Hemel Hempstead Town F.C.

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 play at Vauxhall Road. History The club was established in 1885 as Apsley End. They joined the West Herts League in 1891 and were renamed Apsley Football Club two years later. The club were league champions in 1894–95 and 1897–98, and in 1898 they were founder members of the Hertfordshire Senior County League. They went on to win the league in its second season, 1899–1900. The league was split into two divisions in 1901, with Apsley placed in the Western Division. They were divisional champions in 1902–03 and won the championship play-off against Northern Division champions St Albans Amateurs. The club had continued playing in the West Herts League and won the title for a third time in 1904–05. After winning the Western Division of the Hertfordshire Senior County League again in 1906–07, they defeated Northern Division Champions Hitchin Union Jack 5–3 in the championship play-off. In 1922 Apsley left the Hertfordshire Senior County League to join Division Two of the Spartan League. They were Division Two runners-up in 1923–24, after which league reorganisation saw them placed in Division Two A. They were Division Two A runners-up in 1926–27, but were demoted to Division Two West following further league reorganisation in 1928. More reorganisation in 1930 saw the club moved into Division One for the 1930–31 season. The club were Division One runners-up in 1931–32, earning promotion to the Premier Division. Although they were relegated back to Division One at the end of their first season in the Premier Division, the club were Division One champions and League Cup winners in 1933–34, earning an immediate return to the Premier Division. Apsley were relegated to Division One again at the end of the 1935–36 season. In 1938–39 they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 2–1 at Bromley. Following World War II the club were placed in the Western Division for the 1945–46 season and finished bottom of the table. They were subsequently placed in Division One West and the club's name was changed to Hemel Hempstead. They were Division One West runners-up in 1947–48 and again in 1950–51, after which they were promoted back to the Premier Division.