Eastwood Town F.C.
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| Full name | Eastwood Town Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Badgers | ||
| Founded | 1953 | ||
| Ground | Coronation Park, Eastwood (Capacity: 2,500) |
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| Chairman | Robert Yong | ||
| Manager | Paul Cox | ||
| League | Blue Square North | ||
| 2008-09 | NPL Premier Division Champions | ||
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Eastwood Town F.C. is a football club from Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, playing in the Blue Square North.
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[edit] History
Although there was a football club named Eastwood Town operating in the Notts Alliance in 1921, its was only in existence for two years. It was not until 1953 when the present club was founded. On 29 August that year, Eastwood Town beat Bilsthorpe Colliery 4-1 to start their voyage, again in the Notts Alliance. The club won one title, finished six seasons as runners-up and one in third place. Similar success was enjoyed in the Central Alliance and East Midlands Regional Leagues and some impressive FA Amateur Cup runs established the club as one of the Midlands' leading non-professional club.
Their record home gate of 2,723 was set in February 1965 against Enfield in an Amateur Cup-tie.
The "Badgers" professional career began in the Midland Counties in 1971. They progressed via the Northern Counties East League to the Northern Premier League. The all time leading scorer of Eastwood Town F.C. is Martin Wright who scored 131 goals in 170 appearances between the years 1971 and 1978.
After 16 years in the NPL, Eastwood suffered their first ever relegation but bounced straight back in 2003-04 with a treble of NCEL runners up spot, Presidents Cup winners and Nottinghamshire Senior Cup winners, and also reached the last 8 in their only ever FA Vase campaign.
Back in the NPL, Eastwood finished sixth in Season 2004-05 and after a run in the FA Trophy were deprived of entry into the last eight when Hereford United scored a late penalty equaliser.
Since his promotion from Assistant Manager to Manager in October 2006, Paul Cox has lead the club to three County Senior Cup-finals being victorious on every occasion. The "Badgers" victory over Ollerton Town in May 2008 saw them win this the trophy a 13th time in just over 30 years, after waiting nearly 25 years for their first success. It was also the second time they have won the trophy three years in succession.
In October 2007 Robert Yong became the Chairman of the club. On 21 April, 2008 the club lifted their first trophy under the new regime, beating Skelmersdale 3-0 to lift the NPL Challenge Cup for the first time in its history. A fourth-place finish in the Premier Division earned Eastwood a place in the promotion play-offs, away to Gateshead. However, Gateshead won 4-0. At the end of the season, Paul Cox was persuaded to leave his teaching post and become the first full time manager of Eastwood Town.
In the 2008-2009 FA Cup, with a 2-0 victory over Wrexham in the Fourth Qualifying Round Replay at Coronation Park, Eastwood qualified for the first round proper for the first time since 1999. They went on to beat Brackley Town 2-1 and then Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 in the second round, both at home, to reach the 3rd round in which they lost to Kettering Town 2-1 on the 3rd January 2009.
On the 25th April 2009, Eastwood achieved their main objective for the season, when victory over Ossett Town in front of a capacity crowd ensured the Badgers won the UniBond Premier in only their second year at this level. Along with the Peter Swales Memorial Shield (beatng Durham 2-1 in the final), the F.A. Cup run, and reaching the final of the Nottinghamshire Senior Cup ensured the 2008/09 season will live long in the memoirs of fans both old and new.
[edit] Stadium
The club's ground and facilities are to undergo major refurbishment in the coming years. Chairman Rob Yong revealed he has been in negotiations with Broxtowe Borough Council to purchase the ground or agree a 99 year lease and he expects a positive result over the next few months.
For survival in the Conference North, a number of issues need addressing. However these are not insurmountable and the club WILL have the required 'B' grade by March 10th 2010.
In addition there has been a lot of work done in the background and plans have been drawn up to bring the ground up to the 'A' grade required to enter the Conference Premier. Rob also presented drawings to the forum, the plans showed new terracing holding 1900 fans behind both goals and a new seated stand replacing the Mabe Allan Stand almost down the entire length of the pitch. This will give the club three fully enclosed stands and a capacity of well over 5,000.
With the plans for the academy and the other projects, the club are in negotiations with the local authorities to take over the existing all weather pitch situated within Coro Park along with the changing rooms. The plan is to redevelop the pitch into a full sized 3G pitch, with the adjoining area being developed into an outdoor juniors pitch for use of the community and Eastwood Town Juniors. This will give the club the infrastructure to attract the best local youngsters as well as players released from professional clubs academies.
The club have received a few complaints from residents on Chewton Street about the increased problems associated with matchday parking and this is another issue that has been raised and negotiations are in progress with the council to address the situation, with the objective of providing more car parking facilities at the club. The club are also in discussions with the council about additional signage off the A610, and the end of Chewton Street.
[edit] Current squad
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[edit] Management and Club Officials
[edit] Current staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| First Team Manager |  Paul Cox |
| First Team Assistant Manager | John Ramshaw |
| Kit Manager | Glyn Bradshaw |
| Sports Therapist | Nick Taylor |
| Assistant Sports Therapist | Sarah Smith |
| Groundsman | Glenn Spooner |
| Chairman | Rob Yong |
| Managing Director | Tony Minnis |
| Secretary | Paddy Farrell |
| Matchday Secretary | Patricia Farrell |
| Press Officer | Andy Cope |
[edit] Notable former players
- J Butler (Notts County 1957)
- Tony Woodcock, Alan Buckley, Andrew Todd, Mick Wilde, Ross Gardner, Richard Cooper (all Nottingham Forest)
- P Richardson (Derby County)
- Mick Cullerton (Port Vale)
- Terry Miles (Port Vale)
- Stan Steele (Port Vale)
- Steve Buckley (Luton Town)
- Richard Liburd (Middlesbrough 1992/93)
- Martin Bullock (Barnsley 1994/95)
- Neil Illman (Plymouth Argyle 1995/96)
- Lee Marshall (Scunthorpe United 1997/98)
- Glenn Kirkwood (Doncaster Rovers)
- Colin 'Junior' Daniel (Crewe Alexandra 2006/2007)
[edit] Honours
- Midland Counties
- Champions 1975-76
- League Cup winners 1977-78, 1979-80
- Central Alliance
- Champions 1963-64
- Notts Alliance
- Champions 1956-57
- League Cup winners 1955-56
- Nottinghamshire Senior Cup
- Winners 1975-76, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1991-92, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08
- Evans Halshaw Floodlit Cup
- Winners 1994-95
- Northern Premier League
- Challenge Cup winners 2007-08
- Premier League Winners 2008-09
- Notts Intermediate Cup
- Winners 1986-87, 1998-99, 1999-00
- Ripley Hospital Charity Cup
- Winners on six occasions
- Midlands Regional Alliance
- Premier Division champions 1999-00
- Challenge Cup winners 2001-02
- Northern Counties East Football League
- Presidents Cup winners 2003-04
[edit] Records
- Attendance: 2,723 v Enfield, FA Amateur Cup, February 1965
- Goalscorers: Martin Wright 131 goals in 170 appearances between 1971 and 1978
- Appearances: Arthur Rowley, over 800 first team games (1959-76) and not a single booking
- Win: 21-0 v Rufford Colliery 26/10/54 and Ilkeston Town 10/5/69
- Loss: 0-8 v Hucknall Town (a) 13/02/01
- Fee Paid: £15,000 for Danny Holland, Harrogate Town, 2008/09
- Fee Received: £72,500 for Richard Liburd, Middlesbrough, 1992/93
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Eastwood Town at the Football Club History Database
