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Romford F.C.

Coordinates: 51°32′51″N 0°06′41″E / 51.54750°N 0.11139°E / 51.54750; 0.11139
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Romford
Full nameRomford Football Club
Nickname(s)The Boro
Founded1876; 148 years ago (1876)
GroundMayesbrook Park, Dagenham
Capacity2,500 (250 seated)[1]
ChairmanSteve Gardener
ManagerKris Newby
LeagueEssex Senior League
2023–24Essex Senior League, 3rd of 20
Websitehttp://www.romfordfc.com/

Romford Football Club is an English football club based in Romford, London. The club are currently members of the Essex Senior League and play at Mayesbrook Park in Dagenham.

History

[edit]

The original Romford was established in 1876. They reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1880–81, but lost 15–0 at Darwen, hampered by playing a dribbling game on a slushy pitch; Darwen also had four goals disallowed.[2]

There was no league football for them to play until they joined the South Essex League in 1896. An internal dispute saw several committee and players leave to form a new club in 1909, called Romford United and competing directly against Romford in the South Essex League at a ground literally across the road. The original club continued under new management and joined the Southern League while still playing in the South Essex League, but played only a single season before leaving.[3]

The new regime at the original club proved disastrous, being expelled from the South Essex League during the 1910–11 season and subsequently folding, leaving Romford United as the only club with the town's name. They changed to Romford Town and joined the Athenian League, but finished bottom in their first season and left at the end of their second,[4] before closing down during World War I. Romford Town had remained members of the South Essex League and returned to action after the war, but lack of support saw them withdraw in December 1920 and fold. For the rest of the 1920s the only club under the Romford name was Romford Town Thursday, playing on Thursday afternoons at Brooklands, a ground previously used by Romford's reserve team.

In 1929 the club was re-established. Taking over the use of the Brooklands Stadium, they joined the London League.[5] In 1931 they moved to the Athenian League, which they won in 1935–36 and 1936–37.[3] Following World War II the club transferred to the Isthmian League. In 1948–49 they reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup, but lost 1–0 to Bromley in front of 100,000 spectators in the first final to be held at Wembley Stadium. In 1959 they switched to Division One of the Southern League. They were promoted to the Premier Division in their first season after finishing second, and won the Premier Division in 1966–67. The club made several applications to join the Football League, but were never successful in the elections. In 1974–75 they finished second bottom of the Premier Division, and were relegated to Division One. By this time the club had developed Brooklands considerably in anticipation of eventually being elected to the Football League and had large debts to show for it, and had to sell Brooklands in 1975 but remained until 1977.[5] After a season of borrowing grounds to play home matches they resigned from the Southern League[3] and folded in 1978, with the building work on a new ground barely started and hardly any money left.

In 1992 the club was resurrected for a second time and joined the Essex Senior League. They won the league in 1995–96, and in the summer merged with Collier Row (with whom they had been groundsharing since April) to form Collier Row & Romford. The new club took Collier Row's place in Division Two of the Isthmian League, which they won in their first season.[6] In the summer of 1997 they were renamed Romford.

In 2000–01 they finished second bottom of Division One and were relegated to Division Two. After finishing bottom the following season they resigned to go back to the Essex Senior League. They returned to the Isthmian League after winning the Senior League in 2008–09, and remained in Division One North for over a decade. Despite a difficult year in 2017–18, they were able to survive despite being five points adrift with just two games remaining. The following season they found themselves in a possibly even worse situation as they were nine points short of safety with five games remaining, but staged a late recovery only to fall short on goal difference behind Witham Town. However the knock-on effect of the mid-season demise of North Ferriby United meant Romford were reprieved from relegation to fill the vacancy.

In November 2019, the club appointed former Billericay Town owner Glenn Tamplin,as manager and investor who immediately signed multiple players on his first day.[7] Under Tamplin Romford had a difficult time, largely because of the unavailability of the waterlogged Brentwood pitch which they were unable to use after Tamplin's first match, and a huge turnover of players but eventually recovered enough ground to move off the bottom of the table in March just as the season was brought to a premature end by the coronavirus pandemic. The following season Romford moved on again to Barking but with a resurgence of coronavirus cases the season was suspended in November with Boro in mid-table then eventually curtailed in February. Shortly after, Tamplin announced he was leaving the club, but his assistants Christos Mead and Derek Duncan would remain in charge of the team.

Romford win the FA Vase by defeating Great Wakering Rovers at Wembley Stadium on the 11 May 2024

At the start of the 2021–22 season the club announced joint managers Derek Duncan and Mark Holloway would take charge of team affairs, however they left the club in December 2021 after a disastrous run of results. Former boss Paul Martin took temporary charge, but results did not improve, and he left the club in March 2022 with Jon Fowell taking over until the end of the season. This saw the club have 4 managers during this season, over 100 players signed, using more than 70 players in all competitions and conceding a disastrous 154 goals in total in all competitive matches. Relegation to the Essex Senior League was confirmed on 26 March 2022, which was seen by many as inevitable.[8]

Former Great Wakering Rovers boss Steve Butterworth was installed as manager in May 2022 and his tenure saw Boro reach the Third Qualifying Round of the F A Cup and the last sixteen of the F A Vase, both for the first time since the 1990s, but he left in March to take up a position at East Thurrock United. His assistant Dan Spinks took over and the last month of the season saw an excellent run of form which was an indicator of what was to come in 2023–24, which opened with five straight wins saw Romford miss out on promotion, losing the play-off final to Sporting Bengal. In the FA Vase, Romford made it all the way to Wembley, beating Great Wakering Rovers 3-0 in the final.

2024/25 Games

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Essex Senior League

[edit]
27th July 2024 1 Romford 4-1 Stanway Rovers Dagenham, East London
15:00 Chris Millar 15'

David Oweridu 63'

Elliott Howson 72'

Shermandin Artmeladze 90+2'		 Harry Thomas 9' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 120
Referee: Andrew Owen
23 August 2024 2 Romford 1-1 Athletic Newham Dagenham, East London
19:45 Praise Ogbebor 69' Alessio Akabuogu 25' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 131
Referee: Liam Giles
23 August 2024 3 Romford 2-0 Benfleet Dagenham, East London
19:45 Andy Morris 17' Reece McGovern 65' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 114
31 August 2024 4 Takeley 0-0 Romford Takeley, Essex
15:00 Stadium: Station Road
Attendance: 121
Referee: Tom Evans
3 September 2024 5 Hullbridge Sports 3-3 Romford Hullbridge, Essex
19:45 Conor Hart 75, 86' Freddie Moriaty 89' pen Praise Ogbebor 4'

Arnold Mengi 13'

Kennedy Feyi 61'		 Stadium: TJ Cottis Stadium
Attendance: 201
7 September 2024 6 Romford 5-1 Sawbridgeworth Town Dagenham, East London
15:00 Praise Ogbebor 16'

Kennedy Feyi 41'

Arnold Mengi 62'

Brendon Ocran 85, 90+3'		 Kieran David 90+1'' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 136
10 September 2024 7 Romford 1-2 Little Oakley Dagenham, East London
19:45 Andy Morris 67' Darren Mills 27, 29' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 100
16 September 2024 8 Ilford 1-3 Romford Ilford, East London
19:45 Michael Adu 44' Aundre Spencer 18 pen'

Kennedy Feyi 63'

Kalum Buma 90+2'		 Stadium: Cricklefields Stadium
Attendance: 101
28 September 2024 9 West Essex 1-3 Romford Walthamstow
15:00 Yemi Adelani 68' pen Arnold Mengi 11, 90+1' Brendan Ocran 15' Stadium: Wadham Lodge
Attendance: 120
Referee: Rob Davies
Assistant referees: Liam Broom
Assistant referees: Nazarij Bilanovszkij
5 October 2024 10 Stansted 1-2 Romford Stansted, Essex
15:00 Joshua Darby 84' Chris Millar 47' Toheeb Elgushi 67' Stadium: Hargrave Park
Attendance: 113
Referee: Mahdi Elhalawany
Assistant referees: Kate Dorling
Assistant referees: Matthew Flowers
12 October 2024 11 Romford 5-0 FC Clacton Dagenham, East London
15:00 Kennedy Feyi 7'

Sam Elwood 22, 56'

Chris Millar 28'

Harry Harvey 60' (o.g.)		 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 129
26 October 2024 12 Saffron Walden Town 1-3 Romford Saffron Walden, Cambridgeshire
15:00 Unknown Chris Millar 58, 74' Jake Gordon 90+5' Stadium: Catons Lane
Attendance: 288
2 November 2024 13 Romford 0-1 Great Wakering Rovers Dagenham, East London
15:00 Harry Brown 50' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 203
Referee: Connor Cornell
Assistant referees: Anthony Abbs
Assistant referees: Katie Dorling
Man of the Match: Derek Feyi
16 November 2024 14 Romford 1-3 White Ensign Dagenham, East London
15:00 Kennedy Feyi 63' pen Ellis Deveruex 34, 47' Riley Weir 45+3' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 103
Referee: Robert Davies
18 November 2024 15 Little Oakley 0-1 Romford Harwich, Essex
19:45 Joe Paxman 59' Stadium: War Memorial Ground
Attendance: 66
Referee: Brian Taylor
23 November 2024 16 Romford 1-2 Halestead Town Dagenham, East London
15:00 Harry Elsey 8'

Joe Paxman Yellow card 49'

Eli Beniot Yellow card 70'

Andy Morris Yellow card 90+1'		 Alfie Cleal 45+2'

Dean Ager 72' pen

Theo Duffin Yellow card 79'

Nathan Scarborough Yellow card 79'

Lewis Oweridu Yellow card 90+1'		 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 136
26 November 2024 17 Romford 1-1 Ilford Dagenham, East London
19:45 Derek Feyi 42' Ahmed Dousa 3' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 91
Referee: Alan Steward
Assistant referees: Mungo Prior
Assistant referees: John Taverner
30 November 2024 18 Frenford 2-4 Romford Ilford, East London
15:00 Harry Elsey 45+1' (o.g.)


Anthony Uzoegbu 67'		 Brendan Ocran 18'

Kennedy Feyi 49'

Blaise Uwandji 70'

Amaree Robinson-Jones 88'		 Stadium: Jack Carter Centre
Attendance: 66
Referee: Adeolu Adeyemi
Assistant referees: Wahid Touileb
Assistant referees: Robbie Maris
14 December 2024 19 Romford 1-0 West Essex Dagenham, East London
15:00 Amaree Robinson-Jones 50' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 92
Referee: Royan Campbell
Assistant referees: Yaron Woolf
Assistant referees: Dan Boulden
Man of the Match: Ashaan Siddik
21 December 2024 20 Buckhurst Hill 3-0 Romford Buckhurst Hill, Essex
15:00 George Thompson 45' pen

Tyreece Robertson 50'

Jaime Obama Nvumba 90+4'

Suley Zuhda Yellow card 45' sin binned

Olise Okuguni Yellow card 53'		 Qamil Dervishaj Yellow card 44'


Shermandin Artmeladze Yellow card 90+1' sin binned		 Stadium: Roding Lane
Attendance: 90
Referee: Lee Jarvis
28 December 2024 21 Barking v Romford Barking, England
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
3 January 2025 22 Romford v Takeley Dagenham, East London
19:45 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
11 January 2025 23 Benfleet v Romford South Benfleet, Essex
14:00 Stadium: Woodside Park
17 January 2025 24 Woodford Town v Romford Woodford, Redbridge
19:45 Stadium: Ashton Playing Fields
25 January 2025 25 Romford v Stansted Dagenham, East London
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
1 February 2025 26 FC Clacton v Romford Clacton-on-sea, Essex
14:00 Stadium: Rush Green Bowl
8 February 2025 27 Romford v Hullbridge Sports Dagenham, East London
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
15 February 2025 28 Romford v Saffron Walden Town Dagenham, East London
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
22 February 2025 29 Athletic Newham v Romford Dagenham, East London
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
1 March 2025 30 Romford v Frenford Dagenham, East London
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
8 March 2025 31 Stanway Rovers v Romford Stanway, Essex
15:00 Stadium: Hawthorns
15 March 2025 32 Halestead Town v Romford Halestead, Braintee
15:00 Stadium: Rosemary Lane
22 March 2025 33 Sawbridgeworth Town v Romford Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire
15:00 Stadium: Crofters End
29 March 2025 34 Romford v Woodford Town Dagenham, East London
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
5 April 2025 35 Great Wakering Rovers v Romford Great Wakering, Southend-on-sea
15:00 Stadium: Boroughs Park
11 April 2025 36 Romford v Barking Dagenham, East London
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
19 April 2025 37 White Ensign v Romford Great Wakering, Southend-on-sea
15:00 Stadium: Burroghs Park
26 April 2025 38 Romford v Buckhurst Hill Dagenham, East London
15:00 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park

FA Vase

[edit]
9 November 2024 Second Round Takeley 3-2 Romford Takeley, Essex
15:00 Jordan Wescott 8'

Jack Mitchell 69'

Alfie Attrill 81'		 Brendon Ocran 48'


Jaiden Babalola 51'		 Stadium: Station Road
Attendance: 223

Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy

[edit]
29 October 2024 First Round Romford 2-1 Sawbridgeworth Town Dagenham, East London
19:45 Kennedy Feyi 21'


Amaree Robinson-Jones 48'		 Jehovany Kinzonzi 89' Stadium: Mayesbrook Park
Attendance: 69
Referee: Ricardo Reynolds
Assistant referees: Martin Quinn
Assistant referees: Connor Cornell
14 January 2025 Quarter-Finals Romford v Little Oakley Dagenham, East London
19:45 Stadium: Mayesbrook Park

BBC Essex Senior Cup

[edit]
30 September 2024 First Round Barkingside 0-3 Romford Ilford, East London
19:45 Leandro Alva 27'

Iziah Antione 61'

Jake Gordon 75'		 Stadium: Cricklefields Stadium
Attendance: 82
Referee: Dan Boulden
Assistant referees: Rasmus Adamah
Assistant referees: Daniel Lane
22 October 2024 Second Round Little Oakley 3-1 Romford Harwich, Essex
19:45 Unknown Jaiden Babalola 40' Stadium: War Memorial Ground
Attendance: 66
Referee: Jack Good
Assistant referees: Daniel Axente
Assistant referees: Alexander Galbally
  • Highest Home Attendance - 203 (vs Great Wakering Rovers) 2 November 2024
  • Lowest Home Attendance - 69 (vs Sawbridgeworth Town) 29 October 2024

Reserve team

[edit]

After being reformed in 1929, Romford entered a reserve team into Division One of the London League. During their time in the Athenian and Isthmian leagues the reserves played in the reserves sections of the leagues. When the club turned professional in 1959 they entered the reserves into the Eastern Counties League, where they spent four seasons before joining the Metropolitan League in 1963.[9] They went on to play in the Eastern Professional Football League, which they won in 1967–68, and the Essex Senior League, where they had a single season in 1974–75.[10]

The reformed club ran a side called Rom Valley Rangers in the Essex Business Houses League in 1992–93 but there was no reserve side after that until 1996, when a team was entered the Essex & Herts Border Combination, finishing runners-up in the Western Division in each of its first three seasons. Romford remained in that league until 2008.

In season 2009–10 Romford ran their own team in the Essex Olympian League Division 2 which they won.

In season 2012-13 the team finished second in the Essex Senior League Reserve Division West repeating the feat the following season.

At the club's Player Presentation Evening on 10 May it was announced that due to financial restraints, the Reserve and Under-18 side would not be run for the 2014–15 season.

On 8 September 2015 it was announced that the club had teamed up with Belgian 4th Division side SK Berlare with a view to working with them in the future.

For the 2023/24 season, a Reserve team was entered in the Essex Senior League Reserve Division.

The Reserve team was disbanded for the 2024-25 season.

Stadium

[edit]

The club has led a nomadic existence, playing at nineteen home grounds during its history although most of these have been emergency arrangements when their established home ground was unavailable for various reasons. When the club reformed in 1992 it began playing at the Hornchurch Stadium, before moving to Ford United's Rush Green ground in 1995. In April 1996 they moved to Collier Row's Sungate ground, and the clubs merged during the summer. The spell at Sungate was fraught with problems and there were frequent and protracted periods when Romford had to borrow other grounds to play home matches owing to problems with the facilities at Sungate. In December 2001 they left Sungate for good and played at several different stadiums in order to complete the season. They returned to Rush Green in 2002 (as Ford United had left to groundshare with Barkingside). They remained there until 2008, when they moved to Aveley's Mill Field ground.

In 2009 it was announced that the club had been given permission to build a new stadium on the Westlands Playing Fields on London Road,[11] however building work has yet to commence as planning permission has had to be re-applied for as the original permission expired while awaiting government approval for the change of use.

Romford began sharing with Thurrock at Ship Lane in 2012 but were required to move to East Thurrock United's Rookery Hill in 2018 when Thurrock folded and the ground was closed. This arrangement was only in place for one year however, and it was arranged for Romford to move rather closer to home for the 2019–20 season and share with Brentwood Town.[12] In 2020 Romford announced a ground share that would involve them playing their home games at Mayesbrook Park, home of Barking.

On 29 October 2023, Romford announced the club would be moving back to Rookery Hill the following month after East Thurrock folded at the beginning of October 2023.[13] However the lease proved to be unsustainable and it was confirmed on 26 May 2024 that the Club would move back to Mayesbrook Park to groundshare with Barking, for at least two years beginning with the 2024–25 season.[14]

Players and staff

[edit]

Current squad

[edit]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
– GK   Jake Anderson
– GK   Wayne Baker
– DF   Luke Foster
– DF   Jamie Hursit
– DF   Junior Luke
– DF   Scott Doe
– DF   Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky
– DF   Remi Sutton (on loan from Hornchurch)
– DF   Danny Hurford
– MF   Jaidon Babalola
– MF   Sam Deering
– MF   Toheeb Elegushi
– MF   Mikey Faulkner
No. Pos. Nation Player
– MF   Lee Hursit
– MF   Lewis Gardener
– MF   Kris Newby (Club Captain)
– DF   Darren Phillips
– MF   Adalberto Pinto
– MF   Amaree Robinson-Jones
– MF   Ashaan Siddik
– MF   Jacob Wiggins
– FW   Michael Bakare
– FW   Finlay Dorrell
– FW   Charlie Morris
– FW   Hassan Nalbant
Romford FC First Team, 2024

Current staff

Position Name
Manager Kris Newby
Coach Charlie Priest
Physiotherapist Victoria Omadeli

Former players

[edit]
Further information: Category:Romford F.C. players

Club Honours

  • FA Vase Winners, 2023–24
  • Southern League
    • Premier Division champions 1966–67
  • Isthmian League
    • Division Two champions 1996–97
  • Athenian League
    • Champions 1935–36, 1936–37
  • Essex Senior League
    • Champions 1995–96, 2008–09
    • League Cup winners 1995–96
    • Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy winners 2003–04
  • Eastern Floodlight League
    • Champions 1967–68
  • Essex Senior Cup
    • Winners 1911–12, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1937–38, 1946–47
  • Essex Professional Cup
    • Winners 1968–69
  • East Anglian Cup
    • Winners 1934–35, 1936–37, 1951–52, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1997–98

Records

[edit]

Cup runs

[edit]
  • Best FA Cup performance: Quarter-finals, 1880–81
  • Best FA Trophy performance: 2nd round replay, 1998–99
  • Best FA Vase performance: Champions, 2023–24
  • Best FA Amateur Cup performance: Runners-up, 1948–49

Club records (since 1876)

[edit]
  • Attendance: 17 081 vs Southall, FA Amateur Cup 4th Round (replay), 28 February 1953
  • Biggest victory: 12-1 vs Stork (Purfleet), FA Cup 17 September 1938
  • Biggest defeat: 0–15 vs Darwen, FA Cup, 5 March 1885

Player records (since 1992)

[edit]
  • Most appearances: Paul Clayton, 396, 2006–2015
  • Most goals: Nick Reynolds, 74, 2010–2019
  • Fastest goal: Danny Benstock 11 seconds vs Great Wakering Rovers, Essex Senior League, 28 August 1995
  • Most goals in one season: Vinny John 45 (3 pens), 1997/98
  • Most consecutive appearances: Ryan Boswell 67, 19 December 2015 – 18 February 2017
  • Youngest player: Perry Burns (15 yrs 266 days, 29 April 06)
  • Oldest player: Mark Lord (48 yrs 90 days, 3 March 15)
  • Youngest goalscorer: Praise Ogbebor (16yrs 7m, 10 February 2023)
  • Oldest goalscorer: John Maskell (39 yrs 5 months, 23 March 19)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Mike Williams; Tony Williams (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. p. 656. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
  2. ^ "Notes by Free-Kick". Blackburn Weekly Standard: 3. 12 March 1881.
  3. ^ a b c Romford at the Football Club History Database
  4. ^ Romford Town at the Football Club History Database
  5. ^ a b History Romford FC
  6. ^ Collier Row & Romford at the Football Club History Database
  7. ^ "Glenn Tamplin: Ex-Billericay owner buys Romford and makes himself manager". BBC Sport. 15 November 2019.
  8. ^ "Millers march on, Gulls keep pace and Romford go down". isthmian.co.uk. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  9. ^ Blakeman, M (2010) The Official History of the Eastern Counties Football League 1935–2010, Volume II ISBN 978-1-908037-02-2
  10. ^ Romford Reserves at the Football Club History Database
  11. ^ Council gives go ahead to new home for Romford Football Club Archived 4 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Havering Borough Council
  12. ^ "Romford sign new Groundshare". Romford F.C. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  13. ^ "Important Announcement". Romford F.C. 29 October 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Romford to Return to Barking for 2024-25". Romford F.C. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
[edit]

51°32′51″N 0°06′41″E / 51.54750°N 0.11139°E / 51.54750; 0.11139

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