HENLEY

Foot Ball - We understand that steps are being taken to form a Foot Ball Club, in the town. No doubt, when fairly started, the roll of members will assume considerable proportions as already twenty gentlemen have expressed their willingness to join.

- KINCH's HENLEY ADVERTISER
November 4th 1871 

Henley Town F.C. was founded in November 1871 and is the oldest club recognised by the Oxfordshire Football Association. Henley Town played in the early days of the FA Cup and were full members of the Football Association for several seasons.

In the early years of the twentieth century up to the First World War, Town won the Oxfordshire Senior Cup five times and the Oxfordshire Charity Cup twice. In 1912/13, they won the Reading Temperance League’s top division and were runners-up the following season.

It was to be 20 years before further success came Henley’s way. Having been elected to the Spartan League in 1931, Town won Division Two (West) in 1933/34. In 1936/37 along with the Henley (Hospital) Charity Cup (a trophy they won 15 times in total) and the Oxfordshire Charity Cup, won for the third time, they were promoted from Division One to the Premier Division, alas, for only one season.

Fortune changed when Henley Town were elected to the Hellenic League in 1957. During the next seven years they won the Hellenic League Division One Benevolent Cup, the Oxfordshire Charity Cup (for the last time) and the Henley (Hospital) Charity Cup 3 times, before clinching the Division One title in 1962/63. Five years later, they won the title again playing 30 league games without losing, an unprecedented achievement in any division of the Hellenic Football League.

However, in 1971, their centenary year, Henley Town lost the use of the Reading Road Ground they had leased for 70 years. Later, Henley Town joined the Wycombe & District Football League, playing on borrowed pitches throughout the 1973/74 season, until securing the use of the Mill Lane Sports Centre and the Triangle from the town council. Henley Town gained immediate promotion to the Ercol Senior League which they won in 1978/79, along with the Wycombe Senior Cup, runners-up medals in the Reading Senior Cup and suffering only three defeats from 43 games that season.

Henley Town joined the newly formed Chiltonian Football League in 1984 winning Division One in 1987/88. In 1991, the town council granted a long lease on their present ground (now known as The Invesco Perpetual Triangle Ground). A new clubhouse was opened in 1995 and in 1999/2000, Henley Town clinched the Chiltonian League Championship by a record margin of 14 points over nearest challengers Eton Wick.

Andy Bryan accompanies the Mayor as she opens the new clubhouse 

The following season saw Henley Town back in the Hellenic League which had merged with the Chiltonian League. They won Division One (East) by a 20-point margin gaining promotion to the Premier Division but in 2005/06 were relegated back to Division One (East)

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If you are interested in the history of football in Henley and the Thames Valley the following two booklets are available for a small donation. A Phoenix Once Again, written by club historian, John Bailey and containing some splendid photos covers the history of Henley Town from 1871 - 1974. Reg Arlett - The Henley Meteor is the incredible story of a Henley player in the thirties.

John Bailey's latest book on football is titled A Pleasing and Unobjectionable Recreation (published by 3-2 Books) and is a history of football in the Thames Valley between 1870 and 1873. It is available from the publishers for £3.

For Hellenic league history, 50 Glorious Seasons has photos and every league table and is available for just £4.99

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 Henley Town FC • Club Honours