Heybridge Swifts Official Football Club

Official Heybridge Swifts FC Facebook page. Please note the views of the fans on here are not endorsed by the club and may not be the opinion of the club.

When the club was formed in 1880 much of the success was due to the strong foundations laid by the committee with the roots of the club firmly planted in the local community, and that still holds true today, with many of the current committee following in the footsteps of their fathers and forefathers.

For the first 70 years of the last century the club played in the local leagues working their way through to become founder members of the Essex Senior League in the 1970-71 season. The switch to senior status was a difficult at first, but three successive championships saw a move up to the Isthmian League in 1984, and solid progress was made culminating in winning the Division Two North title in 1989-90 then runners up to Oxford City in Division One in the 1995-96 season, with richly deserved promotion to the Premier Division. This was the era of Garry Hill, later to move onto St. Albans City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Weymouth and now Rushden and Diamonds as manager. Promotion to the Premier division was achieved in 1997/98 but the following year a struggle against relegation ensued under ex Colchester boss Roy McDonagh who was soon replaced by local boy Robbie Nihill, turning things around to rescue the side and retain Premiership status.

Swifts have enjoyed some considerable success in the cups, revelling in the role of underdogs. In 1986/87 the last 16 of the FA Vase was reached; and then in the FA Trophy in the 1996/97 season Swifts lost in the quarter finals to Woking, having beaten Kidderminster and Worcester along the way. Four years ago a long trip to Runcorn in the last 16 of the Trophy as the Ryman League's last representatives saw Swifts defeated 2-1.

The FA Cup has brought notable glory, losing to Barry Fry's Barnet in the 4th qualifying round in 1990/91, then getting to the first round proper in 1994/95 defeating Boston United and Nuneaton Borough before losing to Gillingham in front of 4,614 spectators. The First round proper was reached again in 1997/98 but a trip to the south coast was not fruitful with Bournemouth winning 3-0; then again in 2003/04 when TV Cameras saw Bristol City triumph 7-0.

To look back at these achievements means that the village side from Essex have come a long way in a short space of time. Who, in the early 1960's when the club nearly folded having been evicted by their landlords would have dreamed that by the turn of the millennium the club would be in the higher echelons of the non-league footballing world. The field that was purchased as a carrot field has seen much hard work, blood, sweat and tears that have turned it into a stadium to be proud of. The original dressing rooms have seen a club house built alongside; with two stands seating 550, covered terracing for 600 and terracing around the complete playing area giving the ground a capacity of around 3,000.

Former player Liam Cutbush managed the team that defeated Croydon 3-0 to win the Ryman League Cup and finished 7th. in the Ryman Premier League in 2000/01. After Cutbush's departure the side began badly under new manager Steve Dowman and he was soon replaced by ex Swifts player Dave Greene, who along with coach Dean Curtis guided Swifts to a comfortable mid table position. The following campaign was a struggle after a promising start, but a win in the final match of the season ensured Swifts survival in the Ryman Premiership.

Brian Statham was appointed as manager earlier in 2005 with Barry Lakin as his assistant, and they oversaw a rise to the fringes of the play off zone. Then in the 2005/06 campaign after a slow start Swifts finished as runners up, a tremendous achievement from all concerned, but unfortunately lost in the play offs. In the subsequent 2006/07 & 2007/08 seasons, final position of 10th and 12th respectively have been rather disappointing after such previous high expectations. A disappointing start to the 2008 - 09 season led to the resignation of Statham, replaced by former reserve team boss Wayne Bond.

The future remains bright, its black and white, for perhaps the highest ranked village club in the football pyramid.