Page 6 - Longwell Green Sports FC v Portishead Town 010423

Portishead were inaugurated early in the 1900’s by Molly Jukes, the
daughter of a local Rector, who moved to Portishead in 1903. Always
keen on sport, Molly formed a cricket side in 1910 and, two years later,
a football team she called St, Peter’s Portishead. Initially there were two
teams, a First X1 and Reserves. A year later a junior side was formed.
In 1915 Molly married the Rev.H.S.Briggs but her interest and devotion
to ‘the lads’ didn’t waver and, despite the intervention of two world wars,
she battled on as Chairman, Treasurer and Manager as well as playing in
goal as often as she could.
In the early 1950’s Molly stepped down and Portishead AFC, as the Club
were now known (following a name change in 1948) was left in the hands
of Len Pickering and Eddie Clapson.
Following successive divisional championships in 1973 and 1974 the Club
were accepted into the Somerset Senior League in 1975 and, a year later,
moved from their original pitch where the present Health Centre now
stands, to Bristol Road. As the result of the extra pitches available on the
new ground, two new teams were formed incorporating the former
Redcliffe Bay team, In 1995 a Colts side was formed and entered in the
Weston & District League along with the third and fourth teams.

In 1991-92 Portishead reached the Somerset & Avon (South) FA Senior
Cup Final where they lost 4-2 against Odd Down. In 1997 the First Team,
again, reached the final, this time beating Bridgwater Reserves 2-0 at
Paulton, In 1993/94, under the leadership of Terry Hale, the team won
the Somerset Senior League Premier Division Championship. They
retained this title in 1994/95, made it a treble in 1995/96 and notched up
their fourth Championship win at the end of the 1997/98 season, In May
2000, Shaun Hill’s side beat Radstock Town to win the Somerset Senior
Cup for the second time,
Following major ground improvements and finishing the 2004/05 season
as runners up in the Somerset County League the Club applied for election
to the Western League and were duly promoted for the start of the
2005/06 campaign.