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Woodcote Football Club

Woodcote Football Club is a football club based in Woodcote, Oxfordshire, England. They are currently members of the Hellenic League Division 2 (South) and play on Woodcote Village Green, also known as Woodcote Recreation Ground.

History.

The date on which the club was formed is uncertain, but a team photo exists from 1906, which suggests that the club was established late in the 19th century or in the early years of the 20th century. Apart from the war years, the club has been in continuous existence since its original formation. A general meeting was held at Woodcote School on May 28th, 1947 to reform the club after the Second World War. George Tonkiss, Headmaster of Woodcote School was elected Chairman and Jack Hatt, President. After two seasons playing 'friendlies' the club was entered in the Reading & District Institute League for the 1950-51 season. The Institute League was later re-named the Reading Combination League and the club played in this League until 1978, when they joined the North Berks League. The 1970s and early 1980s saw a particularly successful spell for the club in which they won two Oxfordshire County Competitions and were champions of the Reading Combination League and the North Berks League. In 1997, the club returned to play in the Reading Football League. In 2001, Woodcote and Stoke Row (who were sharing the ground at Woodcote) amalgamated to form Woodcote/Stoke Row FC. The amalgamation saw another successful era in which the club rose from Division 4 to the Senior Division of the Reading Football League and twice won the Berkshire Trophy Centre Senior Cup, the League's premier cup competition. Between 2010 and 2013 they were runners-up in the Thames Valley Premier League's Premier Division (the new name for the Reading Football League) for four consecutive seasons. During this period the club was in Step 7 in the FA's Football Pyramid. In the 2019-20 season the club re-branded itself, returning to its original name of Woodcote Football Club and during that season the club's committee took the decision to apply for membership of the Uhlsport Hellenic League. The application was successful and the club began its first Hellenic season in 2020. Unfortunately, the intervention of the Covid-19 pandemic saw the season halted in December 2020.

Honours

1973-74 - Winners Oxfordshire Junior Shield

1974-75 - Runners-up Reading Senior Cup

1975-76 - Winners Reading Combination League, Premier Division

Winners Oxfordshire Intermediate Cup

1978-79 - Winners North Berks League Division 2

1980-81 - Winners North Berks League, Division 1

1981-82 - Runners-up Oxfordshire Senior Cup

2010-11 - Winners Berkshire Trophy Centre Senior Cup

Runners-up

2011-12 - Winners Berkshire Trophy Centre Senior Cup

Woodcote and Stoke Row Football Clubs amalgamated in 2001 to form the present club which plays its matches at Woodcote Recreation Ground. The club runs two Saturday teams in the Thames Valley Premier League, formerly the Reading Football League, the first team in the Premier Division (Step 7). In 2015 an under-16 youth team was introduced, playing in the OFA Invitation League. This team was highly successful finishing runners-up in the Oxon Invitation League and runners-up in the Oxfordshire Youth Cup.

Woodcote FC was formed over 100 years ago (there is a team photo in existence from 1906). Both clubs were re-formed after the war and Woodcote has remained in existence continuously, while Stoke Row was disbanded for some years but re-formed again in 1994.

The club has a fine tradition of success in Oxfordshire Competitions having won the Junior Shield in 1974, the Intermediate Cup in 1976 and reaching the Final of the Senior Cup in 1982. They were also semi-finalists in the Senior in 1977, and 1981, losing on both occasions to Oxford City

The club has also reached the final of the Reading Senior Challenge Cup. In 1975 they lost in a replay to West Reading at Wokingham after the first match at Elm Park ended in a draw.

Over the years there have also been a number of league successes: Champions of Reading Combination League in 1976 and North Berks League Champions in 1981. More recently the club has risen from Division 4 to the Senior Division of the Reading League with promotions in 1996, 98, 99, 2003 and 2007.

The past few seasons have seen great success for the club at first team level. They have twice won the Berkshire Trophy Centre Senior Cup (2010 and 2011) and been runners-up twice (2013 and 2014). They were also runners-up in the Senior Division of the old Reading Football League for four consecutive seasons (2010 – 13). The reserve team also had some very welcome success, winning Division 3 in 2014-15.

The first team is managed by ex-Oxford United professional, Ross Weatherstone. Ross is a local Woodcote boy and played for the club during its most successful spell (2010 – 16). The Reserve team has the experienced, Paul Meakin as its manager. In 2017 the work of long-serving groundsman, Stuart Higley, was recognised when he was named Oxfordshire Groundsman of the Year. The previous year, Club President, Sam Peates, received an award for outstanding service to the club at the Reading Sports Awards ceremony.

Woodcote are enjoying a very successful season in League and Cup. They currently sit top of the TVPL Premier Division, having lost only one league match all season and have qualified for the BTC Senior Cup Semi-Final following wins over Newbury and Marlow United.