Page 24 - Raynes Park Vale vs Guildford City

was soon announced that the club was to Scott Steele and Lloyd Wye.
merge with Dorking and play at Meadow- Kevin Rayner, and his assistant Roly
bank. The final game at Joseph's Road was Martin, took charge in 2009. After escap-
played on 12 February 1974 when the City ing relegation and undergoing a season of
beat Folkestone 2–0 in front of 625 fans. improvement, in 2011/12 the club's had its
After 53 years senior football at Joseph's furthest progress in the FA Cup and Vase
Road had come to an end. to date, but better was to come when the
In 1996 Bill Bellerby, then Mayor of side clinched the Combined Counties Pre-
Guildford, enquired as to whether Bur- mier Division trophy. The success was bit-
pham FC would be prepared to move to ter sweet however, as the club's promotion
the Spectrum Leisure Centre and represent was controversially denied due to Spec-
Guildford. Spectrum provided a venue trum failing a ground grading inspection.
which had the potential for development Rayner's side cantered to the league title
into senior football and already had flood- once again the following year and this time
lighting. took their place in the Southern League
Crowned champions Division One Central. However, in May
2013, having guided City to a ninth-place
AFC Guildford played in the Surrey Pre- finish in the new club's inaugural South-
mier League, which eventually became ern League season, Kevin Rayner left the
Division One of the Combined Counties club to manage Chipstead.
League. In 2003–04 AFC Guildford were Dean Thomas resigned
crowned champions of Division One and
gained their first ever major honour. Guildford City were switched to the
Promotion was obtained into the Southern League Division One South &
Combined Counties Premier Division, West for the 2013–14 season, with former
ground-sharing with Cranleigh FC while Sandhurst Town and Cove manager Dean
Spectrum was upgraded to an acceptable Thomas taking the helm. Thomas resigned
standard. In early November 2004, AFC in November 2013 following a run of 10
Guildford returned to their home ground defeats in a row. Kevin Rayner immediate-
near to the town centre. ly returned to the club following his sack-
In 2005 the club changed its name to ing by Chipstead earlier that month but
Guildford United, but quickly acquired was unable to prevent City from finishing
the name of Guildford City. The once fa- bottom of the league and being relegated
mous name had returned to senior foot- back to the Combined Counties League.
ball after an absence of over 30 years. Former Merrow manager and Guildford
The club finished second bottom in 2006– City youth Chris Balchin took over as City
07 yet the following season secured a run- manager in May 2017 and with his as-
ner-up finish in the Combined Counties sistant manager Neil Grant, they look to
Premier League under the management build a successful team.