Weymouth

Weymouth FC 

Ground: Bob Lucas Stadium

Capacity: 6,669

Club Founded: 1890

League:  Southern League Division One South - Step 4/8th Tier (current level)

The word potential is often bandied around some non-league clubs, but surely there are not many with as much of it as Weymouth FC, with their excellent support and stadium to match.

Club History

The Early Years of Weymouth FC

The 'Terras’, nicknamed as such because of the club's terracotta colours, started out playing matches at Lodmore, before moving to Goldcroft Road, Westham, from where they became founder members of the Dorset League and lifted the Dorset Junior Cup on three occasions. 

In 1897 the club negotiated a lease with the town council to move to a new ground in the town centre, originally named the Athletic Ground, which was later renamed the Recreation Ground, as they became members of Division Two of the Western League in 1907-08. After the Great War, they went up as champions, before they took voluntary relegation.

Post War Success

They won their divisional title three times, and then after World War II, Weymouth enjoyed a purple patch, winning promotion to the top tier of the Western League in 1947-48 and enjoying some fine exploits in the FA Cup. Local rivals Yeovil Town defeated Weymouth in the second round before the club joined the Southern League.

A season later, the Terras reached the third round, where the tie against Manchester United ended in a 4-0 defeat. The game was played at Maine Road, as Old Trafford was still being repaired following the War. A couple of runners-up places in the league were accrued, as well as four appearances in the second round of the FA Cup.

Southern League Champions

The 1961-62 season saw Weymouth reach round four in the FA Cup, where the side went down 2-0 to Preston North End at Deepdale. Three seasons later, the team won the Southern League and then retained it.

After finishing as Southern League runners-up in 1977-78, as legendary manager Brian Godfrey began his spell at the club, Weymouth became founder members of the Alliance Premier League (later to become the Conference and then the National League). Star defender Graham Roberts was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur in May 1980 for £35,000.

Move to the New Stadium

The 1982-83 season saw Weymouth reach the third round of the FA Cup. The run was ended at the Abbey Stadium, away to Cambridge United, as future Premier League star Andy Townsend made his mark at the club.

Weymouth moved from their town-centre Recreation Ground to the out-of-town Wessex Stadium in 1987. Manchester United were the opponents for the official opening. Meanwhile, manager Godfrey was replaced by Stuart Morgan. The move was initially a success until the team was relegated to the Southern League at the end of the 1988-89 campaign.

New boss Gerry Gow took charge of the side, as future top-flight player Shaun Teale led the defence before moving to AFC Bournemouth for a £50,000 fee. Further disappointment followed, as Weymouth were relegated a division in the Southern Division. Len Drake took Weymouth back to the Premier Division of the competition.

However, the turbulent period didn’t end there as the Terras went down once again in 1992-93 under experienced boss Len Ashurst. Weymouth returned to their top-flight status after five seasons under manager Fred Davies, after managers such as Trevor Senior, Graham Carr, and Neil Webb all failed in the position at the Wessex Stadium.

Increased Publicity

Journalist and author Ian Ridley took control of the club in 2003–04, appointing Steve Claridge as player-manager. The club gained publicity as crowds increased and the team just missed out on promotion to the Conference. Martyn Harrison arrived as a board member as Ridley departed. 

Harrison soon sacked Claridge and tried to sell the Wessex Stadium to Asda, but the plans were rejected, while the club became a member of the newly formed Conference South. They became champions and moved up to the National Division, just one tier from the Football League.

Acute Financial Issues

In January 2007, Harrison made the full squad available for transfer to save the club financially, as Jason Tindall arrived as manager. Harrison sold the club to Tindall’s father-in-law, as former Chelsea legend John Hollins was appointed manager, while further plans were drawn up to relocate the club to a new site in town.

A new owner arrived as Weymouth hit serious financial troubles. Players departed, forcing the under-18s to play in a home game against Kettering Town that ended in a 0-9 home defeat. Ridley returned in March 2008, putting former Wales boss Bobby Gould in charge of the team, as the team plummeted to relegation to the Conference South.

Managers came and went while the finances remained in a perilous state, before the club was sold to former Cambridge United chairman George Rolls. Jerry Gill was appointed as the new manager before Rolls announced that the club was £822,000 in debt and proposed they enter a Company Voluntary Agreement. 

The team was relegated to the Southern League after the 2009-10 season. Fans' favourite Ian Hutchison was re-employed as manager. The Wessex Stadium was renamed The Bob Lucas Stadium in honour of the eighty-five-year-old club president. Martyn Rogers had become manager by the time the Terras escaped another relegation.

A Stable New Owner

Director and lifelong fan Nigel Biddelcombe completed a takeover of the club from Rolls. The new owner set up a Supporters Trust so that no one person could have total control of the club again. The club built gradually on and off the pitch, despite the regular turnover of managers.

Another former player and England C international, Mark Molesley, was appointed manager, taking the Terras to the playoff semi-finals in the 2017-18 season, before the club was transferred to the newly formed Premier Division South.

Molesey's team went on to become champions, sealing the title on the final day of the season and winning promotion to the National League South. Weymouth went one better by winning promotion to the top level of non-league football in 2019-20. Brian Stock came in as manager in September 2020 after Molesey went to Southend United.

Stock remained at the helm until January 2022. David Oldfield was his successor, as the Terras were relegated to the National League South. Bobby Wilkinson was the next incumbent of the managerial role before Molesey returned in April 2024. His second coming didn't work out, leading to Warren Feeney succeeding him.

His appointment couldn't save the side from relegation back to the Southern League, leading to the return of former hero Steve Claridge. He was replaced a few months later by Jamie Wells, whose side was relegated at the end of the season.

My visits

Weymouth 0 Torquay United 1

Friendly - Saturday 22nd July 2017

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It was my long weekend away from work, so armed with cheap advanced rail tickets, I headed to Waterloo, a little seedier than preferred after attending the T20 at The Oval between Surrey and Middlesex the night before. I broke up my journey in Dorchester so that I could go and have a look at Town’s Avenue Stadium.

I arrived around 12.30pm on the seafront in Weymouth, ready for adventure for seven or so hours. Social media assisted, as Col Whelan saw my Facebook post and location. He was able to offer me pub advice, but first I had a walk to have a look at the marina, the bustling town centre, and wander over the scenic area around the River Wey.

Taking Col’s advice, I found the Boot Inn in the old High Street across the bridge. Weymouth’s oldest pub had a decent choice of beer in a lovely building. Talk among the blokes was about the ridiculous transfer fees in modern football. I concurred totally. I’d planned to get to the Bob Lucas Stadium bus and then walk. 

However, as I walked outside the pub, the heavens opened. I think my stop was outside Asda, the site of Weymouth FC’s old Recreation Ground. The rain was so heavy that I headed to town for shelter and found a taxi office. I needed no second invitation. Within minutes, my car had arrived, and I was outside the stadium for a £7 fare.

I paid my admission fee at the ground and went to the second-floor bar via an entrance on the ground floor of the Main Stand. No programmes were printed, and although I saw a few teamsheets, I never saw anyone selling them. Upstairs, I bought a bottle of Ringwood 49er beer, forgetting it was on the strong side. 

The Chelsea v Arsenal friendly from China was on TV, though not too many were giving it anything other than a cursory glance. Showers threatened as I walked back outside to purchase a pie and a Bovril before I took up a position in the raised seated Main Stand to take a look at the substantial venue. The portions of chips for £3 were enormous.

My initial impression was that the ground needed some attention and maintenance. It had been built with League football being the ambition. The club's financial struggles had obviously had a knock-on effect regarding aesthetics. It was too big for the club, especially given their status at the time. 

Crush barriers were aplenty, along with fencing in place for segregation. All four sides had toilet facilities, with three having open refreshment stalls. A hundred or so visiting Gulls had travelled west for the game, including a minibus full of rabble who’d obviously taken on drink. Home fans had also turned out in decent numbers. Their team started off in fine style.

Centre-forward Harry Baker had stepped up from Gillingham Town and was proving a handful for the Torquay defence. He came close with a low shot after Calvin Brooks created the opportunity. He continued to feature throughout the half. Terras’ Callum Buckley had a deflected shot saved by Ryan Clarke. Baker came close again but was off target trying to lob Clarke. 

New Zealand international Rory Fallon was appearing on trial for Torquay, and he came close with a header. Weymouth had the better of the first period; Torquay’s player-manager, Kevin Nicholson, the ex-Scarborough FC full-back, must have had words during the interval as his side looked a different outfit immediately after the break.

During the interval, I found out that I was one number away from winning £10 in the halftime draw. The range of prizes, both for the cash and meat draws, was plentiful. I’d have struggled with chicken fillets on the train home, mind! After forty-seven minutes, Jon-Paul Pittman got to a flicked header from Fallon, outmuscling defender Toby Down, before slotting home past home keeper Mark Travers. 

United’s dominance would continue for long periods in the second half. With twenty-five minutes remaining, Travers pulled off a fantastic double save. He pushed away an effort from Harry Bell before the ball was returned into the box. Yan Klukowski saw his header superbly stopped.

The visitors made several changes to enable their players some valuable match time. They remained pretty much in control of the game, although Weymouth’s Brandon Goodship came close with an angled drive that went over the bar. I enjoyed the changes as they brought the PA man into action. 

He sounded like a jolly chap doing a passable impression of Benny Hill singing “Ernie, the Fastest Milkman in the West.” He could not pronounce his Rs. It made me chuckle. Perhaps it was the beer? 

It had been a decent match to watch for a neutral as both sides put in plenty of effort. Weymouth had impressed me. At full time, I put in my own exercise period as I walked up the hill on Radipole Lane to the Fiveways bus stop, where I caught the service back to the terminus.

With time to kill, I wanted to find a nice pub for an hour or so before eating. The Dolphin in Park Street looked to be just the job. It belonged to the Hop Back Brewery of Salisbury. I liked their beers, and when I saw that Summer Lightning was on offer, I was more than happy. It was a friendly pub, whose customers I described on social media as being like contestants from the TV show Bullseye. 

There was decent enough background music while the British Open was on TV. The nice, clean pub had a separate area for families and those wishing to play darts or board games. The amiable landlord gave me suggestions for supper and charged my phone.

I got talking to a local about the golf. He was keener than me, but it was lovely to have a chat and enjoy some of the amazing play and scenic camera work. It was an hour well spent, and the beer was in top form. Taking the advice, I found the fish and chip shop, suggested by the landlord, up the road. 

Among their specialities was a mushy pea ball fried in batter. I stuck with a traditional supper and walked to the prom to enjoy it. It wasn’t bad. I’d certainly had a lot worse, but Southerners just couldn’t seem to get the knack of thin, crispy batter. I noticed the group of seagulls gathering near me. The swarm was growing larger as I was getting full.

I don’t suppose for one minute that the leader of the pack who swooped and pinched the last of my fish knew that I was getting full, but fair play. I threw the last of the chips down and watched a feeding frenzy. I’d been well and truly ambushed. I couldn’t do anything but laugh. Weymouth had been that sort of place. Everyone I came across was friendly. 

There was even a happy atmosphere in the shop where I grabbed some mints for the journey home. A fantastic day out was rounded off by a ride up the Northern line from Waterloo to Hendon, where I enjoyed a few pints with pals in the Midland Hotel. If only all football days out could be as good as the trip to Dorset.

Weymouth 3 Hendon 0 

Southern League Premier Division South - Saturday 9th March 2019

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It was back on the road via the team and supporters’ bus for a trip down to Dorset. Hendon’s poor run of form was causing concern among some of the faithful, and a trip to the league leaders looked to be a tricky task.

The journey was made in good time, meaning we arrived before the clubhouse and turnstiles were open. This was not a good idea, as the Bob Lucas Stadium was remote from any other pubs. The usual suspects looked towards me, but I couldn't help this time.

Don's secretary, Daz Bloor, had a word with the Weymouth officials, and we were told we could pay our admission fee at the reception desk and go upstairs. The bar would open ten minutes later. Programmes were procured for an extra couple of quid.

I had a few bottles of Ringwood Forty Niner with usual travelling pals Bob and Alex, as a good congregation of thirsty visiting fans soon assembled in the upstairs bar, discussing all sorts of football stuff with a fellow fan from the Isle of Wight.

The teams had met ten days previously, with The Terras coming out on top of a fine encounter 3-2 at Silver Jubilee Park. Hendon had been slightly unfortunate not to get a point from the game. Around fifty visiting fans were hoping that would be the case in the away game.

Greens goalkeeper Andy McCorkell had been questionable for at least one of the Weymouth goals that night, but he was soon called into action in the rematch to make a good save from star striker Brandon Goodship in the second minute.

Ryan Hope had a shot saved comfortably by home custodian Tom McHale as Hendon enjoyed their share of possession. However, it would be the hosts who broke the deadlock just past the half-hour mark when Goodship set up Ben Thompson to score with a fine low cross.

There hadn’t been too much in the game, but the clinical nature of Weymouth showed why the sides were in their respective league positions. The Dons responded and could have perhaps been awarded a penalty when Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick appeared to have been tripped.

Connor Calcutt headed over a Sergio Manesio cross before Luke Tingey’s shot was saved by McHale, as the visitors looked for an equaliser. Despite the forays, the Dons' defence and midfield had to put in an extended shift to repel the Weymouth attacks.

At the break, we retired to the bar, where the mood wasn’t too downbeat. Hendon were still in the game, but just how were they going to score? Once back outside, I went behind the goal to enjoy a large cheeseburger with chips.

The pattern on the pitch was similar to that in the first half as the Dons' midfield had to put in the hard yards to protect their defence. Eventually, they were breached after sixty-four minutes when Adulai Baggie picked out Yemi Odubade to score.

The visiting players and bench were angry as the breakaway came after it looked like another unspotted foul on Hippolyte-Patrick had occurred. It was typical of the sort of decision befalling struggling teams, and Hendon were certainly receiving them in plentiful numbers.

It nearly got worse soon after as Goodship saw his shot come back off the post with McCorkell well beaten. Greens boss Jimmy Gray made three substitutions to try and get something from the game, but to little effect.

The excellent Goodship was to prove the provider a minute from full time as his clever pass saw Calvin Brooks nip in to beat McCorkell to the ball and score. I was frustrated with the 3-0 scoreline, but Weymouth had that extra special class up top, reflecting their playing budget.

At full-time, we headed back upstairs to await the players who were to grab their post-match food. Manager Gray was pragmatic about the situation. Some fans were being unrealistically pessimistic, at least in my view.

The players looked down and absolutely shattered from their exertions. One fan suggested that they didn’t care. That couldn’t have been further from the mark. They were having a bad time, but effort wasn't a factor, and certainly not on this occasion.

The journey back was just as smooth. We were back at SJP just gone 9pm, and the driver was kind enough to give me a ride back up the hill after I’d taken on the job of clearing up the rubbish. It was a despondent day in some ways, but I knew that the team would fight back.