{{short description|Association football club in England}} {{Use British English|date=August 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Saltash United | image = Saltash-Utd-Crest1.png | upright = 0.8 | fullname = Saltash United Football Club | nickname = The Ashes | founded = {{start date and age|1946|df=y}} | ground = Kimberley Stadium, Saltash | owner = | chairman = Phil Durrant | manager = Lee Britchford | league = {{English football updater|SaltashU}} | season = {{English football updater|SaltashU2}} | position = {{English football updater|SaltashU3}} | website = {{URL|https://www.saltashunited.co.uk/|saltashunited.co.uk}}

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| pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = | pattern_ra2 = | leftarm2 = 0033CC | body2 = 0033CC | rightarm2 = 0033CC | shorts2 = 0033CC | socks2 = 0033CC

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'''Saltash United Football Club''' is an English football club based in Saltash, Cornwall. They currently play in the {{English football updater|SaltashU}}.

Since its formation in 1946, the club has won three Western Football League Premier Division titles, one Western Football League Division One title, and two South Western League titles.<ref name="fchd">{{fchd|name=SALTASH UNITED|id=SALTASHU}}</ref>

The club crest adopts the heraldic seal used by the town of Saltash for many centuries. The shield is placed between two ostrich feathers and ensigned by a crown, which are taken from the arms of the Duchy of Cornwall.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldcornwall.net/download/i/mark_dl/u/4011819032/4636447026/Cornwall%20Senior%20Cup%201949-50%20Saltash%20Record.pdf|title=Cornwall Senior Cup Saltash Record|website=www.oldcornwall.net/tm-cornwall-senior-cup/4594711797}}</ref>

==History==

===Foundation, formation, and the early years=== Football in Saltash dates back to the 1890s, with the club initially known as Essa. However, the details of its formation and origin remain unclear. Eventually, the team became known as Saltash Stars, achieving significant success, including winning the Cornwall Senior Cup three times consecutively from 1929 to 1932.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kernoweb.neocities.org/saltash/bshtwnslrg.htm|title=Town Seals & Civic Regalia|website=kernoweb.neocities.org/saltash/bshtwnslrg.htm}}</ref> Disbanded during the Second World War, the team reformed in the 1946–47 season as Saltash United.

In 1951, Saltash United won the Cornwall Senior Cup, the Charity Cup, and the Herald Cup, achieving a "Triple Crown." They joined the South Western Football League as a founder member in the 1951–52 season, finishing as runners-up and winning the inaugural South Western League Cup by defeating Torquay United reserves 3–2. The Ashes won the South Western League title in the 1953–54 season<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fchd.info/lghist/sw.htm|title=South Western League|website=fchd.info}}</ref> before being forced to disband in 1958. Enthusiasts led by Terry Maynard called an Extraordinary General Meeting on 22 July 1959, leading to the unanimous reformation of Saltash United. The club joined the newly formed East Cornwall League in the 1960–61 season.<ref name="Lister 1992 169">{{cite book|title=Saltash Town and About|last=Lister|first=Martin|year=1992|isbn=0951282247|page=169}}</ref>

Former player Alan Armstrong managed the team in the 1969–70 season, winning the South Western League Cup. The following season, David Lean left Plymouth Argyle to become player-manager of Saltash United.<ref>[http://www.greensonscreen.co.uk/gosdb-players2.asp?pid=480&scp=1,2,3,4,5,6,7 David Lean]. Greensonscreen.co.uk. Retrieved 11 December 2020.</ref>

===Western League years (1976–95)=== Saltash United entered and won the 1976–77 Western League Division One at their first attempt.<ref name="fchd"/> Peter Darke guided the club to a 4th-place finish in their first season in the Western League Premier Division. Despite a 3rd-place finish in 1978–79, the club dropped to 9th place the following season.<ref name="fchd"/>

After finishing 2nd in the 1983–84 season, the club won its first Western League Premier Division title in 1984–85. Saltash United won the league again in 1986–87 and 1988–89.<ref name="fchd"/> In the 1987–88 season, the club had its best FA Cup run to date, reaching the fourth qualifying round before losing 4–2 to Farnborough F.C.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://facupfactfile.wordpress.com/2017/10/22/potted-history-of-cornish-clubs-in-fa-cup/|title=Potted History of Cornish Clubs in FA Cup|website=facupfactfile.wordpress.com/2017/10/22/potted-history-of-cornish-clubs-in-fa-cup/}}</ref>

===South Western League (1995–2007)=== Due to high travelling expenses, the club returned to the South Western League by the end of the 1994–95 season. League success eluded them, with only the Durning Lawrence Charity Cup, won in 2000–01, to show for their efforts.

Allan Evans became team manager in 2002, bringing new players and a new approach to club discipline and training. Despite rejoining the Western League First Division for two seasons in 2004–05 and 2005–06, the club once again returned to the South Western League, achieving a 3rd-place finish.

===South West Peninsula League (2007–2021)=== The 2007–08 season saw the club join the newly formed South West Peninsula League finishing the inaugural season as runners-up.<ref name="fchd"/> On 29 May 2013, Saltash announced Martin Burgess as team manager, succeeding Stuart Dudley who resigned at the end of the 2012–13 season. On 21 January 2015, Burgess stepped down as team manager with the Ashes only a point behind the league leaders citing player priorities and squad availability as the reasons for his resignation.

The 2015–16 season saw Matthew Cusack appointed team manager alongside assistant Dane Bunney, both former Saltash players. Despite starting with only 8 registered players, they guided the Ashes to a sixth-place finish.<ref name="fchd"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cornerstonevision.com/saltash-united-off-pitch/|title=Saltash United: On and Off the Pitch}}</ref> The Ashes started the 2016–17 season strongly under Cusack with the club breaking their record for most consecutive wins at the start of a season, beating St Blazey 5–0 on 27 August 2016. The following season, 2017–18, Saltash lifted the Cornwall Senior Cup for the first time in 25 years, having lost on their last five Senior Cup final appearances.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/article.cfm?id=115949&headline=Saltash%20United%20win%20pulsating%20Cornwall%20Senior%20Cup%20final&sectionIs=sport&searchyear=2018|title=Saltash United win pulsating Cornwall Senior Cup final|website=www.cornish-times.co.uk}}</ref>

Bunney was appointed team manager following Cusack's resignation in March 2020 to join Plymouth Parkway as head coach.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/article.cfm?id=126795&headline=Saltash%20stunned%20by%20Cusack%20resignation&sectionIs=sport&searchyear=2020|title=Saltash stunned by Cusack resignation|website=www.cornish-times.co.uk}}</ref> He guided the club to its longest FA Cup run since the 1991–92 season and were joint top of the Peninsula League Premier West table when the season was curtailed. In 2021 they were promoted to the Premier Division of the Western League based on their results in the abandoned 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Saltash United Football Club, Ashes Promotion Confirmed|url=https://www.saltashunited.co.uk/news/ashes-promotion-confirmed|access-date=2021-11-19|website=www.saltashunited.co.uk}}</ref>

===2021-present=== Dane Bunney parted company with Saltash at the end of April 2022 and the club replaced him with Danny Lewis and Shane Krac.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/sport/ashes-deny-bunney-was-sacked-546033|title=Ashes deny Bunney was sacked|website=www.cornish-times.co.uk}}</ref>

In the 2022–23 season they were runners-up in Western League Premier Division, qualifying for an inter-step play-off against Bristol Manor Farm from the level above, which they lost 2–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/sport/football/saltash-miss-out-on-promotion-with-play-off-defeat-611103|title=Saltash miss out on promotion with play-off defeat|website=www.cornish-times.co.uk}}</ref>

==Stadium==

Saltash United play their home games at Kimberley Stadium, Callington Road, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6DX. The ground is floodlit with a covered seated stand and licensed clubhouse.

Constructed in 1951 by Saltash Town Council, the club moved to Kimberley Stadium for the start of the 1952–53 season. Declaring the stadium opened, the Mayor, Miss W. M. Fearnside kicked off the first home match of the season on 27 August 1952. About 1000 spectators saw Saltash defeat Tavistock 5-1.<ref>{{cite book|title=Saltash Town and About|last=Lister|first=Martin|year=1992|isbn=0951282247|page=168}}</ref>

The main grandstand was named the Tim Halford Stand on 12 July 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/article.cfm?id=211&headline=Tribute%20to%20Halford%20is%20unveiled&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2008|title=Tribute to Halford is unveiled|date=18 July 2008|access-date=11 December 2020|publisher=Cornish Times}}</ref> Halford was the club's manager when he died in September 2007 at the age of 45.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/article.cfm?id=229&headline=Local%20football%20shocked%20by%20death%20of%20manager%20Halford&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2007|title=Local football shocked by death of manager Halford|date=28 September 2007|access-date=11 December 2020|publisher=Cornish Times}}</ref>

==Honours== Saltash United's list of honours include the following. {| class="wikitable" |- align=left !Honour !Number !Years |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan="6"|'''League''' |- |Western Football League '''Champions''' (tier 9) |align=center|3 |1984–85, 1986–87, 1988–89 |- |Western Football League Runners-up (tier 9) |align=center|3 |1983–84, 1987–88, 2022–23 |- |Western Football League Division One '''Champions''' (tier 10) |align=center|1 |1976–77 |- |South West Peninsula League Premier Division Runners-up (tier 10) |align=center|2 |2007–08, 2016–17 |- |South Western League '''Champions''' (tier 11) |align=center|2 |1953–54, 1975–76 |- |South Western League Runners-up (tier 11) |align=center|3 |1952–53, 1973–74, 1974–75 |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan="6"|'''Domestic Cups''' |- |Western Football League Cup '''Winners''' |align=center|2 |1986–87, 1987–88 |- |Cornwall Senior Cup '''Winners''' |align=center|7 |1950–51, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1992–93, 2017–18 |- |Cornwall Senior Cup Runners-up |align=center|9 |1951-52, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1988–89, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2016–17, 2018–19 |- |South West Peninsula League Walter C Parson Cup '''Winners''' |align=center|1 |2018–19 |- |South West Peninsula League Charity Bowl '''Winners''' |align=center|2 |2007–08, 2019–20 |- |South Western League Cup '''Winners''' |align=center|2 |1952–53, 1969–70 |- |Cornwall FA Charity Cup '''Winners''' |align=center|2 |1950–51, 2000–01 |- |South West Counties Pratten Cup '''Winners''' |align=center|1 |1974–75 |- |South West Counties Pratten Cup Runners-up |align=center|1 |1975–76 |- |}

==Records==

* '''Best FA Cup performance''': FA Cup fourth round Qualifying (1987–88)<ref name="fchd"/> * '''Best FA Trophy performance''': First Round (1985–86, 1986–87)<ref name="fchd"/> * '''Best FA Vase performance''': Third Round (1996–97, 2013–14, 2018–19)<ref name="fchd"/> * '''Most League goals in a season''' (by team): 127 (1974–75, South Western League, 36 games) * '''Most League points in a season''': 90 (2016–17, South West Peninsula League Premier Division, 38 games)

==Players==

===Current squad=== {{updated|26 July 2024}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saltashunited.co.uk/teams/Saltash-United/Players|title=Player Profiles|website=saltashunited.co.uk}}</ref> {{fs start}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=GK|name=Tyler Coombes}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=DF|name=Charlie Elkington}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=DF|name=Max Everall}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=DF|name=Ben Goulty}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=DF|name=Alfie Wotton|other=captain}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=DF|name=Tyler Yendle}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=MF|name=Hayden Greening}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=DF|name=Tom Huyton}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=MF|name=Rhys McShane}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=MF|name=Kieran O'Melia}} {{fs mid}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=MF|name=Freddy Tolcher}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=MF|name=Finlay Wilkes}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=MF|name=Kieran O'Melia}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=FW|name=Isaac Dudley}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=FW|name=Jayden Gilbert}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=FW|name=Joe Preece}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=FW|name=Jack Jefford}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=FW|name=Deacon Thomson}} {{fs player|no=|nat=England|pos=FW|name=Reece Thomson}} {{fs end}}

===Notable former players=== ''For details on former players who have a Wikipedia article, see: :Category:Saltash United F.C. players.''

===Coaching positions=== '''First Team''' {| class="toccolours" !style="background-color:#DD0000; color:white;"|Position<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saltashunited.co.uk/teams/Saltash-United|title=Team Info|website=saltashunited.co.uk}}</ref> !style="background-color:#DD0000; color:white;"|Name !style="background-color:#DD0000; color:white;"|Nationality |- |-bgcolor=#eeeeee |Manager:||Lee Britchford||{{flagicon|England}} English |- |- bgcolor=#eeeeee |Assistant Manager:||Adam Peters||{{flagicon|England}} English |- |- bgcolor=#eeeeee |Assistant Manager:||Pete Jefford||{{flagicon|England}} English |- |}

===Managerial history=== ''Updated as of 16 December 2022. Only managers since joining the South West Peninsula League are shown.''

''For details on former managers who have a Wikipedia article, see: :Category:Saltash United F.C. managers.''

{{col-begin-small}} {{col-4}} * 2006 {{flagicon|ENG}} Tim Halford * 2007 {{flagicon|ENG}} Kevin Hendy * 2012 {{flagicon|ENG}} Kevin Hendy {{flagicon|ENG}} Stuart Dudley * 2013 {{flagicon|ENG}} Stuart Dudley * 2013 {{flagicon|ENG}} Martin Burgess * 2015 {{flagicon|ENG}} Phil Bayliss

{{col-4}} * 2015 {{flagicon|ENG}} Matt Cusack * 2020 {{flagicon|ENG}} Dane Bunney * 2022 {{flagicon|ENG}} Danny Lewis {{flagicon|ENG}} Shane Krac * 2022 {{flagicon|ENG}} Danny Lewis * 2023 {{flagicon|ENG}} Mackenzie Brown * 2025 {{flagicon|ENG}} Lee Britchford {{col-end}}

==Sponsorship== The club’s current sportswear manufacturer is VX3 Sportswear. The main home shirt sponsor is Bright Solicitors, while Brunel Recycling Ltd sponsors the away shirt.

== References == {{Portal|Cornwall}} {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.saltashunited.co.uk/ Official Club website] *{{fchd|id=SALTASHU|name=Saltash United}} * [http://www.oldcornwall.net/download/i/mark_dl/u/4011819032/4636447026/Cornwall%20Senior%20Cup%201949-50%20Saltash%20Record.pdf/ Cornwall Senior Cup Saltash Record]

{{Western League}} {{coord|50|24|36.7|N|4|13|24.3|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}

Category:Football clubs in Cornwall Category:Men's football clubs in England Category:Association football clubs established in 1946 Category:South West Peninsula League Category:1946 establishments in England Category:Western Football League