Aylesbury Vale F.C. History

Aylesbury Vale F.C. (as a name) only came into existence in May 2005. The club has enjoyed a long history in senior and junior football dating back to the 1930s under the previous names of Haywood United, Belgrave, Stocklake and Negretti and Zambra F.C. which was founded in the 1930’s by workers at the Negretti and Zambra Company, which was then based in London’s King’s cross-district. The company Stocklake moved to the Stocklake Industrial Estate, Aylesbury, in 1949 and by the mid 1950’s the firm’s premises had a bar, football, cricket and tennis facilities. The football club joined the Aylesbury and District League in 1954. The social club changed it’s name to Stocklake, when Nagretti and Zamra Ltd, sold the premises to the local council, who then allowed the social club facilities to be leased as a private club, hence the different sections adopted the new name, under the chairmanship of Mr Ernie Crotty the club gained many honours, including runners-up in the ADL’s top divisions before gaining intermediate status in the Wycombe and District League’s First and Senior divisions. Unfortunately, Ernie was killed in a road accident just before the club moved premises to the present ground at Haywood Way in 1987. After gaining senior status and promotion to the Chiltern League in 1988, Stocklake enjoyed many further successes including Division One runners-up in 1991, Premier runners-up and League Cup runners-up in 1991, Wycombe Senior Cup winners in 1955, and the Berks and Bucks intermediate cup in 1996.
Belgrave F.C. was started up in 1983 by Jim Sullivan of Belgrave Road (just one street away from the present ground at Haywood Way). Jim had two sons who were passionate about football but at that time there was little choice of where to play so he decided to organise a team himself with help of his neighbours, Lynne and David Hatcher.
By 1990 Belgrave had grown to five youth teams, providing over ninety boys from the Quarrendon and Haydon Hill (housing estates of Aylesbury) with training and league competition. In 1996 the club expanded to include two senior (men’s) teams and by the new millennium there were squads at every level from under-8s to seniors, totalling over 200 registered players including Stocklake Ladies. In 2000 four Belgrave youth squads won league and cup honours while the seniors won the Aylesbury District League Cup, the Field Shield and finished ADL Premier Runners-up.
At the start of the 2000/2001 season Belgrave Senior team was renamed Haywood United following an amalgamation with Stocklake (with the juniors remaining as Belgrave Youth for another year). Haywood United joined the Spartan South Midlands League and won promotion into Division One after two seasons. Notable achievements during the 2001/02 season included league awards for best kept ground, most improved ground (that included the installation of floodlights and perimeter fencing) and best match day programme in recognition of how much the club was developing.
Season 2002/03 saw a difficult start in Division One, after the arrival of manager Jon Franklin and his assistant Keith Walker shortly after Christmas, the club eventually consolidated the step-up by finishing mid-table in 9th Place. Promotion to the South Midlands Premier was gained a year later in season 2003/04 after a campaign that saw 23 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses.
Haywood proved themselves capable of staying up in the Premier when they finished in 3rd place in season 2004/05 after a campaign that included only one loss in the twenty matches after the Christmas period. The club also entered the FA Cup and Vase for the first time and won the Buckingham Charity Cup (2006). The season of 2006-2007 our present management team, took over as joint managers, and have steadily been building a squad which at the start of 2008 season is doing well. Stocklake Ladies and Girls F.C.was formed in 1996 when Jason Davies and Samantha Davies started training a handful of girls. Major success came when the Ladies won the Women's Southern Region (Northern).
In 2002, Belgrave Youth and Stocklake Ladies and Girls were also amalgamated under the umbrella of Haywood United, and the club became one of the largest single-identity football clubs in Buckinghamshire with over 230 registered players.
Season 2003/04 saw four Haywood United Youth teams (Under 11s, 12s, 15s, and 16s) finish as Champions of their respective divisions in the Wycombe and South Bucks Minors League while Haywood Ladies won the Chairman’s Cup, beating Slough 2-0 in the final at Thatcham Town.
The members of Haywood United voted to change the club’s name to Aylesbury Vale F.C. in order to enhance its identity both with local people as well as those outside the town. In May 2005 Danny Martone stepped down as chairman after eight years service during which time he had radically steered the fortunes of the club. Tony Masella who joined the club as a player in 2001 succeeded him.
The club recently adopted the nickname ‘The Moles’ in honour of the little creatures residing under the pitch and who proved to be such a stubborn force to eradicate!
Aylesbury Vale Football Club prides itself on clear ambitions:
to progress to higher league football
to achieve higher league status with squads based on local talent.
The club hopes to continue to work with other local community groups and enhance the club’s facilities for the benefit of local people.