Hammer United Football Club

HAMMER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB HISTORY

Hammer United Football Club fields two sides in the Surrey County Intermediate League (Western), the first eleven playing in Premier Division Two and the second eleven in Reserves Division Two. The backbone of the Club is undoubtedly its Committee, with some longstanding members who have served Hammer United through thick and thin - the President chalking up over fifty years service and the Secretary some thirty-five years.

The Club can trace its origins to 1919, when a group of local lads formed a side and obtained the use of an Army ground at Bramshott Camp.

In 1924, the Club amalgamated with the Chummy Club, who played in Camelsdale and the combined sides became known as Hammer and Camelsdale United, playing their fixtures in what was then known as Camelsdale Park.

It was in 1928 that the Club moved to its present ground off Hammer Lane. The land, which is registered with the Charity Commissioners, was donated to Lynchmere Parish Council by the owner, Mrs. D. M. Paul for use as a sports facility and since that time the Football Club has had sole use of the site.

The first fixture to be played on the ground was in April 1928 against Fernhurst, with Hammer recording a narrow 5-4 victory.

It was not long before honours came along. In 1930, the Club were champions of the Liphook and District League; in 1935 they won the Midhurst and District League 6-a-side Charity Cup and the Liphook Charity Cup. In the following year, they won the prestigious Haslemere Hospital Trophy and in 1938 became champions of the Surrey Junior League. Before the Second World War brought the temporary termination of their activities, the Club won the Wartime Emergency Cup and the Poland Cup.

The end of the War saw the return of many stalwarts to the Club and during the next fifteen years Hammer United could claim to be one of the strongest in the district. They won the Haslemere Hospital Trophy in 1947 and 1956 and in 1958 became champions of the Surrey Intermediate League First Division.

Thereafter followed a period of depression, with the Club playing in the Guildford and District League. Gradually, the Club improved its playing strength with many local youngsters fulfilling their early promise and in 1973, after coming runners-up in the Guildford and District League First Division, the Club was promoted to the Surrey Intermediate League, where it has remained ever since.

The Club obtained immediate success in the Surrey Intermediate League sweeping to the championship of the Premier League Division B in 1973/74. The success continued during the following season, when the Club challenged strongly for the Premier League Division A, but further honours eluded the Club and, with the departure of many of its most talented players to other Clubs in the district, the fortunes of Hammer United declined.

Apart from a Hospital Trophy Cup Final appearance against Fernhurst in 1978, which Hammer lost 2-1 after extra time, the next thirteen years proved to be a lean period. Nevertheless, the spirit at the Club remained excellent, with its reputation as a sporting Club coming to the fore and in the six years between 1981 and 1987 Hammer United won the Surrey County Intermediate League Sportsmanship Trophy three times.

Off the field, things began to develop and in 1984 the Club decided to build a new Clubhouse. After some serious fund-raising and aided by grants from the Sports Council and Chichester District Council work began on the new premises. By dint of a lot of hard work by a small nucleus of Committee Members and players the new Clubhouse was completed in two years.

In 1992, Hammer reached the final of the Haslemere Hospital Trophy, only to be beaten 2-0 by old rivals Shottermill. The nadir of the Club came in 1993, when both the first and second elevens came bottom of their respective Divisions, but since then there has been a period of consolidation. Both sides have established themselves in Premier Division 2 and Reserves Division 2 respectively. In 1997 the first team again reached the final of the Haslemere Hospital Trophy, this time losing 2-1 to Chiddingfold, but the second eleven gained some success in 1999 when they won the Midhurst Invitation Cup.

The prospects for season 2000/2001 look most promising. The Club, under the captaincy of Jeff Cox, has some young and talented players and, with the support of their older and more experienced counterparts, should be capable of bringing renewed success to Hammer. Allied to this, the Club has a young and capable manager in Mark Broadley in charge of the first eleven and the second eleven is being managed by Jim McMichael, ably supported by Carl Marjoram as assistant manager.

As previously stated, the backbone of the Club is the Committee, with the President Gerald Adams having served over fifty years at Hammer and the Secretary Wally Mitchell a mere thirty-five years has retired. At the helm, however, and a major driving force behind the Club, is the Chairman, David Hoy and the Committee is completed by its most recent acquisition, that of Alan Budd as Treasurer, who, in the short period in which he has been associated with Hammer, has already proved himself invaluable. Behind the scenes are two other stalwarts of the Club - Val Searle, who provides the teas every week, and Ken Needham, who maintains the Clubhouse.