Cove F.C.

Did You Know?

• The club initially played on a pitch behind a pub before moving to Cove Green.
• Floodlights and a 100-seat stand were installed at Oak Farm in 1989.
• The ground capacity is 2,500, with 110 seats and 100 covered places.

History

The club was established in 1897 and initially joined the Aldershot Senior League. After winning the Division Four Cup in 1930–31 and Division Two in 1932–33, Cove moved to the Surrey Intermediate League, where they secured back-to-back league titles in 1949–50 and 1950–51, and again in 1952–53 and 1953–54. Further success came with the Premier Cup in 1959–60, the Challenge Cup in 1960–61 and 1961–62, a fifth league title in 1963–64, another Premier Cup in 1964–65, and a sixth Surrey Intermediate League championship in 1967–68.

In 1972 Cove entered Division Four of the Hampshire League, winning it at the first attempt and gaining promotion to Division Three. They became Division Three champions in 1976–77 and moved up to Division Two. At the end of 1980–81 the club transferred to the Western Division of the expanded Combined Counties League; the league reverted to a single division the following season. After finishing third in 1989–90, Cove were promoted to Division Two South of the Isthmian League.

Reorganisation after their first season moved them into Division Three, where they stayed until leaving to rejoin the Combined Counties League at the end of 1995–96 due to the financial impact of playing at a higher level. The 2000–01 season saw Cove win the Combined Counties League and the Premier Challenge Cup. When the league added a second division in 2003, Cove were placed in the Premier Division. Despite finishing bottom in 2003–04, they were not relegated.

In 2008–09 they won the Southern Combination Challenge Cup, beating Chessington & Hook United 4–1 in the final, and the following season they won the Premier Challenge Cup for a second time with a 2–0 victory. After finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 2015–16, Cove were relegated to Division One. They finished bottom of Division One in 2018–19 but were reprieved from relegation after Frimley Green were promoted. At the end of the 2022–23 season the club were transferred to Division One of the Wessex League.