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this page is dedicated to the histories of football clubs based in the West Herts area and related features. If you would like to add features then feel free to get in touch.

The land on which Vauxhall Road and the football ground was built, used to form part of Cox Pond Farm, which dated back to 1567. In the early 1930’s the land was it was purchased by Arthur Brock, the firework manufacturer.  He was moving his firework factory to Hemel Hempstead and purchased Cox Pond Farm in order to build houses for his workers and to establish a sports club for them. The old farm buildings were then demolished.  The Brocks Fireworks Factory was based at nearby Woodhall Farm from 1933 to the 1960’s. Vauxhall Road, together with Ranelagh Road, was built in the 1930s for workers of the factory. The names Vauxhall and Ranelagh refer to two gardens in London where spectacular firework displays were held by Brocks. Henry Brock, the founder of Brocks Fireworks, allocated part of the land to serve the employees of Brocks, and the football pitch and clubhouse started out as Brocks Social and Sports Club. The founder, Henry Brock, died in 1938 and is buried at Holy Trinity Church in nearby Leverstock Green.
The post war years saw major housing development in the town of Hemel Hempstead. In March 1948 the Hemel Hempstead Development Corporation compulsorily purchased land in the Adeyfield area for the site of its labour camp, the arrangement included the clubhouse and playing field of the Brocks Social and Sports Club.  The first ‘community association’ of the New Town of Hemel Hempstead named themselves Greenhills, and Brocks Social and Sports Club was handed over to them as their base.  Greenhills Club was officially opened early in May 1948 and after six months the development corporation was so delighted with the way the club was going, it promised to supply two extra huts, 200 chairs and a new roof for the clubhouse.  Over those early new town years Greenhills was to be the home of entertainment for many of those arriving in their new home from London - everything from baby shows and fancy dress parades to dances and more importantly the chance to make and build new friendships. During the development of Hemel Hempstead, the development corporation held exhibitions at Greenhills to show models of the houses to be built in the first stages.  In 1950 a BBC Television unit visited Hemel Hempstead for a programme on making fireworks, based on the Brocks Fireworks Factory; it was narrated by Richard Dimbleby and included a firework display arranged at the Greenhills Club.  In 1951 a film premiered at the Festival of Britain which featured the Greenhills Club. “A Home of Your Own” starred Harry Locke (a big star of the time) and was about a bricklayer who brings his wife to live in the new town of Hemel, away from the “squalor” of Willesden, and featured dancing in the Greenhills Club before ending in nearby Longlands.
Football history at Vauxhall Road started as far back as Brocks, who had a team based at the ground which first entered the West Herts League in 1934/35. They applied to join the Herts County League shortly after this but were unsuccessful; the team were eventually superseded at the ground by Greenhills FC, who joined the Herts County League in 1953/54, they finished third in Division Two, scoring 154 goals in 28 games with a goal difference of 116!
Greenhills became Adeyfield Athletic FC in 1954/55, and finished seventh in Division One, whilst also fielding a Reserve team in the second division. Athletic had a new local rivalry for the 1955/56 season, it could have been the towns closest ever Derby fixture: Hemel Hempstead Rovers left the Great Western League to join the Herts County League and at the same time moved in just around the corner from Vauxhall Road at their current ground in Reith Fields, off Longlands. Despite some fairly mediocre league positions, Adeyfield Athletic made a step up to the South Midlands League Premier Division for the 1958/59 season, changing their name to Hemel Hempstead United FC in 1960.
Following a merger between Hemel Hempstead United and Hemel Hempstead Town in 1972, the Vauxhall Road ground it became the home of the current club as it is today. The ground has been subjected to fire damage and extensive refurbishment and redevelopments over the years, in 2000 insufficient ground grading prevented Hemel’s promotion after the club won the Isthmian League Division Two. Since then, much work has been carried out at Vauxhall Road and at this time there is speculation that Hemel may soon relocate to a new stadium nearer to the M1 motorway.

The club as we know it today is a result of a merger between Hemel Hempstead Town and Hemel Hempstead United in the summer of 1972, 25 years ago. However, the history can be traced back to 1885 when Apsley End FC formed to play friendly matches at Salmon Meadow, making the club 122 years old. The club entered the West Herts League six years later for the 1891/92 season; in total the club has competed in 103 seasons of league football (obviously the club did not compete during the war years).

The Vauxhall Road ground was originally built for workers of the Brocks Fireworks factory, which was based in Woodhall Farm. Brocks formed a football team which entered the West Herts League in 1934, which means football has been played at our ground for 83 years.

It has been 102 years since the club first won a league championship, when the club (then known as Apsley) won the West Herts Division One in 1894/95. Two years later, the first cup was won when Apsley’s reserves won the Herts County Junior Cup in 1896/97.

These are the relevant statistics regarding league matches played at Vauxhall Road since 1972, when Hemel Hempstead Town and Hemel Hempstead United merged (statistics up to the end of last season - 2006/07):

Played: 1366
Won: 511
Drawn: 337
Lost: 518
Scored: 1994
Conceded: 1992
Points: 1820
Goal difference: 2
Average goals per game scored: 1.5
Average goals per game conceded: 1.5

Nathan Bowden-Haase scored the clubs 2000th league goal since the 1972 merger against Rugby on 25th August 2007.

The club conceded its 2000th league goal since the 1972 merger against Swindon Supermarine on 22nd September 2007.

The club won its 500th league game since the 1972 merger on 1st January 2007, beating Maidenhead United 1-0 at home thanks to a goal from Captain Paul Edgeworth.

Crabtree Lane, Hemel’s former home ground from 1929 to 1972, produced more goals per game than Vauxhall Road, with an average of 2.2 goals per game scored and an average of 2 per game conceded in the 987 league fixtures which were played there. At Salmon Meadow, the clubs first home ground from 1885, an impressive 1288 goals were scored in 513 league fixtures, an average of 2.5 per game. Squeezed between Salmon Meadow and Crabtree Lane, the club spent one season based at Gee’s Meadow in Bourne End for the 1928/29 season, where 78 goals were scored in 24 league games, This was an average of 3.3 goals scored per game opposed the average of 2.3 goals conceded per game that season.

Going back to 1885, and adding up all the relevant stats from 103 seasons of league football, this is how the clubs league record looks up to the end of last season (this excludes the history of Hemel Utd pre 1972 merger, this also includes the seasons leading up to 1921 when the club often competed in two different leagues at the same time due to the small amount of fixtures back then):
Played: 2890
Won: 1211
Drawn: 565
Lost: 1112
Scored: 5553
Conceded: 4918
Points: 3452
Goal difference: 635
Average goals per game scored: 1.9
Average goals per game conceded: 1.7

This means that the clubs 3000th league game should fall within the 2009/10 season, when the club will be 125 years old. A reason to celebrate, perhaps?

The club first entered the FA Cup in 1901/02, the first ever tie ending in 13-1 defeat at the hands of Luton Town in the first qualifying round on 5th October 1901. Since then the club has entered the FA Cup 87 times, with progress in the competition meaning the club has played a total of 152 fixtures in the competition (not including replays). It has been 69 years since the club reached the first round proper of the FA Cup, the only time being in 1938/39 when we suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Bromley.
In the 1931/32 season, the club was knocked out of the FA Cup in the Preliminary Round by Leavesden Mental Hospital. As Leavesden played at Woodside Road in Abbotts Langley, just 5 miles from Apsley’s ground at Crabtree Lane, it must have been the most local FA Cup fixture the club has played. This must have turned in to quite some local derby, as the clubs met in the early stages of the FA Cup again in 1934/35, 1935/36 and 1936/37.
The clubs most local FA Cup fixture ever was on 8th September 1945, in a Preliminary Round tie Apsley lost 4-7 at home to Kings Langley. This was the only season Kings Langley ever entered the competition, they were knocked out in the next round by Harrow.

The Metropolitan Police Bushey  Football Club was formed in 1988 by Mr Jim Howard who at that time was a serving police officer at Harrow Road police station.  The football club began with just one team which was entered in the West Herts football league in Division One. The team gradually improved in both quality and numbers and when they finished in second place in the West Herts Premier Division in season 1990/91 they were accepted for promotion to the Herts Senior County League. Season 1991/92 began with the clubs only football side competing in the Herts Senior County League Division Two. The manager was Ozzy O’ Riley a larger than life character who had played football to a high standard and was cutting his managerial teeth with the club. Sadly family commitments meant that Ozzy was only in charge for two months before he had to give the job up. Jim Howard returned to take the reins and the club was surviving in a respectable  mid table position when Dusty Miller who was at the time Club Captain took on the managerial hot seat. The season ended with promotion albeit in third place. The next season was one of the most successful in the clubs history as Miller guided the team to the Division One title as well as the Hertfordshire F.A. Intermediate Cup, the Apsley Senior Memorial Trophy and the Pauline Mary Fox Trophy.  The clubs first season in the Premier Division of the Herts Senior County League ended with a very creditable fifth placed finish. There was also a change of manager as Andy Taylor arrived to take over first team duties. The next season the club again finished fifth but season 95/96 saw the return of manager Dusty Miller.  This time it was to be a case of so close and yet so far for Miller. The team finished runners up to a very good Elliot Star side in the league and lost to Chipperfield Corinthians on penalties in the Aubrey Cup final. Once again Miller resigned  and a series of different managers kept the club in the Premier division with a succession of mid table finishes. Great credit however is due to Eric Burgess, Nick Jennings, Ritchie Woods and Andy George who were hampered in their efforts by the clubs lack of ambition during difficult times. November in season 2002/03 saw both the clubs first team and reserves rooted at the foot of their respective tables. Manager Andy George resigned after a 6-0 defeat away to Chipperfield Corinthians and  Dusty Miller who had suffered a career ending broken leg found himself back in the hot seat. The great escape began and at the end of the season both the first team and reserves avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth. It was the wake up call the club needed. Everyone connected with the club began to pull together. The first team have had three consecutive top six finishes including a second place in season 2004/05. The club now boasts six flourishing football sides. Four Saturday sides and two Sunday sides  which includes a Veterans eleven. The clubs executive committee have made a commitment to back the football section to improve the facilities at the club to enable the team to take its place in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division should they attain the necessary promotions. This coupled with a very generous grant at the beginning of the season has shown that everyone at the club is fully behind the football section’s  ambitions. Hopefully success for all of the club’s sides is just around the corner.

During the early years of the club, then known as Apsley FC and competing in both the West Herts League and Herts County League, our local rivals during this time were Hemel Hempstead FC; despite the name this club has played no part in the history of the current Hemel Hempstead Town FC.
The old Hemel Hempstead was originally based at Heath Lane, on the site which is now the Sports Centre, and was active from the early 1880’s competing in friendly matches before any local leagues were formed.  By the time Hemel were competing against Apsley in the West Herts League and Herts County League, they were based at Gadebridge Meadow, which I assume is what we now know to be Gadebridge Park.  Fixtures between Apsley and Hemel would attract crowds upwards of 600.
During this period two more local rivals emerged, Boxmoor FC and Boxmoor St Johns FC, both competed in the West Herts and Herts County leagues. Slightly further afield there was Berkhamsted and Berkhamsted Comrades.
In 1922 Apsley left the Herts County League to join the Spartan League, competing in Division Two. Despite the move away from the regionalised Herts County League, there were still many local fixtures; also making the move to the Spartan league from the Herts County League that season were local rivals Berkhamsted Town, previously known in the County League as Berkhamsted Comrades, while already competing in the Spartan League were Aylesbury, Chesham and probably most local of all Leavesden Mental Hospital.  Watford Old Boys and Amersham also later joined the league.
In the 1931/32 season, the club (still known as Apsley at that time) were knocked out of the FA Cup in the Preliminary Round by Leavesden Mental Hospital. As Leavesden played at Woodside Road in Abbotts Langley, just 5 miles from Apsley’s ground at Crabtree Lane, it must have been one of the most local FA Cup fixtures the club has played. This must have turned in to quite some local derby, as the clubs met in the early stages of the FA Cup again in 1934/35, 1935/36 and 1936/37.
The clubs most local FA Cup fixture ever was on 8th September 1945, in a Preliminary Round tie Apsley lost 4-7 at home to Kings Langley.
When Hemel joined the Isthmian League in 1978/79, our most local derby was Tring Town. In 1983/84, St Albans City spent a season in Isthmian League Division Two, the fixtures between Hemel and St Albans that season would have been the most local league matches played by Hemel at this level of football, as St Albans home ground is slightly closer to Vauxhall Road than Berkhamsted’s.  Berkhamsted Town joined the Isthmian League Division Two in 1984/85, making them our nearest club at that time (although the home grounds of Tring and Berkhamsted were closer to each other).  Our local rivalry with Berkhamsted lasted until the end of the 1992/93 season, when the Lilywhites narrowly pipped us to the final promotion spot and went up to Division One. With Tring already relegated to Division Three by this point, Hemel were left without a real local derby fixture until 1999/2000 when Berkhamsted were relegated, both clubs then remained in the same division for five seasons until restructuring and moves to the Southern League have since kept the clubs apart.
Hemel’s current most local club at Senior level is Leverstock Green FC, but the clubs have never met in League or FA Cup fixtures, only local cup competitions make it possible for the clubs to face each other. However, Leverstock Green did have a rivalry with Adeyfield Athletic FC, the club who used to be based at Vauxhall Road before they changed their name to Hemel Hempstead United and eventually merged with Hemel Hempstead Town. Adeyfield Athletic faced Leverstock Green in the 1956/57 season, however even this short journey up the road wouldn’t have been the clubs most local derby – Athletic had a previous local rivalry which could have been the towns closest ever Derby fixture: In 1955 Hemel Hempstead Rovers left the Great Western League to join the Herts County League and at the same time moved in just around the corner from Vauxhall Road, at their current ground in Reith Fields, off Longlands. 
Adeyfield Athletic changed their name to Hemel Hempstead United in 1960, the club joined South Midlands League at which point their local rivals became Rotax, a company team based just around the corner at Maylands Avenue who later changed their name to Lucas Sports.

The town of Hemel Hempstead has produced many football teams over the years; some even before Hemel Hempstead Town FC were formed as Apsley End FC in 1885.  Many of the clubs originated from works teams, with local companies and employers entering teams in to local league and cup competition.  Hemel Hempstead Town FC and Leverstock Green FC are currently the only Hemel Hempstead clubs competing at Senior Level, but over the years many other local clubs were well organised enough and had the quality to compete at Senior Level (County League and above).  As mentioned before, at one time the West Herts League was one of the most Senior competitions available to local clubs. However, to prevent this section from potentially going on for ages, I am only going to detail the history of clubs who competed at County League and above, although I will refer to the West Herts League history of these clubs where applicable.  I will give a mention to the towns past and present “Junior” clubs at the end of this section.

Hemel Hempstead FC
Despite the name, this particular Hemel based club have no part in the history of the current Hemel Hempstead Town FC. They had formed in the early 1880’s, based at Heath Lane the club played friendly matches in the West Herts area.  Hemel were founding members of the Herts FA and entered the Herts Senior Cup for the first time in 1886/87. The club entered the West Herts League as Hemel Hempstead Town FC in 1894/95, West Herts League clubs rose this season from eight to twelve and Hemel competed in the newly formed Division Two.

By the 1896/97 season the club had dropped the “Town” from their name and were in Division One of the West Herts League as well as having a reserve team in Division Three.  In 1899/00, Hemel also entered a team in the Herts County League, they won the St Mary’s Cup this season and also reached the final of the Herts Senior Cup.  1,200 supporters saw Hemel lose the final 1-5 to Hitchin, this was the only occasion a local side other than Apsley reached this final.   By now, the club was based at Gadebridge Meadow. Hemel Hempstead finished one place behind Apsley in the 1900/01 season, Apsley claimed the league runners up spot from third place Hemel on goal difference!  Like Aplsey and many other local clubs, Hemel often entered teams in both the West Herts League and Herts County League.

In 1901/02, when the Herts County League was split in to regions, Hemel finished one place behind Apsley again and over the next few years Hemel managed to finish above their local rivals on just two occasions, in 1905 and 1909. Hemel competed in both the Herts County League and the West Herts League for the last time in the 1911/12 season, however the clubs demise coincided with the formation of Hemel Hempstead Rovers who competed for just one season in the West Herts League prior to the suspension of competitive football following the outbreak of War. The last silverware the club picked up was a second St Mary’s Cup victory in 1908/09.

Once football resumed after the War, Hemel Hempstead Town FC entered the West Herts League in the 1919/20 season, they also competed in the Herts County League in 1921/22, before solely entering a team in the West Herts League for the 1922/23 season. Support for the club was not forthcoming, this time period coincides with Apsley FC’s progression to the Spartan League so it may have been the case that there was not enough eager supporters and a possible lack of quality players for the area to have two clubs.  Hemel Hempstead did not enter either the West Herts League or Herts County League again, however a Hemel Hempstead team did continue to compete in the West Herts Midweek League until 1927/28, based at Great Hart Meadow and using the White Hart Hotel in the old High Street as their clubhouse, then throughout the 1930’s Hemel Hempstead reformed to compete in the midweek league again up until WW2.

In the 1920’s, Hemel winger George Stone signed for Chelsea. He made 25 appearances before signing for Watford.

Hemel Hempstead Rovers FC
A team known as Hemel Hempstead Rovers are mentioned in local newspaper reports from as early as 1896; however it is unlikely they are the same club currently competing in the West Herts League. As mentioned in the section above in relation to Hemel Hempstead FC, there was a Hemel Hempstead Rovers FC which competed in the West Herts League for just one season prior to WW1; again this club is unlikely to have connections to the current Rovers.

Hemel Hempstead Rovers FC are based just around the corner from Vauxhall Road at Reith Fields, Longlands, and the clubs history states that they were formed in 1934 to compete in the West Herts Minors League. The first record of the club competing in the West Herts League is 1938/39 for just one season prior to WW2; the club then entered the West Herts League again after the War.  At that time the club was based at Cattsdell Meadow and Royal Oak pub was their changing rooms. They later moved around 200 yards to Randalls Park with their own clubhouse and changing rooms.  In 1949/50, Rovers entered the Great Western League, where they remained for six seasons before joining the Herts County League. 

In 1955 Rovers moved again, this time to their present address at Reith Fields. Rovers remained in the Herts County League until 1987 when Rovers rejoined the West Herts League.  During the 31-year stint in the Herts Senior County League, from 1955/56 to 1986/87, Rovers also had a reserve team competing at Senior level when reserve teams were incorporated in to main divisional structure from 1959 to 1969.  Rovers highest County League finish was 3rd in the Premier Division in 1961.  Rovers were Herts Intermediate Cup winners in 1984 and runners up in 1978. Since joining the West Herts League, Rovers have finished as Premier Division champions on five occasions won the Herts Junior Cup in 1999. The clubs best score on record is a whopping 28-2 victory over Potten End in the 1947/48 season.  You can follow the current progress of Hemel Hempstead Rovers FC at the website of the West Herts FA, http://www.whfa.leaguemanager.biz/

Boxmoor FC
It is believed Boxmoor mainly played friendly matches against local opposition, but they did compete in the Herts County League on six occasions between 1902 and 1922. In 1925/26 Boxmoor entered the FA Cup, but didn’t make it past the Extra Preliminary Round after losing 2-4 at home to Leavesden Mental Hospital.

Boxmoor St Johns FC
There is little know about Boxmoor St Johns other than that they competed at Senior Level in the Herts County League from 1935 to 1938.

In 1933/34, Boxmoor St Johns entered the FA Cup for the only time in their history, making it through the Extra Preliminary Round (1-3 away to Ware) and Preliminary Round (walkover against Hendon Town) before losing 1-10 at home to Tufnell Park in a First Qualifying Round replay, having held the Isthmian League club to a 3-3 draw away from home. England International Frank Broome started his playing career at Boxmoor St Johns, before joining Berkhamsted Town then signing for Aston Villa in 1934. After spells with Derby County and Notts County, Broome was still playing in the 1950’s and ended his professional career at Crewe Alexandra aged 39. Reg Dudley, mentioned earlier as the Apsley player who went on to play for Millwall, QPR and Watford before ending up at Hemel Hempstead, started his playing career with Boxmoor St Johns.

Greenacres
Greenacres were tenants of the Tudors, playing their home games at Vauxhall Road from 1997 to 2004. Greenacres had originally competed in the West Herts League, and then joined the South Midlands League in 1997. Greenacres were Herts Intermediate Cup winners in 1998 and reached the first round of the FA Vase in 2003, then folded in 2004 following the reformation of Hemel Hempstead Town’s reserve team.

Leverstock Green
Green are based at Pancake Lane and formed in 1896, competing in the West Herts League from 1908 to 1954 prior to joining the Herts Senior County League. Greens best season at that level was 1991 when they finished second in the Herts Senior Premier Division, it was after this season Green joined the South Midlands League. Their best ever league finish was 6th in the South Mids Premier Division in 2006.  Green were runners up in all three of the Herts Intermediate Cup, Senior Centenary Trophy and Herts Charity Shield in 1992, then Intermediate Cup runners up again in 2003. Greens have reached the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup once and the third round of the FA Vase once. Leverstock Green FC have a more in-depth account of their history on their excellent website at http://www.levgreenfc.co.uk/.

A number of large local employers have had football teams competing at Senior level, such as Dickinsons, Lucas and Kodak, sadly none remain.

A number of large local employers have had football teams competing at Senior level, such as Dickinsons, Lucas and Kodak, sadly none remain.

Dickinsons joined the Herts County league in 1937 and competed either side of the Second World War. The club won the County League Division One championship in 1948/49, scoring an incredible 105 goals in the process, before leaving to join the Metropolitan & District League the following season. They competed in that league for just two seasons, finishing second from bottom in 1950/51 after conceding 136 goals in 30 league games, they then returned to the Herts County League for just one season in 1951/52. Dickinsons had a reserve team who also competed at senior level, in the Herts County League from 1947 to 1951.
In 1945, former Huddersfield, Watford, Exeter and Darlington defender Bill Brown signed for Dickinsons. Brown was 38 years old when he signed for Dickinsons, his professional career ended when his first season with Darlington in 1939 was interrupted by the war.

Kodak had a West Herts League side who had spells in both the South Midlands League in the early 1960’s and the Herts County League in the 1980’s to 1990’s. In their first County League season, Kodak were Division Two champions, they made one appearance in the Premier Division, but were relegated in 1993. The club folded in 1997, the land on which their home ground was based was sold to developers but over ten years later the land remains undeveloped. Below: the still undeveloped former home of Kodak FC

Lucas Sports were formed as Rotax, and were a local company side playing just around the corner from Vauxhall Road at Maylands Avenue. Rotax entered the South Midlands League in 1964, changing their name to Lucas in line with the companies name change in 1975. In 1966/67, the club finished second place in Division One, scoring 111 goals in 30 games and securing promotion to the Premier Division. Their highest Premier Division finish was fifth in 1972/73, then Lucas were relegated to Division One after a rock bottom finish in 1975/76 after winning just two of thirty fixtures.
Lucas left the South Midlands League in 1982, a year later the club joined for the Herts Senior County League for the 1983/84 season. Lucas remained in the County League for 10 seasons before leaving for the West Herts League again.  Lucas were Herts Intermediate Cup runners up in 1969 and 1989.  When the company moved out of town the football team lost their home ground, they are now called Jomarth and play at Pennine Way, competing in the West Herts League. Below: the still undeveloped former home of Lucas Sports FC

Addressograph Multigraph, based at Wood Lane End on Hemel’s industrial estate, entered their Addmult team in to the South Midlands League in 1962, winning Division One in their first season and securing promotion to the Premier Division at the first attempt. Addmult spent seven seasons in the Premier Division, winning the championship in 1968/69, before being relegated to Division One in 1969/70 after finishing second from bottom. Addmult were a less than average Division One side with numerous low finishes, the nail in the coffin being a rock bottom finish in 1977/78 after conceding 164 goals in 34 fixtures. Addmult left the South Midlands League after this season and enjoyed brief success in the West Herts League prior to the club folding in the early 1980’s.
Halfway through the first season in 1963/64, 21 year old Addmult defender Dick Edwards was signed by Luton Town. Edwards made 15 appearances for the Hatters over two seasons before signing for non-league Kettering.

In 1945/46, a team made up of members of a local R.E.M.E. camp (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) based at Cupid Green entered the newly reformed Herts County League, winning the championship at their first and only attempt in the league. They scored 106 goals in 20 games that season, losing only one game in the process.  R.E.M.E also reached the final of the Herts Senior Cup that season, losing 0-6 against Barnet.