Halstead Town F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Halstead Town


fullname = Halstead Town Football Club
nickname =
founded = 1879 "(as Halstead)"
ground = Rosemary Lane, Halstead, Essex
capacity =
chairman = Jim Holder
manager = Jody Brown
league = Eastern Counties League
Division One
season = 2007-08
position = Eastern Counties League
Division One
6th
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_blackquarters14|pattern_ra2=
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Halstead Town F.C. are a football club based in Halstead, Essex, England. They were established in 1879 and joined the Essex Senior League in 1980. They reached the 4th round of the FA Vase twice in their history. They are currently members of the Eastern Counties Football League Division One.

History

Halstead F.C. was formed in 1879 under the presidency of a local vicar, but due to a lack of football infrastructure in rural areas at the time the club played only occasional friendlies until they joined the newly formed North Essex League in 1893. They won the Essex Junior Cup in 1902. After World War I the club joined the Essex and Suffolk Border League, changing their name to Halstead Town at around the same time.

After World War II Town joined the North Essex League Division Two, and were swiftly promoted to Division One, before going on to re-join the Essex & Suffolk Border League. They also finally obtained their own ground at Rosemary Lane, having previously used a variety of fields in the neighbourhood, although in their first season at the new ground the players were forced to change in a local hardware store. Over the next 30 years Halstead won the ESBL title four times, were runners up six times and cup winners on four occasions, eventually progressing up to the Essex Senior League in 1980, and the Eastern Counties League in 1988, starting in Division One but winning immediate promotion to the Premier Division, where they were champions on two occasions during the 1990s. In 2000-01 Town were relegated for the first time in the club's 125-year history but were promoted back to the Premier Division in 2003, where they remained until the current season when they finished bottom of the Premier Division meaning relegation to Division one.

They are now under the management of Jody Brown.

Club records

*Best League performance: Eastern Counties League Premier Division champions, 1994/95 and 1995/96
*Best FA Cup performance: 3rd qualifying round, 1993/94 and 1998/99
*Best FA Vase performance: 4th round, 1993/94 and 1994/95

External links

* [http://www.halsteadtownfc.com/ Official website]
*fchd|id=HALSTEAT|name=Halstead Town