Felixstowe and Walton United Football Club, nicknamed “The Seasiders,” is a non-league football club based in Felixstowe, Suffolk.
Established in 1970, they currently compete in the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division, which is part of the eighth tier of English football. The team calls Dellwood Avenue their home ground.
History
Felixstowe & Walton United Football Club, known as ‘The Seasiders,’ was formed in 2000 from the merger of Walton United and Felixstowe Town, marking their second union since a brief period during World War II. The amalgamation was strategic; Walton United, having won the Suffolk Senior Cup, needed better facilities to progress, while Felixstowe Town was struggling financially after losing a major sponsorship. The merger allowed the newly unified club to establish Dellwood Avenue as their home ground, signaling a fresh start that led to fluctuating fortunes including a relegation in 2002 followed by a resurgence that saw them climb back to the Premier Division in 2006.
The club’s infrastructure and management strategies, including overcoming unique challenges like the adjustable floodlights, were pivotal in their gradual ascendancy. By 2017, significant ground improvements and the opening of a new clubhouse marked a turning point, culminating in their promotion to the Isthmian North Division, marking their debut at Step 4 in the football pyramid. This era also saw the club enjoy robust attendances, signaling growing community support and engagement, even as they faced the challenges and disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic, which nullified the 2019/20 season and impacted subsequent campaigns.
In recent years, Felixstowe & Walton United continued to build on their foundation, rebranding their reserve team to focus on youth development and achieving notable success in league play and cup competitions. The club’s consistent performance and the development of facilities, including new stands and a digital scoreboard at the AGL Arena, underscored their ambition and commitment to growth, both on and off the pitch. Despite narrowly missing out on playoff positions in subsequent seasons, the club’s trajectory remains promising, reflecting a strong community backing and a clear strategic vision for the future.