Dorking

July 4, 2011

DORKING FOOTBALL CLUB

The Formative Years

Dorking FC was formed in 1880, making it the second oldest football club in Surrey after original FA Cup entrants Reigate Priory. In the early days the club was based in Pixham Lane, with the club achieving some success in 1910 when losing 0-3 to a strong Old Kingstonians side in the Surrey Senior Shield final. Dorking were founder members of the Surrey County Senior League in 1922 but aside from winning the league in 1928/29 and 1929/30 the club fell on lean times until 1948/49 when the club landed both the League Charity Cup and the inaugural League Cup.

1955/56 was one of the most successful in the club’s colourful history. Dorking won not only the league and the League Charity Cup but also in defeating Folkestone Town 3-1 became the first Surrey Senior side to defeat a professional team in the FA Cup.

The change of ground in summer 1953 to the current site at Meadowbank (which had been converted by the Council from an old rubbish tip) gave a boost to the club’s ambitions and in 1956 the club joined the Corinthian League. The team reached the final of the Surrey Senior Shield in three consecutive years (1959 to 1961) winning the first two finals (1-0 versus Kingstonian and 3-0 versus Sutton United) but losing the third 0-1 to Tooting and Mitcham. Following an amalgamation of leagues, Dorking joined the Athenian League in 1963/64 but the club did not prosper and 1974 saw the merger of the club with Guildford City of the Southern League to form Guildford & Dorking United. After just two sessions, however, the club collapsed in mid-season, with another club being formed called Dorking Town in 1977 to complete its predecessor’s remaining games before joining the Surrey Senior League in 1977/78 and then the Athenian League.

Dorking in the Isthmian League

In 1981/82 Dorking were elected to the Isthmian League where the club has remained ever since. Starting in Division Two South the team started steadily (finishing their debut season in 9th place) and the club were soon to adopt the name by which they are now known, Dorking. 1983-84 was notable for Andy Bushnell’s goal haul of 37 (the club’s record scorer in a season being Neil Goodman with 54). In 1986/87 and the following year Dorking finished just outside the promotion places in 3rd spot, on the second occasion losing out by one goal to Met Police and by a solitary point to Chalfont St. Peter with the club gaining some consolation when winning the Gilbert Rice Cup Final against Hastings Town.

Justice was finally done in 1988/89 when Dorking romped home as Division Two South champions by a massive 16 points, amassing 100 points and over 100 goals in the process of winning 32 games, with only 4 games being lost. The season also saw a notable Surrey Senior Cup win over Sutton United just days after Sutton’s famous FA Cup win over holders Coventry City. The club also reached the last eight in the league cup.

1989/90 saw the momentum continued with Dorking challenging for promotion to the Premier Division at the first attempt, eventually finishing in sixth place. The club also reached the final of the Surrey Senior Cup for the first time since 1886, beating Sutton United en route for the second successive season, but unfortunately they went down to Carshalton Athletic 2-4 after extra-time, despite leading 2-1 with only three minutes of normal time remaining. Twelve months later Dorking fell away in the league after spending much of the campaign among the front runners. The club eventually finished tenth. The highlight of the season was reaching the 4th and final qualifying round of the F.A. Cup losing 2-3 at home to Cheltenham Town.

Season 1991/92 saw Dorking slip down a place in the league, to eleventh, but the club progressed further than ever before in the F.A. Trophy, making the 2nd Round Proper before losing 0-2 away to Bath City. The season culminated in a second victory in the Gilbert Rice Cup, beating Havant Town over two legs. Phil Grainger totalled 37 goals that term. 1992/93 was probably the finest season yet in the club’s history. The greatest prize was finishing third and securing promotion to the Premier Division which was a tremendous achievement in itself. Dorking also reached the 1st Round Proper of the F.A. Cup for the first time, losing 2-3 at home to Plymouth Argyle, led by Peter Shilton, in front of 3,200 spectators. In addition, the “Chicks” reached two cup finals: they lost 0-1 to Tooting & Mitcham United in the Diadora League Full Members Cup at Kingstonian, but won the Southern Counties Combination Cup by defeating Epsom & Ewell 1-0 at Meadowbank. Steve Lunn became the second player in successive seasons to equal the modern scoring record of 37 goals, and also created an all-time appearance record over the 350 mark.

The 1990s and 2000s

Dorking’s appearance in the Isthmian League’s top flight was however short-lived and relegation followed in the club’s first season in the Premier Division. With a financial crisis enveloping the club in season 1994/5, new chairman Jack Collins stepped into the breach to try to save the club from liquidation, assisted by his son and vice chairman Ray Collins. With the help of a small but dedicated band of helpers, Jack and Ray successfully managed to keep the club afloat and turn the club around, albeit the task proving to be a long and tough one. With attention being focused on the very survival of the club, it was inevitable that performances off the pitch were to suffer. With no player budgets in the mid 1990’s, the club saw relegation from Division 1 and then after several years from division 2 of the Isthmian League. With the onset of the new millennium, and with stability reached off the pitch, Dorking enjoyed their best season for some years in season 2001-2. The club finished 8^th in Ryman Division 3 and reached the fourth round of the FA Vase (Dorking’s best ever run in this competition), losing on penalties after a replay to one of the competition favourites Burgess Hill Town after two games that attracted over 1,200 fans over the two encounters. Season 2002-2003 proved a disappointment after hopes had been raised the following term. Despite some stunning results (including a 9-1 and 5-0 double over Wokingham Town and a 6-3 away win at Edgware Town) the side never recovered from a slow start and ended the season in 14^th place in the new 16 team Ryman Division 2 with Steve Lunn assuming sole managerial responsibility during the course of the season.

Season 2003/4 and season 2005/6

Dorking enjoyed their best season for a while in the 2003/4 season. Management team Steve Lunn (manager) and his brother Andy Lunn (assistant manager), put together an exciting young local side and their efforts were rewarded with Dorking finishing as runners up in Ryman Division 2, 2 points behind champions Leighton Town who only overtook Dorking on the last day of the season. Promotion was secured thanks to a fantastic off the pitch effort, led by chairman Jack Collins, vice chairman Ray Collins and club man of the year Brian Cook, to obtain a grade B ground grading with a select number of committee members and fans working tirelessly to ensure the efforts of the team on the pitch were matched by the efforts off the pitch. Dorking had a decent baptism to Ryman Division One football following promotion, holding a comfortable mid table position well into November 2004. However a winless run of 13 games from November to February saw Chicks ultimately face relegation back to Ryman division 2. Highlight of the season was perhaps the Boxing Day clash at Meadowbank against AFC Wimbledon which saw over 2,500 people watch the match, then AFC Wimbledon’s record away crowd.

Season 2005-6 saw the club reach the Fourth Round Proper of the FA Vase again but the team underperformed on the day in front of over 500 fans against Mildenhall, who had knocked the holders out in the previous round. The Ryman league season was disappointing seeing Chicks finish in the top half. Off the pitch Dorking were rocked by the sad loss of many club stalwarts, including Jenny Collins, wife of long time club chairman Jack, as well as Brian Cook and Bob Long, plus Geoff Tyler who had passed away at the end of the previous season, individuals who had been the bed rock of the club for so many years, and who are simply irreplaceable at this level of football.

Dorking joined a revamped and strengthened Combined Counties League in 2006/7 for the first time in their history following the disbanding, under FA instructions, of Ryman Division 2 in May 2006. The season was overshadowed though by the valiant fight against cancer of club captain Stewart Vaughan, who was diagnosed in December 2006 with the condition, Stewart passing away in April 2007 shortly after marrying his long time girlfriend Heidi. A concerted effort by the club, fans, players and staff alike, saw Dorking host 2 charity games in honour of Stewart and in support of Marie Curie cancer care. The first saw Harry Redknapp pay his respects by bringing virtually his full first team premiership squad to Dorking, including the likes of Lua-Lua, Glenn Johnson, Matthew Taylor, in February 2007 in a game watched by over 2,000 fans, while a Crystal Palace X1 visited Meadowbank in April 2007 watched by over 1,000 fans. Soon after the end of the 2006-7 season, Steve and Andy Lunn parted company with the club and were shortly replaced by ex Tooting and Leatherhead goalkeeper Tony Webb as manager, joined by Peter Augustine as his assistant

Season 2007-8 was a difficult one for the club, overshadowed by the club’s landlord, Mole Valley DC, taking steps to remove the club from its Meadowbank ground. A 3 day court hearing in April 2008 saw victory with the club being awarded a new long term lease by the court and also the bulk of its considerable legal costs in having to fight MVDC. While the court victory was central to the very survival of Dorking FC, inevitably the short term fortunes of the first team on the pitch suffered and the club suffered relegation at the end of the season despite the valiant efforts of Tony Webb.

Promotion in May 2009, a reprieve in 2010 and a new start for season 2010-11

With the court action out of the way, Webb was able to concentrate on football matters and Dorking FC bounced back to the CCL Premier Division at the first attempt, promotion being achieved in dramatic style in a very tight finish to the season, Chicks going up courtesy of one goal goal difference over the 4^th spot side, and missing out on winning the league by just two points. Dorking started solidly the following season back in the CCL Premier, but the resignation of Webb in November for personal reasons saw a period of disappointing results for the club. Peter Augustine stepped into the breach as first team manager in January 2010, but he was unable to turn the ship around and Dorking finished in bottom spot come the end of the season.

With Augustine stepping down as first team manager at the end of the season, the club appointed Adrian Cox as manager, assisted by Peter Buckland and John Badillo as coach, the club receiving a reprieve from relegation following developments in the football pyramid. The new management team are aiming to attract local players to the club, pre-season perhaps indicating the new side could hold their own following a 1-1 draw with local rivals Leatherhead in the Advertiser Trophy.

The club’s Under 18 side continues to build on the foundations laid in recent years by Gordon Walker, Simon Coffey taking over the managerial role this season with Nick Torpey and Gordon assisting.