HARTLEY WINTNEY FC VS TAUNTON TOWN FC 15TH DECEMBER 2018 KICK-OFF 3.00PM THE EVO-STIK LEAGUE SOUTH THEROW PREMIER SOUTH HARTLEY WINTNEY FC CLUB HISTORY artley Wintney Football Club was founded in 1897 and played in an area ad- H jacent to the village's golf and cricket clubs. In 1953, the club moved to its present ground in Green Lane, known as 'The Memorial Ground'. A pavilion was erected and the team played in the Basingstoke League and, later, in the Alder- shot League. In 1973, Glynn Howell was appointed Manager. In his six year reign, the team won the Aldershot Senior League three times in succession, and the Aldershot Senior Cup. After several seasons in the Aldershot Senior League, Hartley were admitted to the Combined Counties League, which replaced the Surrey Senior League. After the first couple of seasons and two changes of management, the club appointed Ian Bedford as Manager. Once again an influx of senior players brought Hartley success. Within his three years in management, they gained trophies including the League Title (1982-1983) and Runners Up (1981-1982), Aldershot Senior Cup Winners (1980-1981), and George Allen Cup Winners (1981-1982). They were also Runners Up in the League Cup (1982-1983) and Aldershot Senior Cup (1981-1982). During this period a new Clubhouse was opened. David Willoughby, the then Sec- retary & Treasurer, and Bill Mitchell, the then club Chairman and now President, devoted excep- tional hours in the em- bryo stages of this ven- ture. Further invest- ments around this time included floodlights, new changing rooms and covered seating. In 2007-08 under man- ager Mike Scott, the club gained promotion from Divi 1 of the Combined Counties League, but 2008-09 ended in relega- tion by a narrow margin. Under manager and assistant Pete Gray and John Con- don, the first team rallied, finishing 5th in CCL Div 1 in 2009-10. Coach Louis King took the reigns as manager when Pete Gray stepped down, guiding the team to 7th in CCL Div 1 in 2010-11. A management team of ex-Basingstoke Town and Oxford United striker, Neville Roach, Assistant Mick Wollen and Coach Scott Tarr took charge for 2011-12 and it was a notable season, with the club achieving promotion back to the Com- bined Counties League Premier Division. Hartley also had a fine FA Cup run that took them to the Third Qualifying Round, but the euphoria of the cup run and promotion was dampened even before the champagne bubbles had burst, when the coaching staff and almost the entire squad left for Thatcham Town. For the 2012-13 season, ex-Millwall defender, Dave Tuttle, was given the sum- mer to prepare a new squad. However, a string of poor results led to a second change in management in less than 4 months, with 24 year-old ex-Basingstoke Town and Hartley striker, Ben Dillon, given his first managerial position. Once again there was an almost total outflow of players and Ben, with assistants Ja- son Minton and Joe Lawler, set about rebuilding the squad, but by this time with Hartley well and truly set adrift at the bottom of the table. Their enthusiasm, 2 PROUD HAMPSHIRE CLUB SINCE 1897 belief and the introduction of a talented group of players quickly restored the spirit around the club. In what became known as the season of the club's 'Great Escape', the Row’s place in the CCL Premier was secured against all the odds after a truly remarkable second half of the season. Dillon further strengthened the squad, with Steve Saunders and Dan Brownlie brought in to the coaching setup alongside Jason and Joe. The 2013-14 season started well and there were wins in the FA Cup to setup a home tie in the 4th Qualifying Round for the first time in the club's history, losing out to an in-form Daventry Town in front of a crowd of over 1,000. The cup run took its toll on the league form but the club finished a creditable 7th in the CCL Premier Division. A new Club crest was commissioned ahead of the 2013-14 season, with a design that is modern but holds true to the traditions of a village club founded over 100 years ago. Designed by Philippa Bell, the current crest incorporates several ele- ments of historical significance. With the village recorded in the 13th century under the name of Hertleye Wynteneye, meaning "the clearing in the forest where the deer graze by Winta's island", the crest shows a tree and a stag, as well as the rose emblem of the Club's home county, Hampshire. The Club's nick- name of 'The Row' is taken from 'Hartley Row', a former hamlet within Hartley Wintney. The nickname and the year in which the Club was founded are also incorporated in the crest. 2014-15 saw the club consolidate its place in the CCL Premier Division, finishing a comfortable 9th. Dillon stepped down at the end of the season and Dan Brownlie and Anthony Millerick were appointed as Joint First Team Managers for 2015-16, with Joe Lawler remaining part of the coaching setup, and Luke Tuffs coming in as First Team Coach while continuing as Youth Team Manager. It was a very eventful 2015-16. After a memorable FA Cup win away at Merthyr Town in the Second Qualifying Round, Hartley battled back from 2-0 down to 2- 2 away at Conference South Eastbourne Borough, only to be beaten by a goal struck deep into injury time. In the FA Vase, Hartley Wintney broke a longstand- ing club record by reaching the 5th Round Proper. In front of a sell-out 1,300 at Green Lane, eventual finalists Hereford proved too strong, but the Row went on to top the CCL Premier Division for most of the season and claimed the 2015-16 league title, finishing 10 points clear on 106 points, with a goal difference of +87 and having lost just four league games all season. Promotion, however, was de- nied due to ground grading issues. Faced with attempting to achieve back-to-back title wins and put in place the substantial ground improvements that would allow progression, the 2016-17 season under co-managers Dan Brownlie and Anthony Millerick, and coach Luke Tuffs, was extraordinary. The Row topped the Combined Counties League Prem- ier Division for the entire season, reached the semi-finals of the Hampshire Sen- ior County Cup and the final of the Aldershot Senior Cup, and secured the re- quired ground grading to allow the Row to take their place in the Southern League South, making it to Step 4 of the football pyramid for the first time. And to top off a wonderful 2016-17, Luke Tuffs’ Youth team won the Hampshire FA Youth Cup against a strong Aldershot Town U18. 3 HARTLEY WINTNEY FC CLUB HISTORY The team took life at Step 4 in their stride, helped by the consistency provided by an unchanged management team and settled squad, and the 2017-18 season was to prove even more remarkable than the previous campaign. The Row sat within the top four for much of the season, never dropping below 8th. They set down a marker in the FA Cup, beating local rivals Basingstoke Town in a replay at Green Lane. Town later responded by signing Hartley's top goalscor- er and club captain, Sam Argent. Argent's departure was a huge setback, but the management team responded by bringing in Rowan Vine, the charasmatic ex-professional. Vine restored belief in both the team and the supporters; it was an inspired signing. The Row embarked on their first FA Trophy campaign, which included wins against Gosport Borough and Farnborough FC before going out 0- 2 in the First Round Proper against eventual finalists, Bromley FC. Vine joined the management team at one of his former clubs battling relegation late in the season. Losing Rowan seemed a massive blow at a critical point, but again the management team made an inspired signing. Nic Ciardini joined from Farnborough and was instrumental in keeping the momentum going. Hugely important was also the strong central defensive partnership that had grown dur- ing the second half of the season between Jack Ball and Liam Eagle. A Play-Off place was secured and the Row won the semi-final against AFC Dun- stable 2-0. Cambridge City had triumphed at Hayes & Yeading FC in the other semi. In front of a crowd of over 700 at Green Lane, a tense game was decided by a single goal scored by Ciardini and so the Row clinched promotion and made it to the Southern Premier at Step 3; a truly outstanding achievement. The final season highlight was in lifting the Aldershot Senior Cup with a 4-1 win against Eversley & California FC. 20182018----19191919 The Club heads into new territory in the Southern League once again as it takes its place proudly in the Evo-Stik League South, Premier South for this season, having negotiated the steep climb from Step 5 to Step 3 in just two seasons. A revised management team is at the helm, with Dan Turkington stepping in as co -manager alongside Anthony Millerick, and there is a new and experienced coaching setup under Head Coach Luke Tuffs, with Sam Rafique, Mark Hurst and Keith Benjamin joining the background team. We also welcome a new First Team Shirt Sponsor. 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