WANT TO JOIN WALSHAM FOOTBALL CLUB THIS COMING SEASON 2009/10 ?? IF SO CONTACT THE MANAGER'S BY PHONE, DETAILS ARE ON THE CONTACTS PAGE OF THE WEB SITE.PRE-SEASON TRAINING ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM 7PM AT WALSHAM
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. Runners-up 2008-2009
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.
MORE FRIENDLIES ANNOUNCED July 8, 2009
SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE
PRE-SEASON TRAINING STARTED July 7, 2009
Pre-season training at Walsham on TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS at 7pm First Team, Reserves, 'A' Team players old and possible new players welcome.
FA CUP DRAW July 1, 2009
The First team have drawen Kirkley & Pakefield in the FA Cup to be played 15th August 2008
NEW 'A' TEAM MANAGEMENT July 1, 2009
The Club welcomes Russell Snowling as 'A' Team Manager with his Ast. Paul Dorling, Many thanks to the out going Manager Shaun Barrell for all his hard work over the seasons.
CHELL TROPHY DRAW June 21, 2009
Chell Trophy Draw
(for teams in the Ridgeons Reserve Divisions)
First Round
AFC Sudbury (holders) v Norwich United
Brantham Athletic v Ipswich Wanderers
Cornard United v Halstead Town
Debenham LC v Woodbridge Town
Dereham Town v Thetford Town
Felixstowe & Walton United v Haverhill Rovers
Hadleigh United v Long Melford
Harwich & Parkeston v Great Yarmouth Town
Lowestoft Town v Wivenhoe Town
Needham Market v Walsham-le-Willows
Whitton United v Stanway Rovers
Witham Town v Braintree Town
Byes
Diss Town
Gorleston
Leiston
Stowmarket Town
Matches will be scheduled to Saturdays - actual dates dependent on ground availability
RIDGEONS YOUTH LEAGUE CUP DRAW June 21, 2009
Preliminary Round (w/b Sept 14th)
Coplestonians v Hadleigh United
Dereham Town v Lowestoft Town
Downham Town v Wisbech Town
FC Clacton v Stowmarket Town
Framlingham Town v Long Melford
Gorleston v Norwich United
Haverhill Rovers v Ely City
Kirkley & Pakefield v Cromer Town
Leiston v Brantham Athletic
March Town United v Huntingdon Town
Newmarket Town v Somersham
Royston Town v Mildenhall Town
St Ives Town v Blackstones
Thetford Town v Harford Tornadoes
Walsham-le-Willows v Watton Juniors
Wivenhoe Town v Debenham LC
Woodbridge Town v Cornard United
Wroxham (holders) v Great Yarmouth Town
First Round (w/b Oct 12th)
Bourne Town v Fakenham Town
Dereham Town or Lowestoft Town v Walsham-le-Willows or Watton Juniors
Diss Town v Kirkley & Pakefield or Cromer Town
Felixstowe & Walton United v Woodbridge Town or Cornard United
FC Clacton or Stowmarket Town v Coplestonians or Hadleigh United
Gorleston or Norwich United v Bungay Town
Ipswich Wanderers v Wivenhoe Town or Debenham LC
Leiston or Brantham Athletic v Framlingham Town or Long Melford
March Town United or Huntingdon Town v Deeping Rangers
Royston Town or Mildenhall Town v Haverhill Rovers or Ely City
Soham Town Rangers v Chatteris Town
St Ives Town or Blackstones v King's Lynn
St Neots Town v Halstead Town
Stotfold v Newmarket Town or Somersham
Wisbech St Mary v Downham Town or Wisbech Town
Wroxham or Great Yarmouth Town v Thetford Town or Harford Tornadoes
TAKEN FROM THE RIDGEONS LEAGUE WEB SITE
LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP DRAW June 21, 2009
Preliminary Round (w/b Sept 28th)
Cornard United v Hadleigh United
Ely City v King's Lynn Res
Godmanchester Rovers v CRC
Kirkley & Pakefield v Norwich United
Saffron Walden Town v Harwich & Parkeston
Thetford Town v Great Yarmouth Town
Walsham-le-Willows v Felixstowe & Walton United
Wivenhoe Town v Haverhill Rovers
Woodbridge Town v Needham Market
First Round (w/b Oct 19th)
Cornard United or Hadleigh United v Long Melford
Dereham Town v Wroxham
Downham Town v Mildenhall Town
FC Clacton v Halstead Town
Histon Res v Ely City v King's Lynn Res
Ipswich Wanderers v Walsham-le-Willows or Felixstowe & Walton United
Kirkley & Pakefield or Norwich United v Fakenham Town
March Town United v Godmanchester Rovers or CRC
Newmarket Town v Wisbech Town
Saffron Walden Town or Harwich & Parkeston v Brantham Athletic
Stanway Rovers (holders) v Wivenhoe Town or Haverhill Rovers
Stowmarket Town v Whitton United
Swaffham Town v Diss Town
Team Bury v Leiston
Thetford Town or Great Yarmouth Town v Gorleston
Woodbridge Town or Needham Market v Debenham LC
RIDGEONS CONSTITUTION SEASON 2009/10 June 21, 2009
The Ridgeons League AGM has agreed the following constitution for Season 2009/10:
PREMIER DIVISION
CRC
Debenham LC
Dereham Town
Ely City
Felixstowe & Walton
Hadleigh United
Harwich & Parkeston
Haverhill Rovers
Histon Reserves
Kings Lynn Reserves
Kirkley & Pakefield
Leiston
Mildenhall Town
Needham Market
Newmarket Town
Norwich United
Stanway Rovers
Walsham le Willows
Wisbech Town
Wivenhoe Town
Woodbridge Town
Wroxham
FIRST DIVISION
Brantham Athletic
Cornard United
Diss Town
Downham Town
Fakenham Town
FC Clacton
Godmanchester Rovers
Gorleston
Great Yarmouth Town
Halstead Town
Ipswich Wanderers
Long Melford
March Town United
Saffron Walden Town
Stowmarket Town
Swaffham Town
Team Bury
Thetford Town
Whitton United
RESERVE DIVISION (NORTH)
Debenham LC
Dereham Town
Diss Town
Gorleston
Great Yarmouth Town
Leiston
Lowestoft Town
Needham Market
Norwich United
Stowmarket Town
Thetford
Walsham-le-Willows
Whitton United
Woodbridge Town
RESERVE DIVISION (SOUTH)
AFC Sudbury
Braintree Town
Brantham Athletic
Cornard United
Felixstowe & Walton United
Hadleigh United
Halstead Town
Harwich & Parkeston
Haverhill Rovers
Ipswich Wanderers
Long Melford
Stanway Rovers
Witham Town
Wivenhoe Town
YOUTH LEAGUE (CENTRAL DIVISION)
Debenham LC
Diss Town
Felixstowe & Walton United
Framlingham Town
Ipswich Wanderers
Leiston
Stowmarket Town
Thetford Town
Walsham Le Willows
Woodbridge Town
YOUTH LEAGUE (EAST DIVISION)
Bungay Town
Cromer Town
Dereham Town
Gorleston
Great Yarmouth Town
Harford Tornadoes
Kirkley & Pakefield
Lowestoft Town
Norwich United
Wroxham
YOUTH LEAGUE (NORTH DIVISION)
Fakenham Town
Downham Town
Ely City
Kings Lynn
March Town United
Mildenhall Town
Newmarket Town
Soham Town Rangers
Watton Juniors
Wisbech St Mary
Wisbech Town
YOUTH LEAGUE (SOUTH DIVISION)
Brantham Athletic
Coplestonians
Cornard United
FC Clacton
Hadleigh United
Halstead Town
Haverhill Rovers
Long Melford
Wivenhoe Town
YOUTH LEAGUE (WEST DIVISION)
Blackstones
Bourne Town
Chatteris Town
Deeping Rangers
Huntingdon Town
Royston Town
Somersham Town
St Ives Town
St Neots Town
Stotfold
Upcoming Games/Training
Tuesday, Jul 21
Walsham Le Willows First Team @ Cornard Utd - (Pre Season Friendly)
