The Hertfordshire County Football Association, also simply known as ''Hertfordshire FA'', is the governing body of

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

in the county of

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. The Hertfordshire FA was founded accidentally in 1885 after the existing teams (then numbering around 20) agreed to hold a meeting to discuss their position, and ended up affiliating.

History

In the early 1880s there were already 20 clubs operating in

and with interest continuing to grow, the Secretary of St Albans FC, Mr R. Cook called a meeting in 1885 which was to have been held at

The Football Association The Football Association (also known as The FA) is the Sports governing body, governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Formed in 1863, it is the ...

's Headquarters, then at 51

High Holborn High Holborn ( ) is a street in Holborn and Farringdon Without, Central London, which forms a part of the A40 route from London to Fishguard. It starts in the west at the eastern end of St Giles High Street and runs past the Kingsway and Sou ...

Central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...

but on arrival they found the offices closed. An alternative venue was found for the meeting at the nearby The Farringdon Pub in

Holborn Holborn ( or ) is a district in central London, which covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part ( St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London. The area has its roots ...

. In its first season 20 clubs affiliated and numbers substantially increased year on year. Today the number stands close to 2,500 teams. Key dates in the development of Hertfordshire County FA are detailed below: 1885 – Association formed with 20 member clubs 1894 – Under the guidance of Mr.H.W. English, a master at Hitchin Grammar School and Secretary of the Association from 1894–98 a scheme to control the Association's affairs by a council was introduced. The initial scheme, albeit developed and improved still forms the basis on which the administration of the Hertfordshire FA is conducted today. 1901 – Huge difficulties facing the association until a man of the moment, George Wagstaffe Simmons stepped in. During Wagstaffe Simmons 18 years as Secretary the Association's fortunes were transformed. When he took over there were less than 40 clubs with funds available under £20. When he handed over to his successor the membership had grown, over 200 clubs affiliated and had assets of £500-£66- an enormous sum on money in those days, coming at the end of The Great War. 1924 – Wagstaffe Simmons appointed Chairman of the Hertfordshire FA Council and also represented the Hertfordshire FA on the Council of The Football Association, positions he held until 1951. During his time with The FA he became Chairman of the International Selection Committee and established reputation, not only as an eloquent speaker on all subjects relating to the game, but as authority on its laws and admissions. 1935 – County Association reaches its Golden Anniversary with a Jubilee Banquet and Concert held at the Holborn Restaurant. During the evening Mr. Wagstaffe Simmons was able to say 'I do not suggest that the Hertfordshire FA Council is perfect, but it's not far off'. Proposing the toast to the Hertfordshire FA was

Sir Stanley Rous Sir Stanley Ford Rous (25 April 1895 – 18 July 1986) was an English football referee and the 6th President of FIFA, serving from 1961 to 1974. He also served as secretary of the Football Association from 1934 to 1962 and was an international ...

, Secretary of

, who ten years prior to his appointment to football's top job was a member of the Hertfordshire FA Council. 1951–61 – During this period Hertfordshire's population increased by 34% which caused huge problems in relation to playing fields and recreational facilities. The Association applied to The FA for financial aid, without which the necessary work could not be undertaken. 1960 – The Association celebrated its 75th Anniversary and at the Dinner

, now a knight of the Realm, proposed the toast to Hertfordshire FA. In 1985 Sir Stanley completed an amazing treble when he was guest of honour at the Association's Centenary Celebrations held at Watford Town Hall. 1961 – Sunday Football was brought under the control of the Hertfordshire FA and its rapid expansion introduced many new players to the game by hundreds. 1998 – Hertfordshire County Youth F.A. becomes part of the Hertfordshire FA. 1999 – Hertfordshire FA becomes a Limited Company, one of the first Counties in England to take this step. Managing Director Ron Kibble announces that the Association's nomadic existence was finally over when we bought the Lease of Letchworth Football Club Ground through the hard work of Mr Kibble, Eric Hand and Cecil Hudson. New County FA Headquarters were opened in

Letchworth Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. It is noted for being the first garden city. The population at the time of the 2011 census was 33,249. Letchworth ...

. Hertfordshire have many people who served their County year after year, some being Ernest Scott, W.R. Watson, George Wagstaffe Simmons, Percy Poulter and Arthur Aldridge.

Organisation

Hertfordshire County FA has a team of staff that look to safeguard and develop football within the county. Based at The County Ground in

, both the Governance and Development teams work together in improving the football experience for all within

. *The Governance Team – deals with Discipline, Competitions, Referees, Affiliations and all general enquiries regarding the administration side of grassroots football across the County. *The Development Team – deals with Charter Standard, Coach Education, Women & Girls, Disability, Small Sided football, Facilities, Funding and working with key partners to develop more opportunities to Get Involved in the game.

Affiliated leagues

Men's Saturday leagues

Hertfordshire Senior County League The Hertfordshire Senior County League is a football competition based in Hertfordshire, England. Founded in 1898, there are currently two divisions at senior level and two divisions at reserve and development level. Sitting at step 7 of the N ...

(1903) * Hertford and District League (1910) *Hertfordshire and Borders Churches League (2005) *West Herts Saturday League

Youth leagues

*Mid Herts Rural Minors League (1968)
Royston Crow Youth League
(1971) *Watford Friendly League (1970) *West Herts Youth League

Men's Sunday leagues

*Barnet Sunday League (1966) *Berkhamsted Sunday League *East Herts Corinthian League (1993) *Hitchin Sunday League (1977) *North London and South Herts League (1985)
Olympian Sunday League – Watford
(1972) *Review Sunday League *North West Essex Sunday League *Stevenage Sunday League *Waltham (Sunday) League *Watford Sunday League *Welwyn Hatfield Sunday League

Ladies and girls leagues

*Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Girls and Women's League *Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League (2008)

Small-sided leagues

*Mercury Ware & District 5-a-Side League (1969) *Stevenage Borough Football Academy (2003) *Stevenage Corporate 5-a-Side League (1999) *Ware Week 5-a-Side Senior *Ware Week 5-a-Side Youth *Welwyn 5-a-Side League (Football Mundial) *Wodson Fives

Affiliated member clubs

Current clubs that are affiliated to the Hertfordshire County FA are: * Baldock Town *

Barnet Barnet may refer to: People *Barnet (surname) * Barnet (given name) Places United Kingdom *Chipping Barnet or High Barnet, commonly known as Barnet, one of three focal towns of the borough below. *East Barnet, a district of the borough below; an ...

Bishop's Stortford Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, just west of the M11 motorway on the county boundary with Essex, north-east of central London, and by rail from Liverpool Street station. Stortford had an estimated po ...

Boreham Wood Borehamwood (, historically also Boreham Wood) is a town in southern Hertfordshire, England, from Charing Cross. Borehamwood has a population of 31,074, and is within the London commuter belt. The town's film and TV studios are commonly known ...

Berkhamsted Berkhamsted ( ) is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, in the Bulbourne valley, north-west of London. The town is a civil parish with a town council within the borough of Dacorum which is based in the neighbouring large new town ...

* Berkhamsted Raiders *

Bovingdon Bovingdon is a village in Hertfordshire, England, southwest of Hemel Hempstead, and it is a civil parish within the local authority area of Dacorum. It forms the largest part of the ward of Bovingdon, Flaunden and Chipperfield, which had a po ...

Cheshunt Cheshunt ( ) is a town in Hertfordshire, England, north of London on the River Lea and Lee Navigation. It contains a section of the Lee Valley Park, including much of the River Lee Country Park. To the north lies Broxbourne and Wormley, Hertfor ...

Codicote Codicote is a large village, and civil parish about south of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England. It has timber-framed and chequered brick houses, of special interest being the 18th-century Pond House and the half-timbered Taverners Place (form ...

* Colney Heath * Hadley * Harpenden Town * Hatfield Town *

Hemel Hempstead Town Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Affiliated to the Hertfordshire County Football Association, they are currently members of the National League South and pl ...

* Hertford Town *

Hitchin Town Hitchin Town Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. They are currently members of the . Founded in 1865 and known as 'The Canaries', Hitchin Town have been based at Top Field since their fou ...

* Hoddesdon Town * Kings Langley *

Letchworth Garden City Eagles Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. It is noted for being the first garden city. The population at the time of the 2011 census was 33,249. Letchwort ...

* Leverstock Green *

London Colney London Colney () is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. It is located to the north of London, close to Junction 22 of the M25 motorway. It is near St Albans and part of the City and District of St Al ...

* London Lions * Oxhey Jets *

Potters Bar Town Potters Bar Town Football Club is an English football club based in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, England. They were formed in 1960 as Mount Grace Old Scholars, and, after dropping 'Old Scholars' from the name in 1984, changed to their present na ...

* Royston Town * Royston Town Youth Football Club * Sandridge Rovers *

Sarratt Sarratt is both a village and a civil parish in Three Rivers District, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated north of Rickmansworth on high ground near the county boundary with Buckinghamshire. The chalk stream, the River Chess, rising just no ...

* Sawbridgeworth Town * St Albans City * St Margaretsbury *

Stevenage Stevenage ( ) is a large town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, about north of London. Stevenage is east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1(M), between Letchworth Garden City to the north and Welwyn Garden City to the south. In 1946, Stevena ...

* Tring Athletic *

Tring Corinthians Tring is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Dacorum, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated in a gap passing through the Chiltern Hills, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, from Central London. Tring is linked ...

Ware Ware may refer to: People * Ware (surname) * William of Ware (), English Franciscan theologian Places Canada * Fort Ware, British Columbia United Kingdom * Ware, Devon *Ware, Hertfordshire * Ware, Kent United States * Ware, Elmore County ...

Watford Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne. Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, a ...

Welwyn Garden City Welwyn Garden City ( ) is a town in Hertfordshire, England, north of London. It was the second garden city in England (founded 1920) and one of the first new towns (designated 1948). It is unique in being both a garden city and a new town and ...

* Wormley Rovers

Leading Ladies' Clubs

Arsenal Ladies Arsenal Women Football Club, commonly referred to as Arsenal, is an English professional women's football club based in Islington, London, England. The club plays in the Women's Super League, the top tier of English women's football. Arse ...

* Colney Heath Ladies * Royston Town Women * Stevenage Ladies * Watford Ladies * Wodson Park Ladies

County cup competitions

The Hertfordshire County FA run the following cup competitions: * Hertfordshire Senior Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Senior Centenary Trophy * Hertfordshire Charity Cup *Hertfordshire Charity Shield *Hertfordshire Intermediate Cup *Hertfordshire Junior Cup *Hertfordshire Sunday Senior Cup *Hertfordshire Sunday Intermediate Cup *Hertfordshire Sunday Junior Cup *Hertfordshire Veterans' Cup *Hertfordshire Women's Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U9 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U10 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U11 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U12 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U13 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U14 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U15 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U16 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Boys U18 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire 7 v. 7 Girls U10 *Hertfordshire 9 v. 9 Girls U14 *Hertfordshire U10 Girls 7 v. 7 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire U11 Girls 7 v. 7 *Hertfordshire U12 Girls Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Girls U12 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Girls U13 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Girls U14 '9 v. 9' Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Girls U14 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Girls U15 Challenge Cup *Hertfordshire Girls U16 Challenge Cup Source

List of recent Hertfordshire County Cup winners

Note: the 2019/20 Finals were not played due to Covid-19 and some of the cups were awarded jointly as follows: * Herts Senior Cup - Hemel Hempstead Town and St Albans City * Herts Senior Trophy - Wormley Rovers and Oxhey Jets Reserves * Herts Charity Cup - Hemel Hempstead Town and Berkhamsted * Herts Women's Cup - Stevenage Women and Watford Ladies U23 Source

2018–19 County Cup winners

Source

Directors & officials

Board of Directors

*E. W. J. King (President) *M. R. Bayliss (Chairman) *B. Curtis (Vice Chairman) *M. L. Miller (Finance Director) *P. Donovan (Competitions Secretary) *R. G. Dowden *S. R. Trulock *G. Phillips *A. J. Willmott *C. Spriggins

Key officials

*Vicki Askew (Chief Executive) *Karl Lingham (County Development Manager) *George Wells (Operations Manager) *Lauren Halsey (Football Investigations Manager) *Danielle Quelch (Coach and Referee Education Officer) *Marianna Okoh (Finance Officer) *Callum Riley (Marketing and Communications Officer) *Lin Ennis (Football Administration Officer) *Joseph Karram (Operations Administrator) *Ken Headington (Adult Football Development Officer) *Beth Dawes (Youth Football Development Officer) *Richard Drake (Raising Standards Officer) *Phil Sharp (Referee Development Officer) *Adam Jones (Leagues Officer)

External links

Hertfordshire County FA Official Website

References

{{County Football Association County football associations Football in Hertfordshire Sports organizations established in 1885