Saltash United F.C.

Saltash United
Full name Saltash United Football Club
Nickname(s) The Ashes
Founded 1946
Ground Kimberley Stadium, Saltash
Manager Matt Cusack
League South West Peninsula League Premier Division
2015–16 South West Peninsula League Premier Division, 6th
Website Club home page

Saltash United Football Club is a Cornish semi-professional football club based in Saltash, Cornwall that plays in the South West Peninsula League Premier Division.

Since its formation in 1946, the club has won three Western Football League Premier Division titles, one Western Football League Division One title and two South Western League titles.

The club crest adopts the heraldic seal used by the town of Saltash for many centuries. The shield is placed between two ostrich feathers and ensigned by a crown, which are taken from the arms of the Duchy of Cornwall.

The Charter of Incorporation refers to the town of Saltash as 'Essa', Latin for 'Ash' – to which the club takes its nickname.

History

Foundation, formation and the early years

The Saltash Stars in 1924, the year when they were Cup Winners.[1]

Football in Saltash was first played as long ago as 1893. Teams played under several names – Essa, Saltash Stars and Saltash Town among them. The Saltash team disbanded with the onset of the Second World War but a new club, Saltash United, was formed for the 1946–47 season, playing in the Cornwall Senior League Eastern Section.

In the 1950–51 season the Ashes won the "Triple Crown" taking all three Cornish senior trophies: the Cornwall Senior Cup, the Durning Lawrence Charity Cup and the Herald Cup.

Two seasons later, they won the title in the 1953–54 campaign.[2] The club stayed in the South Western league until the end of the 1976 season except for a four season period when they left the league at the end of the 1958–59 campaign and rejoined again for the 1962–63 season. In their last season in the South Western League, 1975–76, they won the league for a second time.

The 1980s

On gaining promotion from the South Western League to the Western League in 1976, Saltash won the First Division Championship in their first season. The Ashes went on to become one of the great forces in the Western League Premier Division during the 80's in which barely a season went by without the team securing at least one piece of silverware.

1987 Cup run

Irregular entrants since 1970, Saltash fell agonisingly close to reaching the FA Cup first round in 1987. Farnborough F.C., then of the Isthmian League Premier Division, won the Fourth Round Qualifying tie, ending the most successful run for Saltash in the famous knockout cup competition's history.[2] Farnborough went on to lose 2–1 to Cambridge United in the First Round.

Since 1990

By the end of the 1994–95 season the club returned to the South Western League as the high travelling expense of competing in the Western League took its toll. Former European Champion Clubs' Cup winner Allan Evans became manager in 2002 and his influence was immediately felt with new players and a new approach to club discipline and training. Despite rejoining the Western League First Division for 2 seasons in 2004–05 and 2005–06, the club have since been unable to repeat the success of the 1980s. In 2007, they joined the newly formed South West Peninsula League finishing the inaugural season as runners-up. On 29 May 2013, Saltash announced Martin Burgess as first team manager, succeeding Stuart Dudley who resigned at the end of the 2012–2013 season.[3] On 21 January 2015, Martin Burgess stepped down as manager with the Ashes second in the table, only a point behind the leaders citing player priorities and squad availability as the reasons for his resignation.[4] The club broke their record for most consecutive wins at the start of a season by beating St Blazey 5-0 on 27 August, 2016.

Stadium

Saltash United play their home games at Kimberley Stadium, Callington Road, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6DX. The ground, holding up to 3,000 fans, is floodlit with a covered seated stand and licensed clubhouse.[5]

Playing in the Cornwall Senior League Eastern Section, the original ground was Maunders Field – 0.3 miles from their current home at Kimberley Stadium.

Tim Halford Stand

On July 12, 2008, the football club staged the first annual memorial day for Tim Halford in which Kimberley Stadium's main grandstand was renamed the Tim Halford Stand.[6] Tim was the Ashes manager when he died in September 2007 at the age of 45.

Rivalries

The club's traditional rivals are fellow East Cornwall side Liskeard Athletic F.C. (the game is known as the East Cornwall Derby). Although a rivalry also exists with Callington Town, it has been somewhat subdued in recent seasons due to the fact they compete a division below Saltash in the South West Peninsula League Division 1 West. On 8 July 2012, the club announced the signings of four Liskeard Athletic players, Demitri Kanakh, Matt Godfree, Lewis Russell and Richard Maddison. The four were to be joined by their former manager in late 2012, when Martin Burgess stepped down as manager of Liskeard to fill the vacant assistant managers post at Kimberley Stadium. On 29 May 2013, Saltash announced Burgess as first team manager, succeeding Stuart Dudley who resigned at the end of the 2012–2013 season.[3]

Honours

Saltash United's list of honours include the following.

Honour Number Years
League
Western Football League Champions 3 1984–85, 1986–87, 1988–89
Western Football League Runners-up 2 1983–84, 1987–88
Western Football League Division One Champions 1 1976–77
South West Peninsula League Runners-up 1 2007–08
South Western League Champions 2 1953–54, 1975–76
South Western League Runners-up 4 1952–53, 1973–74, 1974–75, 2006–07
Domestic Cups
South Western League Cup Winners 1 1952–5
Cornwall Senior Cup Winners 3 1950–51, 1987–88, 1992–93
Cornwall Senior Cup Runners-up 1 2007–08
Cornwall Charity Cup Winners 2 1950–51, 2000–01
Western Football League Cup Winners 2 1986–87, 1987–8
South West Peninsula League Charity Cup Winners 1 2007–08

† Limited details available, may have achieved more.

Records

Players

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.PositionPlayerNation
Midfielder Clarke, ChrisChris Clarke      England
Defender Menhenick, ChrisChris Menhenick      England
Midfielder Barker, DaveDave Barker      England
Striker Hoyles, JonJon Hoyles      England
Midfielder Easton, LanceLance Easton      England
Midfielder Bance, DannyDanny Bance      England
Striker Edwards, LewisLewis Edwards      England
Defender Wickens, ScottScott Wickens      England
Defender Russell, LewisLewis Russell      England
Midfielder Maddison, RichardRichard Maddison      England
Striker Hoyles, JonJon Hoyles      England
Defender Menhenick, ChrisChris Menhenick      England
Midfielder Hall, CallumCallum Hall      England
10 Striker Richards, RyanRyan Richards      England
1 Goalkeeper Rickard, RyanRyan Rickard      England
Midfielder Farrant, SamSam Farrant      England
Striker Hughes, SamSam Hughes      England
Defender Leary, SamSam Leary      England
Midfielder King, TomTom King      England
Defender Sargison, SteveSteve Sargison      England

Notable former players

This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time.

Club officials

Boardroom positions

Position Name Nationality
President:Sheila Lennox-BoydEngland English
Chairman:Vacant
Vice Chairman:Colin PhillipsEngland English
Club Secretary:Steve LadlowEngland English

Coaching positions

First Team

Position Name Nationality
Manager:Matt CusackEngland English
Assistant Manager:Dane BunneyEngland English
First Team Coach:VacantEngland English
Head Physio: Tim BowmanEngland English

Reserves

Position Name Nationality
Manager:Steve Manuel England English
Assistant Manager:Eddie Shapland
Physio/Fitness Coach:Brendan LightfootEngland English

Sponsorship

The club's current sportswear manufacturer is Puma. The club's main sponsor is PestFix, a company specialising in Pest Control Supplies & Consumables.

References

  1. . www.books.google.co.uk.co.uk. Retrieved 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 SALTASH UNITED at the Football Club History Database
  3. 1 2 . www.plymouthherald.co.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  4. . www.plymouthherald.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  5. . www.plymouthherald.co.uk Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  6. . www.plymouthherald.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
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