East Lodge F.C.

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East Lodge F.C.
Full nameEast Lodge Football Club
NicknameBeacons
Founded1963
Dissolved2009
GroundDrayton Park, Cosham, Portsmouth

East Lodge F.C. were a long-running amateur football club based in Cosham, a suburb of Portsmouth.

Contents

In existence for 46 years, the club were mainstays of the Hampshire League (under various identities) until their sudden demise in 2009.

History

The club were founded in 1963 as McMurdo, the works side of the Portsmouth based emergency beacon manufacturer. [1]

McMurdo joined the Portsmouth & District League and quickly climbed up through the divisions, collecting numerous titles along the way. After winning the Premier Division championship three times in succession, they were promoted to the Hampshire League in 1976. [2]

McMurdo adjusted well to county soccer with a series of healthy final positions in Division 4, and in 1979 they completed a memorable double by winning both the Hampshire Intermediate and Portsmouth Senior Cups. [3] When the league format was adjusted to three larger divisions, the 'Beacons' moved up to the third tier and in 1982 were promoted as champions. However, Division 2 proved to be a much tougher proposition and they did well to consolidate until being relegated in 1985 after finishing in bottom place. [4]

In 1986 the club was renamed Drayton Park (adopting the name of their home ground) and were placed in a restructured Division 2, but two years later they finished bottom and were relegated. [5]

After a spell of rebuilding back in the Portsmouth & District League, Drayton Park returned to the Hampshire League in 1992. During their absence, Division 3 and had been re-introduced and a fourth place final position in their first season was rewarded with promotion. [6]

The club then became known as St Marys and re-established themselves as a steady Division 2 outfit. Four years later there was another name change to Co-op Sports - showing their connection with the local Social Club. In 2002, they then joined forces with neighbours and league rivals Hilsea Club [7] but were relegated that season.

In previous years the club had a strong youth section with numerous teams but the by the new millennium this had diminished. So in an effort to resurrect this, in 2003 they established a link with East Lodge - a local youth outfit since 1997. This move saw the club relocate to East Lodge Playing Fields and adopt their name accordingly as the adults section. [8]

In 2004 the Hampshire League was absorbed by the Wessex League, [9] but unable to meet the stricter requirements, they instead became founder members of the Hampshire League 2004. [10] East Lodge finished runners-up in the inaugural season and remained a force within the competition until suddenly folding in 2009. [11]

East Lodge Youth continue to operate, running teams at various age groups in the Mid-Solent Youth League.

Honours

1st Team

2nd Team

League career 1963-2009

Grounds

For the majority of their existence, the club played at Drayton Park Recreation Ground, Lower Drayton Lane, Portsmouth, PO6 2HD. [13]

From 2003-09 they were based at East Lodge Playing Fields, East Lodge Park, Portsmouth, PO6 1AQ. [14]

Both venues are owned by Portsmouth City Council and remain very much in use today.

Local rivalries

The club had many 'Pompey' rivals - most notably Paulsgrove, Moneyfield Sports, Portsmouth Civil Service and neighbours Hilsea Club, with whom they eventually merged with in 2002.

References

  1. ↑ "McMurdo (a division of Signature Industries Ltd) | National Historic Ships". www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk.
  2. ↑ St Marys FC matchday programme 1993/94 - history page compiled by Ron Chandler
  3. ↑ Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887-1987 by Norman Gannaway
  4. ↑ "Football Club History Database - McMurdo". fchd.info.
  5. ↑ A History of the Hampshire League 1896-1996 by Norman Gannaway
  6. ↑ A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery
  7. ↑ "Football Club History Database - Hilsea". fchd.info.
  8. ↑ "Football Club History Database - East Lodge". fchd.info.
  9. ↑ "Hants League accept Wessex expansion plans as inevitable". 20 May 2003.
  10. ↑ "All systems go as 'new' Hampshire League earns a reprieve". Daily Echo. 5 August 2004. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "Football Club History Database - Hampshire League 2004 2008-09". fchd.info.
  12. ↑ Hampshire Football Association Yearbook 2005/06
  13. ↑ "Drayton Park - Free to play". Drayton Park - Free to play.
  14. ↑ "East Lodge Youth Football Club (Portsmouth Youth Football League) | HIVE Portsmouth". hiveportsmouth.org.uk.
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