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Club History
Knaphill Football Club
The Story So Far:
Knaphill Football Club began its life in 1924 at Waterer's Park.
Waterer's Park was left to Woking Urban District Council in 1924 by Mr Anthony Waterer of Knaphill Nursery.
The Recreation Ground was originally part of the nursery called "Blue Gates Field" and the park was laid out by Woking Council between 1924 and 1928 - the task taking so long as the bottom part of the field was very "soggy", whilst the rest was uneven and infested with moles. And these conditions can still be seen over 70 years later!
Very little history is known about the Club between 1924 and 1980, although we do know that the team colours were originally red and white. In 1980 Knaphill were represented in the Old Woking and District League (now Guildford and Woking Alliance League) in Division 3 under Manager Dave Holloway. Dave took them from Division 3 through promotion to the Surrey Intermediate League. Dave then left Knaphill to take over Conference side Woking's reserve and youth teams.
The late Andy Westcott took over the Manager's position at Knaphill in 1984. Andy successfully took the Club from Division 3 to the Premier Division 1, at the same time Clive Howes was running the Reserve Team, who also won promotion from Division 3 to the Reserves Premier Division 1.
Geoff Poulton was to go on to take over the running of the Reserve Team from Clive Howes. In 1990, Mick Garbutt became the Manager of Knaphill and Paul Bambini was running the Reserve Team. Mick Garbutt left the Club in 1994 to join up with Colin Lippiatt and Geoff Chapple at Woking. After this time the club went into decline and was struggling for players for both the First and Reserve Teams.
The decision was taken by then Senior Secretary, Sean Carrigy, to approach local team Heathlands, who were playing in the Guildford and Woking Alliance League. Heathlands found themselves struggling for facilities but not players; this gave the two teams the opportunity to amalgamate.
Season 1995/96 saw the arrival of Greg Anderson as Manager, with Sean Carrigy running the Reserve Team. In 1996 Dave Freeman took over from Greg as First Team Manager. The Reserve Team Manager's position was handed over to Noff Diliberto in 1997; he left the Club a year later, when Carl Barker took over.
Season 2002/03 saw 2 new men at the helm with Mick Garbutt in charge of the 1st Team and Frank Walters in charge of the Reserves.
Paul Bailey took over midway through 2002/2003; Carl Barker then had a second spell as Reserve Team Manager with Danny James as Reserve Team Coach and Dave Freeman as 1st team coach.
At the start of the 2003/2004 season the club formed a third team named KNAPHILL 'A' to play in the Guildford & Woking Alliance League due to volume of players at the club. Carl Barker took over as A Team Manager with Danny James in charge of the Reserves.
The 2004/2005 season brought about further changes at team management level seeing Dave Freeman retiring from playing due to injuries and being appointed as 1st Team Manager with Mick Garbutt stepping down to Assistant Manager. There was also a new man at the helm for the A Team with Kevin Fletcher taking over from Carl Barker who had taken up the Chairman role.
The club also moved into there new ground at Redding Way and the re-development of the Waterers Park ground, due to finished by April 2005, giving Knaphill Football Club some of the best facilities in the Surrey area.
In the 2004/2005 season the Reserves finished Runners Up to Old Rutlishians and the A Team were beaten by a last gasp winner in the Junior Cup Semi-Final against Shepperton FB with 1st Team finishing 7th in there respective division.
Season 2005/2006 was destined to be a big season for the club with the club established at its new ground at Redding Way and the A Team reverting back to Waterers Park having had the facilities rebuilt.
1st Team Manager Dave Freeman continued in charge for the 2005/2006 campaign and appointed former professional with Bristol City, Bob Pritchard, who has also managed at senior level with Chertsey Town, amongst others, as 1st Team Coach. Kevin Fletcher was appointed Reserve Team Manager having impressed by running the A Team the previous season.
The 2005/2006 season did prove successful as we won the Division One title on the last day of the season against nearest rivals Virginia Water and gained promotion to the Premier Division. Season 2006/2007 continued with Dave Freeman in charge of the 1st Team and Paul Bailey re-appointed as Reserve Team Manager. The A Team management was split during the season. Martin Hobson took charge during the first few months but had to resign due to work and family commitments. Gavin Wilcox and Tim Handley then took over until the end of the season.
The 1st Team claimed back to back titles by winning the Premier Division Championship which resulted in us achieving promotion to the Combined Counties Football League, the most successful period in the clubs history up to then.
With the club entering a new era for season 2007/2008, Dave Freeman, Bob Pritchard and Mick Garbutt remained in charge of 1st Team affairs; Dave stepped down to Assistant Manager during September with Bob taking charge of first team affairs.The club appointed July former Ockham Manager Steve Hutton as Reserve Team Manager and Paul Bailey in charge of the A Team.
The 2007/08 season was the busiest the club has ever endured. Over 45 matches were played at Redding Way and the pitch was still the best in the league at the end of the season. Bob Pritchard and Dave Freeman led the club to a very commendable 7th place in the CCL, our first in senior football. The early season had seen Knaphill pushing for a top 5 position, but poor runs over the Christmas & Easter periods saw the clubs performances drop off the leading runners; still 7th place was an excellent result considering the circumstances.
Steve Hutton led the Reserves campaign, a massive 40 games with a mixture of good and bad results, beating the leaders of the league on at least two occasions, but dropping too many points by conceding late goals. The A Team had an up and down season eventually finishing in a 7th place in the GWAL 3rd Division table.
The closed season also saw the amalgamation of Knaphill FC and Knaphill Wanderers (the junior sides) at long last under the Knaphill FC banner. The Wanderers will keep their identity for the coming season and plans to achieve the highly sought after FA Community Charter status will continue in earnest.
The 2008/09 season started with a most welcome new face, the former Bisley and Farnborough Assistant Manager, Ian Savage. Ian joined us as player/coach and with his experience and knowledge this club has the right to feel proud that he chose to join Knaphill after receiving many other offers from teams at higher levels. Steve Hutton has left his post as Reserve Team manager for pastures new in the summer and was replaced by the very experienced Graham Pope, however Graham left the club in November due to personal reasons and the Reserves side is now run by Adie Wilson and Lee Cook.
The 'A' Team is now under the control of James Taylor and Brendan Baker who received the good news at the GWAL AGM that their team is to play in the 2nd Division last season after wholesale changes in the leagues constitution.
With a reduction in League games in Division One from 38 to 34 in 2007/08, Knaphill entered two new Cup competitions. The Anagram Trophy and the Southern Combination Cup, both of which saw early exits. However, the team kept a high profile in the League staying in the top half of the table all season.
They could have become champions had they won their last game of the season when, in a tightly bunched set of teams in the top six. Knaphill on 69pts needed to win at Farleigh to pip Staines Lammas to the title. Disappointingly they lost 3-2, and finished 5th in the table, just 2 points of the top, so near yet so far.
The Reserves finished ninth in their Division with the second half of the season providng a 17 match sequence losing just two games. Adie Wilson having taken over in November from Graham Pope, he gelled his players together well and that was shown with the improvement in results.
The 'A' team won promotion to Division 1 of the GWAL, their second move up the ladder having been promoted from Division 3 to Division 2 the previous season. The new season sees a 'B' team starting their first season in Division 4(North).
In the close season local businessman, Terry Chapman, was voted in as the new Chairman, replacing Nick Croshaw who stood down due to work commitements after two seasons as Chairman. The newly formed Ladies side will also come under the senior banner and will enhance the size and diversity of Knaphill Football Club.
Plans for floodlights and hard standing alongwith a 50 seated stand at Redding way are moving forward with the help of Woking Borough Council who continue as in recent years to support the football club and The Football Foundation.
The 2009/10 season saw the team finish third in Division One, their best placing in the three seasons in the Combined Counties League. Third would normally have gained the Club promotion, but due to the proposed floodlights installation being delayed, Knaphill had to make another challenge for promotion in 2010/11. The team won 26 out of their 40 league games, losing 10 with 4 drawn, scoring 98 goals and finished with 82 points.
The 2010/11 season was one of two halves for the first team, having suffered a poor string of results in the first four months of the season, the turn of the year went onto see an unbeaten run of 12 matches. But the run was not enough to see us get close enough to a promotion place, and after reaching fifth in the table in the final run in, slipped to finish ninth in Division One. Andy Martin took over the Manager’s role for the Reserves during the season following two resignations of previous managers. The newly formed Knaphill Youth U18s, played their first season in the Allied Counties League, and reached the final of the Grant McLellan Youth Cup, but lost 2-0 to Bedfont Sports. The installation of the Floodlights at Redding Way came to fruition in March 2011, together with a 50 seater Stand.
The 2011/12 season saw Knaphill entering the FA Vase for the first time, but unfortunately fell at the first hurdle, knocked out by Horley Town. In the League, Knaphill produced some poor results there was a change of management during the season, and some players left the Club. When new team boss Phil Ellery, took over by the beginning of November, it was to become a case of rebuilding the side, and get them as high in the table as possible.
After a brief flourish of encouraging results, the team finished 12th in Division One. The Ladies team and Girls U18s played under the Knaphill banner for the first season, the latter becoming champions in their League. Our Youth team reached the Grant McLellan Cup final for the second year running, but were beaten finalists. Chairman Terry Chapman stood down as Chairman, and David Freeman, 16 years at Knaphill, took over the role in the first half of the season. So onto the arrival of season 2012/13, and one which we hope will see a strong challenge for promotion in our sixth season in the Combined Counties League, and fare better in Cup competitions than last season.
In February 2013 the club was awarded The FA Adult Standard Charter Status.
The Story So Far:
Knaphill Football Club began its life in 1924 at Waterer's Park.
Waterer's Park was left to Woking Urban District Council in 1924 by Mr Anthony Waterer of Knaphill Nursery.
The Recreation Ground was originally part of the nursery called "Blue Gates Field" and the park was laid out by Woking Council between 1924 and 1928 - the task taking so long as the bottom part of the field was very "soggy", whilst the rest was uneven and infested with moles. And these conditions can still be seen over 70 years later!
Very little history is known about the Club between 1924 and 1980, although we do know that the team colours were originally red and white. In 1980 Knaphill were represented in the Old Woking and District League (now Guildford and Woking Alliance League) in Division 3 under Manager Dave Holloway. Dave took them from Division 3 through promotion to the Surrey Intermediate League. Dave then left Knaphill to take over Conference side Woking's reserve and youth teams.
The late Andy Westcott took over the Manager's position at Knaphill in 1984. Andy successfully took the Club from Division 3 to the Premier Division 1, at the same time Clive Howes was running the Reserve Team, who also won promotion from Division 3 to the Reserves Premier Division 1.
Geoff Poulton was to go on to take over the running of the Reserve Team from Clive Howes. In 1990, Mick Garbutt became the Manager of Knaphill and Paul Bambini was running the Reserve Team. Mick Garbutt left the Club in 1994 to join up with Colin Lippiatt and Geoff Chapple at Woking. After this time the club went into decline and was struggling for players for both the First and Reserve Teams.
The decision was taken by then Senior Secretary, Sean Carrigy, to approach local team Heathlands, who were playing in the Guildford and Woking Alliance League. Heathlands found themselves struggling for facilities but not players; this gave the two teams the opportunity to amalgamate.
Season 1995/96 saw the arrival of Greg Anderson as Manager, with Sean Carrigy running the Reserve Team. In 1996 Dave Freeman took over from Greg as First Team Manager. The Reserve Team Manager's position was handed over to Noff Diliberto in 1997; he left the Club a year later, when Carl Barker took over.
Season 2002/03 saw 2 new men at the helm with Mick Garbutt in charge of the 1st Team and Frank Walters in charge of the Reserves.
Paul Bailey took over midway through 2002/2003; Carl Barker then had a second spell as Reserve Team Manager with Danny James as Reserve Team Coach and Dave Freeman as 1st team coach.
At the start of the 2003/2004 season the club formed a third team named KNAPHILL 'A' to play in the Guildford & Woking Alliance League due to volume of players at the club. Carl Barker took over as A Team Manager with Danny James in charge of the Reserves.
The 2004/2005 season brought about further changes at team management level seeing Dave Freeman retiring from playing due to injuries and being appointed as 1st Team Manager with Mick Garbutt stepping down to Assistant Manager. There was also a new man at the helm for the A Team with Kevin Fletcher taking over from Carl Barker who had taken up the Chairman role.
The club also moved into there new ground at Redding Way and the re-development of the Waterers Park ground, due to finished by April 2005, giving Knaphill Football Club some of the best facilities in the Surrey area.
In the 2004/2005 season the Reserves finished Runners Up to Old Rutlishians and the A Team were beaten by a last gasp winner in the Junior Cup Semi-Final against Shepperton FB with 1st Team finishing 7th in there respective division.
Season 2005/2006 was destined to be a big season for the club with the club established at its new ground at Redding Way and the A Team reverting back to Waterers Park having had the facilities rebuilt.
1st Team Manager Dave Freeman continued in charge for the 2005/2006 campaign and appointed former professional with Bristol City, Bob Pritchard, who has also managed at senior level with Chertsey Town, amongst others, as 1st Team Coach. Kevin Fletcher was appointed Reserve Team Manager having impressed by running the A Team the previous season.
The 2005/2006 season did prove successful as we won the Division One title on the last day of the season against nearest rivals Virginia Water and gained promotion to the Premier Division. Season 2006/2007 continued with Dave Freeman in charge of the 1st Team and Paul Bailey re-appointed as Reserve Team Manager. The A Team management was split during the season. Martin Hobson took charge during the first few months but had to resign due to work and family commitments. Gavin Wilcox and Tim Handley then took over until the end of the season.
The 1st Team claimed back to back titles by winning the Premier Division Championship which resulted in us achieving promotion to the Combined Counties Football League, the most successful period in the clubs history up to then.
With the club entering a new era for season 2007/2008, Dave Freeman, Bob Pritchard and Mick Garbutt remained in charge of 1st Team affairs; Dave stepped down to Assistant Manager during September with Bob taking charge of first team affairs.The club appointed July former Ockham Manager Steve Hutton as Reserve Team Manager and Paul Bailey in charge of the A Team.
The 2007/08 season was the busiest the club has ever endured. Over 45 matches were played at Redding Way and the pitch was still the best in the league at the end of the season. Bob Pritchard and Dave Freeman led the club to a very commendable 7th place in the CCL, our first in senior football. The early season had seen Knaphill pushing for a top 5 position, but poor runs over the Christmas & Easter periods saw the clubs performances drop off the leading runners; still 7th place was an excellent result considering the circumstances.
Steve Hutton led the Reserves campaign, a massive 40 games with a mixture of good and bad results, beating the leaders of the league on at least two occasions, but dropping too many points by conceding late goals. The A Team had an up and down season eventually finishing in a 7th place in the GWAL 3rd Division table.
The closed season also saw the amalgamation of Knaphill FC and Knaphill Wanderers (the junior sides) at long last under the Knaphill FC banner. The Wanderers will keep their identity for the coming season and plans to achieve the highly sought after FA Community Charter status will continue in earnest.
The 2008/09 season started with a most welcome new face, the former Bisley and Farnborough Assistant Manager, Ian Savage. Ian joined us as player/coach and with his experience and knowledge this club has the right to feel proud that he chose to join Knaphill after receiving many other offers from teams at higher levels. Steve Hutton has left his post as Reserve Team manager for pastures new in the summer and was replaced by the very experienced Graham Pope, however Graham left the club in November due to personal reasons and the Reserves side is now run by Adie Wilson and Lee Cook.
The 'A' Team is now under the control of James Taylor and Brendan Baker who received the good news at the GWAL AGM that their team is to play in the 2nd Division last season after wholesale changes in the leagues constitution.
With a reduction in League games in Division One from 38 to 34 in 2007/08, Knaphill entered two new Cup competitions. The Anagram Trophy and the Southern Combination Cup, both of which saw early exits. However, the team kept a high profile in the League staying in the top half of the table all season.
They could have become champions had they won their last game of the season when, in a tightly bunched set of teams in the top six. Knaphill on 69pts needed to win at Farleigh to pip Staines Lammas to the title. Disappointingly they lost 3-2, and finished 5th in the table, just 2 points of the top, so near yet so far.
The Reserves finished ninth in their Division with the second half of the season providng a 17 match sequence losing just two games. Adie Wilson having taken over in November from Graham Pope, he gelled his players together well and that was shown with the improvement in results.
The 'A' team won promotion to Division 1 of the GWAL, their second move up the ladder having been promoted from Division 3 to Division 2 the previous season. The new season sees a 'B' team starting their first season in Division 4(North).
In the close season local businessman, Terry Chapman, was voted in as the new Chairman, replacing Nick Croshaw who stood down due to work commitements after two seasons as Chairman. The newly formed Ladies side will also come under the senior banner and will enhance the size and diversity of Knaphill Football Club.
Plans for floodlights and hard standing alongwith a 50 seated stand at Redding way are moving forward with the help of Woking Borough Council who continue as in recent years to support the football club and The Football Foundation.
The 2009/10 season saw the team finish third in Division One, their best placing in the three seasons in the Combined Counties League. Third would normally have gained the Club promotion, but due to the proposed floodlights installation being delayed, Knaphill had to make another challenge for promotion in 2010/11. The team won 26 out of their 40 league games, losing 10 with 4 drawn, scoring 98 goals and finished with 82 points.
The 2010/11 season was one of two halves for the first team, having suffered a poor string of results in the first four months of the season, the turn of the year went onto see an unbeaten run of 12 matches. But the run was not enough to see us get close enough to a promotion place, and after reaching fifth in the table in the final run in, slipped to finish ninth in Division One. Andy Martin took over the Manager’s role for the Reserves during the season following two resignations of previous managers. The newly formed Knaphill Youth U18s, played their first season in the Allied Counties League, and reached the final of the Grant McLellan Youth Cup, but lost 2-0 to Bedfont Sports. The installation of the Floodlights at Redding Way came to fruition in March 2011, together with a 50 seater Stand.
The 2011/12 season saw Knaphill entering the FA Vase for the first time, but unfortunately fell at the first hurdle, knocked out by Horley Town. In the League, Knaphill produced some poor results there was a change of management during the season, and some players left the Club. When new team boss Phil Ellery, took over by the beginning of November, it was to become a case of rebuilding the side, and get them as high in the table as possible.
After a brief flourish of encouraging results, the team finished 12th in Division One. The Ladies team and Girls U18s played under the Knaphill banner for the first season, the latter becoming champions in their League. Our Youth team reached the Grant McLellan Cup final for the second year running, but were beaten finalists. Chairman Terry Chapman stood down as Chairman, and David Freeman, 16 years at Knaphill, took over the role in the first half of the season. So onto the arrival of season 2012/13, and one which we hope will see a strong challenge for promotion in our sixth season in the Combined Counties League, and fare better in Cup competitions than last season.
In February 2013 the club was awarded The FA Adult Standard Charter Status.
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