FAREHAM TOWN FC
THE VISITORS
There has been organised football in Fareham
since the 1880’s, but the Fareham Town
Football club under its current constitution
was formed in 1947 following an amalgamation
of Fareham FC, Fareham Brotherhood FC
(Sometimes called Fareham Casuals FC)
and Fareham Youth Centre (seniors) FC. The
suggestion of a merger to form one town team
was first discussed at a public meeting held 3
May 1946 and it was agreed to put it into effect
the following season.
The new club Fareham Town FC initially
played at Beaconsfield Meadow (now housing
opposite the working mens club in Mill Road)
before moving to Bath Lane and entered the
Portsmouth League before being admitted
into the 3rd division of the Hampshire County
League. By the end of the 1952/53 season, it
had gained promotion to the FirstDivision of the
Hampshire League. During this period other
grounds home matches were played on include
Park Lane and Wicor Rec.
During our stay in the Hampshire League,
Fareham won every honour within the County.
The League on eight occasions including a
period of 5 consecutive seasons from 1962/63
to 1967/68, The Hampshire Senior Cup three
times and all other Senior County competitions
at least once. The Club also ran a Sunday
side – Fareham Centipedes, which won the FA
Sunday Cup in 1974.
Fareham moved to our Current Cams
Alders home in 1975 whilst remaining in
the Hampshire League until 1979 when an
application to join the expanding Southern
League was successful.
Initially playing in the Southern Division, the
Club gained promotion to the Premier Division
when the League was re-organised in 1982
and stayed there for 7 seasons until relegated
to the Southern Division in 1989 albeit with a
record number of 51 points. In 1998, with the
cost of running a Southern League increasing
every year the then Board of Directors lead by
Chairman Chris Solen made the controversial
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decision that if football was to survive in
Fareham, then the Club would have to compete
at a lower level and in 1998-99 the Club joined
the Wessex League and entered the FA Vase for
the first time where we have remained
ever since.
In National Cup competitions the Club has
reached the First Round Proper of the F.A.Cup
on four occasions; the closest the Club came
to progressing beyond that was in 1988- 89
when drawing 2-2 at Torquay United after
surrendering a two goal lead with only five
minutes to go; the replay ended in a narrow
2-3 defeat.
The Clubs most successful run in the F.A.
Trophy came in 1986-87 when they shocked the
Non-League Football World by reaching the
Semi-finals before losing 0-2 on aggregate to
the eventual winners Kidderminster Harriers.
During the run to the semis the Club played
10 games and beat Vauxhall Conference sides
Scarborough and Barnet on their own grounds.
At the end of the season Scarborough were
promoted to the Football League as Conference
Champions and Barnet were Runners-up.
The Club also shook Hampshire