The club was established on 14 April 1879 as Hoddesdon Football Club.[2] In 1885 they were founding members of the Hertfordshire County Football Association and won the inaugural Herts Senior Cup in 1886–87.[2] The club retained the cup the following season and won it again in 1889–90.[2] They were founder members of the East Herts League in 1896, merging with Hoddesdon Wanderers and Broxbourne Club in the same year. In 1903 the club absorbed another club, Rye Park.[2]
In 1908 Hoddesdon joined the Eastern Division of the Hertfordshire Senior County League.[3] The division was renamed the Central Division for the 1909–10 season, before reverting to its former name the following season.[3] The club finished bottom of the division in 1912–13, but were divisional champions the following season.[3] In the inter-divisional championship play-off, they finished last.[4] In 1920 the club was renamed Hoddesdon Town.[3] They were placed in the North-East Division for the 1921–22 season following league organisation, before the league was reduced to a single division in 1923.[5]
Hoddesdon joined Division Two B the Spartan League in 1925.[6] They won the division in 1928–29, but league reorganisation meant no promotion and the club was placed in Division Two East the following season.[6] They were Division Two East runners-up in 1931–32, earning promotion to Division One.[6] The 1935–36 season saw the club win Division One, resulting in promotion to the Premier Division.[7] However, they finished second-from-bottom of the Premier Division the following season and were relegated back to Division One.[7] After World War II the club were placed in the Central Division for the 1945–46 season, with a sixth-place finish seeing them earn a place in the Premier Division for the following season.[7]
Hoddesdon were relegated after finishing bottom of the table in 1949–50, but were promoted back to the Premier Division at the first attempt.[7] They finished bottom of the table in 1958–59, 1959–60 and 1962–63, but were runners-up in 1964–65 and went on to win the league title in 1970–71,[8] a season that also saw them win the Spartan League Cup and the Herts Charity Shield.[2] The club were league runners-up in the next three seasons, retaining the League Cup and the Charity Shield in 1971–72. In 1974–75 they were the first-ever winners of the FA Vase, beating Epsom & Ewell in its inaugural final at Wembley Stadium.[5] The club left the Spartan League to the Athenian League in 1977, but when the league was disbanded in 1984 they were refused entry to the Isthmian League as they did not have use of their Lowfield ground all year round,[9] and instead joined the Premier Division of the South Midlands League.[5]
In 1985–86 Hoddesdon won the South Midlands League Challenge Trophy, retaining it the following season and winning it again in 1991–92.[2] The club remained in the Premier Division until 1997 when the league merged with the Spartan League to form the Spartan South Midlands League, with Hoddesdon placed in the Premier Division North for a transitional season; a fifth-place finish in the league's first season saw them earn a place in the Premier Division the following season;[5] the season also saw them win the Premier Division Plate.[2] In 2004–05 Hoddesdon finished bottom of the Premier Division and were relegated to Division One. A third-place finish in 2012–13 saw them promoted back to the Premier Division.[5]
The club is thought to have initially played at Mansers Field, although by 1882 they had moved to Lowfield.[2] Lowfield had previously been home to a cricket club, which continue to play there.[9] The ground was originally an arable field owned by Robert Barclay, who donated the land and was involved in setting up the cricket club in 1879.[9] The site was purchased by a trust in 1924, before being taken over the urban district council, with ownership later transferring to Broxbourne Borough Council.[9] Between 1952 and 1954 the club played at Essex Road as the Lowfield site was being levelled to allow for separate cricket and football pitches.[2]
Floodlights were installed in 1973 and inaugurated with a friendly match with West Ham United on 7 March, a game that attracted a record crowd of 3,500.[2] The football pitch was moved further south in the early 1980s to prevent overlapping with the cricket oval, with floodlight pylons having to be moved and the original 100-seat stand now being at one end of the pitch rather than on the halfway line;[9] in 1996 it was discovered to contain significant amounts of asbestos and was condemned.[11] A new stand was opened the same year and seats from Burnden Park were installed the following year.[9] A 100-capacity covered stand was opened in 2014 and another 50-seat stand was installed in 2016.[2][12]
hoddesdon, town, hoddesdon, town, football, club, football, club, based, hoddesdon, hertfordshire, england, they, currently, members, spartan, south, midlands, league, premier, division, play, lowfield, club, were, first, ever, winners, vase, hoddesdon, townfu. Hoddesdon Town Football Club is a football club based in Hoddesdon Hertfordshire England They are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and play at Lowfield The club were the first ever winners of the FA Vase Hoddesdon TownFull nameHoddesdon Town Football ClubNickname s The LilywhitesFounded1879GroundLowfield HoddesdonCapacity3 000 1 ChairmanStuart VarneyManagerSimon RiddleLeagueSpartan South Midlands League Premier Division2021 22Essex Senior League 15th of 21 transferred Home coloursAway colours Contents 1 History 2 Ground 3 Honours 4 Records 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditThe club was established on 14 April 1879 as Hoddesdon Football Club 2 In 1885 they were founding members of the Hertfordshire County Football Association and won the inaugural Herts Senior Cup in 1886 87 2 The club retained the cup the following season and won it again in 1889 90 2 They were founder members of the East Herts League in 1896 merging with Hoddesdon Wanderers and Broxbourne Club in the same year In 1903 the club absorbed another club Rye Park 2 In 1908 Hoddesdon joined the Eastern Division of the Hertfordshire Senior County League 3 The division was renamed the Central Division for the 1909 10 season before reverting to its former name the following season 3 The club finished bottom of the division in 1912 13 but were divisional champions the following season 3 In the inter divisional championship play off they finished last 4 In 1920 the club was renamed Hoddesdon Town 3 They were placed in the North East Division for the 1921 22 season following league organisation before the league was reduced to a single division in 1923 5 Hoddesdon joined Division Two B the Spartan League in 1925 6 They won the division in 1928 29 but league reorganisation meant no promotion and the club was placed in Division Two East the following season 6 They were Division Two East runners up in 1931 32 earning promotion to Division One 6 The 1935 36 season saw the club win Division One resulting in promotion to the Premier Division 7 However they finished second from bottom of the Premier Division the following season and were relegated back to Division One 7 After World War II the club were placed in the Central Division for the 1945 46 season with a sixth place finish seeing them earn a place in the Premier Division for the following season 7 Hoddesdon were relegated after finishing bottom of the table in 1949 50 but were promoted back to the Premier Division at the first attempt 7 They finished bottom of the table in 1958 59 1959 60 and 1962 63 but were runners up in 1964 65 and went on to win the league title in 1970 71 8 a season that also saw them win the Spartan League Cup and the Herts Charity Shield 2 The club were league runners up in the next three seasons retaining the League Cup and the Charity Shield in 1971 72 In 1974 75 they were the first ever winners of the FA Vase beating Epsom amp Ewell in its inaugural final at Wembley Stadium 5 The club left the Spartan League to the Athenian League in 1977 but when the league was disbanded in 1984 they were refused entry to the Isthmian League as they did not have use of their Lowfield ground all year round 9 and instead joined the Premier Division of the South Midlands League 5 In 1985 86 Hoddesdon won the South Midlands League Challenge Trophy retaining it the following season and winning it again in 1991 92 2 The club remained in the Premier Division until 1997 when the league merged with the Spartan League to form the Spartan South Midlands League with Hoddesdon placed in the Premier Division North for a transitional season a fifth place finish in the league s first season saw them earn a place in the Premier Division the following season 5 the season also saw them win the Premier Division Plate 2 In 2004 05 Hoddesdon finished bottom of the Premier Division and were relegated to Division One A third place finish in 2012 13 saw them promoted back to the Premier Division 5 At the end of the 2017 18 season Hoddesdon were transferred to the Essex Senior League They won the league s Len Cordell Memorial Plate in 2020 21 defeating Woodford Town 3 0 in the final 10 Ground Edit Lowfield The club is thought to have initially played at Mansers Field although by 1882 they had moved to Lowfield 2 Lowfield had previously been home to a cricket club which continue to play there 9 The ground was originally an arable field owned by Robert Barclay who donated the land and was involved in setting up the cricket club in 1879 9 The site was purchased by a trust in 1924 before being taken over the urban district council with ownership later transferring to Broxbourne Borough Council 9 Between 1952 and 1954 the club played at Essex Road as the Lowfield site was being levelled to allow for separate cricket and football pitches 2 Floodlights were installed in 1973 and inaugurated with a friendly match with West Ham United on 7 March a game that attracted a record crowd of 3 500 2 The football pitch was moved further south in the early 1980s to prevent overlapping with the cricket oval with floodlight pylons having to be moved and the original 100 seat stand now being at one end of the pitch rather than on the halfway line 9 in 1996 it was discovered to contain significant amounts of asbestos and was condemned 11 A new stand was opened the same year and seats from Burnden Park were installed the following year 9 A 100 capacity covered stand was opened in 2014 and another 50 seat stand was installed in 2016 2 12 Honours EditFA Vase Winners 1974 75 Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division Plate winners 1997 98 Essex Senior League Len Cordell Memorial Plate winners 2020 21 Spartan League Champions 1970 71 1971 72 Division One champions 1935 36 Division Two B champions 1927 28 League Cup winners 1970 71 South Midlands League Challenge Trophy winners 1985 86 1986 87 1991 92 Herts Senior Cup Winners 1886 87 1887 88 1889 90 Herts Charity Shield Winners 1947 48 1970 71 1971 72 1978 79 2003 04 2 Herts Senior Centenary Trophy Winners 1986 87 2007 08 2008 09 2 South Midlands Floodlight Cup Winners 1989 90 2001 02 2 Records EditBest FA Cup performance Third qualifying round 1931 32 1969 70 2015 16 5 Best FA Vase performance Winners 1974 75 5 Record attendance 3 500 vs West Ham United friendly match 7 March 1973 2 See also EditHoddesdon Town F C players Hoddesdon Town F C managersReferences Edit Hoddesdon Town Pyramid Passion a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o A potted history Hoddesdon Town F C a b c d Hertfordshire County League 1898 1927 Non League Matters Hoddesdon at the Football Club History Database a b c d e f g Hoddesdon Town at the Football Club History Database a b c Spartan League 1907 1934 Non League Matters a b c d Spartan League 1934 1955 Non League Matters Spartan League 1955 1983 Non League Matters a b c d e f Celebrating 116 years at Lowfield Hoddesdon Town F C Hoddesdon Town end frustrating season with Len Cordell Memorial Plate win In Your Area 4 June 2021 Peter Miles 1997 The Non League Football Grounds of Hertfordshire p13 Table topping Hoddesdon Town s promotion hopes could be in pieces despite stadium work permanent dead link Hertfordshire Mercury 21 Marcy 2016External links EditOfficial website Coordinates 51 45 30 38 N 0 00 59 64 W 51 7584389 N 0 0165667 W 51 7584389 0 0165667 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hoddesdon Town F C amp oldid 1093462383, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
