Parson Drove F.C.

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Parson Drove
Full name Parson Drove Football Club
Nickname(s) Drove
Founded 1921
Ground Main Road, Parson Drove
League Peterborough & District League Premier Division
2011–12 Peterborough & District League Premier Division, 14th
Home colours

Parson Drove F.C. is an English football club based in Parson Drove, near Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. The club are currently members of the Premier Division of the Peterborough & District League and play at Main Road.

History

The club was properly established in the village of Parson Drove in 1921 by the headmaster of the local council school.[1] After World War II the club played in the Peterborough & District League and also started entering the FA Cup.[2] After winning Division One in 1948–49, the club were the first champions of its Premier Division in 1949–50. Although they were relegated later in the 1950s, the club won Division One again in 1959–60 and returned to the Premier Division.

The club saw a sustained period of success in the 1960s and 1970s, winning the Premier Division in 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1973–74. They also won the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup in 1969–70 and 1972–73, as well as the Cambridgeshire Challenge Cup twice and the Peterborough Senior Cup four times. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the club began entering the FA Cup again and also played in the FA Vase for three seasons.[3] In the 1979–80 FA Cup the club went on a remarkable run that included defeating Southern League clubs Chelmsford City and King's Lynn,[4][5] with the 2–0 win over Chelmford labelled City's worst ever performance.[6]

In 1988 the club made a late application to join the new Division One of the Eastern Counties League, but were rejected.[7] With their ground in a poor state and a lack of interest from the public and players, the club was then disbanded.

On 2 March 1992 the club was resurrected following a meeting by village residents. The club re-entered the Peterborough & District League in Division Six. The club returned to the Premier Division as Division One champions in 2003–04.

Ground

Prior to World War I the club played on the Butchers Arms Field and at Woadmill Grassfield. Due to a lack of a suitable venue, after the war the club moved to nearby Murrow for two seasons. They returned to Parson Drove to play at some land at Clough's Cross Farm before moving to a field in Fen Road, known as Down the Fen in 1930. In 1975 a new playing field was opened on Main Road, and the club moved to the ground.[1]

Honours

  • Peterborough & District League
    • Premier Division champions 1949–50, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73
    • Division One champions 1948–49, 1958–59, 2003–04
  • Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup
    • Winners 1969–70, 1972–73

Records

  • FA Cup
    • Fourth Qualifying Round 1979–80

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 History Parson Drove FC
  2. ↑ Parson Drove at the Football Club History Database
  3. ↑ Parson Drove United at the Football Club History Database
  4. ↑ A short history of how local Clubs and Leagues developed over the years Football in the Fens
  5. ↑ Local sporting highlights from this week in years gone by - 12/09/09 The Evening Telegraph, 11 September 2009
  6. ↑ Death of Clarets' stalwart The Enquirer, 21 May 2009
  7. ↑ Blakeman, M (2010) The official history of the Eastern Counties Football League 1935-2010 Volume I ISBN 978-1-908037-01-5

External links

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