WCFC V Highworth Town 19/10/2021

WINCHESTER CITY Football Club The Citizens Post

Tuesday October 19th 2021

Highworth Town 7.45pm

Division 1 THE CHARTERS COMMUNITY STADIUM

£1

The Citizens Post

from the boardroom Good Evening and welcome to the Charters Community Stadium for tonight's re-arranged Pitching-In Southern League Division One fixture between Winchester City and Highworth Town.

We would like to offer a warm welcome to the Players, Staff, Officials and supporters that have made the journey down from Wiltshire. We hope you have an enjoyable evening with us and have a safe journey home.

Tonight's game is a rearranged fixture from several weeks ago whilst we were in the midst of a fuel crisis, luckily that has now settled down and we hope that there are no further interruptions, either in the short-term or for the remainder of the campaign so we have can get this season finished, third time lucky!

Thanks to everyone that made the long journey to Cinderford on Saturday.

Your efforts were rewarded by a fine display and an excellent result to match.

We have had several close encounters with Highworth in recent match, and tonight will no doubt once again be a tough encounter. So get behind the lads and enjoy the game.

Thanks as always for your loyal support! #youcitizens Matt Richbell

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Match Report

By Malcolm Clarke

CINDERFORD 2 - 5 WINCHESTER CITY Last October Winchester made the long trip to Cinderford in midweek and emerged with a 2-1 victory which represented their first win in seven attempts at Cinderford's ground. This time though they triumphed by an emphatic 5-2 margin in what was their first league match for over a month.

Cinderford went into this match having won 2, drawn 3 and lost 4 of their 9 league games, but had scored an impressive 22 goals in these games, a total that only two clubs in the division had bettered. and they are one of nine times from the division still in the F A Trophy. They had in their ranks <Lewis Bamford a striker who has previously done well in against Winchester in the colours of other teams and he has also made one appearance in League 2 for Newport County. Afterwards manager Craig Davis said "Brilliant win for the boys and a decent performance with lots of goals, against a side who were always dangerous on the counter".

With Kieran Douglas not available for selection Dan Walder came in his for debut and Winchester's starting eleven being Philpott. McCormick, King, Griggs, Flooks, Walder, Smith, Barron, Bailey, Balmer, Feeney with Callaghan, Bradshaw, Haynes and Mlambo as substitutes.

Winchester fell behind in the 9th minute through cleverly placed long range shot from Zak Adams, but Ollie Balmer put Winchester in the driving seat with two goals in quick succession, the first coming from a low shot and the other from the penalty spot. After the early flurry of goals the game became very open with the goalkeepers having to make saves on three occasions, with Oli Bailey and Ollie Griggs forcing saves from the home goalkeeper.

However in the 36th minute Winchester got the all 3rd goal with captain Jamie Barron netting with a close range effort. Before half time Robbie Flooks headed just wide from a Barron corner as Winchester went into the interval two goals to the good.

After 18 minutes of the second half Simba Mlambo came on for Oli Bailey and three minutes later they scored a fourth when Craig Feeney scored with a low shot from distance. In the 76th minute Feeney scored his second following up after Jamie Barron's initial shot was saved.

With the match won Winchester replaced Danny King and Jamie Barron with Dan Bradshaw and Alex Haynes. In added on time Cinderford scored a l\ate consolation goal through Harry Emmett. However it was a great afternoon for Winchester, even though they had five players booked. It was convincing three points and a second away win in the league this season.

The Citizens Post

DAVOs diary Good evening and a warm welcome to everyone for today’s eagerly anticipated league match against Highworth Town, I wish their players, supporters, staff a pleasant stay with us and safe trip home afterwards.

Highworth have started the season very well, they have a settled squad but have added quality as well notably Barcelos who scored a hat trick at the weekend and is a renowned goal scorer in this league, they are always a good side and tough battle and tonight will be much the same, we will certainly need to be at our best to get a positive result!

Saturday was a good day for us and a good win against Cinderford which is always a tricky away trip, however we did a good job on them and could have won by several more goals, in the end Balmer x2, Feeney x2 and Barron with our goals was enough for an important 3 points, we have had so much inactivity that it’s hard to get any rhythm but this was a good display and win! We will definitely have to play a lot better tonight though still.

In terms of the squad, we gave a debut to Dan Walster on Saturday, he gave an assured display at the back, he is dual registered from Aldershot Town and a young lad with a great stature and lots of potential, he did a great job stepping in for Kieran Douglas who was injured against Hartley (not far away though, in fact possibly involved tonight). Everyone else is in shape for tonight, a few carrying a few niggles but we have decisions to make, we had to leave Ty out of the squad all together Saturday and will need to do that more as Kieran gets back probably, so the squad is good, we will need them all though at points this season and so their attitude to stay ready is vitally important.

Tonight’s a big game as they all are and a chance to go up a couple of spaces, however it’s a very tough game and so we don’t need to worry about results, just get our game right and in the end the results and where we are in the league will take care of itself!

Enjoy the game and shout loud and proud for us!

Up the citizens!

Davo

Todays Visitors HIGHWORTH TOWN Highworth Town FC Club History Highworth Town Football Club was formed in 1893. We joined the Cirencester & District league and it took us some time to record our first honours, until 1909-10 in fact, when we won both the Swindon Junior cup and the local advertiser cup, a cup we captured again in 1912-13.

After winning the Cirencester & District league division two championship in 1931-32, we moved to the Swindon & District league, where we completed the third division championship and Swindon junior cup double in 1933-34.

The 1950s saw us make a dramatic rise through the local football ranks. We won the Swindon & District league third division title again in 1954-55 and then the division two title the following season. One more season was needed to clinch the division one title and also the wilts junior cup. We then went on to win the premier division title in 1957-58, along with the Faringdon Thursday memorial cup and the following season we were the premier division champions again, also winning the advertiser cup.

We continued to dominate the Swindon & District premier division in the 1960s, winning four successive titles from 1960-61 and another hat-trick from 1965-66 to 1967-68, making seven titles in eight seasons. We reached the final of the wilts senior cup for the first time in 1962-63 and won it the following season.

There was a switch to the wilts combination league, where we finished as runners-up in division two in 1970-71. 1972-73 saw another wilts senior cup victory and all this success prompted us to join the Hellenic league. We achieved our first honours in 1988-89, winning the first division challenge cup and reached the final of the wilts senior cup yet again.

We finally achieved premier division status in 1993-94 gaining promotion after finishing third in division one. Since then we have been winners of the wilts senior cup in 1995-96, 1997-98, 2008-09 and again in 2014-15, winners of the Hellenic challenge cup in 2011-12, winners of the Hellenic supplementary cup in 1998-99 and runners up in 2003-04, runners-up in the premier division in 1999-00 and winners of the premiership title in 2004-05.

In more recent history, which reached the semi-final of the FA vase in 2014-15 where we were knocked out by eventual winners North Shields in a closely fought two-legged tie. This season also saw us pick up the Wilts Senior Cup. In the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons we were runners-up in the Wilts Senior Cup to Swindon Supermarine and Chippenham Town respectively, both of which played at higher levels than us.

Also in the 2017-18 season we saw promotion to the southern league division 1 south as we finished as the best third placed team across the whole country. This means we are now playing the highest level of football the club has seen.

news around the league PAULTON ROVERS Martin Finds a New Home at Paulton Rovers in for experienced defender.

Defender Neil Martin, who left Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South club Tiverton Town earlier this week, has signed for Division One South side Paulton Rovers and goes into the squad for tomorrow's trip to Barnstaple Town.

The experienced 32-year-old left Dorchester Town to join rivals Tiverton Town in March 2020.

He originally made his debut for Dorchester back in August 2009 and went on to make 402 appearances for the Magpies.

Originally with League Two side Exeter City, he has had several spells with Dorchester, separated by stints away with Weymouth, Salisbury City and Poole Town.

Young forward joins Rovers.

Following the arrival of the vastly experienced Neil Martin from Tiverton Town earlier today, Pitching In Southern League Division One South club Paulton Rovers have now added young striker Will Harvey to their squad.

The 18-year-old striker moves to Winterfield Road from league rivals Willand Rovers.

The energetic forward moved to Willand in the summer from Southern League Premier Division South outfit Weston-super-Mare.

Along with Rovers` other new recruit, Neil Martin, Harvey is added to the squad for the trip to Barnstaple Town tomorrow.

Fixtures Division 1 Tuesday 19th October WCFC v Highworth Town Wednesday 20th October Slimbridge v Barnstaple Town Saturday 23rd October Barnstaple Town v Cirencester Town

U23s Results so far this season: Hamble Club WCFC WCFC

1-0 3-1 10-0

WCFC Romsey Clanfield

Bristol Manor Farm v Bideford Cinderford Town v Frome Town Evesham United v Plymouth Parkway Larkhall Athletic v Highworth Town Mangotsfield United v Melksham Town Sholing v Paulton Rovers Slimbridge v Lymington Town WCFC v Willand Rovers

By Matthew badcock ONE OF my football bugbears centres around the FA Cup. More specifically, about The Magic of the Cup (TM).

In a few months time, the Premier League and Championship clubs will enter at the third round proper stage and The Magic of the Cup (TM), will be raised. When did it go? Where did it go? Why has it gone? Remember when the FA Cup used to have magic? There will be lower league clubs who do well, held up as the poster boys with lines such as…”think the FA Cup has lost its magic, tell that to (insert club here)…”

But, from what I see every season, there is plenty of the sparkling dust flying around and there always has been.

We’ll see it this weekend, with a brilliant fourth round qualifying draw — the follow-up reaction could have filled the whole paper itself last week.

While a lot of the national attention won’t turn to the competition until the first round proper, here in Non-League we all know the romance has been burning bright since the start of August.

Shocks have been served up, record cup runs achieved, big Non-League names fallen and dreams are still alive.

In the case of Kettering Town, records have been reclaimed. The Poppies are back on top of the competition’s goal charts following last week’s 2-0 win over Leamington. That made it 901 FA Cup goals throughout their history and inched them back in front of Premier League Tottenham Hotspur.

Poppies boss Paul Cox knows a thing or two about the romance of the FA Cup — he had the trophy at his wedding just a few days before his Mansfield side played Liverpool, then featuring a striker called Luis Suarez.

Wonder what happened to him!

Of course, Marine played Spurs in last year’s third round proper. Residents fortunate enough to have gardens that back onto the Marine Travel Arena could peer over their fences to get a glimpse of Jose Mourinho’s side.

They were the lucky ones, with the game behind closed doors because of the Covid-19 situation at the time.

Not that Neil Young’s side are settling for one run. They upset Step 3 Atherton Collieries in their replay to set-up a home date with National League big-spenders Wrexham. The Mariners’ crowds are booming – I spoke to manager Neil Young last week and he explained the place is booming, with last year’s FA Cup run a big catalyst.

It catapulted the club into the living rooms of people - and seems to have inspired many to get along to a game.

Creating memories and lasting legacy is what the FA Cup is all about.

This weekend’s fourth round qualifying will have all the feel of those magical first round occasions. Bromsgrove Sporting hosting National League leaders Grimsby Town. Chertsey Town off to the club Grimsby dropped out of the EFL with, Southend United.

Marske United hosting a north-east derby with Gateshead. Pontefract Collieries hosting high-flying FC Halifax Town. Former League side Kidderminster Harriers take a trip to Step 4 Bedfont Sports, while Stamford are off to Stockport County.

There are plenty of other intriguing ties across the country, with the first round proper at stake and the entry of some of the most famous names in English football like Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town.

No doubt in the coming months, we will see top flight managers using the FA Cup to rotate their squads and complain about the number of matches they have to play. It’s the same every year.

But, just as it is each season, the FA Cup will produce some lifelong memories. And that’s pretty magical in my book.

WINCHESTER CITY FC PLAYER PROFILES

2021/- 2022

RYAN PRYCE Ex-AFC Bournemouth Goalkeeper that also lists Salisbury City, Gosport Borough and Fleet Town amongst his former clubs. Pryce made six senior appearances for the Cherries, making his debut against Southend United. A fans favourite that has made the number one berth his own.

DANNY KING Left sided defender, the clubs longest-serving player currently and a real fans favourite. A teacher by trade, he has played for Chelsea and Southampton in his youth. Danny reached his testimonial year last season and had his testimonial at the end of the 2017-18 campaign. ‘Kinger’ also skippers the side in the absence of Jamie Barron.

JOE HAYWARD Defender who joined us having previously been with Eastleigh FC, unfortunately broke his leg early in his City career but returned quickly and showed what great potential he has. Joe scored a memorable goal, City’s spot kick, in the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup away to Torquay United in the 2018-19 campaign.

JAMIE BARRON Re-signed from Gosport Borough Jamie has played for Salisbury, Andover, Sholing and Folland Sports. A winner of a Schools National Cup medal. Appointed Captain for another season and a really important player for us. ‘Baz’ has remained loyal to City despite interest from elsewhere.

SIMBA MLAMBO Also signed from Davis’ former club, Fleet Town. Mlambo has spent some time in North Hampshire and was an Alton Town player before this. Can play wide or up front and a player with immense speed and power in the air. Another playing starting his fifth season with City. Simba works tirelessly for the cause and scores important goals as well.

ROB FLOOKS ‘Flooksy’ is another former City man that has returned to the club. He left to join Southern Premier League side, Gosport Borough, but after a spell at Privett Park, has returned to the City Ground.

MAX SMITH - Max Smith - Max has previous experience at Moneyfields and most recently and, Alton Town, before joining City ahead of the 2019-20 season. He started his career at the Portsmouth FC academy. A dynamic Midfielder that we have high hopes for in the season ahead.

WINCHESTER CITY FC PLAYER PROFILES

2021/- 2022

KIERAN DOUGLAS - Young Defender signed from the Wessex leagues’ Christchurch FC, where he had been Captain for two successful seasons. A tall, strong and composed player who has settled in very well at the club already and we only see good things for the future. Kieran re-joined Christchurch on dual-registered forms for their FA Vase run in the 2020-21 season but he is now back at City once again.

OLLY BALMER - 21-year-old Forward who has signed from Poole Town, having played for them at the Conference South level. Olly is technically skilled with an eye for the goal, so we are looking forward to him flourishing with the Citizens this year. Balmer has turned in many influential displays for City, including scoring a memorable last-minute free-kick at Cirencester Town which made him a fans favourite.

OLLIE GRIGGS - Combative Midfielder who we are pleased to be signing permanently for the Citizens this season having played with the club on two occasions in the past whilst at Southern Premier club, Dorchester Town. Griggsy has played for both City and Dorchester in recent years and has now signed for City once again for the 2021-22 season.

NICK HARVEY – Young Goalkeeper, Nick Harvey, has signed first-team forms for City this season. Harvey played for City’s Under-23s last season whilst dual-registered with Ringwood Town. An agile young Goalkeeper, with a bright future ahead.

GREG PEEL – A former Carlisle United forward, Peel has signed for City from Bemerton Heath Harlequins. Peel lists Waterford FC, Larkhall Athletic, Mangotsfield United and National League South side, Bath City, amongst his former sides. Greg has a real presence up front and we are delighted to secure his signature.

LIAM CALLAGHAN – A tricky former AFC Totton winger that has signed forms a second consecutive season for City. Callaghan featured heavily for City’s Under-23s at the end of last season once their title winning campaign restarted and was a constant threat.

TOM VINCENT – A tall, powerful young forward who was integral for City in their title-winning Under-23 side last season. Vincent impressed so much he has now signed first-team forms and featured in City’s opening friendly away at Cowes Sports.

WINCHESTER CITY FC PLAYER PROFILES

2021/- 2022

LEX VAUGHAN – Lex burst onto the scene by performing outstandingly in Jamie Ricketts' successful Under-16s side. Lex was promoted directly to the Under-23s where he impressed last season, so much so that he too has signed first-team forms for the 2021-22 season.

BRAD SNELLING – Brad has returned to City for another stint. Snelling has played in goal for City before and has since played for Blackfield and Langley and also AFC Portchester but he has now returned to the Simplyhealth City Ground.

ADAM GRANGE – Adam is a new face at Winchester City, joining from Poole Town. Grange has also previously served Andover Town and was an England Schoolboy and is a great coup for City.

TYRELL MITFORD – City’s FA Cup hero has re-signed for the club once again.

Mitford will be hoping to emulate his recent goalscoring exploits. An excellent finisher who lists Ramsgate, Kings Langley, Beaconsfield and Team Solent amongst his former sides.

OLI BAILEY – A club legend that has moved back to the area and re-signed from Gresley Rovers. Bailey had several prolific seasons at the club before re-locating but he is now back in the area and back at City. A former Gosport Borough forward.

JOSH McCORMICK – ‘Macca’ has signed first-team forms once again City. A former City youth team player that went on to play first team football elsewhere, including at Bognor Regis Town. Josh is now converted to a full-back and has been a regular in Davo’s plans since returning to the club.

HARRY BIRCHNALL - Young Goalkeeper, son of Assistant Manager, Sean Birchnall. Harry has been around the club for several seasons now and has been frequently involved with the First-Team squad. Started in goal in the 4-0 win at Slimbridge at the start of September, and kept a clean sheet, making an excellent save in the process.

CRAIG FEENEY - Popular and prolific forward, Craig Feeney, has returned to Winchester City for another spell in September 2021, re-joining the club from AFC Totton, for whom he left for several years ago. Feeney can play out wide or up front and is a real handful in the opposition penalty box

WINCHESTER CITY FC PLAYER PROFILES

2021/- 2022

ST STAF STA STAFF P PR PRO PROF PROFI PROFIL PROFILE PROFILES CRAIG DAVIS – Player-Manager who came to City from Fleet Town after relinquishing his position as Manager. Took over as Interim Manager until the end of the 2016-17 season before taking over the reins permanently. His playing career started off as a pro at Cardiff City before spells at Bashley, Salisbury, Gosport Borough and AFC Totton. Has won both the Southern League South and West and Premier as a player. ‘Davo’ has had several opportunities to move on from City, including an opportunity at a higher level, but he has shown his commitment and loyalty to City and we are delighted to have him at the helm.

JO BROCKSOM - Jo is in her 6th season now at Winchester as Sports therapist, this is her 2nd season taking a leading role though, has been integral in keeping our players on the pitch and delighted to have her with the club again this season.

Ground Regulations Welcome to the Charters City Ground.

Please respect the staff and the facilities: ◊

Please do not enter the field of play before, during or after the game.

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Ball games are not permitted around the ground whilst matches are in progress

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Please do not use rude, obscene, racial or abusive language or gestures that are likely to cause offence.

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Please do not take glasses outside. Alcohol may now be consumed outside, but in plastic glasses only (in accordance with new Hampshire FA ruling).

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Please do not climb floodlights, pylons, fences, stands and other club structures.

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Please do not stand in the hatched areas around the pitch.

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No offensive objects are permitted (including bottles, cans, glasses, smoke bombs, flares etc.) or throwing any objects on the field of play.

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Please note that all vehicles parked on the club premises are at owners/driver's risk.

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The club accepts no responsibility for any damage to vehicles.

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Any supporter who encroached on to the playing area will be arrested.

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Comments or items in the programme do not necessarily represent those of Winchester City FC.

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The club reserves the right to refuse admission, eject from the ground, or prosecute any person in breach of the rules

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Winchester City FC CLUB HISTORY

The Winchester Football Club was founded in 1884 as a result of the endeavours of two residents of the city – Oxford graduate and former England Rugby cap Charles Sylvester Wooldridge and Huntingdon-born all-round sportsman (and, incidentally, inventor of ice hockey!) Arnold Tebbutt. The football club, which had strong links with Winchester College, made quite an impact in the early years of association football in Hampshire, reaching the final of the inaugural Hampshire Senior Cup competition in 1888 and providing a number of players to represent Hampshire in county-based competitions. However financial difficulties, combined with the indifference of Winchester residents, led to the 1884 club folding in 1893.

The decline of the city’s most high-profile club left a void that was subsequently to be filled by the Winchester Swallows FC. Formed in 1891, the Swallows were less socially exclusive than the 1884 club and had a membership more reflective of that of Winchester as a whole. The club changed its name to Winchester FC at the start of the start of the 1894/95 season, and again in 1907 when it became Winchester City FC. Like the 1884 club, the Swallows appeared in a dark blue and white strip and played their home games at Bar End, before moving in 1896 to a field adjoining the Old Red Deer pub in Stockbridge Road, and relocating again to the Roebuck Inn in 1902.

The club first played in a league-based competition in 1896/97 when it entered the newly-formed South Hampshire League. Winchester FC won the title in this first season, and repeated that feat in the each of the following three years. The club joined the Hampshire League in 1898/99 where, after struggling during their first few seasons, they remained unbeaten throughout the 1904/05 season and won the League’s Northern Section. The club also enrolled to the Southampton and District League in 1908/09, but with no notable success.

Like a number of other football clubs, Winchester City FC effectively disbanded at the start of the First World War in 1914, and didn’t reappear until 1920.

The rebirth of the club signalled two significant changes. Firstly, the club had moved again, this time playing its home fixtures at the Fair Field at Bar End (now the site of the Bar End Industrial Estate), a site where it was to stay until the Second World War. Secondly, it adopted a new strip, discarding its navy-blue colours in favour of red and white stripes.

The late 20s and early 30s proved to be a purple patch in City’s fortunes. The 1929/30 season saw the side again win the Northern Section of the Hampshire League, and achieve its most successful FA Cup run to date. That year saw City reach the fourth qualifying round of the tournament where a 3-0 defeat by Thames FC at the 120,000 capacity West Ham Stadium deprived them of an away trip to Fulham in the First-Round proper. Any disappointment at this would have been forgotten two years later in 1931 when City lifted the Hampshire Senior Cup for the first time after defeating Andover at The Dell.

One of the key members of the team in that era was the teenage Ted Drake. A local gas meter-reader at the time of joining City, Drake went on to enjoy a successful career with Southampton before joining Arsenal and also collecting five England caps. The highlight of his subsequent managerial career saw him steer Chelsea to their first (and, until 2005, their only) league title in 1955.

Play was again interrupted by war in 1939, although the club did continue to play and took advantage of the presence of a number of enlisted players that passed through the city. The end of hostilities saw City move yet again, this time taking up a lease of the Army’s playing field at Airlie Road, Stanmore.

The 1950s saw a second notable period of success at Winchester City. The side were runners up in the Hampshire League in 1949/50 and, in the same season, won their first Southampton Senior Cup final, an achievement which was repeated in 1951/52. The Russell Cotes Cup was also won for the first time in 1954/55. Success on the field was mirrored off the pitch as the club enjoyed some of its largest gates with crowds that regularly topped 1,000 filing into the Airlie Road stands.

CLUB HISTORY It was during this period that the young Terry Paine ran out for his hometown club. His prodigious talent led to his being signed in 1956 by Southampton with whom he made a record number of appearances (713 over 17 seasons). Paine also made 19 appearances for England, the last of which was against Mexico in the 1966 World Cup finals for which he (belatedly) received a winner’s medal in 2009.

Prior to the 1970s City had played virtually all of its competitive football, with the exceptions of the Amateur and FA Cups, within the confines of the Hampshire county border. However, after the club’s Russell Cotes Cup victory and a creditable second spot in the Hampshire League in 1970/71 the club’s Board decided to make the step up and enter the Southern League for the first time. City survived for just two seasons at that higher level, achieving disappointing final positions of 12th out of 16 (1971/72) and 21st out of 22 (1972/73), before electing to return to the Hampshire League.

For the remainder of the 1970s City yoyo’d between the top two divisions of the Hampshire League before a potentially fatal blow hit the club in 1981. In that year the lease agreement with the Army for Airlie Road expired and was not renewed. Briefly homeless, the club eventually moved to its current ground, a pitch leased from the City Council at Hillier Way. The ground needed a considerable amount of work to get it up to scratch, as did the team which had tumbled into the Hampshire League’s third division by 1982/83. The ignominy of this decline was made all the greater by the success of local rivals Winchester Castle in the first division – City could no longer claim to be Winchester’s premier club.

The continuing existence of Winchester City FC throughout the 1980s owed much to the work of Geoff Cox who at various times acted as Chairman, Manager, Coach and Groundsman at the club. Under his guidance the club was eventually to return to the Hampshire League’s top division in 1993/94.

The new millennium ushered in a period of unprecedented success for Winchester City. Prompted in part by the arrival of new and ambitious members to the Board, the club merged with Winchester Castle and began a rapid rise through the local league structure. Promotion to the Hampshire Premier League was achieved in 2000/01, and followed two years later by promotion to the Wessex League. The Wessex League title was secured at the first attempt.

That same season witnessed the club’s greatest ever triumph. May 2004 saw City face Suffolk side AFC Sudbury in the final of FA Vase at Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s ground. Few that were there will forget the spine-jangling moment when club captain Danny Smith lifted the trophy after the 2-0 victory.

Further successes were recorded in the seasons that followed – 2004/05 saw City win the Hampshire Senior Cup for the second time, beating Aldershot 2-1 at Bournemouth’s Dean Court ground, whilst 2005/06 witnessed the club regain the Wessex League championship and win promotion to the Southern League for a second spell.

City’s return to the Southern League lasted three seasons. Financial problems, followed by a final day points deduction saw City return to the Wessex League for the 2009/10 campaign. Despite a concerted push to gain promotion back to the Southern League which ultimately proved successful in 2011/12, the resources required to sustain the club’s position at that level proved elusive. Winchester City FC finished the 2012/13 season at the foot of the Southern league and facing an uncertain future. The late spring of 2013 saw a takeover at the club and, with a new Committee structure and financial backers in place, the 2013/14 season heralds the start of a new chapter in the history of Winchester City FC. 2013-2014 saw a season of re-organisation and team building, with City retaining a place in the Sydenhams Wessex League.

2015-2016 – City made a valiant attempt to take the Wessex title but just fell short to a very successful Peters field Town side who were rightly promoted to the Southern League. City under the Managership of Paul Masters then set about strengthening the squad to win the title next season when out of the blue they were offered a place in the Southern League due to a withdrawal. The Club were given 24 hours to pay their fees and attend the AGM in Torquay. A frantic drive by Director of Football Dave Malone saw him arrive just in time with the relevant papers and bank draft! As a result, our neighbours, Peters field Town, were moved out of Division 1 South and West to accommodate City and placed in the Central Division!

CLUB HISTORY City's first season back in the Southern League was a success with them reaching the play-offs final losing to Banbury United in the quarter finals, who were promoted and coming within minutes of winning the Hampshire Senior Cup losing on penalties to Havant and Waterlooville. City's preparation for this season were disrupted by the unexpected resignation of Manager Paul Masters in the middle or pre-season friendlies. The Club quickly filled the vacancy by appointing Petersfield Town's Manager Ian Saunders to the post.

The club started the season brightly and made it to the fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, beating US Portsmouth, Street and Truro City before finally succumbing to Harrow Borough. The club also had a successful run in the FA Trophy, thanks to wins against Petersfield Town, Fleet Town and Phoenix Sports before getting knocked out narrowly by Dulwich Hamlet. Craig Feeney and Howard Neighbour forced a strong strike partnership, added to that the midfield flair of Captain Stuart Green and winger, Andy Jenkinson, City recovered from a difficult spell before Christmas to mount a play-off push in the early stages of the New Year. Manager, Ian Saunders, went away with the military, and during this time, Mick Catlin stepped in to take over the running of the First-Team. When Saunders returned, form deteriorated and Saunders subsequently left the club and was replaced by Interim Manager, Craig Davis, who joined the club from Fleet Town. Davis took control of the club until the end of the season, when it was announced that he would officially be becoming Permanent First Team Manager.

‘Davo’ finished 11th with City in his first full season in charge, a season that saw a successful run, resulting in a Hampshire Senior Cup Semi-Final where City eventually lost to Blackfield & Langley. The Citizens also hosted Southampton FC in the Southampton Senior Cup and achieved memorable league victories against Didcot Town, Evesham United, Swindon Supermarine and Wimborne Town as well as impressive away draws at both Swindon Supermarine and Salisbury, the latter seeing City come from 2-0 down to salvage a point at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.

In the 2018-19, City had an impressive pre-season including victories over Dorchester Town and Eastleigh. City started strongly in the league too. This went hand-in-hand with a cup run that saw the Citizens make it through to the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, following victories against Bournemouth Poppies, Frome Town, Merthyr Town and Cirencester Town before eventually losing 4-1 away at Torquay United. City’s league form dipped slightly during this period but a strong finish to the season meant that City missed out on the play-offs on the last day of the season. City needed three points away at Cinderford Town, but the game finished 0-0 meaning it was in fact Cinderford that finished in the final play-off berth.

Tyrell Mitford, Joe Cook and Josh Harfield left the club during the 2019-20 pre-season and into the club have come Kieran Douglas, Keith Emmerson, Olly Balmer and Dan Williamson has returned to City. City performed well during the 2019-20 campaign and were 4th in the league with a play-off berth looking likely when the season was curtailed due to Covid-19. City made the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup before losing to Taunton Town but impressive cup runs in the local competitions took place once again. City were also League Cup semi-finalists, securing £1000 prize money for doing so.

A belated pre-season campaign took place in August 2020 with away wins at Bedfont Sports, Hartley Wintney and Marlow FC. Tyrell Mitford has returned to the club along with Josh McCormick and new faces Graeme Purdy, Jack Wilson, Felix Davies, Charlie Philpott, Josh Davies and Kel Akpobire have all joined the club.

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