HISTORY

The club was formed from 2 teams in Carshalton, Mill Lane Mission (formed in 1905) and Carshalton St Andrews. Mill Lane Mission was a recreational facility for teenage boys and played friendlies until 1906 when they joined the Croydon & District League Division 2A. Carshalton St Andrews was formed in 1897 by the vicar of St Andrews, Revd. C.W. Cleaver and played in the Surrey County Herald League. In 1902 they were promoted into the Southern Suburban League Division 2 West. Discussions in 1906 led to a merger and the new club called Carshalton Athletic F.C played its first match on 7th September 1907 on the Wrythe Green recreation ground in a friendly against Westbrook (Thornton Heath). The original club colours were red shirts and white shorts, hence the nickname the Robins. Carshalton Athletic F.C won successive promotions in 1908, 1909 and 1910 and was elected to the Junior Division of the Southern Suburban League. In 1913 the club won the Suburban League Division 1 West and the following season the Suburban League Division 1 East title. They also won the Surrey Junior Cup, Surrey Junior Charity Cup and the Croydon Charity Cup and were runners up in the London Junior Cup. During the war the ground was used for agriculture.

On 31st March 1919 after playing on several grounds, the club moved to Colston Avenue their current home during the 1920/21 season, built as a memorial to those members of the club who lost their lives in the War. The club won the Surrey Intermediate Cup in 1922 & 1932 and were runners up in the Southern Suburban League in 1922 before becoming founding members of the Surrey Senior League in the 1922/23 season. In 1945 they applied to join the London League (senior side) Surrey Intermediate League (reserve side) and to enter the London Senior and Surrey Senior cups. The next season 1946/47 they were elected to the Corinthian League and won it in the 1952/53 and the reserves finished 2nd in their league. In the 1953/54 season they retained the league title. In the 1954/55 season the club reached the final of the Surrey Senior Shield and the quarter-finals of the FA Amateur Cup for the first time. In the summer of 1956 the club were elected to the Athenian League where they spent 17 years, their best position being 3rd in 1963/64. They reached the Surrey Senior Cup final in the 1957/58 season but lost to Dulwich Hamlet in the final 1-0 and it would be another 31 years before the Robins appeared in the final again. In the 1959/60 season the club won the Southern Combination Cup for the first time, after losing in the final the previous season.

In 1973 the club were founder members of Isthmian League Division 2. In the 1976/77 season they were promoted to the Isthmian Premier Division as runners up and in the same year won the Surrey Senior Shield. Subsequently the Robins had 8 different managers until the appointment of Billy Smith in August 1986. His 9 years were the most successful period in the club's history; twice reaching the 1st round of the FA Challenge Cup, winning the Surrey Senior Cup 3 times in 4 years and reaching the final 5 times in 7 years, recording its highest ever placing in the league at the end of the 1988/89 season and winning the London Challenge Cup in 1991. It only ended when Billy Smith left to manage Kingstonian. In the next 4 seasons, the club used 5 managers including John Rains, Tony Jennings and Chris Kilby. Under Kilby the club reached the Surrey Senior Cup Final but lost to Crystal Palace. In the 1997/98 season the club drew with Stevenage Borough at home in the 1st round of the FA before losing the replay. Poor results after Christmas led to Kilby being replaced by Ian Dawes. He lasted barely 4 months and the new player/manager Gary Bowyer guided the club to safety in the league and the final of the Surrey Senior Cup where they lost to local rivals Sutton United 3-0. The next season in 1999/2000 safety was achieved on the last game with a 3-0 win over Aldershot Town.

In June 2000 the club was sold twice in a matter of weeks, the clubhouse was destroyed by an arson attack and Gary Bowyer was replaced by Tony Rains as manager. In December with 8 successive defeats, Carshalton dropped into the relegation zone and Tony Rains was sacked. The reserve team manager, Steve Rogers failed to avert Carshalton Athletic's relegation to Division 1 after 24 years in the Premier and was replaced by Frank Murphy, formally of Hendon and Dulwich Hamlet. In December he was sacked and replaced by Graham Roberts who won the Isthmian Division 1 South title and promotion to the Premier Division in 2002/03. Despite this, internal problems led to his departure and Billy Smith returned for a second time in June 2003 and the club finished 7th in 2003/04 and qualified for the new Conference South. Problems with finance continued and after losing his assistant George Wakeling to Bromley, Smith resigned early in 2005. The new manager, Jimmy Bolton secured the Robins place in the Conference South, with a 4-1 win on the last day of the season away to Eastbourne Borough. In the club's centenary season, 2005-06 season, they were relegated back to the Isthmian Premier League on the last day of the season. In the 2006/07 season. Carshalton finished mid table but the following season poor results led to the manager Dave Garland leaving in October 2007. First team coach Hayden Bird became manager and made some high profile signings with a commitment to playing attractive passing football and the Robins home win over Tonbridge Angels was enough to secure Isthmian Premier status. In 2008/09, Carshalton reached the play-offs performed aided by Richard Jolly’s 39 goals. In the play-off semi-final away to Tonbridge Angels, the Robins won 3-2, but lost to Staines in the play-off final and only missed out on promotion by a 111th minute goal. On 1 September 2009, manager Hayden Bird resigned as the club's first team manager (currently assistant manager at Bromley). Ian Hazel was placed in caretaker charge. On 10th September, after the Robins had beaten Rocks, Carshalton announced the appointment of former Carshalton player Francis Vines as Bird's permanent replacement. On 17 February 2010, Francis Vines parted company with the Robins, and Hazel was made manager until the end of the season.

HONOURS

Isthmian League Division One winners 2002-03

Corinthian League Champions 1952-53, 1953-54

London Challenge Cup Winners 1990-91

Surrey Senior Cup Winners 1988-89, 1989-90, 1991-92

Surrey Senior Shield Winners 1976-77

Southern Combination Cup Winners 1959/60

RECENT RESULTS

Carshalton are 19th with 33 points from 29 games, 8 wins, 9 draws and 12 defeats. They have scored 42 and conceded 49.

The wins have come from Maidstone United 2-0, Rocks 1-0, Ashford Town (Mddx) 3-1, AFC Hornchurch 1-0, Waltham Abbey 4-1, Billericay Town 4-0, Wealdstone 4-2 and Tooting & Mitcham United 4-1. The Robins have drawn with Harrow Borough 3-3, Horsham 2-2, Cray Wanderers 3-3, Canvey Island 2-2, Sutton United 0-0, Dartford 1-1, AFC Hornchurch 2-2, Boreham Wood 0-0 and Canvey Island 0-0.

They have lost to Kingstonian 1-2 & 0-1, Dartford 0-4, Boreham Wood 1-3, Hastings United 1-3, Aveley 0-3, Sutton United 0-3, Maidstone United 0-1, Waltham Abbey 1-2, Aveley 0-4, Tonbridge Angels 1-2 and Hastings United 1-3.

Team that lost to Hastings United 1-3: 1 Nick Hamann, 2 David Ray (c), 3 Rob Watkins, 4 Joe Dolan, 5 Justyn Roberts, 6 Kenny Beaney, 7 Barry Stevens, 8 Karl Murray, 9 Colin Falconbridge, 10 Richard Jolly, 11 Rashid Kamara Substitutes 12 Paul Honey, 15 Jon Munday, 16 Joshua Webb, 17 Jones Awuah (for Kamara 74), 18 Louis Bell.

THIS SEASON

Not a good night for the Rocks when a Charlie Ide's first half goal was enough to give Carshalton another win in the Ryman Premier.

The ex-Brentford player scored on 25 minutes with confidence and ease -and is the nephew of former Bognor chairman and president Stan Rowlands!

For a full report please read.

Report

DANGER MAN

Richard Jolly and Colin Falconbridge have both scored 11 each, Charlie Ide 6, David Ray 3, Kenny Beaney and Barry Stevens have scored 2 each. Adrian Toppin, Jamie England, Lewis Gonsalves, Jon Munday and Rashid Kamara have scored one each.

The Robins have benefitted from 2 own goals. Richard Jolly scored 39 goals last season and has been the highest goalscorer in the Ryman Premier Division in 2 of the last 3 years. Charlie Ide is a striker who played for Brentford 2005-08 and scored 7 goals in 46 appearances.

He can also play on the right wing. Former Rocks David Ray and Jones Awuah now play for the Robins.