Hemel Hempstead Town

Hemel Hempstead Town FC were originally formed as Apsley FC in 1885. They originally played in the West Herts League before joining the Herts County League until 1952. They then joined the Delphian League and became Hemel Hempstead FC before adding Town to their title in 1955.

'The Tudors' moved onto the Athenian League before joining the Isthmian League in 1977, where they remained for twenty five years before the FA moved them to the Southern League during re-organisation of the pyramid.

The clubs improved performances since Dave Boggins took over the club in 1997 saw them climb to Division One North of the Isthmian League at the time they were transferred. Owing to the formation of the Conference South, this gave them a place in the Southern League Premier Division.

The team had a successful period when they reached the semi finals of the play offs in both 2006-07 and 2008-09. The following season saw one of struggle as The Tudors were spared relegation owing to other clubs folding or being relegated because of financial troubles.

After several managers tried and failed, Town were handed a second reprieve from relegation in as many seasons as clubs elsewhere were penalised. Dean Brennan was appointed as team manager at the end of the season and he quickly brought in several players from his previous club, Dunstable Town.

The 2012-13 season saw Brennan's work come to fruition as he led his side to the play offs where they defeated Chesham United in the semi finals before going out at Adeyfield on penalties to Gosport Borough in the final.

Undeterred The Tudors went on to lift the Southern League crown in 2013-14 and promotion to Conference South.

Hemel Hempstead Town FC will play in Conference South in season 2014-15.

My visits

Wednesday 22nd July 2009

I walked the short distance from Leverstock Green to Vauxhall Road on a pleasant summers day. I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked through the housing estate of Adeyfield to the ground. I was most impressed with what I saw as Town are obviously a club of some substance. Around the turn of the millennium the ground was deemed insufficient for promotion so the club took note and did something about it.

The side by the entrances has a small seated stand which is predominantly for press and officials with a little terracing to the left and the changing rooms and clubhouse (including a beer garden) to the right. There are identical covered terraces behind both goals which are most impressive. A low covered seated stand is along the far side with some open standing.

The ground appeared cared for with everything gleaming with a new coat of paint.

I thought about walking into town and to the railway station but took the bus to the main shopping area. This was a mixture of the type of parade of shops seen on estates and the ultra modern complexes seen of late. I had very mixed feelings. One half was decent, the other Chavsville. I presumed (I should know after previous experiences never to presume anything) that the station was just around the corner. How wrong I was. The railway station was another mile away so it was just as well it was a peasant day and I could have a good giggle at the radio updates of Sven Goran Eriksson's arrival at Notts County.

Hemel Hempstead Town 3 Romford 2 (Thursday 22nd September 2011) FA Youth Cup First Qualifying Round (att: approx 45)

I had the day off work and wanted to see a game on one of the grounds I'd previously visited, which was in sensible distance. Thursday's aren't normally an easy day to find a match, but the early rounds of the FA Youth Cup offers plentiful opportunities.

I still had a £7 rail refund voucher from a previous trip up north where the trains had failed to deliver on their promise. I was never slow to point this out in writing to the company involved in such circumstances. It's something we don't do enough of in this country in my opinion. We all like a moan, but do nothing about it.

I took the train to St Albans from West Hampstead, with plenty of time for a beer or two before the bus to Adeyfield. After a look around the stunning city centre I settled in the highly recommended Blacksmiths Arms before catching the 6.45 bus to my destination.

Admission was £3, but I was slightly disappointed to find there were no programmes being issued. I went into the very comfortable clubhouse, and I'd no sooner settled with a beer than the gent from the gate came in and sorted me out with a teamsheet. That's what I call service!

I went outside to survey the scene. Hemel had laid artificial turf on the areas outside the playing area that got the most use; touchline, technical areas etc. The pitch was reasonably level but the land around wasn't with a slope down the pitch from the west goal. This led to some interesting viewing angles, not least from the terracing at the top end which looked down on top of the goalnet.

The clubs' first team were training on the adjacent floodlit 3G pitch and later went on the main pitch at half time to practise set pieces for their match the following Saturday. The food counter was open and offered some good traditional football fayre. Both that and the bar were under the control of a couple of Irishmen, the elder of which certainly wasn't scared of jewellry.

The Tudors youngsters wore a kit that was an off red, although it had plenty of washes while Romford wore a smart yellow and blue outfit. The pace was frenetic from the start, which must have been a strain on one of the largest linesmen I'd ever seen. In fairness he generally kept up with play. The home side thought they'd gone one up with an absolute cracking long range shot, only to have it chalked off as the referee hadn't seen the far side linesman flagging. It was a continuing theme throughout the game.

Romford were the better of the sides much to the joy of their keeper who also wore the captain's armband. He had a really broad Essex accent as he emplored his defenders to "get it aaaart". The teams returned to the dressing rooms with Romford deservedly one up.

However, that was to change in the second half as Hemel responded in fine style. Gradually they took control and then equalised. The second goal wasn't long in coming either.

I had a few walks around the ground. The crowd was mainly made up of parents and girlfriends of the players, plus a few loyal followers. They were certainly vocal, but in a good way. It was also encouraging to see the players not continually whining like some of their senior counterparts if a decision didn't go their way.

I left a few minutes before full time as I desperately needed to catch the 9.40 bus to get me home at a reasonable hour. Fortunately the driver seemed keen to finish his shift and he dropped me at St Albans station a couple of minutes ahead of schedule so I could catch the fast 10pm service back to West Hampstead.

Unfortunately it would appear I missed some dramatic late action after I departed. Romford played the last part of the game with ten men, but then equalised. Hemel then went straight up the other end to bag a winner and a tie away to Chelmsford City in the next round.

Despite missing the late developments, it was a good evening. An excellent pre match pub, a good game at a good ground with some nice refreshments, and I was at home at a reasonable hour without spending a fortune.

Hemel Hempstead Town 1 Sutton United 2 (Tuesday 27^th January 2015) Conference South (att: 362)

Having finished night shifts and trying to rejoin the land of the living I was not sure which game to go to. I was being joined by Jeff Cards for the evening. We had a look at several fixtures but nothing really stood out. The Middlesex Senior Cup tie between North Greenford United and Harrow Borough looked favourite until I rang Tony Foster.

He was heading to Hemel and offered us a ride from the Wetherspoon’s in Stanmore. This option won hands down. We headed for the pub and food. The chilli con carne was as good a pub meal as I’d had in ages and the ale was in decent form.

Tony picked us up and we were soon parking up in Adeyfield. He’d been for the match a few days previously against Torquay United in the FA Trophy.

Jeff and I were impressed with the set up at the Vauxhall Ground. Everyone seemed friendly at the club. We did have a giggle at the décor of the back room of the clubhouse. It was very ostentatious. We were in a quandary whether it was the set from Up Pompei or the staging of Demis Roussos’ state funeral? In all seriousness, it was good to see a club take pride and earn from their facilities.

The pitch was awful if truth be told and it added to the frenetic and tetchy nature of the game as poor control of the ball led to some daft challenges. It was played at full pelt which also led to plenty of fouls. The referee Michael George was getting some real clog from both sets of players and their supporters. I had some sympathy as he tried to allow for the conditions and keep bookings to a minimum, but he was too lenient in doing so.

Sutton took the lead thanks to a pitch induced defensive howler from Ed Asafu-Adjaye, allowed Dan Fitchett in to round Hemel keeper Josh Smith before rolling the ball home to the delight of their decent following.

Unfortunately I can't give a clear description of the equaliser, but from my position in trap two I heard that it was a screamer from just outside the box from regular scorer and Hemel skipper Jordan Parkes.

Jeff and I enjoyed a half time pint while chatting to a chap my pal knew from his time at Lord’s. We returned outside and I had a spell up on the terrace behind the goal before re-joining Tony down the side I thought that the first half excellent entertainment but after the break the play became scrappy. Sutton had been the better side but quality football became a rarity.

Hemel were extremely fortunate that their full back David King was given a yellow card instead of the obvious red for an awful studs showing foul on Bedsente Gomis. This led to an outbreak of handbags and a Sutton player screaming like a banshee, before remarkably recovering. In the melee another visitor was shoved over. Fortunately after holding his face to try and make matters worse, he got up. Perhaps he realised he couldn't shout abuse while holding his face?

While the decision from the ref was weak, he showed even less courage when he and his linesman were subjected to abuse and language so industrial I was expecting the shop steward to show up. He could have easily shown reds to two or three visiting players. While later researching I found out that their was previous history from a FA Trophy clash earlier in the season between the pair in the original incident.

Hemel's defence went walkabout as Sutton bagged a deserved late winner through Fitchett. Their fans were jubilant as were the players. Therefore, I was disappointed that their skipper Glen Southam decided that rather than celebrate he'd goad the home fans down the side with "F**king come on then" complete with hand gestures, loud and often.

I'd no doubt that he'd taken some stick throughout the game but I don't suppose it was from the patrons in the seats who included elder folk and families? The away support also gave the officials fearful stick as they left the pitch. I knew all about seeing your team conquer what seems like all things evil at an away game, but I thought they had got a little carried away. The ref hadn't been brilliant to either side.

Tony did his usual super driving work while we listened to extra time in the League Cup between Chelsea and Liverpool. We were back in the pub at Stanmore for just gone 10pm to enjoy a fine pint as a night cap.

It had been a decent night in superb company. I left just a little disenchanted with the growing poor attitudes of some of the players in the higher echelons of non-league football.