Page 19 - Brislington FC v Longwell Green Sporgts 180323

Longwell Green Sports FC - A History

Founded in June 1966 following the great upsurge of interest in football following England’s World
Cup success of Bobby Moore and the England Team Longwell Green Sports were originally formed
from the workforce of the areas main employer, Longwell Green Coachworks, the team was run for
many years by Harold Harding, a well known character in and around Longwell Green.
The first pitch was laid out on the same site of today’s pitch and was, in 1966, open farmland.
In its early years Longwell Green played in what was the Saturday Regional League and by the early
seven es progressed to the District League.
By 1980 our current General Manager, John Gibbs joined the club along with several other players
from Kingswood including our Reserves Team Manager, Jeff Fishlock. In 1982 the club became
District League Division 4 Champions losing only 3 games all season.
In 1983 the club gained promo on to District Division 2, the following season the Reserve Team was
formed. The first team won promo on 5 mes in 9 seasons including Division 1 runners up and
Senior District and Bristol Combina on Premier Division 1 runners up in successive seasons, reaching
Bristol Premier Division in 1997. The following season the club finished third, 2 points behind Bi on
& Frampton and li ed the Premier Cup bea ng Highridge 3-2.
Our Reserves, by 1993, had reached District Division 2 following several promo ons with many goals
being scored by our current 3rd Team Manager, Andy Bri on. In 2002 the first team reached the GFA
Senior Amateur Cup final played at County HQ, losing on penal es to Nicholas Wanders.
At the end of season 2003/2004 the 1st Team gained promo on to took the Gloucestershire County
League and following runners up to Highridge last season, were along with Por shead and Bradford-
on-Avon promoted to the Western “Toolsta on” League, we believe we may well have created a li le
county history by being the only club on record that have achieved promo on a er only one season
in the County League.
The club have always had an ambi on to play at the highest level and this was rewarded when Ma
Hale rejoined the club he first played for as a 15 year old before becoming a professional footballer
with Bristol City, he has also played for Yeovil and Weymouth.
Ma returned in late 2003, to assist John Gibbs as 1st team player/coach, the team finished runners
up to Sea Mills and were promoted to the County League. During the summer Ma Hale was
appointed Club Coach and 1st Team Manager. Now The club has over years produced many young
players who have gone on to play for Conference and Western League clubs or have remained with
the club, a number are now in our First Team squad.
In addi on to the 1st Team we run a Reserves, 3rd & 4th Team, also an U18’s who will play in the
Gloucestershire County Youth League.
At the beginning of 2003 the club changed its name from Longwell Green Sports FC to Longwell
Green Sports, joining forces with the Longwell Green Juniors and forming a Senior & Junior Netball
team to form a broader community sports club.
Longwell Green has always had a commitment to developing young players and benefit from a
tremendous spirit amongst its teams and club members.
At Present we are in Toolsta on Division 1 . Our Manager is Chris Alway, assisted by Mark Summers,
Geraint Bater and Tony Hill. Coach Alex Grimshaw.