Witheridge F.C.

Witheridge
Full name Witheridge Football Club
Nickname(s) Withy
Founded 1920
Ground Edge Down Park
Ground Capacity 2000
Chairman Andre Pike
Manager Chris Vinnicombe
League South West Peninsula League
Premier Division
2013–14 South West Peninsula League
Premier Division, 6th

Witheridge Football Club are a local side based in the Devon village of Witheridge and play their football in the Premier Division of the South West Peninsula League which is at step six of the National League System and have been there since the formation of the SWPL in 2007. The Reserve side play their football in Division 1 of the Devon and Exeter Football League. The clubs nickname is Withy and they play their home matches at Edge Down Park. Facilities at Edge Down Park include a floodlit pitch, a floodlit training pitch, 2 Seated Stands as well as a covered standing area behind the top goal. Spacious changing rooms and a clubhouse serving both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages as well as light refreshments.

Witheridge Football Club are currently managed by former Rangers F.C. & England Under 21 International Chris Vinnicombe.

History

Witheridge have come a long way since the days of the Married team and Singles team. Up until the Second World War, Witheridge played their football in the North Devon League. After the war Witheridge didn’t rejoin the North Devon League but joined the Tiverton and District league, playing clubs like Bampton and Elmore. In 1971, Witheridge decided it was time to move on from the Tiverton League and joined the Devon and Exeter League, starting in Intermediate Four. The 1970s and 1980s at times were hard for Witheridge but the team kept plugging away and for a small village club managed to keep themselves going. Witheridge did have good times during this period but it wasn't until the 1990s that they started to make people in the Devon and Exeter League look up and take notice that the little village club was beginning to make a big stir.

In 1990 the side won the Express and Echo Shield and they soon started flying through the Devon and Exeter League. 1992 saw Witheridge promoted to Intermediate One then race through Senior Three, Two and One. Then in 1996 Witheridge won promotion to the Devon and Exeter Premier League. In 1997 Andre Pike was appointed as first team manager and from that point on the club went from strength to strength. The 1999/2000 season saw Witheridge finish runners-up in the Devon and Exeter Premier League and also win three cups, the Okehampton Cup, Devon Premier Cup and the East Devon Senior Cup, all within two weeks of each other.

During their spell in the Devon and Exeter premier division, Witheridge became one of the big teams, finishing as runners-up four times in their last 7 seasons in the league. 2006 saw Withy finally promoted to the Devon County League and in their only season managed to finish 11th place, which saw Witheridge promoted into the newly formed South West Peninsula League Premier Division.

In the inaugural season of the South West Peninsula League, Witheridge managed a mid table finish despite being bottom of the league on Christmas Day which included a 12-match unbeaten run which stretched from February to the end of the season. 2009 saw the club take a massive step forward when leveling work was done to the pitch as well as the installation of floodlights at Edge Down Park which allowed the club to enter The FA Vase for the very first time.

During the summer of 2012, the club’s changing rooms were completely renovated and a brand new 100-seat stand installed as well as a new pathway down to the stand.

Witheridge Football Club entered the FA Cup for the first time in the clubs 94-year history in August 2014 and won their inaugural match after beating Barnstaple Town 1-0 at Mill Road.

Chairman Andre Pike’s vision for the club does not waver and plans are already afoot for the next stage in the evolution of Witheridge Football Club.

Ground

Witheridge play their home games at Edge Down Park, Fore Street, Witheridge, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 8AH.

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
England GK Jack McGovern
England GK Steve Oliver
England DF Jamie Dirrane
England DF Mike Humphreys
England DF Chris Ibbeson
England DF Dave Rowe
England DF Chris Vinnicombe
England MF Luke Cole
England MF Kayne Dryden
No. Position Player
England MF Jack Furzer
England MF Alex Gray
England MF Jack Langford
England MF Ross Middleton
England MF Jeremy Tucker
England FW Kyle Bassett
England FW Josh Kallaway
England FW Bradley Kelly
England FW Lee Radford

Honours

Runner-up: 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06

Winners 1999–2000

Winners 1999–2000

Winners 1999–2000, 2004–05

Winners 2001–02

Winners 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05

Season-by-season record since 2000

Season Division Position
2000-01 Devon and Exeter League Premier Division 3rd
2001-02 Devon and Exeter League Premier Division 2nd
2002–03 Devon and Exeter League Premier Division 5th
2003–04 Devon and Exeter League Premier Division 2nd
2004–05 Devon and Exeter League Premier Division 3rd
2005–06 Devon and Exeter League Premier Division 2nd
2006 Promoted to Devon County League
2006–07 Devon County League 11th
2007 Joined newly formed South West Peninsula League Premier Division
2007–08 South West Peninsula League Premier Division 9th
2008-09 South West Peninsula League Premier Division 11th
2009-10 South West Peninsula League Premier Division 10th
2010-11 South West Peninsula League Premier Division 14th
2011-12 South West Peninsula League Premier Division 13th
2012-13 South West Peninsula League Premier Division 7th
2013-14 South West Peninsula League Premier Division 6th
2014-15 South West Peninsula League Premier Division 6th

References

    External links

    External links

    Coordinates: 50°54′55.09″N 3°41′51.89″W / 50.9153028°N 3.6977472°W / 50.9153028; -3.6977472

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