Beckenham Town F.C.

Association football club in England

Football club
Beckenham Town
Beckenham Town badge
Full nameBeckenham Town Football Club
Nickname(s)The Reds, The Becks
Founded1971
GroundEden Park Avenue, Beckenham
Capacity4,000 (120 seated)[1]
ChairmanPaul Faires
ManagerJason Huntley
LeagueIsthmian League South East Division
2023–24Isthmian League South East Division, 19th of 20
Home colours
Away colours

Beckenham Town Football Club is a football club based in Beckenham, London, England. They are currently members of the Isthmian League South East Division and play at Eden Park Avenue.

History

The original Beckenham Town were established in the late 19th century, affiliating to the Kent County Football Association in 1887.[2] In 1923 the club joined Division One of the London League.[3] They won Division One in 1927–28,[3] and were promoted to the Premier Division. However, after finishing second-from-bottom in their first season in the Premier Division, they ended the 1929–30 season in last place, and were relegated back to Division One.[4]

The following season saw them finish second in Division One, earning promotion back to the Premier Division. Despite finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 1931–32 they remained in the division, but after repeating the feat in 1932–33, they were relegated back to Division One.[4] After finishing bottom of Division One in 1934–35 the club left the league.[4] They had also entered a team into the Kent County Amateur League a few seasons before, and continued playing in the Premier Division of the Western Section until rejoining the London League in 1951,[5] where they were placed in the Premier Division.

They remained in the London League's Premier Division until joining the Aetolian League in 1961.[6][7] This merged with the London League in 1964 to form the Greater London League, with Beckenham placed in Section B.[8] A fifth-place finish in the league's inaugural season saw them win a place in the Premier Division for the 1965–66 season. However, after finishing second-from-bottom of the division that season, they were relegated to Division One.[8] They folded in 1969.[2]

In 1971 the club was reformed based on the Stanhope Rovers junior team.[9] After playing in the South East London Amateur League,[1] they joined Division Two of the new London Spartan League in 1975.[10] After being runners-up in 1977–78, they were promoted to the Premier Division.[10] In 1982 they transferred to Division One of the Kent League, which became the Premier Division in 1998.[7] They finished as runners–up in 2005–06. The league was subsequently renamed the Southern Counties East League in 2013.[7] The club won both the Kent Senior Trophy[11] and the League Cup[12] in 2013–14, and went on to win the Roy Vinter Shield at the start of the 2014–15 season.[13] In 2019–20 the club were top of the league when the season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic; this would have been the club's highest finish since reforming in 1971. At the end of the 2020–21 season they were transferred to the Premier Division South of the Combined Counties League. During their first season in the Combined Counties League, Beckenham were Premier Division South champions, earning promotion to the Isthmian League.[14] In their first season in the Isthmian League the club finished fourth, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. They went on to lose 1–0 to Whitehawk in the semi-finals. The following season saw them finish second-from-bottom of the South East Division,[15] however they had their relegation reprieved, remaining in step four.[16]

Seasons-by-season

Season League FA Cup FA Vase FA Trophy League Cup Notes
Division P W D L F A GD Pts Pos
1978–79 London Spartan League Premier Division 34 14 9 11 56 46 +10 37 6th
1979–80 London Spartan League Premier Division 30 6 6 18 21 44 –23 18 14th PRE
1980–81 London Spartan League Premier Division 30 8 6 16 32 48 –16 22 14th R4
1981–82 London Spartan League Premier Division 26 8 8 10 28 24 +4 24 8th PRE
1982–83 Kent League Division One 32 12 9 11 46 46 0 33 9th R1
1983–84 Kent League Division One 30 12 6 12 56 54 +2 42 8th PRE R1
1984–85 Kent League Division One 32 17 8 7 67 46 +21 59 4th 1QR PRE
1985–86 Kent League Division One 34 10 7 17 43 64 –21 37 15th 1QR PRE
1986–87 Kent League Division One 34 7 10 17 37 61 –24 31 15th
1987–88 Kent League Division One 36 16 5 15 61 55 +6 53 8th 1QR EPR
1988–89 Kent League Division One 38 8 10 20 41 68 –27 34 17th 1QR R2
1989–90 Kent League Division One 38 12 10 16 52 59 –7 46 12th PRE R2
1990–91 Kent League Division One 40 12 7 21 37 54 –17 43 14th 1QR R1
1991–92 Kent League Division One 40 13 10 17 52 67 –15 49 14th 1QR PRE
1992–93 Kent League Division One 40 17 8 15 64 60 +4 59 9th 2QR R1
1993–94 Kent League Division One 40 22 4 14 85 59 +26 70 7th PRE EPR
1994–95 Kent League Division One 40 15 11 14 61 61 0 56 10th R1
1995–96 Kent League Division One 38 9 9 20 45 60 –15 36 16th 1QR
1996–97 Kent League Division One 40 15 10 15 49 47 +2 55 11th R2
1997–98 Kent League Division One 42 21 7 14 67 54 +13 70 7th 2QR Division renamed
1998–99 Kent League Premier Division 36 13 11 12 52 48 +4 50 9th 2QR
1999–00 Kent League Premier Division 34 12 8 14 48 54 –6 44 10th PRE 1QR
2000–01 Kent League Premier Division 32 13 9 10 48 58 –10 48 7th PRE 2QR
2001–02 Kent League Premier Division 30 11 7 12 43 45 –2 40 9th PRE 2QR
2002–03 Kent League Premier Division 29 9 6 14 41 53 –12 33 10th PRE 2QR
2003–04 Kent League Premier Division 32 9 8 15 39 53 –14 35 12th PRE 2QR
2004–05 Kent League Premier Division 30 11 7 12 57 54 –3 39 10th 1 point deducted
2005–06 Kent League Premier Division 30 22 4 4 96 24 +72 70 2nd
2006–07 Kent League Premier Division 32 12 4 16 64 52 +12 40 11th
2007–08 Kent League Premier Division 32 21 7 4 80 41 +39 70 3rd
2008–09 Kent League Premier Division 32 8 4 20 54 76 –22 28 14th
2009–10 Kent League Premier Division 30 16 5 9 56 39 +17 53 4th R3 SF
2010–11 Kent League Premier Division 30 12 3 15 56 55 +1 39 10th 2QR R3 R2
2011–12 Kent League Premier Division 30 14 11 5 72 36 +36 53 6th 2QR R1 R2
2012–13 Kent League Premier Division 32 11 7 14 63 73 –10 40 11th 1QR R1 PRE Division renamed
2013–14 Southern Counties East League Premier Division 32 15 4 13 76 58 +18 49 8th EPR R3 W
2014–15 Southern Counties East League Premier Division 38 16 5 17 77 63 +14 53 9th EPR 2QR SF
2015–16 Southern Counties East League Premier Division 36 11 11 14 68 93 –25 44 12th PRE R2 R2
2016–17 Southern Counties East League Premier Division 38 8 5 25 38 76 –38 29 18th PRE R1 R2
2017–18 Southern Counties East League Premier Division 38 22 3 13 84 61 +23 69 4th EPR R3 R1
2018–19 Southern Counties East League Premier Division 38 19 9 10 71 56 +15 66 5th 1QR R1 R3
2019–20 Southern Counties East League Premier Division 27 19 3 5 61 30 +31 60 1st PRE R1 SF Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Southern Counties East League Premier Division 13 7 3 3 33 18 +15 24 5th PRE 1QR Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 Combined Counties League Premier Division South 38 29 5 4 107 33 +74 92 1st PRE R3 R1 Promoted
2022–23 Isthmian League Division One South East 38 20 8 10 62 49 +73 68 4th 4QR - 1QR R1 Play-off semi final

Ground

The club played at Stanhope Grove until July 1980 when they moved to Eden Park Avenue.[2] The ground has a capacity of 4,000, of which 120 is seated and covered.[1]

Honours

  • London League
    • Division One champions 1927–28
  • Combined Counties League
    • Premier Division South champions 2021–22
  • Southern Counties East League
    • Challenge Cup winners 2013–14
    • Roy Vinter Shield winners 2014–15
  • Kent Senior Trophy
    • Winners 2013–14

Records

  • Best FA Cup performance: Fourth qualifying round, 2022–23
  • Best FA Trophy performance: First qualifying round, 2022–23[7]
  • Best FA Vase performance: Fourth round, 1980–81
  • Record attendance: 1,661 vs Dagenham & Redbridge, FA Cup fourth qualifying round, 15 October 2022[17]
  • Most appearances: Lee Fabian, 985[1]
  • Most goals: Ricky Bennett[1]

See also

  • Beckenham Town F.C. players
  • Beckenham Town F.C. managers

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) Non-League Club Directory 2013, p687 ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0
  2. ^ a b c History 1887-2016 Archived 21 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Beckenham Town
  3. ^ a b London League 1910-1928 Non-League Matters
  4. ^ a b c London League 1928-1950 Non-League Matters
  5. ^ Kent County Amateur League Non-League Matters
  6. ^ London League 1950-1964 Non-League Matters
  7. ^ a b c d Beckenham Town at the Football Club History Database
  8. ^ a b Greater London League 1964-1971 Non-League Matters
  9. ^ Beckenham Town – History Archived 12 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine Beckenham Town F.C.
  10. ^ a b London Spartan League 1975-1987 Non-League Matters
  11. ^ Kent Senior Trophy Archive SCEFL
  12. ^ Corinthian 0-2 Beckenham Town - I need a new challenge, says Matt Longhurst Kentish Football, 5 May 2014
  13. ^ Whyteleafe 0-3 Beckenham Town - We've deserved all three trophies, says Jason Huntley Kentish Football, 2 August 2014
  14. ^ @beckenhamtownfc (13 April 2022). "These Players. This Team. 44 years after clinching promotion to the London Spartan League's Premier Division back in 1977/78... Becks have sealed promotion to the Isthmian League... We Are Going Up! #Step4 #UpTheBecks" (Tweet). Retrieved 14 April 2022 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ "Millers One Point From The Title- Whilst Wasps Secure Their Survival". www.isthmian.co.uk. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Pitching In Isthmian League- Club Allocations 2024-25". www.isthmian.co.uk. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  17. ^ It might have not been @beckenhamtownfc day in the @EmiratesFACup today against @Dag_RedFC but the Becks recorded their record attendance at Eden Park with a massive crowd of 1661... wow !!! Kent Non League Attendance Stats

External links

  • Official website
  • v
  • t
  • e
2023–24
clubs
Premier Division
North Division
South Central Division
South East Division
Seasons
  • v
  • t
  • e
League teams
(tiers 1–4)
1
2
3
4
Non-league teams
(tiers 5–8)
5
6
7
8
Rivalries
Cup competitions
See also

51°23′34″N 0°1′44″W / 51.39278°N 0.02889°W / 51.39278; -0.02889