Canvey Island

Canvey Island FC is a non-league football club from the town of the same name located on the north bank of the River Thames in Essex, around thirty miles east of central London. The club was formed in 1926, starting out life in the Southend & District League at their Park Lane home.

Much of the club history information was lost during the devastating East Coast floods of 1953 but it is known that they moved on to the Thurrock Combination; going on to complete the league and cup double in 1955-56.

Further progression came when ‘The Gulls’ joined the Parthenon League in 1957, where they ended as runners-up in 1959-60. A switch to the London League followed in 1963, before the competition merged with the Aetolian League to become the Greater London League in 1964.

The Islanders were placed in the A Division, with Denis Neville, a manager who found success with Sparta Rotterdam and the Dutch national team as well as at Atalanta and Odense Bolkklub at the helm in the 1966-67 season.

Canvey won the Division One and League Cup double in 1967-68; a feat that was repeated the following season. The Greater London League merged with the Metropolitan League in 1971 to become the Metropolitan-London League.

Canvey took up a place in Division One, finishing in the top five for a couple of successive seasons. The league merged with the Spartan League in 1975, at which point the club joined the Essex Senior League finishing as runners-up in 1978-79 and going on to be crowned champions in 1986-87.

The club was drifting towards possible extinction when former player and local caravan park businessman Jeff King took over the club in 1992, installing himself as manager and pouring investment into the club from his and other businesses.

The move paid immediate dividends as the team won a second league title in 1992-93 and going on a tremendous FA Vase run before eventually going out on aggregate in the semi-finals against Tiverton Town. Canvey were promoted to Division Three of the Isthmian League.

A runners-up place in 1994-95 secured promotion to Division Two from where they won the league title the following season to achieve a rise to Division One. The same campaign saw the side reach round one of the FA Cup before going out to Brighton & Hove Albion after a replay.

The first game at Park Lane attracted an attendance of 3,400 to see the 2-2 draw, before a slight blip occurred in 1996-97 as Canvey were relegated back to Division Two. King and his team weren’t to be perturbed, winning the Division Two title at the first attempt to return to Division One.

The rise continued as the Gulls won Division One twelve months later to reach the Premier Division. The 2000-01 season saw the Islanders finish as league runners-up, but it would be in the cup competitions that the club really excelled.

In the FA Cup the side battled through the qualifying rounds to face Port Vale in round one. The sides drew 4-4 at Park Lane before Canvey won the replay 2-1 at Vale Park after extra time thanks to goals from Neil Gregory and Wayne Vaughan.

Canvey were drawn at home to neighbours Southend United in the second round. The game was switched to Roots Hall which drew in a crowd of 11,402. Andy Jones bagged a late consolation as Canvey were defeated 2-1.

The FA Trophy brought even greater rewards. Wins against the likes of Stevenage Borough and Telford United and then Chester City in the semi-final saw a final appearance against favourites Forest Green Rovers.

The final was played at Villa Park in front of 10,007 fans and saw Canvey lift the trophy thanks to a goal from Ben Chenery after fourteen minutes with Mark Stimson, Steve Tilson and Mick Bodley playing starring roles in the success.

In 2000-01 Canvey again finished as league runners-up. Their interest in the FA Trophy ended in the fifth round against Yeovil Town, but again it would be the FA Cup that brought the club to national attention.

A solitary Gregory goal was enough to win the away first round match against Wigan Athletic. Northampton Town were defeated 1-0 at Park Lane in front of the live BBC TV cameras thanks to another goal from hero Neil Gregor. Lee Boylan’s goal wasn’t enough in the third round at Turf Moor against Burnley who won the tie 4-1.

A third successive runners-up Isthmian League Premier Division finish ensued in 2002-03, with the side also reaching the fourth round of the FA Trophy before going out to Northwich Victoria. However the 2003-04 campaign was not to disappoint.

Canvey Island became Isthmian League champions; winning promotion to the Football Conference. The 2003-04 season also saw another FA Cup run to the first round and a rematch with Southend United. 9,234 saw a 1-1 draw at Roots Hall before United won the replay 3-2 at Park Lane. Boyland and Jeff Minton scored the goals for Canvey.

The FA Trophy Final was reached for a second time, following wins against the likes of Stalybridge Celtic and Telford United. Canvey went down 3-2 in the Villa Park final against Hednesford Town, with Lee Boylan and Chris Brindley with an own goal netting for the Gulls.

Canvey just escaped relegation in their debut Conference season as well as reaching the first round of the FA Cup before losing to Aldershot Town. In 2005-06 the team finished in mid table but King decided that the attendances did not justify the investment.

King departed as the club took a voluntary demotion to Division One North of the Isthmian League with John Batch as manager. In the 2007-08 season Canvey finished in the play-offs where they defeated AFC Sudbury and then Redbridge on penalties to win promotion to the Premier Division.

Glen Alzapiedi took over as manager in January 2012 with Batch moving ‘upstairs’ into a directors role. Former club skipper, Steve Tilson was appointed as team manager in the summer of 2012 before he was replaced by Danny Heale twelve months later.

Heale’s side finished towards the lower half of the table before being relegated at the end of the 2016-17. Heale was replaced by Mark Bentley in September 2018 after his side finished in sixth place in Division One North in 2017-18. They defeated Bowers & Pitsea in the playoffs before going down in the final to Haringey Borough.

A run to the second round of the FA Cup in 2020-21 brought in welcome revenue as Banbury United were defeated before Boreham Wood ended the run at Park Lane. Bentley was replaced by Brad Wellmen in October 2021 who took the side to the playoffs a few months later.

Felixstowe & Walton United and then Brentwood on penalties were defeated as Canvey returned to the Premier Division of the Isthmian League. 2022-23 saw a penalty defeat to Aveley in the semifinals of the playoffs. 

Canvey Island FC will play in the Isthmian League Premier Division in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

Canvey Island 3 Hendon 1 (Saturday 22^nd September 2001) Isthmian League Premier Division (att: 522)

Canvey were just embarking on their most successful spell after being promoted to the Premier Division of the Isthmian League, so I decided that it was about time that I headed east to see what all the fuss was about.

The train dropped me at South Benfleet, from where I took a bus onto the island before getting out in the town centre of Furtherwick Road. I was hoping there may have even been somewhere with the FA Trophy on display?

Instead, I made my way to the waterfront and walked along, before cutting across some fields to the grounds entrance. I forget what the admission charge was, but do recall Hendon having decent support and the clubhouse being a bit small.

The ground was pretty basic, with a couple of small covers along the very narrow far side and a low Main Stand for seated spectators opposite. The sea end was narrow terracing, with the entrance end having two separate sections of open terrace.

Fortunately, Hendon FC have a very good archive, which has assisted my recollection of the game. The visitors gave it a good go in the first half; which ended goalless, before Chris Duffy put the hosts ahead just after the interval.

On seventy-five minutes substitute Paul Cobb doubled Canvey’s lead as he fired past Dons keeper David Hook. Three minutes later the home side put the game out of reach when Wayne Vaughan broke clear before slotting home.

Rene Street headed home a stoppage-time consolation for Hendon; which was the least that their efforts deserved against a fast powerful outfit who were obviously heading for greater success. At full time I ventured over the road to the Admiral Jellicoe pub to await for my bus.

The pub was definitely an experience and I wasn’t too upset when it was time to head off. I had an appointment in the West End as I met my friend Liz Robson as we went to the theatre to watch comedian Ed Byrne live.

Canvey Island 1 Scarborough 0 (Saturday 17^th September 2005) Football Conference (att: 744)

My Mum and Dad were heading to Southampton via London to pick up their cruise ship for a wonderful time at sea around the Mediterranean. It was always great to see them, so I naturally headed to Kings Cross to assist them across the city.

We took a cab across town to Waterloo, with Mum being especially impressed at her street-wise son telling the driver that he lived in the city, meaning don’t take liberties with the route. With my parents sent on their way on the train I set out to the match.

I took my first ever ride on the Waterloo & City line to Bank before heading to Fenchurch Street for the ride to South Benfleet. Time was getting on so I took the bus straight to the ground. I recall some confusion over the entrance ascertaining whether the game was segregated?

Boro fans were given their own little bar at the sea end of the ground complete with TV. I didn’t realise it at the time but I spent time in the company of future touring mates Fred Firman and Tony Rudeforth while our dark humour helped us assess our team’s malaise.

It said something about the time that Canvey were looked on as being a really small club in non-league’s elite league. Boro fans should have been used to disappointment with all the mismanagement at the club, but there was something bad really setting in.

It really did feel like the beginning of the end to me. The promised security from the Chelsea FA Cup money was looking like pie in the sky and the form on the pitch wasn’t any more reassuring. Nick Henry had been replaced by Neil Redfearn and the authorities were looking to nail the club.

It was no surprise when Canvey took the lead in the seventeenth minute as John Kennedy slotted home. Boro looked clueless as Mitch Cook shouted out from the bench as Redfearn did his best on the pitch, with what in reflection wasn’t a bad set of players.

Dominic Sterling had a header over the top and then an effort saved by Leigh Walker as Canvey looked to double their lead. Redfearn had Boro’s best opportunity but fired his shot well over the bar before he was replaced by local youngster Michael Coulson.

Park Lane had been improved with the earlier mentioned provisions for segregation and extra away fans facilities, along with a brand new open terracing at the entrance end of the ground; which stretched the full length behind the goal.

I headed back to London as depressed as been a Scarborough fan as I could ever remember before or indeed since, and that included the time the club folded. Indeed, Fred and I often point to this visit as the nadir in Boro’s history.

Tuesday 14th July 2009

With a day free from work I headed along the banks of the Thames back to Canvey. I’d got lost in looking for the home of Concord Rangers before taking a bus towards the town centre and then following my previous footsteps along the waterfront to Park Lane. The ground was locked but I managed to take some photos for my collection through the gaps in the fencing. 

Unfortunately, my work would later be in vain as I lost lots of photos due to issues with my laptop. It was still a good day out as I clocked up the miles walking in a nice environment and then heading on to Southend for a look at Roots Hall and the Southchurch Park home of Southend Manor as well as enjoying a couple of beers before the train home.

Thursday 31st January 2019

I'd wanted to replace my lost photos for quite some time, so I decided to spring into action with the day off work. It was bright and bitterly cold as I headed on the usual train and bus route, which dropped me by the Park Lane ground. The gates were locked, but the clubhouse was open. I half-shocked a poor lady stocking the bar to death. 

Fortunately, she was friendly and welcomed me to go through the door and out into the ground to snap away. The cold had frozen a part of the terrace, which went unnoticed to me until I nearly had a bad accident on it. Not to be put off, I did a lap of the smart arena before thanking my kind host and heading off for a good stretch.

It was the opening day of the Second Test between the West Indies and England so I listened as I walked along the path by the sea wall. I was in good form and enthused by the friendliness of other locals who acknowledged each other as they passed. 

The overtures of the Windjammer and Haystack pubs were tempting, especially with cricket on, but I had an evening appointment with ale awaiting me. Instead, I sat out of the wind and enjoyed excellent battered sausage and chips from Islanders on Furtherwick Road.

The 21 bus took me back to Benfleet station from where I had a pint and watched a bit of the Test in Windsor Fenchurch and then a good walk through the city, appreciating some of the stunning buildings including the always beautiful St Paul's Cathedral.

Jeff Cards was meeting me at Temple Brew House. My mate had come up trumps. It brewed its own good ale at a fair price, showed the cricket and had friendly service. We also took in fine beers at the Nell Gwynne Tavern and The Harp before Jeff had a bit of a shock.

He agreed to watch a bit more cricket with me and was adamant that the Empire Casino had a dedicated sports bar. It did indeed, and they put the match on a huge screen, but it was my pals' shout. It was £6 for San Miguel, the best option on offer. We didn't spill any!