Wormley Rovers FC vs. Colney Heath FC

Welcome to our opponents

The “Magpies” were founded in 1907 and played their early football in the Hatfield District League and, after the 1st World War, joined the Mid Herts League, where the 3rd team played until recently. Earlier records indicate the winning of a Harcourt Cup but in is believed that this was Junior football some 18 month earlier, 1905-6.

Earlier matches were played on two grounds in Coursers Road (the Meadow and the Warren).
Success was a long time coming – 1935-36, and was disrupted by the 2nd World War. The golden era of football came from 1946 through to 1960 when the club won the Mid Herts Benevolent Shield twice, the Bingham Cox Cup, Division 1 and Premier Division titles.

In 1952 the switch was made from Fuzzen Field to the Recreation Ground and into the Herts County League. Division Two was won at the first attempt and success continued with two Playing Fields Cups, the Aubrey Cup twice, Division 1 and Premier titles. This culminated over the Easter weekend in 1960 with the Herts Intermediate Cup and Aubrey Cup double. The Reserve side also completed a double in 1958 winning both Cup and League.

In 1965-66, 1968-69 and 1975-76 saw relegations and a slip down to Division 3. Promotions in 1979-80, 1983-84 and 1985-86 saw a return to the Premier Division after a 20 year gap only to be relegated back immediately.

Odd trophies were picked up in the 60’s 70’s and 80’s but these were pretty barren years on the field. In August 1988 while modernising the building, the club burnt down. Without a clubhouse, the Magpies, playing from a Portacabin, regained entry to the Premier Division winning the Division 1 title. A new clubhouse was built in 1989 and an extension added in 1993, along with post and rails. Floodlights were erected in February 2000.

South Midlands football eluded the club with 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 4th finishes from 1994 – 1998, when second place would have been enough. Centenary Trophies back to back and another Aubrey Cup were won but the Herts County title only came in 1999/2000. The club’s ambition was to gain Premier Division status and with it FA Cup entry. Finishes of 5th 3rd 5th 6th and 5th were not enough in the initial seasons, despite numerous semi-final appearances and consecutive Charity Cup successes in season .(2001/2 and 2002/3) The South Midland Reserve Challenge trophy was collected in 2004/5.The First Division title eventually came in 2005/6. With this came the Premier Division and the FA Cup. We had 15 happy seasons and steadily improving picking up the Premier Division Cup in 2010/11 with a 2-0 win against Leverstock Green. Our FA Vase run of 2013/14 saw us to a 3rd round replay which we followed up by being thrown out of the competition in 2014/15 which was a troubled season with many managerial changes. Our last few seasons have continued with changes for the better with Ryan ‘Tomo’ Thompson installing a togetherness across the club and an FA Cup run that may take some beating in future years and the little reward of second and third Charity Shield wins in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Our aim of promotion was achieved by a FA restructure with the appropriate fencing and turnstiles for step 4. We only stayed one year being relegated back to the SSML .With the support of local authorities and sponsors we hope to continue to make the small village proud for many years to come.