Sandown & Lake F.C.

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Sandown & Lake F.C.
Full nameSandown & Lake Football Club
Founded1880
GroundBay Academy, Sandown
ChairmanSteve Berry
ManagerKyle Brookes
LeagueIsle of Wight League Division 2
Website https://sandownlakefc.co.uk/

Sandown & Lake F.C. are an amateur football club based in Sandown, Isle of Wight.

Contents

The club are affiliated to the Hampshire Football Association and consist of two adult teams playing in the Isle of Wight League and nine youth teams at various age groups.

History

Originally founded in 1880 as Sandown Bay, the club initially played friendly matches until becoming founder members of the Isle of Wight League. [1]

In 1898 they joined the Southern League where they finished 4th in the short lived Division 2 South & West Section. [2] . At the same time, they also played in the Hampshire League but dropped out in 1900 after finishing bottom. [3]

They returned to the county league in 1903 as Sandown & Lake United, but after finishing bottom of the South Division five years running they again left in 1910.

The twenties saw an upturn in fortunes. Now known as Sandown, they twice won Isle of Wight Gold Cup and the Hampshire Intermediate Cup once. This saw a return to the Hampshire League, where they consolidated before once again returning to Island football in 1930.

The post-war era saw renewed interest as Sandown began entering national cup competitions [4] and returned to the Hampshire League. This this time their fortunes were much improved - regularly playing to large crowds, they twice won the Division 3 East title and after challenging for promotion they won the Division 2 title in 1957. They spent two short stays in the top flight, which at time was extremely tough, consisting of the top non-league clubs in the area. [5]

After a sustained spell of consolidation in Division 2, the seventies saw their fortunes gradually decline. Two relegation's saw them drop to Division 4 and due to the high cost of travelling, they left the competition in 1979. [6]

Sandown have since become mainstays of the Isle of Wight League, with the first team frequently alternating between the top two divisions.

In 2021 they merged with the local youth club, Sandown & Lake (founded in 1973) - becoming their adults section and amending their name accordingly. [7]

Honours

Playing records

League

FA Cup

Ground

Sandown mens team now play at Sandown Bay Academy, The Fairway, Sandown, PO36 9JH. [13]

Their traditional home at Fairway Park remains in use and is now used by the youth section. The venue is enclosed with a large wooden stand. [14]

The record attendance was in 1947 when 750 turned up to watch an FA Cup tie with local rivals Ryde Sports. [15]

Local rivals

Sandown had a long running rivalry with Shanklin, Ventnor and most notably Ryde Sports and Brading Town - both with whom Hampshire League meetings always generated much interest and attracted large crowds. [16]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.iowdfa.org.uk/history.html
  2. ↑ Non-League Final Tables 1889-2002 (Soccer Books Ltd)
  3. ↑ Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887-1987 by Norman Gannaway
  4. ↑ The F.A. Cup Club by Club Record Since 1945 by Tony Williams
  5. ↑ A History of the Hampshire League 1896-1996 by Norman Gannaway
  6. ↑ A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery
  7. ↑ https://sandownlakefc.co.uk/about-us/
  8. ↑ Hampshire FA Handbook & Directory 2005/06
  9. ↑ https://www.iowdfa.org.uk/cup_winners_gold.html
  10. ↑ https://www.iowdfa.org.uk/cup_winners_challenge.html
  11. ↑ https://www.iowdfa.org.uk/cup_winners_memorial.html
  12. ↑ https://www.iowdfa.org.uk/cup_winners_junior_a.html
  13. ↑ https://www.footballgroundmap.com/ground/fairway-sports-centre/sandown
  14. ↑ https://www.islandecho.co.uk/team-thunder-celebrate-10-years-of-success-at-sandown-and-lake-fc/
  15. ↑ Ryde for Pride - 100 Years of Ryde Sports by Mike Bull
  16. ↑ Keep It on the Island - A History of Football on the Isle of Wight 1898-1998 by Mick Bull
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