Bishop's Stortford Football Club, nicknamed “The Blues,” is a non-league football club based in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire.
Established in 1970, they currently compete in the Vanarama National League North, which is part of the sixth tier of English football. The team calls Woodside Park their home ground.
At the time of writing, Steve Smith is the current manager.
History
Bishop’s Stortford FC, founded in 1874 at the Chequers Hotel, quickly established itself in local football, joining the Hertfordshire Football Association in 1885. Over the years, it has enjoyed various successes, including “double” league victories in the early 20th century and the prestigious FA Amateur Cup win at Wembley Stadium in its centenary season. The following decades saw fluctuating fortunes, including memorable FA Cup runs and a significant FA Trophy win in 1981. Despite relegation periods, the club has shown resilience, moving to the Woodside Park Stadium in 1999, which was inaugurated with high-profile friendlies.
Entering the 21st century, the club experienced promotion and played in Conference South, with historic victories in local cups. The mid-2000s brought challenges, but the club continued to win trophies like the Herts Senior Cup. After a stint in the Conference North, the club returned to the Southern League and later the Isthmian League, with notable management changes including former footballers like Kevin Watson and Jamie Cureton. Cureton’s milestone of 1000 competitive games underscored his impact, leading the club as joint boss into the 2019/20 season.
Staff
Current management and coaching staff
Alumni
Former players and managers elsewhere in the non-league pyramid