Guildford City F.C.
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Guildford City F.C. (formerly Guildford United and A.F.C. Guildford) are a football club based in Guildford, Surrey, England. They were established in 1996 and are currently members of the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division.
[edit] Club History
The re-emergence of Guildford City F.C. has been achieved in a relatively short space of time as the club was only founded in 1996. At that time the club was known as AFC Guildford, and it was formed with the sole purpose of bringing senior football back to the town of Guildford.
At that time Burpham F.C were playing in the Surrey Premier League when the Mayor of Guildford, in consultation with the Burpham F.C. committee, enquired as to whether the club would be prepared to change its name and move to the Spectrum Leisure Centre in Guildford. The Mayor had been an avid fan of Guildford City F.C. which at one time played in the Southern League, but folded in 1974. The only senior club appearing near the town after that being Guildford and Worplesdon, who played in the Combined Counties League in the early eighties, but who also folded after a few years due to ground grading problems. The Spectrum provided a venue which had the potential for development into senior football and already had floodlighting, (used for the Athletics arena).
Therefore in consultation and agreement with Burpham F.C, AFC Guildford was formed and moved to playing football at the Spectrum Leisure Centre, Guildford. The association with Burpham F.C. continued and the two clubs ran under the same banner for several seasons, with AFC Guildford playing in the Surrey Premier League, which eventually became the Surrey Senior League, and then Division One of the Combined Counties League. AFC Guildford were crowned champions of Division One at the end of the 2003/4 season and gained their first ever major honour.
On that basis promotion was obtained into the Combined Counties Premier Division, with the 1st Team negotiating a ground-share with Cranleigh F.C whilst the Spectrum Arena was being upgraded to a standard acceptable for Combined Counties Premier Division football. That work was eventually completed in early November 2004 which allowed for AFC Guildford to return to their home ground near to the town centre.
Last season the club changed its name to Guildford United, which does have some local historical significance, as the senior Guildford team during the 1920’s also played under that name. However the club has now acquired the name of Guildford City F.C and in doing so has returned the once famous name back into senior football, after an absence of over 30 years.
Further improvement work at Spectrum has now been undertaken which provides for a Covered Stand with 135 seats, a new officials changing room and toilets for public use. This will allow the club to sustain its present status and when the time is right, progress to the next level.
Over the next 5 years it is the clubs ambition to build a purpose built football ground within the Borough of Guildford, allowing Guildford City F.C to progress to its rightful place in the top flight of non-league football, and eventually move into the Football League.
[edit] External link
- Guildford CityF.C. - The club's website.
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Ash United | Banstead Athletic | Bedfont | Bedfont Green | Bookham | Camberley Town | Chertsey Town | Chessington & Hook United | Chipstead | Cobham | Colliers Wood United | Cove | Dorking | Egham Town | Epsom & Ewell | Guildford City | Merstham | North Greenford United | Raynes Park Vale | Reading Town | Sandhurst Town | Wembley edit |
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