Date: 16.09.2023

Kick Off Time: 3pm

Venue: The Runnymede Stadium (New Tick 137)

Teams: Egham Town v Wembley

Competition: Combined Counties League Premier Division North

Admission: £7

Final Score: 2-2 (H/T 2-1)

Referee: Benjamin Warren

Attendance: 104 (Head Count)

Mileage to Venue and Return: 350 Miles

This was my second groundhopping trip in seven days having made a first ever visit to The Lew Hill Memorial Ground on Saturday 9th September to watch Odd Down (Bath) AFC 1-3 Middlezoy Rovers. I had an opportunity to watch a game in Surrey on the 16th and after taking some advice off fellow groundhopper, Craig Dabbs, I opted to go for this game at Egham Town. Craig told me that the Runnymede Stadium was an excellent ground to visit, and he wasn’t wrong! Another reason for me opting to go to this ground was because of my involvement with the Anguilla Football Association. What! I hear you cry! Well, for those who don’t know, as well as being the media officer for the Anguilla Football League club, Uprising FC, in March of this year I set up and now run the official Twitter (or whatever it’s called now) feed for the Anguilla Football Association after speaking to the association President, Girdon Connor. As you would expect, I have a massive interest in football in Anguilla and due to this I am getting to know who some of the players are. Recently, the men’s national team played against Saint Martin in a CONCACAF Nations League game and one of the players in the Anguilla starting XI was Egham Town’s Kayne Connor! When I knew that I would be coming to visit the Runnymede Stadium, I was able to make contact with Kayne and we initially arranged to meet after the game. Well, that was the plan, but unfortunately Kayne was not involved with the matchday squad so I did not get the chance to meet him on this occassion!

As always with my groundhopping blogs, I will provide information on the town of Egham, then go on to talk about the club, my opinion of the ground, the match, and on this occassion my meeting with Kayne Connor.

Location of Egham, Surrey, England

Egham

Egham is a town in the Borough of Runnymede in Surrey, England, it is situated approximately 19 miles west of Central London. According to the 2011 census, the population of Egham Town ward was 6,384.

Egham predates c.670 AD when nearby Chertsey Abbey was founded and is mentioned as Egeham in one of the Abbey’s earliest charters. The place-name means “Ecga’s Farm.” Egham also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Egeham.

The manor (method of land ownership) of Egham, which includes Runnymede belonged to Chertesy Abbey in 1215 which was the same year that the Magna Carta (a royal charter of rights) was agreed by King John of England in Runnymede. This is recognised by a memorial built in 1957 by the American Bar Association and can be found at the foot of Coopers Hill in Runnymede.

Following the Dissolution of the monasteries (a set of legal and administrative processes by which King Henry VIII disbanded monasteries) in circa 1540, the manor of Egham became the property of the crown.

At one time, Egham hosted horse racing which was held at the Runnymede Meadow which conflicted with the Inclosure Act of 1814 and the later award made in 1817, which divided up the meadow, as the act stated that any enclosures which should interfere with the staging of Egham races at the end of every August upon its usual course must be removed every year. Races held at the course in 1836 were presided over by King William IV, gave a plate to be contested for at the event. This coincided with celebrations at Windsor for his daughter’s wedding. The Horse racing at Runnymede Meadow came to an end in 1884.

Egham Town Football Club

Address: The Runnymede Stadium, Wards Place, Egham, Surrey, TW20 8XD

Chairman: Patrick Bennett

First Team Manager: Harrison Williams

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EghamTown

Website: https://www.eghamtownfcltd.com/

History

https://www.eghamtownfcltd.com/a/egham-town-club-history-26726.html

Honours/Records

Combined Counties League Premier Division: Champions – 2012/2013

Athenian League Division Two: Champions – 1974/1975

Spartan League: Champions – 1971/1972

Surrey Senior League: Champions – 1922/1923

Surrey Senior League Charity Cup: Winners – 1922/1923

West Surrey League: Champions – 1921/1922

Hounslow & District League: Champions – 1913/1914

Surrey Intermediate Charity Cup: Winners – 1919/1920

Surrey Intermediate League: Champions – 1920/1921

Surrey Intermediate Charity Cup: Winners – 1920/1921

Surrey Intermediate Charity Cup: Winners – 1926/1927

Premier Midweek Floodlit League: Champions – 1976/1977

Southern Combination Cup: Winners – 1977/1978

Best F.A. Cup Performance: 4th Qualifying Round – 1990/1991, 2016/2017

Best F.A. Vase Performance: 4th Round – 1984/1985, 2021/2022

Record Attendance: 1,400 v Wycombe Wanderers, F.A. Cup 2nd Qualifying Round – 1972/1973

Most Appearances: Dave Jones – Circa: 850

Most Goals: Mark Butler – 153

The Runnymede Stadium

Well, what can I say other than The Runnymede Stadium is an absolute gem of a non-league football ground! It has everything – nice terracing, a superb all seater stand, and old turnstiles in different parts of the ground! The ground also has a large on site carpark and an excellent club house! Instead of me describing what I saw, I’ll let the photographs I took before the game do the talking – enjoy!

The Match

This was a very entertaining game to watch! The home side took a two goal lead in the first half courtesy of goals by Camron Grant and Danny Campion, the latter I was impressed with throughout the game. Wembley pulled a goal back just before half-time with an excellent free-kick from 25 yards out by Joe Waight. The away side started the second half on the front foot and soon levelled matters with a low left foot volley by their captain, Alfie Bates. Both sides had their chances to find a winner during the second period but all in all I think a draw was the fair result on the balance of play.

Team Line Up’s

Egham Town – Red shirts, Red shorts, Red & White hooped socks

Wembley – Blue shirts, Black shirts, Black socks

Match Pictures

Conclusion

I was very happy to add this ground to my visited list, a ground which was well worth making the long journey to and from Shropshire for and an enjoyable game was a nice bonus. I enjoyed talking to a member of the Wembley FC comitte during the second half who told me he had been involved with the club for over 50 years! In addition to this, I also had chance to talk to the parents of Wembley’s Dan Sefton! His Dad told me that his Grandad once lived in Shrewsbury, Shropshire – small world isnt it!