Ashford Town F.C.

This article is about the club based in Middlesex. For the club formerly known as Ashford Town (Kent), see Ashford United.
Ashford Town (Middlesex)
Full name Ashford Town (Middlesex) Football Club
Nickname(s) Tangerines, Ash Trees
Founded 1958
Ground The Robert Parker Stadium, Stanwell
Ground Capacity 2,550
Chairman Dave Baker
Manager Ben Murray
League Combined Counties League Premier Division[1]
2014–15 Combined Counties League Premier Division, 3rd

Ashford Town (Middlesex) F.C. are an English football club based in Ashford, Surrey. The club is affiliated to the Middlesex County Football Association.[2] The club are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division and play at Short Lane. The club formally changed their name in 1990 to Ashford Town (Middlesex) to avoid confusion with the Kent club which previously shared the same name, but are now named Ashford United.

History

Established in 1958 as Ashford Albion, the club initially played in the Hounslow & District League. They won two consecutive promotions to reach the Premier Division, and in 1964 adopted their current name. The club reconstituted itself in January 1965 and climbed back through the divisions of the Hounslow & District League before joining the Surrey Intermediate League (Western) in 1967. Ashford Town were immediately promoted to the top division of this competition and were Champions of the competition in 1974–75. They became founder members of the Surrey Premier League in 1983. In 1990 they joined the Combined Counties League. They finished runners-up in 1993–94, and the following year won the title. They went on to win the league in each of the next three seasons, and again in 1999–2000, after which they were promoted to Division Three of the Isthmian League.[3] To commemorate the club's promotion to the next tier, the club opted for a new Middlesex shield logo, which forms the basis of its brand identify. Designed by Ninu Huddlestone, the new logo incorporates the three swords of Middlesex and an indigenous ash tree, which is reminiscent of town's name. The ash tree indicates a ford near a clump of ash trees.

After finishing third in their first season, they were promoted to Division Two. In 2002, they were moved to Division One South after a League re-organisation and, in 2004, switched to the Western Division of the Southern League. In 2005–06, they finished second in the division, and were promoted, being placed in the Isthmian League Premier Division. In 2006–07 they won the League Cup and, in 2008–09, the Surrey Senior Cup. At the end of the 2009–10 season, the club were relegated and placed in Division One Central of the Southern League, although they were offered a late reprieve from relegation after Merthyr Tydfil were liquidated.

The club's decision to become the first club in the National League System to decline such a reprieve was the start of a difficult period on and off the field and the season was one marked by highs and lows, with a superb run in the FA Trophy being tempered by finishing sixteenth in the League. Jamie Lawrence resigned as Manager in June 2011, despite having won the Southern Combination Cup and was replaced by club stalwart Paul Burgess. Burgess assembled an exciting young team who finished in mid-table in the League but came back from 3–0 down in the Final of the Middlesex Senior Charity Cup to draw 4–4 with Northwood and win on penalties. Two days later, the Aldershot Senior Cup was also won when Badshot Lea were defeated 3–1.

The club were relegated to the Combined Counties Premier Division at the end of the 2013–14 season, having finished bottom.

Ground

Ashford Town play their home games at Robert Parker Stadium, Short Lane, Stanwell, Middlesex, TW19 7BH.

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.
3. Players that hold a club record.

Major honours

References

  1. ↑ season 2014-2015[
  2. ↑ "Charter Standard Clubs". Webcache.googleusercontent.com. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  3. ↑ Ashford Town (Middlesex) at the Football Club History Database
  4. ↑ "Saturday Senior Cup Previous Winners". SurreyFA. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
  5. ↑ "Saturday Premier Cup Previous Winners". SurreyFA. Retrieved 2013-04-28.

External links

Coordinates: 51°27′07″N 0°27′44″W / 51.451974°N 0.462198°W / 51.451974; -0.462198

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