NORTHWOOD F.C.

Northwood Football Club play in the Southern Premier League as a semi-pro club competing against sides including Gloucester City A.F.C. and Bath City F.C. Last season they competed in the Isthmian Premier League but made the switch to the Southern Premier over the summer of 2005. The first team manager is Colin Payne and his assistant is Dave Nolan. ... Bath City is a football club currently playing in the Southern League. ... Colin Payne Colin Payne is manager of Southern Premier League semi-pro football club, Northwood F.C. He was appointed in September 2005 to the position as boss. ...

CLUB INFORMATION:-

GROUND: Northwood Park, Chestnut Avenue

MANAGER: Colin Payne Colin Payne Colin Payne is manager of Southern Premier League semi-pro football club, Northwood F.C. He was appointed in September 2005 to the position as boss. ...

CLUB COLOURS: All red

ADULT PRICE: £8

CHILDREN PRICE: £4

A BRIEF HISTORY:

Recent research finally established that Northwood Football Club was formed in September 1899 with their first fixture being a friendly against Amersham. Their Centenary season has passed them by, but proved very successful.

In 1931 Northwood joined the Harrow & Wembley League and they were immediately successful by winning the Premier Division title in six consecutive years from 1932 to 1937. After the War they were champions again from 1947 to 1949 and they also won the Middlesex Junior Cup in those three successive years. It was at this time that the club moved to their current base in Northwood Park having played at several different venues in the early years. Wembley is a place in the London Borough of Brent. ... Northwood Park Northwood Park is home to Southern Premier League semi-professional football club, Northwood F.C. The ground has a capacity of 3,075 avaliable places with 930 covered terrace and 308 seated places. ...

The club hit a slump during the fifties and early sixties and played without much success in junior football but towards the end of the 1960's the tide began to change. Northwood were elected into the Middlesex Senior League in 1969 and they became runners-up in 1971. During the years that followed, the Woods managed to win the Middlesex League Cup on five occasions and also the League Championship in 1978, completing a double, which saw them elected to the Hellenic League. With help from the London Borough of Hillingdon, the club developed their present pitch into suitable facilities and they were quickly promoted to top flight as Division One Champions and Hellenic League Cup winners. Floodlights were erected and Senior Status was granted in 1981.

Due to increased travelling costs, Northwood switched to play in the London Spartan League in 1984 and they were soon to become one of the competitions top clubs. After one League Cup win, a runners-up spot and two third places, the Woods completed a League and Cup double in 1992. With this success came considerable ground improvements, which allowed them to take a deserved place in the Third Division of the Isthmian League.

After five years at the higher level, following early success by winning the 1993 Associate Members Trophy, and several promotion challenges, Northwood made it to Division Two in 1997. After three seasons in that division, the Woods earned further promotion following an excellent runners-up spot in 2000. They also captured the Associate Members Trophy for a second time and reached their first ever Middlesex Senior Challenge Cup final. Middlesex is an area of south-eastern England, it is traditionally regarded as one of the 39 historic counties of England. ...

Another three years later and Northwood now find themselves members of the Premier Division having won the First Division North Championship in 2003. They also captured the Isthmian League Cup for the first time in 2002, beating Premier Division Hampton & Richmond Borough in the final, 3-2 after extra-time and also reached the Middlesex Senior Cup final once again, this time beaten by Hendon, also in extra-time. September 2002 also saw the Woods defeat Premier Division Champions Gravesend & Northfleet 4-2, to capture the Isthmian Charity Shield.

It proved a difficult first season but after a restructure of non-league football as a whole, Northwood remained in the Premier Division for a second season.

In 2003, Northwood received the prestigious award of Community Club status from the Football Association in recognition of the club's commitment to youth football in the area. The club have teams of all age groups playing their football within the confines of Northwood Park. Improvements have been made to the standards in recent years and the club is hoping this will result in many youngsters developing into first-team players in the future.

The 2005-06 season sees Northwood face a new challenge, having been moved to the Southern League Premier Division, but it is a challenge that the club is looking forward to.

Another success story has been the club's Match Day programme which has picked up many awards over the years. In the Wirral Programme Club's annual survey it has been adjudged to be Best Programme in non-league football on three occasions as well as being runner-up twice. It has also been given the accolade of Best programme in the Isthmian League in the first twelve years of the club's membership; a remarkable run of consistency.