About Us

Ground: "The Crops"

Nickname: "The Seedgrowers"

Find us at: The Crops, West Street, Coggeshall, Essex, C06 1NT
Tel: 01376 562843

The Beginning

Joint second oldest original football club in Essex, Coggeshall Town was formed at a meeting held at the White Hart Hotel, Coggeshall on September 27th 1878. The official report of that meeting was published in Coggeshall Parish Magazine in October 1878 and reads:

"A meeting was held on Friday last 27th ult, at the White Hart Hotel for the purpose of forming a Football Club in this town. The chairman (Mr. G. F. Beaumont) announced that Mr. Hanbury had kindly consented to act as President to the club, and he was accordingly unanimously elected. The meeting next appointed Mr. G. F. Beaumont as Hon. Sec and the following gentlemen were chosen to form a Committee: The Rev. J. P. A. Bowers, Messrs. T. W. Haddon, A.T. Bremner, F. Beard, A. Judges, C. Poulton and J. Webster. Play is to commence on Saturday next, the 5th inst. At 3 o'clock punctually in Mynheer Park, kindly lent by Mr. T. C. Swinborne.

The rules of the game may be obtained of the Secretary or any member of the Committee. It is hoped that the club may be strongly supported by players and non-players. The subscriptions for players is 1/- and for non-players 2/6d."

It was decided that the club colours be red and black and these have remained the club colours ever since.

Records held at the Coggeshall Museum, suggest that the Football Club was founded by J. K. King & Sons, a local family seed business. The account of the inaugural meeting makes no mention of the company although its role may be acknowledged through the club's nickname, "The Seedgrowers" that remains to this day.

The Seedgrowers Home(s)

Coggeshall Town continued to play at Mynheer Park until 1895 when they moved to a new ground at Highfields. This became the club's home for 65 years until they were given notice to leave in 1960. The difficult search for a new home was rewarded when the late Col. F. T. Hill came to the club's rescue by offering them land at "The Crops" on a leasehold basis. Local fund raising raised the majority of the &pound2000 necessary to get "The Crops" ready for play, with the final &pound400 being provided by the Playing Fields Association. The pavilion, built in 1961, remains as the changing rooms today but also offers shelter for spectators under its pitched roof.

The Crops is three sided with the pavilion set at one corner and with grass banking allowing good spectator viewing. A low stand, dating from 1964 is cut into the bank along one touch-line, providing spectator seating. Dugouts originally stood on either side of the stand but they are now located on the opposite touch-line. The clubhouse, dating from 1971, is located beside the pavilion behind the top goal.

The club's future was threatened again in 1981 when the landowner announced that he wished to sell the land. Once more the club embarked on a fundraising campaign. The commitment of those involved is evident from the efforts of the club manager, Peter Barlow, who embarked on a run from "The Crops" to F.A. Headquarters at Lancaster Gate to hand in an appeal for support to save the ground. A little behind schedule, he arrived at the F.A. to find it closed . Nevertheless, he raised &pound500 toward the fund. With the help of Coggeshall Parish Council and the Sports Council the club raised the funding to buy the land and for the first time, just over 100 years since they were formed, Coggeshall Town owned their own facilities.