From Fields to Fairy Tales - The History of Yeading Football Club
It all began when Yeading Youth Club's football side was formed for the 1960/61 season in the Hayes Youth League by brothers Ray and Carl Gritt and a few friends based at the Yeading Youth Club adjacent to Yeading School. Matches were played at nearby Brookside Rec. A step up to the Uxbridge and District Fourth Division the next season was not too successful but in their third season the runners-up spot was obtained and Yeading's rapid rise to success had begun with two League Championship wins and two cup finals in the next two seasons.
Season 1965/66 saw the club change its name to its current guise of Yeading Football Club and a move to the better facilities at Warren Park for a home ground. With the Youth Club members now grown up, the social home of the club became the Industry Inn on Yeading Lane, just around the corner from the new home pitch. As Uxbridge League Premier Division Runners up in 1967 Yeading moved into the newly formed West Middlesex Combination Premier Division and notching a league and couple double that same season joined the South West Middlesex League. That first season (1968/69) Yeading won the West Drayton Charity Cup, and more prestigiously the Middlesex Junior Cup for the first time while also securing the Division One Title. Further promotion led to back-to-back South West Middlesex Premier Division titles and in 1970/71 Yeading also won both the Middlesex Junior and Intermediate Cups. During the 1970s they won the latter five times and the former twice. Promotion to the Middlesex League saw Championship success in their first season (1971/72), scoring a record 122 goals in the process. Season 1972/73 saw the club sweep all four trophies - League and Cup - in the Middlesex League.
The Middlesex Premier Cup was won in 1980/81 and after winning the Middlesex League Championship and the League's Premier Cup six times each, the club won senior status, joining the Spartan League in 1984. Promotion to the Premier Division was achieved in their first season, and in 1985/86 the club won the League Cup but were just pipped at the post by Collier Row in the league. That disappointment was the following season as Yeading secured the League and Cup double in a record unbeaten league season. Election to the Vauxhall Opel League (Division Two South) followed an in their inaugural season (1987/88) the club finished a respectable tenth.
1989/90 saw success at national level, becoming the first Middlesex club to win the FA Vase. Manager Gordon Bartlett and Assistant Leo Morris lead the Ding to a 1-0 replay victory at Elland Road over Bridlington Town after a 0-0 draw at Wembley. A magnificent season was rounded off by winning the Vauxhall Opel League Division Two (South) title.
Third place in Division One in season 90/91 was followed the next by the Ding becoming the first Middlesex Club to win all four County Cups at Junior and Senior level by securing the Middlesex Senior Cup with a 2-1 win against Wembley F.C.. 1991/92 saw promotion gained to the Diadora League Premier Division. After a year of consolidation, the 1993/94 season saw the club reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time. Division Three side Gillingham were held to a 0-0 draw in the game played at Hayes F.C., but in the replay overcame the Ding 3-1.
Relegation was narrowly avoided in 1993/94 but, after the introduction of many new faces the 94/95 campaign, saw an unbeaten 16 match run, including the scalp of Conference side Telford United in the FA Cup. That win took the club into the First Round Proper for the second successive season. This time Colchester United managed by George Burley were the visitors. Millions tuned in to on Match of the Day and saw Yeading hold the Essex side 2-2 but in the replay reality hit hard and the Ding exited 7-1! The same season saw Yeading once again win the Middlesex Senior Cup beating Staines Town 2-0 and the side finished the Premier Division League campaign in ninth position, the highest in the club's history.
Season 95/96 was one of consolidation with former player Steve Cordery taking over the reins. The following year (1996/97) Cordery then led the Ding to a fifth place finish in the ICIS Premier Division.
With almost exactly the same team as the previous season, 1997/98 proved to be very disappointing. With eight games remaining and relegation looming a management change saw captain Mark Woods take first team charge. However, even wins over promotion chasing Sutton United and eventual Champions Kingstonian could not save the Ding from the drop, relegated on the goals scored rule. One bright spot of season 1997/98 was the FA Umbro Trophy victory over Yeovil Town. A goal-less draw in Somerset in front of over 2,000, was followed by a 1-0 replay win. Southport however, proved stronger in the next round with a 6-0 victory over the DIng at the Warren.
Over the next few seasons manager's Jim Melvin, Jon Turner and Paul Sweales came and went struggling to get cohesive teams together. A new management team of Naseem Bashir and former Ding favourite, Johnson 'Drax' Hippolyte arrived in March 2001 with relegation from Division One looming. With management experience from Chesham United Reserve side the joint-mangers made some quick moves before transfer deadline and saw the Ding finish with a mid-table finish with just two defeats in twelve games to top of the league form table. Following his appointment as Assistant Academy Director at Reading FC, Naz Bashir left the club in December 2001 leaving Drax in sole charge of first team affairs but now assisted by coach Erskine Smart, Jason Tucker and Dereck Brown.Season 2002-03 saw one of the best pre-season campaigns of recent years including a draw with a full-strength Barnet and victory over star-packed Watford who were to become FA Cup semi-finalists later that year. The league season however, began disastrously with the Ding losing their opening three games. A rally just before Christmas saw them in contention for promotion but a poor February and March saw League hopes fade. Silverware was still in sight however and reaching the Bryco Cup Final against Canvey Island, Yeading were huge underdogs but showed their strength and ability by deservedly winning 2-0 to lift the cup. The reserve side also secured the Capital League South-West Division Championship pipping sides including Farnborough Town and Havant & Waterlooville. With a superb team-spirit the majority of the side remained at the Warren for season 2003-4 and the 'team' went on to even greater success. After heading the table for much of the season, the Ding went on to win the Division One North title by seven clear points, losing only seven league games in the process. The title meant a place in the play-offs for a spot in the newly formed Conference South, but on the day luck wasn't on Yeading's side, falling prey to a single goal to Division One South winners Lewes who went on to win the play-offs. With the majority of the squad still together for season 2004/05 with some quality additions, Yeading return to the Ryman Premier Division in good stead and keen for yet more silverware to add further excitement to their fortieth birthday celebrations. An historical FA Cup run saw a valiant performance in the Third Round against Newcastle United ending in a 2-0 defeat (with a TV audience in excess of 5million) while their league form makes them favourites for the title.
With 19 successful Youth teams in association with Yeading HEW, recently awarded the FA Charter Standard, Yeading FC is thriving as a community football club.
Off the field, the club boasts the impressive Warren Suite that plays host to regular Sportman's Dinners as well as Wedding Receptions and other private functions. The club's other facilities have also become world-renowned having been used as the backdrop for a number of tv commercials and feature films. Notably, box-office hits Bend It Like Beckham (starring Yeading's own Commercial Manager Bill Perryman) and The Mean Machine (starring Nevin Saroya alongside Vinnie Jones) have been filmed at The Warren.
