Wroxham F.C.

Wroxham

Full name	Wroxham Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Yachtsmen
Founded	1892
Ground	Trafford Park, Wroxham
Capacity	1,100
Chairman	Tom Jarrett
Manager	David Batch]
League	Eastern Counties League Premier Division
2008-09	Eastern Counties League Premier Division, 5th
Home colours Away colours

Wroxham Football Club is an English football club, based at Trafford Park in Wroxham, Norfolk, England. The club currently plays in the Premier Division of the Eastern Counties League.

History

Wroxham F.C. was established in 1892, originally playing on Wroxham Park in a pink and black strip. Their location meant that they quickly became known as The Yachtsmen, a nickname that they still have today. Initially they played friendlies prior to joining the East Norfolk League and then Norwich City Junior League, before joining the East Anglian League in 1935. However in the early 1950s the club opted to step down to the Norwich & District League, a period in which they suffered a club record 24-0 defeat.

At the start of the 1963-64 season they applied to become founder members of the Anglian Combination League, eventually rising through the divisions in the 1970s, and in 1974-75 they won their first major trophy, the Norfolk Junior Cup, beating Norwich Lads Club 2-1 in the Final. In season 1975-76 Wroxham won their first ever league title, the Anglian Combination Division Two Championship, and went on to secure the Division One crown at the first attempt.

The early 80s saw Wroxham dominate the Anglian Combination for several seasons winning the Premier Division title in 1981-82 and the following three seasons as well as in 1986-87. The 80s also brought success in cup competitions with the Knock-out Cup being won in 1980-81, 1982-83, 1984-85 and 1986-87. The success of Wroxham was mainly due to former semi-professional football Bruce Cunningham being at the helm of the club and masterminded Wroxham's success in the 80s, 90s and early 00s before resiging as manager.

1988-89 saw the club join the Eastern Counties League's newly formed Division One which they won on goal difference from Halstead Town in the League's inaugural season. Wroxham were promoted to the Premier Division. In 1991-92 the club won the Premier Division with a then record 99 points. 1992-93 was Wroxham's centenary season, and also their most successful, winning a treble of Eastern Counties League Championship, League Cup and Norfolk Senior Cup. The Reserve Team also won the Anglian Combination Division One title that season. 1993-94 saw the club win their third League Championship in a row.

Wroxham finished in the top 3 the following two seasons before regaining the championship with a record 109 points in 1996-97 and completing a double by winning the Norfolk Senior Cup against Diss Town. This double was repearted the following season 1997-98 saw the double repeated, beating Swaffham Town in the Norfolk Senior Cup Final, before completing a second hat-trick of League Championships in 1998-99.

Wroxham were managed by former Brighton & Hove Albion player Damian Hilton. He was assisted by former Norwich City and Coventry City defender Greg Downs, who won the FA Cup with Coventry in 1987 and former Wroxham player Steve Furlong. Greg Downs later walked out at his position.

They have reached the third qualifying round of the FA Cup three times in their history. In the 2001-02 season they lost 3-1 at Tamworth, in the 2005-06 season they lost 4-2 to Aylesbury United after a replay, and in the 2008-09 season they lost 9-0 to King's Lynn.

They won the 2008 Norfolk Senior Cup Final, beating Sheringham Town from the Anglian Combination 3-1 in the final, but were beaten 3-1 by King's Lynn Reserves in the 2009 final.

They still won some silverware in 2009 though as Matt Carpenter guided the U18s to the Ridgeons Youth League Cup Final where they beat Woodbridge Town U18s 1-0 thanks to an extra time goal scored by Billy Mputu.

In the 2009-10 season, Wroxham reached the FA Vase final for the first time in their history and will face holders Whitley Bay at Wembley.

Stadium

Since the club was formed, Wroxham F.C. has seen football at several venues. The first pitch was just off Norwich Road and subsequent grounds were at The Avenue and Keys Hill. The Avenue ground has now reverted back to agricultural use, whilst the others have been built upon.

Around the time of the Second World War, Wroxham moved to their current ********, Trafford Park, a field close to the railway line in Skinners Lane, where the tracks are as close to the ground on one side as any in the country. The club took with them an old timber pavilion that was erected and used as a primitive clubhouse. 15 years later this was replaced by pre-fabricated buildings, which were themselves flattened to make way for a new permanent clubhouse that was opened in 1994.

The current main stand, the Les King Stand, was built in 1990, replacing an earlier structure that had stood on the same site for around 10 years. Other improvements over the years include the addition of floodlights and a post and rail fence system around the pitch. The capacity at Trafford Park is 2,000 but the record attendance to date is 1,011 for a league game against Wisbech Town.

Honours

• Eastern Counties League
  • Premier Division Champions 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2006-07
  • Division One Champions 1988-89
  • League Cup Winners 1993, 2000
• Anglian Combination
  • Premier Division Champions 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1987-88
  • Division One Champions 1976-77
  • Division Two Champions 1975-76
  • Knock-out Cup Winners 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987
• Norfolk Senior Cup
  • Winners 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008
• Norfolk Junior Cup
  • Winners 1975

External links

• Official website of Wroxham FC
• Wroxham at the Football Club History Database