History

Formed in 1903-04, Hatfield Peverel Football Club was first based at “The Duke of Wellington”, where they had their ground and dressing rooms. Playing friendlies in their formative years, the club had a membership of forty and wore colours of light and dark blue. They were soon to join the North Essex League, enjoying a spell in that league before the First World War.

After the war, in season 1920-21, they joined the Chelmsford & District League, and were runners-up in Division 2 North in their first season. They entered a reserve side in the Kelvedon & District League the following season, but only fielded one team, playing in the latter league in 1922-23, under the name of Hatfield Wellingtons.  

Hatfield Peverel returned to the Chelmsford league the next season, and during the remainder of the 20’s, played behind Shepherd’s Cottage in Priory Park, Church Road, before moving onto a ground in The Street, opposite Station Road, kindly donated by Mr. Nigel De Mandeville Bond, of Springfield House, in 1926.

The club played in the Chelmsford League for most of the 30’s, winning their first title in that league when they topped Division 3 West in 1938-39, the season before World War Two.

The Recreation Ground, in Maldon Road, was given to the village by the Strutt family in 1936, and the football club moved there, complete with basic changing rooms affectionately known as ‘the shed’.

Unfortunately, the Rec was dug up to assist the war effort, so when the club re-formed, they reverted to their former ground on The Street, now owned by Mr. Still. They continued to use the Rec changing rooms, which had become the A.R.P. Centre, but they also had the option of some stables on Still’s Meadow if they didn’t want to walk so far.

The club reformed after the Second World War and resumed in the renamed Chelmsford & Mid Essex League in 1946-47, and were able to return to the Rec, re-seeded by Does, in about 1948. They remained in that league right up to 1970-71, also running a reserve side between 1947 and 1956.

In 1947/48 they were joint holders of the Chelmsford & Mid Essex League Division 3 title. After finishing as runners-up in Division 1 in 1948/49 the club were Division 1 winners in 1958/59, after going 12 months without losing a match. The title earned them promotion to the Premier Division, where they remained for twelve seasons with their highest finishing position being third which they achieved twice. In 1961/62 they won the Chelmsford & Mid Essex Combination Division 2 league and cup.

In 1971-72 HPFC decided to apply to join the Essex & Suffolk Border Combination (Border League). Beginning in Division 2, they quickly moved into Division 1, although it took several seasons to establish themselves at that level. The reserves, meanwhile, had re-formed in the Chelmsford League in 1966-67, winning Division 3 two years later, and they too joined the Border League in 1977-78.

In 1980-81 the first team reached the final of the Border League Cup, losing 1-0 to Waterside at Sudbury, with a young Danny Jay on the wing.
Former Watford goalie, Roger Corrie, laid the foundations of a good first eleven, guiding them to second spot in 1982-83, a season in which they also beat Heybridge Swifts Reserves, 2-1, to win the Tolleshunt D’Arcy Cup.

Hatfield Peverel had a marvellous first season in the Premier Division, finishing third in the league and winning the Border League K.O. Cup on penalties against Sudbury Town Reserves.

In 1984-85 they came second, and when Alan Smith took over the management, they won the Border League championship a year later and once again beat Heybridge Reserves for the Tolleshunt D’Arcy Cup. They beat Southminster St. Leonards to retain that trophy and in 1987-88 defeated Sudbury Town Reserves, 3-0, to bring home the Border League K.O. Cup for the second time.

Colin Wallington then led the side to a hat-trick of Tolleshunt D’Arcy Cup wins against Anchor Press, Bramston CML and Braintree Town Reserves, between 1989 and 91.

After another good season, the club decided to switch leagues in 1992-93, entering both sides in the Essex Intermediate League. An excellent first season saw the first team gain promotion as runners-up in Division 2, and also reach the finals of both the League Cup and the County Intermediate Cup, though they lost to Kelvedon Hatch and Canning Town respectively. The side were runners-up in the Bill Spurgeon Charity Cup in seasons 92/93 and 94/95.

In 1994-95 Hatfield Peverel FC achieved their best position of third in Division 1, while the reserves finished runners-up in Reserve Division 3, and were promoted. Dropping back into Division 2 in 1997-98, the first team bounced straight back when they came second again, but unfortunately the Club found themselves unable to carry on during 2000-01, withdrawing both teams from the Intermediate League.

Undaunted, Hatfield Peverel returned to the Border League the following season, and after promptly gaining promotion from Division 3, they won the Division 2 and 1 titles in successive seasons, 2003-04 and 2004-05. They won the Border League K.O. Cup in 2007-08 beating White Notley 4-0 in the final played at Sudbury, and also beat league champions Gas Recreation 2-1 in the 2008-09 Charity Shield.

In 2013 Hatfield Peverel moved to the new pitches and clubhouse at Wickham Bishops Road. Having struggled for the last season at the Rec the team began life at their new home in Division 1 of the Essex & Suffolk Border League under the guidance of Terry Haydon with Keith Dawson stepping forward to run the reserve team.

Promotion back to the Premier division was sealed in season 2014-15.