Horsham F.C.

Horsham
Full name Horsham Football Club
Nickname(s) The Hornets
Founded 1881
Ground Culver Road, Lancing (Groundshare with Lancing FC)
Ground Capacity 2,000
Chairman Kevin Borrett
Manager Dominic di Paola
League Isthmian League South Division
2016–17 Isthmian League South Division, 16th of 24

Horsham Football Club are a non-League football club based in Horsham, West Sussex, England, currently playing in the Isthmian League South Division.

History

The first Horsham Football Club was founded in 1871, though its existence largely depended upon enough players being available to form a side. In 1881 the club was firmly re-established, playing its first game against Dorking, and, in September 1882, helped found the Sussex County Football Association, with club official A. R. Bostock becoming one of three original Vice Presidents. Horsham became founder members of the West Sussex Football League in 1896.[1] They went on to win the West Sussex League championship in 1899-00, 1900–01 and 1901–02, and claiming the Royal Irish Rifles Cup in 1900 by defeating the champions of the East Sussex Senior League, Hastings. After having played at both Hurst Park and Springfield Park, the club secured Queen Street as its permanent home in 1904, but some lean form over the ensuing years saw Horsham overlooked when the Sussex County League was created in 1920. The club eventually became members of that competition after winning the West Sussex Senior League for the fourth time in 1925–26.

This was a golden age for the club and the County League was won in 1932, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938, with the team regularly scoring over one hundred goals a season. The Sussex RUR Cup was taken in 1931, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938, and the Sussex Senior Cup in 1934 and 1939. After the break brought on by hostilities, Horsham won the first post-war title in 1947, the RUR Cup in 1946, 1949 and 1951, and the Sussex Senior Cup in 1950.

In 1947–48 Horsham reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time, taking a first-minute lead against Tommy Lawton's Notts County, before losing 9–1. For many years Horsham had been looking to test themselves at a higher level but had seen their annual applications to join the Athenian League come to nothing. In 1951 the club changed tack and successfully applied to become members of the Metropolitan League where they were champions at the first attempt. In 1957, however, after finishing bottom of the table, they stepped down to the Corinthian League. In 1963 this league was disbanded, and Horsham were finally able to join the Athenian League.

In 1966 they reached the First Round proper of the FA Cup for a second time after defeating Hastings United 2–1 in the 4th Qualifying Round. Horsham played Swindon Town in front of a crowd of 7,134 at Queen Street. Although they lost 0–3, the day was a 'red letter day' for the club. A special temporary stand was erected at the Queen St end of the ground for the match.[2]

In 1973, Horsham joined the Isthmian League when it expanded to two divisions. They enjoyed little success during the 1980s and early 1990s, finishing bottom of the entire league in 1993–94, but began to turn their fortunes around with a Division Three championship win in 1995–96. In 2001–02 they finished second in Division Two and were promoted to Division One South and in 2005–06 a second-place finish in that division, finishing 2nd behind champions Ramsgate on goal difference, saw them promoted to the Premier Division for the first time. That same season, Horsham reached the final of the Sussex Senior Cup for the first time since 1979, but were beaten by Lewes 3–1 after extra-time.

Their first ever season in the Premier Division, in 2006–07, saw the Hornets finish in eighth and a promotion challenge in 2007–08 again fell away to see the club end up eleventh. However, the team beat Maidenhead United 4–1 to reach the Second Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time where two matches were played against eventual League One champions, Swansea City.

Having sold their ground for redevelopment at the end of the season, Horsham played at Worthing during 2008–09 and reached the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup where they took Conference side Stevenage Borough to a replay before ending an injury-ravaged year in thirteenth place. Season 2009–10 found the club back in Horsham, having entered into a groundshare agreement with their old neighbours Horsham YMCA as their quest for a new ground continued. Financial cutbacks at the end of the 2010–11 campaign, during which they finished only 6 points clear of possible relegation back to Division One, saw Horsham part company with long serving manager John Maggs after 11 years in charge. Former Faversham Town manager, Justin Luchford, was appointed as his replacement in June 2011 but left the role in late October 2011 and was replaced by assistant, Hugo Langton. A lack of improvement in results, during which the club failed to win any of their 19 league games, saw Langton replaced by former Worthing boss Simon Colbran in March 2012 but he was unable to prevent the side from returning to Division One South. A season of stability followed, with the Hornets ending the campaign in fifteenth and claiming the Brighton Charity Cup for a second successive season[3] but Colbran resigned his post in November 2013 with the club in 18th position. His departure led to the popular appointment of Horsham born Gary Charman, some fifteen years after making the first of more than 550 appearances for his hometown club. Charman steered the club to 16th place but a poor run of results the following season led to him being replaced by two more former players, Anthony Storey and Cliff Cant, in January 2015. Despite some impressive initial results, the pair were unable to save the club from relegation so former East Preston manager Dominic di Paola was appointed towards the end of the campaign with a view to rebuilding a side capable of competing in the Sussex County League for the first time since 1951.

A season long battle with Eastbourne Town followed, with Horsham taking the title by 11 points to secure a record-equaling 8th County League title, thus securing an immediate return to the Isthmian League for season 2016-17. During the 2015-16 campaign, the club recorded a club record 97 points whilst conceding the fewest goals in their history (22).

2007–08 FA Cup run

Horsham's FA Cup run started with a 7–1 defeat of Arundel in the 1st qualifying round and in the 2nd they came from 2–0 down to beat Bury Town 3–2. After a goalless draw at Kingsmeadow Horsham then saw off AFC Wimbledon 5–4 on penalties in a 3rd qualifying round replay before booking their place in the First Round Proper for only the third time in their history with a 3–2 win at Chippenham Town. Horsham drew Maidenhead United of the Conference South at home and, in front of a crowd of 3,379, Horsham won 4–1 with goals from Nigel Brake, Lee Carney (2) and Lee Farrell, with Brake's long-range goal nominated in Match of the Day's goal of the month competition. Horsham then drew Swansea City in the 2nd Round, holding the then League One leaders to a 1–1 draw at Queen Street on 30 November 2007 when an 85th-minute penalty from Lewis Taylor cancelled out Guillem Bauzà's 41st-minute opener.[4] Their replay at Swansea was played on 10 December 2007, the first ever FA Cup tie to be held at the Liberty Stadium, and a shock result was on the cards when Lee Farrell scored twice to put Horsham 2–1 ahead but Swansea recovered to win the tie 6–2. Both matches against Swansea were shown live on Sky Sports, the first time in the club's history that a match had been televised live.[5]

Ground

Horsham will play their home games at Sussex FA Headquarters at Culver Road, Lancing, West Sussex for the 2017-18 campaign.

The club sold their ground at Queen Street, which had been their home since 1904, to property developers and moved out in 2008.A two-season groundshare with Worthing, was terminated after one season and the club is currently sharing with Horsham YMCA at Gorings Mead. The club hoped to return to Horsham and build a new ground in Holbrook, North Horsham, but despite the club having bought the site, planning permission was refused at a council meeting held on 1 July 2008.[6] The club withdrew their appeal against the decision on 15 April 2009, and turned their focus instead to building a new ground at the "Hop Oast" area to the south of Horsham.

The initial proposal, which would have seen the installation of two 3G pitches and a two-storey clubhouse, returned a majority verdict of 13-9 in favour of rejecting the application at a council hearing on 20 Jan 2015, citing issues such as safety concerns and the perceived construction of a 'business in the countryside', despite the site already hosting a golf club and fitness centre. On 21 March 2017 the submission of a revised plan for a reduced capacity of 1,300 spectators and a single-storey clubhouse was overwhelmingly accepted by 19 votes to 1. A separate application to sell off part of The Holbrook Club site for housing to help finance the building of the new ground, as well as securing the long term future of the Sports Club, was also passed.

With Horsham YMCA announcing their intention to end the groundshare arrangement at the end of the 2016-17 season, Horsham F.C. signed a contract to play their home matches at the headquarters of the Sussex FA at Culver Road, Lancing, for the 2017-18 season whilst the new ground is built.

Honours

League and Cup honours

Club records

References

  1. ↑ "Shoreham F.C. – Early football in Shoreham and the 'Glory Years". Shoreham History Portal. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  2. ↑ Horsham .v. Swindon Town Souvenir Programme 1 shilling 26th November 1966
  3. ↑ 2nd Yellow Archived 9 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Match details
  5. ↑ BBC
  6. ↑ West Sussex County Times
  7. ↑ "R.U.R. Cup Final Results – Sussex County Football Association". Sussexcountyleague.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  8. ↑ "Match report Horsham v Swindon Town". www.horsham-fc.co.uk. 1966-11-26. Retrieved 2017-05-22.

Coordinates: 51°03′27.60″N 0°19′26.08″W / 51.0576667°N 0.3239111°W / 51.0576667; -0.3239111

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