Chatham Town WFC

Last updated

Chatham Town Women
Full nameChatham WFC
Foundedas Borstal '88
GroundBauvil Stadium, Chatham
ChairmanKevin Hake
ManagerVicky Ashton-Jones (Interim Manager)
League FA Women's National League Division One South East
2023–24 FA Women's National League South, 11th of 12 (relegated)

Chatham Town Women, previously known as Gillingham Women's Football Club, is an English women's football club. The club compete in the and stage home matches at the Bauvill Stadium in Chatham, Kent.

Contents

History

In 1995, Gillingham F.C. owner Paul Scally co-opted a local women's football team called Borstal '88. [1]

In June 2014, the team was brought back under the banner of the men's football club, Gillingham F.C., after a period as an independent outfit. [2] Following this takeover, the club became known as Gillingham Ladies and played home games at Priestfield Stadium. Simon Ratcliffe was appointed as manager, but the club was relegated after the 2014–15 season and Ratcliffe subsequently departed. [3]

In June 2020, Gillingham F.C. announced that, as a result of restructuring necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, they would no longer operate Gillingham Ladies with immediate effect. [4] The club, sanctioned by the FA Women's National League, simultaneously announced a rebrand as Gillingham Women and would continue competing as an independent entity. [5]

In October 2022 Kevin Hake, the manager-chairman of Chatham Town, was announced as owner-chairman of the side, succeeding Josh Oatham. [6]

The FA has approved a name change to Chatham Town Women from the 2023–24 season. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillingham F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Gillingham Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent, England. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, the "Gills" play their home matches at Priestfield Stadium. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, in the 2023–24 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chatham Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Chatham Town Football Club is an English association football club based in Chatham, Kent. It currently plays in the Isthmian Premier Division and is nicknamed "The Chats".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Scally</span>

Paul Damien Phillip Scally is a London-born businessman who served as the chairman of Gillingham Football Club between 1995 and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priestfield Stadium</span> Association football stadium in Kent, England

Priestfield Stadium is a football stadium in Gillingham, Kent. It has been the home of Gillingham Football Club since the club's formation in 1893, and was also the temporary home of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club for two seasons during the 1990s. The stadium has also hosted women's and youth international football matches and a London Broncos rugby league match.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Hessenthaler</span> Footballer and manager (born 1965)

Andrew Hessenthaler is an English football manager and former player who is head of recruitment at EFL League Two club Gillingham. He began his career in non-league football and did not turn professional until he joined Watford at the age of 26. In 1996, Hessenthaler joined Gillingham and spent the next ten years at the club as player and later player-manager, managing the club to its highest ever finish in the English football league system and becoming regarded as a legend of the Kent club. After leaving Gillingham, he had a short spell at Barnet, before joining Dover Athletic in 2007. In his two seasons in charge he led the club to successive championships, of Isthmian League Division One South and the Isthmian League Premier Division. After three years at Dover, he became manager at Gillingham for the second time, but his contract was terminated at the end of the 2011–12 season. He returned to the club as assistant manager in 2014, before taking on a similar role at Leyton Orient the following year. In 2016, he was appointed manager of the club, but was sacked later the same year. In November he was appointed manager of Eastleigh, but the following year left to return to Dover, where he stayed until January 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Gillingham F.C.</span> History of an English football club

Gillingham Football Club is an English football club based in Gillingham, Kent. The club was formed in 1893, and played in the Southern League until 1920, when that league's top division was absorbed into the Football League as its new Division Three. The club was voted out of the league in favour of Ipswich Town at the end of the 1937–38 season, but returned 12 years later, when that league was expanded from 88 to 92 clubs. Twice in the late 1980s Gillingham came close to winning promotion to the second tier of English football, but a decline then set in and in 1993 the club narrowly avoided relegation to the Football Conference. In 2000, the "Gills" reached the second tier of the English league for the first time in the club's history and went on to spend five seasons at this level, achieving a club record highest league finish of eleventh place in 2002–03. The club has twice won the division comprising the fourth level of English football: the Football League Fourth Division championship in 1963–64 and the Football League Two championship in 2012–13.

The Kent Senior Cup is an English football knock-out competition played between senior clubs in the county of Kent. It is administered by the Kent County Football Association (KCFA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Stimson</span> Footballer; football manager (born 1967)

Mark Nicholas Stimson is an English former footballer and manager. He signed his first professional contract with Tottenham Hotspur in 1985, but was unable to gain a regular place in the team. In 1989, he moved on to Newcastle United, where he made over 80 appearances in the Football League. He later played for Portsmouth, Southend United and Leyton Orient before dropping into non-League football.

Stephen Lovell is a Welsh former professional footballer and manager. He is currently manager of Herne Bay.

Darren Hare is an English football coach and former player, who is interim assistant manager of Ashford United.

During the 1995–96 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system. It was the 64th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 46th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. After being in severe financial difficulties for several months, Gillingham had been saved from going out of business during the summer of 1995 by new chairman Paul Scally, who purchased the club for a nominal fee and appointed Tony Pulis as the team's new manager. Having signed many new players, Gillingham began the season strongly with four consecutive wins and remained in the top three positions in the Third Division for the entire season, finishing in second place. The club thus gained promotion to the Second Division seven years after being relegated from the third tier.

Daniel Trevor Kedwell is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Chatham Town where he is also assistant manager. He has spent most of his career playing non-League football, but played in League One and Two during a four-year spell with Gillingham, his hometown club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middlesbrough F.C. Women</span> Womens football club in England

Middlesbrough Football Club Women is an English women's football club. Founded in 1976, they currently play in the FA Women's National League Division One North, with home games played at Bishopton Road West, Stockton.

During the 1996–97 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division, the third tier of the English football league system. It was the 65th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 47th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. In the previous season, the team had gained promotion from the Third Division. Prior to the new season, Gillingham signed seven new players, paying a new club record transfer fee for Watford's Andy Hessenthaler. The team's form was poor in the first half of the season and at the end of 1996, Gillingham were in 21st position in the 24-team league table, putting them in danger of relegation back to the fourth tier. The club signed Ade Akinbiyi from Norwich City for another record fee in early January. In the second half of the season the team's performances improved and they finished the season in 11th position in the table.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitchell Dickenson</span> English footballer

Mitchell Dickenson is an English professional footballer who most recently played as a defender for Welling United and the England C team.

Darren Joseph Norman Oldaker is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League club Chesterfield.

The 2022–23 season was the 130th season in the existence of Gillingham Football Club and the club's first season back in League Two since the 2012–13 season following their relegation from League One the season before. In addition to the league, they also competed in the 2022–23 FA Cup, the 2022–23 EFL Cup and the 2022–23 EFL Trophy.

During the 1989–90 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Fourth Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system. It was the 58th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League and the 40th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. In the previous season, the team had been relegated from the Third Division, after which a number of players left the club, resulting in several teenagers playing in the opening games of the new season. Gillingham began their league campaign in poor form but a run of five consecutive wins in October and November took them into the top six. In December, the team lost to Maidstone United in the first Football League match between two Kent-based teams. Gillingham remained in contention for promotion until early March, but then lost six consecutive games; the team finished the season 14th in the Fourth Division.

During the 1950–51 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division South, the third tier of the English football league system. It was the first season of Gillingham's second spell in the Football League; prior to this season the club was elected back into the competition having lost its place in 1938. Gillingham's results in the first half of the season were poor, including a 9–2 defeat to Nottingham Forest, the highest number of goals the team had conceded for more than 20 years; at the end of 1950 they were second bottom of the Third Division South league table. In January and early February Gillingham climbed to 19th in the 24-team division after winning five times in six games, including a 9–4 victory over Exeter City, a new record for the club's highest Football League score which would stand for more than 30 years. After this they won only once in ten matches; the team finished the season 22nd in the division.

References

  1. "Gillingham Ladies / Girls Football Club". femaleSOCCER.net. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  2. "Gillingham FC proud to announce that Ladies Football is to be played at Priestfield". Gillingham F.C. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  3. "Darren Hare and Jack Wheeler replace Simon Ratcliffe as manager of Gillingham Ladies". Kent Online. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  4. "Club Statement: Gillingham Ladies Senior Team". Gillingham FC. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  5. "Gillingham: League One side drop support for ladies team". BBC Sport. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  6. Reeves, Thomas (27 October 2022). "New era starts for Gillingham Women". Kent Online . Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  7. Cawdell, Luke (22 May 2023). "Permission granted for Gillingham Women to become Chatham Town Women, playing in the FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division". kentonline.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2023.

51°23′57″N0°28′02″E / 51.399139°N 0.467197°E / 51.399139; 0.467197