Cobham Football Club - Season 2007/2008

For a full breakdown of Cobham's history in the league and FA competitions, check out the Football Club History Database.

Cobham Football Club were formed by villagers in October 1892 entering a local junior league. The home ground was never settled with various fields around the outskirts of the village being used at different times. During the late 1920's they played in the Kingston & District league winning Div.1 in successive seasons 1928/9 and 1929/30. In the early 1930s they gained Intermediate status and then quickly achieved Senior Status in 1938 upon election to the Surrey Senior League.

After the wartime interruption, Cobham became league champions in 1948/9, narrowly missing a double by finishing runners-up in the League Cup final.

The club established a home ground at Cobham Recreation Ground and continued to play there until the 1955/6 season when they took up residence at the current Anvil Lane ground (also known as the Leg O'Mutton Field). As was the fashion of the day, the Club needed a nickname and because of the Anvil Lane address, they became known as 'The Hammers'

More recently, Cobham were founder members of the Combined Counties League, moving up from the now defunct Surrey Senior League, although they have yet to win the title. In fact the closet they have come was in 1998/9 when the Hammers finished second behind Ash United after leading the table for much of the season. The league has had various sponsored titles over the years but recently retained the original along with the sponsor's title.

Several former Cobham players have moved into the professional ranks, including Trevor Lee and Phil Walker with Millwall and David Coles at Yeovil Town. Also, cricket fast-bowler turned commentator, Bob Willis, made occasional appearances in goal in the 1970s and is a life member of the club.

However, pride of place on the clubhouse wall goes to a picture of lifelong Cobham stalwart the late Reg Madgwick who served the Hammers as player, committee member and enthusiastic fund-raiser, often holding bingo sessions in the Cobham village hall. Reg was a truly unique gentleman who requested his ashes be spread around the ground and left all his worldly possessions to the football club.

The ground's floodlights were installed in the 1997/98 season and were christened with a game against Nationwide Conference side Woking.

The Hammers most recent silverware (and first in the CCL) was won in season 2001/2 when they beat Bedfont 3-2 at Woking to win the CCL Premier Challenge Cup.