EGERTON & PLUCKLEY UTD F.C.

 

The current village Football Club was formed, as Egerton F.C, in 1947 although there had been a club in existence in Egerton before WWII.  No formal records of that earlier Club survive but there are photographs of a team from 1920 and as that was the year when the local Ashford & District League was formed it seems likely that Egerton were founder members. It is believed that the
inter-war club disbanded in the late 1930s, a few years before the outbreak of war. 

 The present club originates from a meeting held at the Queen's Arms on 22 July 1947 when it was resolved “that a Football Club be formed” and it was reported that permission had been obtained to use Long Wozzel as the Club's ground. At a subsequent joint meeting with the Cricket Club it was agreed that the newly formed Football Club would not claim back the original club's former
half-share interest in the pavilion, but would be pleased to have use of that facility for changing.

 The new team immediately gained some success as, at the Club's first AGM in June 1948, it was reported that it had finished the season as Runners-Up in Division 2 of the Ashford & District League. Within a few years the Club expanded and was able to field two teams in the League, both playing a full programme of matches on Saturdays, but sadly this did not last long as the Reserve team was discontinued in 1955. The surviving single team  flourished for a while and finished as
Runners-Up in Division 1 of the League in the 1956/57 season but, thereafter, honours were scarce  although the the Club did enjoy two notable successes in Cup competitions:- firstly, in 1966, when the team won the League's Junior Cup and then, in 1971, when the Club achieved it's most notable ever success with victory in its' section of the prestigious Kent Junior Cup. The Finals of both of those competitions were played on the former Ashford Town ground at Essella Park before the Town club's move to Homelands.

Egerton F.C. had been required to leave its' own ground at Long Wozzel in 1964 and for a few years played its' games in Chapel Road, opposite what is now the Free Church, but in 1968 it had to move again and played on a field owned by the Club's (then) President, Mr.Leslie Palmer, at Burnt House Farm in Bedlam Lane. The final move to the Recreation Ground occurred at the start of the 1972/73 season after the village Playing Fields, as they exist today, had been created by terracing that site and making it suitable for both football and cricket.

 Sunday football had been recognised by The F.A. for the first time in 1960 but it was not until 1974 that Egerton F.C. entered a team in the Ashford & District Sunday League, whilst continuing to run its' Saturday side. Matches were played on both days for a number of years but the Saturday team was discontinued in 1983 and subsequently the Club has played only Sunday football. For  a single season, in 1995/96, Egerton was able to field two teams in the Sunday League but it reverted to just one side for the following season and has maintained that position ever since.

 Although the Club has yet to win a Sunday Championship trophy of any kind, it has been successful in several of the Sunday League's numerous Cup competitions, with victories in the  following Finals:-  

  Val Helen (Division 1) Trophy  -  1995/96,
    Division 4 Trophy  -  1997/98
Sheber Challenge Trophy -  1998/99 & 1999/2000 
Division 3 Trophy  -  2002/03,
Division 2 Trophy -  2003/04 
Val Helen Division 1 Cup for the second time in its' history 2010/2011

  Further information about the Club's senior (adult) team can be obtained from the Secretary,
  Martin Chapman (Tel:- 01233 756539) or Chairman, Geoff Wickens (01233 756453).                                              
                                                                                

Egerton & Pluckley Utd

 In 2007 it was decided that attempts should be made to ensure the future of Egerton F.C, as far as possible, by recruiting children of Primary School age and forming a Junior Section which would also assist the Playing Fields Committee in its' effort to raise funds for a  new pavilion. An approach was then received from Pluckley Juniors (a club formed the previous year to take the place of an earlier Junior Club in Pluckley that had moved away) to hold exploratory talks regarding the possibility of a joint venture. Consequently, the two clubs were amalgamated with effect from the start of the 2008/09 season under the name of Egerton & Pluckley Utd and the club is now committed to serving both communities.

Following the amalgamation, the Junior Section now operates as a friendly fun club for 5 -11 year old boys and girls and its' philosophy is to provide a fun environment for the children giving them all a chance to play, regardless of ability.Unfortunately an U11 team could not be fielded in the Weald of Kent Friendly League as had been planned for the 2010/11 season but the U9s play matches, organised by the League, in Pluckley Recreation Ground and there are also regular Saturday morning (10-30am) coaching sessions for the U7s at that same venue. In addition, in
co-operation with Egerton Primary School, there are popular after-school weekly coaching sessions held at and organised by the School during term time in the football season. New members of Primary School age are always welcome to join the Club and further information about all of the activities of the Junior Section can be obtained, if required, from Julia Bournes (Tel: 01233 756664) or John Harrison (01233 840822)
                                           

Written by Geoff Wickens 09/03/2011