Harlow Town FC (The Hawks) are one of the oldest football teams in Essex having been around since 1879. In their time they have played in a multitude of leagues, however, they have spent the majority of their recent time in the Isthmian League who they joined in the 1973-74 season.
In 2021-22 they will play in the Southern league adding to the multitude they have played in.
Initially, their fixtures were friendlies, however, in 1896 they joined the then newly founded East Herts League. This league was for teams in East Herts and West Essex and the district limits were defined as the area bordered by Bishop’s Stortford, Waltham Cross and Hertford. They enjoyed some success in this league winning it on four occasions.
They also competed in the Stansted & District League in the 1920s, again with some success, winning the division four times in six seasons between 1923-24 & 1928-29. In that final season, they have the unusual distinction of being league champions in two different leagues in the same year! They also won the East Herts League.
Spartan League
In 1932 they joined the Spartan League and by 1937 the club had gained senior status, allowing them to enter the Essex Senior Cup. This step-up in class meant that additions to the silverware cabinet was a little sparse and their next league title didn’t arrive until 1971-72!
In 1954 they joined the London League Premier Division. They struggled here initially finishing second bottom in their first two seasons and never threatening the top half until their final year here in 1960-61. That season they were 3rd missing the runners up spot on goal average.
Next, they had a spell in the short-lived Delphian League, followed by another relatively short tenure in the Athenian League. The latter resulted in the clubs first post-war league title in 1971-2. They won the 1st division by 3 points and gained promotion to the Premier Division for the first & only time. They also scored an impressive 96 league goals that season.
Isthmian League Here We Come
After one season in the Athenian League Premier Division, the wanderlust hit again and they were off to the Isthmian League. They joined the newly formed second division and in 1978-79 they won promotion to the top division winning their league with an impressive 100 points haul. They were also the Isthmian League’s highest scorers with 93 goals. They were relegated 3 years later but bounced straight back up. Since then they have had brief spells in the top flight but have not yet made much of an impact at that level. They did manage to add another title to their honours list though (Div 2 North in 1989).
On the Move Again
As of the 2021-22 season, they will compete in the Southern League Div One Central which is at Level 8 on the football league pyramid.
Harlow Town FC In The FA Cup
They say everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame, and for Harlow Town, this came in 1979–80. This was the first time the club had made it to the FA Cup 1st round proper and they certainly punched well above their weight in it. What was most impressive was the fact they started in the preliminary round where they beat Lowestoft Town. That was followed by wins over Hornchurch, Bury Town, Harwich & Parkeston and Margate to reach the first round proper.
In the first round, they beat fellow non-league side Leytonstone & Ilford F.C 2–1. This earned them an away tie at fellow Essex side Southend United who they knocked out 1-0 in a replay in front of a 5,000 crowd!. Their reward for this was an away tie against then Second Division leaders Leicester City. Against the odds, they got a 1–1 draw at Filbert Street, and then famously won the replay 1–0, watched by a club record attendance of 9,723.
Their reward for what was probably the seasons best giant-killing act was another away trip. this time at 2nd division Watford. They ended up losing 4–3 in a rather entertaining game during which they led 1-0 and trailed 4-1 before two late goals made the score look a bit more respectable. You can see the goals here.
Other Cups
Harlow has won a few regional trophies but has also competed in the main FA sponsored competitions. They have reached the second round of the FA Trophy on numerous occasions. The first of these was in the 1980-81 season. They have also competed in the FA Vase a few times, most notably when reaching round 4 in 1988-89.
Some Trivia
In 1928-29 Dick Marshall scored a likely never to be equalled 64 goals for them in a single season! Not surprisingly they were both East Herts League & Stansted & District League Champions that season.
During the 1988-89 season, Harlow Town forfeited their FA Vase tie against Tilbury because they failed to turn up for the replay.
In 2014-15 Harlow Town amassed 103 points and scored 108 goals. Amazingly they still finished second and to add insult to injury they lost in the promotion playoffs 4-3 to Thurrock who finished 19 points behind them in 5th place!
A Brief Harlow Town FC Chronology
1879 Played their first-ever game – a friendly against Saffron Walden
1896 Joined The newly formed East Herts League
1898 Became Harlow and Burnt Mill F.C – Following a Merger
20th Century
1902 Name reverted back to Harlow Town FC
1911-12 East Herts League Champions for the first time
1923-4 Stansted & District League Champions for the first time
1924-25 Beat Bishops Stortford 14-0
1932-33 Joined The Spartan League
1952-53 Spartan League Div One Cup Winners
1954-5 Joined the London League Premier Division
19601-2 Left the London League to join the Delphian League
1963-64 Joined the Athenian League Div 2 (promoted)
1971-2 Athenian League Division One Champions
1973-74 Joined The Isthmian League
1978-79 Isthmian League Division One Champions
1979-80 Reached the FA Cup 4th Round
1988-89 Isthmian League Division Two North Champions
1992-93 Resigned from the Isthmian League due to ground issues
1993-94 Rejoined the Isthmian League
1998-99 Promoted to Division One
21st Century
2004-05 Joined The Southern League East
2006-07 Rejoined the Isthmian League
2013-14 Scored 105 League Goals
2015-16 Promoted to Isthmian Premier Division via the playoffs
2019-20 & 2020-21 Booth seasons postponed due to Covid 19
2021-22 Joined the Southern League Div One Central.
Harlow Town FC List of Honours
League
Isthmian League
Division One Champions 1978–79
Division Two North Champions 1988–89
Playoffs
Division One North Play-Off Winners 2006–07, 2015-16
Athenian League
Division One Champions 1971–72
East Herts League
Division One Champions 1911–12, 1922–23, 1928–29, 1929–30
Stansted & District League
Division One Champions 1923–24, 1924–25, 1927–28, 1928–29
Cup Competitions
Essex Senior Cup
Winners 1978–79
East Anglian Cup
Winners 1989–90, 2001–02, 2005–06
London League Cup
Champions 1959–60
Spartan League
Division One Cup Winners 1952–53
East Herts League
Challenge Cup Winners 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32
West Essex Border Charity Cup
Winners 1923–24
Rolleston Cup
Winners 1924–25
Epping Hospital Shield
Winners 1938–39, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49
Other records
Highest league position:
2016–17 10th in Isthmian Premier Division
Longest FA Cup Run:
1979-80 Fourth Round Proper (lost 4-3 at Watford)
Best FA Vase performance:
1998-99 Round Four (lost 2-1 at home to Taunton Town)
FA Trophy Best Performance
2nd Round Proper multiple times.
Record Football League attendance
2,149 vs Macclesfield Town, 2008-09
Club Details
The information below will come in useful if you are planning to take in a game or just want to keep abreast of their performances.
Address
Harlow Town FC
The Harlow Arena
Elizabeth Way
Harlow
Essex
CM19 5BE
Tel: 01279 443196
Harlow Town FC On Social Media
So there you have it our quick guide to the club. If you want to see who else plays in the area check out our other local club pages. Or for more information on the town itself, why not have a look at our Harlow visitor guide.