Sandon Royals Football Club
Winners of the Mid Essex Prem Cup 2023/24
Club History
The Club was founded in 1973 when a group of friends graduated out of youth football and decided to form a team and entered the Mid Essex League.
With the help of one of the player’s Dad’s Harry Smethurst from the Great Baddow Royal British Legion, we managed to secure the former Crompton Parkinson sports ground at Princes Road, Chelmsford (now Tescos) and the club was formed. Harry managed to get former Chelmsford City goalkeeper Eric Milburn to manage the side and Great Baddow British Legion Royals FC was up and running with the name quickly abbreviated to Baddow Royals.
After several successful seasons a reserve side was formed in 1979 and in 1981 the Royals first team entered the Essex Olympian League. Two years later the reserves joined them in the same League.
In 1986 the Club was forced to leave their home of 13 years and moved to the newly completed Arun Close ground in Springfield. The Club now based at the Royal Engineers Club in Springfield Road with the club being renamed Great Baddow Royal Engineers FC.
Always on the lookout to relocate to their own home ground, an opportunity arose in 1993 to merge with Sandon Sports FC, to play at their current ground in Woodhill Road, Sandon.
In 1996 a third team was formed and entered the Mid Essex League in Division Five. The third team progressed through the Divisions very quickly to the Premier, winning several trophies along the way. Sadly, in 2001 the third team was dropped due to lack of players.
2012 saw dark says for the Club when it was close to folding and it withdrew from the Olympian League, with some members of the Club feeling that it had run its course. However there were still a core of club members who wanted to continue and so we approached the Mid Essex League again and entered one team in Division Two.
In 2015 we were in a position to support two sides again with a large influx of young players from Baddow Spartak.
Season 2022/2023 sees the club with two sides in the Mid Essex League. The first team in the Premier Division and the reserves in Division Two.
Original Royal’s Tony Richardson and Nick Parsons are still heavily involved plus long standing club members Ron Colman, Ralph Ricks, and Paul Ellmore plus Greg Johnson, Chris Cottis and Dave Muir ensure the club is thriving today.
Most notable achievements among many league and Cup trophies won over the years are the 1988/89 Intermediate Cup runners up, followed by Essex Intermediate Senior Cup winners in 1996 and 2001. More recently in 2016, winners of the Dave Strachan Cup and runner up in 2019. Essex Junior Trophy runners up in 2014 and 2018 and runner up in the Premier Division League Cup in 2022.
In 2023 the Club will be 50 years old and after subtle name changes over those years, we are still and always will be “The Royals”.
Want to Join The Club?
We are always looking to recruit new players to improve the quality of our squads. If you are interested in joining our club please contact Ralph Ricks – Secretary.