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Stockton West End Football Club
Founded 1944
Club History
Stockton West End was actually formed by cricket-playing youngsters who met at Ropner park to play impromptu games on a wicket that was described as a bit rough. However it was ideal for football and soon the small ball was changed for the big 'leather casey'. Teams were not restricted to 11-a-side and sometimes grew to 30-40 per side! In the late summer of 1943 two separate teams were formed by this group of soccer crazy youngsters and entered into local leagues. Stockton Park Rangers enrolled into the Stockton & District Junior League (16-18 years) and Hartburn Minors joined the Stockton & District Minor League (14-16 years)
In the summer of 1944 the two teams decided to amalgamate and, following a meeting in the Presbyterian Church Hall off Yarm Road, StocktonWest End was formed.
At the end of the season 1944/45 the Junior team (16-18 years) had won the League Championship, was a finalist in the Teesside Cup and reached the semi-final of the Durham Junior Cup. The Minor XI (14-16 years) were League Champions, League Challenge Cup Winners and finalists in the Bradburn Bowl. Since those early days, the club has continued to be well respected and successful.
In 1974 it was a founder member of the Teesside Junior Football Alliance.
In 2003 the club was awarded the F.A. Charter Standard and this simply reinforced the attitudes which have existed for over 60 years. A membership card for the 1947/48 season states; "it is hoped that club members will do all in their power to uphold the excellent reputation which the club has acquired."
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