| Full name | Ashton & Backwell United Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Stags | ||
| Founded | 1911 (as Backwell United) | ||
| Ground | Backwell Recreation Ground, West Town Road, Backwell (Capacity: 1,000 (60 seated)) |
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| Chairman | Jim Biggins | ||
| Manager | Shane Smith | ||
| League | Somerset County League Premier Division |
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| 2010-11 | Somerset County League Premier Division, 7th |
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Ashton & Backwell United F.C. formed in 2010 and originally called Backwell United after merging with one of Bristol's largest youth clubs Ashton Boys FC, is a football club based in Backwell, near Bristol, Somerset, England. They are currently members of the Somerset County League Premier Division and their reserves are Division Two West, their 'A' side play in the Bristol & Suburban League Division One and they also have sides in the Somerset Floodlight Youth League and Bristol Under 18 Combination. The Club secured their first honour on 11th Aprill 2011, when the Youth team were crowned Champions of The Somerset Floodlight Youth League, North Division. The club is affiliated to the Somerset County FA.
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The club was established in 1911 as Backwell United and played in various local leagues, although activities were suspended during both World Wars. They moved to their current home in 1947, the Backwell Recreation Ground, on land given by local benefactor Theodore Robinson for the benefit of the residents of Backwell, although this is now leased from the local recreation ground trust, whose land was given to the community by the Robinson family in the 1920s.[1]
At this time they played in the Bristol Church of England League, progressing to the Bristol and Suburban League in the 1950s. The Club's true senior football aspirations got under way with their promotion to the Somerset Senior Football League in 1970 when that League formed a First Division, the club finishing in third position. It was in the late 1970s that the club really progressed, ending up League Champions for the 1977-78 season and again League Champions from 1979 to 1983, equalling a record set by Paulton Rovers of four League Championships on the trot and also setting up a new League record of five Championships in six years.
A reserve team was formed in 1981, joining Division Three of the Somerset Senior League, and an 'A' team was formed in 1986 to play in the Bristol and Avon League, subsequently moving to the Weston super Mare and District League.
The 1983-84 season saw the first team elected to the Western League Division One,[2] where steady progress was made with the club gaining the runners-up position for the 1989-90 season which entitled them to promotion to the Premier Division. This was denied, however, owing to the local authority's refusal to grant planning permission for floodlights to be erected. The club went to appeal, which they won, and floodlights were in place for the 1993-94 season, allowing the club to progress to Premier Division football.
Performance has been steady over the years and the first team reached the 5th round of the FA Vase in the 2004-05 season.[3] For the 2005-06 season a change of manager and an exodus of experienced players resulted in a last-place finish and thus the club was relegated to Division One.
They first entered the FA Cup in the 1994–95 season.[4]
Ashton & Backwell United
Backwell United