History
Dorking were founder members of the Surrey County Senior League in 1922, and moved in 1956 to its current ground in Meadowbank Park, having previously played at a ground in Pixham Lane. The club joined the Corinthian league in 1956 and then the Athenian League in 1963. The club merged with Guildford City of the Southern League in 1974 to form Guildford & Dorking United, with Meadowbank as the home ground. However, after just two seasons, the club collapsed in mid-season, with another club being formed called Dorking Town in 1977 to complete its predecessor's remaining games before joining the Surrey Senior League in 1977–78. In 1983, by then playing in Isthmian League, the club reverted its name to Dorking F.C.
In 1989-90 season Dorking reached the final of the Surrey Senior Cup, one of the oldest cup competitions with the first final contested in 1882-83. This was an achievement the club had only once previously managed in 1885-86 season some 104 years previously. Unfortunately they lost both finals.
In the 1992–93 season, they reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history. In the 2005–06 season, they played in the Isthmian League Division Two, but, as a result of the restructuring of non-league football, they now play in the Combined Counties Football League. The club suffered relegation from the league's Premier Division in 2007/08, playing one season in Division One before gaining promotion back into the Premier division through the play-offs.
Their club captain was Stewart Vaughan, who died after suffering from cancer. On 27 February 2007, a special benefit match was played in his honour in which Portsmouth came from the south coast to face Dorking. Before the match, players from young local football clubs were there to greet Vaughan with a special plaque. A record midweek floodlit attendance of 2,206 watched the match, in which Vaughan played the first five minutes of the match before being substituted. In the end, Portsmouth beat Dorking 7–0 with goals from Svetoslav Todorov (3), Lomana LuaLua, Roudolphe Douala, Matthew Taylor and Berlin Ndebe-Nlome. On 3 April 2007, another benefit match was played, just 48 hours after Vaughan's death, against a Crystal Palace XI. A two-minute silence was observed by the players, officials and supporters, to show their respect and fondness for the former captain before the game, in which 1,201 spectators saw Palace beat Dorking 5–1.
Read more about this topic: Dorking F.C.
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