Walton Casuals F.C.
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| Full name | Walton Casuals Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Stags | ||
| Founded | 1948 | ||
| Ground | The Moatside Stadium Merstham Surrey |
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| Capacity | 2,000 | ||
| Chairman | Tony Gale | ||
| Manager | Anthony Gale | ||
| League | Isthmian League Division One South | ||
| 2014–15 | Isthmian League Division One South, 18th | ||
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Walton Casuals F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association.,[1] and currently play in the Ryman Isthmian Division One South. The club has a local rivalry with Walton & Hersham, who are in the same league.
The club currently play their home football at the Moatside Stadium, the home of Merstham while developments take place at their former ground, the Waterside Stadium.
Contents
History
Walton Casuals Football Club was founded in July 1948 and owed its early origins to members of the Armed Forces, who formed a Sunday side playing only friendly fixtures during the 1946–47 season. The club started off in Division 1 of the Surrey Intermediate (Central) League, playing at Elm Grove Recreation Ground, gaining promotion to the Premier Division in 1952–53, in which Walton Casuals finished runners-up on 3 occasions: 1954–55, 1956–57 and 1964–65. The Surrey Intermediate (Central) League disbanded in 1965 and the club moved into the League’s Western Section for three seasons.
In 1969 Casuals joined the new Surrey Senior League and moved into its current home at Franklyn Road. Two years later Casuals became founder members of the Suburban League, playing one season at Walton & Hersham’s Stompond Lane ground before moving to Addlestone’s Liberty Lane ground for eight seasons and then returning to Franklyn Road where the Reserves had been continuing playing in the Surrey Combination League. The 1982–83 season saw Casuals win their first major honour, becoming champions of the Southern Section of the Suburban League and setting a League record of going 23 games unbeaten under manager Kim Harris. The following year Casuals were runners-up behind Sutton United, and in the 1986–87 season reached the Surrey Premier Cup Final, only to lose to Croydon.
Subsequent years saw the club slip into a steady decline and it was regularly finishing in the bottom two of the Suburban League. After 21 years of competing in the Suburban League, the club decided to switch to the Surrey Premier League in June 1992 in order to join the pyramid system. A year of consolidation paved the way for major changes at Franklyn Road the following summer as Kim Harris was reappointed as manager after a successful spell at Hersham RBL and the club expanded into both Sunday and youth football. In 1993–94 Casuals won the Surrey Premier League Challenge Cup, defeating Holmesdale after a replay, and in 1994–95 the club finished runners-up to Chobham in the League and were losing finalists to Vandyke in the Challenge Cup. During the summer the club was promoted to the Combined Counties League.
The first four seasons of senior football proved a real struggle with Casuals finishing bottom of the table in 1996–97, but able to avoid relegation thanks to the Combined Counties League exercising its prerogative to maintain a minimum number of clubs in the Premier Division. With the help of Walton charities, the installation of floodlights at Franklyn Road was completed in February 1999, a major hurdle overcome as far as ground requirements were concerned. The appointment of Mick Sullivan and Garry Clark as joint managers in the summer of 1999 brought about a dramatic improvement in results. As well as a best-ever finish of 5th in the league, the club won the League Cup in 2000, beating Viking Greenford 4–2 in the final at Farnborough. The following season was also a relatively successful one, with a placing of 7th in the table and another appearance in the League Cup final, beaten on this occasion by double-winners Cove 3–0 at Woking.
Although 2002–03 proved a disappointment in as much as the club finished in a lowly 18th spot, the seeds of success had been sown with Spencer Collins taking over as first-team manager in November 2002 and a team capable of much better things slowly began to take shape, with ex-West Ham United player Tony Gale installed as Director of Football. After more team-building in 2003–04, and a big jump up the table to finish in 7th spot, the club took the Combined Counties by storm the year after, finishing 26 points clear at the top of the table. After initially failing an FA ground inspection, the club launched a successful appeal and achieved their dream of promotion to the Isthmian League Division One for 2005–06. The club finished 15th in their maiden season, while subsequent seasons have seen them regularly finish in the bottom half. In 2009–10 the club achieved its best run in the FA Cup reaching the 3rd qualifying round before losing to Staines Town.
The club appointed Neil Shipperley manager in the summer of 2010 and managed to finish in 12th place, which became the highest league finish to date. During early 2011 the club opened a new clubhouse and new changing facilities, with Mick Sullivan returning to the helm in October following the resignation of Neil Shipperley. After being sacked a year later, Danny Carroll took over as manager. With a repreival saving the Stags in the 2012–13 season, the club appointed ex-Kingstonian assistant manager Mark Hams as manager, along with his brother Neil as assistant. The duo rejuvenated the squad and impressed, leading Walton to their highest ever league finish of 9th.
However, after nine league games, which led to nine defeats, Mark and Neil Hams left their positions at the club by mutual consent on Friday 19 September 2014. Tony Gale and Anthony Gale were drafted in as caretaker managers, and immediately picked up the club's first win of the season, securing a 1-0 victory in a trip to Redhill. In November 2014, Liam Collins was appointed first team manager, with Simon Huckle appointed assistant manager.
Stadium
Walton Casuals currently play their home games at the Moatside Stadium, Weldon Way, Merstham, Surrey, RH1 3QB. They currently groundshare with Isthmian League Premier Division side Merstham while developments are made at their own ground.
Traditionally, Walton Casuals played their home grounds at the Waterside Stadium, Waterside Drive, Walton on Thames, Surrey, KT12 2JP. Plans have been announced with the council to redevelop a Sports Hub at Waterside Drive, which will see a whole stadium built for Walton Casuals and Walton & Hersham, as well as the local athletics club with an eight-lane Olympic standard athletics track.
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club officials
- President: Graham James
- Chairman: Tony Gale
- Senior Club Staff
- Vice-President: Duncan Saunders
- Vice-Chairman: Paul Saunders
- Club Secretary: Gus Schofield
- Membership Sectretary: Brian Drucquer
- Press & Communications Officer: Kane Brooker
- Media Officer: James Spiking
- Coaching Staff
- Manager: Anthony Gale
- Assistant Manager: Jack Johnson
- Physiotherapist: Hayley Archibald
- Physiotherapist: Devon West
- Kit Manager: Lee Malyon
- Goalkeeping Coach: Carlos Diniz
Honours
League honours
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Cup honours |
Records
- Highest league position: [2] 12th in Isthmian League Division One, 2010–11
- FA Cup best performance: [2] Third qualifying round, 2009–10
- FA Trophy best performance: [2] Second qualifying round, 2006–07
- FA Vase best performance: [2] First round 1999-00, 2000–01, 2002–03
- Record attendance: 1748 v AFC Wimbledon (12 April 2004)
- Record goal scorer: Paul Mills (111)
- Most appearances: Lawrence Ennis (288)
- Oldest player: Norman Rudd (47 years 351 days)
- Youngest player: Billy Rowley (16 years 147 days)
- Biggest win: 10–0 v Chessington United (A) 28/12/04 (Combined Counties League)
Former players
- Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
- Players with full international caps.
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Recent managers
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References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 WALTON CASUALS at the Football Club History Database
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
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