Horsham F.C.

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Horsham
Full name Horsham Football Club
Nickname(s) Hornets[1]
Founded 1871
Ground Woodside Road, Worthing
(Capacity 4,000)
Chairman Frank King
Manager John Maggs
League Isthmian League Premier Division
2007–08 Isthmian League Premier Division,11th
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
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Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
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Away colours

Horsham F.C. are a non-League football club based in Horsham, West Sussex, England, currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

The club was established in 1871, although the club's website mentions that it was "firmly re-established" in 1881. Horsham were founding members of the West Sussex Football League in 1896 and won the championship of that league on four occasions. In 1920 they joined the Sussex County League where, between 1930 and 1947 they won the championship seven times in ten seasons (the league having been suspended during World War II) including four wins in successive seasons.

The club had applied to join the Athenian League on a number of occasions but been turned away, so in 1951 they opted to join the Metropolitan League, where they were champions at the first attempt. In 1957, however, after finishing bottom of the table, they stepped down to the Corinthian League. In 1963 this league was disbanded, and Horsham were finally able to join the Athenian League. Then in 1973, they joined the Isthmian League when it expanded to two divisions, and remain in this league to this day. They enjoyed little success during the 1980s and early 1990s, finishing bottom of the entire league in 1993-94, but began to turn their fortunes around with a Division Three championship win in 1995-96. In 2001-02 they finished second in Division Two and were promoted to Division One South, and in 2005-06 a second-place finish in that division, finishing 2nd behind champions Ramsgate on goal difference, saw them promoted to the Premier Division for the first time.In recent years Horsham have had several exciting rivalry matches with local club Lewes F.C in latter rounds of the Sussex Senior Cup. In the 2005-06 season they were beaten by Lewes 3-1 after extra-time in the final.

[edit] 2007 FA Cup Run

Horsham's FA Cup run started with a 7-1 defeat of Arundel in the 1st qualifying round and in the 2nd they then beat Bury Town 3-2. Horsham beat AFC Wimbledon 5-4 on penalties in a 3rd qualifying round replay before they beat Chippenham Town away 3-2 to secure their place in the First round proper for only the third time in their history. Horsham drew Maidenhead United of the Conference South at home. In front of a record 3,379 Horsham won 4-1 with goals from Nigel Brake, Lee Carney (2) and Lee Farrell. Horsham then drew Swansea City in the 2nd Round.

On 30 November 2007, Horsham held the then League One leaders Swansea City to a home 1-1 draw. An 85th-minute penalty from Lewis Taylor cancelled out Guillem Bauza's 41st-minute goal.[3]. Their replay at Swansea was played on 10 December 2007. Lee Farrell scored twice to put Horsham 2-1 ahead but they eventually lost 6-2. Both matches against Swansea were shown live on Sky, the first time in the club's history that a match was shown live.[4]

[edit] Ground

The club have recently sold their ground at Queen Street, which had been their home since 1904, to property developers. Whilst currently sharing for two seasons with Worthing, the club hopes to return to Horsham and build a new stadium in Holbrook but,despite having bought the site, planning permission is still pending and there is a great deal of opposition from local residents, so the future is uncertain.[citation needed]

[edit] Current squad

[edit] Notable former players

  • Darren Freeman
  • Jamie Ndah
  • Mick Browning
  • Jamie Taylor
  • Russell Gunn
  • Oli Wassell

[edit] Club records

  • Best league performance: 8th in Isthmian Premier League, 2006-07
  • Best FA Cup performance: 2nd round proper, 2007-08
  • Best FA Trophy performance: 2nd round, 2002-03
  • Best FA Vase performance: 4th round, 1986-87

[edit] References

[edit] External links


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