Hamworthy Recreation FC - History

Club History

Hamworthy Recreation Football Club was formed in 1948 as Hamworthy Engineering FC and played on the Sports Ground opposite the factory at Fleetsbridge in Poole (where the Tesco supermarket now stands). When the site at Fleetsbridge was sold to Tesco in the late 1980’s the football, along with the Sports & Social Club, moved to its current home at Magna Road, Canford Magna.

At that time ‘Hamworthy Engineering FC’ were playing in the Bournemouth League (Division 1). The Club won the Bournemouth Senior Cup in the 1988-89 season, and after winning the Division One Championship in 1991-92 ‘The Rec’ successfully applied to join the Dorset Combination League for season 92/93 when they finished 3rd.

Success soon followed when the Club won a hatrick of Combination League Championships in 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96.

'The Rec’ have lifted the League Championship Trophy on another nine occasions, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2004/05, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2014/15, 2018/19 and 2021/2022.

The Club have won the League Cup on five occasions - 2000/01,2006/07, 2007/08, 2013/14 & 2014/15.

’The Rec’ consider that their greatest achievement was in 1995, when not only did they win the League Championship, they also won the Dorset Senior Cup, defeating Weymouth Football Club from the Southern League by 3 goals to nil at Magna Road in the Semi-Final, and Poole Town FC, another Southern League team, 4 - 1 in the Final.

The 2001-01 season saw the Club change its name to Hamworthy Recreation FC to reflect the name of their current headquarters

Our proud boast – we’ve never finished below 6th since Ham Eng joined the Combination in 1992/93.

Since entering the (old) Dorset Combination the Reserves have played in the Bournemouth Premier Division (old Div 1). They have had their ups and downs (as most reserve teams do) but remained competitive in League and Cups. 2019/20 sees the Reserves move over to the Dorset Leagues as it was felt that the Bournemouth Prem was getting less competitive (taking the place of Wimborne Phoenix who played as our “A” team last season.

Hamworthy Recreation FC has had ambitions to progress into the Wessex League having either won or been runners up in the Dorset Premier League for several recent seasons

After football leagues were curtained for the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 Seasons through the Coronavirus pandemic our First Team continued its good form in the DPL for the 2021/2022 season by winning both the League and Cup Competitions.

During 2022 with funding support from the Football Foundation and local sponsers we managed to get the ground upgraded to have floodlights and a 50 Seat Stand and so have progressed to the Wessex League Division 1.

We have a Development Team, both as a feeder team from our Under 18 Team and upwards towards our First team.


    We now have the following teams and Leagues
  • A First Team in Division 1 of the Wessex League
  • A Development Team in the Hampshire Combination and Development League
  • An Under 18 Team which for the 2023/2024 Season is totally back within Hamworthy Recreation FC
  • First Team Managers
    Seasons Manager Results
    1992/93 - 2004/05 Pat Notley 1 League & Cup Double, 5 Championships and the Senior Cup
    2005/06 - 2008/09/05 Steve Manuel 2 League Cups
    2009/10 - 2012/12 Gareth Daniel 2 League Championships
    2012/13 - 2015/16 Keith Whatling 1 League & Cup Double, 1 League Cup
    2016/17 - 2017/18 Wayne Smith 1 League Championship
    2018/19 Kirk Grice 1 League Championship
    2019/20 - 2020/2021 Kirk Grice Seasons curtained by the Coronavirus Pandemic
    2021/22 Kirk Grice Won both League and League Cup Championships
    2022/23 Kirk Grice and Wayne Smith Moved to Wessex League Division 1
    Finished fourth in this Competitive League