User:Unnamedbanana/sandbox4
| Founded | 1912 |
|---|---|
| Ground | Ferndale Road, Weston Mill, Plymouth[1] |
| League | Plymouth and West Devon Football League |
Oak Villa Football Club is a name that has been carried by numerous football clubs in Plymouth. Originally founded in 1912, Oak Villa competed in the Devon League, and entered the FA Cup four times.
In the 1990s, the club had been known as Weston Mill Oak Villa, due to its association with the Sports & Social Club based at Weston Mill, Plymouth, and later Vospers Oak Villa due to sponsorship reasons.
In the 2010s, the name Signal Box Oak Villa arose, following a merge with Signal Box Frankfort, an existing youth football club in Plymouth.
History
[edit]The original Oak Villa were founded in 1912, and being operated from the St Philip's Church in Plymouth, they entered the United Churches League.[2]
For four seasons consecutively, from the 1948–49 season to the 1951–52 season, Villa entered the preliminary qualifying round of the FA Cup. They were knocked out on all four occasions, losing out to Bideford, St Austell, Barnstaple Town and Dartmouth United, respectively.[3]
Throughout the 50s and 60s, Villa were a successful Plymouth & District side, with numerous players being scouted for the step up to play in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle.
In 1987, Oak Villa joined the South Western Football League, but only competed for two seasons, before leaving in 1989.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
Name changes
[edit]In 1992, a newly named Weston Mill Oak Villa were founding members of the Devon County League. In 1998, the club changed it's name to Vospers Oak Villa for sponsorship reasons.[4]
Vospers Oak Villa never won the Devon County League, but remained as members until the league formed with the South Western Football League to form the South West Peninsula League in 2007.[5]
In the 2014–15 season, Vospers Oak Villa came 2nd in the SWPL West Division, but after a change of management and playing personnel, the following seasons saw the club finished bottom of the same division two seasons in a row. For the 2017–18 season, Vospers Oak Villa left the SWPL and entered the East Cornwall League, but pulled out before the season had even started after on and off the pitch difficulties, and folded.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
Between 2015–17, a seperate club named Weston Milla Oak Villa DRDE Trust competed in the Plymouth and West Devon Football League Premier Division.[6]
The club today
[edit]The name Oak Villa survives in Signal Box Oak Villa, who for the 2022–23 season, had men's team entered into both Saturday & Sunday Premier Divisions of the Plymouth and West Devon Football League, while Under-14 and Under-12 teams existed in the Devon Junior Minor League.
In 2019 it was reported that the club was negotiating a deal with a supermarket chain to sell part of the club's land at Ferndale Road, in order to pay for redevelopments of the clubhouse, and for installation of an all weather pitch.[7]
Former Plymouth Argyle & AFC Bournemouth striker Derek Rickard serves on the club's committee.[7]
Ground
[edit]The club is based at the Weston Mill Sports & Social Club, at Ferndale Road, Weston Mill, Plymouth. The main pitch has no seating, with the only hard standing being on a disused concrete football pitch behind the dug-outs.
The grounds are situated between the Weston Mill Cemetery & Crematorium, and the Camels Head Fire Station.
The site is currently occupied by Signal Box Oak Villa FC & WFC, and is shared with SB Frankfort FC, Signal Box AFC, City Police FC, and features a full size rugby pitch used by Old Technicians RFC, who were founded in 1932.[8]
Notable former players
[edit]- Peter Anderson (footballer, born 1932)[9]
- Frank Arundel[10]
- Bernard Barnes
- Peter Dyer (footballer)[11]
- Derek Rickard
- Reg Wyatt[12]
Honours
[edit](as Weston Mill Oak Villa)
- Devon and Exeter Football League
- Intermediate Cup Champions: 2010–11
- Devon County League
- Thogmorton Cup Runners-Up: 1994–95
References
[edit]- ^ "Football Ground Map: Ferndale Road". Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Vospers Oak Villa 10–0 Perranporth". 26 March 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "OAK VILLA". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "WESTON MILL OAK VILLA". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "VOSPERS OAK VILLA". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Plymouth & West Devon League Premier Division 2015-16". www.nonleaguematters.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ a b O'Leary, Miles (18 August 2019). "Plymouth club takes on supermarket over future of its home". Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Contact Old Technicians R.F.C." Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Peter Anderson". www.greensonscreen.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Frank Arundel". www.greensonscreen.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Peter Dyer". www.pafc.co.uk. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "Reg Wyatt". www.greensonscreen.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
Category:Association football clubs established in 1912 Category:Football clubs in Devon Category:Defunct football clubs in Devon Category:Sport in Plymouth, Devon Category:South West Peninsula League