Barking F.C.

{{short description|Association football club in England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Use British English|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Barking | image = Barking F.C. logo.png | image_size = 160px | fullname = Barking Football Club | nickname = The Blues | founded = 1896 (refounded in 2006) | ground = Mayesbrook Park, Dagenham | capacity = 2,500 (200 seated)<ref name=NLCD>Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) ''Non-League Club Directory 2013'', p656 {{ISBN|978-1-869833-77-0}}</ref> | chairman = Rob O'Brien | manager = Craig Edwards | league = {{English football updater|Barking}} | season = {{English football updater|Barking2}} | position = {{English football updater|Barking3}} | pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = | pattern_ra1 = | pattern_sh1 = | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = 0000FF | body1 = 0000FF | rightarm1 = 0000FF | shorts1 = 0000FF | socks1 = 0000FF | pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = _blueyellow_horizontal | pattern_ra2 = | leftarm2 = FFFF00 | body2 = FFFF00 | rightarm2 = FFFF00 | shorts2 = FFFF00 | socks2 = FFFF00 | website = [http://www.barking-fc.co.uk barking-fc.co.uk] }}

'''Barking Football Club''' is a football club based in Barking, Greater London, England. They are currently members of the {{English football updater|Barking}} and play at Mayesbrook Park.

==History== The origins of the modern club are unclear, with several potential claims; '''Barking Institute''' was either formed around 1896 as Barking Working Lads' Institute (or possibly earlier as Barking Working Men's Institute) or was a renamed Barking Rovers, who had been established in 1880 and later renamed by the Church Institute when they took over running it.<ref name=history>[http://www.barking-fc.co.uk/clubhis.html Club history] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831162341/http://www.barking-fc.co.uk/clubhis.html |date=31 August 2017 }} Barking FC</ref> They won the Essex Senior Cup in 1893–94 and 1895–96, before becoming champions of Division One of the South Essex League in 1898–99, the Leyton & District League in 1899–1900, Division Two of the South Essex League in 1900–02 and Division Two A in 1901–01, before changing its name to '''Barking''' in 1902. They also played in the London League, winning Division One A in 1909–10, before winning the South Essex League again in 1911–12, a season in which they also won the London Senior Cup for the first time. In 1912 Barking became founder members of the Athenian League, but withdrew after only two matches and their record was expunged.<ref name=FCHD>{{fchd|id=BARKING|name=Barking}}</ref>

In 1919 the club changed its name to '''Barking Town''', going on to win the Essex Senior Cup in the 1919–20 season. The following season they won the Premier Division of the London League and the London Senior Cup, before rejoining the Athenian League in 1923.<ref>{{fchd|id=BARKINGT|name=Barking Town}}</ref> The 1926–27 season saw them reach the first round of the FA Cup, eventually losing to Gillingham in a replay. They also reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup, where they lost 3–1 to Leyton, but did win the London Senior Cup for a third time. They reached the first round of the FA Cup again in 1928–29, but lost 6–0 at Exeter City. In 1932 they reverted to the name '''Barking''', and in 1934–35 won the Athenian League title.

Following World War II, Barking won the 1945–46 Essex Senior Cup. In 1952 they switched to the Isthmian League, but had to wait until 1978–79 before winning the league again; during that period they won further Essex Senior Cup titles in 1962–63 and 1969–70. The 1978–79 season also saw them reach the second round of the FA Cup, defeating Yeovil Town in the first round, before losing 2–1 at home to Aldershot, as well as winning the London Senior Cup for a fourth time. The following season they reached the second round again, defeating Third Division Oxford United before losing 3–1 to Reading. In 1981–82 they took Gillingham to a replay in the second round, losing 3–1. Their last appearance in the second round came in 1983–84, when they lost 2–1 at Plymouth Argyle.<ref name=FCHD/> A seventh Essex Senior Cup final win was achieved in 1989–90.

They remained in the Isthmian League Premier Division until relegation to Division One at the end of the 1990–91 season. After finishing bottom in 1995–96 the club was relegated to Division Two. In 2001 Barking ceased to exist when they merged with East Ham United to form Barking & East Ham United. However, when the new club folded in 2006, Barking were re-established and joined the Essex Senior League. In 2016–17 the club won the Essex Senior League, earning promotion to the North Division of the Isthmian League. At the end of the 2018–19 season they were transferred to the South Central Division. In 2021 the club was transferred back to the North Division. They finished second-from-bottom of the division in 2021–22 and were relegated to the Essex Senior League. In 2022–23 the club won the Essex Senior League's Errington Cup, beating Redbridge 5–4 on penalties in the final, following a 1–1 draw.<ref>[https://essexseniorleague.co.uk/errington-cup-final-match-report/ Errington Cup final match report] Essex Senior League</ref>

The 2023–24 season saw Barking finish fourth in the Essex Senior League, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. They went on to lose 1–0 to Romford in the semi-finals.

==Ground== Barking Institute originally played at the Recreation Ground in Barking Park, before moving to Vicarage Field, which had been in use by Barking Rovers since 1884.<ref name=history/> Floodlights were installed in 1958 and they were the first Isthmian League club to play a league match under lights. In 1973 the club were forced to leave the ground by the council and moved to Mayesbrook Park. The club brought the floodlights from Vicarage Field and installed a temporary trailer stand on the northern side of the pitch.<ref name=JW>Jon Weaver (2006) ''The Football Grounds of Essex Metropolitan'', pp7–8</ref> This was later replaced by a permanent stand on the south side with 210 seats and standing for 450.<ref name=JW/> An uncovered terrace was installed behind the western end of the pitch, which had a roof added in 2001 when Barking merged with East Ham United.<ref name=JW/>

==Honours== {{div col|colwidth=50em}} *'''Isthmian League''' **Premier Division champions 1978–79 **Dylon Shield winners 1979–80<ref name=Hon/> *'''Athenian League''' **Champions 1934–35 *'''London League''' **Premier Division champions 1920–21 **Division One A champions 1909–10 *'''Essex Senior League''' **Champions 2016–17 **Errington Cup winners 2022–23 **Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy winners 2025–26 **Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy winners 2014–15<ref name=Hon>[https://barking-fc.co.uk/honours/ Honours] Barking F.C.</ref> *'''South Essex League''' **Division One champions 1898–99, 1911–12 **Division Two champions 1900–01 **Division Two A champions 1901–02 *'''Leyton & District League''' **Champions 1899–1900 *'''Essex Senior Cup''' **Winners 1893–94, 1895–96, 1919–20, 1945–46, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1989–90 *'''London Senior Cup''' **Winners 1911–12, 1920–21, 1926–27, 1978–79 *'''London Charity Cup''' **Winners 1961–62<ref name=Hon/> *'''East Anglian Cup''' **Winners 1937–38, 1953–54 (joint)<ref name=Hon/> *'''Essex Thameside Trophy''' **Winners 1952–53 (joint), 1956–57, 1958–69, 1996–97<ref name=Hon/> *'''Essex Elizabethan Trophy''' **Winners 1966–67<ref name=Hon/> *'''Mithras Cup''' **Winners 1965–66, 1966–67, 1970–71<ref name=Hon/> {{div col end}}

==Records== *Best FA Cup performance: Second round replay, 1981–82 *Best FA Amateur Cup performance: Runners-up, 1926–27 *Best FA Trophy performance: Second round, 1979–80 *Best FA Vase performance: Fifth round, 1996–97 *Record attendance: 1,972 vs Aldershot, FA Cup second round, 16 December 1978<ref name=NLCD/> *Most appearances: Bob Makin, 566<ref name=NLCD/> *Most goals: Neville Fox, 241 (1965–73)<ref name=NLCD/>

==See also== *{{c|Barking F.C. players}} *{{c|Barking F.C. managers}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|http://www.barking-fc.co.uk}}

Category:Barking F.C. Category:Men's football clubs in England Category:Football clubs in London Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 2001 Category:Association football clubs established in 2006 Category:2001 disestablishments in England Category:2006 establishments in England Category:Sport in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham F.C. Category:London League (football) Category:Athenian League Category:Isthmian League clubs Category:Essex Senior Football League Category:South Essex League