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Hillingdon Borough F.C.

Coordinates: 51°35′13.16″N 0°26′33.46″W / 51.5869889°N 0.4426278°W / 51.5869889; -0.4426278
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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jones44444 (talk | contribs) at 09:57, 2 July 2023 (Transfer of Yiewsley F.C. information to Yiewsley F.C. Wikipedia article. Other minor rewording). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Hillingdon Borough" redirects here. For the administrative area, see London Borough of Hillingdon.
Hillingdon Borough
Full nameHillingdon Borough Football Club
Nickname(s)The Hillmen, Boro
Founded1872 Yiewsley F.C.
1964 Hillingdon Borough F.C.
1990 (reformed)
GroundMiddlesex Stadium, Ruislip
Capacity3,587
ChairmanDavinder Dhand
ManagerVacant
LeagueCombined Counties League Division One
2023–24Combined Counties League Division One, 19th of 22

Hillingdon Borough Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Ruislip, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The club is affiliated to the Middlesex County Football Association.[1] Its name was revived in 1990 from the original club, which had been based in Yiewsley. They currently play in the Combined Counties League Division One.

History

Historic club

On 1 May 1964 the F.A. Council granted permission for Yiewsley F.C. to change their name to Hillingdon Borough F.C.[2] This was done to reflect the local government reorganisation in London that was to see the formation of the London Borough of Hillingdon on 1 April 1965.[3]

In the club’s second season, 1965-66, Hillingdon were promoted to the Premier Division of the Southern League after finishing runners up.[2] Their most successful period followed over the next five years. In 1968–69 they finished runners-up to Cambridge United.[4] In the following 1969–70 season, they reached the third round proper of the FA Cup defeating Wimbledon and Luton Town before losing to Sutton United 4–1 in a replay at Gander Green Lane.[5] In the 2–1 win against Luton in the second round, the club had its highest official home attendance with 9033 spectators at the Leas Stadium.[6] In the 1970–71 season, Hillingdon reached the FA Trophy final at Wembley playing Telford United in front of 29,500 spectators. Hillingdon led 2-0 at the interval but Telford staged a second half comeback scoring two goals in the last seven minutes to win 3–2.[7]

These achievements were all under Jimmy Langley (left-back for Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and England), who was Player-manager between 1967 and 1971. Langley had been educated at Evelyn's school, next to Yiewsley's Evelyn's Stadium. At the age of fourteen he was the youngest player to play for the club.[8] In the F.A. Trophy Final on 1 May 1971, Langley, known as a gentleman footballer, became the then oldest man to appear in a Cup Final at Wembley at the age of 42.[9] Other notable managers of the club included Barry Fry, latterly of Birmingham City and Peterborough United.[10]

The club failed to build on the success of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The 1980s saw Hillingdon entering financial difficulties and subsequent financial collapse. Hillingdon Borough's final game was at the Leas on 30 April 1983 against Dover ending with a 2–1 win.[11] The club was wound up and the Leas Stadium sold in the summer of 1983.[11] In the 1983–84 and 1984–85 seasons the club was able to continue playing under the name of Hillingdon F.C.[11] However the final game at Leas Stadium was held on 23 April 1985 against Chatham Town in front of 350 spectators ending in a 1–0 defeat.[11]

In the 1985–86 season Hillingdon merged with Burnham to form Burnham & Hillingdon F.C. playing home games at Burnham's Wymers Wood Road ground.[11] The club ran for two seasons with this name before changing back to Burnham and continuing to play in the Southern league.[12][13]

Leas Stadium had been sold to property developers who built a housing estate on the land.[11] They honoured the club's history by naming the roads Leacroft Close, Newcombe Rise, Cousins (sic) Close and Milburn Drive.

Modern club

The name Hillingdon Borough was resurrected in 1990 when Bromley Park Rangers from the Chiltonian League took over the ground of Ruislip, with the help of four former directors from the old club, and changed their name.[14][15] The newly named club then joined the Premier Division of the Spartan League for the start of the 1990–91 campaign.[16] The club would then go on to finish Runners-up twice before the league merged with the South Midlands League to form the Spartan South Midlands Football League.[16] The club was placed in the Premier South Division.[17]

In 2006, Hillingdon Borough reached the FA Vase final at St. Andrews, Birmingham, after an 11-game qualification route starting in the competition as early as the 2nd qualifying round.[2] In the final of the FA Vase the club lost 3–1 to Cheshire club Nantwich Town.[18] Also in that year they finished 2nd in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, losing on goal difference to Oxford City.[19] However they were promoted due to continued restructuring of non-league football, joining the Southern League Division One South & West.[20] During the 2007–08 season, captain Danny Tilbury led Steve Ringrose's side to lift the Errea Cup (Southern League Cup) with a 4–1 aggregate win against Premier side Clevedon Town.[21] Following the departure of Steve Ringrose the club was transferred to the Isthmian League Division One North.[22][23] The club struggled under new manager Steve Hale and in their first season in the Isthmian League they finished bottom of the division and were relegated back to the Spartan South Midlands League in 2009.[24]

In recent years the club have had little stability in the managerial department and on and off the field. When Gamdoor Dhaliwal resigned as chairman the club were on the brink of liquidation until local businessman Mick Harris stepped in to save the club. Gary Meakin, aged 26 years old, took over in 2010 and was in the process of building a competitive team before swapping Hillingdon for Northwood in March 2011. Jesse Smith, an experienced coach on the Middlesex scene, was appointed as Meakin's successor before his departure in 2012 and achieved a 10th-place finish and a cup final in his only season in charge. Then it was the turn of 2005 Football Icon winner Sam Hurrell to take charge in September 2012, then only 24 years of age, alongside co-manager Jason O'Connor.

Following relegation from the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division in 2015, the club appointed former Harefield United boss Ian Crane as their new manager.[25] Crane had most recently been manager at A.F.C. Hayes before leaving in December 2014.

On 17 January 2017, the club released a statement via their Twitter account that the club would be pulling out of the division due to monetary troubles. However, former player Yannick Bolasie has since contacted the club, with the support of Everton, to help with the club's financial situation.[26] At the end of the 2020–21 season they were transferred to Division One of the Combined Counties League.

Ground

Hillingdon Borough play their home games at Middlesex Stadium, Breakspear Road, Ruislip, Middlesex, HA4 7SB.

Honours

Historic club

League honours

Cup honours

Modern club

League honours

Cup honours

Club records

Historic club

  • Highest League Position:[2] 2nd in Southern League 1968–69
  • FA Cup best performance:[2] Third round 1969–70
  • FA Trophy best performance:[2] Finalists 1970–71

Modern club

Former players

Further information: Category:Hillingdon Borough F.C. players

Former managers

Further information: Category:Hillingdon Borough F.C. managers

References

  1. ^ "Charter Standard Clubs". Webcache.googleusercontent.com. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q HILLINGDON BOROUGH at the Football Club History Database
  3. ^ "F.A. to run National Sunday Tourney". The Coventry Evening Telegraph. 1 May 1964. p. 1.
  4. ^ "Non League Tables for 1968–1969". NonLeagueMatters. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Sutton face Leeds". Birmingham Daily Post. 13 January 1970. p. 13.
  6. ^ F.A. Challenge Trophy Competition Final Official Programme. Wembley Stadium Ltd. 1 May 1971. p. 4.
  7. ^ "Shock about-turn at Wembley - Late goals earn Telford the cup". Thanet Times. 4 May 1971. p. 14.
  8. ^ Skinner, James (2003). Images of England West Drayton and Yiewsley. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 9780752428413.
  9. ^ "Langley keeps his head high". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 3 May 1971. p. 17.
  10. ^ Father Jack said... (2 February 2012). "The Cold End: CLASSIC PROGRAMMES/FORGOTTEN FOOTBALL – HILLINGDON BOROUGH V GLOUCESTER CITY – 1969". Thecoldend.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Leigh Edwards, David Shute and Mike Hunter (2000). Yiewsley F.C. & Hillingdon Borough Football Club The Complete Illustrated History [1872 to 1985] & Re-formation in 1990. Uxbridge: Hillingdon Borough Libraries.
  12. ^ BURNHAM & HILLINGDON at the Football Club History Database
  13. ^ BURNHAM at the Football Club History Database
  14. ^ BROMLEY PARK RANGERS at the Football Club History Database
  15. ^ a b "History | Hillingdon Borough FC". Clubwebsite.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  16. ^ a b "Spartan League 1983–1997". Nonleaguematters.net. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  17. ^ "Spartan South Midlands League 1997–2004". Nonleaguematters.net. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  18. ^ "Football | Non League | Hillingdon 1–3 Nantwich". BBC Sport. 6 May 2006. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  19. ^ "Spartan South Midlands League 2004–2011". Nonleaguematters.net. Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  20. ^ Jackson, Greg (25 May 2006). "Star strikers leave Town (From Somerset County Gazette)". Somersetcountygazette.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  21. ^ Mail, Simon (23 April 2008). "Ringrose hails cup heroes (From This Is Local London)". Thisislocallondon.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  22. ^ Mail, Simon (5 July 2008). "Boro pay tribute to Ringrose (From This Is Local London)". Thisislocallondon.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  23. ^ "Football | Non League | Leagues agreed for 2008/09 season". BBC Sport. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  24. ^ "Isthmian League 2003–2012". Nonleaguematters.net. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  25. ^ HillingdonBoroFCfans [@HillingdonBFC] (23 May 2015). "We are delighted to be able to announce Ian Crane as the new Hillingdon Borough FC manager. Onwards and upwards!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ^ "Hillingdon Boro' FC (@officialHbfc) | Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  27. ^ "Football Club History Database – London County Cups Summary". Fchd.info. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  28. ^ "Evostik League Southern". Southern-football-league.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.

51°35′13.16″N 0°26′33.46″W / 51.5869889°N 0.4426278°W / 51.5869889; -0.4426278

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