Merged rivals - can it work?

Hayes and Yeading United currently sit in third place of the Blue Square Conference South, with their sights firmly set on the Premier Conference above them.

For those without prior football league knowledge, they are just another team plugging away in a bid to reach the nirvana of the Football League.

So it might come as a bit of a shock, then, to reveal that 18 months ago Hayes and Yeading were two entirely different teams!

It has been documented previously on this blog that smaller clubs can no longer survival the current financial climate, and the complexity of a merger is a sign of the desperation some clubs are facing.


Hayes & Yeading United Football Club was created in May 2007 when the two clubs respective Chairmen, Derek Goodall and Phillip Spurden agreed that the only way either club could continue in the long term.

Former Hayes FC Chairman Derek Goodall said at the time: “It is well known that for years our clubs have struggled to attract the big gates needed to survive at this level.
By combining efforts, know-how and strategy we can secure the future of high-level football in the area and provide facilities that the local community need and desire”

Counterpart Phillip Spurden, former Chairman of Yeading FC added: "On the field both sides have been punching far above their weight for many years.

"But to build on that and take the next step we need to match that off the field as a business, in the stadium, surroundings and amenities."

So are the clubs better off now that the merger has taken place?

Before the merge took place, Yeading finished the 06/07 season in a mediocre 16th Place, whilst Hayes narrowly missed relegation with a 20th spot finish.

In the first year of their existence, Hayes and Yeading United finished 13th in the Blue Square South. Not a bad feat, I’ll think you will agree. Finding that sort of stability after such a comprehensive reshuffle is nothing short of outstanding.

And as mentioned above, United are now comfortable nestled in third place, currently heading for a play off spot.

Combining two of the biggest semi-professional teams in Middlesex has seen a huge degree of success, and now boasts one of the highest attendance averages in the division at 1,500 a game.

So is this the future for smaller clubs? Of course, not everyone is as local to each other to merge with a realistic hope of bringing both sets of fans with them. And the ones who are that local, may not wish to switch to a rival side.

If Palace were to merge with Brighton, I’d rather go and support one of my second teams, such as Bromley, who coincidentally also ply their trade in the Conference South.

The current success of Hayes and Yeading FC is a great thing, and very positive for those thinking of merging with a local club.
Let that not detract from the fact that it is very sad to see clubs having to do this in the first place.

Each club has lost its biggest rival, and a long line of heritage with it. Yes, they are now sustained for the future, but with a bit more funding from the FA, this sort of thing would never need to happen.