Our Club History
The Jersey Wanderers Football Club, known as the Wanderers, was formed in the season of 1894 -1895 by the Bainbridge brothers, Reg Stevens, George du Salis and Frank Fleury.
In 1898, Wanderers was one of six teams who came together to form the Jersey Football League. The Club colours have always been red and white stripes and, in 1896, Wanderers played in the first ever ‘big’ inter-insular games against Guernsey teams. Watched by more than 2,000 spectators, Wanderers beat Rangers 2-1. Over the years, the Club has worked hard to enjoy great success and subsequently won the 1st Division on 25 occasions and the Upton Park Trophy (Channel Islands Champions) on 11 occasions!
Many of the Wanderers players have also played for Jersey in representative games and have won close to 400 Muratti caps against our Island rivals Guernsey. In the Wanderers’ 75th anniversary year, the Club hosted a visit by Wolverhampton Wanderers, alas losing 9-0 in front of 1,700 spectators at Springfield Stadium.
One of the greatest nights in our history, however, was the Centenary dinner when 15 members of the 1966 England World Cup winning squad joined Club members and supporters to celebrate one hundred years of Jersey Wanderers FC.
Another key event in the history of Wanderers was the acquisition of the lease for the Hockey Club grounds in 1993 which is now our current home known as Jersey Wanderers Park. The Club fully took over these facilities and developed them to provide a first class main pitch with associated training areas, changing room and shower facilities for the players plus a bar/social area for functions refreshments and reliving the game over a pint.
We have always strived to achieve high standards of performance and behaviour, both on and off the field, throughout our history and we are now recognized as one of the U.K.s top Clubs, having been awarded the FA Charter Standard Community Club status, which recognises excellence and best practice within football clubs. We are also fully compliant with the FA Safeguarding Operating Standard for the provision of football to children and young people.
There are many roles to be filled in running a successful football club, and much more so at a grassroots level, and the loyalty of the membership throughout the history of Wanderers has been its mainstay in the past and one of the key elements of building and developing the club for the future. We are supported by a dedicated band of people who work tirelessly, on a completely voluntary basis, to keep Wanderers up and running. If you want to get involved and be a part of our success story, head to our "Register" page and get in touch today.