Marlow celebrates 150 years as a football club
Marlow FC: Most memorable moments include FA Cup clash with Tottenham
Marlow FC celebrated 150 years of existence in English football this week.
The Blues were founded on November 22, 1870, making them one of the oldest clubs in the country.
Commenting on the club reaching this milestone, chairman Terry Staines said: “150 years is an incredible achievement and I am honoured to be part of this wonderful club. Clubs like ours face many challenges, especially financially, so the fact that we have made it this far is a testament to those who have gone before us and those who continue to support us on matchdays.
“I hope there will be many more memories created at the club in the coming years. I encourage people to attend matches and support their local clubs as it makes a massive difference.
“It is very unfortunate that due to current circumstances we have been unable to celebrate this landmark properly with our supporters. But we will be sure to do so in due time when it is safe to do so.”
Marlow has a long and proud history. In the early 1990s it reached the third round of the FA Cup, playing Premier League Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. For 92 years of their existence they’ve played their home matches at the Alfred Davies Memorial Ground at Oak Tree Road. More recently the club has won the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup twice in the 90s and the Hellenic League in 2012-13.
Manager Mark Bartley will be hoping to make this another landmark season, with the club sitting just a couple of points outside the play-offs having been in reasonable form ahead of November’s lockdown. They also progressed to the first round of the FA Trophy.
Going back a cool 149 years the club also competed in the very first FA Cup tournament. Their most successful run in the competition came 10 years later when Marlow reached the semi-finals and were defeated by eventual winners Old Etonians.
The early to mid-90s proved a purple patch for the Blues with the side taking on a Tottenham side in the 1993 FA Cup that included household names such as Neil Ruddock and Teddy Sheringham – who would go on to achieve success with England and Manchester United. The Blues were beaten 5-1 that day but David Lay wrote his name into the history books with Marlow’s goal. Two years later the Blues beat Oxford United in the first round, another huge upset witnessed by around 3,000 fans at Oak Tree Road. More recently they’ve taken on the Kuwaiti national team in a pre-season friendly, losing 3-2. The club is run by volunteers without whom Marlow would cease to exist. The chairman has offered his thanks and appreciation for all that hard work on the club’s anniversary.