A.F.C. Uckfield

AFC Uckfield
Full name Association Football Club Uckfield
Nickname(s) The Oaks
Founded 1988 (as Wealden)
Ground

The Oaks, Old Eastbourne Road, Uckfield,

TN22 5QL
Uckfield
(Capacity: 600)
Chairman Tom Parker
Manager Richardson & Thomsett
League Sussex County League
Division One
2010–11 Sussex County League
Division Two, 1st (promoted)
Website Club home page
Home colours

A.F.C. Uckfield is an English association football club based in Uckfield, established in 1988 as Wealden F.C.. They joined the Sussex County League Division Three in 1998. For the 2011–12 season, they are members of the Sussex County League Division One.Formed in 1988, Wealden joined Division Three of the Sussex County League ten years later, finishing 4th in their first season before gaining promotion as runners-up to Bosham in 1999/00. Since then the club has established itself in senior football with a series in the top six in Division Two.

Contents

History

The following season was comparatively disappointing, but 2004/05 saw the Oaks achieve their best finish to date. But more greater consistency, they would have finished higher than 5th, although absence of floodlights would have precluded their promotion.

Wealden picked up some silverware in 2004/05, landing the Division Two Challenge Cup, with an emphatic 3-0 win over Midhurst & Easebourne although absence of floodlights at the time made any League placing somewhat academic.

On the back of their 2004/05 form, Wealden were strongly fancied by many to be championship contenders in 2005/06, albeit still without floodlights. They reached the semi-finals of the Division Two Challenge Cup but had to relinquish their hold on the trophy as they lost 5-4 on penalties to eventual winners Mile Oak (the score having been 2-2 aet). In the League they could only manage 6th.

Floodlights were finally erected in time the 2006/07 season but despite being strongly fancied for promotion once again, inconsistency proved to be Wealden’s undoing as they finished 4th, with two additional points awarded to St. Francis Rangers pushing them up to second and leaving Wealden just outside the top three by a single point. Just to compound their misery, third-placed Westfield could not take promotion due to an absence of lights.

There was some consolation as Wealden maintained their excellent record in the League Challenge Cup beating Steyning Town in the final 2-1 with a last gasp winner for their second win in three years.

In 2007/2008 the Oaks consolidated their top 10 position by finishing 9th, however the following season 2008/2009, under the management of Dave Shearing, Wealden had taken a step backwards and flirted with relegation, finishing the season in 15th and the reserve side had gone through the whole season without getting a single point.

The start of the 2009/2010 season saw more changes at the Oaks with Simon Rowland taking charge of the first team, assisted by Shaun Grice and former SCFA Junior cup winners Athletico FC joining the club to form the Reserve side. Both sides achieved some degree of success as the First team pushed for promotion for most of the season and finished a respectable 8th and the Reserves reached the final of the Robertsbridge Intermediate cup, narrowly losing 2-1 and just missed out on promotion, finishing 3rd in the League.

At the beginning of 2010/11 season Wealden FC looked at entering a new chapter in their history books, changing their name to AFC Uckfield with ambitions of sneaking a promotion place into the top flight of the Sussex County League under the guidance of manager Simon Rowland and his assistants Dave Cole and Kevin Laundon not forgetting kit man and physio Norman Smith.

With the new club name brought new faces to the playing staff – the experienced and local Justin Harris joined from Ryman league side Whitehawk FC, Dan Pollard, Ben and Scott Dartnell, Matt Jones, Drew Greenall, Chris Logan all joining from Seaford Town FC, James Rhodes from Shoreham FC, Lawrence Edwards from the Brighton league and Joe Miller taking the step up from local side Uckfield Town FC.

This group of players along with the spine from the previous season were to exceed all expectations with some outstanding displays and list AFC Uckfield as a top County league outfit winning the Division Two League Title on the final day of the season, Division Two Challenge Cup winners and RUR cup finalists (only losing out to the Division One League winners Crawley Down), also achieving the heights of the last 16 of the Sussex Senior Cup beating Three Bridges and Ryman Premier side Hastings United FC along the way. AFC Uckfield proved to be a side with great character and strength in depth with some outstanding performances from the experienced Stafford Browne and Justin Harris, Players player of the season and 50 goal man Andy McDowell and Managers player Dan Pollard.

With such success on the field it was important the ambitions were matched off of it with ground developments essential to meet the requirements of the Sussex County League promotion committee. With AFC chairman Tom Parker and the help of committee members Anthony Harvey, Derek York, Brian Smith and Grant Olive promotion became a reality when all the required work was completed. AFC Uckfield has been a superb advert for Uckfield Town and is now a club with a great future and ambition and with the right support there are no limits to what can be achieved.

Current squad

As of 11 October 2011.

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
GK BENOIT BEAUJEON
DF GRANT HARRISON
DF DAN POLLARD
DF RYAN KNIGHT
DF JORDON COLE
DF MATT JONES
DF THOMAS PORTER
DF STAFFORD BROWNE
MF BEN DARTNALL
No. Position Player
MF DARREN GEARING
MF JACK DIVALL
MF LAWRENCE EDWARDS
MF JOE DRYER
MF ALEX BURTON
MF STEVE DAVIES
FW ANDY MCDOWELL
FW DREW GREENAL
FW CHRIS GOULD
FW CHRIS LOGAN
A.F.C. Uckfield
Full name Wealden Colts F.C
Nickname(s) Colts
Ground Framfield Recreational Ground,
Framfield
Manager Adrian Saunders
League Sussex Sunday Youth League
2010–11 CFJL Division One, 1st (promoted)

Youth Squad

As of 11 October 2011.

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
GK David Charnock
DF Jordan Archer
DF Ollie Slater
DF Ryan Hughes
DF Ieuan Evans
DF Henry Willetts
DF Axel Parsons
MF Jack Donnelly
No. Position Player
MF Myles Powponne
MF Timothy Stace
MF Tautis Stanikunas
MF Steven James
FW Daniel Perry
FW Alex Saunders
FW James Porter

Other Teams

AFC Uckfield also have other teams which include:

Club Officials

Coaching and Medical Staff

External links