hersham left Stompond Lane and moved into the Elmbridge Sports Hub – a £20 million sports complex development shared with local rivals Walton Casuals. After three seasons in the ninth tier of English football, the club suffered further relegation to the Combined Counties Division One and long-term owner Alan Smith stepped down from his position. In July 2019, the club was taken over by a group of students, who claim to be the youngest owners in world football.[1][2]

Walton & Hersham are the inspiration behind the name of punk band Sham 69, which was derived from a piece of graffiti reading 'Walton & Hersham 69'.

History

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Further information: List of Walton & Hersham F.C. seasons

1945–1963

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Discussions of the amalgamation of local rivals Walton FC and Hersham FC took place as early as 1912, but the idea was rejected by membership vote. A second vote took place 11 years later, but with a tied decision the club remained separate, and the idea was once again rejected in 1933. However, when Hersham FC no longer had a home ground in 1945, the two clubs met again and came to an agreement to join the newly founded Corinthian League as one club.

Despite a poor first season, Walton & Hersham won the league three consecutive times from 1946 to 1949. They also won the Surrey Senior Cup for the first time during the 1947–48 season with a 2–1 win against Kingstonian at Crystal Palace. In 1950, the club were elected to the Athenian League and finished runners up in their debut season while also winning their second Surrey Senior Cup.

Walton & Hersham reached the FA Amateur Cup semi-finals in both the 1951–52 and 1952–53 seasons, and during this period gained a substantial following. The club reached the FA Cup First Round for the first time in 1957–58, losing 6–1 to Southampton in front of 6,000 people. They won the Surrey Senior Cup for a third time in 1960–61, and retained the trophy the following year.

1963–1994

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The Athenian League expanded in 1963 and Walton & Hersham were placed in the Premier Division. A period of mid-table football followed until the 1967 appointment of Allen Batsford as manager heralded a new era of success. In 1968–69 he won the Athenian League, followed by two successive visits to the FA Cup first round in 1969–70 and 1970–71. The Surrey Senior Cup was won again in 1970–71.

Walton & Hersham were elected to the Isthmian League in 1971, and the 1972–73 season proved statistically their greatest ever. They won the Surrey Senior Cup, finished as runners-up in the league, reached the FA Cup second round for the first time and, most prestigiously, won the FA Amateur Cup, defeating Slough Town at Wembley Stadium. They set a unique record by winning the competition without conceding a goal. Players including Dave Bassett, Willie Smith and Roger Connell became regulars in the England amateur international team. As FA Amateur Cup Winners they were invited to compete in the 1973 Final of The Coppa Ottorino Barassi (The Barassi Cup). They played Jesolo the Italian Amamtuer Cup Winners. The Swans won both legs 4–0 at home and 2-0 Away to lift the trophy. In 1973–74, the club reached the FA Cup second round again, having beaten Brian Clough's Brighton & Hove Albion at Goldstone Ground 4–0. Following the defeat, Clough almost got into a fight with comedian Eric Sykes, who was associated with Walton & Hersham at the time and was laughing about the result to a friend during a phone call.

In 1974, Batsford left to manage Wimbledon and took several players with him. Walton & Hersham were relegated in 1975 and, although they reached the FA Cup first round again in the 1975–76 season, they went close to extinction in the late 1970s. They inspired the name of punk band Sham 69 (who formed in 1976), as they derived it from a piece of graffiti which read 'Walton & Hersham 69'. Despite briefly having Sir Stanley Matthews as president, the club endured a lean period throughout the 1980s.

1994–2018

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Walton & Hersham were promoted to the Isthmian top flight in 1994, and reached the FA Cup first round again that season, although relegation followed in 1996. They were promoted the following year, but relegation followed again in 2000.[3] After a spell in the Isthmian League First Division, they appointed long-serving player Alan Dowson as manager and he led them to a successful 2004–05 season, with promotion secured as runners-up.

After the resignation of Alan Dowson in October 2006, former Gillingham first-team coach Bobby Paterson took over after a long search for a new manager. Walton & Hersham were relegated that season and Paterson's contract was terminated. The assistant manager Les Cleevely - the former Carshalton Athletic player/assistant manager for whom he made over 500 appearances - took over.

Former Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis became a member of Walton & Hersham's board of directors, and after a mid-table finish to the 2007–08 season, Les Cleevely became the academy coach while Jimmy Bolton took over as manager. In March 2009, Jimmy Bolton was replaced for the rest of the season by Matt Elverson as caretaker manager. During the 2009 off-season, John Crumplin was appointed manager, although his reign only lasted until September 2010. Chuck Martini was appointed soon after.

At the end of the 2015–16 season Walton & Hersham were relegated to the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division. The club appointed Simon Haughney as first team manager on 22 June 2016, with former Guyana international Howard Newton as assistant manager.

2019– Present

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In June 2019 - after a season ending in relegation to the Combined Counties League One - the club was taken over by a consortium of seven young people;[4] Thomas Bradbury, Reme Edetanlen, Jack Newton, Sartej Tucker, Ben Madelin, Calogero Scannella and Stephan Karidis. They got off to a winning start in the league with a 3–0 victory over Eversley & California FC.

Media coverage has been a prominent strategy for the new ownership, with national & international coverage documenting the club's direction as the unverified "youngest owners in world football". The new directors also featured in a 90min documentary that recorded their experiences, filmed during their first season in charge.[5]

On 14 April 2020, Manager George Busumbru stepped down, citing 'personal reasons'.[6] Scott Harris, former player & former assistant coach at Walton Casuals, replaced George.[7]

In 2021 the club were promoted to the Premier Division South based on their results in the abandoned 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons. After six years away from the Isthmian League, a 1–0 victory over Raynes Park Vale on 9 April 2022 secured at least a second placed spot and back-to-back promotions.[8] The club returned to Step 4 for the first time since relegation in 15/16.

In 2023, after finishing 2nd in the Isthmian South Central Division, the club secured a third successive promotion following a 3–1 win in the division play-off finals against Hanworth Villa,[9] which returns the club to Step 3, a key goal for the owners. The season saw other records with striker Eddie Simon scoring an English record of four hat-tricks in successive games.[10]

In April 2024, following three promotions in three seasons, Harris was sacked with the club sitting five points off of the play-offs with three matches remaining, with a number of key players also departing the club in support of Harris.[11]

Stadium

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Walton & Hersham play their home games at the Elmbridge Sports Hub, Waterside Drive, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 2JP.

The club moved into the stadium for the 2017–18 season following a two-year, £20 million redevelopment on the site of the former Waterside Stadium. The stadium was shared with Walton Casuals until they folded, as well as the local athletics club with an eight-lane Olympic standard athletics track located behind the main stand and clubhouse of the football stadium.

The club have spent much of their history at Stompond Lane, where they began playing upon formation in 1945. The Swans notably hosted Southampton in a 6–1 defeat in the 1957–58 FA Cup First Round and earned a 0–0 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion in the 1973–74 FA Cup edition. In 2017, the stadium was demolished to make way for new housing developments as the club moved across town.

Players and staff

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Current squad

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As of 27 August 2024[12]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK   ENG Jos Barker
— DF   ENG Jaden Crowhurst
— DF   ENG Archie Procter
— DF   ENG Paul Field
— DF   ENG Joey Jones
— DF   ENG Eoin Bolger
— DF   CYP Alex Andreou
— DF   ENG Elliott Bolton
— DF   ENG Josh Tobin
— MF   BEL Lucas Defise
— MF   ENG Johl Powell
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF   SOM Anis Nuur
— MF   ENG Adam Mekki
— MF   ENG Mason Obeng
— FW   ENG Cameron Thompson
— FW   POL Dawid Rogalski
— FW   ENG Nana Owusu
— FW   ENG Alex Body
— FW   ENG Joe Garcia
— FW   ENG James Hall

Coaching staff

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As of 27 August 2024.[13]
Position Name
Manager   Billy Rowley
Assistant Manager   Darren Simpson
First Team Coach   Jakub Pietrzak
Sports Therapist   Shannon O'Mahony
Goalkeeper Coach   Charlie Stallard
Strength & Conditioning Coach   Ben Spong

Achievements

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Records

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Matches

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Results

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  • Record win:
  • Record defeat:
    • 0–7 v Farnborough Town, Isthmian League Division One, 18 September 1984
    • 0–7 v Kingstonian, Isthmian League Premier Division, 14 March 1998
    • 0–7 v Chelmsford City, Isthmian League Premier Division, 17 February 2007
    • 1–8 v Dagenham, Isthmian League Division One, 21 December 1974
    • 1–8 v Kingstonian, Surrey Senior Cup first round, 1 January 1990
    • 2–9 v Enfield, Athenian League, 13 February 1960
    • 2–9 v Bromley, FA Cup Fourth qualifying round, 6 November 1976
  • Highest scoring game:

Competitions

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Former players

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  1. Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
  2. Players with full international caps.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jenkinson, Orlando (23 August 2019). "Interview: Seven 19-year-old friends become the new owners of Walton and Hersham FC". Surrey Comet. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  2. ^ Sidle, Ryan (22 August 2019). "Seven 19-Year-Olds Become The Youngest Football Club Owners". Sport Bible. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Walton & Hersham". fchd.info. Football Club History Database. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
  4. ^ "Club Structure | Walton & Hersham Football Club". www.waltonandhershamfc.org.uk. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019.
  5. ^ @90min_Football (28 February 2020). "ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ'ꜱ ʏᴏᴜɴɢᴇꜱᴛ ꜰᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ ᴄʟᴜʙ ᴏᴡɴᴇʀꜱ Seven school friends took over the reins at @waltonhershamfc with the o…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ @BusumbruG (14 April 2020). "To @waltonhershamfc supporters ❤" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ "New First Team Manager | Walton & Hersham Football Club".
  8. ^ "Swans 1 Raynes Park Vale 0". waltonhershamfc.com. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Swans Soar! | Isthmian Football League".
  10. ^ "'Haaland who?' - Non-league striker writes history with fourth hat-trick in a row". express.co.uk. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Club Statement: Scott Harris". waltonhershamfc.com. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Profiles". Walton & Hersham FC. Archived from the original on 21 December 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Staff". waltonandhershamfc.org.uk. Walton & Hersham Football Club. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
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51°23′57.851″N 0°24′44.122″W / 51.39940306°N 0.41225611°W / 51.39940306; -0.41225611

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