Andover Town F.C.

History

The club was formed in 2013 when the new leaseholders of the Portway Stadium, Sparsholt and Andover Colleges, were accepted into the Wessex Football League.

Andover Town FC also has a youth side playing in the Division E of the Football Conference Youth Alliance League, Division 2 of the Hampshire County Youth Football League and the FA Youth Cup. The youth side is made up of students from both Sparsholt College and Andover College, with home fixtures often played at Sparsholt College Hampshire.

On the 9 October 2013, Andover Town was involved in a Hampshire Senior Cup tie at Brockenhurst. After the match finished 0–0 after extra time, the subsequent penalty shootout resulted in 29 consecutive goals being scored, with Brockenhurst winning 15–14. This was later confirmed by the Football Association as an English record (and possibly a world record) for the highest number of consecutive goals scored in a penalty shootout.

2013–14 season (Results)

At the end of their first season Andover Town finished second in Wessex League Division One and were promoted to the Wessex Premier Division for the 2014–15 season. They also finished as runners-up in the Andover Open Cup, losing on penalties to Otterbourne FC (having drawn 3–3 after extra-time) and went on the become the winners of the Salisbury Hospitals Cup, defeating Bemerton Heath Harlequins in the final 3–2.

Andover Town ended the season on 73 points, winning 23 of the 30 games, drawing four and losing three games. In the 30 games played Andover scored 108 goals, with Michael Dixon being their top goalscorer with 34 goals in 29 games. Town also ended the season with fewest goals conceded, only conceding 28 goals, with goalkeeper Michael Weatherall keeping 13 clean sheets.

Club captain Lewis Benson ended the season picking up both the fans' player and players' player awards for the 2013–14 season. Lloyd Foot, who scored 18 league goals from centre back, subsequently moved on to play for Sutton United.

2014–15 season (Results)

At the end of their first season in the Premier Division Andover Town finished twelfth with 16 wins, 4 draws and 20 defeats resulting in 52 points. They also entered the FA Vase for the first time beating Westbury Town 1-0 at home before losing to Bradford Town 0-4 away from home.

Town players Charlie Gunson and Mark Childs both played for England Schoolboys during the 2014 Centenary Shield programme

2015–16 season (Fixtures)

John Robson, previously Manager at Blackfield and Langley FC, joined the club as Assistant Manager in the close season with Neil Benson continuing as First Team Manager, and Lewis Benson as First Team Coach. Striker Michael Dixon moved to Petersfield Town, newly promoted to the Southern League, whilst Claudio Herbert (Salisbury), Ryan Inskip & Toby McCauley (both Moneyfields), Ike Robertson & Ope Anamora (currently unattached) also left the club.

An active pre-season saw a number of new players joining the club in preparation for a new season which will see Andover Town entering the FA Cup for the first time, with a game against Gillingham Town on Saturday 15 August 2015.

Ground

The ground was previously the home to Andover FC, who went into administration in September 2011, and, having been taken on by the Colleges as an Academy base, was refurbished ready for the return of competitive football. After initial delays the ground was opened in December 2013 with Andover Town's 4-0 victory over Team Solent. The Andover College Football Academy programme is delivered from the Stadium, whilst it is also used for some Southampton (Sparsholt) Second Chance Academy fixtures, other local Community fixtures and is the home of the Andover Town Youth FC programme.

The stadium was constructed in 1989, and is situated in the Portway Industrial Estate on the western outskirts of the town. Built at a cost of £850,000, the ground has a main stand of brick and concrete construction with bench seating for around 250 people. This stand is set on a bank running along the entire south side of the ground, giving spectators on that side an elevated view of the pitch. The managers' benches are set into this banking in front of the stand at pitch level. The banking slopes down behind each goal until it reaches the same level as the pitch along the north side. There is hard standing around the entire perimeter of pitch, along with a turnstile block and a gate opening out onto the stadium car park for ambulance access.

Current squad

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.