Founded in 1887, they joined the Isthmian League in 1911–12 and won the FA Amateur Cup in 1957–58. Woking were relegated twice in 1982–83 and 1984–85. However, they were promoted three times: in 1986–87, 1989–90 and 1991–92, to reach the Football Conference. Woking won the FA Trophy on three occasions throughout the 1990s and finished as runners-up in the Conference in their third and fourth season at that level but were not promoted. They remained at the highest level of non-League football until relegation in 2008–09. Woking subsequently won promotion back in 2011–12 before suffering another relegation in 2017–18. They earned immediate promotion to the National League via the play-offs in 2019.
The club currently plays its home matches at the Kingfield Stadium and is nicknamed the Cardinals, often shortened to the Cards.
History
Early years
Woking Football Club was founded in 1887.[1][3] The club joined the West Surrey League in 1895–96, winning the title by one point.[3] However, within 21 years of being formed, the club was in danger of folding for financial reasons.[3] The turning point came when, in January 1908, Woking played Bolton Wanderers in the first round of the FA Cup, having made it through five qualifying rounds. Despite losing the away game 5–0, the club made it into the national news.[4] Bolton Wanderers, impressed by the minnows they had defeated, travelled to Woking for a friendly match the following season, which kept the club solvent.[3]
Isthmian League years
In 1911 the club joined the Isthmian League, maintaining their place in the top division for 72 years and finishing as runners-up to Wycombe Wanderers in 1956–57.[3] That achievement was eclipsed the following season when, in front of a 71,000 crowd,[5] Woking beat Ilford 3–0 to win the 1958 F.A. Amateur Cup final,[6] the last to be televised live.[7]:76
The club then went into decline, culminating in a first-ever relegation in 1982–83.[3] By the end of the 1984–85 season the club had plunged to Division Two South of the Isthmian League. Former player, Geoff Chapple, was appointed as manager on 24 September 1984, but was not able to save the club from relegation.[7]:125–126 The following season, the club just missed out on promotion at the first attempt. However, the club clinched the Division Two South title in 1986–87 and, after two third-place finishes in Division One, they were promoted back to the Premier Division at the end of the 1989–90 season.[3]
FA Cup glory
During the 1990–91 season, the club reached the fourth round of the FA Cup.[8] Woking beat three Conference sides to set up a third round away tie at Second Division side West Bromwich Albion.[9] After trailing 1–0 at half time, Woking went on to win 4–2, with Tim Buzaglo scoring a hat-trick.[9] In the Fourth Round, the club was drawn against First DivisionEverton. The tie was originally going to be played at Woking, however the venue was switched to Everton's home ground, Goodison Park. Woking narrowly lost the match 1–0 to a Kevin Sheedy goal.[3]
Promotion to the Conference and FA Trophy success
Woking supporters watching their team win at Wembley in the 1997 FA Trophy Final.
Promotion to the Conference was achieved in 1991–92.[3] The Isthmian League title was clinched in early April, with seven games still to be played, 18 points clear of nearest rivals, Enfield.[3] The next season saw Woking finish the season in eighth position.[3] The following summer saw Chapple sign former Chelsea, Sunderland, Fulham and QPR winger, Clive Walker, from Brighton & Hove Albion and he was to prove the catalyst in the most successful period in the club's history. Woking won the FA Trophy for the first time in 1994,[10] defeating Runcorn in the final at Wembley; the following season they became only the second club to win back-to-back FA Trophies (after Scarborough in 1976–77), defeating Kidderminster Harriers in the final.[11] A third FA Trophy triumph followed in 1997, with Dagenham & Redbridge the opponents in the final.[12] The Cards also achieved five successive top-five finishes in the Conference, including being runners-up in 1994–95 and 1995–96 when they finished below Stevenage. The club also continued to enjoy national prominence in the FA Cup. Barnet were defeated in successive seasons following draws at their homeground. In 1996–97 a run in the FA Cup saw the club beat Millwall, then top of Division Two, and Cambridge United, who were challenging for promotion from Division Three.[3] The third round saw Woking draw 1–1 away to Premier League side Coventry City, thanks to a last minute equaliser from the Cards' Steve Thompson, but Coventry won the replay at Kingfield 2–1.[3]
At the end of the 1996–97 campaign, having just clinched the FA Trophy for the third time, Geoff Chapple and his coach, Colin Lippiatt, left the club and joined Kingstonian.[3] This was the beginning of a less successful period for the club. John McGovern and then Brian McDermott were given the position of manager, but neither achieved anything greater than a mid-table finish.
21st century
After McDermott, Colin Lippiatt returned but fared little better. He was replaced by his former boss as Geoff Chapple too came back to Woking. Lippiatt departed in January 2002 and Glenn Cockerill joined as Chapple's assistant. This season ended with the club just one place above the relegation places. In the meantime very significant events had taken place off the field. The downturn in the club's fortunes had led to a financial crisis. With the club facing administration or worse, local businessman and long-time fan Chris Ingram bought the club, becoming chairman in February 2002 with an aim of trying to increase the club's income and to secure its long-term financial stability.[13]
Cockerill took over as manager later that year, and oversaw a relative period of stability for the club, before he was sacked shortly before the end of the 2006–07 season. An unimpressive campaign under the management of Frank Gray followed in 2007–08, before a disastrous 2008–09 season which saw three men (Kim Grant, Phil Gilchrist and Graham Baker) take charge of the club,[14] eventually resulted in the club's relegation to the Conference South. That summer, a supporters' trust took over the running of the club. Woking finished 5th in their first Conference South season, but lost to Bath City in the play-off final. The following season saw Woking struggling to challenge for promotion, and Graham Baker was sacked halfway through the campaign for suggesting that the fans were expecting too much of the team.
Garry Hill took over as manager and improved the team's form, eventually resulting in another fifth-place finish, only for the club to get knocked out in the play-off semi-finals this time against Farnborough. In April 2012, having beaten Maidenhead United 0–1 with Giuseppe Sole scoring for a record breaking ninth game in a row, Woking were promoted to the Conference Premier, winning the Conference South with two games to spare.[15][16] They eventually reached 97 points, beating second placed Dartford by nine points. After five seasons in the National League (formerly Conference Premier), Woking acrimoniously parted company with Hill after six-and-a-half years at the helm.[17]
The club appointed former Southampton and West Ham United under-23s coach Anthony Limbrick in May 2017, which saw the club take another step to becoming full-time again, with players training three times a week.[18] Despite a good run in the 2017–18 FA Cup, Woking's league form suffered, which culminated in just three league wins between October 2017 and April 2018. Limbrick was subsequently relieved of his duties just 11 months into a three-year contract, leaving assistant manager Jason Goodliffe to take over the managerial reins (aided by former Aldershot Town coach Matt Gray) to preserve The Cards' National League status with just five games remaining.[19] However, Woking's fate was eventually sealed on the final day of the season after a 2–1 home defeat against Dover Athletic.[20]
On 28 February 2022, Dowson was sacked by the club following a "prolonged run of poor form in the league", ending his four-year association with the Surrey-based side.[25] Dowson informed local paper SurreyLive that the club had sacked him in a 20-second phone call and he would never return to Woking. Due to the circumstances of how Dowson was sacked board members Rosemary Johnson and Kelvin Reay resigned.[26] Ian Dyer, the assistant manager, took charge of the club as caretaker manager.[27]
On 28 March 2022, former Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll was appointed until the end of the 2023–24 season.[28] In the 2022–23 season, Woking finished the season in 4th place but lost the play-off eliminator at home to Bromley.[29] Despite signing a new two-year deal in February 2023,[30] Sarll was ultimately sacked in November 2023 following defeats to eighth-tier side, Ramsgate in the FA Cup and Oxford City in the National League.[31]
A month later, former Coventry City, Sheffield United and Portsmouth player, Michael Doyle was appointed as first-team manager on a two-year deal, replacing the interim manager, Ian Dyer.[32] Doyle went onto secure the club's National League status on the final day of the season, with a 3–0 home victory over AFC Fylde.[33]
In July 2024, it was reported that Woking could go into administration if a buyer could not be found in the next few weeks. Owner Drew Volpe was willing to sell the club for £1, and only a £600,000 loan from his parents was keeping the club afloat.[34] In November 2024, American businessman Todd Johnson (a former vice-chairman of Dagenham & Redbridge and a co-owner of MLS side Minnesota United FC) agreed to acquire a majority stake in Woking, with Volpe - who had provided £3m to the club - retaining a minority stake.[35][36] In December 2024, shareholders voted in favour of the club's takeover by Johnson's Cardinal Football Group.[37] After three defeats in four games, on 16 December 2024, the club sacked their then manager, Michael Doyle, as well as Ben Turner, assistant manager.[38] Woking were 19th in the National League, a point above the relegation zone.[39]Neal Ardley was appointed as manager on 19 December 2024.[40]
Stadium
At the start of the 1922 season, Woking F.C. moved to Kingfield Stadium,[7]:35 which has been known as the Laithwaite Community Stadium since August 2015.[41] Previously, the club had played at the Horsell Cricket Ground before moving to a dedicated football venue on Pembroke Road in 1907.
Different stands of Woking FC stadium:
The KRE: This is the main home terrace and usually where the best atmosphere is found.[citation needed] It runs along one end of the pitch. The terrace is covered by a roof.
The Leslie Gosden stand: This stand is the largest stand of the stadium and is located opposite to the KRE. The LGS is an all seater stand consisting of around 2,000 seats. A quarter of this stand is usually given to away fans.
The Chris Lane terrace: The Chris Lane terrace is a large terrace without a roof and is reserved for away fans. The terrace runs a whole length of the pitch.
Moaners corner: Moaners corner is one of three stands on the opposite side of the pitch to the Chris lane terrace. It's a small terrace stand without a roof. The fans who stand in the terrace are usually veteran fans.
Directors box: The directors box is a small stand the directors of the club sit in, this is also where the media area and PA box are located. This stand is located in between moaners corner and the family stand.
The family stand: The family stand is located next to the directors box and is an all-seater stand usually consisting of families.
Mascot
Woking F.C. has a team mascot called K.C. Kat.[42]
Rivalries
For many years Woking's main rivals have been Stevenage and Aldershot Town, where games attract larger than average crowds. Stevenage are Woking's historic rivals due to animosity in the 1990s,[43] while the rivalry with Aldershot is a more recent rivalry due to locality.[44]Torquay United have also become minor rivals due to intense games and competition when they were relegated to the national league south together, altercations between fans has also helped feed this new rivalry.[45]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Aldershot Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third level of the English football league system.
Stevenage Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England. The club competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system. They play their home games at Broadhall Way in Stevenage.
Kingstonian Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, south west London which currently plays in the Isthmian League South Central Division.
Dover Athletic Football Club is a semi-professional association football club based in the town of Dover, Kent, England. The club currently competes in the Isthmian League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system. The club was formed in 1983 after the dissolution of the town's previous club, Dover F.C., whose place in the Southern League was taken by the new club.
Garry Hill is an English football manager who was last the manager of National League club Ebbsfleet United. He previously managed Woking, Heybridge Swifts, St Albans City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hornchurch, Weymouth and Rushden & Diamonds.
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Westfield Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in the Westfield area of Woking, England. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association. They are currently members of the Isthmian League South Central Division.
Geoff Chapple is an English a former non-league football manager. His achievements include winning the FA Trophy five times in seven years with Woking and Kingstonian.
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Alan Dowson is an English football manager and former professional player. He was most recently interim manager of Hemel Hempstead Town.
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