Heybridge Swifts

Heybridge Swifts Football Club is a football club based in Heybridge, near Maldon, Essex, England. They are currently members of the Isthmian League North Division and play at Scraley Road.

History

The club was established in 1880 as Heybridge Football Club. After joining the Mid-Essex League they won Division One in 1908–09 and again in 1911–12. The club subsequently became members of the Essex & Suffolk Border League and were runners-up in Division Two (West) in 1919–20. The club won the division the following season, before finishing as runners-up again in 1921–22 and 1924–25. They later moved up to Division One and were runners-up in 1928–29. The club went on to win the division in 1930–31, earning promotion to the Senior Division. The following season saw them finish as runners-up in the Senior Division, as well as winning the Essex Junior Cup.

After World War II Heybridge returned to the Mid-Essex League, winning the league and the Division One League Cup in 1946–47. In 1949–50 the club joined the Premier Division of the South Essex League, but left after a single season. They returned to the Mid-Essex League and were champions of Division One (now the league's second division after the creation of the Premier Division in 1949) in 1955–56, as well as winning the Division One League Cup. The club later rejoined the Essex & Suffolk Border League and were runners-up in the Premier Division in 1965–66. After finishing as runners-up again in 1969–70 they were founder members of the Essex Senior League in 1971. They finished bottom of the league in 1973–74, but were runners-up in 1980–81 and then won three consecutive league titles between 1981–82 and 1983–84. Following their third title the club moved up to Division Two North of the Isthmian League.

Heybridge were Division Two North champions in 1989–90, earning promotion to Division One. In 1994–95 the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 1–0 to Gillingham in a home match that was moved to Lay