West Leigh Park
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| Full name | Havant & Waterlooville Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Hawks |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Ground | West Leigh Park, Havant |
| Capacity | 5,250 (560 seated) |
| Chairman | Derek Pope |
| Manager | Lee Bradbury |
| League | Isthmian League Premier Division |
| 2015–16 | National League South, 20th (relegated) |
Havant & Waterlooville Football Club is an English football club based in Havant, Hampshire. The club participate in the Isthmian League Premier Division as of the 2016-17 season, the seventh tier of English football. The club formed in 1998 after a merger between Havant Town and Waterlooville. Nicknamed The Hawks, they play at West Leigh Park.
In 1998 Havant Town and Waterlooville merged to play at Havant Town's West Leigh Park ground. In their first season as a merged team, Havant & Waterlooville won the Southern League Southern Division under the management of former Crystal Palace and Portsmouth defender Billy Gilbert. There was also instant success in the FA Cup, a penalty shoot-out defeat to Hayes was all that denied the Hawks an opportunity to visit league side Mansfield Town in the first round proper.
After Billy Gilbert left Havant & Waterlooville, Mick Jenkins and Liam Daish were appointed joint managers in April 2000. Jenkins and Daish guided the Hawks to notable successes in the FA Cup where they reached the first round, the first of four occasions achieved by the club. In 2000–01, Havant & Waterlooville lost 2–1 at home to Southport of the Conference North, and 3–2 away to another Conference side, Dagenham & Redbridge in 2002–03. The 2002–03 season was also notable for the Hawks' FA Trophy run when Havant & Waterlooville 'giant-killed' Forest Green Rovers en route to the semi-final where Hawks lost 2–1 on aggregate to Tamworth. During a 5-year stay in the Southern League Premier Division from 1999-2000 to 2004-05, Havant & Waterlooville's best season came in 2001–02, finishing 3rd after leading the table during September. In the 2003–04 season, the club struggled and this led to Jenkins and Daish being dismissed in January 2004. However, the club recovered and finished 12th in the Southern League Premier Division and thereby qualified for a place in the re-structured Conference South.
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