Wantage Town F.C.

Wantage Town F.C. is a football club based in Wantage, Oxfordshire, that currently play in the Hellenic League Premier Division

Affiliated to the Berks and Bucks F.A. in 1892, Wantage celebrated their Centenary Season in 1992 in style, by winning promotion and the Hellenic League Division One Cup, defeating Wollen Sports 3-2 in the final.

Prior to joining the Hellenic League in 1956, Wantage Town played in the Swindon & District North Berks and Reading & District Leagues. Their first success came in 1903-04 in the Swindon Advertiser Cup and they repeated this achievement in 1907-08 as well as becoming Swindon & District League Champions, to the great joy of the Town.

After the First World War, they briefly played in the North Berks League, winning the North Berks Cup in 1920 and 1921 and the Championship in 1921-22. Wantage played in the strong Reading & District League with no success, but then re-entered the Swindon & District, winning the title in 1933-34 season. The Fifties was the most successful period for the Club, winning the League in 1952-53 without losing a game and again in 1955-56, while in 1954-55, the Club won no fewer than five cup competitions, including the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup.

Since Joining in 1956, Wantage have spent most of their 53 seasons in the Hellenic League in the Premier Division, but have won promotion from Division 1 on six occasions - as runners-up in 1969-70, 1987–88, 1991–92 and 1995–96, and as Champions in 1980-81 and 2003-4. Their best finish in the Premier Division has been third place on three occasions - 1973-74, 82-83 and 93-94.

1991-92 saw them set a Club record of 32 games unbeaten as they achieved promotion and Division One Cup success. Their runners-up position in 1996, and the subsequent installation of floodlights, saw Wantage Town regain the Premier Division status they lost in 1994. Following the installation of the floodlights in 1996, the Club has continued to invest in the upgrading of the facilities at Alfredian Park. In the past fifteen years the main pitch has been renewed, a training pitch has been established, and the Clubhouse has been refurbished. The old stands were replaced with a new stand, accessed by a tarmacadamed road, and the old gravelled and 'pot holed' car park, was similarly tarmacadamed. And now two new and additional pitches have been formed north of the Clubhouse, enabling five full sized pitches (including the adjacent School's pitches) to be used by the growing number of teams supported by the Club.

Season 2003/2004 was one of the club's most successful. The first team won Division One East to regain its position in the Premier League of the GLS Hellenic Football League, and the Reserves finished top of their league, also winning promotion. The Reserves success was repeated in 2004/2005 as they secured the Reserve Division One title. The First Team consolidated their Premier League status, finishing in 10th place. With Manager Andy Lyne departing to Oxford City, Town appointed a new First Team Manager, Richie Bourne. Richie left the club in 2010 and was replaced by Andy Wallbridge.

Andy heads a management team composed of himself and Assistant Manager Ellis Langford. The Reserves continue to be managed by Peter Hogan and his Assistant Manager, Paul Wilkins. The Veteran's squad is run under ex-first team managers, Fred Bint and Glynn Austin. Three Youth teams, two at under 16 (managers Terry McCullough and Gus Miles) and under 18 (manager Gary Stone), cement the Club's growing involvement with football at all levels.

With sound management in place throughout the Club, on and off of the pitch, and with growing support from the local community, the Club has a unique opportunity to put in place the foundation upon which progress to a higher level of football may be made. This has been reinforced with the award of the F.A. Charter Standard, and the establishment of a F.A. Charter Community Football Partnership, which brings together all of the footballing interests in the area of Wantage and Grove, with Wantage Town F.C. at its hub.

Alfredian Park had an attendance record of 675 who witnessed the visit of Oxford United for a pre-season friendly in 2003.

Wantage Town Ladies also play at Alfredian Park and are currently in the Thames Valley Division 2 South.

Club information

• Record Gate: 550 vs. Oxford United (August 2003)
• Average attendance: 85 spectators

External links

• Club website
• Wantage Town Ladies