Page 29 - Keynsham Town FC v Clevedon Town 070921

heralded by the move to the new Hand Stadium. This superb development included an all
weather pitch, training facilities, a 300-seater stand, tiered terracing around the whole
ground with an excellent clubhouse and dressing room facilities. Gates increased to an
average of 421 and the team ended up winning the league title in style, remaining unbeaten
and scoring 137 goals in only 38 matches. The season ended with a first ever League Cup
Final appearance and election to the Beazer Homes League followed to round off a superb
first season at the new ground.

In their first season in the Beazer Homes Midland Division, they finished a creditable fifth
after having to start the campaign with a new manager, Steve Fey, and a brand new team.
After just one season the club were transferred across to the Southern Division, finishing 9th
in 1997/98 before being switched back to the Midland Division for the 1998/99 season. The
switch clearly benefited the club as they managed to win the Midland Division Championship
after a wonderful season in which they also won the Somerset Premier Cup. In their first
season in the Premier Division the club finished in a creditable eighth place and fully settled
into the Dr Martens League, with ambitious plans to develop the ground into a sports and
social complex to serve the local community. The club sadly suffered relegation back to the
Western Division at the end of 2000/01, despite winning the Somerset Premier Cup that
season and again in 2001/02. An era ended in September 2004 when manager Steve Fey
left the club after 11 years in charge and was replaced by former Plymouth Argyle and
Torquay United manager, Kevin Hodges. He, in turn, left the club in October 2005, with
Clevedon top of the league table, to become assistant manager at Coca-Cola League club,
Yeovil Town. Former Bristol Rovers player and coach, Phil Bater, took over the job, becoming
only the fourth manager at the club in 19 years, and completed the job started by Kevin
Hodges by building on his success and guiding the club to their second Southern League
Championship success and back into the Premier Division.
In November 2006 Clevedon Town played in the first round proper of The FA Cup for the first
time in their history, losing 1-4 at home to Coca-Cola League 2 team Chester City in front of
a record attendance at The Hand Stadium of 2,261. In their first season back in the Premier
Division Clevedon consolidated with an 18th place finish in 2006/07, and in 2007/08
improved on this by finishing 11th. However, despite this improvement, and leading us to
the final of The Southern League Errea Cup, where we lost 1-4 on aggregate to Hillingdon
Borough, manager Phil Bater resigned at the end of the season, leaving his assistant Wayne
Powell to take over the reins for season 2008/09. With many senior players also leaving at
the same time Wayne was forced to rebuild the side, and on a much reduced budget, but
despite his best efforts The Seasiders ended 2008 at the bottom of the Premier Division, and
Wayne was relieved of his duties. The task of saving Clevedon Town from relegation in 2009
was handed to former Port Talbot Town manager Nick Tucker. Nick and his management
team immediately brought in a few new players, who gelled quickly into the team and, as
results gradually improved, Clevedon Town ended the season in 18 place - one place and
th
two points above the relegation zone.
Most of the players were retained for season 2009/2010 but, as the UK recession started to
bite, Clevedon were forced to reduce the budget again and several senior members of the
squad left in January 2010. Nick Tucker brought in replacements but the team continued to
struggle, particularly at home, so in late March 2010 with The Seasiders languishing in 20 th
place, Nick offered his resignation, which was accepted by the Directors. Peter Beadle, once
a prolific striker with both Bristol Rovers and Bristol City, who had a brief spell at Clevedon
as coach under Kevin Hodges, as well as managerial experience with Taunton Town and
Newport County, was asked to return to The Hand as caretaker manager to lead Clevedon
through another battle to avoid relegation. However, despite “Beads” best efforts, the team
picked up just two points from his eight games in charge and Clevedon were duly relegated
after finishing in 21 place.
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