Verwood Town FC - Club History
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Verwood is steeped in history. A noticeable spot for visitors is the Monmouth Ash Public House which is said to be built on the site where the Duke of
Monmouth hid in a tree to avoid his pursuers. Can we believe the rumour that he was the first referee to officiate at a Verwood FC match?
The first written records date back to the early 1920's and a copy of the notice to Dorset FA confirming ground directions and club colours indicate that we have a similar colour scheme now.
Until 1986 the clubs home games were all played on the recreation ground except for a short period of time when a piece of spare ground near Coronation Road was used. This in fact was the best period in the clubs playing record as we were unbeaten
in two years.
According to long established club members and ex-players, travelling in and around Dorset by steam train and changing behind well layed hedge rows proved conducive to good team spirit and offered a different slant to country life. During the war
years matches were organised against teams from the Home Guard, West Moors Army Barracks, Woodlands Searchlights, but the team they enjoyed playing most of all was against the Land Army.
De-mob saw ex-players reunited and the club continued it's affiliation to Dorset re-establishing it's winning ways bringing minor and junior trophies to the village. This also bought back the local hostilities particularly the annual battle
against Cranbourne. Memories recall one particular game when police were called from Wimborne to control the crowd and restrain the reverend Williams from striking the referee with his walking stick. Fortunately we don't get that sort of trouble
anymore.
Moving from Dorset FA to Bournemouth FA gave us a chance to broaden our horizons. The early 1960's saw some of the club officials involved with the villages youth side Rossgarth YFC. It's heartening to see that the link has not only been
maintained but over the last few years is getting even stronger with an increasing number of the first team players have coming through the ranks of local football to make the natural progression through to senior level with their local club.
The ambitious move to Potterne Park in 1986 and a strong willing committee brought the club in 1989 to Hampshire League football for the first time in it's 70 years of history. The wisdom of this move was soon confirmed with the high league
positions that were maintained over the next three of four years, eventually culminating in promotion in 1993 to Hampshire League Division One. It was during this period that with the growth of the village into a town our new name Verwood Town
Football Club was established.
In 2004/5 the Wessex League amalgamated with the Hampshire League and formed three new leagues. Verwood Town were entered into the new Sydenhams Wessex League Division Three. Two seasons and a great deal of effort off the pitch, erecting dugouts,
hard standing and stands and on the pitch finishing third, the club was rewarded with a promotion into the Newly renamed Sydenhams League (Wessex) Division One.
The following season, the good playing form continued with a top six finish in the first season in Division One. During the summer of 2007, the clubs ambitions were finally realised with the erection of floodlights needed to maintain their well
deserved status in the Sydenhams League (Wessex).
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