Woking F.C.
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| Full name | Woking Football Club |
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| Nickname(s) | The Cardinals, The Cards |
| Short name | WFC |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Ground | Kingfield Stadium |
| Capacity | 6,036 (2,500 seated) |
| Coordinates | 51°18′22.80″N 0°33′31.72″W / 51.3063333°N 0.5588111°WCoordinates: 51°18′22.80″N 0°33′31.72″W / 51.3063333°N 0.5588111°W |
| Owner | Peter Jordan |
| Chairman | Rosemary Johnson |
| Manager | Garry Hill |
| League | National League |
| 2015–16 | National League, 12th |
| Website | www |
Woking Football Club is a semi-professional association football club based in Woking, Surrey, England. Formed in 1889, the team play at The Laithwaite Community Stadium (formerly known as Kingfield Stadium) and participates in the National League, the fifth tier of English football.
Woking have won the FA Trophy a joint-record three times and finished 2015–16 season in 12th place. Woking are known as The Cards or The Cardinals.
Woking Football Club, known as the Cards, was formed in 1889. The club joined the West Surrey League in 1895–96, winning the title by one point. However, within 21 years of being formed, the club was in danger of folding for financial reasons. The turning point came when, in January 1908, Woking played Bolton Wanderers in the First Round of the FA Cup, having made it through five qualifying rounds. Despite losing the away game 5–0, the club made it into the national news. Bolton Wanderers, impressed by the minnows they had defeated, travelled to Woking for a friendly match the following season, which kept the club solvent.
In 1911 the club joined the Isthmian League, maintaining their place in the top division for 72 years and finishing as runners-up to Wycombe Wanderers in 1956–57. That achievement was eclipsed the following season when, in front of a 71,000 crowd, the Cards beat Ilford 3–0 to win the last FA Amateur Cup Final to be televised live.
The club then went into decline, culminating in a first-ever relegation in 1982–83. By the end of the 1984–85 season the club had plunged to Division Two South of the Isthmian League. It was during that season that former player, Geoff Chapple, was appointed as manager. However, Chapelle was not able to save the club from relegation. The following season, the club just missed out on promotion at the first attempt. However, the club clinched the Division Two South title in 1986–87 and, after two third-place finishes in Division One, they were promoted back to the Premier Division at the end of the 1989–90 season.
The next season saw the club become part of FA Cup folklore. Entering the competition in the Fourth Qualifying Round, they beat three Conference sides to set up a Third Round tie away to West Bromwich Albion. Recovering from being a goal behind, Woking triumphed 4–2, after a hat-trick from Tim Buzaglo. The club was then drawn against Everton. The tie was originally going to be played at Woking, though the venue was switched to Everton's home ground, Goodison Park. Woking narrowly lost the match 1–0 to a Kevin Sheedy goal.
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