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The History of Longwell Green Sports

Founded in June 1966 following the great upsurge of interest in
football following England’s World Cup success of Bobby Moore
and the England Team, Longwell Green Sports was originally
formed from the workforce of the areas main employer, Longwell
Green Coachworks, the team was run for many years by Harold
Harding, a well-known character in and around Longwell Green.
The first pitch was laid out on the same site as today’s pitch and
was, in 1966, open farmland. In its early years Longwell Green
played in what was the Saturday Regional League and by the early
seventies progressed to the District League.
By 1980 our current Chairman, John Gibbs, joined the club along
with several other players from Kingswood including our Reserves
Team Manager, Jeff Fishlock. In 1982 the club became District League Division 4
Champions losing only 3 games all season.
In 1983 the club gained promotion to District Division 2, the following season the
Reserve Team was formed. The first team won promotion 5 times in 9 seasons
including Division 1 runners up and Senior District and Bristol Combination Premier
Division 1 runners up in successive seasons, reaching Bristol Premier Division in
1997. The following season the club finished third, 2 points behind Bitton &
Frampton and lifted the Premier Cup beating Highridge 3-2.
Our Reserves, by 1993, had reached District Division 2 following several promotions
with many goals being scored by our current 3 Team Manager, Andy Britton.
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In 2002 the first team reached the GFA Senior Amateur Cup final played at County
HQ, losing on penalties to Nicholas Wanderers.
At the end of season 2003/2004 the 1 Team gained promotion to the
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Gloucestershire County League and following finishing as runners up to Highridge
the following season, were, together with Portishead and Bradford-on-Avon
promoted to the Western “Toolstation” League. We believe we may well have
created a little county history by being the only club on record that has achieved
promotion after only one season in the County League.
The club have always had an ambition to play at the highest level and this was
rewarded when Matt Hale rejoined the club he first played for as a 15-year-old
before becoming a professional footballer with Bristol City, he has also played for
Yeovil and Weymouth.
Matt returned in late 2003, to assist John Gibbs as 1 team player/coach, the team
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finished runners up to Sea Mills and were promoted to the County League. During
the summer Matt Hale was appointed Club Coach and 1 Team Manager.
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Over the years the club has produced many young players who have gone on to
play for National League and Western League clubs or have remained with the club,
a number are now in our First Team squad.
In addition to the 1 Team we run a Reserves, 3 & 4 Team, also an U18’s who will
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play in the Gloucestershire County Youth League.
At the beginning of 2003 the club changed its name from Longwell Green Sports FC
to Longwell Green Sports, joining forces with the Longwell Green Juniors and
forming a Senior & Junior Netball team to form a broader community sports club.
Longwell Green has always had a commitment to developing young players and
benefit from a tremendous spirit amongst its teams and club members.
At Present we are in Toolstation Division 1. Our Manager is Chris Alway, assisted by
Mark Summers, Geraint Bater and Tony Hill. Coach Alex Grimshaw. Physio Tom
Reynolds.