Bishop's Stortford F.C.

The club was established at the Chequers Hotel on 28 January 1874. Initially playing in crimson and green, their first match was played two weeks later, losing 2–1 to East of England Nonconformist Grammar School. Following World War II, the league resumed in 1945, with Bishop's Stortford in the Eastern Division. However, after finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 1948–49, they were relegated to Division One. In 1951 the club were founder members of the Delphian League, which they won in 1954–55. After the league was disbanded in 1963 they joined Division Two of the Athenian League, winning Division One in 1965–66 and the Premier Division in 1969–70. In 2012–13 they reached the FA Cup first round for the twelfth time, losing 2–1 at home to Hastings United. At the end of the season they were transferred back to the Conference South, The 2021–22 season saw the club finish as runners-up in the Premier Division, before losing 3– to Cheshunt in the play-off final. They went on to win the Premier Division title in 2022–23, earning promotion to the National League North. However, they finished bottom of the division the following season and were relegated to the Premier Division Central of the Southern League. ==Ground==

The club initially played home matches at Silver Leys, which they shared with the polo club. In 1897 they moved to the playing fields of the Grammar School on Hadham Road, remaining there until moving to Havers Lane in 1900 and Laundry Field on Dunmow Road in 1903. Floodlights were installed in 1967, although by then the ground was commonly known as simply Rhodes Avenue. Due to financial problems, the club sold the ground in 1997, with the last match played against Ware in December that year. Mirroring the result in the first-ever game at the ground, Stortford won 2–1. After eighteen months groundsharing at Boreham Wood, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hitchin Town, St Albans City and Ware, the club returned to Bishop's Stortford in 1999 when Woodside Park was completed. The first match was played on 17 July 1999, a friendly against Norwich City. There are seated stands on either side of the pitch, with covered terracing at each end. ==Coaching staff==

• FA Amateur Cup • Winners 1973–74 • FA Trophy • Winners 1980–81 • Isthmian League • Premier Division Champions 2022–23 • Division One champions 1980–81, 1993–94 • Athenian League • Premier Division Champions 1969–70 • Division One champions 1965–66 • Spartan League • Division Two East Champions 1931–32 • Delphian League • Champions 1954–55 • Stansted & District League • Champions 1910–11, 1912–13, 1919–20 • Saffron Walden & District League • Champions 1911–12, 1912–13, 1913–14 • East Herts League • Division One Champions 1919–20 • Herts Senior Cup • Winners 1932–33, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1963–64, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1986–87, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2011–12 • London Senior Cup • Winners 1973–74 ==Records==

• Best FA Cup performance: Third round, 1982–83 (replay) • Best FA Trophy performance: Winners, 1980–81 • Best FA Amateur Cup performance: Winners, 1973–74 • Record attendance: 6,000 vs Peterborough United, FA Cup second round, 1972–73; vs Middlesbrough, FA Cup third round replay, 1982–83 • Biggest victory: 11–0 vs Nettleswell & Buntwill, Herts Junior Cup, 1911 • Heaviest defeat: 13–0 vs Cheshunt, Herts Senior Cup, 1926 • Most appearances: Phil Hopkins, 543 • Most goals: Jimmy Badock, 123 (postwar) ==See also==