Page 28 - Keynsham Town FC v Clevedon Town 070921

Having originally started playing in 1880, Clevedon are one of the oldest clubs in the West
Country and were founder members of the Western League (now the Toolstation League) in
1892. Their stay, however, only lasted three seasons when they dropped back into local
football before re-joining the Western League in the 1910/11 season. Their early years were
spent at Dial Hill, still the home of the local cricket club, but they moved to a new site at Old
Street (later re-named Teignmouth Road) in 1895 where they remained until 1992.
When football resumed after the First World War, Clevedon found themselves in the Bristol
& District League and Bristol & Suburban League before a switch to the Somerset Senior
League in the early 1930's helped Clevedon increase their status, and they were to stay
there until World War Two brought a temporary end to the League. However, Clevedon
stayed in business and entered the Weston-Super-Mare League, dominated by teams from
nearby RAF Locking. This often meant playing against international stars stationed at the
Camp, although Clevedon had their share of service personnel stationed in the town.
After the War they again returned to the Western League and, despite a moderate league
record, built up a reputation for themselves in the F A Amateur Cup, reaching the Rounds
Proper no less than 8 times in 13 years. In those days that was no mean achievement and
their success brought them to the attention of the national press. There were many notable
victories, including home success over Brigg Sports, Ilford and Dartmouth United. They also
faced the mighty Pegasus, Harwich & Parkeston (who went on to reach the 1953 Final),
Wimbledon (then an Isthmian League side), Billingham Synthonia and Carshalton Athletic.
The F A Cup also brought success with several tussles against Southern League opposition.
One of the finest performances was at Merthyr Tydfil when 10,000 people gave them a long
ovation after they were defeated 2-1 after losing a player with a broken leg after just 20
minutes. The record home gate was recorded against Bath City in September 1951 when
2,300 witnessed a 3-1 win for the Southern Leaguers.
Cup success, however, was not matched in the league and they spent several years in
Division 2 before resigning, for financial reasons, at the end of the 1957/58 season. They
joined the Bristol & District League where they remained for 15 years, before rejoining the
Western League in 1973/74 after amalgamating with another local club, Ashtonians United,
who were already members of the Western League ranks. The club's name was later
changed to "Clevedon Town" to reflect their new status. With the breaking up of the old
amateur status, Clevedon joined the professional ranks in 1974 with Ray Mabbutt (father of
Spurs captain, Gary Mabbutt), becoming the first paid player. The building of a new
clubhouse and the installation of floodlights in the early 1980's nearly bankrupted the club.
Debts were running at well over £100,000 and desperate measures had to be taken to save
the club. The Board of Directors was forced to resign and the introduction of several new
faces saved the club from total disaster, with the overdraft being reduced by careful
budgeting and management. After many years as a mid-table side things began to change
a few years ago when the club decided to sell their Teignmouth Road ground and move to
a new site at Davis Lane on the edge of the town. The club had the foresight to buy the
Teignmouth Road site for £450 in 1949 and this wise move enabled the club to sell off the
ground, pay off their remaining debts and build a purpose built stadium from the proceeds.
After the ambitious announcement to move grounds, it was only natural that the playing
ambitions should be raised. In 1991/92, Terry Rowles was recruited as manager from
Mangotsfield United who signed a whole new team and set about reviving the club's fortunes
on the playing field. In the last season at Teignmouth Road, they finished as runners-up to
Weston-Super-Mare, playing their last ever match at Teignmouth Road on 20 April 1992.

Season 1992/93 was to prove by far the most successful in the club's history and it was