Page 9 - Brislington FC v Hengrove Athletic 150823

View from the dugout ry
Hengrove Athle c FC - A Histo

Hengrove Athle c F.C was formed in 1948 from players who
were demobbed from Na onal Service.
As a footnote, there is also war me history to the club
colours of green and white. With the ra oning and many
shortages, football shirts were virtually unobtainable so all
of the members of Hengrove Athle c F.C donated an
ordinary white shirt and a mother of one of the players kindly dyed them green in the
bath at her Knowle home. The colour green had no symbolic meaning. It was the only
colour available at the me! The founding fathers of the club then agreed to retain
these colours.
A successful applica on was made to join the Bristol and Suburban League and they
were placed in Division 3 for the start of 1948-49 season. A Reserve XI was then
established in 1950 and in the same year Hengrove Hall was rented to hold club
mee ngs and the social gatherings. The club con nued to expand and the ‘A’ XI started
in 1953, followed by the 30-plus XI in 1959. These four football teams made the club the
largest in the Bristol and Suburban League at the me – a er just eleven years. A ‘B’ XI
replaced the 30 plus in 1962.
The long search for a ground came to frui on on Sunday 7 June 1964 when Norton Lane
was officially opened and Hengrove Athle c F.C took up residence. The first XI was
accepted by the Somerset Senior League for the 1974-75 season, where they remained
un l 2005-2006 when they were runaway, unbeaten, Premier Division Champions and
joined the Western League for the start of the 2006-07 season.

Recent Times
Our floodlights and stand were installed at the ground in 2007-2008 to achieve the
necessary ground grading of the Western League. The EWW Stand was installed at the
ground in 2012-2013 to enter the FA Cup and future possible promo ons.
The first XI finished runners-up in Western League Division One in 2012-2013, achieving
promo on to the Premier Division for the first me. They then li ed the Les Phillips
League Cup in 2015-2016 before winning promo on to the Premier Division again in
2016/17. The following season, the club finished ninth in the table, their highest
posi on ever, and also the highest placed Bristol team at this level, before being
relegated in season 2018/19.
Manager Jamie Hillman returned to the club in the summer of 2019 and has led the club
to four mid table finishes, two of which were in curtailed seasons due to COVID. The
club have an under-18 side that plays in the Western Coun es Floodlight Youth League
and a reserve side that plays in the Bristol & Suburban League Senior Division.
The club is celebra ng its 75 anniversary this season.
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