Page 14 - Yate Town FC v Beaconsfield & Winchester 15/181022
P. 14

HISTORY                                 YATE TOWN FC





        Early History: Yate Town’s earliest history began in 1906 as Yate
        Rovers. That team disbanded after the WWI and then reforming as
        Yate  YMCA.  An  early  legend  was  Frank  Boulton,  one  of  four
        brothers,  he  eventually  went  on  to  play  for  Arsenal.  After  the
        Second World War Yate YMCA competed in the Bristol and District
        League and the Avon Premier Combination and were amongst the
        founding clubs of the Gloucester County League. In 1959 the YMCA
        was dropped in favour of Town with home matches played at at
        Yate Aerodrome (1954-1960) and Sunnyside Lane (1960-84).
        In 1983 joined the Hellenic League and the first step of the National League System and
        promotion the following season. This resulted in a need to improve the playing facilities
        and in 1984 Yate Town relocated to the current ground at Lodge Road. The first section
        of covered accommodation erected in 1987 and floodlighting in 1988.
        The 90’s: 1993/94 Yate competed in the Midland Division for the third time and with a
        disappointing season in which relegation was narrowly avoided. The League restructured
        for 1994/95 and Yate moved to the Southern Division but after a poor start long serving
        manager  Pete  Jackson  handed  over  to  former  Bristol  Rovers  favourites  Ian  Alexander
        assisted by Phil Purnell. A credible sixteenth finish in the table followed plus runners up in
        the Senior County Cup, with a top half finish the following season.
        The  club  celebrated  its  Golden  Jubilee  in  1996/97  and  not  long  after  appointed  John
        Freeguard as Manager for 1997/98. This was short lived and with just two victories from
        seventeen games he resigned and was replaced by Martin Durnell assisted by Club Captain
        Danny Iddles. Despite these changes the Club still finished in the relegation which was
        avoided due to a restructuring of the Southern League. 1998/99 saw the club finish 20th
        in the Southern League.
        1999/2000 Yate moved to the Midland Division (another reorganisation of the League) and
        relegation followed and the club slipped into the Hellenic League. Manager Martin Durnell
        resigned and was replaced by former players Gary Hewlett and Richard Thompson (the
        current Director of Football).

        The Noughties: 2000/01 Yate enjoyed a long run of victories that saw them finish in third
        place in the Hellenic league. 2001/02 Yate finished third and then in 2002/03 runners up.
        North Leigh were crowned champions but declined promotion which was then offered to
        Yate by default and the club returned to the Southern League. 2003/04 the club finished
        a credible sixteenth position. 2004/05 Yate finished runners-up in Division One West and
        promotion  to  the  Premier  Division  for the first time. Additionally,  they  won the Senior
        Challenge Cup for the first time in their history, beating Bristol Rovers 2:0 in the final.
        2005/06 finished sixth at the end of the first season in the Premier Division and retained
        the Senior Challenge Cup beating Cheltenham Town in the Final. 2006/2007 and 2007/08
        Yet finished both seasons mid-table. 2008/2009 the club sat in the relegation zone after
        twenty  games  and  Richard  Thompson  left  in  February  2009.  Dave  Mogg  who  had
        previously been an assistant at Taunton Town and Weston Super Mare was appointed as
        Manager but change was too late and the club was relegated to the South & West Division.
        2009/10 a young squad managed to finish mid table and more experienced players were
        added for 2010/11 but with little improvement in results David Mogg was replaced by Rob
   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19