Merstham F.C.

Last updated

Merstham
Merstham F.C.png
Full nameMerstham Football Club
Nickname(s)The Moatsiders
Founded1892
GroundMoatside, Merstham
Capacity2,500 (174 seated) [1]
ChairmanPaul Glasgow
ManagerJamie Decruz
League Isthmian League South East Division
2022–23 Isthmian League South Central Division, 18th of 20 (transferred)
Website Club website

Merstham Football Club is a football club based in Merstham, Surrey, England. Affiliated to the Surrey FA, they are currently members of the Isthmian League South East Division and play at Moatside.

Contents

History

The club was established in 1892. [2] In 1897 they were founder members of the Redhill & District League. [3] In 1926–27 the club were Redhill & District League champions, and in 1929–30 they won the East Surrey Junior Cup. [3] Merstham won back-to-back titles in 1934–35 and 1935–36 and again in 1949–50 and 1950–51, after which they moved up to the Surrey Intermediate League, going on to win the league at the first attempt. [3] In 1965 the club moved up to the Surrey Senior League. [4] They were champions in 1971–72, but left the league in 1978 to join the London Spartan League, [4] largely composed of clubs to the north of London. Their first season in the league saw them win its Challenge Cup and the Surrey Senior Charity Cup, before winning the East Surrey Charities Cup in 1979–80. [3]

In 1984 Merstham transferred to the Surrey-centred Combined Counties League to reduce their travelling. [3] They were runners-up in 1987–88 and 1989–90, a season that also saw them win the Elite Cup. [5] When the league gained a second division in 2003, Merstham became members of the Premier Division. After winning the Premier Challenge Cup in 2004–05 and finishing as runners-up in the Premier Division in 2005–06 and 2006–07 (also winning the Premier Challenge Cup and the Southern Combination Challenge Cup), [5] [3] the 2007–08 season saw the club win the Premier Division title, the Premier Division Cup and the Surrey Senior Cup. [5]

Winning the Combined Counties League title resulted in Merstham being promoted to Division One South of the Isthmian League. In 2014–15 they finished fourth in the division, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Faversham Town 5–4 on penalties in the semi-finals, they defeated Folkestone Invicta 3–0 in the final to earn promotion to the Premier Division. [4] They finished the season by winning the Surrey Senior Cup for a second time. In 2016–17 the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 5–0 at home to Oxford United in front of a record crowd of 1,920. [6] They won the Surrey Senior Cup again in 2017–18. [7] The 2018–19 season saw them finish fifth in the Premier Division. In the subsequent play-offs, they beat Carshalton Athletic 2–1 in the semi-finals before losing the final 2–0 to Tonbridge Angels. In 2021–22 the club finished bottom of the Premier Division and were relegated to the South Central Division. At the end of the following season they were transferred to the South East Division.

Ground

The Main stand and clubhouse Merstham F.C. main stand and clubhouse.jpg
The Main stand and clubhouse
The Albury End Mertsham F.C. Albury End.jpg
The Albury End
Ground panorama Merstham F.C. panorama.jpg
Ground panorama

The club originally played at Limeworks Meadow, a pitch based in the Merstham Lime Works. [3] Players initially had to change in nearby hedges before being allowed to use the nearby Jollieffe Arms pub. [3] In the early 1910s the club temporarily relocated to the Weir ground. [3] They moved to Moatside in the early 1920s. [3] Changing rooms were built in 1960 and a 90-capacity stand opened in 1974. [3]

Floodlights were erected during the 1990–91 season and were inaugurated with a friendly match against Crystal Palace. [3] A record attendance of 1,587 was set on 9 November 2002 for a league match against AFC Wimbledon. This was broken in 2016 when 1,920 watched the club's FA Cup first round match against Oxford United. [6]

Honours

Records

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croydon F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Croydon Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Croydon, London. Until 2006, they played in the Isthmian League, but lost their place in that league as part of the 2006 re-structuring of non-league football, and now play in the Southern Counties East League Division One. They play at Croydon Sports Arena in South Norwood. The club was founded in 1953 as Croydon Amateurs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camberley Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Camberley Town Football Club is a semi-professional football based in Camberley, Surrey, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South and play at Krooner Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bracknell Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Bracknell Town Football Club is a football club based in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. Affiliated to the Berks & Bucks Football Association and nicknamed The Robins, they are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division South and play their home matches at Bottom Meadow in Sandhurst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carshalton Athletic F.C.</span> Association football club in London, England

Carshalton Athletic Football Club is an English football club based in Carshalton in the London Borough of Sutton. They currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division and are based at the War Memorial Sports Ground. The club also field a women's team playing in the London and South East Regional Women's Premier Division and have one of the biggest community clubs in England with over 40 junior teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Police F.C.</span> English football club

Metropolitan Police Football Club is a football club based in East Molesey, Surrey, England. Originally made up of players from the Metropolitan Police, the rule requiring players to be employees of the service was removed when the Commissioner refused to sanction time off for playing. However, the club is still part-funded by a police staff lottery. They are currently members of the Isthmian League South Central Division and play at Imber Court, the base of the Met Police Sports and Social Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molesey F.C.</span> Association football club in Surrey, England

Molesey Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in West Molesey, Surrey, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Division One and play at Walton Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walton Casuals F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Walton Casuals Football Club was a football club based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Founded in 1948, the club was affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association, and had been a part of the football pyramid since 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epsom & Ewell F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Epsom & Ewell Football Club is a football club based in Epsom, Surrey, England. Affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association, the club are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South and groundshare at Cobham's Leg O' Mutton Field. The club have played outside Epsom since leaving their West Street Ground in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egham Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Egham Town Football Club is a football club based in Egham, Surrey, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division North and play at the Runnymede Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chipstead F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Chipstead Football Club is a football club based in Chipstead, near Banstead, in Surrey, England. Affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association, they are currently members of the Isthmian League South Central Division and play at High Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cove F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Cove Football Club is a football club based in Cove near Farnborough in Hampshire, England. Affiliated to the Hampshire Football Association, the club are currently members of the Wessex League Division One and play at Oak Farm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farnham Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Farnham Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Farnham, Surrey, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South and play at the Memorial Ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horley Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Horley Town Football Club is a football club based in Horley, Surrey, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South and play at the New Defence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Leigh F.C.</span> Association football club in North Leigh, England

North Leigh Football Club is a football club based in North Leigh, Oxfordshire, England. They are currently members of the Southern League Division One Central and play at the Eynsham Hall Park Sports Ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Colney F.C.</span> Association football club in England

London Colney Football Club is a football club based in London Colney, near St Albans, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Division One and play at Cotlandswick Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badshot Lea F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Badshot Lea Football Club is a football club based in Wrecclesham, Surrey, England. The club are currently members of the Isthmian League South Central Division and play at Westfield Lane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redhill F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Redhill F.C. is an English football club based in Redhill, Surrey. The club are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South and play at Kiln Brow. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lingfield F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Lingfield Football Club are a football club based in the village of Lingfield, near East Grinstead, Surrey, England. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association. They are currently members of the Southern Combination Premier Division and play at the Sports Pavilion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holmesdale F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Holmesdale Football Club is a football club originally based in South Norwood, London, England. Affiliated to the Kent County Football Association, they are currently members of the Southern Counties East League Premier Division and play at Oakley Road in Bromley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knaphill F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Knaphill Football Club is a football club based in Knaphill, Surrey, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South and play at Redding Way.

References

  1. Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2016) Non-League Club Directory 2017, Tony Williams Publications, p344 ISBN   978-1869833695
  2. Merstham visit the AGP Arena Billericay Town F.C.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Our history Merstam F.C.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Merstham at the Football Club History Database
  5. 1 2 3 Honours Archived 4 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Combined Counties League
  6. 1 2 3 FA Cup: Oxford United chairman donates gate receipts share to Merstham BBC Sport, 7 November 2016
  7. Merstham - Trophies Soccerway

51°15′29″N0°8′48″W / 51.25806°N 0.14667°W / 51.25806; -0.14667