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.
CHELL TROPHY UPDATE December 8, 2009
With the game against Halstead once again called off we could be playing on the 19th December, at the the moment a blank weekend.
More news to follow when known
NEW PHOTO ALBUM December 8, 2009
A new Photo Album " Walsham players off the pitch" is now added
THETFORD TOWN U18'S 0 WALSHAM U18'S 1 December 8, 2009
Walsham U18's go joint top of their League after tonights performance.
WALSHAM FIRST TEAM 4 WIVENHOE TOWN 0 December 8, 2009
Walsham-le-Willows 4
Wivenhoe Town 0
Half time: 2 - 0
Kick off: 15:00, Saturday, December 5 2009
Walsham took the game to Wivenhoe and the keeper punched clear when under pressure from a corner, After 8 minutes good work by Tatham set up Cusack to score from 18 yards. Clarke and Attwood linked up well to create another good chance for Walsham, Wivenhoe had a good move which was cleared by Head. Attwood then had another good run and pulled the ball back for Musgrove to shoot over the bar. As Walsham looked to increase their lead Sim went on a good run and pulled the ball back to Tatham whose shot was cleared off the line. Sim repeated the same again for Tatham but this time he shot over the bar. Towards the end of the half Connell for Wivenhoe broke clear but a great tackle by Newman prevented him from getting in a shot. Just on half time following a scramble in the area Soanes put Walsham 2 – 0 up.
Walsham started the second half well and were creating some good chances. After 55 minutes a quick break by Walsham found Tatham who pulled the ball back for Soanes to increase the lead. After 60 minutes an excellent flowing move saw Walsham increase the lead when Soanes completed his hat trick. Walsham were now well in control and putting some good moves together, Wivenhoe were now looking a well beaten side but Carr managed to get in a good shot that went wide. At the end of the game Walsham were comfortable winners.
DEREHAM TOWN U18'S 5 WALSHAM U18'S 0 December 3, 2009
Bad night for the lads....... cannot be good every week
CHELL TROPHY DRAW (RES) December 1, 2009
CHELL TROPHY DRAW
The draw for the quarter finals of the Chell Trophy is:-
Gorleston v Ipswich Wanderers or Leiston
Great Yarmouth Town v Lowestoft Town or Braintree Town
Halstead Town or Walsham-le-Willows v Whitton United or Norwich United
Haverhill Rovers v Hadleigh United
Matches dates to be advised
RIDGEONS LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER FINAL DRAW (FIRST TEAM) December 1, 2009
RIDGEONS LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER FINAL DRAW
The draw for the quarter finals of the League Challenge Cup is:-
FC Clacton v Walsham-le-Willows
Hadleigh United v Newmarket Town
Mildenhall Town v Kirkley & Pakefield
Needham Market v Great Yarmouth Town or Wroxham
Matches to be played on Tuesday January 19th, except the match at Needham Market which will be played on Tuesday January 26th.
NEW YOUTH SECTION
A new Youth Section has been added to the Web Site new items will follow on this section.
NEW PLAYERS ARE WANTED FOR ALL TEAMS IN THE YOUTH SECTION PLEASE CONTACT:-
