Horndean F.C.

Horndean F.C.

Horndean FC THE DEANS
Full name	Horndean Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Deans
Founded	1887
Ground	Five Heads Park, Horndean
Ground Capacity	500
Chairman	David Sagar
Manager	Michael Birmingham
League	Wessex League Premier Division
2016–17	Wessex League Premier Division, 6th of 22

Horndean F.C. is an English football club based in Horndean, near Portsmouth in Hampshire. The club are currently members of the Wessex League Premier Division and play at Five Heads Park.

The club was established in 1887 and played their first match on 27 October against Red Star from Havant. They initially played at Blendworth Hill before moving to their current ground.

The club only played friendly matches until World War I, after which they joined the Waterlooville & District League, They won the league title in 1926–27, 1929–30, 1930–31 and 1931–32. They went on to join the Portsmouth League, winning Division Two in 1953–54. They were later promoted to the Premier Division, which they won in 1968–69, 1969–70 and 1970–71.

In 1972 they moved up to Division Four of the Hampshire League. By the mid-1980s they had reached Division One, and became founder members of the Wessex League in 1986. The Deans struggled to make an impact on the league and in nine seasons never once managed to finish in the top half. After finishing bottom of the league in 1994–95, they were relegated back to the Hampshire League, where they remained until rejoining the Wessex League as founder members of the new Division Two in 2004. In 2010–11 they were promoted to the Premier Division after finishing as runners-up in Division One. In October 2015 long serving manager David Carter left and on Wednesday 21st October 2015 Portsmouth Academy Coach Craig Pearce and Simon Chamberlain were appointed as successors. Craig Pearce and Simon Chamberlain took the team to fifth place, Horndeans highest ever position in the Sydenhams Wessex premier league. At the start of the 2016-2017 season Horndean FC saw the arrival of Michael Birmingham, Dutchy Holland, Jason Manna and more recently Tony Clark and Matthew Driver. The 1st team currently sit in 6th position in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier division.

Horndean play their home games at Five Heads Park, Five Heads Road, Horndean PO8 9NZ. The ground was fully enclosed in 1981. In 1986 a 50-seater stand was added and a new building housing changing rooms and hospitality facilities was constructed inside the ground, to meet Wessex League standards. Previously the changing rooms had been in the social club, on the other side of the car park. The ground seating has been increased significantly during the 2014/2015 season.