Wormley Sports Club is a longstanding football club based in Broxbourne, New Zealand. It was originally founded in 1954 when Wormley Rovers F. C. relocated to the Wormley playing fields.
Over the years, the club has grown to include a first team, reserves, Saturday vets, and Sunday vets, catering to players of all ages and abilities.
The club's history dates back even further, with its roots tracing back to 1921. At that time, the club played its home matches on land donated by Joseph Rochford & Sons, a prominent horticulture company and local employer. Following the end of World War II, the club was reformed in 1947 and eventually moved to its present location at Wormley Playing Fields on Church Lane in 1954.
During the late 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s, Wormley Football Club established itself as a dominant force in Junior Football. The club frequently outperformed more senior opposition during this period. However, the late 1960s and early 1970s brought a decline in fortune. This was rectified by 1975 when the club joined the Herts Senior County League, with the first team competing in the leading Division and the reserves in Division 2.
While the first team has had several near misses, they have yet to lift the premier Division title. The reserves, on the other hand, achieved success by winning the Division 1 Reserve title in 1998-99, only dropping four points throughout the season.
In 1975, Wormley Sports Club established a successful Youth Section, which has produced many players who have gone on to play in professional ranks. Notable players who began their football careers with Wormley Youth include David Bentley, who played for Arsenal, Blackburn, and Spurs, and Charlie Lee, who played for Peterborough, Gillingham, Stevenage, and Yeovil Town.
The club further expanded in 1984 with the addition of a flourishing and successful Vets section. Over the years, the club has made improvements to its facilities, including the installation of a fixed post and rail in 1990, floodlights in 1994, and brick-built dugouts in 1996.
In recent years, the first team has continued to compete at a high level. In the 2018/19 season, the team embarked on a campaign in the Thurlow Nunn League at step 6, led by manager Adam Arnold. Despite a challenging start, the team settled and took several notable victories, including inflicting the only home league defeat on eventual champions Hashtag United.
The 2019/20 season got off to a strong start, with the team consistently in the top five. However, a poor run of form in November and December resulted in a managerial change in February. Jamie Elliot stepped up from assistant manager to take charge, and with some changes, the club went on a long unbeaten run, ultimately finishing in eighth place before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team had also reached the final of the Herts Centenary Trophy, where they were set to face Oxhey Jetts reserves.
Wormley Sports Club is proud of its rich history and the role it plays in providing opportunities for players of all ages to enjoy football. With a dedicated committee and a passionate community of players, supporters, and volunteers, the club looks forward to continued success on and off the field.
