BTFC History - The Early Years
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The early foundations were set on the 28th January 1898 at the Cross Rifles public house in Bath Road. At the well attended meeting Bridgwater Association Football Club was founded. A field on the current UCB Cellophane factory site was acquired as a pitch and a series of friendly fixtures arranged. The following season the fledgling club was admitted into the Somerset Senior League. They spent 4 seasons languishing in the lower reaches of this competition before lack of support and financial problems forced them to disband. However, in 1898-99 they became the holders of the Somerset Senior Cup when they defeated Yeovil Casuals by 1-0 in a replayed final held at the Athletic Ground, Wells. A distinguished member of their winning squad was S.M.J. Woods, the greatest all rounder of this era. He is seated in the middle row of the picture of the victorious squad to the left of the club captain, Toby Bowerman. They were also finalists in 1900 but lost 1-0 to Street.
1903 - 1914
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1903 to 1914 saw the re-establishment of a football team bearing the name of Bridgwater. A junior club, it started playing friendly fixtures at the Taunton Road base of the Albion Rugby club. The following season saw a move to Westonzoyland Road to make use of a new field close to where the Dolphin Fish Bar now stands. Bridgwater AFC entered the Somerset Juinor Cup for the first time in 1904. By 1905 the club was a member of the Clevedon & District League and finished mid-table in it's first season. This proved to be the one and only season in that competition. In the same year both the SJC semi-final and the final of the Ashcott Cup were reached both unsuccessfully. For 1906-07 it was decided to join the Weston & District League. This was to cut traveling costs, support had by this time dwindled dramatically and the club was struggling desperately to remain financially solvent. Despite severe problems Bridgwater AFC remained in the membership of both the Weston and Highbridge Leagues. The season of 1908-09 saw the club become champions of Weston's Division 2. The 1st Division struggle in the following season proved to great and a "wooden spoon" finish was the result. The yo-yo existence of the club was illustrated by another bout of championship followed by immediate relagation between the years of 1911 and 1913. The club disbanded during the following season and the Great War ensured that it would never be reformed.
The Great War
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The Great War effectively meant the end of the original Bridgwater AFC. It took some time for normality to return and for competitive football to be resumed in this area. By 1919, however, there were 3 Bridgwater sides competing in the Highbridge & District League: Bridgwater United, Bridgwater Athletic and Wills Athletic.
In 1921 the employees of Wills Engineering took the bold step of challenging Bristol City to a friendly fixture. Although losing 6-1 to a side led by the legendary, Billy Wedlock the game aroused so much interest that the club officials re-examined their position and status. This led in 1921-22 to the reformation of the club as Bridgwater Town FC. The colours of red and black were adopted instead of the blue and white stripes of the original Bridgwater team and a home venue was arranged at the Malt Shovel ground, which had been vacated by previous tenants, Bridgwater RFC when they amalgamated with the Albion RFC and left for Taunton Road.
The next 2 seasons in the Highbridge League were quite successful with the club securing mid table positions in the standings. At the AGM of 1923 the club announced that it was to apply to join the Somerset Senior League. Unfortunately, the southern section of this competition had been disbanded and the northern counterpart refused entry. Undeterred, the club joined both the Mid Somerset Senior and West Somerset Senior competitions so as to get sufficient fixtures for the season. At this time the Newtown area was developed for housing and the club were forced to leave the Malt Shovel. A move was made to a new ground at Crowpill. The cost of building dressing rooms at the newly christened, Chilton Park put the club in a precarious financial position and after only one season a return was made to local junior football. The club survived in the Taunton & District league until 1931. In that time the Rowbarton Cup, Taunton KO Cup and League title were won. However, there is no evidence to suggest that this success prompted any further efforts to get senior football established in the town until after World War Two.
Crown Dynamos
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Crown Dynamos was the next phase in the history of the development of Bridgwater Town. This club was formed in 1946 and played in the Bridgwater & District League, initially. It was based at the Crown Inn PH in St. John Street. The popularity of soccer in the immediate post-war period led to a large, enthusiastic following.This support combined with early success on the playing front promted an application to the Somerset Senior League. This was accepted and in 1947-48 the Dynamos finished their first season in third place behind Ilminster Town and Cloeford Athletic. The 13th July 1948 edition of the Bridgwater Mercury carried details of an agreement to proceed with the formation of Bridgwater Town AFC and to leave the Eastover Park base and develop a new ground at Castle Field. The illustration shows a team group from the 1946-47 season.
BTFC 1948 - 1983
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Bridgwater Town 1948 to 1983. After finishing runners-up in the Somerset Senior League in 1948-49, the club applied to the Western League for membership. In June 1949 admittance was ratified. After just two attempts "The Robins" gained promotion to the First Division and the club went onto enjoy many successful years in this competition. The championship mantle was held on two occasions. The first time in 1967-68 under the player-management of ex Cardiff City, Exeter City and Newport County forward, Peter Thomas. The second occasion was in 1980-81 under the guidance of Chris Porter. His promising league career with Swindon Town had been wrecked by a serious pelvic injury but he returned to his home club to render sterling service at non-league level.
In 1982 a bold move was made to follow neighbours and rivals, Taunton Town and Minehead into the Midland Division of the of the Southern League. Financial problems brought about by the expense incurred from extra travelling, lack of revenue because of dwindling support and loans taken out for the refurbishment of The Robins Social Club forced Bridgwater Town AFC into voluntary liquidation in 1983. In 1984 the club disbanded crippled by debts of more than £100,000.
The Present Club BTFC 1984
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The Present Club was established in 1984 when a meeting held in the Bridgwater College Restaurant it was resolved to try again. Plans to ground share with Minehead and Wellworthy Sports & Social Club were rejected in favour of renting a council owned sports field adjacent to Bridgwater College's newly opened sports hall and dressing room complex. It was agreed that combined use of facilities would be allowed. The newly formed Bridgwater Town 1984 FC was admitted into the 1st Division of the Somerset Senior League. A young and relatively inexperienced side struggled from the start after managing only six victories were duly relagated. However, over the next few seasons many players from the Southern League days returned and a succesion of ex-players, Tom Wilson, Alan Hurford, Gordon Baxter and Trevor Kirk have managed the club and guided them to a host of honours.
It marks the return to the Premier Division of the Somerset Senior League. Within two seasons Bridgwater Town 84 was to win the first of their hat-trick of Premier championship mantles and secure the first of their several appearences in both the Somerset Senior Cup and Somerset Senior League Challenge Cup. By 1994 the club had made a return to the Great Mills Western League and by 1996 the Western League Division 1 title had been won. Similar progress has been made off the field and Fairfax Park, as the ground is now known has steadily improved and as such met the standards for the Western League membership. A return to this competition was gained via the pyramid system in 1994. After a season to acclimatise, and with the astute appointment (at that time) of Alan Hooker and Matt Lazenby as management duo, the division one title was won. Off the field the club went from strength to strength with the construction of The "Robins Club" house and other improvements at the ground. In 1999 - 2000 season, saw the departure of Alan Hooker and Jon Bowering taking over as player manager, after only a short time of the 2001 - 2002 season and losing many of the opening games saw the departure of Jon Bowering, this led to the appoinment of Ex-Reading striker Trevor Senior, Under his guidance the club achieved three successive 6th place finishes in the Western League Premier Division as well as two Les Philips Cup Triumphs - not forgetting the clubs superb run in the FA Vase in the 2004-05 season.
The start of the 2005-06 was a traumatic time at Fairfax Park. After losing three of the club's best players to American Universities, and with a poor opening run of results, Trevor Senior departed and was replaced at the helm by Craig Laird and Paul Rich, both former "Town" players who had been successful during their time in charge of the reserve side. A very difficult transitional season ended with the team finishing in the bottom half of the Premier Division table.
However disappointing the final league position was in 2005-06, lessons had been learnt and season 2006-07 was to be completely different(although you would not of thought so after an indifferent set of pre-season results and the loss of the first league game of the season. By Christmas the team had found their feet and were flying high at the top of the table, closely followed by Corsham and Frome. With bad weather interrupting much of the middle third of the season, results became a bit patchy. A couple of silly games lost gave Corsham the chance to gain top spot and the final third of the season was a nip and tuck affair with the Wiltshire side eventually winning the title by two points. With Corsham not being in a position to apply for promotion Ton's Runners-up spot was good enough to gain a place in the British Gas Business Football League 23 years after the sad demise of the old 'Town' club.
Here's looking forward to what the coming season and the future has in store for everyone connected With Bridgwater Town (1984) Football Club.
