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Saltash United Football Club is an English football club based in Saltash, Cornwall. They currently play in the Western League Premier Division.

Saltash United

Full name	Saltash United Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Ashes
Founded	1946; 76 years ago (1946)
Ground	Waterways Stadium, Saltash
Chairman	Julie Morley
Manager	Danny Lewis & Shane Krac
League	Western League Premier Division
2021–22	Western League Premier Division, 4th of 19
Website	Club website
Home colours

Since its formation in 1946, the club has won three Western Football League Premier Division titles, one Western Football League Division One title and two South Western League titles.[1]

The club crest adopts the heraldic seal used by the town of Saltash for many centuries. The shield is placed between two ostrich feathers and ensigned by a crown, which are taken from the arms of the Duchy of Cornwall.[2]

History

Foundation, formation and the early years

Football in Saltash was played as long ago as the 1890s under the name of Essa, although the date of its formation and origin remain unclear. The team eventually became known as Saltash Stars and had a credible history which included a hat-trick of victories in the Cornwall Senior Cup, winning the trophy in the seasons 1929–32.[3] They disbanded for the duration of the Second World War but reformed in the 1946–47 season, this time under the name of Saltash United.

In 1951, the club won the Cornwall Senior Cup, for the first time since 1932 – alongside the Charity Cup and Herald Cup – to complete the "Triple Crown" taking all three Cornish senior trophies.[4] The club entered the South Western Football League in 1951–52 as a founder member, finishing runners up and winning the inaugural South Western League Cup by defeating a strong Torquay United reserves side 3–2. The Ashes went on the secure the South Western League title in the 1953–54 season[5] before the club was forced to disband and withdrew in 1958. However, a group of enthusiasts led by long serving club supporter Terry Maynard, called an Extraordinary General Meeting on 22 July 1959, and Saltash United was unanimously reformed. At the same time, a small committee was formed to raise funds over the next 12 months to set the club back on its feet.[6] The 1960–61 season saw the club join the newly formed East Cornwall League.[6]

Former player Alan Armstrong was appointed team manager for the 1969–70 season and lifted the South Western League Cup. The following season, David Lean left Plymouth Argyle to become player-manager of Saltash United.[7]

Western League years (1976–95)

The club entered and won the 1976–77 Western League Division One at their first attempt.[1] Peter Darke guided the club to a 4th-place finish in the club's first season in the Western League Premier Division. Despite a 3rd-place finish in 1978–79, the club was back in 9th place the following season.[1]

Following a 2nd-place finish in the 1983–84 season, the club won its first Western League Premier Division title in 1984–85. Saltash United won the league again in the 1986–87 and 1988–89 seasons.[1] The 1987–88 season saw the club's best FA Cup run to date. The run started with a 3-0 win at league opponents Taunton Town F.C. in the 1st qualifying round. This was followed up by a 7-1 thrashing of Ottery St Mary A.F.C. of the lower Western League Division One, and then a 3-0 home win over Tiverton Town F.C. of the same lower division. The club fell one round short of reaching the FA Cup First Round Proper, losing 4–2 away to Isthmian League side Farnborough F.C. in the Fourth Qualifying Round.[8]

South Western League (1995–2007)

By the end of the 1994–95 season the club returned to the South Western League as the high travelling expense of competing in the Western League took its toll. League success eluded the club in the ensuing years, with only the Durning Lawrence Charity Cup, won in 2000–01 to show for their efforts.

Allan Evans became team manager in 2002 and his influence was immediately felt with new players and a new approach to club discipline and training. Despite rejoining the Western League First Division for two seasons in 2004–05 and 2005–06, the club once again returned to the South Western League, with a 3rd-place finish.

South West Peninsula League (2007–2021)

The 2007–08 season saw the club join the newly formed South West Peninsula League finishing the inaugural season as runners-up.[1] On 29 May 2013, Saltash announced Martin Burgess as team manager, succeeding Stuart Dudley who resigned at the end of the 2012–13 season. On 21 January 2015, Burgess stepped down as team manager with the Ashes only a point behind the league leaders citing player priorities and squad availability as the reasons for his resignation.

The 2015–16 season saw Matthew Cusack appointed team manager alongside assistant Dane Bunney, both former Saltash players. Despite starting with only 8 registered players, they guided the Ashes to a sixth-place finish.[1][9] The Ashes started the 2016–17 season strongly under Cusack with the club breaking their record for most consecutive wins at the start of a season, beating St Blazey 5–0 on 27 August 2016. The following season, 2017–18, Saltash lifted the Cornwall Senior Cup for the first time in 25 years, having lost on their last five Senior Cup final appearances.[10]

Bunney was appointed team manager following Cusack's resignation in March 2020 to join Plymouth Parkway as head coach.[11] Bunney guided the club to its longest FA Cup run since the 1991–92 season and were joint top of the Peninsula League Premier West table when the season was curtailed. In 2021 they were promoted to the Premier Division of the Western League based on their results in the abandoned 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.[12]

Stadium

Saltash United play their home games at The Waterways Stadium, Callington Road, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6DX. The ground's official name was Kimberley Stadium until March 2022 when it was renamed through a sponsorship deal.[13] The ground is floodlit with a covered seated stand and licensed clubhouse.

Saltash United moved to Kimberley Stadium in the 1951–52 season and new dressing rooms and covered accommodation was opened on 21 April 1969 when a full Plymouth Argyle first team beat Saltash United 7–0 in the commemorative match.[14]

The main grandstand was named the Tim Halford Stand on 12 July 2008.[15] Halford was the club's manager when he died in September 2007 at the age of 45.[16]

Honours

Saltash United's list of honours include the following.

Honour	Number	Years
League
Western Football League Champions (tier 9)	3	1984–85, 1986–87, 1988–89
Western Football League Runners-up (tier 9)	2	1983–84, 1987–88
Western Football League Division One Champions (tier 10)	1	1976–77
South West Peninsula League Premier Division Runners-up (tier 10)	2	2007–08, 2016–17
South Western League Champions (tier 11)	2	1953–54, 1975–76
South Western League Runners-up (tier 11)	3	1952–53, 1973–74, 1974–75
Domestic Cups
Western Football League Cup Winners	2	1986–87, 1987–88
Cornwall Senior Cup Winners	7	1950–51, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1992–93, 2017–18
Cornwall Senior Cup Runners-up	9	1951-52, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1988–89, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2016–17, 2018–19
South West Peninsula League Walter C Parson Cup Winners	1	2018–19
South West Peninsula League Charity Bowl Winners	2	2007–08, 2019–20
South Western League Cup Winners	2	1952–53, 1969–70
Cornwall FA Charity Cup Winners	2	1950–51, 2000–01

Records

• Best FA Cup performance: FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying (1987–88)[1]
• Best FA Trophy performance: First Round (1985–86, 1986–87)[1]
• Best FA Vase performance: Third Round (1996–97, 2013–14, 2018–19)[1]
• Most League goals in a season (by team): 127 (1974–75, South Western League, 36 games)
• Most League points in a season: 90 (2016–17, South West Peninsula League Premier Division, 38 games)

Players

Current squad

As of 30 July 2022[17]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  ENG Ryan Rickard 2 DF  ENG David Barker (captain) 3 DF  ENG Callum Martindale 4 DF  ENG Charlie Elkington 5 DF  ENG Callum O'Brien 6 MF  ENG Henry Wilson 7 MF  ENG Harrison Davis 8 MF  ENG Jake Miller 9 FW  ENG Sam Hughes 10 FW  ENG Mike Smith

No. Pos. Nation Player 11 DF  ENG Daniel Lewis (player-manager) 12 MF  ENG Samuel Farrant 13 GK  ENG Jordan Duffey 14 FW  ENG Adam Carter 15 MF  ENG Alex Cairo 16 DF  ENG Alfie Wotton 17 FW  ENG Callum Merrin 18 MF  ENG Shaun Cleary 19 DF  WAL Edward James

Notable former players

This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time.

Club officials

Committee members

Position[18]	Name	Nationality
Chair	Julie Morley	English
Vice-Chair	David Marshall	English
Secretary & Treasurer	Steve Morley	English
Football Secretary	Phil Durrant	English

Coaching positions

First Team

Position[19]	Name	Nationality
Manager:	Shane Krac	English
Player-Manager:	Daniel Lewis	English
Assistant Manager:	Lee Bevan	English
Equipment & Kit Co-Ordinator:	Jordan McCormick	English

Managerial history

Updated as of 26 December 2020. Only managers since joining the South West Peninsula League are shown.

Sponsorship

The club's current sportswear manufacturer is Kappa. The club's main sponsor is Waterways Drainage Specialists Ltd.

References

External links

• Official Club website
• Saltash United at the Football Club History Database
• Cornwall Senior Cup Saltash Record

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