Hampton F.C.
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| Full name | Hampton & Richmond Borough Football Club |
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| Nickname(s) | The Beavers, Hampton |
| Founded | 1921 (as Hampton) |
| Ground | Beveree Stadium, Hampton, London |
| Capacity | 3,500 (750 seated) |
| Chairman | Steve McPherson |
| Manager | Alan Dowson |
| League | National League South |
| 2015–16 | Isthmian League Premier Division, 1st (promoted) |
| Website | Club home page |
Hampton & Richmond Borough Football Club is an English football club based in the suburb of Hampton, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. They were founded in 1921 and formerly known as Hampton F.C. until 1999 when they changed their name in an attempt to draw a wider support base from around the borough. They currently compete in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football.
Hampton & Richmond Borough remains the only senior-level football club to represent the borough of Richmond upon Thames, but arguably struggles in attendance due to the popularity of rugby union in the borough. The club has a core support base of around 300 to 400 people.
Hampton's early years were spent in the Kingston & District and the South West Middlesex Leagues. Although twice winning the Kingston & District title in the early 1930s the club never managed to capture the South West Middlesex League title during their 26-year stay.
In 1959, Hampton entered the senior football ranks as members of the Surrey Senior League, despite being based in Middlesex. In 1964 they won the championship and stepped up into the Spartan League where they enjoyed seven seasons of unparalleled success. The club captured the Spartan League title four times in 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1970 as well as finishing runners-up in 1968. They never finished outside the top four places during their stay.
In 1971 they were elected to the Second Division of the Athenian League. After narrowly missing promotion in their first season, Hampton finished runners-up to Ruislip Manor in 1973. By this time, though, the Beavers had already been elected to the newly formed Second Division (now First Division) of the Isthmian League.
The club were to remain in Division Two of the Isthmian League until 1990, when they suffered their first relegation. Worse was to follow as the two regionalised Second Divisions were split in 1991 to form a Second and Third set-up. The Beavers found themselves one place below the dividing line and were relegated to the Third Division for the 1991–92 season. Although missing automatic promotion by one place, the club was promoted at the Isthmian AGM to fill a vacancy in the Second Division and so began the recovery.
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