Woking F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Woking Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Cardinals, The Cards | |||
| Short name | WFC | |||
| Founded | 1887 | |||
| Ground | Kingfield Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 6,036 (2,500 seated) | |||
| Coordinates | 51°18′23″N 0°33′32″W / 51.30639°N 0.55889°W | |||
| Owner | Todd Johnson | |||
| Chairman | Todd Johnson | |||
| Manager | Neal Ardley | |||
| League | National League | |||
| 2018–19 | National League South, 2nd of 22 (promoted via play-offs) | |||
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Woking Football Club is a professional association football team. They are based in Woking, Surrey, England. The team plays in the National League. This is the fifth level of English football.
The club started in 1887. They joined the Isthmian League in 1911–12. Woking won the FA Amateur Cup in 1957–58. They faced some tough times, being relegated twice in the 1980s. But they also earned three promotions. This helped them reach the Football Conference, a higher league.
Woking won the FA Trophy three times in the 1990s. They finished second in the Conference twice. However, they were not promoted to a higher league then. They stayed in non-League football until 2008–09. Woking earned promotion back in 2011–12. They were relegated again in 2017–18. But they quickly got promoted back to the National League in 2019 through the play-offs.
The club plays its home games at Kingfield Stadium. Their nickname is the Cardinals, often called the Cards.
Contents
Club History: Woking FC's Journey
Early Days and Big Matches
Woking Football Club was founded in 1887. They joined the West Surrey League in 1895–96. They won the league title by just one point. After 21 years, the club almost closed due to money problems.
A big moment came in January 1908. Woking played Bolton Wanderers in the first round of the FA Cup. They had won five qualifying rounds to get there. Woking lost the game 5–0. But they made national news for their effort. Bolton Wanderers were impressed. They played a friendly match in Woking the next season. This helped the club financially.
Isthmian League Era
In 1911, Woking joined the Isthmian League. They stayed in the top division for 72 years. They finished second in 1956–57. The next season was even better. Woking beat Ilford 3–0 to win the 1958 F.A. Amateur Cup final. This game was watched by 71,000 fans. It was the last final to be shown live on TV.
The club then had a difficult period. They were relegated for the first time in 1982–83. By 1984–85, they were in Division Two South. Former player Geoff Chapple became manager in September 1984. He could not stop them from being relegated again. The next season, they almost got promoted. But in 1986–87, they won the Division Two South title. They returned to the Premier Division in 1989–90.
FA Cup Adventures
In the 1990–91 season, Woking had an amazing FA Cup run. They beat three teams from the Conference. This set up a third-round match against Second Division team West Bromwich Albion. Woking were losing 1–0 at half-time. But they came back to win 4–2. Tim Buzaglo scored three goals!
In the Fourth Round, Woking played First Division team Everton. The game was moved to Everton's home, Goodison Park. Woking lost 1–0. Kevin Sheedy scored the only goal.
Promotions and FA Trophy Wins
Woking earned promotion to the Conference in 1991–92. They won the Isthmian League title early in April. They were 18 points ahead of the second-place team. The next season, Woking finished eighth.
The club signed Clive Walker in 1993. He was a key player for their most successful time. Woking won the FA Trophy for the first time in 1994. They beat Runcorn in the final at Wembley. The next season, they won the FA Trophy again. They beat Kidderminster Harriers. This made them only the second club to win it two years in a row. A third FA Trophy win came in 1997. They played Dagenham & Redbridge in the final.
The Cards also finished in the top five of the Conference five times in a row. They were runners-up in 1994–95 and 1995–96. They also had more good FA Cup runs. In 1996–97, they beat Millwall and Cambridge United. They drew 1–1 away to Premier League team Coventry City. Steve Thompson scored a late goal. Coventry won the replay 2–1.
After the 1996–97 season, Geoff Chapple and his coach left the club. This started a less successful period. New managers tried their best.
Woking FC in the 21st Century
The club faced financial problems in the early 2000s. Local businessman Chris Ingram bought the club in 2002. He became chairman. He wanted to help the club earn more money. He also wanted to make sure it was stable for the future.
Glenn Cockerill became manager later that year. He brought some stability to the club. But he was sacked in 2007. The 2008–09 season was very difficult. Three different managers took charge. The club was relegated to the Conference South. A group of fans took over running the club that summer. Woking finished fifth in their first Conference South season. But they lost in the play-off final.
Garry Hill became manager in 2011. He improved the team's performance. They finished fifth again. But they lost in the play-off semi-finals. In April 2012, Woking won the Conference South title. They were promoted to the Conference Premier. They finished with 97 points. After five seasons, Garry Hill left the club.
Anthony Limbrick became manager in May 2017. The club started training full-time again. Woking had a good run in the 2017–18 FA Cup. But their league form was poor. Limbrick was let go after 11 months. Woking was relegated on the last day of the season.
Alan Dowson was appointed manager in May 2018. Woking returned to the National League in 2019. They won the National League South play-off final. In this season, Woking reached the third round of the 2018–19 FA Cup. They beat League Two team Swindon Town. They lost 2–0 to Premier League team Watford.
In the 2019–20 season, Woking finished 10th. The season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2020–21 National League season, Woking finished 20th.
Alan Dowson was sacked in February 2022. This was after a long period of bad league results. Darren Sarll was appointed manager in March 2022. In the 2022–23 season, Woking finished fourth. But they lost in the play-off quarter-final. Sarll was sacked in November 2023. This followed losses in the FA Cup and National League.
Michael Doyle became manager in December 2023. He helped the club stay in the National League. They won 3–0 on the final day of the season.
In July 2024, there were reports that Woking might face financial difficulties. Owner Drew Volpe was looking to sell the club. In November 2024, American businessman Todd Johnson agreed to buy most of the club. Shareholders voted for the takeover in December 2024. After three losses in four games, Michael Doyle was sacked on December 16, 2024. Neal Ardley was appointed as the new manager on December 19, 2024.
Kingfield Stadium: Woking FC's Home Ground
Woking F.C. moved to Kingfield Stadium in 1922. Since August 2015, it has been known as the Laithwaite Community Stadium. Before this, the club played at Horsell Cricket Ground. Then they moved to a football ground on Pembroke Road in 1907.
The stadium has different stands:
- The KRE: This is the main home terrace. It is usually where the best atmosphere is found. It runs along one end of the pitch and has a roof.
- The Leslie Gosden Stand: This is the largest stand. It is opposite the KRE. It has about 2,000 seats. A part of this stand is usually for away fans.
- The Chris Lane Terrace: This is a large terrace without a roof. It is for away fans. It runs along one side of the pitch.
- Moaners Corner: This is a small terrace without a roof. It is on the opposite side of the pitch from the Chris Lane Terrace. Older, long-time fans often stand here.
- Directors Box: This is a small stand for the club's directors. The media area and PA box are also here. It is between Moaners Corner and the Family Stand.
- The Family Stand: This stand is next to the Directors Box. It has seats and is usually for families.
Club Mascot
Woking F.C. has a team mascot. His name is K.C. Kat.
Club Rivalries
Woking's main rivals have been Stevenage and Aldershot Town for many years. Games against these teams attract larger crowds. The rivalry with Stevenage started in the 1990s. The rivalry with Aldershot is more recent because they are close by. Torquay United have also become minor rivals. This is due to intense games and competition.
Current Players
Woking FC Squad
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Club Records and Achievements
- Highest League Position: 2nd in Conference National, 1994–95 and 1995–96.
- Best FA Cup Performance: Fourth round, 1990–91.
- Best FA Trophy Performance: Winners, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97 (a joint record for wins).
- Largest Transfer Fee Received: £150,000 for Kevin Betsy to Fulham, 1998.
- Largest Transfer Fee Paid: £60,000 for Chris Sharpling from Crystal Palace, 2001.
- Record Win: 17–3 vs. Farnham, Surrey Charity Shield, 1913.
- Heaviest Defeat: 16–0 vs. New Crusaders, FA Cup, 1905.
- Record Attendance: 6,000 vs Swansea City, FA Cup, 19 December 1978; 6,000 vs Coventry City, FA Cup, 4 February 1997.
- Record Home League Attendance: 5,297 vs Aldershot Town, National League, 1 January 2023.
Honours and Trophies
Woking FC has won several titles and cups:
League Titles
- Isthmian League / National League South (level 6)
- Champions: 1991–92, 2011–12
- Play-off winners: 2019
- Isthmian League Division One
- Runners-up: 1989–90
- Isthmian League Division Two South
- Champions: 1986–87
Cup Wins
- FA Trophy
- Winners: 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97
- Runners-up: 2005–06
- Conference League Cup
- Winners: 2004–05
- Isthmian League Cup
- Winners: 1990–91
- FA Amateur Cup
- Winners: 1957–58
- Isthmian Charity Shield
- Winners: 1992, 1993
- Surrey Senior Cup
- Winners (13 times): 1912–13, 1926–27, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1971–72, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2016–17
- Trevor Jones Memorial Trophy
- Winners: 2011
- Vauxhall Championship Shield
- Winners: 1995
See also
In Spanish: Woking Football Club para niños
