Epping Town F.C.

Epping Town
Full nameEpping Town Football Club
Founded1888 (first incarnation)
1948 (current club)
Dissolved1985 (first incarnation)
GroundStonards Hill, Epping
ChairmanChris Gossan
ManagerPeter Jackson
LeagueEssex Olympian League Division Two
2023–24Essex Olympian League Division One, 12th of 13 (relegated)

Epping Town Football Club is a football club based in Epping, Essex, England, currently playing in the Essex Olympian League Division Two.

History

First incarnation

The original Epping Town were formed in 1888, winning the Woodford & District League in 1913 and 1920.[1] The club joined Division Two East of the Spartan League in 1936.[2] They moved into the Premier Division of the London League in 1955, and were Premier Division champions in 1963–64, the league's last season. They then became founder members of the Greater London League, and were placed in the "A" section. A seventh-place finish in 1964–65 was enough to earn a place in the Premier Division the following season. In 1966–67 they won the league, before joining the Metropolitan League in 1969. They won the league in 1970–71,[3] but at the end of the season the league merged into the Metropolitan–London League, which Epping won at the first attempt. The following season they were runners-up, before winning a second title in 1973–74. They then joined Division Two of the Athenian League, which they won in 1975–76 to earn promotion to Division One. After finishing sixth in Division One the following season, they moved up to Division Two of the Isthmian League.[3] The club resigned from the league at the end of the 1984–85 season due to financial problems and their record was expunged.[4] Epping Town played their final game on 2 May 1985, losing 7–0 at home to Leyton-Wingate.[5]

Second incarnation

Whilst the original Epping Town were in the Athenian League in the 1970s, Coopersale, formed in 1948,[1] competed in the Essex Olympian League. In 1992, seven years after the demise of Epping Town, the club changed their name to Eppingsale.[6] In 1999 the club again changed name, this time to Epping. In 2018 the club renamed themselves Epping Town.[7] In 2021 they were promoted from Division Two to Division One of the Essex Olympian League.[8] However, the finished second-from-bottom of Division One in 2023–24 and were relegated back to Division Two.

Ground

The original Epping Town club played at Stonards Hill in Epping,[4] moving to the site in 1948 after playing at Bury Lane. In 1974, floodlights were installed at Stonards Hill.[9]

The second incarnation of Epping Town also used Stonards Hill as their ground until 2020, before Epping Town Council refused to renew the license for the club to play at the site, forcing Epping Town to groundshare with Epping Upper Clapton Rugby Football Club at Upland Road in Thornwood.[10] In 2023, the club returned to Stonards Hill after a merger with Epping Youth.

Honours

  • London League
    • Premier Division champions 1963–64
  • Greater London League
    • Premier Division champions 1966–67
  • Athenian League
    • Division Two champions 1975–76
  • Metropolitan League
    • Champions 1970–71
  • Metropolitan–London League
    • Division One champions 1971–72, 1973–74

Records

References

  1. ^ a b "History". Epping Town F.C. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  2. ^ Spartan League 1934–1955 Non-League Matters
  3. ^ a b c d Epping Town at the Football Club History Database
  4. ^ a b Epping FC (1) 1 v Letchworth Garden City Eagles (0) 2 Football Grounds in Focus
  5. ^ "Isthmian Division Two North". The Football Archives. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  6. ^ Coopersale at the Football Club History Database
  7. ^ Epping at the Football Club History Database
  8. ^ "2021-2022 E.O.F.L. Constitution". Essex Olympian Football League. 3 July 2021.
  9. ^ Jon Weaver (2005) The Football Grounds of Rural Essex, p67
  10. ^ "Club Statement – Ground Move". Epping Town F.C. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2021.

51°42′10″N 0°07′20″E / 51.70277°N 0.122278°E / 51.70277; 0.122278