Wellworthy Athletic F.C.

Wellworthy Athletic
Full nameWellworthy Athletic Football Club
Founded1927
Dissolved1988 – merged with Lymington Town
GroundAmpress Works Ground, Lymington

Wellworthy Athletic were an amateur football team based in Lymington, Hampshire. The club existed for over 60 years until the loss of their ground in 1988.

History

Wellworthy Athletic FC were founded in 1927 as the works side of Lymington based Wellworthy Engineering (manufacturers of automotive and aerospace components).[1]

They originally played at Victory Park in the Bournemouth League where they climbed up through the ranks to win promotion to the Hampshire League Division 2 in 1932. Initially, they did well, finishing runners-up in 1932–33 but were relegated after finishing bottom in 1934–35.[2]

After a spell playing in the New Forest League, Wellworthy returned to the Hampshire League in 1949 when they were placed in Division 3 West. Initially, the club again did well as they challenged for promotion twice finishing third and as runners-up in 1950–51. Throughout the decade Wellworthy remained a consistent mid-table side, with the main highlight coming when the side reached the Hampshire Intermediate Cup final in 1956–57.[3] However, the early sixties saw a decline in fortunes and after two seasons of struggle, they were relegated in 1960–61 and returned to the Bournemouth League.[4]

In 1970 Wellworthy opened their privately owned ground within the Ampress Works site.

In the 1984–85 season they completed a double by winning the Bournemouth League Division 1 and the Pickford Cup. They were also finalists in the Hampshire Intermediate Cup, but were denied the treble by neighbours Bashley. These successes were enough for Wellworthy to return to the Hampshire League Division 3 for the 1985–86 campaign where they won promotion as runners-up.[5]

For the 1986–87 season, the Wessex League was formed and Wellworthy were surprisingly elected despite only meeting the basic ground requirements.[6] Despite the big step up, they held their own and they did extremely well to finish in a very creditable seventh place.[7]

The 1987–88 campaign saw Wellworthy finish in 15th place,[8] but enjoyed an extended run in the Hampshire Senior Cup when they reached the semi-finals. En route, they defeated Waterlooville and Portsmouth Reserves both 2–0, before losing by the same score against eventual winners Gosport Borough.

In 1988 it was announced that Wellworthy were to be taken over by the American company Federal Mogul, with the Ampress Works to be closed down and sold.[9] At the same time, league rivals and near neighbours Lymington Town were struggling, so the two clubs merged to form AFC Lymington.[10]

Honours

  • Hampshire League
    • Division 2 Runners-up 1932/33
    • Division 3 Runners-up 1985/86
    • Division 3 West Runners-up 1950/51
  • Hampshire FA [11]
    • Intermediate Cup Finalists 1956/57 and 1984/85
  • Bournemouth League
    • Division 1 Champions 1984/85
  • Bournemouth FA
    • Senior Cup Finalists 1953/54
    • Pickford Cup Winners 1984/85
  • New Forest League
    • Division 1 Champions 1948/49
    • Perkins Charity Cup Winners 1948/49 and 1949/50, Finalists 1968/69

League career

Ground

Wellworthy Athletic played at the Ampress Works Ground, Southampton Road, Lymington. The record attendance was in 1972 when they welcomed an Ex-Portsmouth XI to christen their newly installed floodlights in a game that drew 600 spectators to watch the sharing of eight goals. The site is now an industrial estate and the Social Club housing. [12]

Notable players

Former Chelsea and Millwall defender David Stride,[13] Southampton 1976 FA Cup winner David Peach [14] and Hampshire cricket wicket keeper Adrian Aymes all played for the club during their Wessex League days.[15]

Local rivalries

Wellworthy enjoyed a healthy rivalry with number of New Forest clubs[16] such as Brockenhurst, New Milton, Bashley, Ringwood Town and especially Lymington Town. [17]

References

  1. ^ https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Wellworthy
  2. ^ A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery
  3. ^ Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887-1987 by Norman Gannaway
  4. ^ A History of Bournemouth Football Association & League 1920-95 by Norman Gannaway
  5. ^ A History of the Hampshire League 1896-1996 by Norman Gannaway
  6. ^ https://www.wessexleague.co.uk/history
  7. ^ https://www.fchd.info/lghist/wessex1987.htm
  8. ^ https://www.fchd.info/lghist/wessex1988.htm
  9. ^ https://www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk/whats-on/online-exhibitions/wellworthy/the-history-of-wellworthy/post-war-and-the-end-of-an-era/
  10. ^ "Football Club History Database - A F C Lymington". Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  11. ^ Hampshire Football Association Yearbook 2005/06
  12. ^ https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4085937.anger-over-plans-to-replace-social-club/
  13. ^ https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/chelsea-fc/david-stride-6040/league-appearances_a18392/
  14. ^ https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/southampton-fc/david-peach-6012/league-appearances_a17274//
  15. ^ The Alphabet of the Saints: A Complete Who's Who of Southampton FC by Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk
  16. ^ https://footballgroundsinfocus.com/NLFPDHistory.htm
  17. ^ A History of Lymington Town Football Club 1876-1984 by Norman Gannaway
  • [1] Wellworthy sporting memories
  • [2] Football Club History Database
  • [3] Hampshire League Final Tables
  • [4] Wessex League Final Tables
  • [5] Hampshire Soccer Archive
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