Salisbury City Yth FC Profile

A Salisbury Football Club has existed since the late 19^Th century, the original Salisbury City Club playing in the Southern League Second Division Between 1906 and 1911.

However, the present club was formed on 12^th February 1947, a natural successor to the old Salisbury City and Salisbury Corinthians Clubs who both disbanded in the difficult economic times following World War 2. Salisbury Football Club entered the Western League and enjoyed immediate success, winning its first 19 League matches, and thereafter the Second Division title. During that season, the club’s record attendance of 8,902 flocked to Victoria Park, paying £290 in gate receipts, to witness the championship decider, a 1-1 draw against Weymouth in April 1948.

Salisbury Football Club remained members of the Western League until 1968, and had great success, rarely finishing outside of the top six, winning the Championship in seasons 1957/58 and 1960/61. During this period the club also won the Wiltshire Premier Shield six times, the Hampshire Senior Cup twice and the Western League Cup.

The first success of note in national competition came in the FA Amateur Cup in 1948/49. The team won through five qualifying rounds to reach the First Round Proper, and earned a trip to meet Wimbledon at Plough Lane where they were narrowly beaten 2-1.

Salisbury reached the FA Cup First Round for the first time in 1955/56, suffering a 3-2 defeat at Weymouth. Four seasons later, the club went one better, beating Barnet before losing 1-0 in the Second Round at home to Newport County in front of 6,800 spectators. Further appearances in the First Round followed in 1964/65, losing 5-1 at Peterborough United in front of a crowd of 10,095, and 1967/68, losing 4-0 at Swindon in front of a crowd of 12,193.

In 1968 the club was elected to the Southern League. Success was hard to come by, and apart from 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th places in the mid 1970’s; the team never managed a top half finish in the first 15 years of membership. The only rewards were three more Wiltshire Premier Shield successes and another FA Cup First Round appearance, in 1979/80. The home tie with Millwall was switched to The Dell, Southampton, 8,805 seeing Salisbury unluckily beaten by 2 goals to one.

Success in the Southern League finally came in the1985/86 season. Salisbury finished runners up to Cambridge City, on goal difference only, after a tremendous run of 15 games unbeaten, including seven straight wins in fifteen days at the season’s end.

Promotion to the Premier Division was assured although the stay was short lived as, despite a late run, Salisbury finished fourth from bottom and were relegated back to the Southern Division.

In 1992 the club’s name was officially changed to Salisbury City, and later that year there was a sixth FA Cup First Round appearance, when the team suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat in a replay against Marlow Town. Further disappointments followed at the end of that season when the club finished Southern Division runners up for the second time, but were denied promotion because of ground grading rules. Two years later justice was done when Salisbury City won the Southern Division Championship, losing only 5 league games out of 42. A club record of 97 points and a best-ever-Southern League victory, 7-0 at runners up Baldock Town, capped a fine season. Remedial work at the Council-owned Victoria Park was carried out to satisfy the ground grading criteria and the Club was able to accept the challenge of Premier Division football.

In 1997, under the chairmanship of Salisbury-born businessman Ray Mc Enhill, Salisbury City Football Club finally realised its ambition and moved to a purpose built stadium at Old Sarum. The Raymond Mc Enhill Stadium has a capacity at present of 3,740 with covered accommodation for 2,247 spectators. A Stadium record crowd of 2,570 saw the FA Cup First Round 2-0 defeat by Hull City in 1998.

The club has won the Wiltshire Premier Shield a total of thirteen times and was in the Southern Premier Division for seven successive seasons between 1995 and 2002.

Off-field troubles led to the departure of Manager Geoff Butler, after 17 years in charge, and the Club would have ceased to exist in 2002 but for a business consortium that was encouraged to form by the supporters, and was thereafter led by the current Chairman and ex-Salisbury player Neville Beal. Beal attracted ex Southampton FA Cup winner Nick Holmes to the Club as General Manager, and since that time fortunes have improved substantially on and off the pitch.

In November 2003, the club reached the FA Cup First Round for the eighth time, losing to Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 at Hillsborough in front of 11,419 spectators.

In the 2003/2004 season, Salisbury City gain promotion from the Dr. Martens Eastern Division by finishing sixth. The promotion meant that Salisbury City would transfer to the Ryman (Isthmian) Premier League, thus ending a 36 year membership of the Southern Football League.

In the 2004/2005 season, Salisbury City finished twelfth in the Ryman (Isthmian) Premier League, having made a good start, but then slipping back until they pulled off a major transfer coup, the signature of ex Saint Thomas Widdrington from Port Vale as player coach. A tremendous end to the season saw City transferred back to the Southern Football League, their natural home, due to Step Four Pyramid re-structuring.

The 2005/2006 campaign was the best in living memory for some supporters, as the Whites won the Southern Premier League at a canter, with games to spare, amassing 95 points, and also enjoyed a run to the last eight of the FA Trophy. Also in this season the club won the Malta Cup and Hospital Cup.

A pleasing start to the Nationwide Conference South Adventure was complemented by a good run in the FA Cup, where, before Sky TV cameras, the Whites were beaten 2-0, but far from disgraced, after a Second Round Proper replay at Nottingham Forest. That game followed a 1-1 draw at home in front of a capacity crowd of 3100, and full BBC Match of the Day coverage. Salisbury City reached the last eight of the FA Trophy again in season 2006/2007, going out 3-0 at Stevenage Borough. The 2006/2007 season was again exceptional for everyone involved at the Club, and was capped with a second successive promotion into the top level of the Non League game, the Blue Square Premier League, after a two leg playoff victory over Bishop’s Stortford, and a final tie win over Braintree Town. Also in this season, the Whites won the Southern League Challenge Cup.

In the 2007/2008 season, Salisbury City finished twelve in there maiden season in the Blue Square Premier League. Also in this season the club won the Hospital Cup and Wiltshire Premier Shield.

Season 2008/2009 saw mixed fortunes and was divided into three distinct periods. Contrary to the expectations of many (mainly in the press), the Whites occupied a place in the top six in the early stages before sinking into the lower reaches of the league. However, a late recovery staved off relegation fears and the initial aim, to survive in what is always a difficult second season in a new league, was achieved. Also in this season, Salisbury City retained the Wiltshire Premier Shield.