Dorchester Town F.C.
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| Full name | Dorchester Town Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | The Magpies, The Town | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1880 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Avenue Stadium, Dorchester (Capacity 5,009) |
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| Chairman | Eddie Mitchell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Shaun Brooks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Conference South | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008-09 | Conference South, 21st | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dorchester Town Football Club play in the Conference South. They play at the Avenue Stadium in Dorchester, Dorset, England, on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. Dorchester are currently at the highest standard they have ever reached.
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[edit] History
Dorchester Town were established in 1880, making them one of the oldest teams in the South West of England. They first played regular, competitive football in the Western League Second Division in the 1947–1948 season, spending three seasons there before winning promotion to the First Division. The First Division later became known simply as the 'Western Football League' with the dissolution of the Second Division. Dorchester won this league in 1954, but had to wait until 1972 to gain promotion to the Southern League. This was based upon gaining 'membership' of the league as opposed to actually finishing in a predetermined position.
In a six year period from 1954 to 1960, the club reached the FA Cup Second Round twice (losing to York and then to Plymouth Argyle three years later, both matches by a scoreline of 2-5). They also reached the First Round on three other occasions, including some epic matches against League clubs QPR, Norwich and Port Vale.
Once in the Southern League, the team was put in the Division One South, where they initially performed poorly. However, a good 1977–1978 season saw them promoted to the Southern Premiership. After winning only 7 times the next season, they were relegated again, which virtue of a League re-shuffle, was to the 'Southern League Southern Division'. The Town spent the next few years as a Yo yo club between these two divisions, but then settled in the Southern Premiership for nearly a decade and a half from 1987 to 2001, before relegation to the Eastern Division. During this period, the club achieved its highest ever league finish, ending 4th in 1997-98.
It took two years for the club to return to the Premiership, winning the Eastern Division title on the final day of the 2002-03 season. One year later, a major shake-up of the League pyramid at the start of the 2004-05 season saw Dorchester compete for the first time in the Conference South. A good season saw them narrowly miss out on competing in the play-offs, which might have seen them gain entry to the Conference National.
In the 1981–1982 season, the club again reached the FA Cup Second Round. After drawing 1-1 to Bournemouth at home, they were knocked out after losing 2-1 in the replay. Since then they have reached the First Round on three occasions, most recently losing in 2000 to Wigan, who now play in the Premiership. In the 2006-2007 season, Dorchester had a record seventh straight home loss, in a 5-1 defeat to "lowly" Weston-super-Mare, prompting calls for manager Mick Jenkin's head.
In 2007 the Poole based property developer Eddie Mitchell became the majority shareholder of the club, turning the club full time as well as installing Shaun Brookes as a Director of Football in place of previous manager Mick Jenkins.
In August 2007, Chairman Chris Pugsley stepped down, after a Boardroom meeting with Mitchell, and later in September, Eddie Belt was named Chairman, for his second spell in the role.
In the 2007/08 season, they finished 21st in the Conference South so they were due to be relegated but, however, due to Nuneaton Borough liquidating, the Conference's decision to expel Boston United and the Conference's decision to demote Cambridge City due to ground regulations, Dorchester were reprived from relegation.
[edit] Club Records
[edit] Points in a season
- Most - 93 in 42 games (2.21 points/game). (Southern League East, 2002-2003)
- Least - 20 in 38 games (0.53 points/game). (Southern League Premiership, 1983-1984)
[edit] Wins in a season
- Most - 28 in 42 games. (Southern League East, 2002-2003)
- Least - 4 in 38 games. (Southern Premiership, 1983-1984)
[edit] Draws in a season
- Most - 18 in 46 games. (Southern League South, 1981-1982)
- Least - 2 in 36 games (Twice). (Western League Division 1, 1958-1959 and 1959-1960)
[edit] Defeats in a season
- Most - 27 in 40 games. (Southern League South, 1985-1986)
- Least - 5 in 42 games. (Southern League East, 2002-2003)
- The same number of drawn games occurred in the Western League Division Two, 1949-1950, but the club played only 30 games.
[edit] Goals in a season
- Most scored - 115 in 40 games (2.88 goals/games). (Western League Premier Division, 1960-1961)
- Most conceded - 96 in 34 games (2.82 goals/game). (Western League Second Division, 1948-1949)
- Least scored - 35 in 40 games (0.88 goals/game). (Southern League South, 1985-1986)
- Least conceded - 30 in 34 games (0.88 goals/game). (Southern League Division One South, 1976-1977)
[edit] Colours and badge
The club have a long tradition of playing in black and white striped shirts with black shorts and socks at home. The away kit is currently all yellow, but has in the past been sky blue and white, all red, and all white, as there is little or no tradition regarding the away kit.
For the 2005-06 season, in celebration of the club's 125th anniversary, the home strip was black and white quarters, similar to the strip the club played in during its early years.
The club's current badge is circular, with the words 'Dorchester Town F.C.' and 'The Magpies' on a white outer rim, in black text. The central area contains two magpies on a brown branch in front of a sky blue background. Above them is a design based upon Dorchester Town Council's Coat of arms, a black circle containing a castle, upon which is a shield.
[edit] Stadium
The Avenue Stadium is located near to a branch of Tesco on the outskirts of Dorchester. A relatively new stadium, it consists of one main stand, which is all-seated, and three small banks of terracing, which is all-standing. A railway line runs along the back of the stadium. While the capacity of the ground is 5,009, it is very rarely full - an average Conference South fixture might expect to attract 500-600 supporters. However, more important or "glamorous" fixtures (such as the 2005 friendly match against a Chelsea XI or Boxing Day derby matches against geographical rivals Weymouth) may attract crowds nearing the ground's capacity.
[edit] Current squad
- As of 11 June 2008.[citation needed]
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[edit] Noted players
Listed according to when they debuted for Dorchester Town F.C. (year in parentheses):
- 2000s: Jon Docker (2007-08)
- 2000s: Juan Ugarte (2004)
- 2000s: Matt Groves (1997-2007)
- 2000s: Matty Holmes (2000-04)
- 1980s: Trevor Senior (1981-82 + 1993-84)
- 1970s: Graham Roberts (1978/9)
[edit] External links
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AFC Wimbledon | Basingstoke Town | Bath City | Bishop's Stortford | Bognor Regis Town | Braintree Town | Bromley | Chelmsford City | Dorchester Town | Eastleigh | Fisher Athletic | Hampton & Richmond Borough | Havant & Waterlooville | Hayes & Yeading United | Maidenhead United | Newport County | St Albans City | Team Bath | Thurrock | Welling United | Weston-super-Mare | Worcester City |
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