Poole Town F.C.

Poole Town

Full name	Poole Town Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Dolphins
Founded	20 September 1890
Ground	Tatnam, Poole[1]
Ground Capacity	2000
Chairman	Clive Robbins & Chris Reeves
Manager	Thomas Killick
League	Southern League Premier Division
2014–15	Southern League Premier Division, 2nd
Home colours Away colours

Poole Town F.C. is a football club based in Poole, Dorset, England who play in the Southern League Premier Division after being promoted as champions of the Southern League Division One South and West in the 2012–13 season. They were established in 1890 and joined the Western League Division Two in 1930. The club is affiliated to the Dorset County Football Association and is a FA Charter Standard Community Club.^[2] They won the Western League title in 1957 and reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup four times in their history. They play at Tatnam, Poole, and finished the 2008–09 season as "Double" winners – champions^[3] and Dorset Senior Cup winners. In 2009–10 they became back-to-back champions of the Wessex League and completed an unprecedented treble winning the League for the 3rd time in a row in 2010–11. Promotion to the Southern League was finally achieved after an upgrade to the Tatnam facilities. Poole were second in their first season, losing to Gosport in a playoff final, before gaining promotion as Champions the following season.

History

Origins

Poole Town were formed when two local teams, Poole Hornets and Poole Rovers, merged in 1890. Both teams had been in existence since 1880. Poole joined the Dorset League in 1896 then the Hampshire League in 1903.^[4] The club enjoyed success in the Dorset Senior Cup in their early years, winning it for the fifth time in 1907.^[4]

After several season without football because of the First World War, the club began playing again in the 1919–20 season under the name Poole & St. Marys. They changed their name back to Poole FC after one season.^[4] Poole joined the Western League in 1923.^[4]

Poole won the Dorset Senior Cup again in 1926, the club also turned professional that year and joined the Southern Football League, Eastern Division. The 1926–27 season saw the club's best FA Cup run in its history. They reached the third round and played Everton, losing 3–1 at Goodison Park.^[4] They won the Dorset Senior Cup again in 1927 and reached the First Round of the FA Cup three seasons in a row.^[4] Poole rejoined the Western League in 1930 and stayed there (except for the 1934–35 season) until 1957.^[4]

Stadium

In 1933, Poole moved into Poole Stadium. They became known as "Poole Town" in 1934.^[4] Poole Town reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup in 1946. They held Queens Park Rangers to a 2–2 draw before losing in the replay 6–0.^[4] They reached the first round again in 1963 and 1967, losing to Watford (after a replay) and Queens Park Rangers, respectively.^[4]

Nomadic days

In 1994, Poole Town were forced to leave Poole Stadium to make way for Poole Pirates speedway and greyhound racing. They shared a ground with Hamworthy United for the 1995–96 season, during which they lost 39 consecutive matches, equalling the record set by Stockport County in 1977, and winning just 1 point from 42 league matches. The record was subsequently beaten by A.F.C. Aldermaston in 2010.^[5] Poole Town were relegated from the Southern League and joined the Hampshire League Division One, sharing a ground with Holt United.^[4]

Poole won the Dorset Senior Cup for the 12th time in 1998. They also won the Hampshire League Cup and finished 3rd in the league.^[4] They won the league cup again in 1999 and finished 2nd in the league but were not promoted. The Hampshire League Premier Division was created for the 2000–01 season but Poole could not join because they did not have sufficient ground grading. They were effectively relegated, staying in the first division.^[4]

In 2000, they were promoted into the Hampshire League Premier Division. They moved into Haskells Rec in Newtown but left after a few seasons due to vandalism.

Tatnam

In October 2000, Poole started playing at Tatnam, the school field of Oakdale South Road Middle School (now Oakdale Junior School). They have since had built a permanent barrier around the pitch, hardstanding, floodlights, dugouts, a small club shop, tea hut, licensed bar and a £80,000 stand which allowed them to be promoted into the Wessex League First Division.^[4]

In 2008, Poole Town submitted plans for the creation of a new £1.2 million ground at Branksome Recreation Ground which would enable them to meet strict Football Association criteria to gain promotion to the Southern League Division One.^[6] However, In December 2009 the Poole Borough Council Planning Committee turned the plans down due to loss of space policy and no community benefit. The club switched to plan B and have since won planning permission for a £2-3M development at Canford Magna, adjacent to Canford Park Arena.

The 2008–09 season saw Poole win the Wessex Premier title^[7] and Dorset Senior Cup (beating Dorchester 2–0 aet). Poole Town were the second best team of 1,600 Football Association clubs in England, based on points per match, with the following record: played 42, won 38, drawn 2, lost 2. They were, however, denied promotion due to inadequate ground grading.

In the 2009–10 season Poole Town sold Charlie Austin to Swindon Town for an undisclosed sum. Austin scored 46 goals in 46 games in his first season at Poole and 18 goals in 11 games before his transfer. He signed off with 5 goals in his last game against Moneyfields. Despite jumping six divisions, Austin continued scoring goals, earning a transfer to Championship club Burnley. The season ended with another Wessex title for Poole,^[8] but no promotion again due to ground grading.

During the 2010–11 season Poole Town won the Wessex League Premier Division for the 3rd consecutive season and reached the semi-final of the FA Vase and the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. In contrast to previous seasons, the club were granted promotion to the Southern League after FA agreed to them staging Southern League football at Tatnam following a temporary upgrade of the facilities.^[9]

The 2012–13 season saw the club promoted as champions of Southern League Division One South and West to the Premier division.^[10] The club completed a treble that season by winning the Dorset Senior Cup when they beat Wimborne Town 4–1 in the final^[11] and the Southern League Champions Cup, beating Burnham away 0–1. The Dolphins were also voted the Southern League SWD1 club of the season.

Ground

Poole Town play their games at Tatnam Ground, School Lane, Poole.

Poole Borough Council have also agreed that the club can move to a new ground at Bearwood following agreement by the council's planning committee.^[12] The club is hoping to complete the build and move into the new stadium in time for the 2015–16 season, staging games at Tatnam in the interim.

Players

Current squad

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

No. Position Player GK Nick Hutchings GK Ryan Thorpe DF Mark Jermyn DF Neil Martin DF Will Spetch DF Lewis Tallack DF Michael Walker DF Jamie Whisken (captain) MF Marvin Brooks MF Luke Burbidge MF Charlie Davis

No. Position Player MF Steve Devlin MF Keith Emmerson MF Harrison Gilkes MF Billy Lowes MF Carl Pettefer MF Carl Preston FW Lamin Dibba FW Richard Gillespie FW Jack Maloney FW Dan Munday FW Luke Roberts

Honours

League honours

• Southern League Division One :^[13]
  • Runners-up (1): 1961–62
• Southern League Division One South :^[13]
  • Runners-up (1): 1989–90
• Southern League Division One South & West:^[13][14]
  • Winners (1): 2012–13
  • Runners-up (1): 2011–12
• Western League :^[13]
  • Winners (1): 1956–57
  • Runners-up (4): 1946–47, 1949–50, 1953–54, 1955–56
• Wessex League Premier Division :^[13]
  • Winners (3): 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
• Wessex League Division Two:^[13]
  • Runners-up (1): 2004–05
• Hampshire League Premier Division:^[13]
  • Runners-up (2): 1998–99, 2000–01
• Hampshire League Division One:^[13]
  • Winners (1): 1999–00

Cup honours

• Dorset Senior Cup:^[15][16]
  • Winners (16): 1894–95, 1896–97, 1898–99, 1901–02, 1903–04, 1906–07, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1937–38, 1946–47, 1974–75, 1988–89, 1997–98, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2013–14
  • Runners-up (19): 1890–91, 1892–93, 1895–96, 1897–98, 1899–00, 1900–01, 1910–11, 1927–28, 1932–33, 1936–37, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1961–62, 1987–88, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2003–04, 2005–06
• Western Football League Cup:^[17]
  • Winners (1): 1954–55
• Wessex League Cup:^[16]
  • Runners-up (1): 2009–10
• Trophyman Cup:^[16]
  • Winners (2): 1997–98, 1998–99
• Southern League Champions Cup:^[16]
  • Winners (1): 2012–13

Records

• Highest league position: 16th Southern League Premier Division – 1966–67 ^[18]
• Lowest league position: 1st Hampshire League Division One ^[18]
• Best FA Cup run: 3rd Round Proper – 1926 ^[18]
• FA Trophy best performance:^[13] First Round 1969–70, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1987–88
• FA Vase best performance:^[13] semi-final 2010–11
• Largest home crowd: 6,575 vs Watford in the FA Cup 1st round replay – 1963 ^[18]
• Biggest home win: 10–0 vs Horndean – 2009 ^[18]
• Biggest away win: 11–0 vs Horndean – 1998 ^[18]
• Record transfer fee (Paid): Nicky Dent (£5,000) – 1990 ^[18]
• Record transfer fee (Received): Charlie Austin (Undisclosed – est. £70,000) – 2009^[18]

Supporters

Poole Town are one of the best supported teams in the league.^[19] The official mascot is Dylan The Dolphin.

Former players

1. Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.

Charlie Austin Alec Campbell Joe Hutton Ralph Miller Peter Wakeham Marcus Browning Warren Cummings Fawzi Saadi George Brown Pat Parker Fred Rhodes Ken Hodgson Brian Mundee

Graham Carr Bobby Mason Stuart Douglas Stan Rickaby Roger Brown Jackie Henderson Horace Cumner Ted MacDougall Max Cream Brian O'Donnell Barry Rowan Andy Jones

Jim Rollo Ernie Pym Jack McDonald Jimmy Munro Brian Chambers Wilf Mannion Carl Pettefer Ken Boyes Doug Millward Peter Gordon Charlie Brown Tony Funnell

Tony Priscott Tony Knapp Jack Coxford John Evanson Harry Osman Peter Brown Jimmy Allen Len Phillips Alan Banks Jimmy Daws Thomas McGhee John Smeulders

References

External links

• Official website
• Profile from official Southern League website
• Pyramid Passion ground profile
• Poole Town at the Football Club History Database

Southern League Premier Division Arlesey Town Banbury United Bideford Biggleswade Town Burnham Cambridge City Chesham United Chippenham Town Cirencester Town Corby Town Dorchester Town Dunstable Town Frome Town Histon Hitchin Town Hungerford Town Paulton Rovers Poole Town Redditch United Slough Town St Neots Town Truro City Weymouth Division One Central AFC Hayes Aylesbury Aylesbury United Barton Rovers Beaconsfield SYCOB Bedford Town Bedworth United Chalfont St. Peter Daventry Town Egham Town Godalming Town Hanwell Town Kettering Town Leighton Town Marlow North Greenford United Northwood Potters Bar Town Royston Town Rugby Town St Ives Town Uxbridge Division One South & West AFC Totton Bashley Bishop's Cleeve Bridgwater Town Cinderford Town Clevedon Town Didcot Town Evesham United Fleet Town Larkhall Athletic Mangotsfield United Merthyr Town North Leigh Sholing Shortwood United Stratford Town Swindon Supermarine Taunton Town Tiverton Town Wantage Town Wimborne Town Yate Town Seasons 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15

Coordinates: 50°43′41.75″N 1°59′03.55″W / 50.7282639°N 1.9843194°W / 50.7282639; -1.9843194