East Thurrock Community FC

East Thurrock Community Football Club
Full nameEast Thurrock Community Football Club
NicknameThe Rocks
Founded2023 (2023)
GroundWyldecrest Sports Country Club
Capacity500
Coordinates51°31′51″N 0°29′26″E / 51.5307°N 0.4905°E / 51.5307; 0.4905
OwnerJono Edwards
Chairman
  • Jono Edwards
  • Jason Evans
Manager
  • John Coventry Junior
  • Kevin Scott
LeagueEssex and Suffolk Border Football League Premier Division
Websiteeastthurrockcfc.com

East Thurrock Community FC[1] is an English football club based in Thurrock, Essex. They were formed in 2023 after the liquidation of original club East Thurrock United.[2]

History

The original club was founded in 1969 because locals felt that the Corringham, Stanford-le-Hope and Thurrock area should have a senior Non-League football team. After a successful Corringham Social Sunday league team the new club were placed into the Southern Essex Combination League for the 1969–70 season and finished 3rd before joining the Greater London League in 1970. They won the league at the first attempt. At the end of the season the league merged with the Metropolitan League to form the Metropolitan–London League, with East Thurrock remaining in the reserve division. After winning the division in 1971–72, they moved up to the senior divisions, joining Division Two. They also won this division at the first attempt and were promoted to Division One.[3]

After the league merged with the Spartan League to form the London Spartan League in 1975 with East Thurrock being placed into Division Two,[4] until restructuring saw them put into the Premier Division in 1978.[5] In 1979 the club moved into the Essex Senior Football League,[6] in 1988-89 the won the League Cup and done the same in 1991-92 the same season they finished 3rd earning themselves promotion to the Isthmian League Division Three, they then won that league in 1999-2000 earning promotion to Division Two, after the leagues were swapped around they were put into the Isthmian League North Division (Step 4), before being moved into the Eastern Division of the Southern League for the 2004–05 season as part of wider restructuring of the non-League pyramid. After finishing as Eastern Division runners-up in the first season, they were promoted and moved back to the Isthmian League, joining its Premier Division.

East Thurrock were relegated back to Division One North of the Isthmian League at the end of the 2007–08 season following a one-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player. They finished as runners-up in 2008–09qualifying for the promotion play-offs, but lost 1–0 to Concord Rangers in the semi-finals. A fifth-place finish the 2009–10 saw the club qualify for the play-offs again, but they were again beaten 1–0 by Concord Rangers in the semi-finals. In 2010–11 the club won the division and were promoted to the Premier Division. In 2011–12 they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history, losing 3–0 at home to Macclesfield Town. The following season saw them finish fifth in the Isthmian League Premier Division, qualifying for the play-offs. However, they lost 1–0 to Lowestoft Town in the semi-finals.

In 2014–15 East Thurrock reached the first round of the FA Cup again, this time losing 2–0 at Hartlepool United. In the following season they finished third in the Premier Division, again qualifying for the play-offs. The club beat Tonbridge Angels 2–0 in the semi-finals and Dulwich Hamlet 3–1 in the final in front of a record crowd of 1,661, resulting in promotion to the National League South. After three seasons in the sixth tier, the club finished second-from-bottom of the National League South in 2018–19, and were relegated back to the Isthmian League's Premier Division in a season that also saw them win the Essex Senior Cup for the first time in their history, defeating Chelmsford City 3–1 in the final.

Alfie Best placed the club into liquidation on the 1st of September 2023, the club stated that this was due to historic debts from previous owners.[7][8]

The new club have been playing in the Essex and Suffolk Border Football League Premier Division[9][10] since the start of last season. The club finished 8th in the league last season, they lost in the 3rd Round to Belle Vue Social Club in the Essex & Suffolk Border League Knockout Cup after beating Gas Recreation and a walkover against Tollesbury First.

Currently East Thurrock Community are sitting 3rd in the league, 2 points off league leaders Great Bentley. In the Essex & Suffolk Border League Knockout Cup[11] they have beaten Thorpe Athletic and Sudbury Sports to make it to the 3rd Round.

Ground

The club play at the Wyldecrest Sports Country Club in Corringham, Essex. The original club played at Rookery Hill only down the road from the new ground. East Thurrock Community have announced plans to return to Rookery Hill for the 2026–27 season[12]

Honours

Original Club

  • Isthmian League Division One North Champions - 2010/11
  • Isthmian League Division Three - 1999/00
  • Essex Senior Cup - 2018/19[13]
  • Metropolitan London League Division Two - 1972/73
  • Metropolitan London League Reserve Division - 1971/72
  • Greater London League Reserve Division - 1970/71
  • Essex Senior League Cup - 1988/89, 1991/92
  • East Anglian Cup - 2002–03

New Club

  • No trophies as of 2026

References

  1. ^ "East Thurrock Community Football Club". East Thurrock Community Football Club. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  2. ^ "East Thurrock Utd FC". www.thurrock-history.org.uk. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  3. ^ "London Metropolitan League 1971-1975". www.nonleaguematters.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  4. ^ "London Spartan League 1975-1987". www.nonleaguematters.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  5. ^ "London Spartan League 1975-1987". www.nonleaguematters.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  6. ^ "Football Club History Database - East Thurrock United". www.fchd.info. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  7. ^ "East Thurrock United go into liquidation". Echo. 2023-09-01. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  8. ^ Reporter, Staff (2023-09-30). "Football: Hopes that a new East Thurrock can rise from the ashes". Your Thurrock. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  9. ^ Hamilton, James (2024-05-28). "East Thurrock Community Football Club: Fans fuelling new team into the football league". Semi-Professional. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  10. ^ "A new East Thurrock". NonLeagueMatters Forums. 2024-02-01. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  11. ^ Reporter, Staff (2025-09-14). "Football: East Thurrock make progress in Border League Cup". Your Thurrock. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  12. ^ Reporter, Staff (2026-01-17). "East Thurrock set for emotional return to Rookery Hill". Your Thurrock. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  13. ^ "Essex Senior Cup Champions". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
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