Windsor & Eton F.C.
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| Full name | Windsor & Eton Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | The Royalists, The Toffs, Temperance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Founded | 1892 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | St. Leonards Road (Stags Meadow), Windsor, Berkshire |
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| Capacity | 4,500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman | Peter Simpson, OBE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Simon Lane | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Southern League Division One South and West |
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| 2005-06 | Isthmian League Premier Division, 21st (Relegated) |
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Windsor & Eton Football Club are an English association football club based in Windsor, Berkshire, currently playing in the Southern League Division One South and West.
In the 2004-05 season they finished fifteenth in the Isthmian League Premier Division, but the following year were relegated in 21st place, and after a re-structuring of the non-league set-up they will play the 2006-07 season in the Southern League Division One South and West.
[edit] History
Windsor & Eton FC was formed on the 18th August 1892 by a merger of Windsor Phoenix and Windsor St. Albans. They began in the Southern Alliance (which included teams like Tottenham), and in 1893 they merged with Windsor Victoria and entered the first FA Amateur Cup. A decline in fortunes saw them withdraw from the Berks & Bucks Senior League in 1901 before a ball had been kicked. In 1902 Windsor & Eton Temperance F.C. was the subject of a take over, with the name being shortened to the title now used.
Among prominent people connected with the club in this era was H.R.H. Prince Christian and the royal patronage then continued with Kings George V and George VI up to the present patron H.R.H. Duke of Edinburgh, hence the clubs nickname of 'The Royalists'.
Early grounds were Windsor Recreation Ground and Balloon Meadow (now part of Windsor Racecourse) before the move to the present ground at Stag Meadow in 1911.
Over the years the club has competed in the Southern League (1895/96), West Berks (1903/04), Great Western Suburban (1904/22), Athenian (1922/29), Spartan (1929/39), Great Western Combination (1939/45), Corinthian (1945/50), Metropolitan (1950/60), Delphian (1960/63), then the Athenian again (1963/81), until joining the Isthmian League in 1981. During this time Windsor won their County Cup five times in a row (1941/45), which, until recent times was an English record. In 1922 they recorded their best ever Amateur Cup Run reaching the 4th Round Proper and in 1925 reached the 2nd Round Proper of the F.A. Cup, losing 2-5 to Charlton at the Valley.
Two players who turned out for Windsor during this period were Vic Woodley in the 1930's, who later distinguished himself in goal for Chelsea, Derby County and England, and Billy Coward in the 1920's, who joined QPR before joining Walsall and playing in the first ever 'giant-killing' side which beat the mighty Arsenal in the F.A. Cup in 1933.
Without doubt the best period in Windsor's history was the 1980's. They started the decade by winning the Athenian League and reaching the last four in the F.A. Vase (just one year after losing in the quarter final). The League Title was retained in 1981, when they were also League Cup finalists and reached the 1st Round Proper in the F.A. Cup. Then came promotion to the Isthmian League Division Two where they finished 5th in their first season. Promotion came the following season after finishing 2nd. The following season the Division One Championship was won, along with another appearance in the F.A. Cup 1st Round Proper.
Their first campaign in the Premier Division saw them finish 5th as well as a draw at home against Bournemouth in the 2nd Round Proper of the F.A. Cup. Windsor eventually lost the replay with both sides already knowing that the winners would have a home tie against Manchester United in the next round! Since then they have had four further appearances in the 1st Round Proper and three appearances in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup, winning in 1988 & 89.
The 1990's started with Windsor celebrating their centenary in 1991/92. They suffered a poor following season and their 9 year spell in the Premier Division came to an end when they finished second from bottom and were relegated to Division One. 1993/94 saw them finish 21st again, to be relegated to Division Two and although they improved their position by one place the following season, it still wasn't enough to avoid the dubious honour for the third season running in 1994/95.
Season 1995/96 saw a revival in the club's fortune when they finished third in Division Three and were the Isthmian League leading scorers with 117 goals. Season 1996/97 (9th) & 1997/98 (10th) saw the club consolidate their position in Division Two. During season 1998/99 it looked like promotion was a distinct possibility, but a major backlog of fixtures proved too much for the Royalists and they eventually finished in 5th place and were runners-up in the Vandanel Trophy.
Season 2000/01 saw a complete overhaul of the club following the appointment of a new manager with Byron Walton taking up the reins and the changes were vindicated when the club achieved promotion to Division One by finishing runners-up.
In November 2001, following a poor start to their Division One campaign which wasn't helped by a horrendous early-season injury list, the club decided a change of manager was needed and Dennis Greene returned to the club once again - this time as player/manager, and although lots of new faces were brought in it didn't prevent the Royalists from finishing in bottom place although a league restructure meant relegation was never a worry.
Season 2002/03 saw some more experienced faces added to the squad during the course of the season and the club enjoyed its best FA Trophy run for years beating Welling Utd, Hitchin Town and Vauxhall Motors before bowing out on penalties to Aylesbury Utd. Promotion was a distinct possibility until a horrendous injury crisis six weeks from the end of the season saw any promotion hopes rapidly disappear. Some end of season success was gained though when the Ryman League awarded the ground an 'A' grade following some frenetic building activity which saw terracing completed all the way around the ground, plus a new turnstile block and an extension to the covered terracing on the far side of the ground.
The club has over the years provided many players to the professional game and some of the more recent of these include Steve Butler, Dave Barnett, Dave Regis and most recently Damian Spencer, who scored Bristol City's consolation goal at Wembley in the Auto Windshields Cup Final.
[edit] Trivia
- As Windsor enjoys royal patronage, they can wear their home kit at anytime they want, even away games[citation needed]. Reading are often mistakenly said to be allowed to do the same as their nickame is The Royals, but this is an urban myth.
- Ralf Little (actor/comedian) currently plays for Windsor & Eton.
- The team often come on to the pitch to the sounds of the 'Eton Boating Song'.
[edit] External links
| Southern League Division One South & West 2006/07 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Abingdon United | Andover | Bashley | Beaconsfield SYCOB | Bracknell Town | Brook House | Burnham | Chesham United | Didcot Town | Hanwell Town | Hillingdon Borough | Lymington & New Milton | Marlow | Newport IoW | Oxford City | Paulton Rovers | Swindon Supermarine | Taunton Town | Thatcham Town | Uxbridge | Winchester City | Windsor & Eton edit |
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