St Albans City  

St Albans City celebrated their 100 year anniversary in 2008 by successfully retaining their Blue Square South status following an eventful season, and three different managers, at Clarence Park. 

The Saints were founded in 1908 and have been based at the same ground except for a brief spell following the First World War and an even briefer period during the 19809s when the ground was closed for two matches for repairs to the pitch and drainage.   

St Albans City formative years were spent playing simultaneously in the Spartan and Herts County leagues before joining the Athenian League in 1920.   

The move heralded the most successful period in the Saints history with the club winning the league title at their first two attempts followed by a runners-up place and elevation to the Isthmian League in 1923. 

St Albans City weren’t phased by the higher standard of football and they swept to the Isthmian title in their inaugural season followed by back-to-back successes in 1927 and 28.   

Those successes meant the Saints had won five championships in eight years, as well as reaching three Amateur Cup semi-finals during the same period, though the trophy cupboard would be relatively bear until the clubs next Isthmian title in the mid 1980s. 

The immediate and post War years saw the club respectably placed most seasons though it wasn’t until 1954/55 that the club finished as high as second; four points behind champions Walthamstow Avenue.   

The FA Cup didn’t prove to be a happy hunting ground for the St Albans City until 1968/69 when they reached the Second Round before falling to Walsall in a replay after holding the Football League side to a 1-1 draw at Clarence Park.   

City have reached the same stage on four subsequent occasions though a 9-2 defeat at Bristol City took the gloss of the 1996/97 cup run. 

1985/86 saw St Albans City win the Isthmian Division One title and they have never returned to that status enjoying continuous membership of the Premier Division until joining the Conference South in 2004. 

But promotion could have been secured 10 years earlier but the Clarence Park landmark of an Oak Tree on the terracing meant the club could not meet the ground grading criteria.  The tree was eventually felled in 1998 allowing the club to develop their ground. 

2005/06 proved to be a halcyon season for the Saints who finished runners-up in the Conference South after a season long tussle with eventual champions Weymouth.   

A play-off final victory over Histon saw St Albans City promoted to the Conference National though their stay was brief and relegation quickly followed.