Senior History

HARINGEY BOROUGH FC   -   A BRIEF HISTORY

     It was not until 1976 that a team playing under the name of Haringey Borough first played in senior football but the roots of the Club go back to 1907 when Tufnell Park FC was formed and joined the London League in which it played until 1914 and from 1912 to 1914 a team was also entered into the Athenian League.    After many name changes and amalgamations which at various times saw the ancestors of the present Club playing in the  Isthmian, Athenian,  Spartan and Delphian Leagues on a number of different grounds the name Haringey Borough was adopted in 1976 and the Club played in the Athenian League until that Competition closed and they were admitted into the Isthmian League Division 2 North in 1984, remaining in membership for four years but being unable to fulfil their fixtures in 1988/89 due to a mass exodus of management and players just a few weeks before the start of that season.  After a year in the wilderness they were admitted to the Spartan League in 1989 retaining Premier Division membership throughout until the South Midlands League merger in season 1997/98 when they finished 7th. in the Premier Division South to secure membership of the new “combined” Premier Division in 1998/99.  Premier Division status was retained until the end of season 2006/07 when the Club’s regular flirting with danger finally failed to provide the customary last gasp escape and relegation to Division One ensued, largely due to disastrous early results but  the major improvement in the latter stages left us one point adrift of safety.  The team bounced back with promotion at the very first attempt and a fine season ended with promotion and  winning the Division One Cup.  Back in the Premier Division for the season 2008/09 the Club again quickly found itself among the relegation strugglers leading to the appointment of the current Manager – the vastly experienced Tom Loizou.  The bottom places were again just avoided but 2009/10 produced a better showing  and after a poor start the efforts of the team produced a marked improvement after the enforced winter break owing to the inclement weather. A good run of results thereafter and particularly a run of 7 unbeaten games in April led to the club finishing 15^th in the Division , the highest for several years.

     A Reserve team was formed in  2000/01 and having held its own for three seasons in the London County League and two in the Middlesex County League played in season 2005/06  in the Spartan South Midlands Reserve Division but was then discontinued. 

    In 2002/03 the Club entered an Under 18 team in the Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League and in 2004/05 won the Nemean Division Championship and the Colwyn Youth Cup, also reaching the 2^nd round proper of the FA Youth Cup.  From 2003/04 onwards the Club has also fielded Youth teams in either the Harrow or Cheshunt Youth Leagues at various age bands.  In 2006/07, the Under 16 team playing in the Harrow League secured its Division One title without losing a match, also reaching the League Cup Final. For season 2007/08 a massive expansion saw teams competing at six  consecutive age groups from Under 13 to 18 – some in the Harrow League and others in the Cheshunt League.  From 2008/09 we no longer competed in the Harrow League  and in 2009/10 fielded teams at Under 14 and 17 in the Cheshunt League with the Under 16s breaking new ground in the Eastern Junior Alliance while the Under 18s continued in the Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League.  The Under 18s reached the Colwyn Cup Final in 2008/09 and were Nemean Division Winners in 2009/10   In both 2004 and 2005, the Club entered an Under 19 team in the prestigious Gothia Youth Cup played in Gothenberg and in its first attempt battled right through to the quarter-final stage and won the “B”  Cup the following year.   Sadly, financial constraints necessitated the closing down of the Youth Section at the end of last season but it is hoped that it may be possible to resurrect it when future circumstances are more favourable.

     A Women’s Team was formed in 1999 and quickly established itself in the Eastern Region Womens League finishing as runners-up in both the 2nd. and 1st. Divisions to earn promotion to the top Division for 2002/03 and then coped easily to finish fourth in their first season of Regional Premier Division football and have since recorded three further fourth place finishes.    The 2001/02 Eastern Region Knock-out Plate was won and in April 2002 (and again in June 2003) they won the Region’s annual 5 a side Tournament.  In 2005/06 they were the losing League Cup finalists by the odd goal of seven in a thrilling contest with Norwich City Canaries.     2007/08 saw a fourth placed finish and a League Cup semi-final appearance but the highlight was the 4-3 extra time London County Cup quarter-final win over Tottenham Hotspur after which National League Millwall Lionesses were pushed all the way before finally securing their 2-0 semi-final win.   4^th place was again secured in 2008/09 thanks to an astonishing late run of 10 wins in the last 12 games after relegation had looked a serious threat halfway through the campaign.   In 2009/10  they led the table for a while until the New Year when a disappointing loss of form set in;  and  they  also reached the 2^nd Round Proper of the Womens FA Cup