Great Wakering Rovers F.C.
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| Full name | Great Wakering Rovers Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Rovers | ||
| Founded | 1919 | ||
| Ground | Burroughs Park, Great Wakering | ||
| Capacity | 2,500 (150 seated)[1] | ||
| Chairman | Tony Butcher | ||
| Manager | Dan Trenkel | ||
| League | Isthmian League Division One North |
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| 2014–15 | Isthmian League Division One North, 15th |
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| Website | [Great Wakering Rovers Website Club home page] | ||
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Great Wakering Rovers Football Club is an English football club located in Great Wakering, near Southend on Sea in Essex. The club are currently members of the Isthmian League and play at Burroughs Park.
Contents
History
The club was formed in 1919 by soldiers demobbed after World War I and finding employment in the local brickfields. They first played in the Southend & District League, where they played until 1982, being the league's most dominant club especially in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1982 they switched to the newly formed Southend & District Alliance Football League, but this league folded in 1989. At this point the club decided to make the step up to intermediate level and join the Essex Intermediate League.
They remained in this league for three seasons, winning the championships of Divisions Three and Two in successive seasons, after the latter of which they successfully applied to join the Essex Senior League. They were league champions in 1994–95 and were league runners-up three times in the subsequent four seasons. On the last of these occasions they finished in second place behind Saffron Walden Town, but as the latter club failed to meet the ground grading requirements for a place in the Isthmian League, Great Wakering Rovers were promoted in their place, gaining a place in Isthmian League Division Three for the 1999–2000 season.
At the first attempt they were promoted to Isthmian League Division Two, then moved to Division One North in 2002 due to league reorganisation. Further reorganisations saw them transferred to the Southern League Eastern Division for two seasons, but in 2006 they were switched back to Isthmian League Division One North. In 2011–12 the club finished bottom of Division One North, and were relegated back to the Essex Senior League. In 2014, they won the ESL by one point on the final day of the season, and were promoted back to the Isthmian League.
Club honours
- Essex Senior League
- Champions 1994-95, 2013-14[2]
- Essex Intermediate League
Club records
- Best league performance: 7th in Isthmian League Division Two, 2001–02[2]
- Best FA Cup performance: Second qualifying round, 1998–99, 2006–07[2]
- Best FA Trophy performance: First round, 2002–03, 2004–05[2]
- Best FA Vase performance: Fifth round, 1997–98, 2001–02[2]
- Appearances: John Heffer 511
- Attendance: 1,150 vs Southend United, friendly match, 19 July 2006[1]
Notable former players
Former players that have played professionally include:
- Martin Buglione - Played for St Johnstone
- Steve Crane - Played for Gillingham
- Joel Etienne-Clark - Dominican International
- Richard McKinney- Played for Colchester United
- Paul Smith - Played for Brentford and Gillingham
- Les Stubbs began his career with Great Wakering before going on to play professionally for Southend United and Chelsea.
Jack Adlington - Former Southampton FC right back
Ground
Burroughs Park was constructed in 1985 on the site of 104 disused allotments which the local council gave to the club, and was named after local farmer (and former player) Roger Burroughs in recognition of his assistance to the club. The ground has floodlights and also boasts a clubhouse and tea bar. The highest attendance ever recorded was 1,150 for a pre-season friendly against Southend United in 2006.
References
External links
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