South Park F.C.

South Park
Full name South Park Football Club
Nickname(s) The Barmy Army
Founded 1897
Ground King George's Field
South Park, Reigate
(Capacity: 700 [100 seated])
Chairman Colin Poplett
Manager Joe McElligott
League Combined Counties Football League Premier Division
2010–2011 Combined Counties Football League Division One, 3rd (promoted)
Home colours
Away colours

South Park Football Club are an English football club based in Reigate, Surrey. They play in the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division, which they were promoted into following the 2010-11 season.

Contents

History

Early years

The club was founded in 1897 and joined the Redhill and District Football League as a founding member. The facilities of the club were very basic to start with, with the club playing on a sports field between Crescent and Church Roads. 1925 brought a partnership with the local cricket club which formed the South Park Sports Association, the aim of the association to improve athletic facilities for the two clubs and as a result the people of South Park.

The new association found suitable land on Whitehall Lane, the current home of South Park F.C., and purchased four acres through subscriptions and door to door collections. Further purchases of two and four acres respectively insured that the ground would remain a permanent sports home by vesting them to the National Playing Fields Association. The entire allotment was renamed "King George's Field" in 1935.

War-time through the end of the 20th century

The club took a hit during and immediately after World War II, however an air raid shelter on King George's Field proved to be a defining feature of the landscape for the club in its rebound after the war. Donations ensured that amenities were added to the shelter, such as a clubhouse, showers and toilets, to provide the club much needed improvements to fulfill their sporting aspirations.

From the post-war era through to the club's Centenary year in 1997, South Park F.C. had great success in local leagues and cups. Many of the players even progressed to teams which played at higher levels, such as Redhill and Eastbourne Town, mostly in the 1950s and 1960s. The 1970s saw greater improvement to the club as a whole with the addition of a junior section and the purchase of further land. Upgrades were also made to the clubroom and changing facilities.

21st century to the present

In 2001, nearby club Reigate Town Football Club moved into South Park and merged with the current club. As a result, the club was renamed South Park & Reigate Town Football Club until 2003 when they reverted back to South Park Football Club.

Even more renovations were made to King George's Field with the installation of floodlights and new changing rooms.

2006 saw the club's promotion from the Crawley & District League to the Combined Counties Football League Division One. The club's first ever FA Vase match was held in 2008–09, a second qualifying round 2-1 home defeat to Shoreham.

In 2010, South Park participated in the FA cup for the first time. They beat Greenwich Borough FC and Horsham YMCA to set up a tie with Cray Wanderers.

Records

External links