Welcome to the Home of Walsham Le Willows Football Club
WALSHAM LE WILLOWS FOOTBALL CLUB HISTORY
The Meadow has been the home of the village football and cricket clubs going back to the late 1800s and the old pavilion still survives on the far side of the ground, originally this had a thatched roof and water was carried across to it by bucket and then a two wheeled hand water cart was pulled across by the players. With no electricity in the original building changing could be somewhat hazardous after the game on a cold December Saturday. Football and cricket were both played at the present ground in Summer Road until the outbreak of war when the field was ploughed up to provide land suitable to grow food on. There is some confusion regarding the road that the ground stands on to this day because the signs erected by the highways authority show different names at each end of the road, Sumner Road at the main road and Summer Road at the village end. Football started up again after the war and was played at Grove Road in the village from 1947 and the club competed in the Bury & District league Division 2. A new pitch was developed on Gallents Meadow in Ixworth Road and used from 1948 to 1951 (the reserve side was formed in 1949 to compete in the Bury village league) when the club moved back to its present site after the generosity of the Martineau family provided the grass seed to reseed the field. Originally the pitch was across the field but upon the resumption of football at the meadow the direction of the pitch was changed to allow a new cricket square to be laid in the centre of the field. The thatched pavilion was still in use and the additions of calor gas for lighting and a calor gas boiler for tea making improved the facilities for everyone. The amalgamation of the cricket and football clubs in 1952 then formed Walsham le Willows Sports Club. The original football stand was built in the 1950s with the new pavilion in 1973, mains electricity was added at this time and the addition of a bar and lounge area followed soon after with the snooker room, kitchen and car park added the following year. The clubs teams have participated in the Bury & District league, Bury Village league, Stowmarket league, Suffolk & Ipswich league and now the Ridgeons league. As a junior side the club won the Suffolk Junior cup three years running in 87-88, 88-89, and 89-90 after being beaten finalists in 73-74. Numerous Bury and district titles and cups were won before entering the Suffolk & Ipswich league in 89-90, promotion to the senior league was achieved in that season and was quickly followed by relegation before we established ourselves as a senior side in 97-98 by finishing in 4th position. League positions then went 3rd and 4th with the league knock out cup being won in both seasons. Current manager Paul Smith was appointed for the following campaign and the league record then went 4th, 1st,1st and 2nd with one league knock out cup victory.
Season 2004-05 was our first in the Ridgeons league and we finished 4th with our first ever Suffolk Senior cup final appearance at Portman Road. The following season cup success was achieved at Portman Road by winning the Suffolk Senior cup in a thrilling extra time 4-3 victory over Capel Plough. A creditable 5th position was achieved in the league and our first ever appearance in the F A Cup. The installation of floodlights, new changing rooms and the 100 seater stand give us a facility to be proud of and in season 06-07 we became champions of Division One after exiting all cup competitions early. Last season proved to be a sharp learning curve with the gap in standards between the two divisions being very noticeable. We finished in 16th position with 47 points and hopefully can improve upon that total this season. We are fully committed to the Ridgeons league and have teams in the reserve section and U18 floodlight league with our “A” side competing in the Suffolk & Ipswich league.
WALSHAM LE WILLOWS FOOTBALL CLUB HONOURS
Eastern Counties League (Ridgeons) Division One Champions 2006-07
Ridgeons Reserve North Div. champions 2007-08
Ridgeons U18 Central Div. Champions 2007-08
Suffolk & Ipswich League (SIL) Senior Champions 2001-02 and 2002-03.
SIL Senior Division Runners up 2003-04.
SIL Omnico Cup Winners 98-99, 99-2000, 2001-02.
SIL Omnico Cup Finalists 02-03.
Suffolk Senior Cup Winners 2005-06.
Suffolk Senior Cup Finalists 2004-05.
SIL Intermediate A Champions 2001-02.
SIL Intermediate B Champions 96-97
SIL Ryan Cup Winners 2004-05
SIL Division One Champions 89-90, 94-95.
Suffolk Junior Cup Winners 87-88, 88-89, 89-90.
Suffolk Junior Cup Finalists 73-74
SIL Division Four Champions 2000-01.
SIL Division Six Champions 96-97
SIL Orwell Cup Winners 96-97, 97-98, 99-00, 02-03.
SIL Senior Club of the Season 2001-02 and 2002-03.
SIL Junior Club of the Season 89-90.
Bury Sunday League Div Four Champions 2001-02.
Bury Sunday League Div Four K.O.Cup winners 01-02.
Bury Sunday League Div Two K.O. Cup Winners 04-05.
WALSHAM LE WILLOWS FIRST TEAM SEASON 2008 - 2009
FRAMLINGHAM TOWN U18's 1 WALSHAM U18's 2 November 20, 2008
Under 18's came away with a 1-2 win against bottom club Framlingham Town tonight.
NEEDHAM V FIRST TEAM - SUFFOLK PREMIER CUP MATCH QTR FINALS November 20, 2008
Tuesday 25TH November Winners away to Ipswich Town Res
CRC 0 FIRST TEAM 0 November 17, 2008
A good point earned on Saturday against CRC at the Abbey.
RESERVES 6 LEISTON RES 0 November 17, 2008
Reserves entertained Leiston Reserves on Saturday and gained 3 more points in an entertaining game.
The home team from the off took control of the game and kept the Leiston players in their half for long periods of the half, there task was made even harder when their striker had to come off with a knee injury.
By this time a strike from the edge of the box from DEEKS arrowed into the net beyond the dive of the Leiston keeper to put the home side in front.
This was followed by a great strike from the returning from injury BROWN with a volley well outside of the box.
With a change of personnel from the home side due to the injury of Thorrold, the home team started to open up the play in the tight midfield area, this allowed DEEKS to score his second, just before half time, 3 - 0
From the off of the second half the home side were soon back on top but good defending and some bad finishing from the home side looked like we were not going to score any more goals, but BROWN now finding his feet again after 5 weeks out netted again, the same player again had a great chance for his hatrick but he missed the chance and over stretched which lead him to come off with cramp, he was replaced by back from injury Alan Ross along with Robinson who replaced Swallow for the final 25min.
It was Robinson who started the move that saw ALAN ROSS score on his second attempt after his initial header from a great cross was blocked.
Further misses by the home team could have seen a much higher score, but it was left for DEEKS to complete his hatrick with a right foot (yes a right foot) shot from out side the box that flew into the corner of the net to round off a good display. Final score 6 - 0
The young Leiston side never gave up, and I am sure will improve over the coming weeks, we would also like to wish their club every success in this weeks FA CUP replay at Fleetwood.
Our old striker Matt Dixon who left the club recently to join Needham came off the subs bench last week and scored his first goal for the club, The Reserve lads wish Matt well at his new club, BUT It was sad to see Matt leave.
