Page 28 - Keynsham Town FC v Shepton Mallet 171020

Shepton Mallet Town FC originated from the amalgamation of three local
teams in 1933, and they won the Somerset Senior League Premier Division
title in 1949,1959,1974 and 1975, as well as lifting the Somerset Senior
Cup in 1950 and 1965.
Manager Richard Fox took the club into the Western League in 1976,
finishing runners up in their first season and gaining promotion to the
Premier Division. Relegated two seasons later, ex.Bristol City player Bryan Drysdale regained
promotion for the side in season 1981 -2 when they won the 1 Division title, but four years later
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at the end of the season 1985-6 the original club folded and dropped out of the Western League.
A new club called Shepton Mallet AFC was formed for season 1987-8 starting back in the County
league in division 2, and reaching the Premier division three seasons later after two promotions.
Manager Alan O’Leary brought them their only success in the 1990s, winning the Somerset Senior
Cup in 1997-8 after a thrilling final against local rivals Radstock Town.
Then after a 15 year absence, manager Roger Smith took the side back into the Western League
after winning the Somerset Premier League title in season 2000-1. A respectable 7 placed finish
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followed, as did Smith’s resignation early the following season, before former players Gary Banfield
and his assistant Jason Neale took over and achieved another decent finish in 9 spot.
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A dip in fortune then followed, the club invariably finishing near the bottom of the table and flirting
with relegation more than once, as managers Shane Smith, Malcolm Beck and Mark(Dusty)Ford
followed. Ex Castle Cary manager Kevan Davis then gave the club some stability and higher placed
finishes with four seasons in charge up to 2009, before another regular turnover in the following
three seasons saw Keith Brown, Chris Mountford, Glynn Shaw and Benji Tricker come and go.
The inspired appointment of ex Paulton Rovers manager Andy Jones in 2012 gave the club four
seasons of success, with promotion in 2 spot in 2013-14, followed by two top 10 finishes in the
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Premier division 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. Andy brought a number of ex Bristol City players
to the club such as Scott Murray, Louie Carey, Steve Phillips and Jo Burnell, not forgetting ex Gas
player Jon French as well.
Andy and assistant Ben Cleverley then stood down and Rob Cousins briefly took over before being
replaced by club captain Craig Loxton in September 2016. Still at the helm and now in his 5 th
season, Craig and his joint manager Jon Burr for season 2017-18, helped the club achieve its
highest ever league finish of 6 , as well as taking the club to the final of the Les Philips Cup that
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season before losing a penalty shootout against Buckland Athletic AET.
Last season John Durbin, former manager of Hengrove Athletic joined Craig and Jon and between
them the three introduced a number of new players to the club, who gave the supporters a great
season that saw them in with a chance of another record high finishing position before the Covid
crisis hit all clubs and curtailed the season in March 2020.
Hopefully the new season will be up and running successfully from September, with ex player and
former manager of Bishop Sutton and Oldlands Abbotonians, Dave Stone, helping Craig and John
and Jon Burr taking on the club’s Commercial manager position. Most of last year’s squad have re-
signed which is another big plus for the club.