Club - Danson Albion Football Club
Founded - 2006
League - Woolwich & Eltham Alliance
Affiliated FA - London FA

Email: dansonalbionfc@googlemail.com
Home Ground - The Co-Op Ground, Footscray Road, New Eltham, SE9 (click for map)
Training Venue - Blackheath Rugby Club, Well Hall (click for map)
Sponsor - The Nags Head, Welling (Alex Kane) (click for map)
LKB Team Kit - Red and Black Shirts, Black Shorts, Red Socks
W&E Team Kit - White Shirt, Black Shorts, White Socks
Change Kit - Black & Red Shirt, Black Shorts, Black Socks

Club Chairman - Josh Waddell

Danson Albion 'A' Manager - Josh Waddell
Danson Albion 'B' Manager- Trevor

Danson Albion 'A' Secretary - John Waddell
Danson Albion 'B' Secretary - Michael Barry (Tom Jarman currently Acting B team Secretary)

Danson Albion 'A' Captain - Bill Standen
Danson Albion 'B' Captain - Matt Hewitt

History

Danson Albion were formed in 2006 with Josh Waddell, Joe Pearce, Matt Longville and Dave Kersey initially setting the club up, and joined the London & Kent Border Football League Inter One Division (3/6). Recruiting former school friends, Albion built a solid squad and with funds raised through sponsorship from the Nags Head pub in Welling and fundraising activities, Danson located a new home ground at the Meridian, Charlton.

Danson's first season was eventful, Gavin Lilley was named club captain and things looked rosey in the early goings with Nas Harris looking a real find up front as Danson started their first ever league campaign unbeaten in their first four with Waddell at the helm. However, just as Albion begun to talk of promotion, the teams form alongside the weather and subsequent quality of pitches, quickly diminished.

A record 6-0 home defeat lead to action as Lilley stepped down as captain to be replaced by Standen and Waddell seeking a new more experienced manager, goalkeeper Jack Stephen also departed leaving Albion without a ull time 'keeper for the second half of the season. Gary Preston became the new manager in 2007 and despite a slow start Albion begun to settle again and picked up twoards the end of the season leading to a mid table finish.

In their first close season the teams success was made apparent as Tom Clench decided to embark on an adventure Waddell undertook twelve months previouslyand set up Danson Albion Reserves who joined the LKB in Junior One (5/6). Meanwhile, the now 'first team' were pushed up a division to Senior One (2/6) despite an average opening campaign.

Both teams got off to the worst possible start in their new divisions, however things begun to pick up and they joined each other for training at Trinity School on a Thursday night, a new training base after one year at Danon YC. Clench's Reserves endured a similar debut campaign to the original team, fluctuating form leading to a mid table finish, a patform to build on, especially given how Preston's side performed in their second season.

Despite the slow start Albion won 9 from 10 games in the winter of 2007 and went on to finish 3rd in Senior One despite being tipped to struggle at the start of the year. Albion also enjoyed success in the cup competitions progressing to the Mary Wiltshire Shield Quarter Final and Invitation Cup Final where an amazing comeback was squashed by defeat in a penalty shootout to deny the club it's first piece of silverware.

The wind of change continued in the summer of 2008 with Gary Preston leaving the club and Albion having to seek pastures new as Meridian ended the partnership with the club, relocating to Eltham Town's Co-Op Ground. Waddell re-took the hotseat of the teams 'LKB' side who were pushed into the top division where they would compete amongst the league's elite. Whilst they again failed to get their hands on silverware, Albion held their own in the division finishing mid table and winning more games then they lost. Meanwhile Clench took his team across to the Woolwich & Eltham League and dropped the reserves tag, entering Division 1 (3/5). Clench's personal aspirations lead to him handing the reigns to Michael Barry and later Andy Semaine as Albion struggled to find consistency. A fine result and performance in the last game of the season saw the team avoid relegation and give themselves an opportunity to push on in 2009/10.

The summer of 2009 saw further changes as Dave Kersey took over as manager of the W&E team hoping to bring the teams closer together and provide a sound platform for success as many players were registered to both teams. Albion begun to train at Blackheath Rugby Club's Well Hall on Tuesday nights and had high hopes for the season ahead. However the LKB team lost 4 of their first 5 games including a first round knockout in their debut in the Sunday Junior Cup at the hand of Legends. Albion struggled for numbers throughout the season with the 10 of Cairns, Waddell, Pike, Hawkes, Newman, Wayment, Longville, Standen, Neill and Harris playing almost every minute of each game. Albion had performed well in the early stages of the MWS shield progressing through three rounds 1-0, 5-0 and 6-1 but were left demoralised after a quarter final knockout to FC Delavaran as they bid to go all the way to the final. League form did pick up however and they went on to record their highest ever finish. New recruits in the form of Joe Bell, Lee Holmes and Gavin Neill supplemented the squad well and after a fine victory to end the season, defeating runners up Bullers 6-2 Danson head into 2010/11 with confidence.

They will move away from the LKB and join the newly named 'B' team in the Woolwich & Eltham Alliance as Danson Albion A ready to compete in the Senior Division (2/5). Danson Albion B will take part in Division 2 after finishing the 2009/10 bottom of Division 1. Failing to build on their sole victory early in the season, Danson did enjoy relative success in the Fred Jolly Memorial cup compeition but all in all the team will look back at 09/10 as a season to forget. The team will be encouraged by the news that Trevor, who has coached the team over the past two months of the season, will take charge as manager next season and aim to bounce back to Division 1 at the first attempt.

Looking ahead to their fifth season, the club has every reason to believe 2010/11 will be the year they stamp the name Danson Albion on some silverware.

DAFC!