Wormley Rovers FC vs. Kings Langley FC

Herts FA Senior Challenge Cup

Date: 26 November 2024

Kickoff: 19:45

View from the chair

Welcome everyone to The Lane for tonights Herts FA Senior Challenge cup tie against Kings Langley and a particular warm welcome to the players officials and supporters of Kings Langley. Unbelievably, it appears that home games are like London buses you wait ages for one and then seven come along at once, yes this the second of seven home games in a row for us right through until January 2025. This will be a big test tonight for our young squad coming up against higher opposition and the winners tonight will go on to face Boreham Wood in the next round so a big opportunity for players from whoever wins to test themselves against some of the very best non-league players around.

It is a quick turnaround of course since our decisive victory Saturday over Kempston Rovers running out 7-2 winners and with seven different scorers on the day we are sure that is a new club record, it is certainly our record scoreline at step 5. We played well Saturday in atrocious conditions in fact the referee told us after the game that when the opposition centre half went sliding off the pitch into the advertising hoardings in the 86^th minute he wondered if he should call the game off at that point, thankfully he did not and the player was fine. Credit to the players who played some great football in the worst of conditions, driving rain and unpredictable winds.

Busiest person at the club over the last month has been our physio Steph who has been kept on her toes with the number of injuries we are picking up but hopefully that will settle down now and we can get the whole squad fit and available for what is always a busy period in and around Christmas. It has been a tough few months with injuries taking its toll on the squad which has disrupted our early season rhythm but that’s where our young squad must learn lessons quickly and adapt to the challenges in front of them.

I get to see how incredibly hard Ryan, Tony, Lee and Adam work in training and on match days and they are trying to improve players both individually and as a unit and there is something incredibly pleasing about watching young players develop and thrive in an environment where we want them to enjoy their football but also develop. There is certainly a togetherness amongst the whole squad that has carried over from last year that should help us through the inevitable tough times that every team goes through.

Congratulations to Danny Haigh who picked up Player of the Month award for September and to Cormac Clark who wins the October award.

Enjoy the game!

Welcome to our opponents

Kings Langley Football Club is one of the oldest in Hertfordshire, having been formed in 1886, with the village doctor, Frederick Fisher as its first Chairman. Founder members of the West Herts League in the 1891-92 season, Kings Langley also won the St. Mary’s Cup in front of 3,500 people at the Watford Recreation Ground in the same season, retaining it the next year and losing the final on a replay the following year. Early pitches were at Groomes Meadow, Blackwell Meadow and Kings Langley Common and although it has been stated that the Club did not move to Home Park until 1913, the pitch was certainly hosting a 1898-99 match against Hemel Hempstead Town in front of 300 spectators.

After slipping down the divisions, Kings Langley’s first league honour came in 1911-12, winning the Division 3 title, followed by the Division 2 Championship in 1919-20. The following two seasons saw an uncomfortable time in the Herts County League, before returning to the West Herts Division 1 in 1922-23. A similar drop down the divisions led to the Club folding in February of 1930, only to be reformed four months later, with a Division 2 Championship and Webster Cup triumph at the end of the first season. The return to the top flight lasted only two seasons, but two years later Kings Langley topped Division 2 for their fourth divisional title.

1934 saw a new pavilion built on Home Park and this was opened by the future F.I.F.A. president, Sir Stanley Rous, who kept a close interest with his local club.

The Herts County League was then reformed, but Langley took the radical step of joining the Southern Olympian League, taking the second and first division titles in successive years and spending two seasons in the Premier until the outbreak of war.

A 1939 application to play in the F A Cup was accepted in the post of 1945, leaving Kings Langley to raise a side in four weeks! Amazingly, the Preliminary round was negotiated before losing in the first Qualifying round. Missing the first season, Kings were back in the Herts County League, gaining promotion from Division Two in 1946-47. In the five seasons that followed, the First Division title was won twice, runners up spot achieved twice and the St. Mary’s Cup won after a 58 year gap.

Kings Langley regularly competed in the F A Amateur Cup and in September 1949 entertained the famous amateurs of Corinthian Casuals. Although losing 1-3, the match provided plenty of local interest with over 500 watching the game.

Three successful seasons in the Parthenon League followed, but travelling expenses were high, so it was back to the Herts County League in 1955-56 for a tenure that would last for the next 45 years. Gradual improvement led to back to back Premier League titles in 1965-66 and 1966-67, plus a Herts Charity Shield triumph (66-67) and the Aubrey Cup in 1967-68. This was probably the first ‘golden period in the club’s history and although the 1971-72 season saw the St. Mary’s Cup won again, relegation followed a year later. Three seasons in Division One culminated with promotion as champions, the forerunner of two seasons up, two seasons down, before another promotion was overshadowed by the loss of Home Park to redevelopment in 1980. A nomadic existence followed, playing at Oxhey, Rolls Royce and Buncefield Lane and finally the Leavesden hospital ground, until the first weekend of March 1997 saw a dream finally realised as Kings Langley’s senior and junior teams took up the residence of their new ground at Hempstead Road under the banner of the Associated Football Clubs of Kings Langley.

The reformation of Kings Langley Youth Football Club in 1989 after a 19 year absence was to play its part, as both junior and senior supporters combined to launch a project of obtaining the Hempstead Road land, laying two pitches and building a pavilion. Sponsors included the National Lottery, Herts. F A, Dacorum Borough Council, Kings Langley Parish Council and the club’s great benefactor, Graham Gaywood, who tragically passed away so soon after the dream was realised. The ground is named Gaywood Park as a tribute to someone who made it all possible.

However, the new home did not bring an immediate turnabout in results and despite winning the Rickmansworth Charity Cup, Langley were involved in relegation battles for the next two seasons. Form improved and as the first season of a new century ended, a top four finish was achieved. This was followed by the heartbreak of losing the title race on goal difference in 2000-01 and the decision was taken that the time was right to apply for a higher level of football. Promotion was accepted to the Spartan South Midlands League at Division One level and while the club held its own with three mid table finishes, the continuing upgrading of ground requirements by the League at this level saw relegation to Division Two in 2003-04.

The first season in the lower tier was disappointing and Steve Heath was appointed manager for the next campaign. A sixth place was followed by the runners up spot the next season, but ground standards were still an issue and promotion was denied. 2007-08 saw magnificent treble success of League, Division 2 Cup and the retention of the Herts Intermediate Cup This included a club record run of 47 consecutive matches unbeaten in all competitions between 15-09-07 and 15-10-08. Promotion was granted on the basis of floodlights being in operation by late March 2009, but the slow turning wheels of the Local Planning system meant that this deadline was missed by a matter of weeks. Although seating improvements had been made in anticipation of Premier status, this was not considered and the club remained in Division One. Hard work ensured that the facilities accorded with standards for Step 5 in the pyramid, but by the start of the 2009-10 season, Steve Heath had moved on. He was succeeded by the experienced Paul Hobbs, who took a new young side to an encouraging 7^th placed finish, as well as the semi-finals of the Herts F A Senior Centenary Cup and quarter finals of the Challenge Trophy and Division One Cup. 2010-11 saw his emerging side further improve to third place and narrowly miss promotion, as the Club celebrated its 125^th anniversary.

2011-12. The Club took fourth place in Spartan South Midlands League Division 1, won the Herts Senior Centenary Trophy for the first time and were Herts Charity Shield & Division One Cup runners up. Paul Hobbs retired at end of season and Ritchie Hanlon & Paul Hughes were appointed joint managers.

2012-13. An encouraging sixth place in SSML Division 1 was achieved, with the bonus of winning the League Division 1 Cup

2013-14. Kings were Division 1 Runners Up and promoted to SSML Premier Division. Winners of the League Division 1 Cup, retaining trophy.

2014-15. Became SSML Premier Division champions at first attempt and won promotion to Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central.

Achieved the double by winning the Challenge Trophy (League Cup).

2015-16. Won the third consecutive promotion by finishing as champions of the Southern League Division 1 Central.

2016-17. A turbulent season saw the departure of Paul Hughes and Ritchie Hanlon at the end of October and the return of Paul Hobbs as manager. The season was a battle against relegation from the Southern League Premier in the debut season and back to back wins in the last two games ensured safety.

2017-18. The reorganisation of Steps 3 and 4 for 2018-19 meant only one team was relegated and while failing to improve on last season’s record, Kings were never in danger. Steve Conroy was promoted from coach to manager in December, succeeding Paul Hobbs.

2018-19. Achieved highest placed position in the history of the Club, finishing sixth and missing the play offs by one point. Steve Conroy departed at the end of the season due to failure to reach a financial agreement.

2019-20. Dean Barker appointed manager, but was succeeded in September by Chris Cummins. Club moved laterally to Southern League Premier Central. Ten match unbeaten run at start of 2020 took Kings to edge of play offs before season was concluded in March due to global pandemic.

2020-21. Season again abandoned due to pandemic.

2021-22 Club moved back to Southern League Premier South and avoided relegation with back to back wins in the final two games.

The Youth section continues to flourish and now boasts twenty six boys youth teams and two girls youth teams, ranging from Under Six up to Under Eighteen.

The club has now been granted FA Charter status and looks to further improve its facilities as well as to make further progress up the football pyramid.

2021-22. Lateral switch to Premier South on resumption of a full season. Injuries and narrow defeats condemned Kings to a relegation dogfight, and against the odds, status was preserved on the last day with a win at Salisbury.

2022-23. Lateral switch to Premier Central. Another relegation battle saw Chris Cummins resign in November, but despite a good start Chris Winton was unable to halt the slide and relegation was confirmed with two games to go.

2023-24. Jordan Parkes was appointed manager and after a good start, Kings hit a poor run of form mid-season and despite turning the corner in the latter stages were disappointed with a mid table finish.

RECENT MAJOR HONOURS

SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION 1 CENTRAL CHAMPIONS ~ 2015-16

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION CHAMPIONS ~ 2014-15

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS CHALLENGE TROPHY WINNERS ~ 2014-15

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION 1 RUNNERS UP & PROMOTED ~ 2013-14

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION 1 CUP WINNERS ~ 2012-13, 2013-14

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION 2 CHAMPIONS ~ 2007-08

HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ~ 1949-50, 1951-52, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1975-76

HERTFORDSHIRE SENIOR CENTENARY TROPHY WINNERS ~ 2011-12

HERTFORDSHIRE INTERMEDIATE CUP WINNERS ~ 2006-07, 2007-08

HERTFORDSHIRE CHARITY SHIELD WINNERS ~ 1966-67