Beckenham Town F.C.

Beckenham Town
Full name Beckenham Town Football Club
Nickname(s)

The Reds

The Becks
Founded 1971
Ground Eden Park Avenue
Beckenham
Kent
Capacity 1,562
Chairman Chris McCarthy
Manager Jason Huntley
League Southern Counties
East League
2013–14 Southern Counties
East League, 8th

Beckenham Town F.C. is a football club based in Beckenham, Kent, England. In 1982, they joined the Kent League and reached the 4th round of the FA Vase in the 1980–81 season. They are currently members of the Southern Counties East League.

History

Beckenham Town FC was formed in 1971, growing out of an amateur team called Stanhope Rovers, who had dominated the South East London amateur leagues since 1959. By 1971 it was apparent that they were the senior team in Beckenham and so they were re-incorporated as Beckenham Town, assuming the same name as an earlier club in the area which had folded in 1969.

As Beckenham Town, the club continued to compete in the South East London Amateur League with distinction, relocating to Stanhope Grove, the former ground of the defunct earlier Beckenham club.

In 1973 they switched to the Metropolitan London League and then in 1975, after being awarded senior status, they applied to and were accepted into the London Spartan League, starting out in Senior Division One and soon gaining promotion to the Premier Division in 1977–78.

In July 1980 Beckenham moved to their present ground in Eden Park Avenue, which they obtained from The London Borough of Bromley on a 25-year lease. They joined the Kent League in 1982, and have been fixtures in the top division ever since, although they have generally been a mid-table side. They also compete in such competitions as the Kent Senior Trophy and Surrey Senior Cup.

In 2005–06 Beckenham were in the running for the Kent League title right up until the last day of the season, but were pipped at the post by Maidstone United. Shortly after this, player/manager Gavin Rose resigned from his post.

On 13 July 2009 the club announced that they were in talks to bring former England international Teddy Sheringham out of retirement to play for them during their FA Vase campaign of 2009–10.

The Club won the Kent Senior Trophy in 2014 (along with the Southern Counties East League Cup, these being the first trophies ever won by the club), but were unable to defend their victory in the 2014-2015 season as they were barred from taking part in the tournament by the Kent FA following violence at the final against Ashford United, which saw several Ashford fans injured and the match being delayed for 20 minutes when Beckenham supporters attacked the stand the Ashford supporters were in. The violence spilled over onto the pitch and was joined by several Beckenham players. The match was unable to restart until local police officers arrived to patrol the ground. Following an investigation by Kent FA, both teams were barred from the following year's tournament, Beckenham Town being accepted for the more prestigious London Senior Cup instead.

[1][2] Sheringham had previously played for Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, West Ham United and Portsmouth, amongst others.  On 8 September Sheringham officially signed for Beckenham Town.

Ground

Beckenham Town play their home games at Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3JL.

The Reds have played at Eden Park Avenue since they moved from the council-owned Stanhope Recreation Ground in the 1980. The ground has excellent floodlighting, and improvements to the ground are currently ongoing, with a new car park having recently been opened.

Groundsman Ian Muir won the Football Association's Groundsman of the Year award for the season 2004–05, having produced a pitch which the experts deemed "top class". In 2003 Beckenham were awarded £100,000 by the Football Foundation for ground improvements. In the summer of 2004 a new pitch with improved drainage was laid along with hard standing all round. It was also decided to invest in perimeter fencing around the ground to deter vandals. There are plans in the pipe-line for further improvements. Beckenham's' best home crowd is 1,562, against a Celebrity XI in June 2009. The ground currently has a ground rating which would allow them to play in the Ryman South, the league above their current one.

Players

Club records

Beckenham reached 2 Kent League Cup finals in 1984–85 and 1992–93

Sources

References

  1. ↑ http://www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk/
  2. ↑ http://www.skysports.com/football/transfer_clockwatch/0,23710,14896_5427703,00.html

External links

Coordinates: 51°23′33.655″N 0°1′43.550″W / 51.39268194°N 0.02876389°W