{{Short description|Association football club in Northern Ireland}} {{Use British English|date=December 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Wakehurst | image = | fullname = Wakehurst Football Club | nickname = The 'Hurst | founded = 1969 | ground = Ballymena Showgrounds | capacity = | manager = Aaron Cowan | league = Ballymena & Provincial Football League | season = 2018–19 | position = Ballymena & Provincial Football League, 11th | pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_blackstripes|pattern_ra1= | leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF||rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=000000|socks1=000000| }}
'''Wakehurst Football Club''' are a Northern Irish, intermediate football club who currently play in the Ballymena & Provincial Football League. The club, founded in 1969, hails from Ballymena, although home matches are played at Moyola Park's ground at Mill Meadow. Wakehurst formerly played at the second pitch at the Ballymena Showgrounds, home of Ballymena United, but for 2009–10 this pitch was deemed not to meet the criteria for the Championship, and home games were played at the ground of Tobermore United in Tobermore, County Londonderry, for that season; Wakehurst moved to Castledawson for 2010–11.<ref>Ballymena Times, [http://www.ballymenatimes.com/wakehurst/Wakehurst-forced-to-play-outside.5232527.jp Wakehurst forced to play outside Ballymena next season], 15-05-2009</ref><ref>''Homeless Wakehurst need to find a speedy resolution'', The Park, p.13, Belfast Telegraph, 30 August 2010</ref> It is the club's intention eventually to return to Ballymena.<ref>[http://www.ballymenatimes.com/sport/football/wakehurst-fc-appeal-for-council-help-to-end-three-year-exile-from-ballymena-1-3868517 Wakehurst FC appeal for Council help to end three-year ‘exile’ from Ballymena]</ref> In 2016, the club was relegated from the Northern Ireland Football League and spent a season in the Ballymena & Provincial Football League before announcing their withdrawal from the competition.
Club colours are black, and white (home) and blue (away).
The club is currently managed by Aaron Cowan.
The club returned to the Ballymena & Provincial League for the 2016–17 season and were joined by fellow Championship 2 drop outs, Glebe Rangers and Coagh United. At the end of the season they announced their withdrawal from football although indicated that it would be a one-year hiatus rather than permanent.<ref>[http://www.wakehurstfc.co.uk/content/official-statement Official Statement]</ref>
The club played at junior level in the Ballymena & District League and Northern Amateur League until stepping up to intermediate football in 2003.<ref>H. Johnstone & G. Hamilton (n.d.) ''A Memorable Milestone: 75 Years of the Northern Amateur Football League'', p. 219</ref><ref>"Waking up to Wakehurst", ''NI Football'', Issue 13 (2009), p. 24</ref>
==Players==
===Current First Team Squad===
As of
{{fs start}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=GK|name=Greg Shannon}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=GK|name=Andy Findlay}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=GK|name=Dean Adams}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Kyle Crawford}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Kurtis McCartney}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Peter McClure}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Andrew Millar}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Corey Price}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Anthony Shaw}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Niall Swann}} {{fs mid}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Conor Ross}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=Ryan Bamber}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=Andrew Laughlin}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=Nicky Black}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=David McLaughlin}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=Steven Mellon}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=David Johnston}} {{fs player||nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=Aaran Weir}} {{fs end}}
==Honours==
===Junior honours=== *'''County Antrim Junior Shield: 1''' **1989–90
== References == {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20170912135058/http://wakehurstfc.co.uk/ Club Website]
{{Football in Northern Ireland}}
Category:Association football clubs established in 1969 Category:Association football clubs in Northern Ireland Category:Association football clubs in County Londonderry Category:Sport in Ballymena Category:1969 establishments in Northern Ireland
{{NorthernIreland-footyclub-stub}}