FA Cup heroics, American Football kickers and a nomadic existence: Wokingham Town at 150 years old

Wokingham Town Football Club is 150 years old. And what a 150 years it’s been. The Sumas are holding a birthday bash at Lowther Road on Sunday – full details here – but in the meantime, Football in Berkshire has pulled out an ‘all you need to know’ about the history of the Super Satsumas.

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Wokingham Town is one of the oldest clubs in Berkshire. Officially founded around 1875, there are references to the club as early as October 1874, making Wokingham Town (probably) the third oldest after Maidenhead United (1870) and Reading FC (1871).

Players who went on to have significant careers in the game included Darren Barnard who was signed by Chelsea for £100,000 in 1990. As well as representing England at under 18 level, Barnard went on to earn more than 20 caps for Wales at international level.

Talking of people who went on to significant careers, Phil Alexander played for Wokingham in the early 80s before being snapped up by Norwich City. He would go on to play American Football as a kicker for London Monarchs before moving into football administration, first with Swindon Town then across 26 years as CEO of Crystal Palace. He is currently interim CEO of the Enterprise National League.

In 2004, the club merged with Emmbrook Sports of the Reading Senior League (now Thames Valley Premier League) to become Wokingham & Emmbrook. The club was nomadic for much of its early life in the Hellenic League before approval was granted in July 2016 for floodlights and hardstanding at Lowther Road – the home of Emmbrook Sports. As the much missed Clive McNelly put it at the time..

A happy little fat Suma!

— Clive McNelly (@clivemcnelly) July 20, 2016

That nomadic period following the sale of Finchampstead Road saw Wokingham call three different counties outside of Berkshire home. Games were played at Egham Town (Surrey), Flackwell Heath (Buckinghamshire) and Henley Town (Oxfordshire) as well as two spells with Bracknell Town, Windsor and Reading FC’s famous old Elm Park. During the 20 year spell on the road the Sumas did also spend several seasons at Lowther Road and Cantley Park.

Related: A brief history Wokingham & Emmbrook on the road

Pinched from Wokingham Today: In April 1939 Wokingham Town officially opened its new Finchampstead Road pavilion and grandstand with a special exhibition match featuring Chelsea FC, drawing about 900 spectators.

The end of the 1989/90 season saw Slough Town pip Wokingham to promotion to the Football Conference (now National League) where they spent seven of the next eight seasons. A similar story followed for both clubs with a nomadic existence and drop down the divisions. Slough have since made their way back up after a late reprieve in 2008 avoided the drop into regional football that Wokingham suffered.

Wokingham Town DID fly striker George Torrance in from Germany for their Cardiff City FA Cup tie. ‘El Prez’ Mark Ashwell confirmed the story a few years ago. The 1982/83 season saw Town play eight games to reach the FA Cup First Round Proper, bringing Cardiff City – then of Football League Division 3, to Lowther Road. According to Getty Images, the scorer of Wokingham’s goal in the 1-1 draw was George Torrance – a soldier based in Berlin who was flown back especially for the game. The Sumas were beaten 3-0 in the Ninian Park replay.

Another significant moment in history for the club was a run to the FA Trophy semi-finals in 87/88. The Sumas beat last seasons FA Trophy Finalists Spennymoor United on that run but were ultimately beaten 3-0 on aggregate in the last four by Telford United.

Local dominance: Between 2008 and 2015, Wokingham & Emmbrook won the Reading Senior Cup five times, including four in a row between 2012 and 2015.

It’s been a rollercoaster 150 years. As of July 2025, the Wokingham Town name is well and truly back. Lowther Road is every bit the club’s ground and there’s every chance it’ll still be around for another 150 years.

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