Brislington F.C.

Brislington
Full name Brislington Football Club
Nickname(s) Briz / The Foxes
Founded 1956
Ground Ironmould Lane, Brislington
Capacity 3,000 (150 seated)
Chairman Phil Rex
Manager Jeff Meacham & Lee Perks
League Western League
Premier Division
2013–14 Western League
Premier Division, 10th

Brislington Football Club is an English football club based in Brislington, in Bristol. The club are currently members of the Premier Division of the Western League. Nicknamed "Briz" and newly "The Foxes", they play at Ironmould Lane. The club is affiliated to the Somerset FA.

History

Brislington Football Club was reformed in 1956 when an under 16 team was formed under the name of Brislington FC and entered in the Bristol Church of England League. The team was managed by one of the clubs pre-war players, Bill Parsons, and they found a pitch at Arnos Court Park.

Team of 1957

Brislington's first major honour came in 1961–62 when they won the Somerset Intermediate Cup, which was retained the following year. In 1963–64 they won the Somerset Junior Cup.

The team had been steadily moving up through the leagues progressing to the senior division of the Bristol and Suburban League by 1965. In 1966–67 they 'came of age' reaching the final of the Somerset FA Senior Cup, losing 3–1 to Chard Town.

Western League promotion

The 1970s saw the side move on again to the Somerset Senior League, winning the League Cup in 1976–77 and were Premier Division runners up in 1979–80.They were to finish runners up again in 1984–85 but their greatest season came in 1988–89, winning the Somerset Senior League Premier Division championship, the Somerset FA Senior Cup, the Reserves finishing runners up in the Somerset Senior League First Division and the A team winning the Bristol and Avon League. The achievement ensured promotion for the club to the Western Football League with the Reserves moving into the Somerset Senior League Premier Division and the A team moving up into the Bristol and Suburban League.

In 1994–95 the club achieved the double, winning the Western League First Division by a clear 11 points and in a repeat of the previous year's Senior Cup Final overcoming Bridgwater Town on penalties.

The installation of floodlights and the construction of the Park Pets Stand (now Colin Arnold Grand Stand) enabled promotion to the Premier Division of the Western Football League and a new era for the club.

Season 1999–2000 saw the club's best season to date, reaching third place in the Western League behind Taunton Town and Mangotsfield United, only to be surpassed in season 2001–2002 when they again reached third place, missing out on goal difference to Taunton Town and only recording 3 league defeats in 38 games. The reserves also won the Fry Club Cup and the Premier Division Championship of the Somerset County League by a margin of 15 points. The youth team were runners up in the Somerset Floodlit Youth League.

Since 2002

In 2002–03 the first team were runners up in the Premier Division and reached the final of the Les Phillips Cup.

In the 2003–04 season there were early exits in both FA Cup and the FA Vase. Manager Nigel "Badger" Webb stood down and was replaced by Tony Cornelius from neighbours Keynsham Town, who led the team to the Somerset Premier Cup final against Bristol City, who were winners 5–0.

In the 2004–05 season, the manager resigned three weeks before the season began. He was replaced by Nigel Gillard an ex- Brislington player who got a squad together and after six games were top of the table, the side progressed to the quarter final stages of the FA Vase losing 1–0 at Enfield with about eight weeks. Gillard stood, as did some players. Gary Kemp and Steve Jenkins led the club for the rest of the season.

In 2005–06, the chairman Mike Richardson left to take up the same role at neighbours Mangotsfield United. The First Team was managed by Jamie Patch who began his second spell with the club and Fred Hardwell took the role of chairman.

Season 2007–08 saw the club enter its 50th year. To mark this occasion The First Team wore a kit in the colours worn by the first side ever to represent Brislington F.C. Jeff Meacham and his assistant Paul Sainsbury who took over from the outgoing Jamie Patch lead the team.

This remained unchanged until season 2008–09 when the reserves had a new management duo of Dave Payne and Steve Baddock who managed to gain the team promotion back to the Premier Division of the Somerset County League as runners-up.

Again this remained unchanged until season 2010–11 which began with the First Team being managed by Jeff Meacham and new 'Playing' Assistant, Brad Haynes following the departure of Paul Sainsbury.

First Team Picture – 2011

The reserve team were in the Relegation Zone for the majority of the season after having points deducted. Reserve team manager Darren Paul left the club half-way into the season and the job was taken on by 'A' team manager – Kevin Hazell.

In the 2011–12 season will start with Vice Chairman Phil Rex acted as chairman due to the chairman's illness. Other management roles were unchanged. This season the club formed its first ladies team, which started in Division 2 of the Somerset County Women's League.

Stadium

Brislington Stadium
Briz
Location Ironmould Lane, Brislington, Bristol, England
Owner Brislington FC
Capacity 3,000 (150 Seated)
Opened September 1980's
Tenants
Brislington FC (1980s – present)

The club play at Brislington Stadium, Ironmould Lane, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 5RS.

After being reformed in 1956, the club initially played on a pitch at Arnos Court Park. They now play at Ironmould Lane after a move in the 1980s. The stadium has been developed and improved upon over the years, and is now mainly covered all around and has an overall capacity of around 3,000 people including around 150 people seated on The Colin Arnold Memorial Grandstand.

Brislington Stadium has been the H.Q. of the Bristol U18 Combination League for many a year now, with the league holding both their monthly meeting and end-of-season League Cup/Plate Finals.

Current squad

First team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 England GK Chris Humphries
2 England MF Sam Williams
3 England DF Danny Barwood
4 England DF Jason Hughes (Capt)
5 England DF Dave Peters
6 England MF James Peart
7 England MF Mike Rimmer
8 England MF Dean Gifford
9 England FW Alex Lambert
10 England MF Luke Meacham
11 England FW Frank Gingell
12 England FW Neikell Plummer
13 England MF Lewis Dunn
14 England MF Mitch Ashmead
15 England MF Billy Vaughan
16 England MF Adam Elcock
17 England FW Ben Crewe
18 England DF Jason Llama
19 England MF Ross Beazer
20 England FW Jack Smyth
21 England GK Chris Blammon

Honours

League honours

Cup honours

Records

References

  1. "CHEW VALLEY GAZETTE TODAY | SPORT | Bishop Sutton AFC are champions". Chewvalleygazette.co.uk. 2013-05-31. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Brislington at the Football Club History Database
  3. "Senior Cup". SomersetFA. 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  4. "Intermediate Cup". SomersetFA. 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  5. "Junior Cup". SomersetFA. 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2013-04-04.

External links

Coordinates: 51°25′46.73″N 2°31′29.39″W / 51.4296472°N 2.5248306°W