Uxbridge F.C.

Infobox Football club
clubname = Uxbridge


fullname = Uxbridge Football Club
nickname = The Reds
founded = 1871
ground = Honeycroft,
West Drayton, Middlesex
capacity = tbc
chairman = tbc
manager = Tony Choules
league = Southern League One South & West
season = 2007–08
position = Southern League
Division One South and West, 5th| pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=|leftarm1=ff0000|body1=ff0000|rightarm1=ff0000|shorts1=ffffff|socks1=ff0000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=|leftarm2=Ffd700|body2=Ffd700|rightarm2=Ffd700|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000

Uxbridge Football Club are a football club based in West Drayton in Middlesex, England. They were established in 1871 and are one of the oldest clubs in the South of England. They were founder members of the Southern League Division Two in 1894 and have reached the 2nd round of the FA Cup once; in the 1873-74 season. They are currently members of the Southern League Division One South and West.

History

Uxbridge Football Club was founded in 1871 and is one of the oldest football clubs in the South of England. At that time the club wore a white strip, before changing to the current red strip in 1880. The first 10 years of the club were successful, with the Heron brothers gaining full international caps for England. The club became founder members of the Southern League in 1894, finishing in mid-table in Division Two and reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup in the 1897/98 season, losing to Middlesbrough at Crystal Palace. Even at the turn of the century, the club nearly folded with a deficit of £130. In the 1906/07 season the club joined the Great Western Combination League and then the Athenian League in 1919 after World War I. At the end of the 1919/20 season Uxbridge finished bottom and were not re-elected. In 1939 the club rejoined the Great Western Combination League and continued to play during World War II, before joining the London League in the 1944/45 season and transferring to the Corinthian League after two seasons. In 1948 a ground called "Honeycroft" was bought in Cleveland Road, which is now part of Brunel University. The 1959/60 season was a particularly successful season with the club being Champions of the Corinthian League.

The Sixties onwards

By the 1960s, the club was in debt and the ground was mortgaged, but they still continued and gained national prominence in 1976 when they met a full strength England side at Wembley Stadium as part of World Cup preparations. The score: England 8 Uxbridge 0. In 1978 the club bought its current ground in West Drayton and also called the ground "Honeycroft". The club spent over £170,000 on ground improvements and a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in 1981 saw the official opening of the new floodlights. The 1981/82 season saw the club finish third in the Athenian League and achieve election into the Isthmian League. The club finished second in Division Two South in 1984/85 and gained promotion to Division One, where they remained for twenty years. The first season in Division One was good with the team finishing in 7th place and also reaching the 1st Round proper of the FA Trophy and the Final of the AC Delco Cup in its inaugural year, losing 1-3 to Sutton United. In 1988/89 the club was honoured to be chosen to stage the Centenary Final of the Middlesex Senior Cup competition, in recognition of the quality of its ground and facilities. Throughout this era, Ron Clack, who put in almost 20 years service as first team manager before stepping aside to run the reserve and youth sides until his death in 1995, managed the club.

The Nineties onwards

The early 90’s saw George Talbot take to the helm as manager, and over the 15 years under his control the club had varying degrees of success, especially in cup competitions. The first major success during this period was winning the London Challenge Cup in 1994, when, after despatching Southall, Leyton Orient (at Brisbane Road) and Football Conference sides Dagenham & Redbridge and Welling United, the club collected their first major trophy for 12 years. Three years later the London Challenge Cup was lifted again following victories over Collier Row & Romford, St. Albans City, Barking and Leyton Pennant by 1-0 in a final replay after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground. A year later in 1998 the club reached the London Challenge Cup Final again and also the final of the Middlesex Senior Cup, losing to Boreham Wood and Enfield respectively. The 1997/98 season also saw a best ever league finish of 5th place in the Ryman League Division One.

1999 saw another appearance in the final of the London Challenge Cup, this time the club losing to Dulwich Hamlet after extra time at Charlton Athletic's ground, and a year later the club made their fourth consecutive appearance in the London Challenge Cup Final, and this time the “Reds” gained their revenge over Dulwich Hamlet in another thrilling final, with a 5-4 win on penalties following a 2-2 draw at Dagenham & Redbridge. 2001 saw the club lose their stranglehold on the London Challenge Cup but they were victorious in the Middlesex Senior Cup for the first time in 50 years as they defeated Ryman Premier neighbours Harrow Borough, a win that came amidst an end of season run which saw 9 wins and a draw in the final 10 matches.

Season 2001/2 saw the “Reds” reach 3 cup semi-finals and the end of that season saw the completion of the refurbishment of the clubhouse and facilities. The following season the club equalled their highest 5th place finish in the Ryman Division One North and also reached the semi-final of the London Senior Cup. 2004 saw another cup final reached, resulting in a defeat to holders Hendon in the Middlesex Senior Cup. The 2004/05 season, the first in the Southern League for 105 years, was to become the most successful season in the club’s history. A great start to the season and a strong finish saw a final league placing of fourth place and a play-off competition for the final promotion place, which Uxbridge lost in the final on penalties at Maldon Town. Before the 2005/06 season the club installed a brand new floodlighting system (up to Nationwide Conference standard), however poor performances on the pitch saw the departure of George Talbot.

The new era

The club wasted no time in appointing a successor to George Talbot, with former Uxbridge player and previously successful Northwood manager Tony Choules being appointed as the new manager. Under the new regime, almost a complete new squad was assembled in double quick time, with most of the previous season’s squad deciding to move to pastures new. An encouraging start to pre-season was quickly followed by a slump, as Choules and his staff juggled the players to find the right blend. The start of the league season saw disappointment as the club stuttered to find their feet in this new division, but gradually, as the squad was both streamlined and strengthened, the results started to improve. Uxbridge eventually finished the season in 8th place, narrowly missing out on a play-off place, after having been bottom in October.

Club records

*Best league performance: 4th in Southern League Eastern Division, 2004-05
*Best FA Cup performance: 2nd round, 1873-74 (in the modern era, 3rd qualifying round on seven occasions)
*Best FA Amateur Cup performance: Final, 1897-98
*Best FA Trophy performance: 2nd round, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01
*Best FA Vase performance: 4th round, 1983-84

ources

*fchd|name=Uxbridge|id=UXBRIDGE

External links

* [http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/uxbridge/ Official website]