Waltham Abbey Youth Club first played football at Capershotts during the Second World War and in later years the club were to become known as Abbey Sports. It is not known however at the time of writing how the club derived from a Youth team in 1944 into the Abbey Sports set up it was to become. There is also confusion as league tables from the 50's and 60's show Waltham Abbey United and Waltham Abbey as being local teams both using Capershotts at one time or another. However Abbey Sports gained success in the Northern Suburban League in the 1950's playing their home matches at the ground.

In the 60's Waltham Abbey United emerged along with other off shoots Abbey Villa and Waltham Abbey Rovers. It seemed common place during these years for players to swap teams as frequent as a cigarette playing card in those days. Capershotts became the town's premier ground however with Abbey Sports having built a clubhouse as far back as 1954 and a small covered shelter which survived until the 1980's. Out of the 60's it was Waltham Abbey United who emerged, the old Villa's and Rovers by now well defunct. Another new team were emerging nearby however, Beechfield FC, and were to play a big part in the future of the club in the 70's.

By 1974 despite success over the years it was evident that the club needed new blood. The club had a clubhouse with changing rooms, a partially enclosed ground and shelter for spectators. It was all that was needed to take the club further but the playing side was not strong enough to match the ambitions despite protestations from committee members at the time. Having already joined the London Metropolitan League the club began to flounder as the by now very strong Beechfield FC (only playing at Lodge Lane, less than 100 meters away) attracted the towns best players and were having huge success. It was only a matter of time before talks opened between the two clubs. In 1974 the two clubs amalgamated after much publicity and debate and opened up the 1974-75 season with a new name and a new ambition. Beechfield Sports (Waltham Abbey) FC was the name, Senior Football for the Town the aim. Billy Broomfield the successful Beechfield manager and highly regarded former Enfield player took over the reigns and what a job he was to do over the years to come.

In 1976 however upon the advice of the FA, the club were advised to drop the Beechfield Sports tag as it did not conform to the new way of thinking at the FA, who wanted future Senior clubs to have a name that was associated with a place name. Having won the Essex Junior Cup in 1976 and reaching the final of the Intermediate Cup, the climax came when the club won the London Spartan League Division One (Having merged with the Metropolitan league two years earlier) and gained Senior Status. Beechfield was confirmed in the history books and Waltham Abbey FC was born. At the first attempt the club won the Senior Division without losing a game and were promoted to the Premier Division where the club remained until 2000-01.

In these latter years the club began to have success on the field but sadly not off it. Having won the Spartan South Midlands Challenge Trophy in 1998 and then the prestigious London Senior Cup in 1999, season 2000-01 was besotted with problems due the appalling weather at the time and ironically the clubs good fortune in cups which hampered the league program. The club had no option but to resign for financial reasons from the league as the fines for unfulfilment of fixtures, (due to reasons explained) far outweighed the fine for withdrawing outright. The club sought a fresh outlook and competed in the Essex & Herts Border League for season 2001/02 as they bided time before applying to the Essex Senior League for membership. A return to the SSML would have meant a demotion to the first division and this was not seen as a wise move for the future of the club.

In 2002/03 the club were elected as members of the Essex Senior League and are currently competing in this league. 2004/05 has reaped rewards as the club has won its first silverware on offer from the Essex Senior League. The Gorden Brasted Memorial Trophy was won 5-3 on penalties following a 0-0 draw AET against Burnham Ramblers. The Essex Senior League Cup was won for the first time at Barkingside FC when the team defeated local rivals Enfield Town 4-1 emphatically in the final. The held over Roy Bailey Memorial Trophy was attained at the expense of St Margaretsbury 0-3 and the club have also made history by winning the Middlesex Millennium Cup. A one off trophy organised by the Middlesex Federation to celebrate the County of Middlesex. The Trophy will never ever be played for again, the final decided at Brentford FC on Thursday 19th May 2005 against Ruislip Manor FC. Goals from Rikki Burbridge and Harry Elmes, without reply, sealed the most successful season in Senior Football for the club. In addition striker Billy Holland won the Don Douglas Trophy for leading goalscorer in the ESL and the "A" team won a second successive promotion to the 1st Division of the Hertford and District league, finishing runners-up in Division 2.