South Park F.C.
![]() | |||
Full name | South Park Football Club | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Sparks | ||
Founded | 1897 | ||
Ground | Whitehall Lane | ||
Chairman | Ricky Kidd | ||
Manager | Mick Sullivan | ||
League | Isthmian League South Central Division | ||
2017–18 | Isthmian League South Division, 13th of 24 | ||
Website | Club website | ||
|
South Park Football Club are an English football club based in Reigate, Surrey. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association.[1] They play in the Isthmian League South Central Division.
History
The club was founded in 1897 and joined the Redhill and District Football League as a founding member.[2] The facilities of the club were very basic to start with, with the club playing on a sports field between Crescent and Church Roads. 1925 brought a partnership with the local cricket club which formed the South Park Sports Association, the aim of the association to improve athletic facilities for the two clubs and as a result the people of South Park.[2]
The new association found suitable land on Whitehall Lane, the current home of South Park F.C., and purchased four acres through subscriptions and door to door collections.[3] Further purchases of two and four acres respectively ensured that the ground would remain a permanent sports home by vesting them to the National Playing Fields Association. The entire allotment was renamed "King George's Field" in 1935.[3]
The club took a hit during and immediately after World War II, however an air raid shelter on King George's Field proved to be a defining feature of the landscape for the club in its rebound after the war. Donations ensured that amenities were added to the shelter, such as a clubhouse, showers and toilets, to provide the club much needed improvements to fulfill their sporting aspirations.[2] After this period the club remained playing in the local leagues, where they achieved some success over the years.
![](../I/m/South_Park_F.C._logo.png)
In 2001, nearby club Reigate Town Football Club moved into South Park and merged with the current club.[2] As a result, the club was renamed South Park & Reigate Town Football Club until 2003 when they reverted to South Park Football Club.[2] Even more renovations were made to King George's Field with the installation of floodlights and new changing rooms.
2006 saw the club's promotion from the Crawley & District League to the Combined Counties Football League Division One.[4] The club's first ever FA Vase match was held in 2008–09, a second qualifying round 2–1 home defeat to Shoreham.[4]
In 2010, South Park participated in the FA Cup for the first time. They beat Greenwich Borough and Horsham YMCA to set up a tie with Cray Wanderers.[4][5] That season also saw the club gain promotion to the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division, and won a cup double of the Combined Counties Division one cup and the Surrey County premier Cup.[6][7]
In the 2011–12 season South Park reached the last 32 of the FA Vase competition where they were eventually overcome by the holders Whitley Bay.[4]
In the 2012–13 season the club achieved its best ever performance in the FA Cup, reaching the fourth qualifying round, where they were beaten 3–0 at home by Metropolitan Police[8]
South Park updated their badge in July 2018.[9]
Ground
South Park play their home games at Whitehall Lane, South Park, Reigate, Surrey RH2 8LG.[10]
Non-playing staff
- As of August 2018.[10]
Position | Name |
---|---|
Chairman | Ricky Kidd |
Club Secretary | Nick Thatcher |
Manager | Mick Sullivan |
Honours
- Combined Counties Football League Premier Division
- Champions 2013–14
- Surrey FA Saturday Premier Cup:[11]
- Winners 2010–11
- Combined Counties Football League Premier Cup[12]
- Runners up 2012–13
- Combined Counties Football League Division One Cup:[6]
- Winners 2010–11
Records
References
- 1 2 "CCFL_League_Table". Combinedcountiesleague.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "History – South Park F.C". Pitchero.com. Archived from the original on 2012-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- 1 2 Bernard, Rob (2012-02-05). "Hopping all over the World Two: South Park". Worldgroundhoptwo.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SOUTH PARK at the Football Club History Database
- ↑ "FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round | This is Surrey". Thisissurreytoday.co.uk. 2010-08-20. Archived from the original on 2013-05-05. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- 1 2 "South Park 1 Bedfont Sports 0 Combined Counties Div1 Challenge Cup Final – a set on Flickr". Flickr.com. 2011-05-02. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- ↑ "Surrey Premier Cup Results 2011–12". Surrey FA. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
- ↑ "South Park 0 Met Police 3 FA cup 4thQualifying round « evenmoreseniorbushe". Evenmoreseniorbushe.wordpress.com. 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
- ↑ "Introducing our new club badge". Twitter. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- 1 2 "South Park". Isthmian League. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ↑ "Saturday Premier Cup Previous Winners". SurreyFA. Archived from the original on 2013-10-22. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ↑ EEFC Webmaster. "Epsom & Ewell win League Cup Final! – Epsom & Ewell Football Club". Pitchero.com. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- 1 2 "Police arrest South Park's cup development; This is Surrey". Thisissurreytoday.co.uk. 2012-10-20. Archived from the original on 2013-05-05. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
External links
- Official website
- South Park at the Isthmian League
- South Park at the Football Club History Database
Coordinates: 51°13′23.94″N 0°12′56.45″W / 51.2233167°N 0.2156806°W