Ebbsfleet United F.C.
Gravesend and Northfleet F.C. logo | ||||
Full name | Ebbsfleet United Football Club | |||
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Nickname(s) | The Fleet | |||
Founded | 1946 (as Gravesend & Northfleet) | |||
Ground | Stonebridge Road Kent | |||
Capacity | 5,011 | |||
Chairman | John Moules | |||
Head Coach | Liam Daish | |||
League | Conference National | |||
2008–09 | Conference National, 14th | |||
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Ebbsfleet United Football Club is an English football team currently playing in the Football Conference. The team plays their home matches at Stonebridge Road in Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent. However, the club is now looking to build a new stadium in the Ebbsfleet Valley vicinity in Gravesham.
Prior to May 2007 the club was called Gravesend & Northfleet. The change was announced at a public consultation meeting on the evening of 1 May 2007.[1] The club is sponsored by Eurostar, whose trains serve Ebbsfleet International railway station.
Since February 2008, the club has been owned by the web-based venture MyFootballClub, whose members may vote on team selection and player transfers, instead of those decisions being made exclusively by the club's management and staff as at most other clubs.[2]
History
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Gravesend & Northfleet F.C. was formed in 1946, following the Second World War, after a merger between Gravesend United (originally formed in 1893) and Northfleet United (originally formed in 1890) with the new club retaining the red & white home colours (and the Stonebridge Road stadium) of Northfleet United.[3]
In 1979, the team was one of the founder members of the Alliance Premier League (now today's Conference National),[4] but were relegated back into the Southern League Premier three seasons later.[5]
For the 1997-98 season, Gravesend & Northfleet left the Southern League and joined the Isthmian League. They played in the Premier Division of the league until the 2001-02 season, when they finished as champions and earned promotion back into the Conference, where they have remained since then.
The current head coach is former Coventry City defender Liam Daish, and the assistant manager is Alan Kimble, who used to play for Wimbledon. Gravesend and Northfleet have also been managed in the recent past by Andy Ford, who resigned after a GLS Cup game after an extended run of poor fixtures, only to pursue a coaching job at Stevenage Borough a few months later.
On 10 May 2008, Ebbsfleet United won the FA Trophy, defeating Torquay United 1-0 in the final on the club's first trip to Wembley, becoming the first Kentish team to win this trophy.[6] Ebbsfleet United went on to win the Kent Senior Cup in the same season, with a 4-0 victory over Cray Wanderers on 26 July 2008.
Traditional rivals
MyFootballClub takeover
On 13 November 2007, it was announced that the website MyFootballClub had entered a deal in principle to take over the club.[7] Approximately 27,000 MyFootballClub members each paid £35 to provide an approximate £700,000 takeover fund and all own an equal share in the club but make no profit nor receive a dividend. Members have a vote on transfers as well as player selection and all major decisions. Because of the nature of MyFootballClub, it was announced that manager Liam Daish would become instead the first team Head Coach. His backroom staff would remain at the club.[7]
Between 16 January and 23 January 2008, MyFootballClub members were given the choice to vote on whether to proceed with the takeover and whether to allow Liam Daish to continue with his plans for the January transfer window. Both resulted in overwhelming "Yes" votes: 95.89% voted to proceed with the takeover while 95.86% voted to allow Daish to continue his transfer plans. The deal was ratified at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club's board on 19 February.
Honours
- Southern League
- Champions: 1957-58
- Southern League South Eastern Section
- Runners Up: 1958-59
- Southern League Southern Division
- Champions: 1974-75, 1993-94
- Runners Up: 1988-89
- Isthmian League Premier Division
- Champions: 2001-02
- FA Cup
- Best season: 4th Round, 1962-63
- FA Trophy
- Kent Senior Cup
- Winners: 1948-49, 1952-53, 1980-81, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2007-08
- Runners-Up: 1947-48, 1976-77, 1990-91, 2005-06
Players
- As of 29 July 2009.
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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References
- ^ Hudd, Tony. "Shock as Fleet change their name". Kent Online. Retrieved 2007-12-29.
- ^ "Fans website approve 'Fleet deal". BBC Sport. 2008-01-23. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ^ Miller, Ed. "Official Website - 1940s". Ebbsfleet United F.C. Official Website. Retrieved 29 December 2007.
- ^ Rundle, Richard. "1979-1980 Alliance Premier League". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 29 December 2007.
- ^ Rundle, Richard. "1982-1983 Alliance Premier League". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 29 Deember 2007.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ Howard, Tom (10 May 2008). "Ebbsfleet make FA Trophy history". kentnews.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
- ^ a b "Website agrees Ebbsfleet takeover". BBC Sport. 13 November 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
External links
- Official website
- myfootballclub.co.uk
- EbbsfleetUnited.net - Unofficial website
- FleetWiki - Wiki about Ebbsfleet United
- From online phenomenon to Wembley finalists - The Guardian reports on the impact of ownership by MyFC
- A team of my own - the Daily Telegraph reports on the club and MyFC since the take over
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