Page 5 - Longwell Green Sports v Bradford Town 311023

HISTORY OF LONGWELL GREEN SPORTS

– “THE GREEN”

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 were 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 know
character in and around Longwell Green.
The first pitch was laid out on the same site of 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 General Manager, 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, loosing
on to Nicholas Wanders.
At the end of season 2003/2004 the 1 Team gained promotion to t ok he Gloucestershire
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County League and following runners up to Highridge last season, were along 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 have 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 finished
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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. Now
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The club has over years produced many young players who have gone on to play for
Conference 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 play in
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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. By
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 Present Manager is Chris Alway, assisted by
Alex Grimshaw.Although new to management theyhave assembled a good squad of Players
and we are hoping to have a very good season.