Ware FC is a non-league football club from the small town
of Ware who were formed in 1892 as Ware Town FC. Located on the River Lea in
Hertfordshire, around twenty two miles north of London, the club soon dropped ‘Town’
from their name.
A second Eastern division followed in 1912-13 before winning a second Herts League title in 1921-22 after securing the North & East Division championship. The original Herts County League was disbanded in 1925 as ‘The Blues’ moved to the Spartan League.
Ware enjoyed some successes in the Spartan League as they won the Division 2(B) Championship in 1925-26, Division 1 in 1950-51 and the Premier Division in 1951-52.
Ware moved to the Delphian League in 1955 as the club also enjoyed some memorable matches in the FA Amateur Cup. A record attendance of 3,800 flocked to Buryfield to see the clash with Hendon in January 1957.
The Delphian League was disbanded in the summer of 1963, with Ware becoming members of Division Two of the Athenian League. Promotion to Division One followed in 1966-67. The Blues went on a fine FA Cup run in 1968-69 campaign going all the way to the first round before going out 6-1 to Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.
The Blues suffered relegation in 1969-70 before regained their top division status in 1972-73 before becoming members of the enlarged Isthmian League in 1975-76, joining Division Two; which was rebranded as Division One in 1977. In 1981-82 Ware were relegated to the third tier Division Two.
Worse was to follow in 1996-97 as Ware were demoted to Division Three despite the move from their historic Bury field home ground in the centre of town to to Wodson Park on the edge of the town, which formed part of a sports village.
After a further league re-organisation the club found themselves placed in Division Two, going on to be crowned champions in 2005-06 and winning promotion to Division One North under manager Glen Alzapiedi.
The 2007-08campaign saw Ware go on another FA Cup run seeing off the likes of Thurrock and Tonbridge Angels to set up a first round tie against Kidderminster Harriers. A gate of 2,123 saw the game at Wodson Park as Ware went out 3-1.
Under the Chairman Mike Varney, the former Tottenham Hotspur physio, the club continued in the Isthmian League. They nearly suffered relegation at the end of the 2011-12 season, but they were reprieved after clubs elsewhere failed to meet their obligations.
The Blues spent many years at Buryfield before moving to a brand new site on the outskirts of the town at Wodson Park. Under the Chairman Mike Varney, the former Tottenham Hotspur physio, the club continued in the Isthmian League.
Ware nearly suffered relegation at the end of the 2011-12 season, but they were reprieved after clubs elsewhere failed to meet their obligations. The team rallied and put in some improved performances as manager Kem Kemal settled the squad.
After a season of consolidation and a mid place finish Kemal resigned half way through the 2015-16 season with his replacement being the former Watford, Maidstone United, Peterborough United and Birmingham City forward Ken Charlery.
Charlery’s side ended the season in eleventh place, before being transferred from the Southern League to the Isthmian League Division One for the 2016-17 campaign. The manager was replaced just after Christmas by Anwar Uddin, whose side were relegated on goal difference to the Spartan South Midlands League.
Ware FC will play in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division in the 2017-18 season.
My visits
Ware 0 St Albans City 5 (Saturday 24th March 1984) Isthmian League Division Two
In 1984 I was at college in Boreham Wood in Hertfordshire. I decided to have a day out to watch the FA Vase Semi Final between Stansted and Whickham. I made my way on the bus to Brimsdown station to catch the train.
Unfortunately, once I'd bought my ticket I realised I wouldn't get there in time. I quickly looked in my paper and asked the ticket seller if it was possible to change my destination. He kindly did, so I headed for the Isthmian League clash between Ware and St. Albans City. Ware was a pretty small market town and I soon walked to the Buryfield ground to spend some time in the clubhouse before the game.
Buryfield was nothing flash. It had a basic seated stand on the clubhouse side with a small covered terraced stand opposite. The rest of the ground was open. It was however very handily located for the town centre on Park Road.
City waltzed to a win on their way to a runners up position in the final league table and promotion.
Monday 10th August 2009
Many years later I took a bus for the short journey from Hertford to Ware while spending the day visiting the grounds of Herts. I was waiting to board when a man with learning difficulties asked the foreign driver if he was going to Ware?
The driver didn't understand and said "Where?" The passenger said Ware and this carried on for thirty seconds of pure comedy. The locals are nice folk and they solved the situation while I was trying not to wet myself.
I got off in the town centre and it was still as nice as I remembered from my previous time there. I couldn't see a bus that went near the ground so I set off walking. It seemed a fair distance on a map, but even worse street plans don't show hills.
A local told me I was heading in the right direction but it was quite a distance. I checked a timetable for returning buses and quickly worked out I had twenty minutes to get to the ground, take some photos and catch the hourly bus back into town.
I set off running up quite a hill. Well part of the reason I groundhop is to get fit. I was in a bit of a state when I got to Wodson Park!
The driver didn't understand and said "Where?" The passenger said Ware and this carried on for thirty seconds of pure comedy. The locals are nice folk and they solved the situation while I was trying not to wet myself.
I got off in the town centre and it was still as nice as I remembered from my previous time there. I couldn't see a bus that went near the ground so I set off walking. It seemed a fair distance on a map, but even worse street plans don't show hills.
A local told me I was heading in the right direction but it was quite a distance. I checked a timetable for returning buses and quickly worked out I had twenty minutes to get to the ground, take some photos and catch the hourly bus back into town.
I set off running up quite a hill. Well part of the reason I groundhop is to get fit. I was in a bit of a state when I got to Wodson Park!
It turned out to be well worth the effort. Wodson Park is a large sports centre with the football ground being part of the complex. It was built near to the new by pass around the turn of the century and hosts a multitude of sports.
There was a full sized athletics track next to the sports hall. The football ground has been tastefully designed to a sensible size, offering excellent spectator facilities. All areas are concreted. There are three or four steps of terracing behind each goal.
The Main Stand is all seated under a cantilevered roof with a clubhouse alongside. A covered area for spectators mirrors it on the far side of the pitch. The ground is surrounded by tastefully selected wooden fences.
I am very much a traditionalist, but Ware FC have undoubtedly got the better from the move to the new stadium. I just wish it had been in the same location as the old place!
There was a full sized athletics track next to the sports hall. The football ground has been tastefully designed to a sensible size, offering excellent spectator facilities. All areas are concreted. There are three or four steps of terracing behind each goal.
The Main Stand is all seated under a cantilevered roof with a clubhouse alongside. A covered area for spectators mirrors it on the far side of the pitch. The ground is surrounded by tastefully selected wooden fences.
I am very much a traditionalist, but Ware FC have undoubtedly got the better from the move to the new stadium. I just wish it had been in the same location as the old place!
I didn't have a lot of time before my next bus which was a bit of a shame because if I had hung around I could have watched the League Cup match between "Donnington" and Leeds in the Saracen Pub overlooking the waterway, as they somehow managed to advertise it!
Hoddesden Town 3 Edgware Town 2 (Wednesday 31st August
2016) Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division (att: 121)
To read the report on my day out and visit for the match
when Hoddesdon were tenants at Wodson Park, click here
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