Hillingdon Borough F.C.

The first club was founded as Yiewsley F.C. in 1872, and played on a small area of open ground in Falling Lane, Yiewsley, in Middlesex.[2] The club made its debut in the FA Cup in the 1939–40 season, losing to Maidenhead United in the extra preliminary qualification round.[3] In 1951 they were one of the 14 clubs who founded the Delphian League.[4] Two seasons later at the end of the 1953–54 campaign they moved to the Corinthian League, which they topped in their third season, 1956–57.[3] In 1958 a decision was made to turn semi-professional, and the club joined the South-East zone of the Southern League.[5] Their most noteworthy achievement until that point was holding Third Division Gillingham to a 2–2 draw on their home ground in the first round proper of the 1956–57 FA Cup.[3] Jackie Milburn (formerly of Newcastle and England) also played for the club briefly when he retired from professional football in the early 1960s.[6]

The club renamed itself as Hillingdon Borough in 1964 in line with the local government reorganisation in London that saw the formation of the London Borough of Hillingdon.[7] The change of name saw their fortunes change, as in their second season they were promoted to the Premier Division of the Southern League after finishing runners up.[7] Their most successful period followed over the next five years. In 1968–69 they finished runners-up to Cambridge United, who were duly elected to the Football League.[8] The following season, they reached the third round proper of the FA Cup beating Wimbledon and Luton Town before losing to Sutton United 4–1 in a replay.[7] In the 1970–71 season, they reached the FA Trophy final at Wembley losing 3–2 to Telford United, after leading 2–0 at the interval.[9]

These achievements were all under the managership of Jimmy Langley (left-back for Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and England), who was himself an ex-Yiewsley player.[9] Other notable managers of the club included Barry Fry, latterly of Birmingham City and Peterborough United.[9]

The club failed to build on the success of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Declining crowds and poor financial management eventually saw the club change its name to Hillingdon in 1985,[10] before merging with Burnham to form Burnham & Hillingdon in 1986, after Hillingdon lost their ground and were about to fold.[11] This club ran for two more seasons before changing their name back to Burnham, and continue to play in the Southern league.[12][13]

The name Hillingdon Borough was resurrected in 1990 when Bromley Park Rangers from the Chiltonian League took over the ground of Ruislip, with the help of four former directors from the old club, and changed their name.[14][15] The newly named club then joined the Premier Division of the Spartan League for the start of the 1990–91 campaign.[16] The club would then go on to finish Runners-up twice before the league merged with the South Midlands League to form the Spartan South Midlands Football League.[16] The club was placed in the Premier South Division.[17]

In 2006, Hillingdon Borough reached the FA Vase final at St. Andrews, Birmingham, after an 11-game qualification route starting in the competition as early as the 2nd qualifying round.[7] In the final of the FA Vase the club lost 3–1 to Cheshire club Nantwich Town.[18] Also in that year they finished 2nd in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, losing on goal difference to Oxford City.[19] However they were promoted due to continued restructuring of non-league football, joining the Southern League Division One South & West.[20] During the 2007–08 season, captain Danny Tilbury led Steve Ringrose's side to lift the Errea Cup (Southern League Cup) with a 4–1 aggregate win against Premier side Clevedon Town.[21] Following the departure of Steve Ringrose the club was transferred to the Isthmian League Division One North.[22][23] The club struggled under new manager Steve Hale and in their first season in the Isthmian League they finished bottom of the division and were relegated back to the Spartan South Midlands League in 2009.[24]

In recent years the club have had little stability in the managerial department and on and off the field. When Gamdoor Dhaliwal resigned as chairman the club were on the brink of liquidation until local businessman Mick Harris stepped in to save the club. Gary Meakin, aged 26 years old, took over in 2010 and was in the process of building a competitive team before swapping Hillingdon for Northwood in March 2011. Jesse Smith, an experienced coach on the Middlesex scene, was appointed as Meakin's successor before his departure in 2012 and achieved a 10th-place finish and a cup final in his only season in charge. Then it was the turn of 2005 Football Icon winner Sam Hurrell to take charge in September 2012, then only 24 years of age, alongside co-manager Jason O'Connor.

Following relegation from the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division in 2015, the club appointed former Harefield United boss Ian Crane as their new manager.[25] Crane had most recently been manager at A.F.C. Hayes before leaving in December 2014.

On 17 January 2017, the club released a statement via their Twitter account that the club would be pulling out of the division due to monetary troubles. However, former player Yannick Bolasie has since contacted the club, with the support of Everton, to help with the club's financial situation.[26]

• Southern Football League Division One South[7]
  • Runners-up (1): 1974–75
• Southern Football League Division One[7]
  • Runners-up (1): 1965–66
• Corinthian League[3]
  • Champions (1): 1956–57
  • Runners-up (1): 1955–56

• FA Trophy:[7]
  • Runners-Up (1): 1970–71

• Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division[7]
  • Runners-up (1): 2005–06
• Spartan League[7]
  • Runners-up (2): 1995–96, 1996–97

• FA Vase:[7]
  • Runners-Up (1): 2005–06
• London Senior Cup:[27]
  • Runners-Up (1): 1996–97
• Southern Football League Errea Cup[28]
  • Winners (1): 2007–08
• Spartan League Cup[15]
  • Winners (1): 1996–97

• Highest League Position:[7] 2nd in Southern League 1968–69
• FA Cup best performance:[7] Third round 1969–70
• FA Trophy best performance:[7] Finalists 1970–71

• Highest League Position:[7] 16th in Southern League Division One South & West, 2006–07
• FA Cup best performance:[7] Third qualifying round, 2007–08
• FA Trophy best performance:[7] Second qualifying round, 2007–08
• FA Vase best performance:[7] Finalists 2005–06

• Barry Fry
• Jim Langley
• Colin Meldrum