In the second of this short series taking a look at the clubs joining the Essex Senior League this coming season, we continue with Heybridge Swifts.

Heybridge Swifts return to the Essex Senior League in 2026-27 after 40 years of Isthmian League football following their relegation last season.

Brief History:

Formed in 1880, Swifts played in a variety of leagues including the Mid-Essex League, the Essex & Suffolk Border League, and the South Essex League before becoming founder members of the Essex Senior League in 1971, finishing seventh of nine clubs in the inaugural season. In 1981 Swifts were runners-up to champions Bowers United, but were themselves champions in each of the following three seasons and in 1984 were promoted to the Isthmian League, finishing third in Division Two North in their debut season. They won Division Two North in 1990 and after six seasons in Division One, were promoted to the Premier Division as runners-up to Oxford City.

Swifts stayed in the Isthmian League Premier Division for thirteen seasons during which their best finish was second in 2006, but in 2009 they ended the season second from bottom and were relegated to Isthmian League Division One North, in which they reached the Play-Offs four times, losing in the Semi-Final on three occasions, but in 2019, after beating Aveley in the Semi-Final, they won their Final 2-0 on penalties at Maldon & Tiptree. They were not promoted however, as that season there were only five promotion places available to seven Step 4 Play-Off winners and Heybridge missed out by virtue of not having a good enough Points Per Game tally.

After seventeen years in Isthmian League North, Swifts finished last season in 21st place with 28 points from 42 games and were relegated along with Mildenhall Town, Downham Town, and Brantham Athletic.

Previous Meetings:

The first meetings between Heybridge Swifts and a Romford team came during the 1974-75 season when Boro had a reserve team competing in the Essex Senior League. Romford Reserves won both games between the sides, 3-2 at Scraley Road in early October and 4-2 at Brooklands a week later.

Post 1992, Romford first met Swifts in a First Team game in 1993, an East Anglian Cup tie played at Hornchurch Stadium that Boro lost 3-1. The second meeting was also in that competition, and the result was the same, although that game was played at Heybridge’s Scraley Road ground. In 1999 Romford pulled off a minor shock in an FA Cup tie against Swifts, winning a Second Qualifying Round tie 2-1 at Scraley Road while the home side were in the Isthmian Premier and Boro were in Division One. In the next meeting between the clubs, the first after Swifts had been relegated in 2009, Boro thumped their visitors 4-1 at Aveley with Martin Heed scoring twice to add to goals from Kurt Smith and Paul Kavanagh. Since then, however Swifts have largely been in the ascendancy in games between against Boro, winning all of the last seven meetings and handing out some bruising defeats in the process, including the infamous 9-1 pasting in 2018 and the 7-0 thumping at Mayesbrook Park in 2021.

Boro’s record against Swifts in competitive First Team fixtures is Played 26, Won 8, Drawn 3, Lost 15 with 35 goals scored and 75 conceded. In addition, the sides met in a friendly at Scraley Road last season which Boro won 5-3.

Home Ground:

Heybridge Swift’s home ground is the First Call Community Stadium, Scraley Road, Heybridge, Maldon, Essex, CM9 8FJ where a 4G pitch has been installed in recent years.

By road the most straightforward route is to take the A12 to the A414 interchange at Sandon, then follow the A414 as far as Heybridge itself before taking the B1018 onto The Causeway, then at the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto The St/B1022. Follow this road till the road bears left, turning into Scraley Road (the ground is signposted). The Post Code for the ground is CM9 8JA, and from Romford the journey by road should take between 45 and 70 minutes.

By public transport, it’s a train to Witham from Romford, changing at Shenfield, then the number 90 bus from the station to Oak Road in Heybridge, then a short walk. The bus ride is about 25 minutes, and all in, the journey should take about 90 minutes.

The Essex Senior League constitution for 2026-27 is as follows. All distances quoted are from central Romford (Market Place).