Dial Square F.C.

Dial Square Football Club is an English football club based in Chertsey, Surrey, England.[3] It was founded as a protest club by fans of the Premier League team Arsenal, who had become disillusioned with the club’s direction under the ownership of the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment group.[4][5] They play in the Surrey County Intermediate League (Western) Division 1.[6]

Dial Square F.C.
Full nameDial Square Football Club
Founded7 January 2020 (7 January 2020)[1][2]
GroundAlwyns Lane
Chertsey, Surrey, England
ChairmanTony Hurley
ManagerSteve Brown
LeagueSurrey County Intermediate League (Western) Division 1
WebsiteClub website

History

When Arsenal were founded in 1886, they played their first match as "Dial Square" before becoming Arsenal F.C. and moving to Highbury.[7] In January 2020, Arsenal fan Stuart Morgan announced the founding of Dial Square as a breakaway club, following protests against and disillusionment with Stan Kroenke’s ownership, as well as perceived poor results.[5] Morgan, a former director of Camberley Town F.C.,[8] said that Dial Square was founded following the success of other fan-led phoenix clubs such as AFC Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester.[7] The club announced they had agreed a groundshare agreement with Abbey Rangers F.C. in Addlestone, Surrey for their first season, but stated that their eventual goal would be to move the club to a purpose built ground in Woolwich, where Arsenal were originally founded, and to eventually reach the English Football League.[5]

Despite initial plans to apply for entry into the Combined Counties Football League,[9] they eventually joined the Guildford & Woking Alliance League for their first league campaign in 2020–21.[10] Burgundy was adopted as colour of the club’s home shirt in reference to Arsenal’s original colours, while the sundial and oaks featured in the crest referred to the Royal Oak pub in which Arsenal were originally founded.[7] In April 2021, Dial Square received an increase in membership following protests against the proposed European Super League.[10]

2020-21: Inaugural season

Dial Square played their first season in the Guildford & Woking Alliance League Premier Division (North). The club's first match, played 26 September 2020, was a 0-4 loss to Worplesdon Phoenix,[11] followed a week later by the club's first draw, 4-4 against Virginia Water Development. The club's first goal was scored in this game by Lewis Afflick.[12] The first victory for Dial Square came on 17 October 2020 when George Holland scored in the 90th minute to beat Chertsey Old Salesians, 1-2.[13] Three losses followed before league play was suspended; Dial Square completed their inaugural season having played six, won one, drawn one, and lost four to finish 7th in the final table.[14]

2021-22: First full season and promotion

Realignment of divisions within the Guildford & Woking Alliance League saw Dial Square in the Premier Division for 2021-22. The season opened with an emphatic 2-7 win at Farncombe that saw Mark Watkins score the club's first hat trick plus a fourth goal, all in the first half.[15] After a loss at Laleham & Kempton FC, Dial Square went on an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions before another loss to Laleham & Kempton on 11 December, but lost only once more in the league on their way to a second place finish behind nemesis Laleham & Kempton, having played fourteen, won nine, drawn three, and lost three; this finish earned the club promotion to the Surrey County Intermediate League (Western) Division 1. In the Surrey County FA Saturday Junior Cup, Dial Square won four matches and advanced to the semifinals before losing 1-2 to R.C. Old Boys.[16]

2022-23 Season: Surrey County Immediate Football League

In only its second full season, Dial gained consecutive promotion from Surrey County Immediate Football League (Western) Division One to the Premier Division for the 2023-24 season. The club won nine of its 14 league fixtures, drawing three and losing two to finish runner-up to Laleham & Kempton.

On 8 May 2023, Dial founder, Stuart Morgan, stepped down from his role as CEO.

Ground
Chertsey Town F.C. ground

On 3 April 2022, Dial Square announced it had secured a one-year (with the option to extend) groundshare agreement with Isthmian Football League side, Chertsey Town.

References
  1. "DIAL SQUARE FOOTBALL CLUB LTD". Companies House. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. "'Dial Square Football Club Ltd' Incorporation Letter" (PDF). Dial Square F.C. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  3. "New Arsenal phoenix venture Dial Square FC kicking off next season". The Non League Paper. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  4. "'We can't stop watching' - Arsenal's reluctant rebel fans" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. Dutton, Tom (24 January 2020). "Arsenal fans form breakaway club Dial Square FC based in Surrey". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  6. "Surrey County Intermediate League (Western)". FA Full-Time. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  7. McNicholas, James. "Exclusive: Disgruntled Arsenal fans to launch breakaway phoenix club based in Surrey – Dial Square FC". The Athletic. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  8. "阿森纳闹分裂？枪迷另组新队征战低级联赛 | Goal.com". Goal.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  9. "Dial Square FC – new good old Arsenal? Disappointed fans form their own club". Tribuna.com. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  10. McNicholas, James (25 April 2021). "Arsenal's Super League role leads to flood of applications for 'phoenix club' Dial Square". The Athletic. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  11. "CEESAY SEES RED AS DIAL SQUARE LOSE TO PHOENIX". www.dialsquarefc.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  12. "8 GOAL THRILLER AS CODRINGTON-MOORE MAKES DEBUT". www.dialsquarefc.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  13. "SUPER-SUB HOLLAND NETS LAST MINUTE WINNER". www.dialsquarefc.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  14. "Table | Premier Division (North) | Guildford & Woking Alliance Football League". fulltime.thefa.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  15. "Match Report: Farncombe 2-7 Dial Square FC". www.dialsquarefc.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  16. "Table | Premier Division | Guildford & Woking Alliance Football League". fulltime.thefa.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
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