Canvey Island FC Club Badge

Site sponsored by First Hosting
 
 


We Recommend:-
 

The Official Non-League Club Directory 2003

Now in its 25th year

Save 20% of the published price!!
 
Click here to buy from
Amazon
     

The Supporters' Guide to
Non-league Football 2003
by John Robinson

Save 20% of the published price


Click here to buy from
Amazon

 

 

Canvey Island Football Club

Park Lane, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 7PX Tel: (01268 ) 682991

Founded 1926
Members of the Isthmian Football League and the Essex & Herts Border Combination
Affiliated to the Essex County FA
Club Nickname - The Gulls
Ground - Park Lane

League Positions year by year F.A. Cup History F.A. Trophy History F.A. Vase History

 

This season takes Canvey Island into its 75th year as a football club. It was founded in 1926 but the early records of the club were unfortunately lost in the devastating East Coast floods of 1953.

The club has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last few years. Jeff King, a former Canvey Island player, became manager in 1992 when the club was in the Essex Senior League.

In 1993 the club won the Essex Senior League. In the same season they were semi-finalists in the F.A. Vase.

Following extensive work to improve their Park Lane ground, Canvey gained promotion from Division Three and Division Two in successive seasons.

During this period the club had an outstanding run in the FA Cup. In 1995/6 after beating Conference team Hednesford Town in the previous round, they reached the First Round Proper and drew 2 -2 with Brighton & Hove Albion at Park Lane in front of a club record crowd of 3,500. The replay was lost at Brighton before a gate of over 7,000. As well as winning Division Two, the club were also winners of the Carlton Trophy and the Thames-Side Trophy.

Although they suffered a slight blip in 1996/7 with relegation back to Division Two, Canvey appointed Glenn Pennyfather as coach, and promptly won promotion back to Division One at the first attempt, securing the Championship on the very last day of the season.

1997/8 saw the launch of Canvey's website (www.canveyfc.com) which, thanks to local company 'First Hosting', has seen the number of visitors slowly increase to several hundred every day of the year following the club from around the world. The site has won many awards, and is ranked as one of the best in non-league football.

In 1998/9 the club won promotion to the top flight in the league, as Champions, picking up the Essex Senior Cup by defeating Purfleet along the way.

The first year in the new Millennium saw Canvey Island remain in the Premier Division. The year had to go down as one of Canvey's best ever, reaching the second round of the F.A. Cup, and winning the F.A. Trophy, the final of the Essex Senior Cup, and finishing second in the Premier League!

In the F.A. Cup, Canvey were 2 goals behind with 2 minutes remaining in their first round tie at home to Port Vale, but much against the odds pulled the game level, and earned a dream away trip to Vale Park. Once again they hit the headlines by winning, and earning a home tie with local rival Southend United. The massive local interest meant that the tie was switched to Roots Hall, and over 11,000 people saw a narrow defeat for 'The Gulls'.

However an even more remarkable run in the F.A. Trophy has seen Canvey reach the final after defeating of three conference sides, playing two replays, winning one game on penalties, a total of 9 matches and odds of 66-1. All this has given the 'Yellow Army' a season to remember as they have travelled the length and breadth of England following their team. Canvey then met Forest Green Rovers at Villa Park, as Wembley was being re-built, and won one - nil. Unfortunately due to these marvelous Cup runs, Canvey gained a league fixture backlog having to play 12 games in 13 days! This run was impossible to cope with and Canvey came runners-up in the league losing out on promotion to Farnborough Town.

Last season saw Canvey reach the F.A. Cup 3rd Round Proper for the first time in their history. After battling through the Qualifying Rounds, Canvey went on to knock out Wigan Athletic in the 1st Round Proper at the magnificent JJB Stadium with Neil Gregory scoring a magnificent 83rd minute volley. This win earned them a home tie with Northampton Town in the 2nd Round which was shown live on the BBC's Match of the Day. A packed Park Lane saw Neil Gregory shine once more as he thundered the ball home early in the second half to send the Cobblers packing. Canvey were into the 3rd Round Proper and an away tie to Burnley was the reward. In front of 11,496 fans Canvey eventually lost to the Clarets 4-1 but they gained new fans, respect and plenty of prize money along the way.

Canvey's defence of the F.A. Trophy began at home to St. Albans City. The Gulls dispensed of the Saints with ease in a thrilling 5-1 win. Canvey managed to keep progressing with wins against Purfleet (1-0) & Grantham Town (4-1). This set up an way tie at Yeovil, who were flying high in the Conference at the time. Canvey marginally lost 2-1 to Yeovil, who eventually went on the win the Trophy beating Stevenage in the final.

In the League, Canvey once again had a fantastic year knocking up a 27 game un-beaten run, (26 wins and 1 draw). Canvey collected 94 points at the end of the season, but even this was not good enough for the Championship as Gravesend & Northfleet kept up a fierce challenge and won the title on the last day of the season with a total of 99 points. Canvey, for the second season running, had to settle for Runners-Up. The Gulls did however manage to win the Essex Senior Cup for the third time in four seasons, thrashing Dagenham & Redbridge 6-1 in the final at Roots Hall. Both Neil Gregory & Lee Boylan scored hat-tricks during the match.

Striker Lee Boylan had much to celebrate during that season as he picked up both the Supporters Player of the Year and the Ryman Premier Division Golden Boot Awards, scoring 43 goals in all competitions.

This year veteran players Steve Tilson and Mark Stimson left the club to take up management positions and various other members of the squad have departed. But Canvey have filled the gaps with a variety of new faces including: Colchester's David Gregory, the brother of our F.A. Cup hero Neil, Ex-Southend United Winger Scott Forbes and Former Port Vale & Leyton Orient Midfielder Jeff Minton. Expectations are high for this season and there will be a number of teams all keeping a close eye Canvey Island FC.

And so to 2002/03 and beyond........

Information on this page may be reproduced, either in full or in part, as long as a credit is given for the source:  www.canveyfc.com

       

Top 5 Home Attendance Records for Park Lane
3,553 v Aldershot Town - 15th May 2003 - Isthmian League Premier Division.
3,403 v Brighton & Hove Albion - 12th November 1995 - FA Cup 1st Round Proper
3,205 v Tiverton - 26th March 1993 - FA Vase Semi Final
3,000 v Northampton Town - 9th December 2001 - FA Cup 2nd Round Proper 
2,285 v Port Vale - 19th November 2000 - FA Cup 1st Round Proper

11,402 v Southend United - FA Cup 2nd Round Proper - 10th December 2000, (Game held at Roots Hall, Southend although Canvey Island were the home team).

Best Position in FA Cup
3rd round proper in 2001/02 - Wigan Athletic, Northampton Town then Burnley
2nd round proper in 2000/01 - Port Vale then Southend United
1st round proper in 1995/6 - Brighton & Hove Albion

Best Position in FA Trophy
Winners in 2000 / 01
Quarter-Finalists in 2001/02

Best Position in FA Vase
Semi-Finalists in 1992/3
Quarter-Finalists in 1994/5, 1995/6

Isthmian League Cup
Finalists in 2002/03

Essex Thames-Side Trophy
Winners in 1993/4, 1996/6, 1997/8
Runners Up in 1996/7
Finalists in 1999/00
(not finished)

Essex Senior Cup
Winners in 1998/9, 1999/00, 2001/02
Finalists in 2000/01

Southend & District Football League Ramuz Cup Winners 1951/52
Thurrock Combination League Champions 1955/56
'Southend' Charity Cup & 'Grays & District' Charity Cup Winners 1956/57

Parthenon Premier Section League Cup Winners

1958/59
Greater London League Champions 1967/68
Greater London League Champions & Joint Senior League Cup Winners (with East Ham) 1968/69
Essex Senior League Cup Winners 1979/80
Essex Senior League Champions 1986/87
Essex Senior League Champions & League Cup Winners 1992/93
F. A. Challenge Vase Semi-Finalists 1992/93
Essex Senior Trophy Finalists 1993/94
Harry Fisher Memorial Trophy Winners 1993/94
Essex Thames-Side Trophy Winners 1993/94
Promoted to Isthmian League (sp. by Diadora) 1994/95
F. A Challenge Vase Quarter Finalists 1994/95
Isthmian Division Three Runners Up  (sp. by Diadora) 1994/95
F. A. Cup 1st Round Proper 1995/96
Isthmian League Division Two Champions (sp. by ICIS) 1995/96
Carlton Trophy Winners 1995/96
Essex Thames-Side Trophy Winners 1995/96
F. A. Vase Quarter Finalists 1995/96
Reserve League Champions & League Cup Winners 1995/96
Essex Thames-Side Trophy Runners Up 1996/97
Isthmian League Division Two Champions (sp. by Ryman) 1997/98
Essex Thames-Side Trophy Winners 1997/98
Essex Senior Cup Winners 1998/99
Isthmian League Division One Champions (sp. by Ryman) 1998/99
Essex Senior Cup Winners 1999/00
Isthmian Premier Division - Runners Up (sp. by Ryman) 2000/01
F. A. Cup 2nd Round Proper 2000/01
Essex Senior Cup Finalists 2000/01
F. A. Umbro Trophy Winners 2000/01
Isthmian Premier Division - Runners Up (sp. by Ryman) 2001/02
F. A. Umbro Trophy Quarter-Finalists 2001/02
Essex Senior Cup Winners 2001/02
Isthmian Premier Division - Runners Up (sp. by Ryman) 2002/03
Isthmian League Cup Finalists (sp. by Bryco) 2002/03
 

 

 

Website designed & hosted by First Hosting - 0845 345 8888 - www.firsthosting.co.uk
 
    

        

The contents of this site are copyright.
Because of constant 'borrowing' by other websites, without asking for permission or even crediting us as the owners of articles and more importantly photographs, we regret that nothing may be copied from this site without our prior permission. Any breaches of this will result in legal action Please email us at admin@canveyfc.com if you wish to use anything on your site or match day programme!
Pictures may not be copied without permission.
All logos, maps and other images are copyright of the respective owners. All photographs are copyright of Ian C. Walmsley / First Images, unless advised.
 
This page was last updated:  19/02/04

This site is the unofficial site of Canvey Island FC and any views or opinions expressed on these pages are those of the author, and not necessarily of Canvey Island Football Club, Webmaster or any other person.

Also at www.nonleague.net; www.canveyfc.co.uk; www.canveyislandfc.co.uk www.cifc.org.uk
 www.canvey.com www.canvey.co.uk www.canvey.biz www.canvey.info www.canvey.org.uk
www.benfleet.com www.southbenfleet.com www.essex.uk.com