History of the Club
History, Honours and Past Players 1 of 4

1. History of the Club


Thatcham Town Football Club was founded in 1894. The club were originally known just as Thatcham, with Town being added to its name in 1974. In the early years Thatcham played at The Marsh on Dunston Green, Brownsfield (home of the Cricket Club) and Station Road, before moving to Lancaster Close in 1949. Floodlights were erected in January 1983 with Fulham FC visiting for a commemorative friendly match. To provide improved facilities, the club moved to Waterside Park in 1992/93, with the ground becoming known as The Stacatruc Stadium from August 2019, then the Mettal Stadium from August 2023.

The club joined the Reading Temperance League in 1896, winning the Division Two title in 1905/06. In 1953 Thatcham became founder members of the Hellenic League, winning promotion to the Premier Division as Division One champions in 1958/59, 1964/65 & 1972/73, then claiming the Premier Division title in 1974/75. Following spells in the Athenian and London Spartan Leagues, Thatcham joined the newly formed Wessex League in 1986 and won the title in 1995/96. After finishing second in 2005/06, ground requirements were met and promotion to step four was achieved.

The Kingfishers spent eight seasons in the Southern League Division One – seven in the South & West Division and one (2012/13) in the Central. Following sixth-placed finishes in both 2006/07 & 2008/09, the club achieved its highest ever position in 2010/11... Despite being in the bottom half of the table at Christmas, Thatcham earned 38 points from the final 15 matches to finish in fifth, however the Kingfishers were beaten at Sholing in the play-off semi-final.

Once safety was assured in 2013/14, the club resigned from the Southern League to cut costs by playing at a lower level. Town finished twelfth in their first campaign back in the Hellenic Premier, then second and fourth in the following seasons. However in 2017/18 the Kingfishers embarked on an incredible 40 game unbeaten run (in all competitions), winning all but one game between the end of October and end of April. This saw Thatcham overtake long-time leaders Highworth Town and eventually pip Bracknell Town to the title in a thrilling end to the season, on goal difference.

After taking a season to re-adjust to step four football, in 2019/20 Thatcham were top of the Southern League Division One South table with eleven games to play. But with the club looking set to achieve its highest ever finish, and promotion to step three a real possibility, the Coronavirus pandemic struck with the season being terminated. Following the subsequent departure of the management team and many senior players, alongside being moved into the Isthmian League South Central Division the club faced a rebuilding job. Covid also caused the 2020/21 season to be suspended before Town finished 12th in 2021/22, then recovered from a poor start in 2022/23 to finish 13th.

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Thatcham Town FC have enjoyed some memorable success in Cup competitions over the years. In 1989 the club reached the last eight of the FA Vase before losing to local rivals Hungerford Town. In the same competition a record attendance of 1,400 was set when Aldershot Town won 1-0 at Waterside Park in 1993/94. However in 2017/18 Thatcham went all the way and lifted the trophy at Wembley Stadium on a brilliant day for the football club...

Supporters started to sense the club could be on the verge of something special after a 5th round home victory over Bromsgrove Sporting, then over 2,200 attended the quarter-final win at Melksham Town as cup fever started to spread across the town. Thatcham then. defeated 1874 Northwich 1-0 (home) and 3-2 (away) in the two legged semi-final, before taking over 5,000 fans to Wembley as Northern League side Stockton Town were beaten 1-0 in the final.

The club played in the Third Round Qualifying stage of the FA Trophy for the first time in 2021/22, losing on penalties at Cinderford Town. Thatcham's best run in the FA Cup came in the 1996/97 season as they reached the Fourth Round Qualifying stage before losing at Boreham Wood. In September 2019 the FA Cup First Round Qualifying tie at home to Salisbury was streamed live by the BBC with the visitors winning 3-2.

Thatcham completed the Hellenic League and Cup double, by lifting the Hellenic First Division Cup in 1972/73 and the Premier Division Cup in 1974/75. During 2017/18 the club reached both League Cup finals, losing to Bracknell in the Challenge Cup and Binfield in the Floodlit Cup.

During the 1990s Thatcham won the Wessex League Cup on four occasions, completing the league and Cup double in 1995/96. In 1974/75 the club were beaten in the final of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup but were awarded the trophy following a dispute between the victors, Wycombe Wanderers, and the Berks & Bucks FA.